When Li Yan heard those words, an icy chill ran through his heart. A gruff voice remarked, "Little fellow, you look no more than a bit over twenty." Yet almost immediately, he recalled that even though Li Wu Yi was in his seventies, the man still carried himself with an unnaturally youthful vigor—handsome, spirited, and with the charm of a worldly rogue. Li Yan couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Are all cultivators such strange creatures?"
A well-dressed woman in elegant palace attire at his side was addressed first by the speaker. "Dear sister, do not frighten him now. He's likely not used to the appearance of cultivators. Hahaha! And Li Yan, our master and your teacher—both of us are over two hundred years old now—so by right of age, it wouldn't hurt for you to kowtow to your elders, wouldn't it?" Her companion, a stout, jovial young man, had said this in a mixed tone: first addressing the lady beside him and then, with a light chuckle, greeting Li Yan.
Li Yan's heart pounded in astonishment. Though he had braced himself for what lay ahead, he never anticipated that the pair presiding above him—a young man and woman—would seem as ancient as his great-great-grandfather. In a murmur tinged with irritation, the palace-dressed woman huffed quietly, "Really, why reveal his age like that?" Her gaze was sharp and reproachful as it fixed on the plump youth sitting beside her.
The chubby young man only returned a faint smile without replying. Turning his attention to Li Yan, he said, "Since you have followed Master Wu Yi here, I assume he's already mentioned a few things to you. Your coming here is meant to introduce you to everyone on the Peak and to carry out a brief initiation ritual. I'm not one for tedious formalities, but if you neglect even a few of our rules, the other four peaks will eventually catch wind of it and start wagging their tongues about our sect's principles."
Lowering his head, Li Yan said nothing. The phrase "tedious formalities" had been heard before during his initiation, and that same familiar internal conflict and reluctance churned within him again.
Noticing that Li Yan remained silently bowed, the plump youth furrowed his brow and cast a questioning look at Li Wu Yi. The latter, equally taken aback, murmured, "Weren't we agreed on this beforehand? Then why does this junior apprentice seem so lost in thought?" Soon, two young men and two young women seated in the hall began to frown, their expressions turning rather disapproving.
At that moment, Li Yan lifted his gaze. With a nervous hand scratching the back of his head, he offered a sheepish smile and said, "Master, please forgive my distraction. I was merely a bit dazed."
Hearing his apology, the plump youth and the others nodded as if to say they understood—after all, it was common for those entering the Sect of Specters to be overwhelmed by turbulent emotions, as if wandering in a half-awake dream.
Meanwhile, Li Wu Yi stepped forward carrying a tray with two cups of tea. He offered them to Li Yan, signalling that it was time to serve. Obedient and respectful, Li Yan carefully poured a cup for both the stout youth and the white-clad palace maiden and then stepped back, standing at the center of the great hall with his head bowed.
The plump youth then took a small sip of his tea and set his cup down on a nearby side table. "Well then," he announced, "from this day forth, you are officially the Eighth Junior Disciple of Little Bamboo Peak. Like your Seventh Senior Brother Lin Da Qiao—who is, for now, also registered as a named disciple—you are expected to reach the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible." He punctuated his words by pointing to a long-armed youth who was bowing nearby.
Following his gesture, Li Yan looked over and recognized the long-armed youth. In his mind he noted, "So that's my Seventh Senior Brother. He's at the Condensation stage, though I can't quite tell which level exactly."
Lin Da Qiao, catching the master's reference to him, grinned warmly at Li Yan and said, "At last, we've got another named disciple! From now on, you'll be treated as my junior—consider yourself part of the family." It was evident that Lin Da Qiao had often felt a bit isolated here, being the only one not yet a formal disciple.
All Li Yan could do was nod and return a modest smile.
The plump youth then continued, "For your information, I am called Wei Chongran. Those seated here beneath you are your senior brothers and sisters. You should be acquainted with your eldest senior brother by now. In order, they are: your Second Senior Brother, Wei Chituo; your Seventh Senior Brother, Lin Da Qiao; your Fourth Senior Sister, Miao Wangqing; and your Sixth Senior Sister, Gong Chenying." As he named each one, Wei Chongran pointed decisively first at a burly, middle-aged man; next at the long-armed youth; then at a graceful woman dressed in a goose-yellow long skirt; and finally at a lady with a cool, short-haired demeanor.
Each of these disciples smiled politely and nodded at Li Yan in turn. Lin Da Qiao's smile was particularly broad, and even the otherwise stoic, icy-faced sixth sister inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment.
Li Yan, his smile barely concealing his nervousness, bowed courteously to each person. He knew only that Lin Da Qiao was at the Condensation Stage, while he assumed the rest were already at the Foundation Establishment stage (though whether they were in its early or mid-phase, he could not tell).
Once everyone had exchanged greetings with Li Yan, Wei Chongran spoke again. "Hmm, your Third Senior Brother is currently on a sect mission, so you won't be seeing him today. And your Fifth Senior Brother, having gained some profound insights after the recent grand competition, is now in seclusion. In time, you will surely meet him again." Finishing his explanation, he gestured toward a set of chairs arranged below him. "Please, have a seat."
Li Yan scanned the room. There were two rows of chairs, but at present the four seniors were gathered together in a single row. Knowing full well the importance of proper seniority and decorum, he hesitated to sit directly in front of them. He started toward the very end of that row, only to have Li Wu Yi suddenly grab his arm and lead him to the opposite row. Wu Yi pointed to the foremost chair at the head of that row and said, "Junior disciple, sit here. Our master has something to say, and it's more convenient this way. We seldom have the chance to gather for a meeting, and since the master isn't one for excessive ritual — sit as you please." Without further protest, Li Wu Yi promptly sat down on the second chair next to Li Yan.
Wei Chongran gave a nod of approval. He clearly appreciated the insight and promptness of this senior disciple. Even though cultivators were said to possess extraordinary hearing—able to transmit or discern words across tens of yards—this seating arrangement proved even more fitting. It was one of the reasons Wei felt secure enough to entrust him with managing many of the affairs of Little Bamboo Peak.
Reluctantly, Li Yan settled into his chair. Despite his compliance, he was fully aware that the order of seniority was very much in force here; it was merely that the sect's rules were less rigid than one might expect. Still, he silently vowed that if he were ever to return, he would make sure to sit at the very end out of deference.
After a moment's pause, Wei Chongran lifted his tea cup once more and took a careful sip before speaking again. "Li Yan, although I have heard bits and pieces about you, it has all been mere hearsay. Now that you have formally joined our sect, we need to learn more about your past. It would be best if you told us your story. Of course, if there are any parts that pertain to your personal secrets, you need not mention them. Still, this will put you at a slight disadvantage—your senior brothers and sisters have already gleaned some of your history, while you know very little about theirs. Haha! But since we are all in the same sect, I am sure it won't be long before you become familiar with one another. Besides, your situation is rather unusual—so unusual that even I know very little about it."
At this, Li Yan's spirit sank further. In his mind he grumbled, "I barely know anything about any of you, yet I've been admitted into the sect, and now you want to strip me completely bare!" Still, he understood that having been inducted into the sect without having to earn the right to learn the sect's secret cultivation methods, as Dong Fu Yi had once warned, he was bound by his fate. One simply wasn't taken in without a purpose. Although he had divulged plenty to that one Xu at Lingchong Peak, the true responsibility now lay with the master before him. What troubled Li Yan even more was that a whole host of senior brothers and sisters were attentively listening by his side. He couldn't help wondering what his newly appointed master had in mind.
After finishing his probing, Wei Chongran set his tea cup aside and leaned back in his chair with his eyes half-closed. The senior lady beside him appeared visibly intrigued by Li Yan's story, and though the others remained silent, they fixed their gaze upon him intently.
With no alternative, Li Yan began his recount. He explained, step by step, how he had left his humble village to join the military, how he came upon the formidable Chief Ji, how he first sensed that something was amiss, and finally how he reached out to Marshal Hong, whose intervention ultimately resulted in the death of Chief Ji.
However, his narration did not include one crucial detail: he deliberately omitted any mention of the incidents involving Dong Fu Yi and the Gui Shui Immortal Sect. Instead, he altered the truth about how he discovered Chief Ji's ill intent. In his version, a secret note—left anonymously by a fallen senior brother—had warned that he might have been poisoned with a deadly toxin. This note was meant to serve as a posthumous plea for vengeance, to be activated if ever discovered by others. Later, when Li Yan inadvertently came across the note again—and when the symptoms of his adverse reactions began to manifest—he was gripped by terror. In his direst desperation, he sought out a senior military marshal. After all, Marshal Hong was not only a military figure but also a legendary hero of the martial world, a man of boundless passion. Upon hearing Li Yan's lament, Marshal Hong's heart softened, and he helped him to escape. In the end, however, Li Yan and his junior companion both met a tragic end at the hands of Chief Ji. To add insult to injury, most of the credit for that fateful feat was later ascribed to Marshal Hong and Li Yan's junior brother rather than to Li Yan himself.
After all, those adversaries were long dead, and it was impossible now to pick holes in their exploits. If anyone were to find any inconsistencies in his account, they would have to scrutinize every word he had spoken. In truth, before arriving at this sect, Li Yan had already concocted one version of his story at Lingchong Peak in order to appease curious inquirers. Now here, he was only trying to refine that tale further so that it might sound as genuine as possible.
As Li Yan detailed his experience, there were moments when his account drew audible sighs from two of the female disciples. Aside from the cool, short-haired Sixth Senior Sister—who maintained a stoic expression—the white-clad teacher's daughter and the graceful Fourth Senior Sister in a long, goose-yellow skirt even occasionally chimed in with a few remarks. Their interjections were filled with genuine concern for his wellbeing. The rest of the group seemed struck dumb, especially when Li Yan recounted how Marshal Hong had cunningly set an ambush to hunt down Chief Ji. The hearers could only sigh in sympathy, marvelling that in the mortal realm of martial arts, such heroic figures still existed. In the eyes of cultivators, one was by no means above mortal men—death at the hands of ordinary people was indeed within the realm of possibility.
By the time he had finished his tale, Li Yan found himself almost admiring his own narration. There was a strange satisfaction in the way he had told his story, as if he possessed the soul of a natural storyteller. So convinced was he by his own recitation that he nearly began to believe every word he had spoken.
All the while, Wei Chongran had listened silently. He leaned back in his chair, his expression shifting from seriousness to deep contemplation to a gentle, enigmatic smile as if weighing every detail. Finally, when Li Yan's long account came to an end, Wei Chongran fixed him with a half-smile, leaving Li Yan's heart pounding with apprehension.
Even as Li Yan finished speaking, he couldn't help but keep a wary eye on everyone's reaction. He was terrified that he might inadvertently reveal a detail he should have kept secret—especially anything concerning the Gui Shui Immortal Sect. He knew all too well that such esoteric and revered techniques, if ever manifested in this world, would bring nothing but danger. After all, Dong Fu Yi had once warned that even in the exalted Celestial Spirit Realm, every sect was desperately searching for the secrets behind the Five Immortal Gates. Their desire for the five sets of immortal methods was legendary and unyielding.
After Li Yan's narration, he noticed a slight, ambiguous smile playing on the master's face. His heart skipped a beat as he silently wondered, "Could it be that I've somehow let something slip? Has this master discovered something I intended to hide?" For a moment, he was utterly at a loss as to what might have gone wrong.
Yet, as Wei Chongran proceeded with a few more words, Li Yan felt a measure of relief. Once Li Yan had finished speaking, Wei straightened his posture and adopted a more measured expression. He then proceeded to ask Li Yan several questions—mostly concerning his cultivation techniques. It was clear that the focus of these inquiries was on the subject of his "fragmented poisonous body."
After posing over a dozen questions, Wei Chongran turned to address the entire assembly. "This is precisely why I invited all of you to listen in. It isn't to pry into the backgrounds of our Eighth Junior Brother; rather, you are here to hear first-hand the full record of his cultivation process. Later, you can analyze and discuss it amongst yourselves, and I, too, will be reporting my findings and analysis to the sect. Hopefully, this will be of some assistance." Then, turning back to Li Yan, Wei asked, "Li Yan, do you understand what is meant by a 'fragmented poisonous body'?"
Rising from his seat, Li Yan replied, "Master, my eldest senior brother has already explained for me, in general terms, the other two types of poisonous bodies."
Wei Chongran gently patted his hand to signal that Li Yan should sit back down before continuing, "That's good. Listen well: these three great poisonous bodies form the most formidable battle-readied constitutions in our sect. As for the other two types, there are established methods of cultivation based on one's innate constitution. But your type—the 'fragmented poisonous body'—is notoriously unpredictable and difficult to refine. Throughout the ages, only a select few have succeeded in cultivating it, and even now, no normal method has been firmly established. That is why every disciple who succeeds in cultivating such a body is required to report, in exhaustive detail, the entire cultivation process so that our sect can learn from the experience. Your method of success must be recorded as well. Today, I have your senior brothers and sisters listen in, in case they might uncover some insights. In that sense, they've all benefited slightly. Now, let me ask you one more question: Is every part of your cultivation process genuine?"
Li Yan's thoughts raced. "So that's why these people are prying into my past. But it seems this master also has his own hidden agenda. Recording and reporting my process to the sect must be something the sect keeps under wraps—not something shared with everyone outside. Yet now, besides the senior brother who cannot be present, everyone else is here. It must be that he wishes all of you to learn from my case. I suppose this master's personal interest is something he even enjoys."
"Master," Li Yan said firmly, "everything I have recounted about my cultivation is entirely true. Not a single detail has been fabricated."
Even as he spoke these words, Li Yan silently acknowledged to himself, "Yes, my cultivation process is true—though I did omit certain details. However, regarding the 'Black Night Curtain Blue Technique' I practice, I have told no untruths whatsoever. As for how I managed to successfully cultivate this unique poisonous body…I truly don't understand it myself. Perhaps none of this will matter to you."
Wei Chongran smiled and nodded, though Li Yan couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that the master's nod carried a depth of meaning—a silent query that made his heart tremble with uncertainty.
After a long pause, Wei Chongran finally spoke with a calm decisiveness. "Very well, let's leave it at that. Li Yan, come forward." With that, he smiled once more and suddenly beckoned Li Yan forward—a gesture that only deepened the apprehension already coursing through Li Yan. His mind raced, "Could it be? Has this opportunistic master discovered something I would rather remain hidden?"