The vast and ancient spiritual sense came and went quickly.
It only lingered over Lesser Peak for less than half a breath before receding like a tide, returning to silence.
However, the aftershock it brought caused a Category 12 super tsunami in Lin Fan's heart.
"A Grand Elder... or even the Sect Master!" Lin Fan's voice held a barely perceptible tremor. He knew very well that in the entire Sky Profound Sect, the number of beings who could possess such a terrifying spiritual sense could be counted on one hand. Each was a true pillar of the sect, an old monster who had lived for over a thousand years!
His little tricks, including Yue Qingqian's "performance" at Hundred Herbs Peak, were probably as clear as day to a great power of this level.
Yue Qingqian's face was also deathly pale. She tightly gripped Lin Fan's sleeve, her body trembling slightly. In that instant, she had felt like an ant being stared at by a hawk, unable to even muster the thought of resistance.
"Senior Brother... are... are we... exposed?"
Lin Fan did not answer immediately. He forced himself to calm down, his brain working at an unprecedented speed, analyzing every detail.
"No... not yet," he finally let out a long breath, a bit of clarity returning to his eyes. "If we were truly exposed, what would be coming for us now would not be a spiritual sense probe, but a thunderous strike. The other party... should only have detected the abnormal law fluctuations of the Void Spirit Flower, but is not yet sure what exactly happened."
He glanced at the seemingly ordinary "Breath-Concealing Jade" on Yue Qingqian's waist, a sense of lingering fear rising in his heart.
Fortunately! Fortunately, he had the foresight to prepare this treasure for his junior sister, which could isolate her from heavenly secrets. If this jade pendant had not, at the critical moment, perfectly concealed the karmic link between Yue Qingqian and the petal, as well as the overly dazzling aura of her Innate Sword Heart, they would probably be prisoners of the sect by now.
"But, this is only temporary," Lin Fan's expression was still extremely solemn. "Since the other party is already suspicious, they will definitely not let it go. There will certainly be follow-up probing and investigations."
As expected, his words had just fallen.
A lifelike paper crane, condensed from spiritual light, flapped its wings, passed through the hundreds of layers of bewildering arrays surrounding Lesser Peak, and hovered gracefully in the center of the courtyard, without a single trace of fanfare.
A Voice-Transmitting Crane! And it was a Sect Master's Command Crane, which could ignore most restrictions and represented the highest will of the sect!
From the crane's beak came a majestic and ethereal voice that echoed throughout Lesser Peak:
"By the decree of the Sect Master: Elder Liu Changqing of Hundred Herbs Peak, and his newly accepted personal disciple, Yue Qingqian, are to proceed to the Sky Profound Hall for an audience immediately!"
It's here!
Lin Fan's worst premonition had come true.
Hearing her name, the color drained from Yue Qingqian's face.
An audience with the Sect Master?! That was the highest symbol of power and strength in the entire Sky Profound Sect! With her meager cultivation and clumsy acting, wouldn't she be seen through in an instant by such a figure?
"Senior Brother! I... I don't dare to go..." Her voice was already tinged with tears.
"What are you panicking for!" Lin Fan snapped in a low voice, his gaze as sharp as a knife. "The more critical the situation, the more you must not lose your composure! You must remember, from now on, you are not Yue Qingqian. You are the one-of-a-kind 'alchemy prodigy' that we have carefully designed!"
He knew this was an ultimate, high-stakes test that they absolutely could not escape. Failure meant eternal damnation!
He immediately pulled Yue Qingqian back into the "supreme command center" and began a new, highest-level pre-battle mobilization.
"Listen, Junior Sister," Lin Fan's tone was rushed but clear, "your previous 'specialized genius' persona is no longer sufficient to deal with a figure like the Sect Master. We must immediately create a brand new, upgraded, and flawless script for you!"
He tailor-made a new "Persona 2.0 Upgraded Edition" for Yue Qingqian.
"From now on, you are a 'Dao fanatic'!" A crazed light shone in Lin Fan's eyes. "A seeker of the Dao who is completely immersed in her own world, indifferent to everything outside, and even a bit dazed and simple!"
"In your mind, there is only the Dao of alchemy, only your theory of 'harmony of all things'! Besides that, you know nothing and care about nothing else! What is a Sect Master? What is a Grand Elder? In your eyes, they are no different from a rock or a spiritual herb!"
"When you see the Sect Master later, no matter what he asks you, your answers must revolve around your 'Dao'!"
Lin Fan began to conduct a rapid scenario simulation for her.
"If the Sect Master asks you why the Void Spirit Flower acted abnormally? You will answer: 'I do not know. I was just listening to the flower's voice, feeling its Dao rhythm, and then, it seemed... to be very happy.'"
"If the Sect Master asks you why Elder Liu accepted you as a disciple in an exception to the rules? You will answer: 'I do not know. I just showed the elder my comprehension of the flame. And then, the elder seemed... to be very excited.'"
"If the Sect Master tests you with his pressure, you will do nothing! Just look at him blankly with your purest, most innocent eyes, filled with confusion about the 'Dao'! You must make him feel that you simply cannot comprehend what pressure is, that your entire soul has become one with the Dao of alchemy!"
"In short, your core acting principle is eight words—to know nothing when asked, to be pure and innocent!"
Lin Fan knew that against an old fox who had lived for a thousand years, any elaborate lie could be seen through. The only way was to use the most extreme, purest "truth" to counter his suspicion!
From his storage pouch, he took out another crystal-clear jade pendant and solemnly hung it around Yue Qingqian's neck.
"This is a 'Heart-Purifying Jade.' It will keep your heartbeat and soul fluctuations in a state of absolute calm, preventing you from revealing any flaws due to nervousness. At the same time, if the other party uses any mind-probing spells, it will emit a faint cool sensation to remind you."
After completing all these preparations, Lin Fan took a deep look at his junior sister.
"Junior Sister, this trial is the most dangerous one in our 'Shearing the Sheep Plan,' and even in our 'Ultimate Moving Plan.' Whether we can pass it all depends on you."
Yue Qingqian nodded firmly. She knew that she was about to step onto a battlefield far more dangerous than any arena.
She was not a disciple going to be questioned.
She was a great actress, shouldering the future destiny of the entire Lesser Peak!
What she was about to perform would be the pinnacle of her acting career, a monologue that could deceive even the gods!