Where did this evil cultivator come from

At the gates of the Tianyan Sect.

A group of disciples, having just completed their mission, were making their way inside.

A slender young man sighed lightly and said,

"Finally, this mission is over. A few more trips like this, and my bones would’ve fallen apart."

A tall, burly man chuckled and retorted,

"When there are no missions, you complain about not having enough contribution points to exchange for good stuff. Now that there are more missions, you complain about being tired. Do you want all the benefits for yourself?"

The slender youth stretched lazily and replied,

"Of course. The best would be getting a ton of contribution points without lifting a finger."

The tall man glanced at their team leader. "Things are already pretty good now. The mission difficulty has been lowered, and the rewards are generous. We owe it to Team Leader Wang’s performance last time, which left a decent impression on Elder Bai."

A faint smile appeared on Wang Lin’s face.

Initially, he had thought Chu Xingchen’s promise to put in a good word for him before Bai Xuanling was just empty talk—after all, cultivators of Yanyun’s level were often forgetful. But to his surprise, Chu Xingchen had actually done it.

Ever since returning to the Tianyan Sect after the aid mission, not only had their rewards doubled, but even the notoriously grumpy elder in charge of mission assignments spoke to him in an unbelievably gentle tone.

This was probably the first time Wang Lin had encountered a high-ranking figure who actually kept their word.

It made all the effort he had put in, fighting side by side with Li Xingtian—though his contribution had been modest—worth it.

Wang Lin steered the conversation elsewhere, addressing the group:

"Now that this mission is over, it’s time to focus on cultivation for a while."

"True, we’ve got enough contribution points to exchange for some good elixirs," the others chimed in.

Just as they were about to disperse, their gazes simultaneously turned toward the direction of Seclusion Peak.

Two overwhelmingly powerful auras surged violently—one a brilliant azure, the other a sinister crimson.

The sheer intensity of the clash was terrifying, but the protective formation around Seclusion Peak contained the shockwaves.

The slender youth frowned.

"Is someone fighting on Seclusion Peak? And why is there a demonic cultivator? Was someone captured for interrogation? Why would they take them to Seclusion Peak?"

The burly man pondered briefly before speaking up.

"Could it be someone suffering from qi deviation? Let’s check it out—what if they need backup?"

Wang Lin scanned the surroundings. No other disciples had rushed over yet, but he quickly made his decision.

"Let’s go assess the situation."

With righteous intentions, there was no reason to hesitate.

Wang Lin’s squad headed toward the "One Big Happy Family Peak."

Unbeknownst to them, Seclusion Peak had already been renamed to "One Big Happy Family Peak."

News of Tianyan Peak’s lockdown had been relayed to them upon their return to the sect. Though unusual, since it was the sect master’s order, no one questioned it.

As for the renaming of Seclusion Peak, it wasn’t considered urgent.

Ordinary disciples had no reason to visit, and a simple inquiry would reveal the details.

If not for the overwhelming blood qi, Wang Lin would have simply passed by.

In mere moments, the group arrived before One Big Happy Family Peak.

A quick glance made the situation clear.

The slender youth froze momentarily before blurting out,

"Oh, it’s just Righteousness-Turned-Wicked sparring with his senior sister."

Wang Lin was also taken aback. Though rumors claimed Chu Xingchen had close ties to the Tianyan Sect, he had never taken up permanent residence here.

Yet, judging by the setup below, it seemed he intended to stay.

The next moment, Wang Lin noticed Chu Xingchen’s gaze shifting toward him, offering a slight nod with a faint smile.

He quickly snapped back to reality. "Let’s head down first. It’s impolite to hover above the peak. We should apologize to Elder Chu."

The slender youth also realized—by seniority, he should be addressing Righteousness-Turned-Wicked as "Grandmaster."

Wang Lin led the group down swiftly, and the protective formation of Seclusion Peak parted to let them through.

They hurried inside.

Wang Lin quickened his pace, his heart uneasy.

Though Chu Xingchen had seemed approachable during their previous interaction, that didn’t mean he was lenient in all matters.

Soon, Wang Lin spotted Chu Xingchen seated on a stone chair and immediately stepped forward, cupping his hands respectfully.

"Grandmaster, we’ve just returned from a mission and were unaware of the situation here. Sensing the turbulent spiritual energy, we feared a conflict and came to investigate."

Chu Xingchen watched as Wang Lin’s squad stood straight and saluted. With a light wave of his hand, he said,

"I thought you had urgent business with me. Since it’s just a misunderstanding, no harm done. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?"

"You remember me?" Wang Lin was surprised—after all, they had only met once.

Chu Xingchen smiled faintly. "Naturally. My second disciple owes you a debt of gratitude."

Wang Lin fell silent at that.

Chu Xingchen didn’t press further, gesturing for them to take their seats.

"Bai Qing, prepare tea for them as well."

Wang Lin quickly expressed his thanks.

Chu Xingchen pointed at the fierce battle between Li Yingling and Li Xingtian.

"Who do you think will win?"

Wang Lin observed for a moment, quickly grasping the dynamics.

Li Yingling’s spiritual energy was denser, and her mastery of divine abilities clearly surpassed Li Xingtian’s.

On pure stats alone, she held the advantage.

But Li Xingtian’s combat instincts and techniques were unmistakably honed through life-and-death battles.

He knew how to maximize every move in real combat.

Wang Lin had been on enough missions to recognize the potential for an underdog’s comeback—especially since Li Yingling’s previous battle plan had been haphazard at best.

In contrast, Li Xingtian’s approach aligned more with his own preferences.

After a brief consideration, Wang Lin answered,

"I’d place my bet on Elder Li."

Cui Hao’s eyes lit up. He grabbed a nearby pastry and handed it to Wang Lin, exclaiming,

"Great minds think alike!"

Wang Lin accepted it politely and glanced at Cui Hao’s golden core cultivation before asking quietly,

"And you are…?"

Cui Hao waved a hand. "Your Uncle Cui."

No sooner had he spoken than Chu Xingchen flicked his sleeve.

"Don’t get ahead of yourself."

Cui Hao pouted slightly. "What, am I supposed to let myself be demoted a generation for no reason?"

Chu Xingchen sighed lightly, turning his attention back to the duel.

Li Yingling’s initial nonchalance had given way to solemn focus—her earlier carelessness had cost her.

She had likely assumed defeating her junior brother would be a walk in the park.

But Li Xingtian was proving her wrong.

His blood qi surged violently, shaking the training ground’s formation.

As time passed, more disciples arrived, drawn by the overwhelming blood qi.

This time, however, Chu Xingchen didn’t let them in.

Before long, Yanyun arrived, scattering the onlookers with a wave before stepping onto One Big Happy Family Peak.

Yanyun stepped into the midst of it all, first nodding in acknowledgment to Wang Lin's squad, who promptly clasped their hands in greeting.

Perhaps because she had enjoyed herself at the last sect assembly, Yanyun no longer stood on ceremony. She strode in and took a seat at an empty spot without hesitation.

Her gaze settled on the two figures locked in combat, and she directly sent a voice transmission to Chu Xingchen, asking:

"How is Uncle Bai's Divine Sea condition?"

Chu Xingchen lightly pinched his teacup, offering no reply.

After waiting a moment, Yanyun turned her eyes back to him and pressed further via voice transmission:

"If the specifics can't be shared, can you at least say how bad it is?"

Chu Xingchen let out a faint sigh before finally responding:

"People only see the radiance before a legend, never the scars behind her."

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