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Ye Chuan was courteously ushered into the Heavenly Condemnation Sect. After being seated in the reception hall, the elders promptly summoned two disciples to attend to him.

"Greetings, Sect Master Qin," the two female disciples, both strikingly beautiful, bowed respectfully before standing beside Ye Chuan to prepare tea.

Ye Chuan picked up the teacup without a word, silently waiting for the elders to speak.

"Uh… hurry, summon the sect master," the elders nudged each other hesitantly before finally turning to fetch their leader together.

After all, this was a mess they had stirred up themselves, and none dared to face the sect master alone.

How should they explain it?

That they had found a "great treasure" for her outside?

Or that they had casually crushed their own sect's prized disciple?

The three elders wasted no more time. A faint cyan spiritual glow enveloped them as they tapped their toes against the ground, soaring toward the Moonview Pavilion where the sect master resided.

Inside the Moonview Pavilion, Qiu Shuiyue, the sect master of the Heavenly Condemnation Sect, stood by the window. She wore a plain white robe with silver-threaded plum branches embroidered along the hem. A crimson beauty mark adorned her forehead, contrasting with the dark hair cascading beside her temples, enhancing her ethereal and aloof demeanor.

A disciple's announcement echoed from outside the hall. She turned and spoke calmly, "Enter."

The three elders pushed the door open and bowed. "Greetings, Sect Master."

Qiu Shuiyue's gaze swept over them, noting their uneasy expressions. She knew the matter was serious. "What has you so flustered?"

The leading elder took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Sect Master, a senior has arrived in the reception hall, claiming to be Qin Tianya, the sect master of the Qingyun Sect from the Donghua Divine Continent."

"Qin Tianya?" Qiu Shuiyue's hand paused abruptly. Her brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "The Qingyun Sect is a top-tier sect in the Donghua Divine Continent, and Qin Tianya is a renowned powerhouse of many years. Why would he suddenly visit our Heavenly Condemnation Sect?"

The elders exchanged glances before recounting the incident in full.

Her fingertips brushed lightly, releasing a wisp of spiritual energy to probe the reception hall's direction—an unusual aura lingered there, far beyond that of an ordinary cultivator.

She looked at the three elders, her tone still composed. "If our disciples or elders truly offended him, then it is our fault, and we must apologize. But are you certain it is Qin Tianya himself?"

The elders wore bitter expressions.

The leading elder forced a wry smile. "Sect Master, how could we dare to ask? The moment he released his aura, it suppressed our Nascent Soul cultivation to the point where we couldn’t even move, let alone confirm his identity."

Qiu Shuiyue fell silent for a moment, her eyes thoughtful. She straightened her robes decisively.

"Come, let us visit the reception hall."

As she spoke, a soft moonlight-like glow enveloped her. With a light step, her figure glided toward the reception hall like a breeze. The three elders hurried after her, their hearts filled with trepidation.

Inside the reception hall, Ye Chuan sat quietly. Two female disciples in pale yellow dresses stood beside him, holding tea trays. Their silky black hair was adorned with delicate white jade hairpins. As they approached, they curtsied gracefully, their voices sweet and clear.

"Senior, please enjoy your tea."

They then skillfully poured the brewed spiritual tea into a white porcelain cup. The tea was clear, its delicate orchid fragrance wafting before even taking a sip.

Ye Chuan drank silently, his gaze lingering on the young women. Perhaps his scrutiny was too bold, as their faces flushed with embarrassment.

But given his status, their nervousness outweighed their shyness. If they could earn some reward from such a distinguished figure, it might accelerate their cultivation breakthroughs.

Meanwhile, Ye Chuan was lost in thought…

These girls are quite cute. Maybe they could debut as the centerpiece in my Soul Banner?

After all, every time he summoned the banner, the wailing ghosts ruined his image as a benevolent educator. If he could wave the banner and have a girl group emerge singing instead, that would be much better.

Even a song like "Grateful Heart" would do.

Just as he pondered this, he noticed the doors opening in the distance.

"Sect Master Qin, my apologies for not welcoming you sooner," Qiu Shuiyue said as she entered with her entourage of elders. But the moment she saw Ye Chuan, she was taken aback—his youthful appearance was far from what one would expect of a top sect master.

Though the cultivation world had age-preserving pills like the Eternal Youth Elixir, cultivators above the Nascent Soul realm rarely maintained a deliberately youthful appearance, as it was considered undignified.

"Hm." Ye Chuan acknowledged with a hum before sipping his tea, offering no further response.

His aloofness froze Qiu Shuiyue’s expression for a moment, but she suppressed her irritation and studied him carefully. When she realized she couldn’t discern his cultivation level at all, her heart sank.

Officially, Qiu Shuiyue was at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, but in truth, she had already reached the mid-stage of the Spirit Transformation realm—she had simply kept a low profile.

Yet even at her level, she couldn’t see through his cultivation. That meant his strength likely far surpassed hers.

Rumors claimed Qin Tianya was a Dao Comprehension realm expert. Aside from his unexpected appearance, everything else seemed to fit.

As for the possibility of another Dao Comprehension expert impersonating him… Qiu Shuiyue dismissed it. Experts of that caliber were all figures of great renown.

Reputation mattered, after all.

This… was going to be troublesome.

"Sect Master Qin, regarding the offense caused by our disciples and elders, I formally apologize on behalf of the Heavenly Condemnation Sect…" As she spoke, an elder stepped forward with a jade tray.

"This is Dao Comprehension Divine Water, a treasure I obtained by chance. Please accept it as a token of our sincerity."

Ye Chuan glanced at it.

Though he didn’t recognize it, he reached out and took it without hesitation.

[Item: Dao Comprehension Divine WaterGold

Effect: Accelerates comprehension of laws.]

"That’s it?" Ye Chuan’s question left Qiu Shuiyue and the elders speechless.

Uh…

The Dao Comprehension Divine Water was something Qiu Shuiyue had practically sacrificed a limb to offer as compensation. Hearing his words, her expression shifted repeatedly before she finally sighed in resignation.

"Senior, our sect is too small… We truly have no treasures worthy of your standing."

What could a Dao Comprehension realm expert possibly covet from them? The divine water itself was a legacy passed down through generations.

"Forget it," Ye Chuan said indifferently. "This venerable one has no wish to trouble you further. Coincidentally, the Qingyun Sect’s buildings were recently destroyed in an incident. If you provide some spirit stones or spirit crystals, I’ll consider the matter settled."

"Spirit stones… spirit crystals?" Qiu Shuiyue was taken aback but ventured cautiously, "How much would be appropriate?"

Ye Chuan’s expression turned icy.

"What do you think?"