Yunhai Star Domain, Qianlan Sacred Ground.
Chen Qingyuan stayed at the foot of a nearby mountain, taking out the sound transmission jade talisman to contact Han Shan: "Old Han, I've arrived."
Noticing the flickering of the jade talisman, Han Shan checked it and his eyes lit up.
Before long, Han Shan put aside what he was doing and hurried out, visibly excited.
The brothers reunited, overjoyed.
"Brother Chen, what brings you here?"
Han Shan gave Chen Qingyuan a hearty slap on the shoulder, his smile beaming.
"Just came to check on you."
Chen Qingyuan took out two flasks of fine wine, and the two brothers found a scenic spot to sit down, sipping wine and chatting leisurely.
After a while, Han Shan brought up an incident from over a decade ago: "Weren't you supposed to have a showdown with Wu Junyan? What happened to that?"
"There was an unexpected turn of events," Chen Qingyuan replied.
"What kind of turn?"
Han Shan asked, curious.
"I'll tell you about it later!" Without the Academy's instruction, Chen Qingyuan didn't want to reveal his identity just yet to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"Alright." Han Shan didn't press further but let out a sigh.
"Sighing? Something on your mind?"
Chen Qingyuan had rushed over precisely because he was worried about Han Shan's situation and wanted to see if he could be of any help.
"Yes, and it's quite complicated," Han Shan said, taking a big gulp of wine.
"Let's hear it." Chen Qingyuan already had a rough idea thanks to Murong Wenxi's investigation.
"To cut a long story short, I was picked up by my master over three hundred years ago and became a disciple of Qianlan Sacred Ground. Recently, some mysterious people found me, claiming I am the direct heir of the main lineage of the Four Holy Sects."
Han Shan kept his eyes on Chen Qingyuan, trying to gauge his reaction.
However, Chen Qingyuan maintained a calm demeanor, leaving Han Shan without the reaction he had hoped for.
"Why aren't you surprised?"
Han Shan asked, frowning.
"I found out not long ago," Chen Qingyuan said indifferently.
"How did you know?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Han Shan's eyes; he had kept this news to himself, not even his master knew.
"The Murong family told me."
Chen Qingyuan revealed.
"Oh, I see. The Murong family does have strong information-gathering capabilities, so it's not surprising they know."
Han Shan suddenly understood.
"Looking at the Northern Wilderness, the Four Holy Sects are top-tier forces. Isn't it a good thing if you become the direct heir of the main lineage?"
Chen Qingyuan took a sip of wine, sharing his opinion.
"Good for nothing!" Han Shan muttered under his breath: "I used to be free to do as I pleased, as long as I didn't cross any personal lines. Ever since those people from the Four Holy Sects came, they've been trying to indoctrinate me with their ideas, even saying my master isn't qualified to teach me and that I should distance myself from him. I was furious; if my kind master hadn't taken me in, I would've been long gone."
"Did the people from the Four Holy Sects give you a hard time?"
Chen Qingyuan's expression turned slightly hostile as he asked.
No matter what top-tier force it was, only he, Chen Qingyuan, could bully his brother; no one else was allowed.
Ever since he became sworn brothers with the Black Python, Chen Qingyuan had gained confidence, facing even the most formidable foes without fear.
What of the Four Holy Sects? Could they really compare to the Academy?
"They didn't," Han Shan shook his head: "I just don't like their rules, nor do I want to compete for power with my peers from the main lineage."
"If you don't want to, then don't. If you encounter any trouble you can't resolve, just call me," Chen Qingyuan said earnestly.
"What good would calling you do? That's the Four Holy Sects! They say there are top-tier powerful figures there, and not just one."
If a real problem arose, Han Shan wouldn't want to drag Chen Qingyuan down with him. This was his karma, and he had to face it himself.
"Don't be afraid, if you're wronged, I'll definitely sort it out for you."
Chen Qingyuan put his arm over Han Shan's shoulder, his smile confident.
"You're just boasting!"
Han Shan didn't believe a word of it.
The two brothers enjoyed the breeze and the view, chatting for a long time.
"I heard that the second young master of the Four Holy Sects' main lineage might come looking for you, be careful."
Chen Qingyuan advised, wanting Han Shan to be prepared.
"Alright, I got it."
Han Shan's expression stiffened for a moment as he nodded slowly.
The second young master of the main lineage was Han Shan's own younger brother.
Sigh!
An estranged younger brother, likely with ill intentions!
Han Shan couldn't avoid it; he could only take things one step at a time.
"Old Han, take this."
Chen Qingyuan took out a very precious jade pendant.
"A paired jade pendant?"
Han Shan looked puzzled.
Paired jade pendants come in two halves. If one is damaged, the other will sense it immediately and shatter.
Such pendants are extremely valuable; if one breaks, the other will reveal its exact location at the moment of breaking. This item can save lives in critical moments, and ordinary sects simply don't have the privilege to own them.
"If you encounter an unsolvable problem, crush the pendant, and I'll be there as soon as possible."
Chen Qingyuan handed the pendant to Han Shan, keeping the other half for himself.
Of course, he got this item from the Academy. When he became a disciple of Yu Chenran, he received many gifts, including several pairs of these paired jade pendants.
"Okay, I'll keep it," Han Shan accepted without hesitation: "Old Chen, you've suddenly become so caring, it's a bit unsettling."
"So what?"
Chen Qingyuan raised an eyebrow.
"How about you beat me up? Otherwise, I feel uneasy."
Saying so, Han Shan spread his arms and closed his eyes.
"Get lost."
Chen Qingyuan laughed and cursed.
"But seriously, if I really run into big trouble, and it's related to the Four Holy Sects, can you really solve it?"
It wasn't that Han Shan didn't trust Chen Qingyuan; he just didn't want to drag Chen Qingyuan down and harm his brother.
In Han Shan's eyes, Chen Qingyuan was just a disciple of the Mystic Azure Sect from the Flow Star Domain, and although he was one of the Ten Heroes of the Northern Wilderness, he ultimately lacked a powerful background.
"I can." Chen Qingyuan patted Han Shan's shoulder, his gaze resolute.
"Alright, I'll remember that."
Han Shan nodded firmly, trusting that Chen Qingyuan wouldn't do anything foolish and must have some unknown trump card.
"We've talked for so long, I should head back. Next time we meet, it's your turn to treat me to a drink."
This time the two brothers had drunk over a dozen flasks of wine, all paid for by Chen Qingyuan, a costly affair.
"Definitely." Han Shan watched Chen Qingyuan leave, feeling a warm sense of brotherhood.
***
Flow Star Domain, Mystic Azure Sect.
The defenses were strict, forbidding any outsiders from entering.
Ever since Lin Changsheng returned injured, the issue with the Demon's Lair had been temporarily suppressed, with no changes expected for a hundred years. The Mystic Azure Sect, fearing that some hostile forces might take the opportunity to infiltrate, closed its doors and turned away all visiting Dao Friends.
"Nothing's gone wrong, has it?"
Chen Qingyuan arrived at the sect's gate, looking at the activated Protecting Sect array, his brow furrowed, his face filled with concern.
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