Chapter 4 of 10

Chapter 4

15 min read3,836 words

In a grand hall within the Lieyun Palace, five people were seated around a table. The one sitting at the head of the table was a man with a thick beard. This man was none other than the Palace Master of Lieyun Palace, Shangguan Lie, the father of Shangguan Yu. One of the three major forces in the Wuyun Empire, Lieyun Palace, was founded by him.

The Grand Elder and the Second Elder of Lieyun Palace sat on either side of Shangguan Lie. Below them was Shen Fei’s teacher, the Third Elder of Lieyun Palace, Han Chi. Opposite him was the Fourth Elder.

However, Han Chi’s expression was somewhat gloomy. Today, the Palace Master and the four elders had gathered to discuss the fate of Shen Fei, once the most talented young genius of Lieyun Palace.

“Elder Han, what are your thoughts?” Shangguan Lie’s voice had a resounding quality, and his tone was neither clearly pleased nor angry. But this one sentence made Han Chi’s expression even more somber. He replied in a deep voice, “Haven’t you all already made up your minds? Why ask for my opinion?”

Upon hearing this, the Grand Elder interjected with a smile, “There are two options now. One is to send him to the Luoyue Auction House for training, and the second is to send him to a subordinate sect of Lieyun Palace in a small city.”

The Second Elder chimed in, “For someone who cannot cultivate, what we have done for him is already more than enough.”

The Fourth Elder also added, “Indeed, I heard that once, a cultivator from the Guiyin Sect who couldn’t cultivate was directly expelled from the sect.”

The three elders spoke one after another, leaving no time for Han Chi to interject. Moreover, in such a formal meeting, even if he had any objections, they likely wouldn’t change anything.

Of the two options, the Luoyue Auction House was located in the capital city of the Wuyue Empire, Yuecheng, while the subordinate forces of Lieyun Palace were spread across all major cities of the Wuyue Empire. Both choices meant that Shen Fei had to leave the main headquarters of Lieyun Palace. However, Han Chi was well aware of Shen Fei’s situation, and such disciples who could not cultivate and were sent away were not unheard of before.

Seeing Han Chi remain silent, Shangguan Lie seemed to have guessed his thoughts and decided, “He will go to Ningcheng. Grand Elder, please make the arrangements with Changning Sect.”

With Shangguan Lie’s decision, the other elders had no objections. Han Chi knew that Shen Fei’s departure was now a certainty. He followed the three elders, who were smiling, out of the grand hall, feeling dejected.

...

Shen Fei, who had just returned from the back mountain, was unaware that his fate had already changed. As he entered his room, the door was suddenly pushed open.

“Ah! Grand Elder!”

Upon seeing the person, Shen Fei couldn’t help but exclaim. The Grand Elder’s status in Lieyun Palace was second only to the Palace Master, Shangguan Lie. A year ago, Shen Fei had frequent interactions with him, but since he fell from his position as a genius, he had only seen the Grand Elder from a distance a few times. A direct visit like today’s had never happened before.

The Grand Elder’s gaze swept through the room, and a hint of awkwardness crossed his aged face. However, upon sensing Shen Fei’s weak Dan Qi cultivation, his awkwardness immediately turned to disdain. He said in a cold tone, “Shen Fei, pack your things. You will leave with the sect’s caravan for Ningcheng early tomorrow morning.”

“Huh? To Ningcheng? What’s going on?”

A hint of confusion appeared on Shen Fei’s face. Seeing his reaction, the Grand Elder’s disdain grew. He thought, “At this point, do you still delude yourself into thinking you can stay in Lieyun Palace?”

The Grand Elder continued in a stern tone, “After the discussion among the elders and the Palace Master’s decision, you are being sent to Changning Sect, a subordinate of Han Yun Palace. You will depart early tomorrow morning.”

The Grand Elder’s blunt tone made it clear to Shen Fei that he was being expelled. A bitter smile appeared on his lips. Although he knew that with his current Dan Qi cultivation, he couldn’t stay in Lieyun Palace for long, he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.

“Thank you, Grand Elder, for informing me!”

However, this blow, compared to the humiliation from Shangguan Yu, didn’t cause Shen Fei to lose his composure. His calm demeanor made the Grand Elder somewhat taken aback. He nodded lightly and turned to leave, not wanting to stay in this narrow and dark place for a moment longer.

Staring at the Grand Elder’s departing back, Shen Fei finally gave a self-deprecating laugh and muttered, “What a day it has been. Well, there’s nothing left in Lieyun Palace that I need to linger for.”

Even Dongfang Yu had abandoned him, and Shen Fei felt he had nothing left to lose. He gently touched the pendant hanging from his arm and then sat cross-legged on the bed, entering the cultivation state of the Tiancan Devil Technique.

Nothing unusual happened that night. When the first light of dawn appeared the next day, Shen Fei slowly opened his eyes, feeling a slight improvement in his cultivation. A satisfied smile appeared on his face, as if yesterday’s events had already faded away.

“Finally, it’s time to leave!”

He packed a few clothes simply and stepped out of the room, about to leave the Lieyun Palace where he had stayed for thirteen years. Even though he had no lingering attachment, he still felt a tinge of melancholy.

“Xiao Fei!”

Just as Shen Fei was lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly rang out, making him look up. Indeed, Han Chi was standing in front of him with a complex expression. Shen Fei respectfully called out, “Teacher!”

Shen Fei had no parents. According to Han Chi, he was picked up by the Third Elder of Lieyun Palace when he was one year old. Thirteen years had passed, and Shen Fei had fallen from being the top genius of Han Yun Palace to his current state. Despite his young age, he had experienced the warmth and coldness of human relationships.

Looking at the clear face before him, Han Chi was momentarily at a loss for words. Shen Fei’s name was given by Han Chi. On Shen Fei’s right shoulder, there was an ancient “Shen” character tattoo, hence the surname “Shen.” As for the name “Fei,” it was just a whim of Han Chi, with no particular origin.

“Teacher, thank you for coming to see me off!”

Seeing Han Chi’s stunned silence, Shen Fei was far more composed than his teacher. He had not told Han Chi about his ability to cultivate again, as the Tiancan Devil Technique was too bizarre, both in its origin and cultivation method. If he had revealed it, Han Chi might have thought he was mentally deranged from the shock.

The two walked silently toward the exit of Han Yun Palace. Unexpectedly, at the main gate, dozens of people were standing in neat rows, including the Grand Elder, the Second Elder, and the Fourth Elder. It seemed they were waiting for an important person.

“Teacher, is someone important coming today?”

Although he was about to leave Lieyun Palace, Shen Fei still asked out of curiosity. Seeing the other three elders, he knew that Han Chi should have been there as well but had stayed behind to see him off.

Han Chi, who had been at a loss for words, finally said, “Today is Tang Ning’s opening ceremony!”

Upon hearing this, Shen Fei immediately understood. He glanced at the gate and said, “So, the Grand Elder and the others are waiting for Mr. Nie from the royal family?”

Han Chi nodded and said, “Yes, it’s the same Mr. Nie, a mid-level soul physician from the royal family, who opened your meridians.”

Han Chi’s tone was complex. The treatment Shen Fei had once received was now a distant memory, and he was now facing the prospect of leaving Lieyun Palace.

Han Chi’s words made Shen Fei fall into deep thought.

Soul physicians were a special profession on the continent. Their Dan Qi cultivation might not be as rapid as that of ordinary cultivators, but their unique ability to “open meridians and unblock channels” made them receive unimaginable respect from the common people.

The primary condition to become a soul physician was to have a mutated soul. Only a mutated soul had the potential to become a true soul physician. This stringent requirement made soul physicians extremely rare.

“Opening meridians and unblocking channels” were actually two different concepts. Opening meridians could only happen once in a person’s life. It involved a soul physician using needles and soul power to open the major meridians in the body, making the absorption and circulation of Dan Qi smoother, thus greatly increasing the cultivation speed of the person. In essence, opening meridians was a process that significantly enhanced a cultivator’s talent.

Unblocking channels, on the other hand, was more challenging for soul physicians. During cultivation, a cultivator’s channels would become blocked to varying degrees. Periodically, they needed to adjust themselves or seek help from a soul physician. During the unblocking process, there might be unexpected benefits, such as a direct increase in Dan Qi cultivation, depending on the skill of the soul physician.

Mr. Nie, whom Shen Fei mentioned, was a royal soul physician of the Wuyue Empire and not a low-level soul physician. Mr. Nie Chang was a genuine mid-level soul physician. For him to open Tang Ning’s meridians, Lieyun Palace must have paid a significant price.

As the top genius of Lieyun Palace, Shen Fei had also had his meridians opened by Mr. Nie. Now, the protagonist of the opening ceremony had changed to Tang Ning, and the former top genius was about to leave Lieyun Palace at this time.

Just as Shen Fei’s thoughts returned from his memories, he saw the main gate of Lieyun Palace suddenly become bustling with people. His heart stirred, and he looked up. Indeed, a familiar red-faced old man was surrounded by the Grand Elder and others, like a star among the stars. This red-faced old man must be the royal mid-level soul physician, Mr. Nie Chang.

The Grand Elder and the others did not notice Han Chi and Shen Fei standing nearby. Even if they had, a soon-to-be expelled cultivator like Shen Fei could not compare to a mid-level soul physician like Mr. Nie Chang. Thus, they grandly escorted Mr. Nie Chang away, leaving only Han Chi and Shen Fei at the side of the Lieyun Palace gate.

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