Tianyan Sect was unusually lively today.
First, the Dao Bell on Tianyan Peak rang loudly, and all of Tianyan Sect's high-level cultivators rushed straight to Tianyan Peak.
Then, inexplicably, the sect master announced—it was just an emergency drill. Nothing had happened.
That kind of answer could only be called an answer.
Tianyan Sect's Dao Bell hadn't rung in hundreds of years. There were normally no emergency drills. Anyone with eyes could see it was just an excuse.
As for the reason, it was rather unknowable. The returning elders all had different expressions.
Some smiled, some shook their heads helplessly.
As if Tianyan Sect was about to gain another mysterious, unfathomable, and bizarre incident.
Perhaps only when some elder couldn't keep the secret anymore would the truth come to light.
But by then, whether the truth would be seen as another cover-up story was anyone's guess.
After all, even Lu Xuan, who knew the truth, was quite shocked at this moment.
Inside Tianyan Peak's main hall.
Xu Jin, still bearing some traces of his ordeal, stood silently below with his head lowered.
Chu Xingchen and Daoist Yuyang stood to one side, each putting on expressions of confusion and bewilderment, as if they had no idea what had happened.
Yanyun sat to the side, her smile also rather helpless.
Each of them was a genius from their respective sects. Their abilities and cultivation were top-tier. Separately, anyone would look up to them. But put together, they acted like ordinary people.
After a moment of silence, Lu Xuan spoke with a light smile:
"Strictly speaking, you should call me Martial Uncle. If you wanted to drink, couldn't your Martial Uncle just give you some?"
Xu Jin cupped his fists first but didn't speak. Instead, he looked calmly and with some resentment at Chu Xingchen and Daoist Yuyang standing to the side.
Seeing Xu Jin's expression, Chu Xingchen seemed to immediately understand. He stepped forward and spoke righteously:
"Sect Master Lu, I think Xu Jin probably took the wrong path and was too proud to ask for directions. He's a heaven's favored child—how could he be lacking a cup of wine?"
Daoist Yuyang also stepped forward and nodded repeatedly:
"That's right. I've known Xu Jin for a long time. I understand him. He's definitely not that kind of person."
Lu Xuan looked at the two, who were lying through their teeth, selling out their teammate incredibly fast, and still pretending to speak righteously. He chuckled:
"So you're saying you two know nothing about this, and it's all Junior Nephew Xu's doing?"
Chu Xingchen naturally caught Lu Xuan's attempt to sow discord. He immediately stepped forward several paces, standing in front of Xu Jin:
"Of course not! Brother Xu's business is my business. I naturally bear responsibility for this too."
"The word 'brother' is more precious than a thousand gold!"
Yuyang also stepped forward quickly:
"Same for me! The word 'brother'—its righteousness reaches the heavens!"
What a righteous and eloquent speech. Truly the pinnacle of making things sound beautiful.
Lu Xuan said nothing, only turning his gaze to Xu Jin, as if waiting for Xu Jin to expose the shameless true faces of these two.
But he noticed that Xu Jin's previously resentful expression had suddenly softened somewhat.
Lu Xuan had a bad feeling—could this kid actually be moved by their words?
"It's my fault!" Xu Jin's tone was still somewhat gritting his teeth. "I hope Sect Master Lu will be magnanimous."
Lu Xuan was silent for a moment, then sighed lightly, looking at Xu Jin with some pity:
"Since Junior Nephew has said so, naturally your Martial Uncle can understand."
"Yanyun, have someone send some Chunnuan later."
Yanyun tried to keep a straight face, but seeing Xu Jin's wronged expression, she felt somewhat empathetic. The corner of her mouth unconsciously curved up, though her voice remained extremely calm:
"Yes, Master."
Lu Xuan waved his hand helplessly:
"I'm probably getting old. I can't understand what you young people are up to these days. I won't keep you. Go back and play—just don't drag this poor old man into it next time."
One willing to hit, one willing to be hit. It could only be said that Chu Xingchen really did read people accurately.
The three cupped their fists together.
Chu Xingchen threw an arm over Xu Jin's shoulder and patted it enthusiastically.
Daoist Yuyang followed closely, quickly brushing some of the dirt off Xu Jin's clothes.
When the three had completely left the hall, Lu Xuan stroked his beard, his expression somewhat hazy:
"I vaguely remember that Xu Jin used to be a rather well-behaved and serious child."
"Hasn't Master heard that near ink, one gets black?" Yanyun replied.
Lu Xuan nodded lightly, looking at Yanyun with a gratified expression:
"That's right. You also show quite a bit of your master's dashing, heaven's favored demeanor."
Yanyun could only be speechless at this.
She also had her own calculations.
Was her master's contact with Chu Xingchen getting a bit too frequent?
Peak of One Big Happy Family.
At the peak's entrance, one person walked with chest out, expression indignant, while two walked beside him, coaxing him.
"Brother Xu! What's with that expression? We didn't fail. Didn't you hear Sect Master Lu say he'd send Chunnuan over later?"
Daoist Yuyang followed closely behind the cold-faced Xu Jin, smiling ingratiatingly while continuing to praise:
"This is all thanks to Brother Xu's performance. Brother Chu and I are both benefiting from your light."
Xu Jin waved his expression off: "Ungrateful, running away the moment things got hot. Aren't you two afraid of being laughed at?"
Chu Xingchen walked on the left side and chuckled:
"My fault. Brother Xu can laugh at me all he wants."
Hearing this, Xu Jin laughed out of anger on the spot, feeling completely at a loss.
When Chu Xingchen was shameless, he truly wasn't afraid of being laughed at. Besides, if this story got out, the one who'd probably be laughed at was him.
Not selling out these two on the spot wasn't just about friendship—that was also an important reason.
Xu Jin pointed at them indignantly:
"Do you two consider me a brother? You're treating me like a fool! And I actually believed your words."
"That's not right." Chu Xingchen's expression immediately turned serious. "We did this precisely because our bond was strong enough. Do you think Yuyang and I would do this to someone we weren't close to?"
"Isn't it just because we're brothers, knowing that Brother Xu wouldn't truly be angry with us?"
Chu Xingchen's expression showed a trace of sorrow:
"If Brother Xu feels our relationship hasn't reached that level, then it truly is my fault. I was being presumptuous."
Daoist Yuyang quickly followed: "Same for me. It's my fault."
Xu Jin looked at Chu Xingchen, who was turning black into white, and didn't respond. He just snorted and walked inside.
He wasn't a fool. If he really tried to argue right and wrong with Chu Xingchen, who could out-talk that mouth of his?
Chu Xingchen quickly followed: "Alright, alright. My fault. We're all brothers. I'll make it up to you with two cups later, okay?"
"Four cups!" Xu Jin replied displeased.
"Fine. Yuyang and I will each give you four cups."
Chu Xingchen's expression turned playful.
The three returned to the small courtyard.
Xie Lingyu was already waiting. Seeing the three arrive and seeing Xu Jin once again subdued by Chu Xingchen, she…
Xu Jin saw Xie Lingyu and cupped his fists lightly: "Long time no see, Junior Sister Lingyu."
"What's with 'Junior Sister'?" Yuyang raised an eyebrow. "Now you should be calling her Sister-in-law or Sister Xu."
Xie Lingyu didn't argue, simply cupping her fists in return:
"Long time no see."
With that, Xie Lingyu took out a jade token and, with a serious expression, held it out to Chu Xingchen:
"This is an urgent message jade token Cui Hao sent from the Northern Julu Continent. It arrived a while ago, addressed specifically for you to read."
Hearing this, the playful expression on Chu Xingchen's face instantly vanished. He reached up and took the jade token in his hand.
The expressions of the other two also turned serious.
Xu Jin even touched the emergency token at his waist.
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