Chapter 551: Old Friends Meet But Do Not Recognize Each Other

Che Yutao's residence was modest, with a simple garden of flowers and plants in the courtyard. Nearly all disciples from Shaohua Mountain at the late Foundation Establishment stage or above who were present at Xuanlu Pass had gathered there, with only a few exceptions.

Qin Sang noticed several unfamiliar faces, likely disciples who had recently arrived from the sect. They stood neatly in the courtyard, maintaining a profound silence.

Standing beside Che Yutao was a burly man with a dark, steady countenance. Unusually, he carried an extremely heavy profound iron greatsword wrapped in cloth strips, giving him the appearance of a mortal swordsman. Qin Sang had never met him before, but the sight of the profound iron greatsword on his back immediately revealed his identity.

Ji Qing! Che Yutao's eldest disciple.

While Zhan Yi was indeed favored by Che Yutao, the most famous personal disciple under Che Yutao's tutelage was still this burly man, Ji Qing, once considered Shaohua Mountain's foremost expert. Unlike Qin Sang, Ji Qing earned his title as the top master through successive victories at the Grand Tournament of the Eight Righteous Sects.

During the tournament, Qin Sang was in secluded cultivation at Qingyang Market, having just recently advanced to the late Foundation Establishment stage. Even if he had participated, he would have struggled to achieve a high ranking without employing his refined corpse or magical artifacts. However, Qiu Mubai did not participate in that tournament, and Ji Qing had never fought him, so it was unclear who was the stronger of the two.

After the tournament, Ji Qing vanished upon receiving his reward. He did not resurface during the subsequent turmoil in the Little Cold Domain, presumably either on an external training expedition or in secluded cultivation preparing to form his Core. It seemed he had failed to form his Core and remained in the Pseudo-Core stage.

The woman seated at the head wore a cloak, obscuring her face. For Che Yutao to personally accompany her, her status had to be extraordinary. Could she be a reclusive Golden Core cultivator from the sect? He couldn't recall any Elder who favored wearing cloaks. This thought crossed Qin Sang's mind, and he couldn't resist a second glance. He was suddenly startled; for some reason, though the woman was completely concealed by her cloak, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Qin Sang's heart was filled with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

"Mubai, come here!"

As the group entered, Che Yutao, his expression amiable, gestured for Qiu Mubai to approach, then his gaze fell upon Qin Sang. "Oh? Qin Sang is at Xuanlu Pass as well? You come forward too."

Qin Sang and Qiu Mubai exchanged a look. Seeing Qiu Mubai's equally puzzled expression, Qin Sang felt a slight reassurance. While he didn't know why Che Yutao had summoned them, the involvement of Qiu Mubai and Ji Qing suggested it wasn't a negative development.

"Greetings, Martial Uncle Che." They both stepped forward and bowed in unison.

Che Yutao gestured for them to dispense with formalities and asked Qin Sang, "I recall you primarily cultivate Water spiritual energy?"

Qin Sang immediately replied, "Yes."

Che Yutao nodded, then turned to the cloaked woman and spoke. "Maiden Chen Yan, Mubai's strength is beyond doubt; he will undoubtedly manage the White Tiger Beast Seal flawlessly. It is also Master's wish for Mubai to accompany you on this expedition. This is Martial Nephew Qin Sang. Maiden Chen Yan, you've been in secluded cultivation, so you likely haven't met him. He cultivates a fragmented killer path technique from our sect and is known as the 'Shadowless Sword'. He proved exceptional during conflicts with the Sky-Striding Alliance, and his strength is among the foremost of the younger generation. In this assembly, apart from Mubai and Ji Qing, no one should be his match, and he can take charge of the Black Tortoise Beast Seal. With Ji Qing also taking charge of the Gouchen Beast Seal, we only need to select two more individuals."

The instant Che Yutao spoke the name 'Maiden Chen Yan,' Qin Sang froze stiff.

It was her!

The only woman with whom he had ever shared intimacy in his life, and their connection was forged for a reason too sensitive to mention. How could Qin Sang possibly forget her? She was also the reason Qin Sang's cultivation foundation had been damaged, causing his long-standing reluctance to form his Core. Of course, Qin Sang harbored no resentment. Sacrificing his foundation to achieve Foundation Establishment had been Qin Sang's own decision; there was no reason to blame anyone else. Such is often the way of the world: when one takes a shortcut to overcome difficulties, a thousandfold or hundredfold price may be exacted later as compensation. Had it not been for the 'cauldron' incident, he might never have had the opportunity to establish his Foundation.

Foundation Establishment and Core Formation were fundamentally different. Pseudo-Core cultivators could be considered masters in the cultivation world, perfectly capable of self-preservation when seeking opportunities and possessing the means to take risks. Qi Refining cultivators, however, might lose their lives for any unforeseen reason when venturing out.

It had been a fair transaction back then; after that single night, their paths had diverged. Since then, both had strictly adhered to their agreement, tacitly allowing the matter to fade from memory. No matter the difficulties Qin Sang encountered, he never once considered seeking her assistance. Indeed, after that incident, he had never even uttered the name 'Chen Yan' to anyone. Chen Yan, too, had never offered Qin Sang assistance or caused him trouble, effectively acting as if he didn't exist.

Nearly a century had passed since that incident, and Qin Sang was finally seeing Chen Yan once more. For the past century, Chen Yan had remained out of sight, to the extent that later disciples entering the sect were unaware of her existence. Just recently, Qin Sang had idly thought of Chen Yan, wondering if she had successfully formed her Nascent Soul. He never imagined he would see her in person, and under such circumstances! From Che Yutao's tone, it was clear that even he had been kept in the dark about the intricate connection between Qin Sang and Chen Yan. No wonder such great lengths had been taken back then, using Martial Uncle Mawu's name to obscure the truth.

Qin Sang's heart churned with emotion, yet his expression remained composed as he seemingly calmly glanced at Chen Yan. He observed Chen Yan sitting quietly, listening to Che Yutao speak, completely disregarding him and Qiu Mubai. It was best to maintain the established precedent. They would remain strangers, their past forgotten in the vast world. Qin Sang thought silently.

Yet, he couldn't help but let his mind wander: Why had Chen Yan secretly emerged from seclusion and come to Xuanlu Pass? Had she successfully formed her Nascent Soul? What did she intend by summoning them?

Upon hearing Che Yutao mention the White Tiger Beast Seal, Black Tortoise Beast Seal, and Gouchen Beast Seal, Qin Sang remained completely bewildered. He had never heard of these "beast seals" before and had no idea what they were or why they were being asked to control them. Qin Sang subtly glanced at Qiu Mubai, a silent question in his eyes. Qiu Mubai subtly shook his head. Qin Sang had no choice but to patiently await Che Yutao's explanation, refraining from looking at Chen Yan again.

Che Yutao concluded his remarks. A flat voice emanated from beneath the cloak: "Acceptable." Just as it had always been. The familiar voice stirred Qin Sang's past memories, which he instantly suppressed. Old acquaintances met, yet chose not to acknowledge each other.

Che Yutao, fully deferential to Chen Yan, turned his gaze towards the courtyard. At this moment, everyone else in the courtyard stood neatly, including Pseudo-Core experts like Zhan Yi and Mu Yifeng, with the exception of Qin Sang, Qiu Mubai, and Ji Qing.

Che Yutao addressed those in the courtyard: "Disperse and showcase your best abilities for Maiden Chen Yan's assessment. Remember not to hold back; maintain your stance with full effort until you can no longer endure."

Upon hearing this, the people in the courtyard exchanged glances. Although they didn't understand the purpose of the assessment, seeing Qiu Mubai and the other two, who were prominent figures within the sect, they reasoned that being placed alongside them could only be beneficial. Immediately, everyone obeyed Che Yutao's command, dispersing and each taking a small spot.