There was no response at all.

Chu Fan stood on the teahouse steps, panting. As a Body Forging Realm cultivator, his breath was not as steady as that of a Qi Circulation Realm cultivator. Of course, even a Qi Circulation Realm cultivator would show signs of exhaustion if they overused their true qi.

"Chu Fan, request an audience with the Mirage Palace envoy!"

Then Chu Fan shouted again toward the teahouse.

Still no response.

Only an almost desolate silence.

"Chu Fan, request an audience with the Mirage Palace envoy!"

After a few breaths, Chu Fan shouted loudly toward the teahouse again.

That was the third time.

Still silent.

Just as Chu Fan was drawing a deep breath, preparing to shout a fourth time, the teahouse's main door suddenly creaked open with a teeth-grinding squeal.

Then a young cultivator in deep green robes slowly stepped out of the teahouse doorway.

He held his hands tucked inside his sleeves, clasped together and raised before his chest.

His eyes were narrow slits, and a perpetual smile lingered on his face.

"Who is making such a commotion here?"

The Mirage Palace young cultivator asked in a deliberately slow tone.

"I am the junior Chu Fan, greetings to senior!"

Chu Fan immediately bowed deeply and cupped his hands to the Mirage Palace young cultivator.

"What do you want?"

The Mirage Palace disciple asked.

"I wish to request an audience with the Mirage Palace envoy!"

"Why meet the envoy?"

"I earnestly wish to ask the immortal questions and do not want to miss the chance to be accepted into Mirage Palace!"

Chu Fan said righteously.

"Accepted into Mirage Palace?"

The Mirage Palace disciple shook his head with a smile, as if to express disagreement with Chu Fan's claim.

"There are too many, far too many who want to join Mirage Palace, not just thousands but countless. Yet nine out of ten among them are turned away at the gate... Why do you think you should be the one to join Mirage Palace?"

"Because of my talent!"

Chu Fan puffed out his chest.

"I only began training at sixteen, and in just three years, despite extremely limited cultivation resources, I reached the late Body Forging Realm!"

He was proud of his achievement.

After all, Body Forging is easier for younger practitioners since bones and flesh are more receptive to cleansing and forging. After sixteen, the difficulty of Body Forging does increase substantially. Besides, Chu Fan was stuck at a small place like Moxu Mountain.

"Oh?"

The narrow-eyed Mirage Palace disciple nodded with a smile.

"To reach the late Body Forging Realm from a mortal in three years is indeed astonishing talent, worthy of Ascending to Immortality. Mirage Palace hasn't seen such a promising candidate in who knows how many years."

The Mirage Palace disciple did not remember Zhou Jinyun. This was because Supreme Imperial Law Elder Shang Ao of Mirage Palace had arranged for Zhou Jinyun to better hide her identity and to uncover the real culprit's illusion technique. That was why he would say Mirage Palace hadn't produced an Ascending-to-Immortality-level talent in countless years. How strong are Divine Ability Realm cultivators? Moreover, Shang Ao was a peak Divine Ability cultivator, a transcendent expert proficient in the Weaving Dreams Tower's illusion arts.

"Thank you for the praise, senior!"

Chu Fan showed delight and bowed again to the Mirage Palace disciple.

He appreciated the compliment. Ascending-to-Immortality potential! That description practically referred directly to him!

"Unfortunately."

The Mirage Palace disciple shook his head with sorrow.

"Although I cherish talent, rules are rules, and they must be followed."

"Senior, you mean..."

Chu Fan hurriedly asked.

"To see the envoy is possible, but there is one condition."

The narrow-eyed Mirage Palace disciple said.

"Please speak, senior!"

"Since you are late Body Forging Realm, if you wish to be accepted into our sect by exception, the usual condition is that you must defeat one of our inner disciples of the same realm level."

The narrow-eyed Mirage Palace disciple said slowly.

"And now..."

Chu Fan asked.

"You are of Ascending-to-Immortality potential, such outstanding talent I do not wish to overly trouble... This way, you only need to withstand a single strike from our Mirage Palace late Body Forging disciple without falling, and by exception we will accept you as our disciple."

Hearing this, Chu Fan was overjoyed.

"Chu Fan thanks you, senior!"

"No thanks needed."

The narrow-eyed Mirage Palace disciple said, then turned to look into the teahouse.

"Xiao Xu, come here."

"Coming!"

A kid's high, baby-like voice came from inside the teahouse.

Then a child, only as tall as the narrow-eyed disciple's waist and also wearing deep green robes, ran out.

The narrow-eyed man slipped his hand from his sleeve, ruffled the child's hair, and said slowly:

"You go give that big brother a punch."

"Okay!"

The child nodded in agreement.

When Chu Fan saw the child emerge from the teahouse, his eyes lit up again.

This Mirage Palace elder was really generous — it was just a formality.

Chu Fan bowed toward the child.

"Please instruct me..."

Bang!

First there was a thunderous crack. Chu Fan felt a sharp pain burst through his chest, and his whole body flew out.

He crashed heavily to the ground.

"Pf!"

Blood spurted from his mouth.

His expression was filled with stupefaction as he looked toward the narrow-eyed Mirage Palace disciple.

"What a pity."

The narrow-eyed man looked extremely regretful as he shook his head.

"It seems you are not destined to join Mirage Palace. Xiao Xu, let's go."

He turned and led the child back into the teahouse.

Then the door slowly closed again.

Chu Fan lay on the ground, his face expressing disbelief.

Then a plainly featured figure in light-colored robes slowly appeared beside him.

A very young cultivator.

He only glanced at Chu Fan and said nothing, then stepped past him and headed toward the teahouse.

This person was Chen Yan's External Incarnation.

...

Inside the teahouse.

More than a hundred cultivators had gathered in the main hall. These people were sect leaders from various cultivation sects or cultivators at or above the Qi Sea Realm. In short, every respectable cultivator around Moxu Mountain was present.

At the front table sat Ma Huwei and Han Qianshan, both Spirit Connection Realm cultivators.

And at this moment, Chen Yan also sat at a table in the corner, waiting for the Mirage Palace envoy to appear.

He wanted to know what tricks Mirage Palace was playing.

"What a spectacle Mirage Palace put on."

Suddenly, a young cultivator's voice came from beside Chen Yan.

"Indeed."

Chen Yan answered perfunctorily.

"Honestly, I don't much like Mirage Palace. I once had dealings with them for certain reasons. Their lion's-mouth prices were really... tch."

The young cultivator continued.

Chen Yan said nothing, only nodded.

"And don't you think those who love to play with illusions are all the more irritating?"

"Perhaps."

Chen Yan replied.

"Actually, you're not any better."

The young cultivator went on. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"The way your External Incarnation technique disgusts people, in my opinion, isn't any less annoying than those Mirage Palace folks."

Chen Yan turned his head without any internal ripple, looking at the young cultivator in plain robes whose voice he had recognized from the start.

"If you're interested in me, then you're right, Mr. You."

The atmosphere between them froze instantly.

"Oh ho?"

Mr. You smiled and made an ambiguous exclamation.