"With the identity token still intact, how could it be fake?"

"Damn, I'm so envious of him. That's Elder Ruan. I've been longing to become her disciple for so long, but I haven't been able to."

"Tsk, why is Elder Ruan so kind!"

"He's been quite relaxed this past month, while Elder Ruan has traveled to countless places for him."

Shen Changlin was slightly taken aback. At this moment, the elder handed him the resources for the month, which were placed in his storage ring: "Here, take your things back. Elder Ruan will be back soon."

“This elder.”

Shen Changlin paused, then pressed one-tenth of the spirit stones in his storage ring onto the counter: "May I ask you something?"

"You're too kind. You're her disciple; I wouldn't dare accept you as one."

The elder chuckled, flicked his finger, and the storage ring returned to Shen Changlin's arms. He casually said, "Ask away."

"I just heard from those disciples that my master has been busy outside for the past month, but I have been cultivating all month and am not quite sure. Could you please tell me a thing or two, Elder?"

Upon hearing this, the elder paused: "Her? It's nothing. You should still remember what happened on the floating island a month ago, right?"

Shen Changlin nodded slightly: "I remember."

"At that time, it wasn't just the Changsheng Palace that came; there were also many other sect elders who joined together. After this incident, Elder Ruan went to those sects alone, carrying a sword. In just one month, he traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to reach their sects."

As the elder spoke, he tapped the counter with his hand: "Speaking of elders, kid, although your master is only at the early stage of the Void Refinement realm, when it comes to fighting, no one can compare to her!"

"What is Master doing at those sects?"

Shen Changlin was puzzled for a moment and asked in return.

Upon hearing this, the elder chuckled: "Worshiping the sect, huh? One man with a sword, he smashed up the sect's facade. The sect leaders and elders came to stop him, but after killing several people with one strike, he simply drifted away, so carefree and unrestrained, how exhilarating!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Changlin was stunned for a moment. He asked blankly, "Master, is she... injured?"

"Injured? How could you not be injured after a month of bloodshed? Your master is indeed powerful, but not so free to come and go as he pleases. Being surrounded and attacked would be troublesome, and besides—"

The elder frowned as well: "In the past month, she has traveled to so many sects, and her strength has been greatly depleted."

Upon hearing this, Shen Changlin fell silent for a moment.

The elder laughed and said, "Alright, kid, since your master didn't tell you, it means she didn't intend for you to know about this. She warned those sects that if anyone dares to attack you again, they'd better think twice about whether they can withstand her retaliation."

"Elder Ruan has never taken on any disciples. You are his first disciple. I'm afraid you won't become his master. You can only do what you can."

At this point, the elder said with emotion.

Subconsciously gripping the token of the personal disciple in his hand, Shen Changlin felt a heavy weight in his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. He hurriedly raised his hand in a salute: "Thank you for your guidance, Elder. May I ask who you are?"

"Just a minor elder."

The lazy old man paused and yawned: "But when your master was still an outer disciple, I gave her monthly resources. She was just a little girl back then."

After saying that, the elder waved his hand and was about to send Shen Changlin away.

Seeing that he had no intention of continuing to speak, Shen Changlin bowed again, respectfully took half a step back, and then prepared to leave the Inner Affairs Pavilion.

Just then, the disciples coming and going outside the Inner Affairs Pavilion suddenly stopped, all falling silent and standing still. Chen Changlin was slightly taken aback, and when he quickly stepped forward, he saw the figure at the end of the path, slender and tall.

The disciples beside him all bowed respectfully: "Elder Ruan."

At the end of the path, Ruan Qing'an turned around, raised his hand slightly, and with a surge of spiritual energy, helped the bowing disciple to his feet: "No need for formalities."

"Master—"

Shen Changlin instinctively shouted.

Not far away, Ruan Qing'an raised his leaden-gray eyes, subtly scrutinized him for a moment, and then said, "Chang Lin."

Her voice was cool and clear, as always.

However, after a month apart, Shen Changlin could still sense that her face was paler than before, but she remained expressionless and showed no sign of saying anything.

She didn't boast about her achievements, nor did she ask him to feel indebted; she simply did what she did, not caring what he thought. But ironically...

His heart trembled slightly, and he suddenly thought to himself—

"Would your master be like that too?"

"..."

The black mist was silent for a moment: "In my past life, the floating island incident did not happen. It was just this woman's hypocritical act. Why should you take it to heart? Everything now is fake."

"Is it fake...?"

Shen Changlin lowered his eyes and stopped speaking. Whether it was true or false, or even if it was false, he found it hard to resist.

Soon, Ruan Qing'an led her disciples back to Yanlai Peak, leaving behind the disciples in the Inner Affairs Pavilion looking lost and disappointed—that was Elder Ruan, how could someone else have gotten there first?

Damn it, they also want to call him Master openly and legitimately!

However, these disciples also knew that the one who could truly cause trouble was probably the most persistent Yang Lin.

Almost everyone was waiting for him to make a move against Shen Changlin.

However, the undercurrents among the disciples of Wandao Sect did not affect the two on Yanlai Peak. After bringing Shen Changlin back, Ruan Qing'an set up a series of restrictions and then instructed Shen Changlin.

"Do not disturb me unless it is urgent."

"Yes, Master."

Shen Changlin paused, then asked, "I wonder if Master is injured?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Qing'an nodded without further explanation: "After recuperating from the injuries and making some progress, I'm afraid we can make further progress."

He finally breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Ruan Qing'an's words.

Just as Ruan Qing'an was about to return to her cave, Shen Changlin subconsciously called out to her. Recalling what the black mist had said, he instinctively wanted to verify something: "Master, do you know when the sect competition will begin?"

"It's supposed to happen every three years, but this time it will be a year from now."

For a moment, Shen Changlin's pupils suddenly contracted—he had learned about the sect competition on his way to the Internal Affairs Pavilion, but it was said to be held every three years, and the next one should be in two years.

He initially thought the black mist had misspoke, but unexpectedly received a response from Ruan Qing'an. Moreover, Ruan Qing'an himself had just said that he had gained something and his cultivation would likely advance further.

Could it be that... the breakthrough to the mid-stage of the Void Refinement realm mentioned by the black mist might actually be verifiable?

Illusion, black mist, elixirs of immortality...

The excruciating pain seemed to be branded onto his body, while the black mist in his sea of ​​consciousness was quiet, yet strangely present, carrying the same primal aura as the other, and even the hatred seemed familiar.

【Affection Level: -100】

【Affection Level: 40】

The fluctuation came again, and Ruan Qing'an finally looked at the boy who was bowing his head in front of him: "What's wrong?"

"...No, nothing."

Shen Changlin looked up and smiled palely: "I'm sorry to have worried you, Master. I've been cultivating and forgot to take my fasting pills, so I'm feeling a little unwell. Please heal your injuries first, Master."

"If anything happens, you can message me."

Ruan Qing'an looked at him with her leaden-gray eyes: "Since you call me Master, I should fulfill my duties as Master and there is no need for me to endure it."

After saying that, she turned and walked into the cave.

Even after Ruan Qing'an's figure disappeared, Shen Changlin remained standing still, his body stiff and his face pale.

I can't say it, and I dare not say it...

He wanted to trust her, but the illusion and the black mist were like vicious dogs tearing at Shen Changlin's soul, wishing they could split him in two. Love and hate intertwined, creating a contradiction that could erode everything.

The boy standing there had an ever-changing expression—it was unclear whether he was Shen Changlin from this life or the black mist from the previous life.