32: Elder's Investigation

“A legend belonging to the Outer Sect Disciple was thus born!”

When the final top ten list was announced, and Disciple Lin Ye’s name was engraved on the gilded scroll, the entire Outer Sect fell into a prolonged silence due to this result.

From a worthless individual who was bullied by everyone, to a strong person who astonished everyone with his sudden rise, Lin Ye completed a comeback.

His name was destined to become the most significant entry in this year’s Outer Sect Minor Competition… Outer Sect, Medical Room.

A faint, pungent smell, a mixture of herbs and blood, permeated the air.

Lin Ye was “weakly” lying on the simple bed, his face pale, eyes tightly closed, his chest gently rising and falling with his breath, still looking like he was “severely injured” and “greatly depleted of Origin Qi.”

Fatty Wang guarded his bedside, no longer in his previous state of panic, his chubby face beaming with a foolish smile of shared glory.

He looked at Lin Ye for a moment, then at the window, muttering incessantly:

“Top ten! My heavens, it’s really the top ten! Lin Ye, you brat… no, you’re my Senior Brother! You’re my true Senior Brother! From now on, who in the entire Outer Sect would dare to bully us!”

Lin Ye ignored his incessant chatter.

He appeared to be in a coma, but in reality, his mind had long since sunk into his consciousness, calmly tallying his gains from this Minor Competition.

The series of intense battles, especially the last seemingly “fierce” one, deepened his understanding of the Iron Sand Palm and Golden Bell Shield.

More importantly, he successfully found a nearly perfect explanation for his incredible strength—a secret technique of “killing a thousand enemies, but losing eight hundred of your own.”

This explanation was enough to dispel most people’s doubts and buy him more precious time for discreet development.

Just then, a steady sound of footsteps approached from a distance and stopped at the entrance of the Medical Room.

“May I ask if Junior Brother Lin Ye is here?” a slightly cold and stern voice came.

Fatty Wang turned his head and saw a young Disciple dressed in Deacon Hall attire standing at the entrance.

The Disciple had a stern face, sharp eyes, and exuded an Aura that kept strangers at bay.

“Yes… yes, my Big Brother… he just woke up and is still very weak,” Fatty Wang stammered, intimidated by the other party’s Aura.

The Deacon Disciple ignored Fatty Wang.

His gaze passed directly through him and landed on Lin Ye on the bed, saying in a calm but undeniable tone: “The Grand Elder of the Outer Sect has requested your presence; Junior Brother Lin Ye, please come with me.”

Grand Elder of the Outer Sect!

These five words, like a thunderbolt, instantly struck Fatty Wang’s head!

His chubby face, which had been beaming with joy, instantly turned pale.

The Grand Elder of the Outer Sect, that was the highest-ranking, most powerful, and rarely seen top figure in the entire Outer Sect!

How… how could he suddenly summon Lin Ye?

Could it be… that Lin Ye injuring Zhao Tian on the arena was being investigated?

“Cough cough…” Lin Ye on the bed let out a timely, weak cough.

He slowly opened his eyes and, with a feeble voice, said to the Deacon Disciple at the door: “Senior Brother, I wonder… I wonder what the Grand Elder wishes to see me for?”

“The Elder’s intentions are not for us to speculate,” the Deacon Disciple said expressionlessly, “You will know when you go.”

Lin Ye’s thoughts raced, but he dared not show any unusual expression on his face.

He struggled, and with Fatty Wang’s support, sat up from the bed, offering a humble smile to the Deacon Disciple: “Since it is the Grand Elder’s summons, this Disciple will naturally go.

Please, Senior Brother, wait a moment.”

… Outer Sect, Elder Hall.

This was the most central and solemn place in the entire Outer Sect.

Bluestone paved the ground, ancient pines stood tall, and the air was filled with a solemn scent of sandalwood.

Lin Ye followed behind the Deacon Disciple, dragging his “heavily injured” body, step by step, into the Grand Elder’s exclusive quiet room, a place he usually dared not even approach.

Inside the quiet room, the furnishings were simple.

An old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a gray robe, was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes slightly closed, like a stone statue that had long entered meditation.

He was the Chief of the Outer Sect, Elder Zhang.

Although he sat there quietly, without any movement, a terrifying Aura, like a deep pool and towering mountain, naturally emanated from him, making the air in the entire quiet room thick and heavy.

“Disciple Lin Ye respectfully greets the Grand Elder.” Lin Ye dared not be negligent, immediately bowed, his weak appearance making him look like he could faint again at any moment.

Elder Zhang slowly opened his eyes.

What kind of eyes were those!

They seemed cloudy, yet they seemed capable of seeing through people’s hearts and discerning all falsehoods in the world!

Under his gaze, Lin Ye felt as if he was seen through from inside out, and the greatest secret about his System in his heart almost revealed itself.

“No need for formalities.” Elder Zhang’s voice was hoarse and steady, betraying no emotion.

“You are Lin Ye? You certainly stole the show in this Minor Competition.”

“This Disciple… this Disciple dares not.” Lin Ye quickly lowered his head, saying in fear, “This Disciple merely… had good luck.”

“Luck?” Elder Zhang’s mouth curved into an inscrutable smile upon hearing this.

“To be able to break both arms of Zhao Tian, who was at the Peak of Qi Refining Stage Three, cannot be explained by mere ‘luck.’”

Lin Ye’s heart tightened, and he lowered his head even further: “This Disciple… this Disciple used some… some secret technique that overdraws life, and only then… only then did I manage to win by chance.”

He brought out the excuse he had already prepared.

“Oh? Is that so?” Elder Zhang said noncommittally.

He slowly stood up from the meditation cushion and walked in front of Lin Ye, “Raise your head.”

Lin Ye dared not disobey and could only tremblingly raise his head.

“Extend your hand.”

Lin Ye’s heart instantly leaped to his throat!

He trembled as he extended his right hand.

Elder Zhang extended his hand, as thin as withered tree bark, and gently placed it on Lin Ye’s wrist.

In an instant!

Lin Ye felt a gentle, yet vast as the sea, spiritual energy surge into his body through his wrist!

This spiritual energy was not aggressive; it was like a docile stream, slowly flowing through his Meridians, exploring every corner of his body.

First, his Dantian.

When Elder Zhang’s spiritual energy probed into Lin Ye’s empty Dantian, for the first time, a clear look of surprise appeared on his usually unperturbed face.

“Qi Refining Stage One… and, the spiritual energy is thin and impure… This… this is even worse than the lowest-ranking Outer Sect Disciple?”

This result was vastly different from his initial guess of a “Genius who had hidden his cultivation!”

He probed again, unconvinced, but the result remained the same.

Lin Ye’s spiritual energy cultivation was, indeed, a complete waste!

Elder Zhang’s brows furrowed tightly.

Just as he thought he had misjudged and was about to withdraw his spiritual energy, his mind suddenly stirred!

He moved the probing spiritual energy from the Dantian and instead, directed it towards Lin Ye’s limbs and bones, towards his flesh, sinews, and skin!

The next moment!

Elder Zhang’s cloudy old eyes suddenly widened to their extreme!

A never-before-seen, dazzling brilliance burst forth from his eyes!

He saw what a magnificent and surging river of Qi and blood was hidden beneath that seemingly frail body!

The Qi and blood were so abundant and vigorous, like a volcano about to erupt, full of explosive vitality!

How could this be the Qi and blood of a Qi Refining Stage One Disciple? Even an elite Disciple in the Early Stage of the Spiritual Body realm would be far inferior!

He also “saw” what a tough, oxhide-like layer of keratin covered Lin Ye’s seemingly ordinary skin!

The muscles were like old vines intertwined, full of resilience!

The bones were even more astonishingly dense, faintly shimmering with a faint, bronze-like luster!

Foundation!

This was the true, extremely solid, rock-like Foundation!

Spiritual energy cultivation, weak as an ant.

Physical Body Foundation, yet as mighty as a mountain!

These two diametrically opposed qualities, which should not appear simultaneously in one person, were now perfectly fused within the body of this young man in an extremely bizarre way!

“Strange… strange!!”

Elder Zhang withdrew his hand, took a step back, and scrutinized Lin Ye from head to toe with the gaze one would use for a peerless treasure, unable to help but exclaim twice!

“Boy! Tell this old man the truth!” His voice no longer held its previous authority; instead, it was filled with an eager curiosity and excitement, “How exactly did you cultivate this body of bronze skin and iron bones?!”