132: Chapter 132 This isn't an envoy, it's clearly someone delivering official positions.

At noon, the clouds above Baifeng City suddenly shattered.

There was no thunder, yet a massive shadow silently swallowed the sunlight.

The temperature of the entire city plummeted. Pedestrians on the street looked up instinctively, then froze on the spot, completely unaware even as the goods in their hands fell to the ground.

A cyan flying ship, a full hundred zhang long, rudely pushed aside the sea of clouds and hovered directly above the city.

The hull was etched with complex spiritual patterns, and the prow featured a massive statue of a mysterious bird, its eyes flashing with a heart-stopping red light.

By comparison, Gu Yan's pride and joy, the city-protecting Formation, seemed as thin as a piece of window paper at this moment.

Gu Mansion, Martial Arts Hall.

Gu Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his robes flapping loudly in the strong wind.

He did not activate the Formation's defenses, for in the face of absolute power, such an action would be tantamount to provocation.

[ Beep—! High-energy reaction detected! ]

[ A Nascent Soul-level warship! This is a 'Sky Patrol Guard' class flying ship from the Yunlan Sect! This configuration, this paint job—it's simply the Rolls-Royce of the cultivation world! ]

[ Host, look at the person at the prow! Combat power rating... Golden Core Mid-Stage Peak! The glow of the Magic Treasure on this old man is about to blind this System's dog eyes; just think of how much KPI this is! ]

The System was frantically taking screenshots in his mind, but Gu Yan remained silent, his gaze locked onto the edge of the flying ship's deck.

There, a figure slowly floated into the air, then plummeted like a meteorite.

Boom!

The person landed in the center of the Martial Arts Hall without kicking up any dust, yet the blue stone slabs beneath his feet were instantly pulverized into powder, forming a perfect circular pit three meters in diameter.

The newcomer was dressed in a cyan Daoist robe, his beard and hair entirely white, with an ancient-looking longsword strapped to his back.

He did not release any Spiritual Pressure, but simply by standing there, the surrounding air became incredibly viscous, and even breathing carried a metallic taste of rust.

It was not the Lin family.

Gu Yan keenly caught the emblem on the other person's cuff—it was a cloud pattern wreathed in lightning, not the blood-red Zephyr Orchid of the Lin family.

He had guessed correctly.

"Baifeng City, Gu Yan?"

The old man spoke, his voice booming and loud, causing Gu Yan's eardrums to ache slightly.

"It is this Junior." Gu Yan bowed slightly, his back straight, neither servile nor overbearing.

"Did you kill Golden Core Master Wu Yong?"

This question was very direct, carrying a sense of scrutiny.

"Yes." Gu Yan offered no explanation, just that single word.

The old man narrowed his eyes, and two sharp beams of light suddenly shot from his cloudy pupils.

The next instant, a terrifying Spiritual Pressure belonging to the Golden Core Mid-Stage bore down on Gu Yan like a landslide or a tsunami.

Crack, crack, crack.

The ground beneath Gu Yan's feet instantly cracked, with spiderweb-like fissures spreading wildly in all directions.

His shoulders sank, as if he were shouldering a great mountain.

Yet his knees did not bend in the slightest; his internal True Qi circulated frantically, and his spine remained as straight as a spear piercing the firmament.

He looked straight into the old man's eyes, his expression as calm as if he were watching a neighbor's grandfather play chess.

This was the only social etiquette in the world of cultivation.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths.

The old man suddenly withdrew his Aura; his originally stern face unexpectedly broke into a hearty laugh.

"Good! A good Gu Yan indeed!"

The old man strode forward and slapped Gu Yan's shoulder hard, with such force that he nearly drove Gu Yan into the ground. "I knew that trash, Golden Core Master Wu Yong, deserved to die! Relying on a bit of connection with the Lin family to run wild outside—dying was a clean end for him!"

Gu Yan calmly steadied his roiling blood and Qi, his heart settling.

It seemed the factional infighting within the Yunlan Sect was even more intense than he had imagined.

This old man was clearly long dissatisfied with the Lin family and Golden Core Master Wu Yong.

"This Junior was merely protecting himself." Gu Yan followed the conversational lead to offer him a stepping stone.

"If you can kill a Golden Core while protecting yourself, that's a skill."

The old man introduced himself: "I am Elder Su Ming of the Yunlan Sect's Law Enforcement Hall. My visit this time was originally a routine Sect matter to investigate the cause of Golden Core Master Wu Yong's death. But now it seems the cause of death is not important; what matters is the living person."

Elder Su Ming circled Gu Yan, looking him up and down as if inspecting an unpolished piece of jade.

"Your natural talent is good, and your Physical Body is outrageously strong. It would be a waste if you didn't come to our Law Enforcement Hall to serve as an executioner with a build like yours."

[ Host, this old man's gaze is wrong; he is lusting after your body! ]

[ But this is the Law Enforcement Hall! One of the wealthiest departments in the Yunlan Sect, specializing in killing and arson... oh wait, cleaning up the Sect. If we can get in there, we'll be able to walk sideways in the Sect from now on! ]

Gu Yan ignored the System's lewd remarks and bowed to Elder Su Ming again: "Elder Su is too kind. This Junior is but a Loose Cultivator with a rough background; I fear I cannot catch the Dharma Eye of the Sect."

"A rough background?"

Elder Su Ming scoffed and pointed at the surroundings: "To be able to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage in a hellhole with such thin Spiritual Qi, and even kill a Golden Core above your rank—you call this a rough background? Then what are those young masters and Young Misses in the Sect who got there by popping pills? Feed pigs?"

This old man had a sharp tongue.

Gu Yan's impression of Elder Su Ming instantly improved.

"Enough, stop pretending to be humble."

Elder Su Ming flicked his sleeve, and a cyan token flew toward Gu Yan.

Gu Yan raised his hand to catch it; the token was heavy, with the two characters "Yunlan" engraved on the front and a "Guest" character on the back.

"Normally, according to the procedure, you would need to pass layers of assessments to enter the Sect. But I have 'special recruitment authority'." Elder Su Ming stared at Gu Yan. "Are you interested in becoming a Guest Elder of my Law Enforcement Hall? The benefits are excellent, there are no restrictions on your freedom, and apart from having to respond to Sect summons, you can continue to be your local warlord."

A pie falling from the sky?

No, this was an exchange of value.

Elder Su Ming valued his combat power and his control over Baifeng City.

And Gu Yan happened to need this skin to block the Lin family's hidden arrows.

"Elder Su's kindness is great; if Gu were to decline again, it would be hypocritical."

Gu Yan put away the token, and a trace of genuine amusement finally appeared at the corner of his mouth: "I accept this Guest Elder position."

"Refreshing!"

Elder Su Ming laughed heartily: "I like dealing with smart people. The flying ship sets sail in three days; settle your family affairs and follow me back to the Sect."

Speaking of this, Elder Su Ming lowered his voice slightly, implying something: "You cleaned up the mess left by Golden Core Master Wu Yong very well. But the Lin family will not let this rest. Once you enter the Sect, this token can protect you for a while, but if you want to truly stand firm, you have to rely on your fists."

Gu Yan's eyes narrowed slightly.

This was advice for him.

It seemed that although Elder Su Ming did not know the specific details of the "Blood Sacrifice Formation", he had also sensed that the Lin family's actions in Baifeng City were not clean.

"Many thanks for Elder's advice."

"Alright, no need to see me off. I'm going for a stroll in the city; I heard the 'Hundred Flower Brew' of Baifeng City is quite good, I'll go have a taste."

Elder Su Ming waved his hand, his figure flickered, and he vanished from the spot instantly, leaving only a lingering afterimage.

Gu Yan gripped the token in his hand, his fingertips tracing the cold patterns on it.

He had obtained the entrance ticket to the Yunlan Sect.

And it even came with the background of a real-power department like the Law Enforcement Hall.

[ Congratulations, Host! New map unlocked: Yunlan Sect! ]

[ Identity obtained: Guest Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall (although it is temporary, the status is high enough). ]

[ Main quest updated: Head to the Sect, and before the 'Blood Sacrifice' launches in three months, find the entrance to that Secret Realm. ]

Gu Yan looked up at the massive flying ship overhead.

This was not just a means of transportation; it was a massive arena for fame and fortune.

Three days.

Enough time for him to clean up the final loose ends in Baifeng City.

"Someone come here."

Gu Yan turned and walked toward the inner hall, his voice calm:

"Tell Leng Yuechan to come see me. Tell her there is no need to come serve in the bedchamber these next few nights; she should first prepare that 'gift' for me."

[ Eh? No serving in the bedchamber? ]

[ The System let out a wail: Host, you've changed! You weren't like this before! My action movies! My mosaics! You are abusing the System! ]

Gu Yan did not stop his pace.

In the face of this huge, impending whirlpool, romance could only be pushed to the back burner.

After all, only those who survive have the right to enjoy themselves.