Chen An slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry. The first person he saw was Li Muchen, seated cross-legged on the ground in meditation.
Hearing Chen An stir, Li Muchen opened his eyes and quickly came to his side. Before Chen An could speak, a violent fit of coughing overtook him, sending sharp pain shooting through his body like needles piercing every inch.
"You're awake?"
Li Muchen quickly helped him sit up, dissolving a healing pill in water and helping him drink it.
After consuming the pill, Chen An felt markedly better; the excruciating pain in his body subsided significantly. Once he caught his breath, his first question was:
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Three days," Li Muchen replied, relief washing over his face. "After you collapsed, the sect master instructed me to bring you to the inner sect to recover. He even gifted us a few healing pills—otherwise, you wouldn't have healed so quickly."
"The sect master had you bring me to the inner sect to recover?" Chen An frowned. "Since I won first place in the disciple tournament, shouldn't I already have been promoted to an inner disciple?"
Li Muchen hesitated, unsure how to respond. After some deliberation, he explained, "You're right, that's how it should be. But the sect master didn't directly announce your promotion. He only instructed me to watch over you closely."
"But don't overthink it. With your strength, entering the inner sect is a certainty. The sect master likely wants to inform you personally."
As Li Muchen spoke, he suddenly recalled the sect master's earlier instruction: that Chen An should see him immediately upon waking.
Helping Chen An to his feet, Li Muchen waited until Chen An could stand and walk steadily before accompanying him to the sect master's retreat in the inner sect's depths.
"The sect master's retreat is a place that no disciple has stepped into for years—not even the Grand Elder without permission. The fact that you're summoned there is truly remarkable. Maybe you'll even become the sect master's personal disciple someday. If that happens, I'll be counting on you to look after me," Li Muchen teased lightheartedly.
His cheerful chatter filled the air, but Chen An remained composed, even stoic. He was keenly aware that this summons was unlikely to be a mere formality.
---
"We're here. Continue forward, and you'll reach the sect master's retreat. I'll wait for you here," Li Muchen said, pointing ahead.
Chen An nodded silently and walked in the direction indicated. Soon, a massive stone door came into view, sealing off the retreat. To his surprise, the door opened on its own as he approached.
Taking a deep breath, Chen An stepped inside. The interior was nothing like he had imagined. The cave was neither dark nor damp; instead, it was dry, with a faint scent of camphorwood permeating the air.
As he ventured deeper, the aroma grew stronger. When he reached the end of the cave, the source of the scent became evident. Every piece of furniture—tables, chairs, and other items—was crafted from camphorwood, filling the room with its distinct fragrance.
While Chen An surveyed his surroundings, a middle-aged man in plain robes stepped out from behind a camphorwood screen. It was none other than Meng Wentian.
"Chen An greets the sect master," Chen An said respectfully, bowing deeply.
Meng Wentian did not respond immediately. Instead, he silently observed Chen An, nodding in approval. "Three days to recover. You have a strong will to live."
"This is all thanks to the healing pills you generously provided, Sect Master," Chen An replied humbly.
Amused by the response, Meng Wentian chuckled. "It seems the rumors are true—you truly possess a sharp and perceptive mind."
He gestured for Chen An to sit. "Relax. I called you here to discuss some matters."
Despite Meng Wentian's calm demeanor, Chen An's mind was racing. Taking his seat, he cut straight to the point:
"Sect Master, am I correct in assuming that my promotion to the inner sect has encountered some difficulties?"
"Oh? And why would you think that? Couldn't it be that I was simply curious about you and wanted to meet you personally?" Meng Wentian asked, feigning surprise.
Chen An smiled faintly, a glint of understanding in his eyes.
"You, Sect Master, are a busy man. I am merely a lowly servant-turned-disciple. I can't imagine there being anything about me worthy of your personal attention. By the sect's rules, the winner of the disciple tournament should be promoted to the inner sect. Yet, I remain an outer disciple. Your summoning me here, combined with your silence on the matter, suggests an obstacle has arisen."
Meng Wentian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And what obstacle might that be?"
Chen An's tone remained calm as he continued, "For one, I'm still alive, which means Yun Xiao must also be alive. Otherwise, I doubt the Grand Elder would have allowed me to live after killing his descendant."
"Naturally, my survival owes much to your protection, Sect Master. For that, I am deeply grateful."
He bowed slightly before resuming, "However, it is clear the Grand Elder sees me as a threat. My victory over Yun Xiao is a thorn in his side, and each time he looks at Yun Xiao, he will be reminded of his defeat. He will never allow me to join the inner sect without a fight."
"I suspect the Grand Elder has already fabricated reasons to challenge my victory—perhaps claiming I relied too heavily on external aids like talismans or accusing me of using poison to gain an unfair advantage."
Chen An's words were steady and unflinching, as though discussing someone else's fate rather than his own.
Meng Wentian was visibly impressed. Chen An's deductions were astoundingly accurate, capturing every detail and even Yun Henqiu's mindset perfectly.
Indeed, Yun Henqiu had obstructed Chen An's promotion, and his reasoning was exactly as Chen An described. For Chen An to deduce all of this so precisely, despite having been unconscious for three days, left Meng Wentian both shocked and deeply contemplative.