After meeting Li Muchen in the market, Chen An was met with strong disapproval from him.
"You should be focusing on your recovery right now. Why are you still drawing so many talismans?" Li Muchen asked, clearly displeased.
"Don't worry. I'm fine now," Chen An replied calmly. "Besides, time waits for no one. I've made too many enemies, and I need to keep some cards in hand in case things go south."
Unable to convince Chen An otherwise, Li Muchen eventually agreed to sell the talismans for a good price. He also asked if there was anything else Chen An needed.
Chen An shook his head. "Not really," he said, "but I do have a question for you. Do you remember the examiner who tested my aptitude when I first joined the sect?"
"That would be Yu Hualong, an Inner Sect steward. Why? Do you need something from him?" Li Muchen asked after a moment's thought.
"Not at all," Chen An replied with a faint smile. "I was just curious."
Giving a vague answer to brush the matter aside, Chen An quickly excused himself. However, instead of returning to the Outer Sect, he made his way straight to find Yu Hualong.
This man would be the first prey Chen An delivered to Elder Gu.
Back during the selection ceremony, Chen An had been threatened with death by Yu Hualong simply for asking a question. The humiliation and resentment had burned in Chen An's heart ever since. Now that he had the chance, Yu Hualong's life was forfeit.
Chen An had always been one to hold grudges and repay them in full. His enemies—whether a spirit beast or an Inner Sect steward—would find no mercy.
---
Chen An eventually found Yu Hualong at the Inner Sect Elder Hall, chatting leisurely with others.
Seeing him, Chen An's lips curled into a smile, and he walked up casually.
"Excuse me, are you Brother Yu?"
Yu Hualong, taken aback, turned and scrutinized Chen An for a moment. "You're… Chen An?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice.
"That's me," Chen An replied warmly. "Brother Yu, you tested my aptitude during the selection ceremony and gave me the chance to start cultivating. I've always remembered your kindness and came here specifically to thank you."
Yu Hualong had been present for Chen An's duel with Yun Xiao. Like many others, he was puzzled at how someone with inferior spiritual roots had managed such a meteoric rise. Hearing Chen An speak so respectfully now, even going out of his way to express gratitude, Yu Hualong couldn't help but feel flattered.
After all, Chen An was now someone who had bested the descendant of Yun Hate-Qiu's bloodline.
"The fact that you've come so far, despite your roots, is truly impressive," Yu Hualong said, his curiosity piqued. "I've always wondered—how did you achieve all this?"
The two chatted amiably for some time, and Chen An skillfully guided the conversation to his advantage. When the moment was ripe, he invited Yu Hualong for a drink. Eager to learn more about Chen An's secrets, Yu Hualong accepted without hesitation.
---
In a secluded pavilion, Chen An retrieved a jar of spirit wine infused with Red Coil's venom.
The wine, a gift from Li Muchen, was no ordinary brew. Its rich aroma and dense spiritual energy made it incredibly enticing. As Chen An poured it into cups, Yu Hualong's anticipation grew.
As the two drank and exchanged pleasantries, Yu Hualong began probing Chen An for information about his "breakthroughs."
At first, Chen An feigned reluctance, refusing to divulge anything. But as time passed, whether due to the wine or clever manipulation, his resistance appeared to wane.
Looking around to ensure no one else was present, Chen An leaned in close and whispered, "Brother Yu, you don't know this, but I owe it all to you."
"To me? What do you mean?"
"If you hadn't pointed out my inferior roots and sent me to the Outer Sect, I would never have encountered such an incredible opportunity," Chen An said, his voice dripping with mystery.
Yu Hualong's interest was thoroughly piqued. "What opportunity? What did you find?"
Chen An hesitated as if debating whether to share. Finally, after another drink, he asked, "Brother Yu, do you know Elder Gu of the Outer Sect?"
"Of course. Elder Gu has been in the sect for over a century. He was already a senior when I first joined," Yu Hualong replied.
Chen An nodded approvingly. "Then you must have heard of the secluded chamber in his Outer Sect residence—the one no one is allowed to approach?"
Yu Hualong stiffened slightly. The chamber was indeed infamous, rumored to be a forbidden zone. Many speculated about its contents, but no one dared investigate.
"What's inside the chamber?" Yu Hualong asked cautiously.
Chen An's lips curled into a cryptic smile, and he appeared to be on the verge of drunkenness. "Spirit stones—piles of them, as tall as mountains!" he exclaimed loudly, before quickly covering his mouth as if realizing he had said too much.
Yu Hualong hurriedly hushed him, though skepticism flickered across his face. "How could a mere Outer Sect elder amass such a fortune? It doesn't make sense."
Chen An's expression turned hazy. "I don't know," he mumbled, "but those stones... they're covered in dust and dirt, like they've just been mined."
Yu Hualong's mind raced. Freshly mined spirit stones, hidden in a secluded chamber... Could Elder Gu have discovered a secret spirit stone mine and kept it for himself?
As Yu Hualong pieced together the "truth," he failed to realize that Chen An had never explicitly stated any of it. The entire scenario was a fabrication, crafted from Yu Hualong's assumptions and Chen An's strategic hints.
By the time Yu Hualong finished connecting the imaginary dots, he was utterly convinced.
And so, the trap was set, and Yu Hualong had taken the bait.