"I never imagined that Elder Duan had such a past."
Now Chu Feng finally understood why Elder Duan was known by so many people.
And why Rabbit Yuanyuan's Master had advised Chu Feng the way she did.
"Elder Dao, I'd like to visit Elder Duan. Would that be permissible?" Chu Feng asked Dao Qinian.
"The Wulong Martial Sect doesn't restrict movement, except within certain forbidden zones."
"I'll get you settled in first. Once that's done, if you want to go to the outer court to see him, you can do so anytime," Dao Qinian said.
…………
Inside a palace in the outer court, a considerable number of outer court elders had gathered.
This was an annual get-together, held right after the newly recruited disciples finished their talent assessments.
They all knew that not long after the talent assessments concluded, the rewards would be delivered.
Though only a small fraction of recruited disciples managed to pass the talent assessment, most of the outer court elders still came. Setting aside the need to build relationships with fellow outer court elders, if an elder who received a reward happened to be in a good mood, they might even share some of their spoils.
But Duan Liufeng, being here, was an oddity.
This was his first time.
His very first time setting foot in this palace to attend such a gathering.
Had he not recruited Chu Feng this time—and had Chu Feng not passed the talent assessment—he still would never have come.
The outer court elders didn't have a particularly good relationship with Duan Liufeng. He simply sat alone in a corner, eating nothing, drinking nothing, quietly waiting.
He wasn't waiting for the banquet to end.
He was waiting for the Beixuan Academy elders to deliver the rewards.
Whether or not there was a reward for him, he would leave once the distribution was over.
"Elder Duan, congratulations today."
Suddenly, a figure approached, cup in hand.
It was Elder Qian—the one who had recruited Hua Xu.
"Elder Duan, come—let me toast you."
"Sure, the disciple you found was only of the lowest possible grade."
"But in the end, you're still getting a reward."
"After all, that kid intends to take you as his Master. He'll probably hand the reward over to you, right?"
Though Elder Qian claimed he was there to offer a toast, his words and that smug expression of his were dripping with sarcasm.
He had clearly come to pick a fight.
"Chu Feng truly is remarkable."
"I never once brought up the matter of him becoming my disciple."
"When he learned that by taking me as his Master, it would allow me to enter Beixuan Academy, he took the initiative to propose the apprenticeship. You could say this young man values gratitude immensely."
"Compared to those disciples who go back on their word, someone like Chu Feng is exceedingly rare," Elder Duan replied.
"What exactly are you implying? Are you mocking me?"
"Regardless, I'm getting a mid-grade reward."
"And entering Beixuan Academy? I can do that on my own strength."
"As for you, you'll only receive a lowest-grade reward."
"Actually, that's not even certain—maybe you won't get even the lowest-grade reward. That Chu Feng… might not truly hand it over to you. He could very well keep it for himself," Elder Qian pressed, his tone sharp.
"Exactly. Elder Qian makes a fair point."
"You can't trust the word of those new disciples."
"How many disciples have promised to give their rewards to their recruiting elders after passing the talent assessment, only to renege afterward? It happens far too often."
Elder Qian seemed to be quite well-liked—or perhaps Duan Liufeng was simply that unpopular—because quite a few people chimed in on Elder Qian's behalf.
"That's no exaggeration. The rewards haven't even arrived yet. Who gets them and who doesn't is still uncertain. So I'd advise everyone not to celebrate too early."