By all accounts, the Tianchan Ancient Academy certainly carried considerable prestige.
Sure enough, Jiang Chen's flying vessel touched down at the gates of the Tianchan Ancient Academy in the blink of an eye.
The Academy's senior leadership hurried forward to welcome him, each one a cocktail of excitement, astonishment, joy, and a thread of nervousness.
Jiang Chen's name had become a legend shared by all of human territory, a figure universally admired. Even these high-ranking officials now greeted him with the reverence one might show a deity.
This young man had long since risen far above them — a existence they might not even be able to crane their necks high enough to see.
"Heh heh, Head Su, I trust you've been well?" Jiang Chen stepped down from the flying vessel.
Trailing behind him were Venerable Chongxiao, several attendants, and Wang Xuetong. He had deliberately not brought Chongxiao Venerable's entire entourage along.
Jiang Chen didn't want to give the Tianchan Ancient Academy a suffocating sense of pressure.
Even though he was here to absorb the Academy into his fold, he preferred to handle things with a gentle touch.
Su Zhenhuan stepped forward and said, "Thanks to Young Master Jiang Chen's blessings, everything has been well. But since parting ways with you, Young Master, your progress has been nothing short of astonishing. I, as Head, am far, far behind."
Jiang Chen laughed heartily. He had always held Su Zhenhuan in considerable fondness. Back when he had journeyed to the Myriad Abyss Island, it was Su Zhenhuan who had guided him, searching through the Tianchan Ancient Academy's territory for a long while before they finally located the teleportation array — the one that had carried him to Dongyan Island.
For that, Jiang Chen was genuinely grateful.
That very teleportation array still stood within the Tianchan Ancient Academy.
Su Zhenhuan exchanged pleasantries with Jiang Chen with a warm smile, but then she noticed an old man standing at Jiang Chen's side, regarding her with a peculiar look in his eyes.
The gaze was neither lecherous nor overbearing, nor was it furtive — yet something about it felt oddly off, as though the old man's stare were faintly impolite.
But anyone who could stand this close to Jiang Chen clearly wasn't ordinary. Despite the slight irritation stirring in her heart, Su Zhenhuan held her tongue.
Jiang Chen, however, caught it. He gave a light cough and announced loudly, "Come, come — let me make the introductions. This is Venerable Chongxiao, a… a venerable elder from the ancient era. Head Su, this gentleman is a person of great standing — do be a bit indulgent with him."
At the same time, he nudged Chongxiao Venerable with his elbow. "Venerable, this is Head Su Zhenhuan, the foremost Head of the Tianchan Ancient Academy. Hmm, she happens to be an old… close friend of our fellow Daoist Peacock from Sacred Mountain Peacock."
This introduction made Su Zhenhuan's heart flutter ever so slightly. In all these years, no one had ever so openly brought up that old story between her and the Peacock Great Emperor.
Yet she felt no anger — only a faint, delicate thread of joy. All this time, she had long since learned to control those feelings, and both she and the Peacock Great Emperor had become towering figures of human territory. But that youthful sentiment from the past had merely been tucked away at the bottom of her heart. Its disappearance had never meant it had truly vanished.
Chongxiao Venerable let out a snort and rolled his eyes. "You don't need to bring up the Peacock — I have no intention of snatching anyone's love. Don't get the wrong idea."
The old man evidently thought himself quite clever, believing he'd understood exactly what Jiang Chen was hinting at. But some things — understanding them internally was one thing; saying them aloud was another matter entirely.
Sure enough, the atmosphere went dead silent, and every face wore an expression of strained awkwardness.
Jiang Chen couldn't help himself either. He struggled to keep a straight face, suppressing his laughter, and said, "Fine, fine — you're an ancient cultivator who saw through the mortal world long ago, right?"
He then turned to Su Zhenhuan. "Head Su, the Venerable is rather… rather innocent in temperament. He's not terribly well-versed in social etiquette, so please do be understanding. Come to think of it, he may well share some history with your Tianchan Ancient Academy."
The moment Chongxiao Venerable heard this, he was none too pleased.