Dashing Student Chapter 1440 - 1438: What Is His Background? (Part 2)

Adorned in a long gown, he gazed at Yun Ying with a smile radiating affection. "Where have you been stirring up trouble this time?"

Yun Ying pointed towards Chen Nan, her voice brimming with excitement. "Master, I wasn't causing trouble. Look, I've brought a new disciple for Moon River Valley!"

"Master, I must tell you, this new junior brother isn't just a medical cultivator, he's also an alchemist! You absolutely have to accept him."

She playfully tugged at the white-haired man's arm, her demeanor exceptionally endearing.

The white-haired man let out a sigh of helpless indulgence, a smile gracing his lips. "Since you've already called him junior brother, how can I possibly refuse? Let him begin as an outer disciple for now. If he proves himself capable, promotion will follow."

"Are you willing?"

His final question was directed at Chen Nan, his gaze steady.

Chen Nan nodded fervently. "Of course, I am! I am Chen Nan, and I was a loose cultivator. I nearly met my end outside, so being accepted by Moon River Valley is incredibly fortunate."

"This disciple greets the Sect Leader."

The white-haired man nodded, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "Good. You may go now. Should anything confuse you, Yun Ying can assist."

"That's wonderful!"

Yun Ying was absolutely thrilled, turning back to give Chen Nan a mischievous wink. She seemed immensely proud of having successfully brought him into Moon River Valley.

"Master, I'll escort junior brother. I'll return to greet you later."

With that, she wasted no time, eagerly pulling Chen Nan along as she darted away.

Only after their figures vanished from sight did the smile on the Sect Leader's face gradually fade.

"Find out who this boy's background truly is."

"Little junior brother, hurry up and call me Senior Sister!"

Ascending the stone steps, Yun Ying led the way, attempting to adopt a serious demeanor befitting a senior, yet the corners of her mouth betrayed her suppressed amusement.

Chen Nan found her antics quite amusing. This young girl was incredibly entertaining. Amused, he decided to playfully tease her. "Don't you prefer it when I call you 'Female Knight'? Should I call you 'Female Knight' or 'Senior Sister'?"

The question instantly caught Yun Ying off guard. She faltered mid-step, pondered for a considerable duration, her face a mask of internal struggle, as if the choice presented a monumental dilemma.

"Female Knight... Senior Sister... Oh, forget it! From now on, you must call me 'Female Knight'!"

"Alright, Female Knight." Chen Nan followed, then suddenly sensed something amiss. He turned his head, spotting a disciple in the distance who hastily feigned nonchalance upon realizing he was being observed.

The act, however, was far too clumsy. Chen Nan instantly recognized the disciple's attempt to surveil them.

"Is he watching me, or Yun Ying?" A subtle suspicion began to form in his mind, though he didn't dwell on it. After all, being an unknown to Moon River Valley, it was understandable that they would investigate.

Yun Ying soon guided Chen Nan towards a tower-like structure situated on the mountainside. Above the entrance hung a plaque inscribed with three grand characters: "Affairs Hall."

Beneath a willow tree just outside the hall's entrance, an old man was deep in meditation.

"Uncle Qiao!"

Yun Ying's cheerful shout caused the meditating elder to slowly open his eyes. In that fleeting moment, the raw, malevolent Qi that inadvertently surfaced sent a jolt through Chen Nan, who was trailing behind.

Such potent, malevolent Qi was by no means weaker than his own. Yet, he absorbed Yin Sha Qi due to his cultivation of the "Taotie Technique," a path he couldn't deviate from.

Furthermore, he had learned from the Divine Calculator that the Demon Ancestor might have arrived in the Inner Sea. This provided him with a motive to venture into the Inner Sea, hoping to locate the Demon Ancestor and understand how to control the "Taotie Technique."

After all, Huang Boyang had hinted that the "Heaven-Slaying Art" could potentially be linked to the Dusk Organization. He had no desire to continue cultivating, yet he was compelled to do so to suppress the Blood Evil Qi that the "Taotie Technique" absorbed.

And this old man before him, who appeared kind and amiable, had flashed a moment of bloodthirsty Qi that Chen Nan could never mistake—no one understood Blood Evil Qi better than he did. Such a state of being could only be achieved through countless acts of slaughter.

Nevertheless, in mere moments, the old man's malevolent Qi vanished without a trace, restoring his appearance as that of a benevolent elder.

"Little Yun Ying, what brings you here again? Slacking off once more?"

Yun Ying quickly shook her head. "No way! I'm diligently cultivating because you all promised that once I reach the fifth layer of the Golden Core Realm, I'll be allowed to venture out and perform heroic deeds!"

"Haha, your master and the others have your best interests at heart. You're still too young and weak. But I suspect you're not far from meeting your master's requirements." The old man chuckled jovially.

He then lifted his gaze to look at Chen Nan, a trace of bewilderment clouding his eyes.

"Uncle Qiao, this is a disciple newly recruited by the sect, I brought him. From now on, he’s my junior brother, please register him," Yun Ying hurriedly pulled Chen Nan to her side.

Chen Nan also showed great respect, cupping his hands in salute: "Greetings Elder, junior Chen Nan."

"Hrm, hrm." The old man carried himself with great authority before Chen Nan, "I’m Qiao Que. Since you’ve joined my Moon River Valley, you must cultivate well from now on."

"Yes, junior will remember."

Qiao Que quickly helped Chen Nan with the registration, combining his hair and blood to make two waist cards, one given to Chen Nan and the other kept in the sect.

Also, he took out a hundred low-grade Spirit Stones, five ninth-grade elixir pills, and a set of outer disciple’s attire from Moon River Valley, saying, "I see you have a cultivation Heart Sutra Technique, so I won’t force you to cultivate the sect’s methods."

"If you want to switch techniques, you can also get them from the Scripture Pavilion."

"Yes, disciple understands." Chen Nan accepted all the items.

Qiao Que was very satisfied with Chen Nan’s attitude and asked, "By the way, what’s your main cultivation?"

Chen Nan thought for a moment, knowing that whether he was a medical cultivator or an alchemist, the treatment within the sect would likely differ, and he had no interest in starting from the bottom.

So he replied in a deep voice, "Disciple is a medical cultivator and has some experience with alchemy."

"Oh?" Qiao Que’s expression did change slightly, "I didn’t expect Little Yun Ying to bring back a treasure this time. In that case, you should go to the Medical Hall under the command of Master Mei Gui from now on."

"Yes." Chen Nan, although he didn’t know who Mei Gui was, naturally understood the Medical Hall, which was for treating wounds and such for the sect disciples, something not difficult for him.

"You may go." Qiao Que waved his sleeve, put his hands behind his back, and looked at Yun Ying with a different smile, "Little Yun Ying, do you have any more business?"

"No more, thank you, Uncle." Yun Ying flashed a smile, then left the Affairs Hall with Chen Nan.

"Rest assured, Master Mei Gui is very kind, you won’t be bullied. During this time, I can’t often come to find you, but you must remember that I’ll always be your senior sister." Yun Ying couldn’t stop talking along the way, "I must train diligently to reach the fifth level of the Golden Core Realm soon and leave the mountain sooner."

Chen Nan found it amusing in his heart, how much she wanted to be a senior sister, but she looked just like a little kid. He suddenly had a thought and asked, "May I ask how old the Female Knight is?"

Yun Ying covered her mouth and laughed, "Don’t even think about it. I’m surely not older than you. I’m only a hundred and fourteen."

Chen Nan was momentarily stunned, over a hundred years old, that’s enough to be his great-grandmother. Asking about her age was courting humiliation. Anyone in the cultivation world was older than him.

However, cultivators all have methods for preserving their appearance, so Yun Ying indeed appeared much younger, like a little girl.

"By the way, does the Female Knight have any plans during this period?" Chen Nan quickly changed the subject.

Yun Ying sighed, "Master said I can only leave the mountain to venture once I reach the fifth level of the Golden Core Realm, so I must train well during this time to leave as soon as possible."

"Don’t worry, I’ll bring you along when the time comes."

"Thank you, Female Knight." Chen Nan pouted. Until he got what he wanted, he didn’t want to leave.

"By the way, junior brother, what’s the outside world like? Can you really wield a sword and go on journeys?" Yun Ying suddenly asked, her tone full of longing.

Chen Nan was taken aback, instinctively asked back, "Hasn’t the Female Knight ever been down the mountain?"

"No," Yun Ying shook her head, "Since I was little, Master brought me up here, saying I was picked up and never allowed me to leave the range of Moon River Valley."

"But I’ll soon reach the fifth level of the Golden Core Realm and then I can go out."

Chen Nan sighed, from the second layer to the fifth layer of the Golden Core Realm, even he took quite some time. Even for a talent, it takes years, and for ordinary cultivators, the time needed increases exponentially.

How can it be so simple? This young girl is dreaming.