Chapter 388

Chapter 388

A caravan in Ming City.

An elder in black, stroking his beard, proclaimed mysteriously, "My disciple, Mu Chen! He's like a deity incarnate! I recall when he was tested at our Holy Star Academy. He shattered the qualification stone pillar instantly."

"The scene was so incredible and spectacular! All the students testing that day were left in shock."

"The Dean of our Holy Star Academy—Lian Cheng Kong—immediately took him under his wing."

"It wasn’t long before I realized that Mu Chen was no ordinary talent. I chose five masters in alchemy, artifact crafting, talisman making, inscription, and rune recording to instruct him in all arts."

"Mu Chen's talents surpassed them all. He even outdid his own teachers."

"An unmatched genius, truly incomparable!"

...

"Master, you're incredible! You’ve mentored such a talent like Mu Chen," a young girl said, looking up at "Lian Cheng Kong" with admiration.

"Lian Cheng Kong", stroking his beard with pride, responded, "The crowning achievement of my life has been mentoring such a disciple. With such an apprentice, I would die without any regrets."

"Master, could you introduce me to Mu Chen?" the young girl asked.

"Of course, young miss, with your talent and already being a Level 6 Alchemist at such a young age, I can certainly see if he would offer you some guidance," "Lian Cheng Kong" replied earnestly.

The young girl's face flushed with excitement, "Thank you, revered Master. I will forever be grateful for this favor."

……

"Hey, old ghost, I never knew that Mu Chen's master was Lian Cheng Kong. Where did you pop out from?" Ji Fei Yan said teasingly to Xiong Wei.

"Nonsense, what does my hard-trained disciple have to do with the principal?" Xiong Wei responded, visibly annoyed.

"I never knew the principal looked like this," Jing Chi Yan said sarcastically, looking at the chattering old man, "He can truly 'die without regrets.' What an idiot!"

"Was Mu Chen really that amazing during his qualification test? Such an incredible phenomenon," Ji Fei Yan wondered.

"How is that possible? My disciple was the impressive one. Back then, Zhuang Yu, Ye Shi, Lan Ruo Feng, and Mu Chen all tested together. Mu Chen was the least impressive, while my disciple was the best," Jing Chi Yan proudly declared.

"What's the use of innate talent? Talent doesn't mean everything. My disciple is the true genius," Xiong Wei boasted.

Jing Chi Yan chuckled, "Back then, without Ye Shi, Mu Chen might not have even been admitted to the academy. He was the only one among the four whose qualification wasn’t enough. He wasn’t taken as an apprentice by the elders, and nearly failed the test due to a scheme by Lan Ruo Feng."

Xiong Wei grumbled, "Even if he wasn't accepted into the academy, my disciple would have found his way."

Years ago, suspicions arose when Mu Chen's cultivation progressed swiftly. A retest confirmed there was an error in his initial qualification test.

Everyone at the academy believed the testing instrument was faulty. Even Xiong Wei thought so initially. Now, he believes it wasn’t a machine error.

Mu Chen's greatest asset was never his innate talent, but his intellect.

Perhaps Mu Chen used a method to elevate his qualifications, leading to discrepancies in the testing results.

Ji Fei Yan, observing the daydreaming Miss Tian, commented disdainfully, "Are all people from Zhongzhou this gullible? Easily fooled by a simple con?"

"Who knows? Maybe people from Zhongzhou are just dumb," Xiong Wei grumbled.

In the past, Xiong Wei claimed to be Mu Chen's master. However, people criticized him for his lack of professionalism and made fun of his appearance, laughing off his claim.

Ji Fei Yan advised him against speaking recklessly.

Unable to benefit from Mu Chen's reputation, Xiong Wei and others had to settle for being minor guards for the caravan, earning a few elemental stones.

Ji Fei Yan gleefully teased Xiong Wei, "Reflect on this. Someone, with his tall tales, can easily deceive, enjoy free meals, and attract women. Yet, you, Mu Chen's genuine master, are dismissed as a fraud."

Xiong Wei: "…"

Jing Chiyang gave a reassuring smile, saying, "Sister-in-law, that only shows how genuine Brother Xiong is!"

Ji Feiyan replied with exasperation, "You fool! Being mistaken for a fraudster shows naivety, not honesty."

Jing Chiyang: "..."

Xiong Wei: "..."

"The leader of this merchant group is such a naive young lady. She's on the brink of being utterly deceived." Xiong Wei said, looking at Tian Yingying with sympathy.

Ji Feiyan smirked and responded, "If she's rushing to be fooled, why should you care? She seems to be enjoying it!"

Xiong Wei nodded, saying, "Indeed! She looks over the moon about it."

Tsk tsk, these girls from Zhongzhou really are so simple-minded.

But it's not just her. heard that Ye Shi came to Zhongzhou and almost got killed by his father's brother. Qu Kun was attacked by the Bai family. Mu Yuanfeng was luckier and didn't face betrayal from his own, but was mistaken for a thief. Fortunately, he turned his misfortune into a blessing and married a beautiful woman.

Jing Chiyang chuckled, "It seems the young lady might have taken a liking to the principal."

Ji Feiyan shook his head, saying, "Naive girl. Rising to prominence isn't that easy!"

...

"Manager Zhao, how much longer until we reach the Bai family's territory?" Tian Yingying asked impatiently.

"Approximately one more month," Manager Zhao replied.

Tian Yingying frowned, "So long! Can't we speed up?"

"Yes, Manager Zhao. It's been a while since I saw my disciple, Mu Chen. I wonder how he's doing now." Lian Chengkong said, his face filled with anticipation.

Xiong Wei sneered telepathically, "This guy is so eager to see Mu Chen. Is he rushing to his doom? What a fool."

Ji Feiyan rolled his eyes, "Learn something, will you? Look at him; he seems more competent than you. Despite your true intentions, you still come across as a scam artist."

Xiong Wei: "..." Even if I seem deceptive, my intentions are genuine!

"It's getting late, Miss. We should find a place to rest," Zhao Kuo suggested.

Although Tian Yingying was eager to reunite "Mu Chen's master" with Mu Chen, she didn't want to exhaust him. So, she decided to rest for the journey ahead.

...

As Tian Yingying and her group entered the city, they noticed a lively atmosphere.

"Master Mu Dan is so young!"

"Indeed, astonishingly young."

"With that poise, no one can compare to Young Master Mu."

"Young Master Bai is here too, along with two children. The offspring of Young Master Mu and Bai surely aren't ordinary."

...

Tian Yingying stopped a young man, asking, "Are you talking about Mu Chen, Master Mu Dan?"

"Yes! Master Mu Dan has come to the tower. There was no news earlier, but he suddenly appeared. Miss, you're fortunate. If you're lucky, you might even see Master Mu Chen," one of the cultivators replied.

Tian Yingying excitedly said, "Our merchant group includes Master Mu's teacher."

The two cultivators exchanged glances. One twisted his face, saying, "No offense, Miss, but after Young Masters Mu and Bai appeared in Ming City, many claiming to be related to Mu Chen fled in fear."

Tian Yingying, suppressing her anger, responded with a forced smile, "Master Lian wouldn't."

Turning to look at "Lian Chengkong", she noticed that the usually eloquent man looked somewhat uneasy.

Concern filled Tian Yingying's heart, but she quickly composed herself.

"Elder Lian, are you alright?" Tian Yingying asked with concern.

"Lian Chengkong" smiled, "It's nothing. I'm just surprised that I'd encounter my disciple so soon."

Ji Feiyan observed "Lian Chengkong" with a playful glint in his eyes, thinking, "Impressive scam artist. He's keeping his cool even now."

The bustling street suddenly fell silent.

Ji Feiyan looked up to see Mu Chen and Ye Shi approaching, accompanied by two kids.

Mu Chen and Ye Shi led the way, while the children played behind them.

All eyes were fixated on Mu Chen and Ye Shi.

Tian Yingying whispered to "Lian Chengkong", "Elder, your disciple has arrived."

The man, who always exuded a celestial aura and unyielding spirit, now blushed furiously, his face crimson and legs trembling. A flash of indignation crossed his alabaster face. "Impostor!"

"It seems the naive girl has realized she's been deceived," Ji Feiyan said, batting his eyelashes.

"At this point, if she hadn't figured it out, she'd be truly foolish," Xiong Wei said with a sigh.

Two figures approached from the distance. Ye Shi's gaze swept over the merchants, and upon seeing a few familiar faces, his expression brightened. "Master!"

Upon witnessing "Lian Chengkong's" demeanor, Tian Yingying felt utterly desolate. However, hearing Ye Shi's call rekindled her hope.

Tian Yingying thought to herself, "Could it be that 'Lian Chengkong's' flushed face and shortness of breath are actually signs of excitement?"

"Lian Chengkong" was taken aback upon hearing Bai Yanxing's shout. He never expected Bai Yanxing to address him as "Master."

"Lian Chengkong" thought rapidly, "Could it be that this Bai Yanxing is also a fake?"

"After an endless search, it's a joy to find you so effortlessly. Master, I'm finally reunited with you," Mu Chen said with a slight smile, looking at Xiong Wei among the merchants.

Tian Yingying gazed at "Lian Chengkong" with intense emotion.

"Lian Chengkong" felt a whirlwind of emotions. Having never envisioned such a situation, he was at a loss for words.

Tian Yingying wanted to say something, but then she noticed three individuals emerging from the merchant group.

"Mu Chen, you've become even more handsome," Ji Feiyan said with a teasing smile.

"Master, Senior Uncle, Elder Ji, you all were escorting this merchant caravan? Why didn't you come to find Mu Chen and me?" Ye Shi asked, sounding puzzled.

From what he understood, escorting merchant caravans was laborious and paid little in elemental stones.

Ji Feiyan chuckled, "It's all because your Senior Uncle, with his deceptive appearance and naivety, told others he was Mu Chen's master. He almost got beaten up for that claim. So, I decided to escort with him. Besides, there's another 'Master of Mu Chen' in this caravan. I thought your Senior Uncle could learn something from him."

Ye Shi: "..."

Mu Chen: "..."