Chapter 281: Junlin

Hearing him say that, Chen Qingyang grew a bit curious. He shifted his gaze to size the man up and finally came to a four-word conclusion—not exactly a looker.

He had a bit of baby fat on his face. On a woman, it might have been cute, but on a man, it just made him look devoid of any imposing presence. His eyelids were particularly fleshy, squeezing his eyes into small slits.

His lips were thick and wide, with a dark mole at one corner. His hairline was high, exposing his temples. In short, the longer one looked at him, the older he appeared. He looked prematurely old!

“Hehe, you were sizing me up, weren’t you, Senior Brother? You must also think I’m completely unworthy of the name Junlin. But you, Senior Brother, you have such an extraordinary bearing. If only I were as handsome as you!”

Seeing that the man had guessed his thoughts, Chen Qingyang smiled. ‘After all, it’s rude to judge someone by their appearance.’ “Junior Brother, if it bothers you that much, you could always cultivate some related Magic Techniques. That might help.”

To his surprise, Lu Junlin shook his head. “It’s no use. I’ve already tried. The most they can do is improve your skin a little, but as for bone structure… hehe, that’s a bit harder to change.”

‘How strange,’ Chen Qingyang thought. ‘I’m in the middle of important business, yet here I am, chatting about appearances with a complete stranger.’

After a moment’s thought, Chen Qingyang asked, “Junior Brother, do you think perfect people exist?”

Lu Junlin considered this. “Probably not, right?”

“Definitely not. That’s why everyone has flaws. It’s best to just play to your strengths and hide your weaknesses.”

“Hmm, that makes sense. I knew you were extraordinary, Senior Brother. May I ask your name, and under which Master you cultivate?”

‘He’s assuming I’m a disciple of the Separation Dragon Pill Institute.’

‘I can’t just give out the name Chen Qingyang, especially since this man’s surname is Lu. Who knows how he might be connected to Lu Jinzhang.’

Instead of answering, he asked directly, “I wonder, what is the Pill Institute’s Steward, Lu Jinzhang, to you, Junior Brother?”

“Oh!” Lu Junlin exclaimed with a sigh. “To be precise, he’s supposed to call me… Grand-uncle. Yes, that should be correct. In practice, however, I have to call him Master Lu. We aren’t close; you could say we’re merely acquaintances.”

‘This is a bit complicated,’ Chen Qingyang thought, so much so that he could no longer focus his full attention on the Conscious Fish. “It seems you’re also from the Lu Clan, and of a very high generation at that. But as for your cultivation…”

He paused. “It seems to be just a little higher than my own?”

Lu Junlin maintained a nonchalant expression. “That’s just how it is. It’s a difficult situation. My very existence brings shame to the family.”

Chen Qingyang studied him for a moment. “Why don’t you change your name? ‘Junlin’ is too much of a burden. If you picked something more lighthearted, maybe you wouldn’t feel like your situation is so difficult.”

At this absurd suggestion, Lu Junlin actually clapped his hands in delight. “A problem that even my father and grandfather couldn’t solve, and you’ve made it crystal clear in an instant! In my eyes, you’re far more capable than they are!”

All Chen Qingyang could do was offer a dry, “Heh.”

When Lu Junlin saw that he had no intention of continuing, he took the initiative to end the conversation. “I can see you’re busy, Senior Brother, so I won’t disturb you any longer. If you don’t want to tell me where you’re from, I won’t ask. There are too many people in this world to know every single one. Farewell.”

Seeing the other man bow respectfully with clasped hands, Chen Qingyang returned the gesture.

The world was a vast place; it wasn’t that strange to encounter all sorts of people. He didn’t have the mental energy to dwell on it, because after several days of hard work, he was finally on the verge of a breakthrough.

It was like passing through a barrier, stepping into a world that belonged to the Array itself. The Circulation of Stars Demon Suppression Array was like a colossal machine, and he had just glimpsed one small part of it.

Stars, Array Building, Array Profound, and a ceaseless flow of Spiritual Qi were the rulers of this domain. Everything seemed to be pulled along by threads, woven into an incredibly intricate web.

Perhaps the True Dragon Cave was just one tiny node in this intricate network. If he could find a way through it, he would be able to reach the cave.

‘But finding that node is a massive problem. Wait,’ he remembered, ‘hadn’t the True Dragon said it was trapped there?’

‘The power needed to trap a Golden Core Dragon Soul must be immense. If I head toward the area where the starlight is densest, I’m bound to find something.’

Having gotten this far, Chen Qingyang could finally leave. Standing here was far too conspicuous. The Conscious Fish could continue the search on its own.

Wind Control Flight was forbidden over the Separation Dragon Pill Institute, so he could only walk out. Partway down the path, he ran into Lu Junlin again.

“Senior Brother, I’m having second thoughts about your idea.”

The moment he saw Chen Qingyang, he started talking about the name change again.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“My father and grandfather would beat me to death. I don’t dare change my name. I think I’ll just stick with Lu Junlin.”

Chen Qingyang just wanted to get away, so he nodded. “Mm, that’s fine too.”

But the fellow seemed to have latched onto him, blocking his path to ask, “But I still want to change it. I feel like I should be in charge of my own life. Next year is my coming-of-age ceremony. By tradition, a man should be able to make his own decisions by that age.”

Chen Qingyang was slightly surprised. It wasn’t because the man looked old for his age, but because he had achieved such a high level of Cultivation before even reaching his majority.

‘Back then, Li Qianxue probably hadn’t even reached Essence Condensation at this age. Looks aside, perhaps this man really is worthy of the name Junlin.’

‘Could this guy be exceptionally clever, just trying to make an impression on purpose?’

Chen Qingyang answered perfunctorily, “That works too. It’s your decision to make, so there’s no need to discuss it with a stranger like me.”

Despite not getting any constructive advice, the man bowed with clasped hands. “Many thanks, Senior Brother Chen.”

Chen Qingyang froze. He was sure he hadn’t mentioned his name. “How do you know who I am?”

The young man just kept smiling at him. “I think I was fifteen or sixteen that year. I saw you with my own eyes, snatching a Separation Huo Dragon Pearl right from Lu Jinzhang’s grasp. You understood Master Liu Pei’s incredibly complex Elixir after just one glance. Your aura was truly magnificent!”

Chen Qingyang was stunned for a long moment before saying, his own voice now heavy with menace, “So after all that, you were just toying with me?”

“Haha…” Lu Junlin let out a loud laugh. “Not at all. My worries are quite real. If I had a handsome face, I could project a magnificent aura too. It’s just a pity that I don’t.”

Chen Qingyang stared at him. “What is Lu Qing to you?”

“Don’t worry, Senior Brother Chen. I’m not like them. A loss is a loss, a win is a win. Still obsessing over it is just pathetic. Lu Jinzhang is of my grandson’s generation, which would make Lu Qing my great-grandson.”

‘Strange,’ he thought. ‘To think I’d run into someone like this.’ “Actually… when you talk like that, you have the very aura of your name, Junlin!”

Lu Junlin was delighted by the praise. “Our meeting must be fated. Because I was persecuted as a child, I was mentally slow until I recovered at the age of fourteen. When I first saw you, Senior Brother Chen, I had only just stepped into the Qi Refining realm. That’s why you left such a deep impression on me. I’d like to invite you for tea. Would you do me the honor?”

Chen Qingyang was surprised yet again.

‘Lu Junlin only started Qi Refining at fourteen, and now he’s already at the Essence Condensation Second Realm? That means it only took him five or six years! No wonder he was slow as a child. A talent like this would surely invite the envy of the heavens!’

“No, thank you. I’ve been meditating here for several days and must be getting back. I have many things to take care of, so please excuse me.”

Lu Junlin didn’t seem at all curious about what Chen Qingyang was doing at the Separation Dragon Pill Institute, even though one wouldn’t normally come all this way just to meditate for Enlightenment. “Alright, then,” Lu Junlin said. “We’ll talk again another day.”

“Very well.”

After bidding farewell, Chen Qingyang walked away quickly. Once out of sight, he used Wind Control to take to the air. As he neared Cyan Bamboo Peak, he circled back around, returning to the area near the Separation Dragon Pill Institute, where he hid himself in the mountains.

‘For such a strange person to appear so suddenly, it’s hard not to suspect he was following me.’

‘But for now,’ he concluded, ‘I can tentatively rule that out.’