The man, holding a palm-leaf fan in his hand, actually stood up from his seat.
Then he walked towards Zhao Huai.
People on the lower high platforms gasped in shock.
In the Sect Association, there was a strict hierarchical system. Zhao Huai dared to go up to the Holy Altar without his rank determined. He simply had no idea what awaited him.
Moreover, to encourage the growth and competition among the disciples of the Sect Association, these rules were actually tacitly approved.
It was just like in the Misty Rain Tower, where senior students could bully freshmen.
"What's your rank?"
"Don't know. Is it important?"
The man burst into laughter, and his eyes became a bit more terrifying.
"Why did you come here? Do you think you're qualified?"
"I just thought the people on those lower high platforms were too crowded. Since we're here for cultivation, isn't it better to have fewer people and more peace? I saw there weren't many people here, so I came. Do I need any other reason?"
Fu Nian's smile turned even more sinister.
"If you're not at the sixth rank or above, you shouldn't have come to this Holy Altar."
"Are you at the sixth rank?"
Zhao Huai asked in confusion. He had a miraculous sense. For some reason, his intuition told him that although the man in front of him had a relatively high rank, he should not have reached the level of a sixth-rank alchemist.
"I'm the chief disciple of the Sect Association. You can't compare with me."
"Then it means you haven't reached it."
"How dare you be so disrespectful!"
"Let me introduce myself to the senior brother. My name is Zhao Huai. Please remember it."
At this moment, Kong Ye shouted from below, "Zhao Huai, Zhao Huai, come down quickly. We're not allowed to go there."
Zhao Huai frowned slightly, looking displeased.
"Hahaha, I was wondering who it was. So you're Kong Ye's friend. Kid, Kong Ye is a nobody in our Sect Association. If it weren't for his connection with the Misty Rain Tower and some mysterious relationship with the Wang family, do you think he could have entered our Sect Association?
"Also, you don't look like a proper alchemist to me. Did you get in through connections too? I, Fu Nian, hate worms like you who don't work hard on their own but rely on connections to get ahead. Get out of here quickly. Don't dirty my eyes."
Zhao Huai said, "I didn't come here on my own will."
"What did you say?"
"I didn't come here on my own will."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind. Since I've gone to the wrong place, I'll just go down. But senior brother, from beginning to end, I've never been disrespectful to you. I hope you can correct this problem when dealing with other junior brothers in the future."
After saying that, Zhao Huai bowed and was about to jump off the Holy Altar.
But at this moment, Fu Nian blocked his way.
"Senior brother, what are you doing?"
"Zhao Huai, do you think the Holy Altar is a place you can come and go as you please? Earlier, I was thinking that if you were smart enough to get out on your own, I wouldn't make things difficult for you. But you actually dared to teach me a lesson. You've got a lot of nerve to be so disrespectful to your elders."
Zhao Huai's eyes remained as calm as ever.
"Can't you hear me when I'm talking to you?"
Seeing this, Fu Nian reached out his hand, trying to grab Zhao Huai's shoulder to let him experience the power of an alchemist's spiritual control.
But Zhao Huai nimbly dodged to the side, easily avoiding Fu Nian's outstretched hand.
"How dare you dodge?"
Fu Nian had been in the Sect Association for many years and had taught many junior brothers. When he punished someone, no junior brother had ever dared to dodge. Even Lan Anran, who was at the height of his popularity, wouldn't have dared to be so presumptuous in front of him.
"Wouldn't it be stupid of me to just stand there and take the beating?"
"If there's nothing else, I'll leave."
This time, Zhao Huai ignored Fu Nian and directly jumped up.
Everyone covered their eyes and thought, "It's over. He's in big trouble."
Sure enough, the next moment, Zhao Huai was bounced back by the protective shield formed by the spiritual power on the Holy Altar. He had no choice but to return to his previous position.
"Senior brother, since you don't want me here, and I've already tried to leave, why did you set up this light barrier to stop me?"
"Did I let you go?"
"Yes."
"I told you to get out of here."
Zhao Huai's face was gentle, and his tone remained calm, "I haven't learned how to do that yet. Senior brother has been in the Sect Association for so many years and must have more experience. How about showing me how to 'get out'?"
Fu Nian's face turned red with anger. How could there be such a freshman?
Was it because he was fearless that he was so daring?
Far away on the attic, Yan Ruyu's expression changed slightly.
This young man, Zhao Huai, was really patient. He looked like a gentle and harmless young master, but deep down, he was full of arrogance and disdain for everyone.
"As expected, a beast is extraordinary."
It was really hard to tell who would be more powerful between himself and Zhao Huai at his peak.
"These kids really need someone to teach them a lesson."
Beside Yan Ruyu, a woman slowly appeared.
The woman was extremely beautiful and elegant. She had a graceful figure, willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry lips, a slender waist, hands like soft grass shoots, skin like congealed fat, a neck like a grub, teeth like gourd seeds, a beautiful head, and moth-like eyebrows.
With a charming smile and bright eyes, her voice was as sweet as a singing bird, exuding a gentle and delicate temperament all over her body.
This woman was Xia Wanning.
In the Sect Association, she and Ji Qinglin were both eighth-rank alchemists.
To some extent, they had also received guidance from Yan Ruyu.
"Your Majesty."
Xia Wanning gently bowed as a salute. Yan Ruyu slowly nodded and still looked at the high platform in the distance.
"How long will Your Majesty stay this time?"
"I'll leave after I control him."
Xia Wanning's eyes were smiling, and she said softly, "I can imagine. Since she left, you haven't even come to the Eastern Wilderness. If it weren't for the emergence of Zhao Huai this time, I'm afraid you wouldn't have come to the Sect Association even after a hundred years."
Yan Ruyu asked, "Where's Ji Qinglin?"
"He went to look for that medicine for you and hasn't come back yet."
Back then, Ye Ling had adopted seven children.
They were Ji Qinglin, Xia Wanning, Song Zhiyi, Gu Zhiruo, Dongfang Yuxi, and the brothers Chu Wen and Chu Nuan.
Among them, Xia Wanning and Ji Qinglin had high attainments in spiritual power, and the other children were also quite outstanding.
Seeing that Yan Ruyu didn't seem to want to continue the conversation, Xia Wanning lowered her voice.
"Your Majesty, you're omnipotent. Do you have any way to let us see Sister Ye again? We really miss her."
At this moment, Xia Wanning's figure was a bit unsteady.
There was also a hint of crying in her voice.
Yan Ruyu lowered his head, turned around, and stopped looking into the distance. He sat back in his previous reading position and said, "It's fate. I can't do anything about it."
Tears welled up in Xia Wanning's eyes. Then she said, "I understand. I'm sorry to bother you, Your Majesty. I'll take my leave now."
Yan Ruyu nodded and said nothing more.
If Ye Ling had any good fortune in her previous life, it was cultivating those seven loyal followers.
If these children had achieved such accomplishments eight years ago, Ye Ling might not have died. The children she adopted would surely have protected her with their lives.
But now, they all thought Ye Ling was dead, and there was no need for them to gather anymore. They were scattered all over the Nine Regions, each achieving something on their own.
"I want to protect her well, so I'm sorry, everyone."
On the high platform, Zhao Huai and Fu Nian were in a tense standoff, as if they were about to fight at any moment.