"Why is it so noisy here?"
An elder appeared, clad in a flowing yellow robe. His eyes were cold and narrowed, sharp as blades, as he turned his piercing gaze toward Shen Yan and Su Yanyu.
"Sir Scripture Hall Master, you've arrived at the perfect time!" one of the guards cried out, his eyes gleaming with ruthless delight. "These two brats tried to sneak into the upper floor without a token. It's a crime—they must be punished!"
The Scripture Hall Master turned his gaze toward the two figures.
Su Yanyu stood like a spring breeze made flesh — her fair skin radiant beneath a soft pink robe embroidered with lotus blossoms. Her long, obsidian-black hair flowed behind her, tied with a simple silk ribbon. Her eyes sparkled with mischief and warmth.
"So, it's her," the elder thought grimly. He remembered her well — the most troublesome girl of the Inner Sect. She had even dared to reject his own son. His eyes darkened with suppressed coldness.
Then his gaze shifted to Shen Yan.
The young man's eyes were deep, obsidian-black, shimmering with untainted clarity — like a tranquil lake under moonlight. His skin, pale as fresh snow, contrasted starkly with the ink-dark hair that fell freely to his shoulders. Clad in a black robe trimmed with gold embroidery, he carried himself with a relaxed elegance, untouched by worldly dust.
"Who is this?" the Hall Master muttered, confusion flickering in his eyes. He shook his head and stared back at them.
Su Yanyu shrank back slightly, feigning timidity. She grasped Shen Yan's arm tightly, like a frightened girl clinging to her protector.
Seeing this, the Hall Master's fury exploded inwardly. It was one thing for her to reject his son. But now, right before his eyes, she clung shamelessly to another man—on his own turf!
Unforgivable!
Hmph. He must be some rich young master or a spoiled prince from some empire. But this is the Radiant Sky Sect — one of the Seven Great Sects. Every empire, every minor and mid-tier sect kneels before our authority!
You want to act like a prince here? Forget it. This is no palace.
He forced a calm expression onto his face and said coldly, "According to the rules, trespassing into the restricted area of the upper floor warrants imprisonment."
'Huh? What?'
'Thrown into prison just for glancing at a few manuals?!'
Shen Yan's expression shifted. He looked genuinely troubled.
"What should I do?" he wondered.
The Hall Master smirked, relishing their discomfort.
"Guards, arrest them!"
"Wait!" Su Yanyu suddenly gathered her courage. "Do you even know who you're offending?"
"He's probably just some noble brat. No matter who he is, everyone must obey the sect's rules!" the Hall Master sneered.
Shen Yan's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.
"Looks like it's time to gamble."
His lips curled into a calm smile. He straightened his back, clasped his hands behind him, and adopted the posture of a man used to issuing commands rather than receiving them.
"Do you know who you are offending?" Shen Yan asked, his gaze locking with the Hall Master's.
The Hall Master scoffed. "So what if you're the prince of a kingdom or the son of a rich clan? Don't forget — this is the Radiant Sky Sect. You, a mere mortal, dare to speak back to me?"
"You should know your place."
He smiled, but it was a smile born of seething rage, the veins around his eyes twitching.
'I'll show you your place, brat!'
Shen Yan returned his gaze with eyes filled with calm indifference and a faint trace of disdain — like a sovereign looking down upon ants.
The Hall Master's anger surged. His aura began to swell dangerously.
But Shen Yan, completely unbothered, reached into his robe and drew forth a radiant jade emblem. It shimmered with golden runes — the unmistakable mark of a Core Disciple of the Radiant Sky Sect.
Three characters were engraved on it:
Zhen Shen Yan
The Hall Master's expression froze. His pupils shrank. Sweat broke out across his forehead.
'This name…'He trembled. His knees gave out beneath him.
Thud.
He collapsed onto the ground.
"L-Lord Shen Yan! Forgive this lowly one! I did not mean to offend you!""Please show mercy to this worthless subordinate!"
His forehead touched the floor as he begged pathetically. The contrast to his earlier arrogance was stark.
Then his eyes darted toward the two guards. Fury surged within him — veins bulged from his forehead as he turned on them with bloodshot eyes.
The guards, realizing the depth of their mistake, fell to their knees in terror.
'This guy… he's a true big shot!''Even the Scripture Hall Master is groveling before him!'
Shen Yan spoke at last, his tone calm yet thunderous in its authority.
"To think you dared arrest the son of Sect Guardian Zhen Wuji…""Your guts are greater than heaven."
The Hall Master looked up, meeting Shen Yan's gaze — the same cool, detached stare filled with veiled contempt. But now, it struck him not with irritation, but with fear.
Shen Yan's voice remained steady.
"Ah yes. I remember now." His gaze sharpened.
"You told me to know my place. That this is the Radiant Sky Sect — not my home."
"Well then," he said, raising his voice, "Tell me — where is my place, if this is not my home?!"
His words cracked like thunder. The Hall Master's body trembled violently.
'Damn it! I should've verified his identity first!'
He forced himself to kneel once more, this time lowering his head deeply.
"Lord Shen Yan, please forgive us — and Lady Su Yanyu as well. I had no intention of offending you."
"It's just that many intruders come seeking to steal scrolls and manuals. It is my duty to prevent such acts."
"If you had revealed your identity earlier, Lord, I would never have dared to stop you!"
"I am prepared for any punishment. Just spare us!"
He knocked his forehead to the ground with a loud thud.
Shen Yan nodded slightly. Now was the right time to end it.
"Very well. Since this is your first offense, I'll let it pass."
The Hall Master's eyes lit up with joy.
"Lord Shen Yan is truly merciful and magnanimous. I shall repay your kindness!"
"There's no need. Just remove the restriction formation. As you know, accessing the Inner Scripture Tower is a natural privilege for someone of my status."
"Of course, Lord Shen. It is the tower's honor to be graced by your presence."
As they entered the upper floor of the Scripture Tower, they found it nearly empty — but the treasures here were worth far more than anything on the lower floors.
Su Yanyu quickly gathered a bundle of manuals and pill recipes, joy lighting up her expression. Shen Yan watched her silently.
'So this was her goal all along. To think she's quite the vixen.'
Su Yanyu approached him with a soft smile, her arms full of scrolls.
"Lord Shen, thank you. As you know, I awakened my spiritual root last year, but my cultivation talent is mediocre. I need something to compensate for it. I hope you don't mind."
"No, it's fine," Shen Yan said with a gentle smile."Just consider it a gift from me."
Outside, the guard who overheard this ground his teeth in envy.
'Gift? Why don't I have someone to give me gifts like that?!''Even if she doesn't cultivate those techniques, selling them outside would earn millions of qi crystals. I wouldn't make that much in half a lifetime!'
"Let's go," Shen Yan said.
They made their way out of the tower, followed respectfully by the Scripture Hall Master himself.
"Lord Shen, please visit us often. The Heavenly Scripture Tower is honored by your presence."
'Why are these people such shameless bootlickers?' Shen Yan wondered.
Once the pair had vanished into the horizon, the Hall Master let out a long breath of relief. He returned to the upper floors, face grim.
The two guards approached, still trembling.
"Lord… who was that man?""Is he a relative of a core disciple?""No matter what, he was kind to forgive us, wasn't he, Lord?"
But the Hall Master's expression remained dark.
"Yes. He was kind… Otherwise, the consequences would've been beyond deadly."
He paused — and then his expression twisted with fury.
"But I am not so kind. You two fools nearly had me executed!"
He stepped forward. His aura exploded with rage. An ice sigil flared into existence, and a freezing wind swept out.
Before they could react, both guards were frozen into blocks of ice.
"L-Lord, spare us!""I-It's so cold—!"
Their red eyes pleaded from within the ice.
But the Hall Master simply turned and walked away.
"Just stay there for a few months… and die."