That gaze lingered for only a tenth of a second, yet it was like a red-hot iron nail driven viciously into Mo Fan's spine.
But the expected thunderous strike didn't come.
Because that gaze didn't target him specifically—it indiscriminately swept over all the ants present.
Thud, thud, thud.
The Qi Condensation stage reporters floating in mid-air, competing red-faced for camera positions, suddenly became like birds with severed wings. Their spiritual power completely lost control under that terrifying Golden Core pressure, falling like dumplings, landing in disheveled heaps with bruised faces, yet not daring to utter a single cry of pain.
The entire servant quarters instantly fell into deathly silence.
Manager Wang, who moments ago had been eloquent and preparing to deliver a lengthy speech extolling his glorious achievements, now stood with mouth agape. The word "child" from "for the child" stuck in his throat, becoming fearful cluck-cluck sounds like a rooster being strangled.
Behind him, Steward Liu, who'd been throwing his weight around maintaining order, had already collapsed to his knees, burying his head between his legs.
This was the Golden Core mighty one's "mute button."
No need to speak, no need to act. Mere existence was enough to silence all living things.
Mo Fan, mixed within the kneeling crowd with head lowered, stared fixedly at an ant frantically fleeing on the ground. Every muscle in his body tensed to the extreme in this moment.
"Greetings... greetings to the Elder!"
Manager Wang, being an old hand at navigating officialdom, reacted fastest. Though his legs trembled, he keenly realized this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If he could make an impression before a Golden Core elder, he could walk sideways through the outer sect afterward.
Forcing himself to straighten his disheveled clothes, he stepped forward, about to perform a deep bow and introduce himself.
"Outer sect steward Wang respectfully greets..."
However, he didn't finish.
No one even interrupted him.
Elder Liu Yun simply gazed straight ahead, not even sparing him a glance. That disregard wasn't arrogance or contempt—it was like a person walking down a road, simply not paying special attention to an ant trying to attract notice at their feet.
Whoosh—
A gentle yet irresistible force materialized from nowhere, like a breeze, casually pushing Manager Wang blocking the path a hundred meters away, making him spin like a top several times before stopping.
Manager Wang's face turned deathly pale. He opened his mouth but dared not make another sound.
"Master."
Luo Yu, standing behind Liu Yun, spoke. His white robes like snow, his gaze coldly swept over the dilapidated slum below.
"This is where Junior Brother A-Song lived. The earth Qi is turbid, spiritual energy scarce, but within this mud, there is indeed a thread of tenacious vitality."
"Mm."
Elder Liu Yun nodded slightly, voice indifferent as water. "Since the Sect Master intends to take a disciple, some background must be examined before official enrollment. Though the cultivation world doesn't emphasize birth, one must still have a clean background to avoid future inner demons."
Hearing this conversation, Mo Fan, hiding in the crowd, felt his heart suddenly clench.
As expected—a "background check"!
This was standard procedure for major cultivation sects before accepting core disciples. Especially for orphans like A-Song with exceptional talent but humble origins, the sect had to confirm he wasn't a spy planted by demonic cultivators or some mighty one's soul-seizer reincarnation.
"What to do?"
Mo Fan's brain raced frantically.
"As long as they don't soul-search me, don't strip me bare to examine my dantian, just appearance and aura... I should be safe."
His current disguise had three layers of insurance:
Changed skin tone and temperament. After over a month of orthodox tempering through the Body Forging Record, the cold aura belonging to a Necromancer and the viciousness of a bottom-feeder thug had completely vanished, replaced by the mellow, honest aura of a farm youth.
Identity isolation. Back in Qingmu Town, he'd been a disguised "rogue cultivator" with no background records. The current "Lu Xiaoqi" was a native-born servant with a background as clean as blank paper, even famous as an honest man.
And most important—the System's shielding. As long as he didn't actively use necromantic power, to everyone's eyes, he was a waste without Spirit Roots.
"Play dumb. All the way."
Mo Fan clenched his teeth, making his final decision.
Just then, Luo Yu in mid-air stepped forward. His gaze like lightning instantly swept over the dense crowd below as he proclaimed:
"Who is Li Hansong's elder brother?"
"Master has a decree that must be verified with his family."
The voice wasn't loud, yet clearly drilled into everyone's ears.
The crowd stirred momentarily.
Then—
Swish—
Like Moses parting the sea.
The reporters and servants who'd been crowding around Mo Fan instantly scattered to both sides upon hearing "the immortal master calls," instinctively fearing to block the dignitary's path.
Thus—
Mo Fan, who'd been trying to slip into the alley amid the chaos, was instantly exposed in an empty clearing.
Even several well-meaning neighbors who didn't know better pointed at that lonely figure, shouting loudly, "Immortal Master! That's Xiaoqi! That's A-Song's cousin!"
"..."
Looking at those enthusiastic neighbors, Mo Fan had ten thousand profanities he didn't know whether to voice.
No way to hide anymore.
Since he'd been thrust onto the fire, he could only grit his teeth and roast.
Mo Fan took a deep breath, entering full acting mode. He displayed the panicked confusion of "a country bumpkin seeing a living immortal for the first time," legs trembling like sieves, then—
Thud!
His knees buckled, heavily hitting the ground, head kowtowing loudly.
"Ser... servant Lu Xiaoqi respectfully... respectfully greets the Immortal Master!"
When in Rome, do as Romans do. Not kneeling now would indicate either guilty conscience or disrespect toward the immortal master.
"Oh? So it's you?"
Elder Liu Yun's gaze finally descended.
This time, no longer a casual sweep, but genuine scrutiny.
The two figures slowly descended.
Though the terrifying Golden Core stage spiritual pressure had restrained considerably, for the mere LV. 4 Mo Fan, it still felt like a mountain suspended overhead, making breathing difficult, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.
Elder Liu Yun walked before Mo Fan, hands clasped behind his back. Those eyes that seemed capable of seeing through hearts scrutinized the youth kneeling on the ground without reservation.
Beside him, Luo Yu looked at this dust-covered, trembling servant, frowning slightly. He felt this figure was somehow familiar, as if seen somewhere before.
But soon, he shook his head.
That body cultivator rogue cultivator who survived in Qingmu Town's ruins, though similarly bedraggled, carried an untamed wildness. But this person before him...
Too humble, too ordinary. Just another common bottom-level ant with back bent by life, visible anywhere.
Whoosh.
Mo Fan felt a cool Divine Sense sweep over his entire body.
Elder Liu Yun was examining him.
Divine Sense swept over muscles—[ Assessment: Some brute strength, but nothing more. Ordinary farmhand build. ]
Divine Sense swept over dantian—[ Assessment: Five-element mixed Spirit Roots, severely blocked. Ruined. ]
Divine Sense swept over sea of consciousness—[ System Protection Zone: No abnormal soul fluctuations detected. ]
"You're the one who raised that child?"
Elder Liu Yun withdrew his Divine Sense, voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
"Yes... yes."
Mo Fan buried his head lower, voice trembling. "Pitied him, so picked him... picked him up. Gave him food. Never thought... never thought he was a celestial star descended..."
Typical ignorant folk answer.
Elder Liu Yun paid no mind to such nonsense. He went straight to the point:
"That child has excellent bone structure. Though his body shows some blood Qi deficiency, there are clear traces of recent medicinal treatment."
"The medicinal bath formula he used, though using inferior herbs, was properly matched, even faintly aligned with wood Spirit Root characteristics."
Liu Yun's eyes narrowed, voice suddenly turning cold. "A mere servant understands medicine?"
This was a death trap question!
If Mo Fan admitted understanding medicine, he'd have to explain his lineage, explain why someone who understood medicine would be stuck here as a servant. One lie would require countless lies to maintain, eventually collapsing.
Mo Fan's cold sweat instantly dripped from his nose tip onto the dust.
But his mind had never been clearer.
In a flash of insight, he remembered the absurd "scene-stealing" earlier.
"No... don't understand! I barely know any characters—how would I understand medicine?!"
Mo Fan shook his head like a rattle drum, looking terrified, then pointed at the distant Manager Wang who'd just gotten up from the ground, looking defeated.
"It was... Manager Wang!"
"Manager Wang is kind-hearted! He said A-Song was weak, often brought medicine late at night! Those formulas... were all folk remedies Manager Wang gave! Said... said they'd strengthen the body!"
Whoosh—
At these words, deathly silence fell around them.
In the distance, Manager Wang's eyes widened suddenly, mouth opening wide enough to stuff an egg. He wanted to refute, wanted to say "when did I ever give medical formulas," but the words reached his lips only to be forcibly swallowed.
Because he'd just tearfully boasted before thousands about "bringing warmth and pills late at night."
If he denied it now, he'd be slapping his own face publicly, deceiving the entire sect!
This scapegoat—whether he wanted it or not, he had to carry it! And carry it firmly with tears!
"Manager Wang?"
Liu Yun turned his head, glancing at the distant fat man.
Manager Wang trembled all over, immediately forcing out a smile uglier than crying, frantically nodding. "Yes... it was this subordinate! Subordinate understands a bit... a bit of folk medicine! Never thought... never thought it would actually work!"
Liu Yun indifferently withdrew his gaze.
In his view, this was merely insignificant kindness (or opportunism) between bottom-level nobodies. Since the source was verified, A-Song's background had no suspicious points.
An orphan raised by a kind-hearted steward and honest cousin. Clean background, even somewhat grateful.
Good material.
"Not bad."
Liu Yun looked at Mo Fan again. The scrutiny in his eyes gradually dissipated, becoming lofty, alms-giving indifference.
"Since that's the case, you also have merit."
"Lift your head."