Chapitre 27: A Plan Gone Awry
Stop steps rang through the hall, like a sizzling hot knife ripping through the tension. Before Lin Fei could answer Elder Su Nian, the newcomer had attracted all the attention, his included.
She was a beautiful person full of grace. Her raven-black, slick hair was decorated with an ornamental hair clip, cascading till her waist. Her facial features were exquisite, with milky white skin, adopting a faint blush to her pliable cheeks. Her lips were glossy and matched her eyes in their shine, which were piercing blue in color.
Her graceful stride was one that embodied a calm and powerful aura. While her figure was curvaceous with a bountiful bosom and pert bottom.
She stopped before she had even crossed half the room, surprised at the gathering of people.
"Elder Su?"
Looking at the figure of this core elder, who was one of the figures that sat at the top, she felt her confusion deepen. Why is he here?
"That's Yan Mei, right?" One of the elders whispered.
"With that face and bearing, there could be no one else." Another elder replied with a confident voice.
"But what's she doing here?"
That question burned in their minds. First it was Elder Su Nian, and now a core disciple had come. What exactly was going on?
"Disciple Yan Mei, what is your purpose of visit?" Su Nian asked in a calm voice.
Meanwhile, Lin Fei stood to the side with his brows pressed into a frown. Although he had anticipated, even expected, someone to visit him, he couldn't accurately gauge the current situation. Still Yan Mei, I feel like I have heard this name before. But, where?
While he was trying to recall where he might've heard the name, Yan Mei shifted her glance from others to Lin Fei, before focusing on Su Nian.
This entire situation was muddling, and she had no doubt the lack of context was the reason. However, judging by the way they were all gathered around Lin Fei, even Elder Su, he must be in trouble or something.
A twinge of worry took hold of her heart, and she silently felt a thread of her Qi into an amulet tied at her waist.
"Elder Su." She started with a greeting, as he still ranked higher than her in authority. "I have come to pay junior brother Lin Fei a visit on his successful passing."
Junior Brother?
A perplexed look took over each of the elder's faces. They were confused, greatly confused.
Yan Mei, this disciple of a Core Elder who herself was a Core Disciple, had come to pay a little Trial Disciple a visit.
Elder Su was no different; he couldn't understand why that woman, Qin Rui's disciple, called Lin Fei her junior brother. After all, even among the core disciples, Yan Mei was considered a notch higher, being an Initiate Rank Inscription Master and all that.
Hmm?
Wait a minute!
Inscription Master... Talismans... Junior Brother...
"!!!"
Su Nian's brain took a hard break, trying to process this new piece of information. As he tried to compile the facts inside his mind, suddenly a lot of things were starting to make sense.
Out of all those present, the only one more confused than the rest was the person who had engineered this situation in the first place. Lin Fei could look at the people around him, then at the girl who had addressed him as her 'junior brother,' and found himself rapidly blinking.
What the fuck is going on?!
"So, he's your junior brother?" Elder Su asked rhetorically.
Yan Mei nodded stiffly, "Yes."
Elder Su nodded by himself, then glanced at Lin Fei, muttering, "I see, I see..."
Lin Fei blanched. What the fuck do you see, old fart?! I haven't even shown anything. He then turned toward the main reason that had derailed his entire plan. And who the heck is she? And why's she calling me her junior brother?
The others seemed to have also arrived at their own conclusion, nodding to themselves.
Lin Fei felt like he was played by his own plan. Within his head he could hear a roar of laughter from his mother. His brows twitched in annoyance, but he wasn't just done yet.
"Ahem." He cleared his throat, attracting the attention of others. "Apologies for the intrusion, elders, but don't I have one more test to undergo?"
The elder who had asked to touch the stone, the very same man who had likely informed Su Nian, offered an impish smile. "No need for that, Disciple Lin Fei; you've already passed."
Of course, I have, you old bastard. But don't just foil my plans.
"I understand, but don't you wish to check on my attribute affinity?"
Trial Disciples weren't asked for much when being inducted. In fact, the whole trial period was meant to test an individual's survivability and potential for growth. After all, what did it matter if you had good talent but couldn't survive? An individual would have to have been a heaven-blessed existence to bend these rules.
"No need, no need. I'm sure you've already finished that step."
Stop making stories in your head! Lin Fei shouted in his mind but didn't let it show on his face.
"If the boy wants to be tested, let him." The voice of Elder Su Nian was firm, and the elder it was directed to stiffened.
"As you wish, Elder Su." He bowed lightly and led Lin Fei toward another rock, this one an amalgamation of various crystals.
The truth was Su Nian was also curious about this Lin Fei. He couldn't understand why he was still a trial disciple if he was already under the tutelage of a core elder. Maybe that woman didn't wish to make him complacent and instead let him grow on his own. That would certainly be a commendable effort.
Yan Mei also drew near but was still on the fringes of the group that surrounded Lin Fei. She was also confused by the interest being around him, but seeing how her words had suddenly flipped their attitudes entirely, either they feared her master, or the situation wasn't as drastic as she had deduced.
Should I contact and tell Master not to come? She debated internally. Now that it had turned out to be not-so-serious a situation, the presence of her master would only muddy the waters.
She shook her head and sighed. Since she might be already on her way, it's best to confront her directly and resolve any misunderstandings.
Except Yan Mei had no idea her master was already on her way even before she had used that amulet.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone