CHAPTER 463: CHAPTER 152: [SHARPENING THE BLADE]

Chapter 152 [Sharpening the Knife] (6200)

Seeing Chu Keqing’s serious expression, Chen Yan also put away his dismissive attitude and nodded, saying, "We have a good relationship, feel free to speak your mind."

"A few days ago, you entrusted me to inquire about purchasing military weapons from overseas..." Chu Keqing hesitated, lowering her voice, "I am aware of my limited understanding and have received many favors from you. I shouldn’t criticize your actions... but..."

Chen Yan’s heart stirred, and he gently sighed, "You’re worried about me, afraid I’ll get into trouble?"

Chu Keqing blushed, speaking softly, "With your vast abilities, you shouldn’t need any military weapons at all—but the fact that you want to purchase them worries me that you might be encountering some trouble.

Or perhaps, you’ve fallen into some predicament...

Military arms are forbidden in Dragon Country, and I’m more worried that if you use them here, it might cause you trouble..."

At this point, Chu Keqing hurriedly added, "Your actions are beyond my place to comment, but, but..."

"But what?"

Chu Keqing’s face showed concern, and she whispered, "But today when I saw you, I felt your aura seemed off."

Only then did Chen Yan realize, yes, Chu Keqing is, after all, a cultivator. Although Cloud Sect’s cultivation technique isn’t strong in attack and doesn’t involve spells, it still includes the Qi Observation Skill!

Chu Keqing’s voice and tone were slightly trembling, as she softly said, "I observe that your current fortune seems to be filled with hardships and enmities, compared to before, there’s more killing aura and evil qi..."

Chen Yan finally sighed.

Killing aura and evil qi... could it be any less?

Lately, I’ve been breaking my own vows of non-violence, killing people in this world, and numerous members of the Fierce Beast Race in the Domain Realm.

Yes, when I attacked the Fierce Beast Race’s settlement, I set fires and explosions, possibly causing civilian casualties among human slaves too.

All these do count as killing karma, do they not.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Yan finally smiled, looking at Chu Keqing with a gentle gaze:

"Alright, no need to worry, I appreciate your good intentions... And I’ll accept your concern."

Chu Keqing had been nervously saying these words, originally worried if meddling in Chen Yan’s secrets would earn her his rebuke.

But with Chen Yan’s calm attitude, Chu Keqing felt a wave of emotion in her heart.

She took a deep breath, her eyes full of concern, murmuring, "Chen Yan, though my Tao Practice is shallow and you’ve always regarded me as distasteful and distant, still... if you encounter any trouble, don’t hesitate to confide in me.

Although my mana is minimal, I have been active in the mortal world for years, having some connections and resources that might assist you in some way."

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness!" Chen Yan waved his hand and said, "My troubles have been resolved, and the previous request to buy military weapons is no longer needed. Just pretend I never mentioned it."

After a pause, Chen Yan knew the propriety of the situation; someone cared about him out of goodwill and he didn’t want to let them down—Yes, although Chen Yan knew well that Chu Keqing genuinely cared and worried for him.

But the fact that this woman also wanted to win over him, well, that was true too.

"Your words, full of heartfelt sincerity, are appreciated." Chen Yan then comforted Chu Keqing, "Our friendship is evident, having been through things together. Your words today come from goodwill—I can distinguish that. In the future, if I need your help, I won’t hesitate to ask."

Upon hearing this, Chu Keqing finally breathed a sigh of relief—actually, the moment Chu Keqing saw Chen Yan today, she felt his aura was not right!

Previously, dealing with Chen Yan, she always felt this predecessor was mysterious and had vast powers. But today, meeting Chen Yan, she sensed a shrouded evil qi, generally undetectable by ordinary people, but a cultivator like Chu Keqing, with keen intuition, felt uneasy when getting close to him.

Chu Keqing, an extremely smart woman who knew where to draw the line, didn’t pursue the topic further—why Chen Yan’s fortune had gathered so much evil qi and killing karma recently was clear: this veteran master had indulged in a spree of killing, with blood on his hands!

But Chu Keqing didn’t probe or question any further.

Afterward, Chu Keqing devotedly accompanied Chen Yan for a meal, carefully setting the dishes and pouring the tea, meticulously attending to Chen Yan.

In between, she shared some amusing anecdotes from the Academy, just to elicit a smile from Chen Yan, even if it was just for a fleeting moment of cheerfulness.

This gentle care differed from Lu Sisi’s tenderness.

Lu Sisi’s gentle care was that of a young girl, newly adult, who loved Chen Yan dearly, showing gentleness and compliance, embodying the essence of "gentle" to its fullest.

However, it must be said that the eighteen-year-old Lu Sisi was simple-minded, not too adept at guessing others’ thoughts, or reading their expressions; such deliberate flattery or catering was beyond her.

While Chu Keqing had the mind of a mature and intelligent woman, a nuanced kind of flattery, offering emotions with thoughtful intent.

The topics discussed and the stories shared were all carefully chosen, meant to touch upon the subtlest areas of Chen Yan’s emotions.