Chapter Ninety-Six: Seeing Through at a Glance, Exposing It with a Single Sentence

When he killed Black Qin, Kobei had already known that it was only a matter of time before the higher-ups of the Nine Rivers Genius Training Camp found out. He had simply not expected them to uncover it so quickly.

Since it had already been exposed, Kobei had no intention of denying it. He obediently followed the men who had come for him and headed toward the War God Hall on the mountainside of Mistgold Mountain.

Kobei had been in the Nine Rivers Genius Training Camp for more than a month, yet he had never once been to the War God Hall. He was probably the only oddity in the entire camp.

Anyone else who entered the Nine Rivers Genius Training Camp would naturally hope to meet a teacher, someone from whom they could learn cultivation experience, combat techniques, and the like. But Kobei had never had such an idea. He had directly chosen Cold Moon, who was suppressed at the bottom of Azure Dragon Lake, as his instructor.

With Cold Moon sealed away and Kobei knowing no other mighty warriors in the War God realm, there was naturally no way for him to enter the War God Hall.

At the foot of Mistgold Mountain stood a steep flight of blue stone steps that pierced straight into the clouds. Kobei stood before them and could not even see where the stairway ended. Looking from afar, the blue steps seemed to bore through the clouds that drifted around Mistgold Mountain. Though narrow, that stone staircase looked like a road leading all the way to the heavens above.

As he climbed the steep blue steps, the breeze brushed over him, making it seem as though he might tumble off at any moment. A common person would certainly have been unable to walk such a staircase, but for experts like Kobei, that precarious sensation was a different kind of pleasure altogether.

Feeling the wind skim across his body and his body sway naturally with it, gazing into the hazy mist, he could not help but feel an unrestrained freedom. In that instant, it was as though he had already become an immortal who could ride the wind away at any moment, standing above the clouds and looking down upon all beneath him. Such a feeling was truly indescribable.

He slowly exhaled, then followed behind the two middle-aged men, stepping along the blue stone stairway toward the War God Hall on the mountainside of Mistgold Mountain.

After about ten minutes, a series of ancient palaces appeared before Kobei. Wisps of pale mist lingered around them, and at a glance they truly resembled celestial palaces, magnificent and breathtaking. It was the first time he had ever seen such elegant yet grand and stately halls, and for a moment Kobei was simply stunned.

"So beautiful..."

Only after staring blankly for quite some time did Kobei finally withdraw his gaze and sigh in admiration.

"This way."

The two middle-aged men who had brought Kobei here saw the dazed expression on his face and exchanged a smile. When they first entered the War God Hall, they too had been as shocked as Kobei. Understanding how he felt, they did not interrupt him while he admired the scenery. Only after he looked away did they speak softly and continue leading the way toward the largest of the ancient palaces.

Kobei was taken straight into the great hall. After he entered, the two middle-aged men vanished without a trace; no one knew where they had gone. Kobei lifted his head slightly and surveyed the hall.

The entire hall was supported by nine stone pillars, and the interior space was extremely spacious. The floor seemed to be made of crystal, clear and translucent.

At the far end of the hall stood a throne that gleamed with golden light.

At the moment, the hall was empty and silent. Aside from Kobei's somewhat heavy breathing, there was nothing at all.

Such silence made Kobei feel, for no reason he could name, somewhat tense. He lowered his head and looked at his own reflection in the lustrous floor, then slowly let out a breath.

"Why is no one here?"

Kobei slowly swept his gaze across the entire hall and was momentarily taken aback. The scene he had imagined had not appeared at all.

Even if killing Black Qin was a trivial matter in the eyes of those lofty War God realm experts, surely someone should at least have come to greet him. They could not have summoned him here and then simply ignored him.

Just as Kobei was standing there in a daze, an elderly figure slowly emerged from the depths of the hall.

"It's you?"

The instant Kobei saw the old man, he was slightly startled. He had seen this elder before. The last time he had wanted to challenge Zhao Gang, who ranked thirtieth on the Azure Dragon List, it had been this very old man who arranged it.

The elder wore a plain gray robe. His face was covered in wrinkles, his eyes were murky, and his eyelids drooped slightly. He looked worn and listless, as though he might fall asleep at any moment.

"Heh heh, little fellow, I trust you've been well."

The old man slowly lifted his eyelids. A gentle smile appeared on his aged face as he looked at Kobei and spoke.

Kobei was somewhat baffled. By rights, he should have been subjected to all manner of questioning by now. Why had only this old man, frail as candlelight in the wind, appeared?

And from the way the old man acted, he did not seem to have any intention at all of asking about Kobei killing Black Qin.

"I heard you defeated Zhao Gang. Hmm, very impressive."

Seeing that Kobei was merely staring at him without speaking, the old man continued.

"How was it? Did you enter the Tower of Heaven as you wished? Have any good news to share with this old fossil of mine?"

The old man spoke softly, like a kindly elder.

"Yes, I made it to the third level and obtained a rather decent secret art."

Although Kobei somehow felt a strong sense of goodwill toward the old man, and believed that the elder would never harm him, he still chose to keep the secret of becoming the tower's master buried deep in his heart. After a brief silence, he repeated the explanation he had long since invented.

"Hahaha, little fellow, your luck is excellent. To the best of my knowledge, among the younger generation, you are the only one who has reached the third level, and you even succeeded in obtaining an inherited secret art. Remarkable."

"The only one among the younger generation?"

Hearing this, Kobei was momentarily stunned. Then he immediately understood the hidden meaning behind the elder's words. Since the old man said he was the only one among the younger generation, then someone among the older generation must also have reached the third level.

At that thought, Kobei's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

What if someone among the older generation had reached the third level and obtained the inherited secret art from the black pillar? Wouldn't that expose his lie?

Kobei's heart hammered wildly. His expression darkened and shifted uncertainly, and his eyes carefully examined the old man's kindly, aged face.

"Heh heh, little fellow, don't be nervous. I'm just an old relic on my last legs. I don't have the ability to harm you."

The old man seemed to have seen through Kobei's thoughts. He tottered forward a few steps and gave Kobei a faint smile.

"So whether it's your killing of Black Qin or the matter of the Tower of Heaven recognizing you as its master, this old relic of mine will not speak of it. Those are all affairs between you young people and have nothing to do with me, this old relic."

The old man smiled at Kobei, then slowly turned around and shambled deeper into the hall.

Yet upon hearing those casually spoken words, a storm surged within Kobei's heart. He stared fixedly at the old man's slightly trembling figure, his fists clenched tight.

"How is that possible? How could he possibly know!"

Killing Black Qin was not some earthshaking matter, but the fact that the old man knew the Tower of Heaven had already recognized its master left Kobei utterly stunned. He had not even told Luo Ling about this. He had kept this secret buried so tightly in his heart, and yet the old man had seen through it at a glance and pointed it out in a single sentence. One could imagine just how shocked Kobei felt at that moment.

"Cough, cough..."

The old man paused in his steps and coughed lightly. His somewhat weak voice then drifted slowly into the depths of Kobei's mind.

"Lingyue is my only disciple. You need not take heart over the matter of killing Black Qin. Focus on your cultivation, little fellow."

The old man's figure gradually disappeared into the deepest part of the hall, leaving only that faint voice echoing again and again in Kobei's mind.

Thank you to readers 1210181059, Supreme Slaughter, Arsenic Is Still Arsenic, and Brother for your generous gifts. Brothers, could I get a few recommendation votes? This little book boy needs them.