Chapter Fifty-Seven: Methods of Skipping Class

"Zhang Chulan?" Wang Ye suddenly narrowed his eyes, sizing up Zhang Chulan who sat diagonally across from him, and lowered his voice, "Is he the one I've heard about?"
"Yes," Ye Yan did not deny it.
Since they were all here for the Heavenly Master Gathering, there was no way to conceal Zhang Chulan's identity. Sooner or later, it would come to light.
Besides, Ye Yan trusted Wang Ye’s character well enough, at least he knew him inside and out.
More importantly, Wang Ye wasn’t one of those people who would let the lineage of Qi cloud his judgment.
With Ye Yan breaking the ice, Zhang Chulan responded appropriately,
"You joined the Company?"
Wang Ye didn’t dwell on Zhang Chulan’s matter. He broke the toothpick in his hand in half, then turned to Ye Yan in puzzlement,
"Yes."
"I’ve told you a thousand times, staying away from that woman will do you good, but you never listen."
Looking at Ye Yan, then glancing at Zhang Chulan, Wang Ye sighed, already guessing why a laid-back guy like Ye Yan would suddenly show up at the Heavenly Master Gathering.
"I know what I’m doing,"
Ye Yan lit a cigarette, unwilling to discuss such personal matters.
Then he asked, "But what about you? Why are you here for the Heavenly Master Gathering?"
"Me?"
Wang Ye rested his head against the chair, gazing up at the ceiling with a wistful look, "I came for the honor of a predecessor."
Honor of a predecessor?
His cryptic words left even Ye Yan bewildered. But he could guess it had something to do with Wang Ye himself.
"What did you see this time?"
"Heh!"
Wang Ye chuckled without answering.
Then he suddenly turned to Zhang Chulan, who had been quietly listening, "What about you, Zhang Chulan? Why are you here for the gathering?"
"Me?"
Zhang Chulan was taken aback,
Momentarily lost.
Ye Yan was here because of a deal with Xu Si; Wang Ye, though only half explaining, clearly had his own motives.
Very clear motives.
But what about himself?
Why was he here? For the secrets hidden in his grandfather? Or was he simply pushed into it, forced to participate? Or was it something else entirely?
There could be countless reasons for competing, so many that even he could hardly distinguish them.
But after much thought, he couldn’t find the answer he truly wanted, and could only sigh helplessly,
"Daoist Wang, you probably know my situation. My grandfather carries many secrets, most of which are tied to Dragon Tiger Mountain."
"This time, if I win, I can meet the Old Heavenly Master and get answers."
Zhang Chulan’s answer was ordinary, fitting the public expectation—precisely what was expected to a certain degree.
But Wang Ye suddenly laughed, surprised by that answer,
"To meet the Old Heavenly Master?"
Zhang Chulan was confused, not knowing what was wrong with his statement to make Wang Ye laugh.
Wang Ye shook his head, and seeing Zhang Chulan’s perplexity, explained, "Meeting the Old Heavenly Master has never been a difficult thing."
Is that so?
Zhang Chulan still looked bewildered.
Seeing his expression, Wang Ye grinned mischievously, "If you really want to meet the Old Heavenly Master, I can teach you a way—guaranteed to let you meet him face to face."
"Do you want to try?"
Wang Ye’s words brimmed with temptation, and Zhang Chulan was moved.
Why follow the rules if you could skip the hassle?
"Please enlighten me, Daoist Wang."
If he didn’t have to participate in the Heavenly Master Gathering to meet the Old Heavenly Master and learn his grandfather’s secrets, that would be ideal.
Fighting was too troublesome anyway.
"The method is quite simple: just go down the mountain now, then barge in without permission. Trust me, the mountain’s daoists will respectfully tie you up and escort you straight to the Old Heavenly Master. That way, you’ll get your wish."
"I’ve tried it myself a few years ago—personally verified, very effective."
"And they even provide meals."
Wang Ye described this with perfect seriousness.
"……"
Zhang Chulan’s forehead was covered in dark lines. He finally realized the other was a pure jokester.
Following his method might let him see the Old Heavenly Master, but being respectfully tied up was not something anyone could endure. Worse, there might be extra ‘friendship services’—free electric shocks.
He was too frail for that.
Seeing Zhang Chulan’s embarrassment, Ye Yan looked exasperated, "Don’t listen to him, he’s just messing with you."
"If you want to meet the Old Heavenly Master, just go find him directly, you don’t even need someone to lead you."
"Really?"
Zhang Chulan was half convinced, half skeptical.
But compared to Wang Ye’s words, Ye Yan’s sounded much more reliable, at least trustworthy.
Ye Yan smiled, "Your impression of the Heavenly Master’s Mansion is too rigid. Along the way, you should have seen that Dragon Tiger Mountain is actually much more down-to-earth than you think."
"As for the Old Heavenly Master, though he’s the most prominent figure here and a titan among the gifted, he isn’t as lofty as you imagine. He often attends events and visits places—you might even catch him on TV if you pay attention."
Ye Yan’s words struck home, giving Zhang Chulan a new perspective on the Heavenly Master’s Mansion.
Zhang Chulan’s belief that the Old Heavenly Master was unreachable came mainly from Dragon Tiger Mountain’s formidable reputation, his own newcomer status, and the impression left by Zhang Lingyu—a peer of high status but arrogant temperament.
All this made him think meeting the Old Heavenly Master was only possible through the Heavenly Master Gathering.
But Ye Yan’s words opened a new world for Zhang Chulan; his eyes lit up, discovering a shortcut.
He hurriedly asked, "Then can I go meet the Old Heavenly Master now?"
"Of course."
This time, Wang Ye answered, "Since we’ve finished eating, why not pay our respects to the Old Heavenly Master and visit the senior?"
"Let’s go together."
Ye Yan finished his cigarette and stood up.
If not for waiting for Wang Ye, he would have gone to see the Old Heavenly Master with Xu Si already.
Come to think of it, Ye Yan had been in this world for quite a while, but this was his first visit to Dragon Tiger Mountain.
He had always travelled around seeking methods to become the Lord of Night, but he had never visited the mountain famed for thunder magic.
Though the Old Heavenly Master’s power was great and his thunder magic could blot out the sun, it required mastery of the Golden Light Mantra to cast.
That had nothing to do with darkness, and Ye Yan never planned to become a daoist.
So,
This was Ye Yan’s first time at Dragon Tiger Mountain.