Chapter 27: Sensing Spiritual Consciousness

The person in charge of the Outer Hall of the Hundred Sun Sect was an elder surnamed Bai. As for Elder Bai, Liu Pan had only briefly mentioned him in his book, without much description, so Liu Pan was not particularly familiar with him. The only thing he could be certain of was that anyone who could become an elder of the Hundred Sun Sect, especially one named Bai, must at least possess the cultivation of a Martial Master.

Since the young disciple behind the counter had gone to the backyard to find Elder Bai, Liu Pan felt it awkward to simply stand and wait, so he wandered around the Outer Hall. Although Liu Kuang had accepted two missions here in the original story, there hadn’t been much detailed description of the Outer Hall. Now, seeing the records from his pages come alive in reality, Liu Pan found the experience quite unique.

Within the Outer Hall, Liu Pan encountered some familiar faces, the most familiar being the "Skinny Monkey" who had previously tried to stir up trouble with him in the dining hall. Skinny Monkey also noticed Liu Pan, but this time he was visibly subdued. Due to the entrance trial, Skinny Monkey understood that neither Liu Pan nor Liu Kuang were people to be trifled with, so after the trial, he had abandoned any plans to provoke them.

Now, seeing Liu Pan in the Outer Hall, Skinny Monkey felt uneasy. Perhaps not wanting to cross paths, he stood with his back to Liu Pan before the large mission board, one eye on the board and the other furtively watching behind him, clearly hoping Liu Pan wouldn’t notice him.

However, Skinny Monkey was mistaken—his slender figure made him too easy to recognize. Still, though Liu Pan identified him, he had no intention of chatting or causing trouble; he merely curled his lips and turned his gaze away.

Just as he turned, Liu Pan's brows suddenly furrowed, a barely perceptible flash of sharpness in his eyes, as if he had remembered something. He spun around abruptly to look at Skinny Monkey, then strode over with a grim expression.

Liu Pan’s sudden action startled Skinny Monkey. He had just relaxed, thinking Liu Pan had left, but in that instant Liu Pan turned and approached him, making his heart jump.

Liu Pan noticed Skinny Monkey’s fright, but he himself was no less disturbed: he suddenly sensed a spiritual consciousness locking onto him.

"What the hell is this?" Liu Pan roared inwardly. He instantly felt the presence, though he couldn't be sure it was spiritual consciousness, only guessed it was. To wield spiritual consciousness, one must be at least at the Martial Master level. If anyone in the Outer Hall possessed such cultivation, it would undoubtedly be Elder Bai. Of course, this assumed the sect leader and other elders were not present.

Sensing the spiritual consciousness, Liu Pan’s brows tightened, and in that very moment he realized something, prompting him to turn and approach Skinny Monkey.

It wasn’t the spiritual consciousness itself that frightened Liu Pan, but the fact that he could sense someone locking onto him with it. To feel such a thing, one's own cultivation must be at least Martial Master level, and the other party’s cultivation must not vastly surpass one’s own.

But Liu Pan? He had only just broken through to Martial Disciple, far from Martial Master. The person using spiritual consciousness must be at least a whole realm above him, yet he could feel it—how could this not startle him?

Confused internally, Liu Pan’s face betrayed nothing, remaining grim as he approached Skinny Monkey.

With Liu Pan standing behind him, Skinny Monkey realized he’d been recognized, his heart sinking.

"Senior Brother Liu Pan," he greeted awkwardly, turning to bow.

"So it is you!" Liu Pan snorted coldly. "Didn’t you try to mess with me when I first entered the sect? What, lost your nerve now?"

Hearing this, Skinny Monkey’s heart chilled. During the entrance trial, he had learned Liu Pan possessed Martial Artist ninth tier cultivation, which immediately made him abandon any plans for trouble.

After all, Skinny Monkey was only at Martial Artist eighth tier and already in his teens. If he knew Liu Pan’s cultivation and future prospects were likely superior, it would be suicidal to offend him.

"Uh, well…" Skinny Monkey’s eyes darted, about to explain, but Liu Pan waved off his words.

With a slight smile, Liu Pan’s grimness vanished as he spoke mysteriously: "You’re not bad. Let me give you some advice. If you don’t want to be expelled from the Hundred Sun Sect next year, go wait at the foot of Peak Eight now. When Liu Kuang descends, stop him and say I sent you. That way you won’t get expelled next year."

With that, Liu Pan smiled again and turned away, not waiting for Skinny Monkey’s response.

Skinny Monkey was baffled. Liu Pan’s change in demeanor was astonishing: grim one moment, smiling the next. What was going on?

After digesting Liu Pan’s words, he was even more confused. Was Liu Pan really showing him a path forward?

Watching Liu Pan’s departing figure, Skinny Monkey was entirely at a loss, but after a brief hesitation, he left the Outer Hall. Where he went, Liu Pan didn’t know.

Seeing Skinny Monkey leave, Liu Pan breathed a little easier. Although Skinny Monkey had once tried to trouble him in the dining hall, Liu Pan had never intended to retaliate harshly.

The reason his tone shifted so abruptly was because he sensed the spiritual consciousness locking onto him had vanished.

As for sending Skinny Monkey to wait for Liu Kuang at Peak Eight, Liu Pan felt Skinny Monkey was quick-witted and could help Liu Kuang with his rewards.

Liu Pan’s reasoning stemmed from Skinny Monkey’s bow to him. Normally, both were outer disciples, and there was no need for ceremony, especially given their poor relationship. If one found the other much stronger, fear would be the only response.

Yet Skinny Monkey forced himself to bow, clearly showing his attitude. He even addressed Liu Pan as "senior brother," indirectly expressing a desire for peaceful relations.

Neither servile nor arrogant—a good temperament for a martial artist. So Liu Pan casually suggested he seek out Liu Kuang. Whether Skinny Monkey actually did so was of no concern to Liu Pan. Martial artists ought to have their own opinions; even if Skinny Monkey didn’t follow Liu Pan’s advice, it was his own choice.

With Skinny Monkey gone, Liu Pan relaxed, but his brows remained subtly furrowed. After all, being able to sense a spiritual consciousness lock was quite extraordinary for him at this stage.

Though he couldn’t make sense of it, Liu Pan didn’t forget his purpose. After a short wait, a man in his fifties, dressed in gray, emerged from the backyard, followed by the young man who had been dozing at counter three.

Naturally, the man in gray was Elder Bai.

Seeing Elder Bai emerge, Liu Pan hurried to the counter.

"Greetings, Elder Bai," Liu Pan bowed respectfully.

"You’re the one whose cultivation broke through to Martial Disciple and came to register?" Elder Bai asked, his eyes sizing up Liu Pan.

"Yes, Elder," Liu Pan replied, bowing again. In his heart, he was now certain: as Elder Bai spoke, Liu Pan again felt spiritual consciousness settle on him, its source clearly Elder Bai.

Fortunately, Liu Pan had suspected this and was prepared, so he showed no reaction when locked again by spiritual consciousness.

"The yuan force is strong enough, but we need to test your physical strength as well," Elder Bai said, producing a grip tester and handing it to Liu Pan. "Try it—no yuan force allowed."

Liu Pan quickly agreed and took the tester. He had no worries about the physical strength test, passing it easily.

Throughout, Elder Bai’s spiritual consciousness remained locked on Liu Pan. When he saw Liu Pan complete the test without using any yuan force, Elder Bai nodded slightly.

Next, Elder Bai had Liu Pan surrender his iron outer disciple badge issued at entry, and replaced it with a new copper badge, then returned to the backyard.

The instructions and rules for Martial Disciple-level advancement were explained by the young disciple.

As Liu Pan left the Outer Hall, a list of disciples with Martial Disciple cultivation was copied and sent to each peak of the Hundred Sun Sect.