btth: receive your own sucide note

They say girls change a lot when they grow up   . Qinglin, now a completely different person from the little girl he remembered, was a completely different person. If Chen Guan hadn't judged her by her aura, judging by her appearance alone, he probably wouldn't have recognized her if they'd met her outside. After a brief embrace, the girl rose with a faint blush on her face.

  "No matter what I become, Qinglin will always be Young Master's maid, and I prefer to hear Young Master call me maid like before."

  Coming from a Dou Zun powerhouse, these words were truly unbelievable, but given Qinglin's temperament, they were easy to understand.

  Only those who have experienced hardship and despair will cherish every bit of kindness that others see as readily available.

  Even a little kindness is enough to brighten their lives, especially since Chen Guan has done his best.

  "Girl? That won't do. You're grown up now, so you have to be more formal. I don't want to be stared at in disbelief with eyes as wide as demon cores. Also, from now on, just call me by my name. I never treated you like a maid."

  Chen Guan chuckled and explained that different times should have different ways of addressing each other and interacting with each other. It was only natural.

  Qinglin nodded slightly, "I understand, Master."

  She truly understood, but she still insisted on using the name.

  In some ways, she had her own unique stubbornness.

  Seeing this, Chen Guan had no choice but to let her go.

  "Master, let's go upstairs first. I want to hear your story from these past few years. Although I usually ask Long'er to help me gather information about you, it's definitely not as comprehensive as you can tell me in person."

  There's nothing happier than a reunion, and since it's a reunion, reminiscing is essential.

  Under the girl's expectant gaze, Chen Guan was also pulled upstairs by the arm, and they immediately asked each other about the past few years.

  They said they were talking to each other, but in reality, Chen Guan was the only one doing most of the talking. Qinglin's experiences were so simple. Besides training and training, his only entertainment was probably chatting with the Fire Spirit Snake.

  On Chen Guan's side, whether it was the war with the Three Kingdoms Alliance or the three-year agreement he'd observed from the Yunlan Sect, no matter how big or small, Qinglin would rest his chin on the table, watching intently, listening intently, and imagining the scenes in his mind. This gave Chen Guan, even though he wasn't very proud, an unprecedented satisfaction.

  Well, spiritual satisfaction.

  Warm time always flies, and before they knew it, it was already dusk.

  Chen Guan had just mentioned encountering an old friend upon entering Zhongzhou.

  Just then, a sudden voice from outside the attic broke the mesmerizing atmosphere.

  "Saintess, the Great Elder has emerged from seclusion. Please invite Saintess and Master Chen Guan to the Heavenly Snake Hall for a chat."

  Jin Yang?

  Recognizing the Second Elder's voice, Qinglin's brows furrowed slightly.

  Although she usually acted aloof and reserved, she showed due respect to the elders of the mansion. But being interrupted today made her somewhat unhappy.

  "Second Elder, please go back and tell the First Elder that we can talk later. The young master and I..."

  "No, since the First Elder has invited you, then let's go and see. We'll have plenty of time to reminisce afterward. And since I'm taking you away, it's only right that we greet the Heavenly Snake Mansion."

  Chen Guan raised a hand to stop the girl and explained his purpose.

  This time, he wasn't here to cause trouble, and he had every intention; otherwise, he wouldn't have come alone.

  Hearing Chen Guan's meaning, Qing Lin's face lit up with surprise, a charming smile blossoming. Even the Second Elder's tone couldn't conceal his joy.

  "We understand. We'll be right there!"

  Chen Guan didn't block out his voice, allowing the Second Elder, who was standing downstairs, to hear.

  For a moment, his expression deepened with worry.

  As expected, the most worrying thing had finally happened.

  Without further ado, the Second Elder bowed slightly towards the attic and hurried away. He had to inform the others quickly and devise a plan for dealing with the situation!

  ...

  The Heavenly Snake Hall, the most formal meeting place of the Heavenly Snake Mansion, was never held here unless it was a matter of vital importance.

  Many disciples remembered clearly that the last time so many elders had gathered in the Heavenly Snake Hall was several years ago, following the night raid by a mysterious and powerful individual.

  And now, such a scene had reappeared.

  Seeing the elders arriving one after another, the disciples' hearts grew heavy, wondering what had happened.

  This mystery was only resolved when Chen Guan and Qing Lin arrived at nightfall.

  To catch up with Qing Lin a little longer and gauge the Heavenly Snake Mansion's attitude, Chen Guan deliberately delayed his arrival by a quarter of an hour – enough time for Qing Lin to prepare himself.

  Upon entering the main entrance, Chen Guan saw that the spacious meeting room was almost full, with only three seats at the front remaining vacant.

  The atmosphere was also extremely oppressive. The white-bearded elder sitting at the head of the empty seat, and Jin Yang, whom he had met once before

  , both had solemn expressions. Their eyes flickered with a complex glint as they looked at him, as if facing a formidable enemy. "I am Xiu Que, the Great Elder of the Heavenly Snake Palace. I greet Alliance Master Chen. Seeing is believing. Alliance Master Chen is truly a young talent. Please take a seat with the Saint Maiden."

  After a brief observation, the Great Elder stood up and spoke politely.

  Chen Guan simply returned the greeting without refusing. He led Qing Lin to the front and sat in the two empty seats on the lower left.

  Only the main seat remained vacant.

  It was obvious that it was destined for the rumored Lord of the Heavenly Snake Palace.

  Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chen Guan also took stock of the overall strength of the Heavenly Snake Palace.

  Excluding those who were hiding their true strength, the currently visible elders comprised fourteen Dou Zong powerhouses!

  Great Elder Xiu Que was a nine-star, Second Elder Jin Yang was a six-star, and four more were five-star Dou Zongs. The rest were below five stars.

  This foundation is worthy of being ranked in the top ten in the Northwest region. As long as our Dou Zun remains, we're more than capable of challenging the Heavenly Alliance!

  As he was sizing things up, the Great Elder suddenly spoke.

  "Alliance Leader Chen, please forgive me. The Palace Master is in seclusion at a critical moment and unable to come in person. Therefore, I will be in charge of today's discussions at the Heavenly Snake Palace. Jin Yang said, 'Lord Chen, do you wish to take the Saint Girl away?'"

  Without further ado, and without any intention of further discussion, the Great Elder got straight to the point.

  Chen Guan glanced at the excited and indignant glances, chuckled, and shook his head in rebuttal.

  "The Great Elder may have remembered incorrectly. Qinglin is a member of our Heavenly Alliance. Lu Man made this clear when he brought her to the Heavenly Snake Palace a few years ago. Therefore, I'm here to take her back, not to abduct her. These are two different concepts. Of course, I don't deny the Heavenly Snake Palace's care and support for Qinglin. If you wish, she will remain your Saint. If the Heavenly Snake Palace needs her help, I believe Qinglin will never stand idly by, and her attitude is the same as mine."

  Upon hearing this, the Great Elder's gaze narrowed slightly.

  "I cannot refute what Alliance Master Chen said, but this is a serious matter, and I am somewhat concerned. Although the Saint has achieved Dou Zun, she rarely travels. If she were to follow Alliance Master Chen, how could the Heavenly Alliance guarantee her safety?"

  As if on cue, the Great Elder's words suddenly filled the hall with a commotion.

  "That's right, how can you protect the Saint?"

  "My Heavenly Snake Palace has invested so much resources and finally raised the Saint, and now you want to take her away with just one word. How can such a good thing happen in this world?"

  "..."

  The crowd was excited, and questions rose one after another.

  But in fact, they could be divided into two categories. One was those who used various excuses to test Chen Guan or the strength of the Heavenly Alliance.

  The other was those who emphasized their own efforts, not wanting their years of hard work to go to waste. Not a single word mentioned compensation, but every word was compensation.

  The hall suddenly became lively. Chen Guan glanced at the first and second elders who remained silent, and his heart was as clear as a mirror.

  However, although he knew that they were tacitly approving, Chen Guan had no reason to be angry.   

  One must give something in return. Revenge must be avenged, favors must be repaid. The little chicken should be killed and eaten with wine—all of this is human nature and understandable.

  After all, no one is a selfless saint or bodhisattva, willing to sacrifice themselves without a care in the world for the sake of others.

  It's just that the Heavenly Snake Mansion's eagerness to express this seems a bit snobbish, given the customs of the world.

  Little did they know that Chen Guan had come alone this time, anticipating the Heavenly Snake Mansion's kindness to Qinglin. He had already accepted their favor and was prepared to offer them some benefits. If the Heavenly Snake Mansion faced future difficulties, he wouldn't sit idly by, even if it meant looking after the monks and the Buddhas.

  But now, the return required a bit of refinement.

  Suddenly, the clamor in the hall ceased abruptly, and a vast aura filled the air, intimidating no one to dare speak.

  Chen Guan smiled slyly and gently patted the back of Qinglin's hand.

  "No need, let me do it."

  Qinglin immediately subsided upon hearing this, without a trace of doubt.

  She was already a Dou Zun, yet she still couldn't discern Chen Guan's strength. This spoke volumes.

  The unaware elders, however, watched their Saint Maiden so obedient, completely devoid of her usual arrogance, and felt a mixture of bitterness and bitterness.

  Just as they were envious and jealous, a new, powerful aura filled the air, exerting even greater pressure than they had felt moments before.

  "Dou Zun!"

  "Hiss! Dou Zun!"

  How could a group of elders, barely above the Dou Zong realm, withstand the terrifying aura of a Dou Zun? They were completely overwhelmed, unable to lift their heads, as if an invisible hand were pressing down on them, demanding they kowtow. Their

  desperate resistance caused the chairs to creak incessantly.

  As expected of the mighty Heavenly Snake Mansion, these chairs were of excellent quality!

  Chen Guan ignored the pale-faced elders, their sweat pouring down. "

  It's you who will test my strength, and it's you who will be unable to withstand it. It has nothing to do with me."

  Turning to the Great Elder, who was showing a slightly better, though not much, reaction, Chen Guan smiled.

  "Great Elder, with my limited cultivation, can I take Qinglin back and protect him?"

  "Yes! Lord Chen Guan, please restrain your aura!"

  The Great Elder bowed his head in response, his old face flushed red as blood.

  Hearing what he wanted to hear, Chen Guan stopped his urge.

  He immediately restrained his aura.

  Instantly, all the elders straightened up, slumped in their chairs as if they had fought hundreds of rounds, their hearts still pounding with fear.

  Slightly calming his restless energy, the Great Elder's eyes flickered as he spoke gently.

  "Lord Chen Guan, I believe the Heavenly Alliance has the strength to guarantee the Saint's safety. However... while the Heavenly Alliance is powerful now, I don't mean to underestimate its depth. I simply want to say... well..." He

  didn't dare to be too blunt, and couldn't find the right words. The moment was incredibly awkward.

  Chen Guan felt anxious for him, knowing what he was trying to say. Without further ado, he pulled a badge from his ring and slammed it on the table.

  "With my status as an eighth-rank alchemist and champion of the Zhongzhou Alchemy Competition, can I provide her with sufficient resources?"

  "Yes! May I ask who Master Chen Guan's teacher is?"

  The Great Elder's body trembled violently, his eyes widening. He held up the badge with both hands and offered it to Chen Guan, instantly becoming infinitely more respectful.

  He didn't need to confirm it; in his opinion, no one in the world would dare to impersonate this title. This was one of the two most powerful forces in Zhongzhou, on par with the Soul Palace!

  Seeing that the effect had been achieved, Chen Guan didn't want to waste any more time on him and immediately stood up with Qing Lin.

  "This has nothing to do with you. I'll remember the care the Heavenly Snake Palace has shown Qinglin. In due time, I'll have a space wormhole opened from the northwest to Zhongzhou, allowing you free passage through the Heavenly Snake Palace. Also, in Zhongzhou, there's a faction called the Xingyun Pavilion. It was once one of the Four Pavilions, but now its power rivals the Three Sects. If you're interested, you can select ten talented young men to be nurtured by the Xingyun Pavilion. Just tell Xiao Yan my name when you arrive."

  "I understand. Thank you, Master Chen Guan! Saint, the gates of the Heavenly Snake Palace are always open to you. You will always be our Saint!"

  The Great Elder rose and saluted excitedly, having made a relatively wise decision.

  Qinglin smiled and nodded, then followed Chen Guan briskly without hesitation.

  This impulsive departure left the elders of the Heavenly Snake Palace feeling deeply grieved.

  Watching the two men walk out the gate and vanish into thin air was a difficult outcome for some elders to accept.

  "Grand Elder, are we just going to let him take the Saint Girl away? Although the Dou Zun warriors are powerful, didn't the Palace Master successfully break through during his retreat this time?"

  "That's right, and what he gave was too little. With the Palace Master here, we can open up the space wormhole by ourselves. The same goes for Xingyun Pavilion. Even if we let people enter Xingyun Pavilion, can they really train ten Dou Zun warriors for us?"

  Looking at these two elders who were not very smart, the Grand Elder felt extremely tired.

  "Stupid! Why is the Palace Master keeping this a secret? Isn't it just biding his time? It's also a precaution against other forces targeting the Heavenly Serpent Palace. Now the Heavenly Alliance can rest a little easier, but do you really think they can just open a space wormhole? That's Zhongzhou! Not where the Heavenly Serpent Palace governs."

  "As for the Falling Star Pavilion, I know more than you do. As Chen Guan said, its strength far outweighs its appearance. Sending some disciples there for training wouldn't be a bad idea. We're second to none in the northwest for raising snake-shaped monsters or transformed beings, but we're not up to par in Zhongzhou."

  "By complying with Chen Guan's wishes this time, we haven't completely severed our bond with the Saint Maiden. More interaction with the Heavenly Alliance won't hurt."

  After hearing the Great Elder's reflections, the still-stuck elder finally came to his senses.

  Indeed, once relations are established, everything will be within reach. Why dwell on this tiny point?

  Immediately, everyone changed the subject, praising the Great Elder's wisdom.

  As he was flattering, the guard who had run an errand for Chen Guan before walked in with a letter.

  "Reporting to the Great Elder, Elder Eight-Winged Black Snake has just returned. He asked me to give this to you."

  "Black Snake? Why didn't he come in himself?"

  The Great Elder asked, puzzled, taking the letter.

  "Well... Lord Eight-Winged Black Snake originally wanted to come in, but heard that the leader of the Heavenly Alliance was inside, so he left the letter and left first," the guard replied truthfully.

  "Strange, did he say anything else?"

  "No."

  Hearing this answer, the Great Elder couldn't see any problem.

  After all, the Eight-Winged Black Snake King had been wanting to change his area of responsibility and transfer from the Heavenly Alliance to another region for the past few years. He had mentioned this dozens of times, but he had never been able to come up with a legitimate excuse.

  His sudden decision to stop this time was strange no matter how one looked at it.

  Suspicious, the Great Elder opened the letter.

  After a long pause, he took a deep breath and slowly revealed a startling piece of news.

  "The Black Snake letter said that Chen Guan was also returning with a Dou Zun expert! Moreover, from their casual conversation, they revealed that Chen Guan was already a candidate for the Zhongzhou Danta leader!"

  "Great Elder, is this news true?"

  "It's impossible to be certain, but it's highly likely true. This was heard firsthand by a Serpent-Man guard bribed by Black Snake. However, this guard told Black Snake not to contact him again, fearing a misunderstanding by the Heavenly Alliance. This indirectly proves that Chen Guan's return has likely brought unimaginable improvements to the Heavenly Alliance!"