After Zhang Yan followed the broad-shouldered cultivator into the inner hall, his eyes widened, and a dazzling light burst forth before him. As he raised his gaze, he saw hundreds of short copper pillars standing upright, each less than a foot tall, arranged in a circle. The hall was spacious and bright, with lamps on both sides supporting Bright Pearl Colored Stones, radiating brilliance. At the center was a Jade Platform adorned with Bright Pearl Colored Stones, upon which sat an elegant woman with a long colorful sash and a Golden Ring at her waist. Before this woman floated a pale yellow scroll. Her beautiful eyes were focused on it, and from time to time, her slender jade-like fingers reached out to adjust it, causing faint flashes of Spirit Light. Glyphs formed from Clear Qi drifted to the copper pillars, slowly rotating in place. The broad-shouldered cultivator approached with a smile and cupped his hands courteously, saying, "Junior Master Qi, this Brother Daoist has come to seek Elder Gong." Pausing briefly, he noticed the woman remained engrossed, seemingly unaware of his words, and quickly spoke again, "Junior Master Qi, this Brother Daoist is here to meet Elder Gong. He carries Elder Gong’s token, so he is definitely not an outsider." At this moment, the woman softly murmured an acknowledgment and lifted her delicate head, casting a glance at Zhang Yan. A trace of surprise flashed through her beautiful eyes, but she smiled warmly and said, "Elder Gong has gone to the Hundred Fragrance River today and won’t return until the afternoon. This Brother Daoist may need to wait here for a while." Zhang Yan flicked his sleeve and smiled, "I don’t mind." The woman raised her hand and rubbed her palm, conjuring a beam of Spirit Light. With a deft motion of her slender finger, a Flying Book appeared and fluttered away. Its delicate wings sparkled adorably before vanishing from sight. Zhang Yan understood that these wings were merely a whimsical illusion crafted from Mana, serving no practical purpose. However, the female cultivators within the sect were particularly fond of such embellishments and often adorned personal belongings with intricate details like these. The woman, seemingly preoccupied, offered Zhang Yan an apologetic smile but remained engrossed in the scroll. Only when the glyphs filled the hundreds of copper pillars did several maids step forward to retrieve them. Among them, one maid hesitated after examining a talisman, then approached the woman and timidly asked, "Junior Master Qi, Brother Yao has earned six major merits, enough to classify as a superior merit. Why has one merit been deducted? If he disputes this, how should I explain it to him?" The woman chuckled softly and replied, "You can tell Yao Heng that the Demon Core he acquired was purchased at the Immortal Market, and he shouldn’t think he can deceive me. This time, it’s merely a light reprimand. If he dares to cause a fuss, let him not assume I wouldn’t erase his merits entirely." The maid dared not argue further and quickly bowed her head before retreating. Zhang Yan then realized that this woman was responsible for merit evaluations within the Merit Institute—a task of significant importance. When she noticed Zhang Yan’s gaze lingering on her, perhaps because her work had concluded, the woman smiled at him lightly and said, "The elders of the Merit Institute are senior figures, and it wouldn’t do to have them occupied with daily affairs. Thus, they drafted this humble young woman to handle these matters—it’s truly exhausting beyond belief." Zhang Yan chuckled, clearly not taking her words seriously. It was apparent that she was highly trusted by the elders of the Merit Institute. Not only did she handle merit evaluations here, but her demeanor also suggested she found joy in the role. With control over such matters, most disciples likely sought her favor. The woman continued, "I am Qi Mengjiao. May I enquire as to Brother Daoist’s name?" Zhang Yan replied, "I am Zhang Yan." Qi Mengjiao’s beautiful eyes widened slightly in surprise, and she exclaimed, "Ah! So you are Yanyi’s mentor?" Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised, and responded, "Senior Sister, you know my disciple?" Read full story at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵 Qi Mengjiao was about to speak when hearty laughter rang through the hall from outside. Elder Gong entered briskly, his face filled with joy. Upon seeing Zhang Yan, he eagerly grabbed his arm and exclaimed, "Junior Brother Zhang, you’ve finally arrived! Come, come, let’s drink together, haha..." Zhang Yan smiled, cupped his hands toward Qi Mengjiao, and gracefully excused himself before departing. Qi Mengjiao also rose and respectfully bade him farewell, standing in place, her gaze lingering on his departing figure. Even after his silhouette had vanished from sight, she remained lost in thought. The two rode the wind and soared into the distance. Elder Gong was brimming with enthusiasm throughout the journey. Zhang Yan smiled and asked, "Elder Gong, could it be that you have reason to celebrate?" Elder Gong burst into laughter and replied, "Junior Brother Zhang, why feign ignorance? Were it not for your visit, how could Old Madman Ji’s few pieces of Elixir Jade have fallen into my hands?" He laughed again, stroked his beard, and said, "Your visit today—is it because you plan to venture into the Small Cold Realm?"