He had everyone sit on the sofa. Seeing that it was a bit crowded, he even brought out his own stool.
Then, with a hint of complaint, he said to the Guard Captain, "Look at you, why be so mysterious? You should have just told me directly from the start. It would be bad if any misunderstandings arose."
"Rest assured, everyone. I’ll handle the paperwork for you right away."
"Wait." Teng Liang suddenly spoke up, and everyone’s gaze immediately focused on him. He said in a low voice, "We should have official slots..."
Having just arrived, they were unfamiliar with the Sect’s internal intricacies. Who knew if doing this would create some hidden problems? It wasn’t like they were smuggling themselves in.
The person in charge faltered for a moment before quickly explaining, "What I’m processing here is just the procedural registration for boarding the Flying Device. The actual identity verification isn’t my responsibility."
Teng Liang nodded and said no more.
The person in charge quickly processed their paperwork. After they left the office and had just arrived at the transfer area, Bu Siqi spotted Ming Lin looking around in the crowd.
"Hey, isn’t that Ming Lin?"
His shout caught Ming Lin’s attention. A look of delight on his face, he hurried over. "Senior Brother Bu, Senior Brother Teng, you’re finally here."
His tone was quite enthusiastic.
When he was on Ying Feng, he was merely an acquaintance of the two—their relationship was just a nod in passing. But meeting again here in the Sect, there was an unexpected sense of kinship.
"Come, come, Old Su has already prepared a welcome banquet for you. He’s been waiting for you."
Ming Lin greeted the Guard Captain beside him, then led the group toward a docked Flying Device.
"You’re doing pretty well for yourself, kid," Bu Siqi remarked as he followed Ming Lin, noticing many people greeting him warmly.
This was the Sect’s temporary Star Port for traveling to other Life Planets, and Ming Lin was familiar with everyone, high and low.
"It’s all because Old Su is so capable," Ming Lin said without pretense. "These people are all showing respect for Su Chen. If it were just me, I’m afraid they wouldn’t even give me the time of day."
"Is that some kind of uniform?" Teng Liang couldn’t help but ask, looking at the dark black, lightweight armor Ming Lin was wearing.
"That’s right. It’s the patrol team’s uniform. I expect Su Chen will place you all in the patrol team as well."
Ming Lin explained as he led everyone aboard the Flying Device.
Teng Liang nodded thoughtfully. "In that case, why don’t you give us a detailed rundown of the general situation here in the Sect."
They were all clear about their mission: to serve as loyal and capable personnel. To get to work as soon as possible, they naturally needed to understand the specifics of the situation.
"Alright." Ming Lin nodded. The Flying Device departed from the Star Port, heading straight for the Copper Heart Department.
...
"A whole Floating Island!"
Bu Siqi exclaimed repeatedly in amazement as he disembarked from the Flying Device and looked around.
"Senior Brothers, you’ve finally made it." Su Chen approached from a distance, watching as Bu Siqi and the others disembarked one by one.
He had already learned from the Sect that Chong Jingtian had sent Teng Liang and the others. This arrangement suited him perfectly; Teng Liang and Bu Siqi were both trustworthy and capable.
"Junior Brother!" Bu Siqi was ecstatic. He strode forward and gave Su Chen a bear hug, shaking his shoulders. "It’s been a year since we last saw each other, right? Still as handsome as ever. You even seem a little taller."
Bu Siqi clucked his tongue in wonder. Su Chen chuckled. "Not taller, no. The soles of my shoes might just be a bit thicker."
After speaking, his gaze fell on the rather gaunt Teng Liang beside him. "Senior Brother," he greeted.
Teng Liang was more reserved, merely nodding at him before turning to make introductions. "This is Qiu Jing... Luo Zhen..."
The remaining ten people had also been handpicked by Chong Jingtian, with most of them coming from under the command of various Chief Judges.
Su Chen greeted them one by one before leading the group to the dining hall.
The banquet was already prepared. Seeing Teng Liang and Bu Siqi put Su Chen in a very good mood, and he drank freely with them.
At first, the group was a bit reserved and uncomfortable, but after a few drinks, they gradually loosened up.
"You’re already Tier Five?"
Halfway through the drinks, Bu Siqi’s eyes widened. "So fast! You were already a monster back at the Judicial Court. I can’t believe you’re still such a monster after coming to this Sect!"
His cheeks were flushed, and he was dizzy from drinking. Later, when he heard Ming Lin mention Star Amber, he looked completely lost. "Star Amber? What’s Star Amber?"
On Red Thunder Star, he had never even heard of Profound Purple, let alone Star Amber.
When he learned that Star Amber was a Talent level two tiers higher than Scarlet, he was floored. He chugged several mouthfuls of wine and took a long moment to recover.
This level of Talent was far beyond his comprehension. In the end, he could only manage to squeeze out one word: "Monster."
The atmosphere was lively. Everyone kept drinking until they were completely drunk, at which point Su Chen arranged for them to be taken to rest.
Rubbing his temples, Su Chen walked to an open area outside the main building. The alcohol they drank was a special brew from within the Sect. Even with the Gulping Stomach, he couldn’t quite handle it and felt a bit dizzy.
He called Ming Lin out alone. In contrast, Ming Lin was in good shape, having restrained himself at the table.
"PHEW..." Su Chen exhaled, his breath reeking of alcohol. He said, "I’ll arrange for their identities to be placed within the patrol team as soon as possible."
"However, the main focus will be on Senior Brother Teng and Senior Brother Bu Siqi. As for the others, they’ll serve as a distraction for now."
These people had been handpicked by Chong Jingtian, but to Su Chen, they were still strangers. Ultimately, his level of trust in them couldn’t compare to his trust in Teng Liang and Bu Siqi.
"Understood." Ming Lin naturally knew this. Just as he was about to leave, Su Chen called out to him again. "One more thing. You know about the Profound Celestial Instrument, right?"
Ming Lin considered for a moment before replying, "I do. There’s been a lot of discussion about it in the Sect recently. They say it can directly enhance one’s Talent, which is an absurdly heaven-defying ability. Is that true?"
Su Chen nodded. "It can indeed enhance Talent directly. I have a spot for it. You should go sometime."
"Alright... what?" Ming Lin nodded subconsciously, then jumped in shock.
"Me?" Once he realized what Su Chen had said, he repeatedly tried to refuse. "Isn’t that... inappropriate? What if other people find out..."
He already knew how precious it was from mingling with other Sect members.
Forget him, even among the top one hundred members of the Holy Hall, very few were qualified to use it.
Strictly speaking, he was just a small fry in the outer echelons of the Sect. If word got out, people might gossip.
The Gulping Stomach was rapidly breaking down the alcohol in his system. Su Chen’s expression was indifferent. "Who would dare say anything?"
Hearing this, Ming Lin froze. He rarely heard such domineering words from Su Chen. ’Perhaps it’s because he had a little to drink today.’
But on second thought, Su Chen indeed had the qualifications to say such a thing. He was no longer the newcomer he had been when he first joined the Sect.
Now, with his Star Amber Talent, his position as the top Tier Five, and his good relationships with people like Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi’an, his Star Seed Position was well-deserved.
’It’s happened too fast...’ Ming Lin’s expression shifted, his feelings undeniably complex, but he didn’t refuse again. He nodded and said, "I understand."
This was a privilege that even ordinary Holy Hall members couldn’t enjoy. Only after accepting did excitement finally bubble up inside Ming Lin.
One’s Talent determined their upper limit; this was no less than a gift of rebirth. The more he thought about it, the more his head spun, to the point that he was practically floating as he walked away.
During this time, Ming Lin had basically been doing the work of three people, something Su Chen had naturally noticed. He looked up at the fading Flame Fire, his thoughts drifting. The arrival of Teng Liang and the others had made him think of many things.
"Junior Brother." A voice suddenly called out from behind him. Su Chen snapped back to reality and turned to see Teng Liang.
He hadn’t drunk much and was still sober. He said gently, "The Chief Judge asked me to bring you something."
"Oh?" Su Chen was surprised.
"Do you have a private place here?" Teng Liang asked.
Su Chen’s interest was piqued. He led him into the training room.
Only then did he see him take a square metal box from his Storage Space. "These are letters from our teacher, and from a few of your friends."
Su Chen reached out and took it but didn’t open it immediately. He looked at Teng Liang. ’This alone shouldn’t require such a private place.’
Teng Liang continued, "There’s also the haul from the recent operations to crush the Deceitful God Sect on Red Thunder Star. It’s mainly Deceitful Artifacts and the like."
"Oh?" A sharp glint flashed in Su Chen’s eyes.