I can strengthen

Chapter 294 Goodbye Yuan Chao
After instructing Chang Lingxuan, Luo Yan set off for the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court.

The Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court is extremely far away from the Xuantian Sect, and it needs to cross more than half of the Tianyuan Realm.

Luo Yan had planned his own travel route, and at his speed, it might take close to two months to travel from the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court to Xuantianzong.

Therefore, he can only leave early.

blow!
The flying boat pierced the sky and shot out.

Luo Yan sat cross-legged on the flying boat, full of vigor, and planned to enjoy the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers.

However, what he didn't expect was that before he left the range of Xuantianzong, he was stopped halfway.

"Stop!"

A figure came to Fei Zhou and intercepted Luo Yan.

Luo Yan froze for a moment, and stopped quickly.

"Where's your Lizong document?" The person who came was a young man in the Divine Infant Realm, and after looking Luo Yan up and down, he immediately asked with a frown.

"Do you still need Li Zong's documents to go out?" Luo Yan frowned.

Since coming to Xuantianzong, he has never gone out, and he never thought that he would need a letter from the sect to go out.

"Of course."

Seeing Luo Yan's bewildered expression, the young man softened his expression a little, and explained: "Is this your first time leaving the sect? I am a monk of Xuantianzong. If I want to leave the sect, I need to go to the office inside the Xuantianzong resident in the star field After making a trip to explain the reason for leaving the sect and the approximate time, you can get the leave document."

"How about you go now?"

"it is good."

Luo Yan did not hesitate, and immediately entered the star field.

As the young man said, there is indeed an office in the Xuantianzong residence, which is near the Xuantian Pagoda.

"The reason for leaving the sect."

The person who received Luo Yan was a white-haired old man. Seeing Luo Yan come in, he asked without raising his head.

"I have received a mission and I need to go to the Heavenly Court of the Emperor's Dao." Luo Yan said succinctly.

"Task... Let me see."

The old man lowered his head to inquire, and after a few seconds, he raised his head and looked at Luo Yan in surprise: "Tsk tsk...you are lucky to perform the mission with the conquest-type big monk."

Luo Yan scratched his hair and smiled shyly.

"Okay, your letter of leaving the sect has been delivered, go." The old man said with a smile. After learning that Luo Yan would do anything with the conquering monk, he was obviously more polite.

"Thank you senior."

When Luo Yan left the star field, he saw the Lizong document floating in front of his eyes. He reached out to take it, glanced at it, and handed it to the young man in front of him.

The young man took the document and looked down, his expression became strange.

"Are you going to the Royal Heavenly Court?"

His voice was extremely surprised, as if he couldn't believe it.

"What?" Luo Yan was puzzled.

"Emperor Dao Heavenly Court is far away, why don't you use the teleportation array?" The young man handed back the Li Zong document to Luo Yan, and asked curiously at the same time.

"Teleportation array?" Luo Yan was stunned.

"There is a teleportation array inside my Xuantian Sect, which can be used to teleport to the six great sects and hundreds of strategic locations in the Tianyuan Realm. If you go to the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court, it is best to use the teleportation array." The young man saw that Luo Yan lacked common sense, Said very patiently.

After finishing speaking, he also casually drew a map of Xuantianzong with mana, and pointed to a certain place: "This is where the teleportation array is located."

Luo Yan glanced at the map, remembered the location of the teleportation array in his heart, and said gratefully: "Thank you for letting me know, senior."

"It's easy to do." The young man shook his head, and his figure disappeared into thin air.

It wasn't until the young man left that Luo Yan let out a wry smile.

It seems that self-cultivation also has its disadvantages. People use teleportation arrays when they go out, but he doesn't know anything and plans to run with his feet.

Even, they set off more than two months in advance...

Fortunately, I met this divine baby monk.

Luo Yan glanced at his own cave, wondering if he should go back, and set off again in two months.

But thinking that it would be embarrassing to go back now, it would be difficult to face Chang Lingxuan, so he extinguished this thought, and went directly to the Zongmen's teleportation formation.

"It's good to go to the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court, and by the way, you can also inquire about the news of the unknown world in advance."

Luo Yan thought in his heart, and soon came to the Zongmen Teleportation Formation.

"where to?"

Before the teleportation formation, a monk looked at Luo Yan and asked calmly.

"Imperial Heavenly Court." Luo Yan said.

"100 Tianyuanjie contribution points, or 1 Star Alliance point." said the monk in charge of the teleportation array.

"Use Star Alliance points." Luo Yan felt a pain in his eyes.

It is easy to earn Tianyuanjie contribution points, but it is difficult to earn Star Alliance points.

"I heard from Han Jinlong that in the black market of Tianyuanjie, 1 star alliance point can be exchanged for 300 Tianyuanjie contribution points. If I had known this, I should have exchanged some Tianyuanjie contribution points first."

Luo Yan sighed, and could only take out the star order under the explanation of the monk.

Just like swiping a card in the previous life, once you swipe with a Star Token, a little Star Alliance points will be deducted.

"Let's go."

The monk got up and led Luo Yan towards the teleportation formation.

However, at this moment, a voice suddenly came from behind.

"and many more!"

The voice was hurried, Luo Yan looked back, and found a fat man running over in a hurry, and soon came to Luo Yan.

Fatty looked at Luo Yan, smiling all over his face: "This fellow Taoist, I heard that you are going to the Heavenly Court of the Emperor's Dao, can you give me a ride?"

hitchhiking?
This word popped up in Luo Yan's mind, he looked at the fat man, and said, "No problem."

He thought that the fat man must be short of cash and couldn't afford the transfer fee, so he made such a bad move.

For such desperate people, he has always helped as much as he could.

"Haha, thank you fellow daoist, I've been squatting here for half a month, and I finally met a fellow daoist who went to the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court. It's really great!" The fat man was so excited that he was very grateful to Luo Yan.

"..."

Luo Yan didn't know what to say.

He originally thought that the fat man had waited for a few hours at most, but he ended up squatting for half a month.

He glanced at the monk leading the way in front of him.

Sure enough, with a look of disgust, the contempt for the fat man was visible to the naked eye.

"My lord, Tu Fei, what's the name of fellow daoist?" Fatty ignored the monk leading the way, only looked at Luo Yan, reported his name, and asked with a smile at the same time.

"Luo Yan." Luo Yan said calmly.

"Luo Yan...that's a really good name, unlike me, who is called a bandit every day." The fat man wanted to cry without tears, and after teasing himself, he asked again: "What do fellow Taoists go to the Emperor's Heaven? over there?"

He winked at Luo Yan, and then smiled with a swaying face: "Yes, the female monks in the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court are all like empresses, with extremely noble temperament. Such a woman can only feel pleasure when conquered."

Luo Yan smiled wryly.

This Tu Fei is really nasty!
But to be honest, he was a little moved.

"Fellow Daoist Tu is looking for his Taoist companion?" Luo Yan asked curiously.

"No, look at my appearance, do women like it?" Tu Fei pointed to his chubby face, and sighed helplessly, "Women are all from the Appearance Association."

"But we men seem to be the same."

At the end, he muttered again softly.

"Fellow Daoist Tu has outstanding temperament, so don't underestimate yourself." Luo Yan praised against his will, and said with a smile, "What's more, beauty is in the eyes of beholders. Fellow Daoist Tu thinks he is not very good, but in the eyes of female monks, he may be handsome. "

"Haha, I can't compare to Fellow Daoist Luo, who is really handsome and unrestrained. I don't know how many young monks are willing to bow down to you if the tiger's body shakes." Tu Fei laughed loudly.

The two brag about each other.

And the monk leading the way has already installed spirit crystals around the formation.

He raised his head, glanced at the two who were still bragging to each other, and urged impatiently: "The teleportation array is ready, come up quickly."

"oh oh."

Tu Fei was extremely agile, and walked directly into the teleportation array.

Luo Yan followed suit and came to the middle of the teleportation array.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, is this the first time you've used the teleportation array?" Seeing that Luo Yan was a little nervous, Tu Fei couldn't help asking curiously.

"Yes." Luo Yan looked at the teleportation array under his feet.

This teleportation array is huge, occupying the entire hall.

As the formation slowly activated, densely packed spirit patterns emerged, and one glance would make one's scalp tingle.

"There is a specialization in the art industry, and logistical monks should not be underestimated."

This teleportation array is too complicated.

To build such a teleportation array, ordinary logistics monks would definitely not be able to do it, and ordinary monks like him would be even more helpless, after all, they couldn't even recognize the spirit patterns.

"Fellow Daoist Luo don't have to worry, the teleportation array is very safe, you can arrive as soon as you close your eyes and open them."

As Tu Fei's voice sounded, violent spatial fluctuations appeared on the two of them.

In the next second, the two of them turned into a beam of light and disappeared from where they were.

……

Whoa!
It's like being spit out by something.

Accompanied by a strong sense of dizziness and nausea, Luo Yan opened his eyes and came to a strange land.

"Here, do you feel nothing?"

Tu Fei touched his bulging belly, bent over and looked at Luo Yan cheerfully, his face was as white as snow.

"Yeah, I don't feel anything." Luo Yan gritted his teeth.

I don't feel it, I'm just about to vomit.

"The teleportation array technology in my Tianyuan world is very mature. I have a friend who used to use the teleportation array when he went to alien mining before. The distance is much farther than Xuantianzong to Emperor Dao Heavenly Court..."

Tu Fei slowed down for a while, straightened his back, and said with a smile, "He doesn't even feel such a long distance."

"That friend of yours can't be yourself?" Luo Yan also slowed down and couldn't help joking.

"Yes." Tu Fei gritted his teeth, and said bitterly: "I don't feel anything, I just lay on the bed for three days and three nights, life is better than death."

Luo Yan laughed.

But think about it.

Motion sickness is hard to bear, let alone a teleportation array?

"It's fine if you sit more." Luo Yan took a long time to spit out this sentence.

"Yeah, it's good to sit more."

The two were talking unnutritive words when a young man came to their side.

"Are you monks of Xuantianzong?"

"Yes."

Luo Yan looked at the young man. This was a monk in the Infant God Realm, dressed in golden clothes, meticulous and dignified.

"Are you here to find someone, or are you planning to borrow?" the young man asked calmly.

"I'm here to complete the mission, and the meeting place is in the Heavenly Court of the Emperor's Dao." Luo Yan said.

"Ah."

The young man nodded, then looked at Tu Fei: "What about you? Do you need me to send you away?"

"No, I'm also here to do the mission. Like Fellow Daoist Luo, we all gather in the Heavenly Court of the Emperor's Dao." Tu Fei smiled kindly.

"In that case, come with me."

The young man took the two of them, sent them to a large hall, and left after handing them over to another middle-aged monk.

The middle-aged monks are obviously dedicated to entertaining foreign guests in the Imperial Heavenly Court.

With a friendly smile, he led Luo Yan and Tu Fei towards the depths of the hall, and asked as he walked, "Are the two young friends guests of Xuantianzong?"

"Yes." Luo Yan nodded.

"What are your two names?" the middle-aged monk asked again.

"Junior Luo Yan."

"Junior Tu Fei."

"Luo Yan and Tu Fei... Let me take a look." The middle-aged monk seemed to be looking up something, and after a while, he said in surprise: "I checked the missions of the two of you, and they will be carried out in about two months, and they are the same A mission."

"At that time, I will take the two of you to meet Senior Zhuang. Before that, I can only wrong the two little friends and live in the guest room for a while."

Luo Yan glanced at Tu Fei in surprise, nodded and said, "Listen to senior's arrangement."

He didn't expect that Tu Fei had the same mission as him.

But didn't Sun Jian say that all the monks who can receive this task have a lot of background?

This Tu Fei, even sitting in a teleportation array would rub against him, would he have a lot of background?
He is wondering.

Tu Fei looked at the middle-aged monk, and asked unwillingly, "Can I visit Senior Zhuang in advance?"

The senior Zhuang he was talking about was the conquest-type great monk in the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court.

"Hehe, when the time is up, I will bring my little friend there, and visits will be avoided. Senior Zhuang doesn't like to be disturbed." The middle-aged man declined with a smile.

What kind of person is the conquest-type great monk, how can you see it as soon as you want to see it?
"Alright then." Tu Fei looked regretful.

Led by the middle-aged man, the three of them came to a quiet courtyard after a while.

"This is a guest's token. With this token, the two little friends will have the authority equivalent to ordinary disciples in my Imperial Heavenly Court. They can walk around and enjoy all the beautiful scenery of my Imperial Heavenly Court." Before leaving, the middle-aged The man handed Luo Yan and Luo Yan a jade pendant.

After watching the middle-aged man go away.

Tu Fei put away the jade pendant, and sighed, "Isn't the Emperor's Heavenly Court treating the guests too poorly? Just a piece of jade pendant? Not even a court lady?"

He looked around the small courtyard, not to mention the maids in palace uniforms, apart from him and Luo Yan, there was no one else.

"Does Fellow Daoist Tu have any friends in the Imperial Heavenly Court?" Luo Yan asked with a smile.

"Have."

Tu Fei rolled his eyes, looked at Luo Yan, and his tone became weird, "Fellow Daoist Luo, you don't want me to introduce someone to you, do you? Let me tell you in advance that my female friends are all ordinary-looking."

Luo Yan quickly shook his head, smiled wryly and said: "I don't have such an idea. It's just that in two months, we are not going to follow Senior Zhuang to explore the unknown world, I want you to inquire about it, and see if we can find information about that unknown world. "

"Why do you want information about the unknown world?" Tu Fei didn't think so, then his eyes widened suddenly, staring at Luo Yan, "Do you think Senior Zhuang can't protect you?!"

As if he was going to eat people, his eyes became a little fierce.

Obviously, Senior Na Zhuang has a very high status in his heart, which has reached a level that cannot be desecrated.

Luo Yan shook his head: "Senior Zhuang certainly protected me. It's just a personal habit... I hope to be prepared."

Tu Fei stared at Luo Yan, seeing Luo Yan's serious expression gradually calmed down, and then said casually: "Don't worry, Senior Zhuang is a conquest-type monk, and the ability of a conquest-type monk is far beyond your imagination, enough to face For any unknowns and dangers, you don’t need to make any preparations, just wait to be taken away with peace of mind.”

He obviously trusted Senior Zhuang unconditionally.

Hearing this, Luo Yan had no choice but to extinguish the idea of ​​inquiring about news, and instead asked: "Then we are going to that unknown world this time, is it the descending of the main body or the metamorphosis of the demon?"

This is what he cares most about.

If the main body comes, he feels that he can prepare more.

If it was transformed into a demon, he could find ways to resell all the magic weapons and supplies he bought.

Tu Fei rubbed his chin, and said distressedly: "I don't know, I'll find a way to ask."

"Okay, I'll leave it to Fellow Daoist Tu."

Luo Yan chuckled, glanced at the small courtyard, and asked, "Which room does Fellow Daoist Tu live in?"

It is said to be a small courtyard, but in fact there are more than a dozen rooms.

"I live in the largest room in the middle." Tu Fei chose the largest room without hesitation.

Seeing this, Luo Yan chose the one next to Tu Fei.

After all, he was under the fence of others, and this guest room was nothing compared to his cave in Xuantianzong.

The place is too small.

As soon as he thinks about it, he will absorb all the aura above the entire small courtyard, which will seriously interfere with other people's cultivation.

"Just let it go." Luo Yan sighed, closed the doors and windows, and began to practice.

He had no idea.

On the way he followed the middle-aged man to the small courtyard, a cultivator named Sun Hua had already followed him.

……

……

the other side.

Sun Hua approached Yuan Chao.

He is also a cultivator of Chaos Demon Sea. He joined the Emperor's Dao Heaven with Wang Sun.

His original plan was naturally to attach himself to Wang Sun and report to the regiment for warmth, but he also hoped Wang Sun could take care of him.

But who would have thought that after entering the Heavenly Court of the Emperor's Dao, Wang Sun, who was second in the top ten list, would quickly disappear from the crowd, not to mention taking care of him, even having difficulty protecting himself!

On the contrary, Yuan Chao, whom he looked down upon, was able to get along like a fish in water in the Imperial Dao Heavenly Court, and soon climbed up to a second-generation monk in the Imperial Dao Heavenly Court, and became the confidant of that second-generation monk.

Yuan Chao, who had climbed a high branch, did not even dare to offend Yin Shiyou, so he went to make amends in person.

He watched Yuan Chao's prosperity, and after hesitating for a while, he also switched to Yuan Chao's side.

of course.

He also didn't betray Wang and Sun. When he defected to Yuan Chao, he invited Wang and Sun to join him. Xiaozhi was moved by emotion and reasoned, but Wang and Sun were unwilling to become Yuan Chao's vassal, so he rejected him.

at this time.

He was sitting opposite Yuan Chao, and was telling what he had seen and heard before.

"You said you saw Luo Yan?" Yuan Chao sat cross-legged, holding a teacup, with a calm expression.

"That's right. I haven't seen him for 20 years, and he still hasn't changed at all." Sun Hua said in a deep voice.

"I see." Yuan Chao said lightly, taking a sip of his tea.

"Senior Brother Yuan, how do we deal with him?" Sun Hua's eyes flashed, and he asked in a low voice.

"Need not."

Yuan Chao shook his head.

People can change.

The him 20 years ago wished he could get rid of Luo Yan and hurry up.

But 20 years later, he no longer intends to deal with Luo Yan.

Don't you see, a genius like the grandson of Liu Chuanfeng, after joining the six great sects, has disappeared from everyone.

Wang Sun is still good, at least he is still alive.

And that Liu Chuanfeng, who heard that he went to the front line of the void to fight for his life, was directly turned into nothingness by the ripples of the void.

The former arrogance of heaven will either become mediocre or die.

What is a Luo Yan, in his eyes now?
He, Yuan Chao, didn't need to plot against Luo Yan at all.

"Wang Sun is arrogant and disdains to cling to others, so even today, he is still busy contributing points to the Tian Yuan world. His future is doomed to be mediocre."

"Liu Chuanfeng is number one among the top ten, and he is pretentious. After seeing the true arrogance of the six great masters, his heart was deeply shocked... In order not to be weaker than others, he did not hesitate to risk his life, went to the front line of the void, and finally fell in the boundless void."

"They can't see themselves clearly, that's why they have fallen to this end."

"But I, Yuan Chao, are different. The world insults me and laughs at me, but I take it coldly. I can endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens, and I also have the courage to sink the boat."

"That's why I can walk ahead of all of them as the eighth among the top ten!"

Yuan Chao's eyes were cold, and his white clothes were like snow.

20 years ago.

He followed Yin Shiyou to the Imperial Heavenly Court.

What he didn't expect was that Yin Shiyou sent someone over the second day after arriving in the Heavenly Court of the Emperor's Dao, asking him to go to the mortal capital!
You know, that was the second day he came to the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court.

That feeling.

It's like a newlywed wife who is ordered by her husband-in-law to cook and sweep the floor before dawn the next day after the bridal chamber!
He was furious to the extreme.

On the surface, he is submissive and delays time, but in the interior, he quickly clings to an eleven or twelve-year-old second-generation fairy.

After all, the second generation of immortals is young.

In a few days, he got his wish...

Now, he already possesses the late Yuan Dan cultivation base, and he is on the road to becoming a divine infant.

And his status in the Emperor's Dao Heavenly Court is even more extremely high. Under the Divine Infant, he can respond to every call, and there are more than a hundred monks under his command.

In this emperor's way of heaven, although he is not a true biography, his majesty is better than a true biography.

Almost all monks like Sun Hua and others from Chaos Demon Sea flocked around him, not the second best king and grandson!

He's not what he used to be.

Even Yin Shiyou would bow his knees when he saw him now.

Why should he keep Luo Yan in his heart?

"Senior Brother Yuan, you don't plan to deal with that Luo Yan anymore? Twenty years ago..." Sun Hua was stunned.

What he learned about Yuan Chao seemed to hate Luo Yan to the bone.

"Twenty years ago was 20 years ago. Now I am in a high position, turning my hands into clouds and turning my hands into rain, so the situation is naturally bigger." Yuan Chao chuckled and poured Sun Hua a glass of wine. Cultivator of Chaos Demon Sea, after we finish drinking, let's meet him in the past."

Sun Hua looked at Yuan Chao, as if she understood something.

He lowered his head, took a sip from his wine glass, and then said in a low voice: "Senior Brother Yuan, he has a deep hatred with you after all, if you feel that it is inconvenient for you to do it, then I will come?"

He felt that Yuan Chao didn't act because he didn't want revenge at all, but because he was afraid of Luo Yanxuan Tianzong's identity and background.

Yuan Chao shook his head, his face became serious, "I have the current status, not because I am ruthless and must be punished, but because I know how to judge words and deeds, and I never make trouble."

"It's not easy for me to have the current status, so I have to walk on thin ice, do you understand?"

Does this Sun Hua think that his current status depends on his own strength?

He relied on the Second Immortal, okay?
If he caused trouble by messing around and was abandoned by the second generation of immortals, then he would be finished!
Sun Hua understood a little bit, but also didn't understand a little bit.

He looked at Yuan Chao and asked hesitantly, "What about Senior Brother Yuan's blood feud?"

Yuan Chao stood up, put his hands behind his back, looked out the window at the magnificent palace, and said calmly, "I said, don't touch him."

No matter how.

Luo Yan is a disciple of Xuantian Sect.

The six great sects have the same spirit, if he dares to assassinate Luo Yan in the Imperial Heavenly Court, once exposed, he will surely die without a place to bury him.

What's more, in his current opinion, the hatred between him and Luo Yan is too low-level, and turning hostility into friendship is the best result.

"Yes, Senior Brother Yuan." Sun Hua understood completely, and quickly stated, "I will not cause trouble for Senior Brother."

"Yeah." Luo Chao rubbed the center of his eyebrows, looking a little tired.

He is very powerful now.

Possesses the ability to influence the assignment of tasks between Yuandan, God and Infant.

Over the years, he has won over a large number of vassals by assigning easy and cost-effective tasks, which can be described as star-studded.

But he understood that the monks who vassalized him were all real.

They vassalize themselves, not because of their personal charm, but because they can bring them benefits.

If one day, I can no longer bring benefits to those people...

"Cultivation! After all, cultivation is everything! Now, I still need to walk on thin ice, accumulate food, and slowly become king!"

……

……

Luo Yan sat cross-legged and was meditating.

At this time, there was a knock on the door suddenly.

With a sweep of Luo Yan's mind, he knew who it was.

"Yuan Chao?"

He frowned, and suddenly remembered that Yuan Chao was also in the Imperial Heavenly Court.

"Why is he here?" A trace of killing intent surged in his heart, and he opened the door immediately, looking at Yuan Chao outside.

His expression was cold, and his attitude was written directly on his face.

"Luo Yan, I haven't seen you in 20 years, and you are still the same." Yuan Chao dressed in white, like an exile.

He has a gentle expression and a smile on his brows and eyes.

Even though he felt Luo Yan's attitude of rejecting others thousands of miles away, the smile on his face still remained undiminished.

"You have changed a lot."

Luo Yan's voice was cold.

He couldn't figure out why Yuan Chao was looking for him.

Judging by Yuan Chao's attire and temperament, this Yuan Chao seems to be doing very well in this Imperial Heavenly Court.

Did he come here to pretend?

Yuan Chao smiled lightly, and glanced at the room behind Luo Yan: "You and I came here specially to visit you, Daoist Sun, why don't you invite us to come in and sit down?"

It was only then that Luo Yan noticed Sun Hua behind Yuan Chao.

But he only met once, and like a stranger, he didn't bother to talk to Sun Hua.

He glanced at Sun Hua, then looked directly at Yuan Chao, shook his head and refused, "It's not convenient."

Although Yuan Chao's tone was very affectionate, as if meeting old friends, but in his heart, this Yuan Chao was an enemy.

"Luo Yan, you?" Sun Hua couldn't bear it anymore, and was about to lose her temper.

But just halfway through the conversation, Yuan Chao stretched out his hand and interrupted.

"Forget it if it's inconvenient." Yuan Chao continued to smile, and took out a jade box, "I'm here this time to turn hostility into friendship."

"The grievances from 20 years ago are just passing away, what do fellow Daoist Luo think?"

talking.

He handed the jade box to Luo Yan.

Luo Yan didn't expect that Yuan Chao didn't come here to play tricks, but came to ask for peace. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, his divine sense swept over the jade box, and immediately raised his eyebrows again.

In this jade box, there are hundreds of bottles of cultivation pills in Yuandan realm!
"This Yuan Chao, what a big hand!"

　One more~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)