alliance
Before noon, at the entrance to the valley, where it should have been quiet, the faint sounds of arguing could be heard, and the volume seemed to be getting louder and louder.
"—Why is it you? Why are people from your Changfeng Sect here too?" A young man's voice, clearly displeased, rang out.
Immediately afterwards, another slow and deliberate young female voice responded: "Oh? This valley is yours to run? You, Zongtian Pavilion, can come, but I can't? Did Fellow Daoist Xunjing's message also reach my sect's desk?"
"You! You're just being unreasonable!" "Likewise."
Hearing the argument outside the door, Xun Jing's face immediately showed an awkward and helpless smile. He quickly stood up and said, "Sect Leader Ji, Lord Bujiu, please forgive me... It should be Fellow Daoist Gui Tiao from Changfeng Sect and Fellow Daoist You Hang from Zongtian Pavilion who have arrived outside. Their sects have a deep connection, but their personalities are not very compatible, and they often have some... verbal disputes."
He phrased it euphemistically, but his pained expression clearly indicated that this "incompatibility" was probably common knowledge.
Ji Wang was about to stop him when Bu Jiu beside him frowned. He clearly disliked the noise and even more so, the pointless disputes that had begun before the meeting had even started.
"Noisy." Bu Jiu uttered two words, stood up first, and walked straight to the door without even looking at Ji Wang and Xun Jing.
Seeing this, Ji Wang quickly followed, saying, "I'll go take a look too. We can't let the guests start fighting at the door..."
He was also curious about the temperaments of these "allies" who had come.
Before Ji Wang even reached the door, he could already see the scene outside.
Standing to one side was a boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in a light blue outfit with flowing cloud patterns, with a short blade at his waist. At this moment, his eyebrows were raised and he was glaring angrily at the other person.
On the other side was a woman in her early twenties, dressed in a long robe with sword-like sleeves, standing tall and straight, with a half-smile on her lips, watching the woman jumping up and down opposite her.
The atmosphere between the two was tense, and their spiritual energies were subtly clashing.
He stood quietly between the two men, slightly forward, with his back to Ji Wang and the others, facing the two uninvited guests.
He didn't speak, he just stood there, and the two who had been arguing just moments before seemed to have their voices cut off at the same time, and their quarrel came to an abrupt end.
The two had obviously received an urgent message from Xun Jing and knew who they were to meet, but seeing them in person gave them completely different feelings.
Gui Tiao opened his mouth, then closed it again, his straight back stiffening slightly. You Hang's playful smile also faded, the twirling of his sword stopped, and his posture became cautious and respectful.
Bu Jiu then spoke calmly: "If you want to fight, go somewhere else. If you don't want to fight, shut up and come in."
"..." Gui Tiao and You Hang exchanged a glance, and this time they quickly reached a consensus—at least on the surface.
The two bowed to Bu Jiu almost simultaneously, saying, "We were rude, please forgive us, senior."
Ji Wang watched this scene from behind. Sure enough, the best way to deal with someone who starts fighting the moment they meet is to be decisive and ruthless like "Don't hold a grudge."
He stepped forward at the opportune moment and stood beside Bu Jiu: "You two have come from afar, you must be tired. I am Ji Wang, the sect leader. Since you have come on important business, please come inside to rest and have a cup of tea."
His appearance, and his composed demeanor as he stood beside Bu Jiu and greeted the guests, caused Gui Tiao and You Hang to exchange a glance.
This young-looking sect leader did not seem to be the senior they had expected to pay their respects to, but judging from his position and demeanor, he was by no means an ordinary disciple.
Moreover, Lord Bujiu had no objection whatsoever to this person taking over the situation, and even seemed to be subtly handing over the power of discourse.
The two quickly exchanged a glance, their faces impeccably polite, and replied in unison, "Thank you, Sect Leader Ji."
After instructing Xun Qing to lead the two into the hall, Ji Wang approached Bu Jiu and said affectionately in a tone that only the two of them could hear, "You're so convenient, 'get away from me and fight'... Aren't you afraid of scaring the young friend? I saw that Gui Tiao's eyes were wide open."
Bu Jiu's brows, which had been slightly furrowed by the noise of outsiders, relaxed a little when he was facing Ji Wang.
The annoyance in his eyes subsided considerably, followed by a hint of grievance as he muttered a complaint, "Your place...they're too noisy."
As soon as he finished speaking, he nudged Ji Wang's wrist with his tail.
Ji Wang could barely maintain the composed demeanor he had when facing outsiders.
He wanted to laugh, but felt that if he laughed now, Bu Jiu would be angry again, so he could only try to suppress the corners of his mouth, reach out and squeeze Bu Jiu's fingers, and whisper, "I know, I'm sorry to have troubled you. I'll make you some calming tea later, but for now, let's take care of business."
"Okay." Bu Jiu let his fingers linger briefly in Ji Wang's palm, absorbing the unique sense of security and warmth that belonged to him.
"Huh?!" The two of them jumped up from their chairs almost simultaneously.
Gui Tiao accidentally knocked over the teacup beside him with his elbow, but Xun Jing caught it with quick reflexes.
Although You Hang sat steadily, his fingers gripping the teacup suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white, and a violent ripple spread across the calm surface of the water in the cup.
The expressions on their faces changed from initial doubt to vague speculation, and finally to shock at the complete confirmation.
A flush rose to Gui Tiao's handsome face, his eyes widened, and almost without hesitation, he went around the low table in front of him, rushed to Ji Wang, grabbed Ji Wang's hand, and his voice was slightly shaky with extreme excitement:
"Is it really you? Daoist Yun Shen! I... I admire you so much! The elders in the sect talk about you every day, and I can recite the records of that great battle in the library! Our Changfeng Sect's founder was right beside you back then..."
He was incoherent, his hand trembling slightly as he held Ji Wang's, as if he had grasped a living legend.
Although You Hang, who was standing nearby, didn't rush over directly like Gui Tiao, he was also breathing heavily.
Ji Wang, whose hand was being held tightly by Gui Tiao, was momentarily at a loss, and his ears began to burn.
He wanted to pull his hand back, but then felt it was inappropriate, and his gaze involuntarily drifted to Bu Jiu beside him, with a hint of pleading for help.
From the moment Gui Tiao rushed over, Bu Jiu's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze falling on the two's clasped hands. Although he knew it was purely the excitement of a junior meeting a senior, he still wore his displeasure on his face.
Upon receiving Ji Wang's gaze, Bu Jiu let out a soft hum, which sent a chill down Gui Tiao's spine and brought him back to his senses.
"Let's discuss this." Bu Jiu's tone was calm, yet it successfully made Gui Tiao release Ji Wang's hand. Gui Tiao's face flushed even redder, and he hurriedly took two steps back, bowing repeatedly: "This junior has been impolite! Please forgive me!"
Ji Wang breathed a sigh of relief, took the opportunity to withdraw his hand, and gave Gui Tiao a reassuring smile: "It's alright. It's all in the past. There's no need for such formalities. I invited you all here today because of an important matter at hand."
Ji Wang recounted what he had seen at Wuwangyuan, clearly explaining the key points of the "Myriad Phenomena Returning to Origin Array".
His tone was calm and his words were clear and logical; only Ji Wang's gentle narration could be heard in the hall.
The three people opposite listened intently, their expressions growing increasingly solemn with each word. Upon hearing that the "Supreme One's" forces had managed to track them down and launch an attack, Gui Tiao's fist, resting on his lap, clenched quietly; You Hang's brows furrowed into a deep frown; while Xun Jing kept his eyes downcast, watching the tea leaves floating in his cup, seemingly deep in thought.
After Ji Wang finished speaking, Xun Jing slowly raised his eyes. He didn't immediately pursue the thrilling details, but instead astutely grasped the most crucial, unresolved question:
"Therefore, according to the views of Sect Leader Ji and Lord Bujiu, the 'Venerable One's' goal is still Sect Leader Ji's 'Innate Dao Source'. However, because he failed three hundred years ago, or rather, because he himself has not fully mastered the specific method of obtaining the 'Dao Source', he was so cautious in Wuwang Plain."
Ji Wang nodded. This summary was concise and incisive, directly pointing out the most subtle point in the current situation between the enemy and ourselves: the initiative seemed to be in the hands of the "Supreme One" in the shadows, but he was also stuck at a crucial point and dared not make any rash moves.
Ji Wang glanced at the three of them: "Therefore, we are now walking on thin ice. We must deal with both open and covert attacks, and we cannot easily reveal our secrets."
His fingertips unconsciously traced the warm rim of the teacup: "Between Bujiu and I, we can manage to deal with things head-on, but investigating in secret and making connections from all sides is simply beyond our capabilities."
He raised his eyes, his gaze settling solemnly on the three faces: "Therefore, I need manpower. Reliable, quick-witted, and discreet individuals."
These words were tantamount to a formal invitation, or even a request, for them and their sects to get involved in this treacherous and dangerous situation, just as they had done three hundred years ago.
Xun Jing was the first to react. He did not immediately agree, but said slowly, "Sect Leader Ji is quite right. This matter does require the cooperation of many parties. In Wuyi Sect, there are several senior brothers and sisters who are calm and steady, skilled in tracking traces, and extremely discreet. They may be able to take on this task." What he meant was that he was willing to mobilize the core trusted forces of the sect, rather than just relying on young disciples with enthusiasm.
Gui Tiao's eyes lit up, and he immediately replied, "Our Changfeng Sect disciples are best at concealment and protection! Each one of them is a top-notch expert! I'll go back and ask my master for them!" The young man's enthusiasm was unreserved, and he almost patted his chest to guarantee it.
Compared to Gui Tiao's directness, You Hang was more cautious: "The Zongtian Pavilion also has specialists skilled in array deduction and talisman identification, who might be helpful in identifying traces of spiritual energy. However..."
She looked up at Ji Wang and said seriously, "Sect Leader Ji, this matter is of utmost importance. The person chosen must not only be outstanding in ability, but also have a firm will and... must at least be prepared for your true situation, so as not to panic and cause further trouble."
Bu Jiu finally gave some response, clearly agreeing with You Hang's meticulousness: "You Hang's considerations are thorough, and the selection of personnel must be extremely careful, better to have none than to have the wrong one. As for Ji Wang's situation... you can tell him that it concerns three hundred years, and I can personally reveal the specific details after we meet."
He thought it over and over, but still couldn't put his mind at ease, so he added, "People can come. I'm in charge of the security here. Those who come must abide by my rules."
The safety of the valley ultimately rested on his shoulders; he had to ensure that any outsiders were under his control. Especially when it came to matters involving Ji Wang, he could only feel at ease if he handled it personally.
Ji Wang knew that Bu Jiu was worried about his safety, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.
The smile had barely spread when he immediately realized that he was discussing important matters with three allies and, as the leader of this place, should be more composed.
He tried to suppress the smile, pursing his lips, but the genuine joy that welled up in his eyes and brows from being cared for couldn't be hidden, making his forced serious expression seem a bit awkward.
The three men, with their keen senses, immediately and tacitly averted their gazes upon seeing this. For a moment, the only sounds in the room were deliberately soft breathing and the gentle clinking of glasses.
Bu Jiu took in all of this, his gaze falling on Ji Wang's face, which was trying to laugh but desperately holding it back, and he sighed softly.
Ji Wang quickly cleared his throat, straightened his back, and tried to regain the tone he had used during the meeting: "Bu Jiu will ensure the safety of this place. Once the people you have chosen arrive, they will also need to follow orders."
He tried his best to make each word sound calm and powerful, but the lingering gleam in his eyes betrayed most of the "masterful dignity" he was trying to maintain.
The group turned their gaze back at the opportune moment, as if they had not seen anything, and respectfully replied, "We will obey orders and work together."
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