Lao bo was pissed off. Lao Ji kept delaying their departure more and more, wasting their time in trivial matters. They should have returned to the clan long ago, but Lao Ji always found an excuse. First, he wanted to go sightseeing, then accepted to take care of a corps, it was ok as it was in their way anyway. But then he was curious about its disappearance, especially when he found some stupid branch. He wanted to strangle whoever created that damn branch. He was relieved though, Lao Ji couldn't find another excuse anymore. Just as they were leaving, Lao Ji's fidgety ears caught on to something else, some boy was acting suspicious, as some lackeys reported to Xugao.

"Not again Lao Ji, are you kidding me!" veins threatened to burst on his forehead at the smile he saw on his face. Lao Ji didn't say anything back, "Why are you concerning yourself with this small fries, our job is done once Lee XiaoLan was dead"

"You know me Lao bo" Lao Ji walked a few steps,

"The clan is boring, don't you find this game interesting"

All they do back on the clan is cultivate, and prepare for that day, opportunities like this, to leave the clan on missions didn't come often. Unlike Lao Ji though, he was serious, he was eager to go back to his training. With his lacking talent, he needed to put in more effort to catch up to Lao Ji.

"You know I like interesting things" he snickered.

"And this is the last time" Lao Ji added, Lao bo knew he couldn't stop his fellow, but he swore this would be it, he can't trust his fellow promised last time, he will leave with or without him. 'What are we doing with this lowly clan matters' Lao Bo lamented his wasted time.

So they started to follow the boy, nothing special came out, all the boy does was normal daily tasks before he goes back. He thought this was his chance to end this farce, Lao Ji wasn't convinced though, the boy was tense for some reason, and that was it. Lao Ji was excited about that, the boy knew he was followed, he said. So here they are again, waiting for something interesting to happen. Lao Bo was at his last nerve.

"I told you, there is something," Lao Ji jerked from his place looking at a certain direction.

"What do you mean?" But he didn't wait for an answer, he sends a sensing wave, but he caught nothing, he shook his head looking at Loa Ji, his soul wasn't as powerful.

"Someone is here!" Lao Ji said not looking at him.

'whatever that is, it's none of our business, damn it,' he could only shake his head though. 'Let's get done with this,' Lao Bo was about to move when he found the hand of Lao Ji in front of his chest.

"Man don't be such a pity! things finally started to get interesting,"

Lao Ji rolled his eyes at him, "Let's watch first". A sinister smile from ear to ear formed on his face, it made even Lao Bo uneasy.

"roarrr..." They were startled a little bit, even though the roar was far. Looking at both of the boys, far lying on the ground, one laughing and the other shocked. He smirked as his face shited to his fellow.

"Lao Ji, do you have anything else to say!"

******

Majid's heart was beating furiously, he got on the stage. He was to perform in a play he has to write on air. Failure was out of the question, his life was on the line. His fellow actor has no idea about the play, and he needs to make him get into his role as well. The tricky part though was how to deal with the unknown actor that gonna join, otherwise the curtain would fall down too soon. His heart wasn't fuelled by fear alone, as he calmed himself enough excitement joined, the system's clues gave him hope. He liked this walk on the rope between life and death, where his performance decided the outcome.

He decided to play a silly guy's persona, only then a lot of the nonsense could be hidden under the cover of his silliness. Things like his uncanny look, his relation to Teemao, and others that might pop up anytime. Inspired by the scare his system gave him, he got his play entry. Startling Teemao himself instead of letting him get shocked by just seeing him, he avoided a suspicious start. After that, he took advantage of the situation to make Teemao join his play as he grabbed his hand.

"I know you're followed, play along with me" letting the information sink in the boy's mind, he gave him a meaningful look nodding his head. His mind was moving at full speed, he saw some herbs on Mao Ji basket

"Did you brought the herbs I told you," Teemao was still unresponsive. Majid expected that much, he calmed the stress that was trying to sneak on him. 'I can't him let him be,' he needed to give Teemao some time to collect himself, hopefully. He looked at the basket and noded widely.

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"Great! great!" his head was still nodding, "you should be proud that I, Mao Ji an inner disciple is giving you face." Fortunately, he has given his new persona some thoughts, since the day Fiery asked about his name, so it wasn't hard for him to prepare for this situation. He decided to claim an inner disciple identity, he could pull it off somehow. It was his best bet with the uniform on him anyway. Though it was dirty, a slight check-up could easily differentiate it as an inner disciple uniform. A white shirt and pants embroidered in black, with the clan's name on it. Only his robe sets him apart as a core disciple, fortunately, he threw it away.

"Let's exchange a few blows as I promised!" as he walked to the clearing he whispered, "Tell me what happened as we spar." Teemao bubble popped, at last, he made a serious look as he followed after him.

"If you can hit me once, I would spar with you again," he raised his head, he doesn't know if he was hamming it or not, all he could do is go forward.

Making his resolve, Teemao bolted towards him, a series of punches showered at him. He easily dodged them though, sometimes he guarded, creating slight pauses, "They spread a rumor...", Teemao was sharp himself, easily caught on his hints. A swing was deflected, a fist followed, "...Xugao assigned someone...", he ducked avoiding an attack, his legs swiped, Teemao jumped, "...to deal with you". As they clashed, each time Teemao delivered a piece of information. It didn't take long for him to understand the whole situation. Unfortunately, Teemao didn't know much about his pursuers, but at least he put Teemao on the right track before a sound interrupted them.

"Greeting fellow disciples"

It was like that moment, up high, looking down on the water, you made your resolve to jump. Someone pushed you out of nowhere, it shouldn't make a difference, but you can't help but freak out, end up flat on the water. Majid knew the push was coming, so he calmed himself midway and turned facing the man, He knew he couldn't delay, any moment of hesitation can affect the impression, and change the result. Teemao, on the other hand, looked tenser, he couldn't help it, the situation got out of control for him, if he knew he knew things would turn like this he would never have taken another step here.

Majid squinted his eyes as he looked at the newcomer, it was a young man in his twenties, with a scar that runs through one of his eyes. after a moment majid was relieved, his prediction was right. He didn't know the man, the system couldn't even apprize his name. That should go the other way around, the man shouldn't know him either. But that doesn't mean he didn't know about him. Though they don't know he was alive he should be careful, the highlight of the show, starts now.

What attracted Majid's attention though, the man was wearing an inner disciples' robe, but since he never saw him, it was clear he wasn't one, the man must be undercover for some reason.

"Greeting fellow disciple" Majid greeted back following the norms.

"But I don't remember seeing you" Though there were more than a hundred inner disciples, there was no way he never saw him. Majid pointed out this fact, to earn some credibility on one hand, and pressure him to retreat by the other, hopefully, the man's cover was important. He was adamant to control the flow of the conversation, he hopped his young body would help him conceal his slyness.

"I'm a new inner disciple," Lao Ji shrugged his shoulders. Majid almost rolled his eyes as his neck leaned back, someone that could use that sensing technique, even core disciples can't hold a candle to him, but he wasn't about to challenge him directly.

"Really, did the clan started recruitment!" He turned to Teemao giving him a simple task to do, the latter shook his head. So he rolled his eyes on the man.

Sometimes the best way to defend was to attack, he continued his pressure on him when the opportunity presented itself. As he saw the look on the man's face though, he understood he doesn't have a chance, the young man doesn't seem worried in the least. He thanked his lucky stars that he didn't try to run away.

Lao Ji's eyes were vacant, his forefinger tapping on his chin. He turned his eyes and squinted at him for a while before his eyes brightened suddenly, then he burst.

"HAHA....!" hysterically playing on Majid heart's strings, whatever that means, it couldn't be anything good. 'What did he saw in me' majid self-control weakened his and his poker face craked. 'don't tell me...'. Lao Ji fit stopped and looked at him again, Majid's heart threated to burst out.

"I came with other fellow disciples," he squinted at them " they can confirm my identity when they are back".

Majid braced himself for anything, to hold his poker face but this news nearly shattered it. The man was looking intently waiting for that, instead, he caught the fright in Teemao's face. Things were getting out of his script, the man took control of the play. Majid fought his hurried breaths, his gears rolled faster, he looked at the Man, the latter has a smirk hanging on his face like he was enjoying himself. 'Is he bluffing...' he has an inkling it was true, he doesn't feel good about it though. 'But why...' a scary idea crossed his mind but he avoided it like the plague, he doesn't want to believe it.

'I can't let this continue,' Majid tried to take hold of the play again, he acted

"Where are my manners, let me introduce myself, I'm Mao Ji an inner disciple"

"HAHA....!" Lao Ji ruined his momentum again, "We have the same name, interesting! I guess this fate" he laughed again for a while, making his unease increase.

"Ah, where are my manners, let me introduce myself, My name is Lao Ji" Majid felt he was mocking him, but that wasn't the problem.

"But where's your robe fellow disciple Mao Ji?" it didn't take much before he added, "Are you really an inner disciple yourself?" With each question, Lao Ji threw, another string of hope snapped, and the crack in his face spread. It finally chattered, with his next question, as Lao Ji looked at Teemao.

"Why did you spy on the disciples before" the smile on Lao Ji's face deepened into a vicious snake "And why did you rush here to meet him?"

Majid breaths stopped at these last questions, all the signs the man gave led to the same end, the worst-case scenario. The man discovered his real identity. The last strings of his rope snapped, the mission failed. The only thing that was still in his favor was the initiative, he was about to attack. 'If only my lightning was at its full potential,' maybe he could make a surprise attack, he could escape, but it doesn't matter anymore. Majid's eyes fixated on Lao Ji, "th-thump! th-thump..." his Legs bent slowly and Qi channeled through.