The stifling tension hung thick in the air as Ji Wuye's crimson eyes scanned the group of beggars, his gaze sharp like a falcon's. His previous words sliced through the uneasy silence, instantly putting everyone on edge.

The beggars unconsciously standing up, gripped the hilts of their concealed flying daggers, their knuckles whitening with trepidation. Chests rose and fell in rapid, audible breaths, betraying their overwhelming anxiety.

Sensing their apprehension, Ji Wuye raised his palms in a placating gesture, shaking his head slowly. "Ah, please Seniors. I really mean no harm," he reassured, though a hint of exasperation tinged his voice. He stood up unhurriedly, movements measured and deliberate, as if not to provoke further unease.

Only then, Tian Chang, let out an awkward, wheezing laugh that did little to diffuse the tension. "Right...ahahaha...pardon this old man, my senses have dulled," he offered with an apologetic grimace, scratching the back of his graying head in a disarming manner.

His eyes also crinkled with age as he surreptitiously signaled for his subordinates to keep their weapons hidden, fingers twitching ever so slightly.

Yet his squinting gaze betrayed his wariness as it fixed upon Ji Wuye's ever-present, enigmatic smile. "Then, what does Young Friend Ji want from this miserable and humble old man?" Tian Chang queried, unable to discern the young disciple's true intentions behind that affable facade.

'I can't believe such a cunning young person is actually a disciple of Kunlun...' The thought flickered through Tian Chang's mind, his brow furrowing imperceptibly.

He realized then just how adeptly Ji Wuye's every action and subtle gesture, coupled with their precarious situation under the watchful eye of an Inner Disciple, served to ratchet up the tension.

Each pause, each furtive glance around them, stoked the flames of unease, leaving their minds racing with dread over what bold move he might make next.

Even Tian Chang's two subordinates visibly gulped, their Adams apples bobbing with palpable trepidation. 'But the biggest concern is his unknown strength,' Tian Chang pondered, steeling himself.

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Yet, Ji Wuye's next words were punctuated by ponderous pauses that only amplified the air of mystery. "It's not an extravagant request, or to be precise, it can only be done by Senior Tian himself, actually..." His eyes flitted about as if checking for unseen assailants, deepening Tian Chang's frown.

Then, those crimson orbs narrowed upon them, and the disarmingly handsome man uttered the words that made even Tian Chang's composure falter: "What's the current situation of the Demonic Sect?"

Tian Chang's expression contorted into one of feigned cluelessness at Ji Wuye's brazen mention of the Demonic Sect. "H-how... No! What are you talking about, Young Friend?" he sputtered, eyes widening in ersatz shock.

Inwardly, however, he dug his nails into his calloused palms, reeling from Ji Wuye's nonchalant reference to that most classified of informations.

'Impossible! A mere disciple like him knows of the Demonic Sect?' His mind raced, struggling to comprehend how this famous Flower Boy could be privy to such tightly guarded secrets.

For his part, Ji Wuye savored every nuance of Tian Chang's reaction, lips curling into an imperceptible smirk. His crimson gaze then flitted to Tian Chang's subordinates, studying their expressions intently.

Yet they just stand still, still not realizing what just happened. Instead, their attention constantly shifts between watching him and Song Jia's campfire.

'Well, they seem to be unaware,' he deduced. These two likely held too low a rank or were too newly initiated beggars to know the details.

The Demonic Sect Invasion loomed large in Ji Wuye's mind - an apocalyptic event fated to occur two years hence, if the previous timeline held true.

They would unleash their unholy onslaught upon Kunlun itself, and the ensuing cataclysm would annihilate countless Elders, disciples and even the sect's dwindling hopes.

It was that dire circumstance which had allowed Ji Wuye's return after expulsion, as Kunlun desperately recalled all exiled Outer Disciples to replenish their decimated ranks.

But now, a glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes. 'Perhaps, I can even prevent it from happening...'

His mind was set - he would strive to divert this timeline from its preordained path of ruin. And inquiring about the Demonic Sect's current state was merely the first, tentative step on that arduous journey.

Refocusing on Tian Chang, who still feigned ignorance, Ji Wuye's brow furrowed slightly. 'Perhaps it's too much to ask...'

But then a subtle shift in his peripheral vision from where his Senior Sister was located caught his attention. It seemed Li Rong had finally sensed something amiss, likely due to the loud laughter and constant words coming from Tian Chang.

"Then let's change the topic, Senior," Ji Wuye conceded smoothly, recognizing the futility of pursuing this line of questioning overtly. Deft fingers slipped into the folds of his voluminous sleeves, emerging with a handful of glinting Qián.

The clink of metal coins hit the air as a veritable fortune in Qián spilled from Ji Wuye's sleeve - some seven hundred pieces, glinting tantalizingly in the dim light.

The sheer sum left Tian Chang's subordinates goggling in astonishment. For average beggars who typically scraped by on a meager 150 Qián per month, this unexpected windfall was nothing short of staggering wealth.

Even Tian Chang could not fully mask the brief flicker of avarice that broke his impassive countenance.

Seizing the opportunity, Ji Wuye pressed his advantage. "Please give me the recent details of any activity from the Demonic Sect," he stated evenly, crimson eyes boring into them with quiet intensity. "Anything is fine; you can even share the tiniest details possible."

As the words left his lips, Ji Wuye deftly backpedaled, melting into the enveloping shadows until only the faint, eerie glow of his inhuman irises remained visible - twin pinpricks of scarlet watching, weighing their response.

But then…

"Found you!" The booming declaration shattered the tense silence, Tian Chang's dazed, inward contemplation shattering like a reverie dispelled.