"Based on the information we've gathered so far, there will be a sort of 'new merchant gathering' in three days at Tianji Village," Lian Rougang's melodious voice, rich as finely aged wine, rang out with crisp authority as she handed Ji Wuye the parchment.

Her almond-shaped eyes, the warm brown of autumnal woodlands, remained coolly impassive, framed by thick sooty lashes.

The document contained a list of conversations between the prisoners and the interrogators disciples from the law department.

Ji Wuye's slender fingers traced the rough fibers of the parchment as his piercing gaze scanned the damning words.

According to the scribbled lines, this intelligence came from the intruders—unorthodox martial artists who were captured last night after enduring various brutal methods of interrogation.

'That's correct,' Ji Wuye's mind affirmed, his fingers tapping as he cross-referenced this new data with the infromation he had received from the Beggar Sect.

Aside from the stark details of the gathering, Kunlun offered no additional insights, as plainly stated in the document before him.

The only other scraps were outdated information or minimal details about the total force of attack and when the unorthodox faction might strike, from Ji Wuye due to the agreement with Elder Qiao.

As Ji Wuye calmly absorbed the words, Li Rong, deftly poured fragrant tea into delicate ceramic cups for both the stoic Ji Wuye and the contemplative Elder Qiao, the aromatic steam swirling in the tense silence.

After allowing Ji Wuye a contemplative moment, Lian Rougang continued in that same dispassionate tone, "But we are not entirely certain about this information yet. We're currently working to reestablish contact with the inscrutable Beggar Sect and procure more detailed intelligence on their clandestine operations."

Her full lips, the vibrant hue of freshly plucked roses, pursed ever so slightly as she spoke, gorgeous features revealing not a flicker of emotion.

At this, Ji Wuye raised his gaze, his eyes narrowing slightly as the faintest of wry smiles played across his chiseled features.

Judging by the guarded, yet serene expression gracing Elder Qiao's breathtakingly beautiful features, the delicate process of negotiating with the Beggar Sect seemed to be proceeding cautiously well. Though Ji Wuye's discerning eyes could detect the faintest glimmer of veiled concern that still lingered in the fathomless depths of her piercing, all-knowing gaze.

The Beggar Sect had always leaned towards the orthodox side, favoring them especially during times when Evil Factions were still active in Jianghu.

But when conflicts erupted between the two diametrically opposed factions, Unorthodox and Orthodox, they would coldly neutral, trading vital information to any party without favor, neither hiding nor protecting anyone in their singular pursuit of profit.

As the preeminent informants in the clandestine world of Jianghu, the Beggar Sect's vast intelligence network and unparalleled information-trading skills reigned supreme - they had no true competitors when it came to dominating the shadowy information market.

Now that the Kunlun sect had officially sought the Beggar Sect's cooperation, it meant the veil would soon be lifted on the unorthodox side's nefarious attack plans.

But as a result, this also signaled that Kunlun and the orthodox factions could thoroughly prepare their defenses, while the unorthodox rebels would undoubtedly anticipate fierce resistance from Kunlun, one of the six famous sects in Jianghu.

In this new precipitous situation, there was no longer an urgent need for someone like Ji Wuye - a relatively low-ranking Outer Disciple whose just had merely been to provide intelligence about the secret passage's existence.

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So what other purpose could Ji Wuye potentially serve?

'The prisoner,' the realization dawned on Ji Wuye in an instant, his mind instinctively strategizing.

"However..." Just as Ji Wuye had expected, his peerlessly beautiful Senior Sister Lian Rougang's expression tightened almost imperceptibly with palpable frustration, her words carrying a regretful weight despite the impassive mask she wore,

"The prisoner we captured yesterday has perished in custody. And not only that, the unorthodox martial artist who infiltrated our hallowed ranks by disguising himself as one of our own trusted disciples has fallen into a trance-like, vacant state after his capture."

"Hypnotized," Elder Qiao's melodious voice, as sweet as chiming bells, abruptly interjected. She exhaled a cloud of aromatic smoke from between those full crimson lips as her solemn, penetrating gaze fell heavily upon the small group.

Her long ivory-stemmed pipe smoldered lazily between her slender fingers as she had been quietly indulging in its fragrant vapors.

Tendrils of aromatic smoke danced around her fair and beautiful features as she explained, "It's a trick, and there is even a martial art for that, frequently employed by the Hidden Sects."

Hearing this, the subtle gesture of mentioning hypnosis, and Elder Qiao's glance at him—how could Ji Wuye not understand the obvious meaning?

"I'll do my utmost. Is there anything else you need me to handle?" Without hesitation, he responded with frank directness.

But, Ji Wuye's blunt forthrightness caused a stir of mixed reactions amongst the stern Inner Disciples observing the tense conversation.

"Impudent! How dare you address the Elders with such disrespect—" As expected, the one whose face flushed with indignant rage was none other than the Senior Brother Yuan Xu, his eyes burning like smoldering coals.

However, Yuan Xu's furious outburst and heated expression of indignant rage were instantly extinguished by a single, withering stare from the regal Elder Qiao. Her piercing eyes, framed by long dark lashes, flashed like sharpened steel as she fixed the insolent disciple with a look that could freeze an erupting volcano in its tracks.

"My apologies, Master," Yuan Xu immediately lowered his head in chastened submission, though Ji Wuye could still keenly feel the intense, hateful eyes glaring at his back like branding irons.

An impish, almost girlish grin played across Elder Qiao's exquisite porcelain features as she commented with an audacious, flirtatious tone, the words dripping from her plump crimson lips like honey, "As expected, you're the only one here who truly understands me, Ji Wuye."

She then leisurely raised the ivory pipe to those full, inviting lips and took a long, indulgent pull, tendrils of fragrant smoke wafting around her luminous visage, before sipping slowly from a cup of steaming green tea, her lithe fingers caressing the delicate porcelain as she savored a pillowy steamed bun that had just been placed before them on the round stone table.

Give and take—this was the unspoken foundation upon which trust was cultivated between people, an unbreakable bond forged through mutual exchange.

Back then, Ji Wuye had sworn to repay the favor of Elder Qiao, who had granted him access to the second floor of Kunlun’s Thousand Pavilion and prevented him from being expelled.

Two monumental favors, meaning the Elder Qiao could make two substantial requests of Ji Wuye at any point.

"One favor has already been spent, am I right?" As if her penetrating gaze could pierce the veil of Ji Wuye's contemplative thoughts, the astute Elder Qiao guessed the truth with ease, her piercing eyes of liquid mercury remaining steadfastly locked with Ji Wuye's dark red crimson eyes.

"But let's save discussion of that for later, shall we?" The raven-haired beauty chuckled slyly, an impish grin playing across her full crimson lips as she waved one graceful hand towards Ji Wuye before gesturing towards Lian Rougang and the icy Li Rong with an air of casual dismissal.

However, their momentary calm was abruptly shattered by an unwelcome, brash voice.

"Forgive my impudence, Master! But I completely disagree with assigning such a critical task to an incapable Outer Disciple lacking true prowess!" It was Senior Brother Yuan Xu once again, bowing low with cupped hands extended towards the Elder Qiao.

"This disciple agrees wholeheartedly with Brother Yuan's perspicacious warning, Master! Please heed his wise counsel," Kang Xia swiftly added, also bowing deferentially with cupped hands, his expression one of solemn conviction.

Elder Qiao's exquisite porcelain features darkened like thunderclouds as her piercing stare fell upon her two foolish, insolent disciples. "A frail emotion can lead entire kingdoms to ruin and destruction.

“A simple, jealous mind can erode even the strongest willpower and noblest character," she intoned, her melodious voice as cold as winter's bite. The scathing rebuke caused Yuan Xu's body to tremble involuntarily.

"I'm...sorry, Master! But this disciple still believes assigning this to that kind of man is the wrong decision!" Yuan Xu's tremulous voice shook with a potent mixture of shock at his Master's biting admonition and the molten anger still simmering within.

His lips pressed tightly together as fists clenched, though his defiant stare towards the peerless beauty remained blazing and unflinching.

"I can understand why Little Xu might harbor such immature misgivings, but you, Little Xia?" Elder Qiao's sweet tone grew exponentially icier as she turned her withering gaze towards the two young men.

Shaking her head slowly in profound disappointment, raven tresses swaying like silk, she added with a heavy sigh, "Where have I taught you two so wrongly?"

The tense atmosphere was thick enough to choke on as Kang Xia attempted to justify his stance, "I apologize, Master, but Junior Brother Ji's current strength and capability simply don't meet the stringent requirements for such an paramount task. So I—"

"—Enough!" Lian Rougang's stern voice sliced through Kang Xia's words like a razor-sharp blade, abruptly cutting him off just as he was about to elaborate on his reasoning for opposing Ji Wuye's involvement.

She fixed the two Inner Disciples with an icy glare that could freeze rivers.

"You've been relentlessly harassing and belittling my Junior Brother at every turn. Do you foolish men truly think the rest of us are blind to your pathetic displays of petty jealousy and crippling inferiority complexes?"

For the first time, Ji Wuye witnessed the normally stoic and composed Lian Rougang raise her voice against them, her eyes narrowing dangerously as utter disgust contorted her elegant features into a sneer of disdain.

"I hereby officially challenge you both to a formal spar, here and now!" she suddenly declared in a ringing tone that brooked no argument, her bold words catching everyone present completely off guard.

Ji Wuye felt stunned yet again, seeing this intense, fiery side of his Senior Sister that seemed so drastically out of character from the serene, unflappable person he had known until this very moment.