Bai Lian thought about it and realized this was also one of the "opportunities" his master had mentioned. So he did not make a move, merely replying amicably, "Hello. You... are stowaways too?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Bai Lian realized with a start that he had simply failed to notice their presence—but they had been there all along.
In other words, they had heard the conversation between him and his master earlier and knew he was an envoy of the Holy Palace? The discovery left Bai Lian mortified and uneasy—he had just been planning to pass himself off as a stowaway to avoid a fight!
Yet an unexpected reply came from the other side, carrying a hint of ease and an obvious pretense of self-deception: "Ah, right, right. You're stowaways too? That's wonderful. Since we're all hiding within the Heavenly Dao, then... let's keep out of each other's way and mind our own business, shall we?"
You people are plugging your ears while stealing a bell, aren't you?! That was Bai Lian's only thought at the moment.
But on second thought, the frightened ones were the other side, while he had been the first to extend a friendly signal.
Knowing full well that he was an envoy of the Holy Palace, and that his master Mu Lin was present too, how could they dare force an attack?
Bai Lian understood all the reasoning...
Yet his heart was incomparably tangled at this moment.
Has this world gone mad? An envoy of the Holy Palace like me is keeping company with stowaways?
After pondering for a long while and seeing no sign that his master intended to arrest them, Bai Lian knew how he should respond.
He suppressed the frenzy in his heart, sorted through the complicated words he