The air in the Council Hall lay heavy as a mountain.
Qin Lie's question stirred a ripple in Li Yun's heart, but his face remained calm and composed.
He took a deep breath. Rather than rashly accept this crushing burden, he looked steadily at Qin Lie in the seat of honor and spoke slowly.
"Chief Escort, forgive me for speaking plainly."
"After Xu Jinfeng's betrayal, the secret of the Heavenly Saint Remnant Stele was exposed. If we take it out now, it will be an open escort. Who knows how many people will have their eyes on it?"
"At a time like this, powerful enemies will surely lurk all along the route if I escort it. The dangers are impossible to predict, and I fear I may not be able to keep the stele safe."
Li Yun's words were calm and objective, each one striking at the heart of the matter. The senior members in the hall nodded inwardly, sharing his concerns.
An elderly man seated nearby slowly rose. His hair and beard were graying, and he wore a plain, old-fashioned robe. The weighty aura of an Upper Sage flowed naturally from him. He was Lu Shan, one of the Hu Hai Escort Agency's deputy chiefs.
Lu Shan turned his gaze to Li Yun and patiently explained in a measured voice.
"Escort Captain Li's concerns are reasonable. They also show you've thought this through carefully. You're remarkably prudent—far more so than the agency's other escort captains!"
"And that is precisely why we came to you to escort the Heavenly Saint Remnant Stele."
"We won't hide it from you. After the Qing'an Escort Agency's plot with Xu Jinfeng was exposed, they flew into a rage and decided that, with the pot already cracked, they might as well smash it. They deliberately