From one brief meeting, Xu Yi had read a world of meaning into it. "Old Desolate, why do I feel a little uneasy?"
After leaving Starry Sky Hall, Xu Yi took a deep breath.
Old Desolate sent him a thought. "Yeah. The way Old Lu put it, at the very least, someone with influence has already spoken to him. Judging by his attitude, he must have politely declined. Keeping you on Starry Sky Island instead of sending you elsewhere for now is probably the stance he's making clear to the outside world."
Xu Yi sent back a thought. "If everything in the world were so easy to read at a glance, that'd be nice."
Old Desolate jolted. "You mean Old Lu's up to something?"
Xu Yi sent back a thought. "If I could tell he was up to something, that'd be easy. The problem is that I can't judge what's really in Judge Lu's heart."
Old Desolate sent back a thought. "There's nothing harder to fathom than the human heart. Yeah, this is tricky. Wait, no—that's not what you mean, is it? You're not asking me to risk my neck and get to the bottom of it, are you? Think about what kind of cultivation Judge Lu has. Even if he's not as strong as Yan Wuyi, he's at least in the micro-domain. If you want to get me killed, just say so..."
Old Desolate had been wondering why Xu Yi was in such a mood to pour out his heart today. Now he understood: the bastard had been setting him up.
Xu Yi was just thinking of a way to keep persuading Old Desolate when the attendant guiding them arrived. He led Xu Yi to a cave dwelling called Qingyue, on the northern side of the mountain, and told