Steward Fang

None of the items showed any spiritual fluctuations, so Li Yunjing couldn't tell whether they were magical artifacts, spiritual treasures, or something else.

At that moment, the stone chamber was empty. Li Yunjing saw the two Inner Disciples standing obediently in the middle, silently waiting. Like Chen Zongfu, he stood behind them, waiting for the important figure to arrive.

Li Yunjing closed his eyes slightly and began reviewing his preparations for what was to come.

From Senior Brother Han and the others' deaths, to cleaning up afterward, to the story he would tell in a moment—he also recalled how, before reaching Red Sun Valley, he had buried the four extra Storage Bags along with some incriminating items.

He finally let out a long breath inwardly.

"Clop, clop, clop..."

After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, they finally heard footsteps approaching from a distance.

Li Yunjing stood behind the others. He saw the two Inner Disciples tense up involuntarily and immediately knew the Deacon in charge of receiving him had arrived.

Before long, Li Yunjing heard dozens of footsteps come to a stop.

A lean, silver-haired old man appeared before the four of them. His eyes were bright and sharp, and his imposing expression inspired awe without anger.

"Greetings, Deacon Fang!"

The two Inner Disciples at the front bowed first. Li Yunjing and Chen Zongfu followed their example and bowed as well.

"Mm."

Deacon Fang nodded without paying them any further attention. Instead, he strolled over to the desk and slowly sat down behind it.

"A Menial Disciple?"

Once seated, Deacon Fang looked at Li Yunjing with an amused expression.

After all these years as the First Deacon of Red Sun Valley, this was the first time he had seen a Menial Disciple.

"Yes! This disciple is Li Yunjing, a disciple of the Menial Hall."

Li Yunjing bowed and explained himself to the important figure.

"Tsk, tsk..."

"How interesting. The sect discovered Red Sun Valley several hundred years ago, and never once has a Menial Disciple been sent to deliver provisions."

At that moment, Deacon Fang seemed less concerned with the deaths of the Outer Disciples than with Li Yunjing.

The sudden appearance of a Menial Disciple was far more interesting than a few dead Outer Disciples.

"Heh, this disciple doesn't know either. Somehow, I was sent here without knowing what was going on."

Li Yunjing scratched his head, looking utterly guileless, as if he truly had no idea what was happening.

"Mm. Let me see your Identity Token."

Deacon Fang gave no indication of what he thought and issued the order.

"Yes! Here's my token. The sect also assigned me a task. There are ten Hundred Treasure Pouches here, all filled with provisions!"

Li Yunjing hurried forward to the desk, carefully took out his Identity Token and the ten Hundred Treasure Pouches, then gently set them on the desk.

"Mm, interesting. A True Disciple personally issued this task?"

After looking over Li Yunjing's Identity Token, Deacon Fang seemed surprised.

This time, Deacon Fang studied Li Yunjing carefully for a few moments, then smiled. "Tell me, what's your background? Who's backing you?"

"Hm? So direct?"

Li Yunjing froze. He hadn't expected the important figure to speak so bluntly.

The other three looked at Li Yunjing curiously. Did this kid have some special status?

But before Li Yunjing could answer, Deacon Fang continued, "Think carefully, and answer honestly!"

"If your backer isn't anyone impressive, then the fact that four of your companions died gives me grounds to accuse you of colluding with outsiders to murder your fellow disciples. I'll lock you up, torture you, and investigate at my leisure."

"Hiss..."

Li Yunjing drew in a sharp breath. Was this old geezer really that vicious?

Would he actually torture someone over a baseless accusation?

"Of course, if you do have a backer, I'll let this go out of consideration for them. What happened to you took place outside Red Sun Valley, so naturally, it should be handled by the sect's Law Enforcement Hall."

Deacon Fang looked at Li Yunjing with an amused expression and spoke at an unhurried pace.

The other three couldn't help shivering as well. Was Deacon Fang really this ruthless?

"Hiss..."

Even Li Yunjing was dumbfounded. He hadn't expected Deacon Fang to handle things this way!

It completely threw his thoughts into disarray. Only now did he realize that all his earlier preparations seemed useless.

This kind of blunt, decisive approach had never been among the outcomes he'd considered!

"Reporting to Deacon Fang! This disciple has a good relationship with the Yu Family!"

As he spoke, Li Yunjing opened his robe, revealing the Mystic Jade Inner Armor beneath. Then he raised his leg and pointed to his Gale Boots. "These were gifts from the young lady Yu Yunyi. That's how I came to possess these supreme-grade magical artifacts."

"Mm? The Yu Family?"

Deacon Fang was taken aback. He hadn't expected this kid to actually have connections!

So he really was a connected disciple. He must have offended Wei Henian somehow, prompting that True Disciple to personally assign him a task and send him away.

Deacon Fang's thoughts began racing as he weighed his options.

Wei Henian?

The Yu Family?

Which side would be better to favor?

"Also, Young Master Fu Chao of the Fu Family is my good buddy! For my sake, Brother Fu Chao said in front of thousands of people that anyone who touched me was picking a fight with him!"

Before Deacon Fang could decide, Li Yunjing continued waving his banner. "Fu Chao was willing to go that far for me! As his brother, of course I'd stand by him through thick and thin!"

"Wei Henian dared to make things difficult for Fu Chao, so naturally I couldn't stand by and watch. He wanted revenge on me, so he sent me on this mission. But man proposes and Heaven disposes. We were attacked by demonic beasts halfway there, and I was the only one who escaped thanks to my Gale Boots..."

Li Yunjing grew more and more animated as he spoke, as if it had all really happened.

The other three disciples were stunned. Was this true or not?

That was explosive!

"Shut up!"

Deacon Fang slapped the desk, his expression darkening.

At that moment, he looked at Li Yunjing with open hostility.

A troublemaker!

What a troublemaker!

How had this kid ended up in his hands?

The Yu Family was manageable, since they were reasonable, at least.

But everyone in the Fu Family was a lunatic!

Those people were utterly deranged. If Young Master Fu Chao had really said that anyone who touched Li Yunjing was picking a fight with him, then trouble had truly come knocking.

"Is everything you said true?"

Deacon Fang released an immense pressure upon Li Yunjing. It made it difficult for him to breathe, and only then did Deacon Fang let up.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Li Yunjing's face turned deathly pale. After coughing a few times, he said, "With your position... it shouldn't be hard to investigate this. On that day, thousands of people saw it clearly at Elegant Fragrance Garden in the Menial Hall..."

"Mm. Then I'll waste a Communication Talisman to ask."

Deacon Fang spoke coldly. A flash of light appeared in his hand, and a talisman ignited without a breeze. It turned into a streak of light, flew out of the stone chamber, and vanished in the blink of an eye.