Upon hearing this, Liu Mei's slender figure stiffened slightly, and a resolute look instantly appeared on her originally pale face.
Liu Mei immediately bowed deeply to True Person Huanglong, her voice soft yet resounding, without the slightest hesitation:
"Rest assured, senior. No matter how Long Panzi forces or tortures her in the future, even if Liu Mei is shattered to pieces and her soul is scattered, she will never reveal a single piece of information about her master, Luo Chuan."
"And I certainly won't mention the kindness you showed me today!"
When Liu Mei raised her eyes, there was no fear in them, only her sincerity and steadfastness towards her master. After all, she was Luo Chuan's disciple and the head disciple of the Hengyue Sect.
Since being taken in by Luo Chuan, she has been protected by him and inherited his skills. Her master treated her like a close disciple, teaching her martial arts and protecting her safety.
If it weren't for True Person Huanglong's intervention out of consideration for their past relationship, she would have already died under Long Panzi's wrath.
The concepts of gratitude and loyalty were already etched into her very bones, making it harder for her to betray her master than to kill her.
Therefore, even in her final moments, Liu Mei never considered revealing anything about her master.
"Senior, although Liu Mei's cultivation is low, she still knows what loyalty and righteousness are, and what the bottom line is."
Liu Mei pursed her immature lips, straightened her back, and said with increasing determination, " Long Panzi hates my master to the bone. He only wants to find out my master's whereabouts, background, and trump cards from me. Even if he threatens me with his life or tortures me, I will never speak."
"Given our past relationship with the Hengyue Sect and the life-saving grace from you, Senior, I, Liu Mei, would never betray my master or do anything disloyal. I hope you will believe me."
Looking at the strong-willed young woman before him, True Person Huanglong felt both gratified and helpless. He sighed deeply, his brows furrowed with sorrow.
He walked slowly to the window, gazing at the ethereal clouds swirling above the inner city, his voice low and solemn.
"Do you think I don't believe in your loyalty? In all my years, I've seen far too many upright and indomitable men humiliated by the powerful. Long Panzi's methods are far more ruthless and vicious than you can imagine."
"As the strongest member of the Cultivation Alliance, his cultivation has already reached the peak of the third step, only one step away from the realm of a Great Power. Moreover, he possesses forbidden techniques such as Soul Detection and Soul Searching."
"You have now lost all your cultivation, your physical body is fragile, and your soul is severely damaged. You have no power to resist him whatsoever."
True Person Huanglong turned around, his gaze fixed on Liu Mei, and sighed, "Do you think you can deceive everyone by keeping quiet?"
"If he truly intends to kill you and forcibly searches your soul, your soul will be torn apart. Even if you don't die, you will become a mindless walking corpse."
"At that time, he will still see all your secrets. Not only will you not be able to protect your master, but you will also needlessly lose your life."
Liu Mei pursed her lips slightly, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms, oblivious to the blood seeping out. It wasn't that she was unaware of the terror of the soul-searching technique, but now, she had no choice but to keep the secret to the death.
Seeing that she remained stubborn, True Person Huanglong softened his tone, adding a touch of earnestness, " Liu Mei, I am not asking you to betray your master, but rather to feign compliance and deal with the situation for now."
" Long Panzi is arrogant and conceited, and he loves nothing more than others submitting and bowing down. You just need to go along with him, say some harmless lies and empty words, and pretend to be afraid, so that he thinks you have already submitted and temporarily put aside your murderous intent, thus buying yourself, me, and your master a chance to breathe."
You must understand, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.
True Person Huanglong's voice carried a heavy admonition as he said, "If you die, not only will you fail to keep the secret, but you will also cause Long Panzi to transfer all his hatred onto your master, making him even more frantic in his search for Luo Chuan's whereabouts."
"But if you live, even if it's just feigned flattery, you can buy time, secretly pass on messages, and even wait for your master to come to your rescue."
"Temporary forbearance is not cowardice, but rather a preparation for a future turnaround, and a way to better protect those you want to protect."
True Person Huanglong paused, then continued, "I know that you feel deeply humiliated by doing this. But Long Panzi a narrow-minded and vindictive man. The more defiant you are, the angrier he becomes, and the more ruthless he will be."
"Your cultivation has not yet recovered, and you are powerless to resist. A direct confrontation will only lead to your death. I rescued you not so that you could go to your death, but so that you could live and wait for a turning point."
"You just need to tell him that your master, Luo Chuan, is elusive and never reveals his origins, and that you are merely a disciple he took in by chance, and know very little about him."
"Pretend to submit to the Azure Dragon Sacred Sect and gather information for him, even if it's just for show, and he'll spare your life for now."
True Person Huanglong continued with a helpless tone, "I know this is too difficult for you, but right now, it's the only way to save your life and protect your master's secret."
Hearing True Person Huanglong's words, Liu Mei's long eyelashes trembled slightly, her heart churning with turmoil.
True Person Huanglong's words struck at the heart of the matter. It wasn't that she didn't understand forbearance or how to weigh the options; it was just that the hurdle in her heart—to bow down to her enemy and feign submission—was simply too difficult to overcome.
Recalling his master Luo Chuan Chuan's usual composure and decisiveness, and how he never feared powerful enemies but never acted rashly.
If her master were here, he would surely tell her to save her life first, and then plan for the future.
After a long while, Liu Mei slowly raised her head, her eyes slightly red, but without a single tear. Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion, yet remained firm:
"Senior, I understand... I can feign obedience, I can lie to him, I can pretend to be afraid of his power, but I will never reveal a single piece of information about my master."
"But I have a bottom line. No matter what he asks, I will never do anything to harm my master, my seniors, or the Hengyue Sect."
"If he forces me to do something treacherous, I would rather kill myself immediately than obey."
Upon hearing this, True Person Huanglong finally felt relieved, letting out a long sigh of relief, and a hint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
"With your words, I am relieved."
"Just remember, everything is a temporary measure, everything is for survival. As long as you live, there is hope. As long as you don't reveal the core secret, Long Panzi will never be able to find any fault with Luo Chuan."
"I will secretly arrange an identity for you, allowing you to remain in the outer sect of the Azure Dragon Sacred Sect under the guise of redeeming yourself, temporarily keeping you away from Long Panzi's sight."
"You should always be careful with your words and actions, keep a low profile and be patient. Never show any more hostility towards Long Panzi, and never mention the name Luo Chuan in front of anyone."