Tao Yaoyao walked all the way to the middle of the woods, stopping only when the carriage on the road was out of sight.
"Pavilion Master Tao, why are you suddenly leaving Windrise Stronghold?" Chen Shi'an asked first.
Tao Yaoyao chuckled. "These are headquarters' wishes. I can only follow orders."
Chen Shi'an murmured an acknowledgment. "Will you come back?"
Tao Yaoyao hesitated briefly. "It's not very likely."
Chen Shi'an asked another question. "Where will you go next?"
Tao Yaoyao shook her head. "I don't know yet. I have to return to headquarters first and follow their arrangements.
"Although I'm leaving Windrise Stronghold, our cooperation will continue. I've already made arrangements. When the time comes, someone will deliver the silver to the Three-Killing Battalion."
"Thank you, Pavilion Master Tao."
Chen Shi'an cupped his hands slightly.
Tao Yaoyao lifted her eyelids slightly. "After treating Song Yuming and his father Song Yuan like that, are you already planning to tear off all pretense of civility with Desolate Suppression City?"
Chen Shi'an shook his head. "I'm just taking one step at a time. I simply couldn't stand watching Desolate Suppression City send over any random person to ride roughshod over our Windrise Stronghold."
Tao Yaoyao sighed softly. "You've been to Desolate Suppression City. You should know how powerful it is.
"What you're doing is rather risky.
"Once you anger Desolate Suppression City, the consequences will be unthinkable."
Chen Shi'an replied, "Desolate Suppression City's strength is certainly beyond anything our Windrise Stronghold can contend with.
"But as long as I don't touch Song Yuan, Xiao Yi, or the others, it doesn't count as a direct confrontation with Desolate Suppression City."
Tao Yaoyao shook her head. "Your strengths aren't equal. Desolate Suppression City won't have so many scruples when it acts, nor will it listen to