Chen Shi'an nodded firmly. "I've dealt with Gu Qingyao and Gu Xiaotian personally. There's no problem."
Iron Bull gave an "oh" and said nothing more.
Chen Shi'an's expression turned solemn. "I don't want anyone else knowing about Flowing Stone Stronghold yet. You must keep it secret."
Iron Bull thumped his chest with a resounding boom. "Rest assured, Commander. For those of us in intelligence, keeping our mouths shut is the first priority!"
Chen Shi'an rolled his eyes. "Then what happened with Fang Ruyu?"
Iron Bull immediately looked embarrassed and scratched his head. "I just saw how troubled and conflicted you were, Commander, so I thought I'd discuss it with Pi Hou, Du Gang, and the others. Many hands make light work. We might have come up with a good solution."
Chen Shi'an snorted softly. "Flowing Stone Stronghold and Fang Ruyu are two different matters."
Iron Bull hurriedly replied, "I understand what's at stake. Please rest assured, Commander."
After Iron Bull left, Liu Qingyi came to Chen Shi'an's side. "Master, are you leaving tonight?"
Chen Shi'an nodded. "We have enough Marrow-Washing Pills on hand for now. You can lower your standards for distributing them a little.
"Don't be stingy with them. If this trip goes smoothly, we won't have to worry about Marrow-Washing Pills anymore."
Liu Qingyi murmured her acknowledgment. "I know what to do."
Chen Shi'an added, "You must keep up with your own cultivation.
"Zhu Neng has undergone Marrow-Washing and Bone-Tempering twice, so his potential is considerable too. Allocate more of the cultivation resources you have to him..."
Chen Shi'an said whatever came to mind, speaking for a full half hour.
Liu Qingyi listened attentively, afraid of missing a single point.
"All right, I've said just about everything I need to. It's time I left." Chen Shi'an rose, ready