Having received the response, Chu Xingchen swept his hand and pushed the suspended river water forward.
If possible, Chu Xingchen would have loved to give everyone a cup, but the amount he had was simply too small. One drop per person would be... rather lacking in dignity.
From every direction, spiritual energy gathered, drawing in the wine mixed with Chunnuan.
Immediately after, a figure came striding across the river from afar, reaching Chu Xingchen in mere moments.
The man before him looked like a middle-aged fellow with some unkempt stubble on his face. His physique was lean and muscular, spiritual energy rolled around him, and his cultivation level was not at all low by the standards of the Eastern Divine Continent.
Chu Xingchen's gaze swept over this person.
[Target: Gu Sanyang]
[Cultivation: Early Deity Transformation]
[Purple Tag: Cunning Mind]
[Blue Tag: Skilled in Cultivation]
[Blue Tag: Decent Aptitude]
[White Tag: Suspicious Nature]
Gu Sanyang stood at a distance of about ten feet from the bamboo raft and bowed with clasped hands:
"Subordinate Gu Sanyang, currently holding the position of Deputy Emissary. I am at the Emissary's command. Most of those present have hidden identities and don't know one another.
I've come this time merely to see the Emissary's face so I can recognize you for any separate instructions in the future. If the Emissary wishes to meet everyone individually later, you can summon them separately. I hope the Emissary won't take offense."
Chu Xingchen gave a slight nod: "Given the circumstances, naturally I take no offense."
"Thank you for your understanding, Emissary." Gu Sanyang straightened up, his expression neither humble nor arrogant, though his tone was notably gentle. "And thank you, Emissary—otherwise, I'm afraid I'd never have gotten to taste this wine in my entire life."
Chu Xingchen chuckled: "Life's road is long, and opportunities are uncertain. There are many things I still need to ask you here—why don't you come aboard and speak."
Gu Sanyang bowed again before carefully stepping onto the bamboo raft. He stood only at the very edge, not moving a single step further inward.
Chu Xingchen didn't mind. He picked up his wine cup and gently clinked it against Yuyang Daozi's cup:
"A toast to you."
With that, Chu Xingchen drained his cup in one go.
Yuyang Daozi quietly studied Chu Xingchen for a moment, then drank his cup dry as well.
"There are some things that, if possible, I'd rather not trouble Brother Yuyang with." Chu Xingchen tossed his cup into the river. "After all, leveraging friendship to ask for help—no one feels entirely cheerful about that."
Yuyang Daozi also tossed his cup away, saying in a calm voice: "It's fine. At least your attitude today was proper."
Seeing this, Yuyang Daozi also understood why Chu Xingchen had insisted on having him come here to assemble—I have a favor to ask, but I won't hide what the favor involves from you.
This was the highest courtesy when asking someone for help, yet also the most fundamental thing.
Chu Xingchen sighed softly: "The attitude is just to show that my next words are serious—not perfunctory, not born of petty calculation, not saying one thing to your face and another behind your back."
Yuyang Daozi's gaze shifted toward him. Though he and Chu Xingchen had a friendship, behind him stood the Taodao Sect, and what he had to shoulder was the Taodao Sect's interests and reputation.
Some things weren't about personal preferences or dislikes—what was required was the purest rationality.
After a moment's pause, Yuyang Daozi spoke: "Tell me first."
Chu Xingchen raised a hand and cast a spiritual energy barrier, sealing off all sound from inside and out.
"The Demons have risen again across the Five Continents. The Tianyan Sect and the Xuanqing Heavenly Sect have discovered traces in the Eastern Divine Continent." As he spoke, Chu Xingchen retrieved the pitch-black Rule Crystal from his spatial ring.
"The Tianyan Sect's previous operation was precisely to investigate this. I know it may be hard to believe—the Demons that were eradicated a thousand years ago have not only revived, but even have the spare capacity for these experiments."
"I don't want to believe it either, but the facts speak for themselves. This is the evidence, and what I say is the truth."
"The Demons' methods of concealment far exceed our expectations... and the extent of their revival likely far surpasses our imagination as well."
Yuyang Daozi frowned slightly as he looked at the Rule Crystal in Chu Xingchen's hand, asking with a somewhat skeptical tone:
"Can you be certain that what you're saying is genuine and not fabrication?"
Chu Xingchen answered firmly: "Absolutely."
Yuyang Daozi's brow relaxed, and his gaze turned toward the distant river:
"In that case, I can naturally help. This is a great matter for the human realm—as a member of the human race, it is my duty to do so."
His impression of Chu Xingchen was actually quite good. Though the story was far-fetched, given their friendship, trusting him once was fine. If Chu Xingchen was deceiving him, at least he'd have seen the true colors of someone he'd be dealing with in the future—not that big a loss.
Besides, he wasn't a fool. Once involved, he'd naturally assess the situation himself. Cross-referencing with the Taodao Sect's intelligence network, many details could be verified.
If he discovered early on that Chu Xingchen had ulterior motives, he could make preparations.
Still... he hoped he hadn't misjudged a friend.
Chu Xingchen reached out and draped an arm over Yuyang Daozi's shoulder: "Before we get to business, there are some things I want to make clear with you upfront."
"When I do things, I always aim for a clear conscience. A task may fail, but I don't want to damage our friendship."
"If you have concerns or reservations, you must voice them, and I'll take them into account—lest any rifts form between us."
"Also, we speak plainly about what needs to be said. Whatever can be disclosed without reservation, we disclose."
"And most importantly—once this is done, I'm buying you drinks."
Yuyang Daozi ignored everything before that last point, responding only to it:
"It'd better be Chunnuan."
Chu Xingchen laughed: "If there isn't enough, I'll take you to the Tianyan Sect to steal more."
Yuyang Daozi turned his gaze to Chu Xingchen and asked:
"Go on, what's the plan?"
At these words, Chu Xingchen's gaze shifted to Gu Sanyang standing to the side:
"Share whatever intelligence we have right now, and if there's any deployment or plan, lay it out."
Gu Sanyang naturally recognized the young Daoist standing beside Chu Xingchen—the legendary Flawless Daoist, the True Person Yuyang.
Normally, this kind of information shouldn't be discussed in front of an outsider, but Chu Xingchen's earlier words hadn't been directed only at True Person Yuyang—those words were also meant for him.
Powerful figures still conducted their affairs with such effortless boldness.
Perhaps having high cultivation really did let you do as you pleased. At any rate, Gu Sanyang knew he couldn't pull off this kind of style himself.
But he knew his place. Without hesitation, Gu Sanyang began: "That object is most likely just a prototype, and the evil cultivators we've been tracking are merely pawns used to test those things."
"Unremarkable pawns can naturally be discarded, but if these pawns can give the Demons hope of producing a finished product, it might be possible to draw out the mastermind behind the scenes."
"They hide too deeply—all we can track are faint shadows."
"Therefore, before the Emissary arrived, I had already set things in motion—I've arranged for the emergence of a new evil cultivator faction, hoping to bait those masterminds."
"However... the evil cultivators we could find who were willing to cooperate aren't particularly strong."
"Moreover, ever since that incident occurred, they've become even more cautious. It won't be easy to draw them out."
Chu Xingchen raised his brow:
"You need powerful evil cultivators, huh?"
——————
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