"Since that’s the case," Chen Ye put down the teacup and looked at him, "I have a more important task to give you."
"Please, Steward, speak! No matter the dangers, the disciple will go through fire and water without hesitation!" Wang Hao immediately pledged his loyalty.
Chen Ye nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. From today onwards, you don’t need to stay in the valley anymore."
"Ah?" Wang Hao’s smiling face instantly froze.
"Since you are a sect disciple, you shouldn’t want to see Lisong Valley fall into the hands of a scoundrel, right? The Wei Family is targeting us, I have to guard against any eventuality," Chen Ye smiled.
"Steward Chen means..."
"It’s not a big task, just requires you to run between the Three Thousand Great Mountains, Yunxi District, and Peach Mountain District for me, keeping an eye out for any movements from the Wei Family, any important figures arriving at the market, or any anomalies in the Three Thousand Great Mountains."
Wang Hao, being a deceitful person, made Chen Ye uneasy to use him in Lisong Valley.
But usually, to gather some insights about the outside world, it’s fine to use him.
And, he’s not being used as a spy, just a runner.
With Wang Hao’s Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, he should easily traverse these three places.
Wang Hao opened his mouth and cautiously said, "But... Steward, I am officially part of Lisong Valley. If I’m not here to tend to the spirit plants, I’m afraid... it won’t be easy to explain to the sect."
Although being a spy is earning the steward’s trust,
the job is tough. It’s much more relaxing to tend to spirit plants in the valley. He returned painstakingly, not for this laborious task.
Chen Ye, seeing his petty thoughts, couldn’t help but chuckle lightly: "Next time during the Outer Sect competition, I’ll record a great merit for you in Lisong Valley, ensuring your smooth passage through the Outer Sect examination. Besides, it’s only half a year’s hard work, where is the path more important?"
Hearing this, Wang Hao’s dissatisfaction vanished instantly.
He wanted to slack off because he felt he was too old and hadn’t broken through his cultivation, believing he couldn’t enter the Inner Sect.
But if there’s hope for the future, how could he continue to slack off?
"Yes! The disciple will not disgrace this mission!" Wang Hao said joyfully.
"I’ll give you this jade pendant. With it, I can obtain your messages promptly."
Chen Ye took out a jade pendant from the storage bag.
This jade pendant came from Wei Cheng, able to transmit sound one-way, and is a common model mass-produced by the Spirit Treasure Sect, so it can be used with confidence.
Even if separated by a thousand miles, cultivators can hear the sound around this Sound Transmission Jade Pendant one-way, as long as no array blocks it.
Moreover,
This jade pendant can only transmit sound one-way but has the advantage that others cannot use it to trace the aura of the pendant’s owner.
When Chen Ye found out about this jade pendant, he almost broke out in cold sweat.
Fortunately!
He didn’t show off in front of Wei Cheng, and it was Qingzhi in a black robe who killed Wei Cheng without revealing any clues.
Otherwise, his murder of Wei Cheng would have been exposed!
This incident served as a warning to Chen Ye once again.
In the future, when considering assassinating sect or family cultivators, he needs to be extremely cautious! These cultivators are far harder to deal with than rootless, roaming loose cultivators.
After Qingzhi killed Wei Cheng, he immediately instructed Qingzhi to frisk the body, destroy evidence, and check for hidden dangers.
During this, they discovered this jade pendant and refined it to eliminate any future troubles.
Wang Hao took it as instructed, then heard Chen Ye say thoughtfully: "By the way, don’t take off this jade pendant in daily life. I can monitor your movements through it... If you are dissatisfied, you can refuse now."
Wang Hao felt a chill in his heart, but how could he be dissatisfied?
He understood Steward Chen’s meaning, simply worried about him betraying, which he understood.
Wang Hao quickly took the jade pendant: "Satisfied, the disciple is satisfied!"
Chen Ye nodded, and after Wang Hao’s departure,
He was thoughtful.
Was Wei Cheng carrying this jade pendant, similar to Wang Hao, being monitored by someone?
Chen Ye was increasingly suspicious now, suspecting the Wei Family’s connection with demon cultivators.
"Strangely, this Sound Transmission Jade Pendant seems to have a similar aura to the jade pendant of my disciple, Zhiwei."
Chen Ye couldn’t help but take out Zhiwei’s jade pendant, playing with it in his hand.
Something’s wrong!
The more he played with it, the more it felt like a Sound Transmission Jade Pendant.
However,
This jade pendant was obtained from Mao Qingzhu, who gifted it to Zhiwei, and later exchanged from her for a gold plaque.
Before exchanging, Zhiwei had already refined the gold plaque, how could it be a Sound Transmission Jade Pendant?
If it were a Sound Transmission Jade Pendant, the disciple would definitely inform him!
Chen Ye was relieved and put the jade pendant away.
But after a while, couldn’t help but take it out again, muttering to himself:
"How could I doubt my disciple? I just want to study the structure of this jade pendant..."
He extended his divine sense, his face stiffened.
It turned out to actually be a Sound Transmission Jade Pendant!
It wasn’t that Chen Ye was careless, but because this jade pendant he obtained from Zhiwei!
Although he knew it was a magical artifact, he borrowed it for calming purposes, and seeing the disciple had refined it, he didn’t refine it himself.
If he got it from others, Chen Ye would surely inspect it thoroughly.
But...
How could Chen Ye be vigilant against Zhiwei?
Zhiwei often serves him tea and water regularly, can’t check each one, right?
"How is this possible... how is this possible... my disciple actually gave me a monitoring jade pendant..."
Chen Ye’s mind turned blank momentarily.
He couldn’t believe it,
His usually respectful and polite senior disciple was secretly monitoring him.
Does she... perhaps want revenge?
Chen Ye took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Impossible!
Then... could Zhiwei be unaware?
Zhiwei’s nature is simple, she may not understand these unconventional matters.
She refined it, maybe thinking it’s merely a normal calming magical artifact.
"Yes, it must be so." Chen Ye paced back and forth.
The seed of doubt, once planted, grows madly.
Sometimes he felt it was his overthinking, sometimes, something seemed suspicious.
Finally, he suppressed the turbulent emotions.
Whether it is or not, a test will unveil!
...
Chen Ye quietly returned to the courtyard.
Within his quiet chamber,
Zhiwei’s long black hair was cascading, swaying at her waist.
Her delicate little face was extremely focused, diligently cultivating.
Seeing the master, her eyelashes quivered slightly, looking at Chen Ye in confusion.
"How adorable my disciple is... It’s impossible!"
Chen Ye gritted his teeth, thinking darkly.
Then, coughing, feigning guilt, he lowered his voice and said:
"Well... Zhiwei, I... I have some personal matters and need to go to the back mountain. You practice well, if there’s something, then... then come to find me at the back mountain."
He spoke vaguely, his expression elusive, a look clearly suggesting he was going to do something bad.
Zhiwei, observing her master’s different demeanor from usual, clenched her little hands.
Yesterday... the master went to Lin Qiongyu’s courtyard and even gave her spirit stones...
But she didn’t ask further, instead nodded obediently: "Yes, Master."
"Hmm, that’s good, that’s good..."
Chen Ye coughed twice again, as if to cover his guilty mind, turned around, and left hastily in the direction of the back mountain.
Lisong Valley, back mountain.
Chen Ye sat cross-legged by the usual cultivation pond.
He touched the jade pendant, not probing for now,
Time ticked by, minute by minute.
After a while, unable to hold back, he whispered to himself:
"Alas... I should have brought Zhiwei along. That girl is always clever, having her help plan might yield better results."
"However, Zhiwei is meticulous, probably noticed I haven’t eaten all day, may come to deliver food later..."
"Speaking of, Zhiwei is becoming more beautiful, especially wearing that white dress..."
Chen Ye’s feelings were complex.
If... truly Zhiwei is monitoring him, what should he do?
He caressed the bone-scraping whip at his waist, slowly sighed.
On the other end.
"Master... Master is rambling again..."
A certain rebellious disciple was earnestly eavesdropping, holding the jade pendant carefully.