Zhao Ya nodded, "It should be."
"I can’t understand." Shen Yunshen was silent for a moment before he said.
He was clearly somewhat displeased.
Zhao Ya sighed.
Although he hadn’t personally experienced the battle of that year, he had witnessed the entire process through the Azure Dragon Root Map.
So the strategy that Guan Xuejiang was taking now was indeed the optimal solution.
Even if he became the Grand Elder, he would have to do the same.
"Shen, you’re thinking too simply. The Grand Elder obviously has his reasons for doing this."
Since fighting side by side once, Shen Yunshen had not allowed Zhao Ya to call him Elder anymore, preferring to be called Shen.
"What reason? Not seizing the chance to kill him while his power is weak, but waiting until his realm stabilizes and he comes back strongly?"
"In fact, I had already suggested earlier that we should attack North Canglong while Jingping Saint was in seclusion, but it was rejected by the Grand Elder every time." Shen Yunshen was clearly very resentful about this.
"I know your intentions are good, but have you considered how severely Jingping Saint was injured, whether his strength was affected, neither you nor I know that."
"Moreover, he’s just in seclusion, not dead. If we rashly attack and fall into a trap, none of us can bear the responsibility."
Shen Yunshen was silent for a moment, then grumbled discontentedly, "What about now?"
"Now that he’s just out of seclusion and his realm is unstable, this news shouldn’t be false, right? Not acting now would be missing a great opportunity."
Zhao Ya gave a wry smile.
Actually, he had already guessed Guan Xuejiang’s thoughts.
In Azure Dragon Temple, with the support of the Cliff Dragon Painting, he still had a fighting chance against Jingping Saint.
If they genuinely went to attack North Canglong, fighting away from home would make their already slim chances of victory even slimmer.
As for the so-called unstable realm...
Zhao Ya didn’t believe it.
Presumably, Guan Xuejiang wouldn’t believe it either.
After all, if his realm wasn’t stable yet, why would he be in such a hurry to come out of seclusion?
So this could also be a trap.
Of course, it might also be true.
Jingping Saint might really be in a weakened state due to some unknown reasons and came out of seclusion early.
But verity and falsity intermingle.
Guan Xuejiang can’t stake the safety of the temple on a possibility.
That’s no different from gambling.
But these were not things Zhao Ya could voice, so he just made a few cursory comments to dispel Shen Yunshen’s concerns.
As the night deepened.
The dispatched guards replaced the disciples who had been on duty for half the night, allowing them to retire to the Canglong Temple Outer Sect to rest well.
For now, the outer sect of the Azure Dragon Temple had been converted into a temporary place of rest for the disciples.
As for the outer disciples like Jin Fu, although their abilities weren’t sufficient for the battlefield, handling logistics, like moving things, cooking, and laundry, was still within their capacity.
Zhao Ya said to the disciples stationed in the outer sect, "I’m going on patrol."
He then left.
Today was the third-day deadline, and before heading to the desolate mountain, Zhao Ya wanted to check whether Wu Bao’Er had arrived.
By now, Zhao Ya was thoroughly familiar with the terrain of the surrounding mountains and forests.
He didn’t even need to use his eyes; his instincts alone would ensure he wouldn’t go the wrong way.
Soon, Zhao Ya arrived near the desolate mountain, standing atop a tree, gazing into the distance.
Under the moonlight, the desolate mountain appeared empty, not a soul in sight, not even a ghost.
But Zhao Ya wasn’t in a hurry. After observing the surroundings for a while, he dashed to a large stone nearby.
Looking down, the four stones and branches on the ground were undisturbed.
Zhao Ya furrowed his brows.
Could it be that Wu Bao’Er never came here?
Did something unexpected occur?
As Zhao Ya pondered, he suddenly felt something and turned his head to look.
He saw the grass in the distance sway slightly, and then Wu Bao’Er sneakily emerged from it.
Seeing Zhao Ya, she exhaled deeply and then bowed with utmost respect.
"My lord."
"Why are you only arriving now? And why was there no communication signal left here?" Zhao Ya asked.
Wu Bao’Er gave a wry smile, "My lord, you can hardly blame me. I’ve been watched too closely the past few days to find time to get away."
"Oh? So how did you manage to come out today?"
"I came under the pretense of gathering intelligence, which is when I saw the marks you left under the stone. Although I wasn’t sure when you had left them, I planned to wait here, and sure enough, I found you."
Zhao Ya didn’t find anything suspicious.
And after swallowing the Poison Pill, Wu Bao’Er wouldn’t dare have any ulterior motives.
He proceeded to ask, "Where is Ye Xunhuan staying right now?"
"He’s residing in a cave fifty miles away, seemingly afraid you’d find him, so he hasn’t dared to go anywhere populated," Wu Bao’Er replied.
"Did he suspect or interrogate you?"
Wu Bao’Er shook her head, "No."
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she brightened up, "Moreover, in the past few days, I have discovered an extremely important piece of news."
"What news?"
"You’re certainly curious about Ye Xunhuan’s powerful firearm, aren’t you?" Wu Bao’Er said mysteriously.
Zhao Ya’s interest was piqued immediately.
Compared to when Jingping Saint would arrive, he was indeed more curious about that powerful firearm.
"Do you know where the firearm came from?"
"Yes." Wu Bao’Er nodded with a smile, quietly watching Zhao Ya with a hint of expectation in her eyes.
But Zhao Ya wasn’t moved at all.
"Once North Canglong and the Separation Tower are eliminated, I can set you free, but not right now."
The hope in Wu Bao’Er’s eyes vanished instantly, and with a hint of resentment, she said, "But how do I know if you’re lying to me?"
"No way to know, so you’ll have to put your hope in my integrity," Zhao Ya said straightforwardly.
"When will the poison take effect? Is there a time limit?" Wu Bao’Er asked, unwilling to give up.
"There isn’t. The poison is entirely under my control; I decide when it activates. Moreover, you should remember clearly, if you hadn’t cooperated back then, you’d have died long ago," Zhao Ya said coldly.
Wu Bao’Er’s thoughts were quelled instantly, and with an awkward smile, she said, "I was just asking."
Then, she continued with seriousness, "I was also curious about that firearm in Ye Xunhuan’s hands. But I dared not ask and only collected information quietly."
"I didn’t expect Ye Xunhuan himself to speak about the origin of the firearm, and it turns out he acquired it from the Wuyang Sea."
"Wuyang Sea?"
Zhao Ya remembered a map he had seen in the library.
About ten thousand miles from the realm Beyond the World, an endless sea blocked the path.
The climate there was harsh, and the sea was veiled in perpetual mist. Apart from some who risked everything to scavenge for fish on the beach, no regular person would ever venture there.
So how did Ye Xunhuan’s firearm have ties to the Wuyang Sea?
Noticing Zhao Ya’s confusion, Wu Bao’Er explained,
"I was puzzled at that time as well, so I mustered the courage to ask about it. Ye Xunhuan then said that he had bought it from those scavengers."
"Those scavengers found a strange large fish on the beach, about seven or eight meters long, akin to a small boat, with many bizarre wounds on its body."
"When they cut open the fish, they discovered this firearm inside the fish’s belly, loaded with five peculiar objects."
"Not understanding this, one curious fisherman pulled the trigger, blowing himself up on the spot, thus learning that it was a powerful firearm."
"Later, Ye Xunhuan, who was exploring near the Wuyang Sea, learned of this incident and bought it at a high price."
Zhao Ya was startled by what he heard.
If it was true, what exactly was hidden within the Wuyang Sea?
"My lord, it was wise not to pursue Ye Xunhuan, for he mentioned that after purchasing the firearm, he only used it once, and never again after killing a powerful Meridian Opening Martial Artist."
"Until this time, in the abandon temple, he fired a shot again, which means there are at least two shots or hidden weapons left."
"If you had pursued him then, it would’ve indeed been a gamble of life and death."