Gongsun Yuan’s face darkened. He suppressed his displeasure and said, "Now that this token has been given to you, fellow Daoist, could you release my two juniors?"
Zhang Yan, however, shook his head and said, "Not yet."
Gongsun Mian’s expression sank, and the corners of his mouth twitched as he said, "Li Daoist, what... exactly is the meaning of this?"
He truly wanted to point at Zhang Yan’s face and shout, "Are you planning to go back on your word?"
But he feared that such words might backfire, angering the other party and ultimately leaving him at a disadvantage.
At this moment, he no longer had any cards left to play and could only hope that the other wouldn’t ignore his identity as a disciple of the Taihao Sect.
Zhang Yan cast a faint smile—almost a smirk—glancing at Gongsun Mian and said, "Daoist Gongsun, please rest assured. Since I agreed to you, I naturally will not go back on my word. However, I also understand that although this Copper Bamboo Talisman is now in my hands, it isn’t entirely secure. If you should feel indignant and later tell your fellow disciples in the sect that the token was lost or forcibly taken, would I not have taken it for nothing?"
Gongsun Mian’s body trembled slightly. He hadn’t expected Zhang Yan to be so well-informed about the inner workings of the Baozhi Conference.
Initially, his plan had indeed been to let Zhang Yan take the copper token, only to later stage a scene where it was seized, allowing him to capture Zhang Yan under the pretext of regaining his lost face—though he would have to endure some humiliation.
Zhang Yan fixed his gaze on him and said slowly, "Unless I accompany you to your sect, meet the steward of the Treasure Meeting, and have you personally introduce me, only then will I feel at ease."
Gongsun Yuan was inwardly startled. Someone who knew such details about the Treasure Meeting’s inner workings could never be an ordinary Loose Cultivator. It seemed his earlier suspicions were correct—this person from Baofeng Temple was definitely someone of considerable background.
For a moment, Gongsun Yuan found the other party increasingly enigmatic and profound. For the first time, he studied Zhang Yan seriously, yet no matter how hard he tried to recall, he couldn’t identify this person. He asked suspiciously, "Who exactly are you, fellow Daoist?"
Zhang Yan laughed heartily and said, "Daoist Gongsun, there’s no need to worry. Since I, Li Yuanba, am participating in this gathering, I will certainly adhere to its customs and etiquette."
Gongsun Mian remained silent for a moment, a bitter smile forming on his face. At this point, he had no choice but to trust the other person. He said helplessly, "If that’s the case, when will you set out with me, fellow Daoist?"
Zhang Yan stood up straight and smiled. "Daoist, please wait here for a moment. I shall return shortly."
Gongsun Mian watched Zhang Yan stride out of the room. Not long after, faint voices drifted back to his ears. He quickly focused his attention to listen.
He heard Zhang Yan at the door speaking to Lu Tianying: "Senior brother, now that my matter here is settled, you may proceed."
Lu Tianying’s voice replied, "Junior brother, take care. Everything here will be left to you to handle. I will first go and meet the Ancestor Master..."
What followed was difficult to make out, but suddenly, the golden light outside the house grew brilliantly intense. Even the interior was filled with flickering light and shadows as the candles swayed. Then, a beam of golden radiance shot into the sky and disappeared in an instant.
Gongsun Mian’s heart filled with alarm. As a disciple of a great sect, he had some level of knowledge. That light was clearly a Flying Escape Talisman, a technique used to summon disciples back to the Mountain Gate from tens of thousands of miles away—or even farther. To utilize such a method, one’s cultivation level would have to be at least at the level of a True Master.
Furthermore, the words "Ancestor Master" were not used lightly. Only a sect’s leader or an individual of similar status would be worthy of such a title.
An inexplicable unease crept into Gongsun Mian’s heart. These two individuals might be far more significant than he had initially imagined. Could it be...
A wild thought suddenly crossed his mind, and his expression became stern as he considered the Six Demon Sects of the Demon Sect.
The conduct of this Baofeng Temple group was indeed peculiar. Despite their evident strength, they worked in secret. Moreover, he had never heard of this Li Yuanba before. Such a low-profile approach was very much in line with the methods of the Demon Sect.
"No wonder! The Taihao Sect’s One Qi Ganoderma has always been inaccessible to Demon Sect practitioners. To obtain it, they would have no choice but to act covertly."
This matter had occurred more than once before—Demon Sect disciples secretly colluding with Taihao Sect’s disciples to obtain the One Qi Ganoderma. Gongsun Mian had heard of such incidents, and the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. A different thought began to sprout in his mind. He silently considered, "If these people have such significant backing, why should I oppose them? Perhaps it would be better to establish a connection instead."
His thoughts suddenly became active and flexible.
After all, cultivation is never easy. Although Gongsun Mian was born into a Xuanmen Family, the clan had long since declined, now reduced to a handful of members. If it hadn’t been for his distant kinship with the Yue Family, he might not have even obtained the Cloud Sand necessary to condense his Xuan Seed in the first place.
Though he had reached the Xuan Guang Realm, progressing any further seemed nearly impossible. Even the external medicines required for solidifying a pill posed a roadblock, leaving him stranded outside the Great Dao.