Chapter 136: Clearing the Air

Mountain City.

The Southwest Division of the China Association for Supernatural Powers (C.A.S.P.).

Ye Yan, along with Tang Wenlong, Tao Tao, and Tang Ming, waited in the reception room.

Ba Shan and Ba Shui, acting as temporary secretaries, were busy bustling about, serving tea and fruit since the moment they arrived.

"Ye, I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Brother Hao is still in a meeting, but it should be over very soon."

"No problem."

Ye Yan nodded, unhurried. "Brother Shan, Brother Shui, don't keep yourselves busy. Come and sit down; there’s nothing urgent on my end."

"We’re fine, we’re used to it."

The two brothers declined with smiles, maintaining their professional boundaries.

As they spoke, the door to the reception room was pushed open from the outside. Hao Yi walked in, looking visibly exhausted.

He carried several documents, speaking to his secretary as he walked. The secretary, wearing glasses and a form-fitting skirt, scribbled down every word he said with lightning speed.

"The security measures in Mountain City and Chengdu must be tightened and expanded. We cannot have another incident like the burning of Longhu Mountain. Oversight of the Quanxing organization must also be increased; keep a close eye on those troublemakers."

"Also, tell the regional heads to have serious talks with the various factions in their territories. Pass my message down: during this lockdown, whoever dares to stir up trouble will have to deal with me directly. No negotiations. Regardless of who they are, understand?"

"Understood, Director Hao."

The two moved through the room, one speaking and one recording, barely pausing.

As the director of the Southwest Region, Hao Yi was a man nearing fifty. Despite his kind face and prominent ears, his work style was swift, decisive, and suffocatingly intense. His thinning hair was a distinct mark of the C.A.S.P. style, giving him the air of a true powerhouse.

"Alright, Xiao Xun, that’s all for the deployment. Tell the regional heads that I want to see results by five o'clock this evening."

"Understood."

After a few more exchanges, the young secretary named Xiao Xun left with her notebook to coordinate with the local leads.

"Brother Hao, water."

Ba Shan, being quick-witted, seized the moment to hand Hao Yi a cup of warm tea. Hao Yi took it without looking and drained it in one go. The warm water seemed to soothe his parched throat.

He set the cup down, patted his stomach, and let out a burp. Finally, a smile appeared on his face as he walked toward Ye Yan.

"Mr. Ye, I have heard so much about you."

"Director Hao, it’s a pleasure."

Ye Yan stood up slowly to shake his hand.

"My apologies. There have been too many chaotic matters lately; otherwise, I would have come to the airport to pick you up myself. Please don't take it to heart."

"Not at all."

Ye Yan replied with a smile. He could see that Hao Yi’s busyness was no excuse. After all, whether it was the burning of Longhu Mountain by Quanxing or the Heavenly Master descending from the mountain, these events fell under the jurisdiction of the Southwest Region. Even though Xu Si had intervened in North China, preventing the situation from spiraling further, the cleanup and the aftermath still fell on Hao Yi’s shoulders. No one else could do it for him.

After some pleasantries, they sat down at the long table.

"Ba Shan, why don't you and Shui take these Tang Sect brothers for a tour around the company? I have something to discuss with young Mr. Ye."

Hao Yi’s dismissal was polite, but Tang Ming and the others understood immediately.

"Understood. Little Ye, I’ll take Wenlong and Tao Tao out for a walk. If you finish up here, just let Wenlong know."

Tang Ming rose slowly, leaving his tea behind. He had no intention of eavesdropping on their conversation. Both Ye Yan and Hao Yi represented the upper echelons of the organization, and the matters they were discussing were surely confidential. He didn't want to make things difficult for Ye Yan, so he took the initiative to leave.

"Of course, Master Tang Ming. Go ahead, I'll join you once I'm done here."

"Will do."

As the door to the reception room closed, only Ye Yan and Hao Yi remained. Without others present, they could speak more freely.

"Young Mr. Ye, there are no outsiders here now, so I won't hold back."

Hao Yi dropped his smile, his tone becoming serious. "To be honest, it was my idea to request help from headquarters. The Southwest Region is facing too many issues right now, and we are severely short-handed."

"Furthermore, while the number of visitors this time isn't large, they are of great importance."

"I had originally hoped to invite two of the Ten Elders to oversee the situation, but I didn't expect that it would be you who was sent, young friend."

Hao Yi briefly explained why Ye Yan had been sent to the Shu region.

"I wonder, did Chairman Zhao give you any specific instructions before you left? If so, I’d appreciate it if you could share them so I know where we stand."

"He did mention a task."

Ye Yan frowned, tapping his fingers on the table. "But it wasn't specific. Chairman Zhao only had one requirement for me: ensure that this group of Fusang outsiders leaves our borders safely."

"That’s all?"

"Yes, that’s all."

"Good grief!"

Hao Yi leaned back in his chair, smoothing his thinning hair with a bitter laugh. "That Chairman Zhao is truly a master of delegating..."

The request sounded simple, but their destination was the Tang Sect... Sending a group of Fusang delegates there was like leading a flock of sheep into a tiger's den. They were essentially handing themselves over as a snack.

"It’s going to be very difficult to handle."

Ye Yan knew the task was a headache, but he couldn't refuse. Since the establishment of the 'Night Department' was already on the agenda, he was determined to secure a seat among the Ten Elders. Therefore, no matter what methods he had to use, he had to ensure the safety of these people. Just as Zhao Fangxu had said, nothing massive could happen within the borders. If they were to die, they had to die outside.

"Since it’s a mission, we’ll just have to take it one step at a time. If the Fusang delegation arrives, you’ll have to handle the reception, Brother Hao. As for the Tang Sect, I’ll go first to gauge their attitude, and then I’ll decide how to proceed based on the situation."

Although he had reached the Shu region, Ye Yan still had no clear plan for the mission, which was incredibly frustrating. His proposal was standard—nothing particularly brilliant, but it was safe.

Hao Yi agreed. "That’s the only way. Even though you aren't an employee of my Southwest Division, we are all on the same boat. In any case, if there are any problems, let’s keep in touch."

"Let’s work together to solve this."

"Agreed."

...

They left the Southwest Division in the afternoon.

Tang Wenlong drove, taking Ye Yan, Tao Tao, and the others toward the Tang Sect Martial Arts School. The atmosphere in the car was cheerful as they reminisced about the past. Even Liu Han, the shy middle-aged man, listened intently and occasionally chimed in.

"There’s food in the trunk. If anyone is hungry, help yourselves. At this speed, we won't reach the school until evening."

Tang Wenlong, focused on the road, rarely joined the conversation. As they neared the halfway point, he reminded them.

In the back seat, Tao Tao, who had opened a bottle of water and handed it to Tang Ming, rolled her eyes and retorted, "Just drive your car. We’re grown adults; do you really think we’ll starve ourselves?"

"I was just trying to be helpful."

"Tch, who wants your help? It’s not like it’s worth anything. Keep it to yourself."

"I..."

Tang Wenlong was speechless. Just as he was about to say something back, he saw Tao Tao, sitting in the middle seat, deftly peeling a banana and handing it to Ye Yan with a bright smile...

Tang Wenlong felt a vein throb in his forehead. He swallowed his words. It was too exhausting to deal with.

"You eat it. I'm not hungry."

Ye Yan could only offer an awkward smile in response to Tao Tao’s attentiveness. He simply couldn't handle the girl’s enthusiasm. They could tease each other over the phone, but in person... it was tough to manage. To avoid further awkwardness, he changed the subject.

"Master Tang Ming, how much do you know about the Fusang delegation’s plan to 'exchange martial arts' with the Tang Sect?"

He wanted to use this opportunity to gauge the attitudes of those at the bottom of the hierarchy.

"I know a bit. It’s been spreading quite a bit around the school recently."

At the mention of the Fusang delegation, Tang Ming’s previously amiable face suddenly turned gloomy. It was clear he harbored deep resentment and anger toward the "Fusang ghosts."

"What is the school’s attitude toward this exchange?"

"The Sect Master and Deputy Sect Master’s stances aren't clear yet. But as for the disciples, the moment they heard the Fusang ghosts were coming, they were already rolling up their sleeves, eager to get into a fight."

"Over eighty percent of the students have signed up, and some who were visiting home have even bought tickets to rush back."

Ye Yan: "..."

He knew the Tang Sect would have a radical reaction, but the extent of it was still shocking. This mission was definitely not going to be easy.

With Ye Yan broaching the topic, the atmosphere in the car shifted from casual to serious.

"Those Fusang ghosts are certainly bold—coming to visit our Tang Sect with only a few dozen people, and under the guise of a martial arts exchange, no less..."

"Do they really think our Tang Sect’s poison miasma and hidden weapons are just for show? A bunch of people who don't know when they're going to die."

Tang Wenlong, at the wheel, scoffed coldly, expressing his own dissatisfaction.

As soon as he finished, Tao Tao nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Wenlong and I have both signed up for this exchange."

"You’re participating too?"

Ye Yan was stunned. In his impression, although Tao Tao was a bit of a penny-pincher who loved fancy bags, her personality was more inclined toward being carefree... Yet, even she had signed up to face the Fusang ghosts. It showed just how deep the hatred ran.

Thinking about this, Ye Yan’s head began to throb. He almost regretted taking this mission from Zhao Fangxu. This wasn't a mission; it was a massive pitfall.

...

By the time they reached the Tang Sect Martial Arts School, the sun was setting behind the mountains.

Tang Wenlong didn't drive them directly into the school. Instead, he stopped at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant outside the campus. These types of eateries were common in the Sichuan region—the decor wasn't fancy, but the food, especially the local "Jianghu" style dishes, was exceptional.

It was a place Ye Yan used to frequent with Tang Wenlong and Tao Tao during his time at the school.

However, unlike the bustling business Ye Yan remembered, the place was empty and eerily quiet today, which surprised him.

Following Tang Wenlong, they entered the small shop. It was small, containing only six or seven old wooden tables that reflected the light, stained with years of grease.

Near the kitchen door, two elderly men were sitting quietly.

Hearing the door open, they looked up.

"Sect Master, Master Wang."

Seeing the two elders, Tang Ming and the others greeted them respectfully.

"Sit."

At the head of the table, Tang Miaoxing gestured for them to take their seats. Though he didn't say anything profound, his sturdy physique and graying hair gave the Tang Sect Master the air of a crouching old lion—dignified and imposing.

Beside him sat Zhang Wang, a thin, hunched man who was the complete opposite of Tang Miaoxing. He was the head of the Tang Sect’s discipline department, a man feared as a demon by countless disciples.

As they settled around the tables, the eyes of Tang Miaoxing and Zhang Wang remained fixed on Ye Yan, scrutinizing him.

After a moment, Zhang Wang, known as Master Wang, suddenly chuckled. He pointed at Ye Yan and turned to Tang Miaoxing.

"Sect Master, look at this. It’s only been a few years, and this little brat who used to run wild in our school has already grown into this."

Tang Miaoxing, with the majesty of an old lion, narrowed his eyes and sighed. "Indeed. Who would have thought?"

"Sect Master, Master Wang, it’s been a few years. You both look as robust as ever, and in such good spirits."

The two elders paid no mind to the flattery. Tang Miaoxing waved his hand, saying slowly, "It’ll be a while before the food is ready. Don't waste the time—tell us the purpose of your visit to the Tang Sect this time..."