Wu Long led the sisters back to the guest mansion, and then approached Old Yen who was busily studying scrolls.

“Boss! I am so touched by your trust and kindness to give these precious techniques to this old man. C-Can I hug you?”

“NO”

As the man emotionally stood up to greet him, his eyes reddening, Wu Long made a step back from him.

“I don’t enjoy skinship with men, and as I told Butler Bang I am investing in the future”

“Of course, I will do my best to be of better service to you”

Old Yen seemed to have been shaken out of his emotuonal state and bowed to Wu Long who nodded.

“Let’s go, we have a meeting with Elder Yen to have”

Wu Long then turned and Old Yen slightly shook at his words, hurriedly following him a few moments later.

—

Elder Yen, who was summoned by the Palace Master was sitting in the hall Wu Long had visited twice, only now it was empty. The tall stone walls that were an actual carved out rock of the mountain peak had an oppressive feeling to them now that he had time to look at the surroundings. He never saw this place so quiet since it was usually only used for meetings, and never bothered to pay attention at how this place looked since he was always busy discussing something with others or was simply immersed in the inner politics of the sect that could get incredibly petty between elders. There was something inexplicably heavy in the atmosphere of a spacious place, which usually was only seen when it was full of people, being empty. This made him somehow uneasy.

The silence in which he could hear his own breathing was slightly suffocating.

That silence was then broken by the huge doors being opened, turning on their hinges that were slightly squeaky, and then shutting with a *Bam!*, as echoes of it being shut were reverberating in the hall, eventually returning to silence.

Two figures stood at the entrance, looking at Elder Yen who sat at the place he usually sat in when in this hall, to the side of the main platform for the sect leader.

He was looking back at them as his heart started racing and sweat started dripping on the side of his forehead.

*Step* *step*, *Step* *Step*, *Step* *Step*…

Soon, the sound of two pairs of steps clearly resounded, echoing in the silent hall and resonating into Elder Yen’s very soul as these steps seemed deafeningly loud in his ears.

As the steps came to a halt, Wu Long stood in front of him. Old Yen stood behind to the side, watching Elder Yen with narrowed eyes.

“W-What are you d-doing here?”

Elder Yen first gulped, and after a few moments of collecting himself, said as his voice slightly broke, the last part being returned to him as echoes of the hall “ere…ere…ere” in the same broken tone.

“I think you know”

Wu Long said in a calm tone with a low voice that seemed to not even have an echo, which made it even more eerie, and the elder’s heart sank since he knew what kind of person Fan Shuei was. If it was beneficial for the sect, she would not hesitate to cut off anyone, and if it was beneficial for her, she would not hesitate to cut off the sect.

“W… what do you want? I-if it is about last time I-I apologize, I was out of line, I wil-…”

“Which generation of the Yen Royal Family are you from?”

Old Yen stepped forward as he saw Wu Long fold his hands behind him and turn to look at the scenery, slowly walking to the side.

Elder Yen looked at Wu Long with a panicked face and then to Old Yen in front of him.

“W-why do you ask?”

“Answer the question, I will not repeat again”

“Tw-twenty fourth generation…”

“So you are from the previous generation…, when was the last time you were in the Royal Court?”

“Um… three… no… two… no a year ago… I was on-…”

“Do you know a prince of the Wood Spirit Empire called Nie You”

As Old Yen pronounced the name, intense fear appeared in the eyes of Elder Yen.

“It seems you do”

“N-No I…”

“Lying is not wise, believe me”

Old Yen did not sugarcoat the truth that this was not a simple talk, and that they did not intend to just pat him on the shoulder and leave if he concealed anything.

“Y-you cannot do thi-…”

“I think Boss told you that you should already know that we can, and will”

“…”

Elder Yen looked with fear and panic all over his face at this man who was a Major Realm higher than him, knowing full well that running or trying to fight was futile, especially since he was a Music Dao Cultivator and Old Yen was right in front of him.

“I… that prince is connected to someone very powerful, believe me, you do not want to mess with that person-…”

“That is not something for you to worry about, what you need to worry about is telling us everything you know, since if you don’t the consequences are not very pretty”

“S-spare-…”

“Either you tell us willingly, or we get it out of you the other way”

“haa~ haa~ I… haa~”

Elder Yen’s heavy breathing echoed out in the hall as he looked to the side where Wu Long was leisurely strolling, his hands behind him. The empty hall was pressing on the mind of Elder Yen as if the air was incredibly heavy.

“I… don’t know much…”

“Tell us what you do know”

“But I am-…”

“One last time, you will tell us either way, that is something already settled. If you do not speak what I want next I would not bother asking until I am sure you will”

Old Yen accentuated every word, that became echoes, as if whispers of a demon, drilling into Elder Yen’s mind.

*gulp*

“Tha-that man is only known as ‘Master’ since it seems he has many disciples. He… he visited the Yen Kingdom some time ago… since he heard of a young man possessing an Extreme Yang Physique… N-Nie You”

“Visited? Is he no longer there?”

“I… I don’t know, but if I had to guess, he probably should have left, since the G-Great Protector is not fond of that man, so he does not dare to move far inland to this continent”

“Do you know where is he staying permanently then?”

“N-No… this is honestly everything I know, I don’t know anything else”

Elder Yen was covered in sweat as he spoke, his eyes darting to Wu Long’s relaxed figure from time to time since he felt a strange eerie feeling from the tranquil sight of that handsome young man simply walking there.

“You sure you are-…”

“Enough, he does not know anything else”

Finally, Wu Long’s calm voice resounded again, and once more it did not produce any echo even though it was heard clearly by Elder Yen.

“Let’s go”

Wu Long turned and started walking toward the door as Old Yen joined him, the sounds of their steps reverberating in echoes just like before. After the sound of squeaky door hinges, came a *Bam!* that reverberated throughout the room… and then, silence returned to the empty hall as Elder Yen, drenched in sweat, heaved heavily, his breath rough and uneven, he then broke in tears while hugging his head and lowering it to the floor covering his ears as the silence seemed to deafen him and the emptiness was pressing him down.