Ma Zhi Wu almost heaved a sigh of relief but he held back at the last moment. He couldn't let Xian Xun see just how important contacting Nian Hong Fang was to him or that bastard might go back on his word after all. He just was like that. "So what do you want to know?"
Xian Xun observed Ma Zhi Wu's expression. Seeing him stay calm, he leaned back as if not caring any longer. "There are two things I want to know first: Do you know the disciple of Grandmaster Zhangsun and do you know about an array of your Yun Zou Sect?"
"I do." That alone shouldn't give anything away, right?
"Then what can you tell me about these two things?"
Ma Zhi Wu's eyes narrowed. This was the moment where he had to be careful not to say too much. Each sentence he uttered might determine his future. He couldn't give away too much but he had to make Xian Xun believe that he knew enough to make this worthwhile for him.
"I met the Grandmaster's disciple shortly after the Gathering of Practitioners. As for the array, it leads to another dimension."
"What kind of dimension?"
Ma Zhi Wu just smiled. "I won't say more than that until I have Nian Hong Fang's answer."
Xian Xun stared at him. "Don't you feel that this is too little? What makes you think I would let you contact him if you are only willing to divulge this much?"
"We agreed that I would give you a bit of information before writing my letter and then the rest of what I know after getting his response. Since I don't know what it is that you want to know …" And anyway, he didn't know much. He had only met Qiu Ling once and the few things he had heard about him since then would be hardly enough to be worth Xian Xun's time. If he let him find out about that, he wouldn't have any chance to get away from here.
The Sect Master drummed the table. "I'm sure you can imagine that this is a little too vague for me to trust in you."
"Then how about asking another question? I'm sure you can think of something." Whatever it was the Chun Feng Sect was after this time, there couldn't just be these two questions. After all, finding out about the Grandmaster's disciple shouldn't be too difficult considering his position. Even if nobody in the Yun Zou Sect was willing to talk about it, the other sects would definitely want to gossip if they felt that they could make trouble for them.
That array might be more difficult but it was something they'd still need to investigate for themselves in the end. After all, none of the disciples had ever entered the dimension on the other side. Even he had only been told briefly by his Master and no further information had been given even when he asked.
In that case, there had to be other things if Xian Xun and Liu Cheng lowered themselves to come and ask him specifically. If they could get the relevant information in another manner, they certainly would have done so.
Xian Xun continued to tap the table. Liu Cheng would probably be able to ask more specific questions considering what he had seen so maybe he should let him handle this. But he also didn't want to alarm Ma Zhi Wu to anything he might try to hide because of that. It was best if they could gain more information from him. Then there seemed to be only one thing he could ask. "Do you know about a person with golden hair that resides in the Yun Zou Sect?"
Ma Zhi Wu raised his brows. "There is indeed such a person." And it seemed that person and Grandmaster Zhangsun's disciple might be the ones they were going after this time? And maybe they had somehow managed to get into that dimension and thus slipped through the fingers of the Chun Feng Sect? Ah, no wonder Xian Xun actually came to find him. He must be furious to suffer such a setback. He never was one to take these things well. Being outsmarted by somebody he deemed to be a demon …
"What do you know about that person?"
Ma Zhi Wu gave him a smile that seemed to say 'Do you really want to ask that?' and remained silent. Hadn't they already been at that point?
"You say you know both of them but you're not willing to divulge anything further. Why should I believe that you really do?"
Ma Zhi Wu nodded to himself. This might indeed not be enough to reassure Xian Xun. "Well, I can tell you one more thing: That golden-haired person is often together with another one of the disciples."
"Which one?"
"I won't tell before I see Nian Hong Fang's answer."
Xian Xun tightened his lips and got up, leaving the room to speak with Liu Cheng who was still waiting outside for the paper and ink.
"Did he say anything useful?"
Xian Xun shook his head. "He's too cautious. I'm afraid we'll really need to let him write that letter."
"Then Nian Hong Fang …"
"Don't worry. We'll think of something."
Liu Cheng nodded and the two of them waited in silence. Finally, the disciple returned and bowed to them. Liu Cheng nodded again and opened the door, motioning for him to place everything on the table. The disciple left afterward while Liu Cheng went inside. He untied one of Ma Zhi Wu's hands and then leaned against the door with his back, one hand on the hilt of his sword.
Ma Zhi Wu glanced at him and snorted. Did they really believe he would try to run away? There as no way he would be able to do that, was there? Not from these dungeons, at least. No, it was better to just use what he had gotten and at least contact Nian Hong Fang for once. It was not much but it could at least ease his longing for a bit.