While Jinde had been organizing everything, Jing Yi had done as Qiu Ling had asked him to and gone to Grandmaster Shen's palace. While he was led inside by one of the servants, he couldn't help but worry.
Even though they had come to know Shen An De because of the matter with Hong Bao and had gotten along quite well so far, it was still the truth that the Hei Dian Sect was a sect of demonic practitioners while the Yun Zou Sect was a righteous sect. Normally, the rift between these two sides was unable to be bridged.
He wasn't too sure if there was a chance that Shen An De would really agree to this. And, unfortunately, Qiu Ling hadn't sounded too sure about whatever he was planning to do. Thus, the chance of Ma Zhi Wu recovering might not be too high.
He couldn't help but think of Nian Hong Fang when he came to that realization. Right now, that senior martial brother of his had to feel horrible. He really hoped that he would be able to convince the Grandmaster to help them.
Shen An De was once again sitting in the courtyard, sipping a cup of tea while he watched his wife practice with the sword. Hearing the footsteps approach, he put down the cup and raised his brows when he saw that it was Jing Yi. "Did something go wrong with what Longjun was trying to do?"
Jing Yi shook his head while Hong Ai stopped her practice and came over as well, motioning at the table.
"Why don't you come over and sit down? Tell us slowly what's going on."
Shen An De nodded, seemingly not concerned at all with their frequent visits. Considering the fact that he definitely knew that they had actually come here as spies previously, he really was quite relaxed.
Jing Yi gave an embarrassed smile at that but then still went over. "I'm really sorry about this. Actually, there's a rather presumptuous request I'd like to make."
Shen An De raised his brows. "What kind of thing might that be?" Even when it had been about his wife's sword, he had only taken advantage of that because he knew that there was something she wanted. If it was a small matter, he might've just let it go since the other person was the head of the dragon race. Jing Yi was a bit more concerned about these kinds of things than his fiance so he couldn't help but wonder what it might be if he himself called it presumptuous.
Jing Yi furrowed his brows and looked down, not quite sure how to say this. "You do know that I'm actually of the Yun Zou Sect, right?"
Shen An De nodded. "Of course. It's not that hard to figure out."
Jing Yi nodded. "Well, originally, we were only trying to find out about what happened to Hong Bao. Later, we came back here because Qiu Ling wanted to ask you for the sword. Now, something has happened in the Yun Zou Sect and they aren't able to handle it. I was wondering if you might be able to help out. And … well, if you would be willing."
Shen An De gave him a long look. "The relationship between the demonic sects and the righteous sects aren't necessarily great. I do hope that you understand what you are asking for there."
Jing Yi nodded. "That is why I called it presumptuous. Actually, the matter might not be that huge. It is nothing that would involve your whole sect. It's that one of our martial brothers was taken captive by the Chun Feng Sect and injured severely when Qiu Ling's people went to get them out of there. Now, he isn't a good situation but the Yun Zou Sect's Grandelder isn't able to do anything for him. We were wondering if maybe somebody in your sect might be." He looked at Shen An De, clearly troubled.
The Grandmaster picked up his cup again, looking at the liquid inside while he pondered. Actually, this was not too much of a problem. Just sending one person instead of doing anything large-scale might not even be discovered after all.
Still, this might be more difficult than Jing Yi assumed it to be. "I hope you do realize that for the first-tier righteous sects and the premier sects hat aren't ranked, as well as the most important demonic sects, there are spies everywhere.
"Even if I agree to send somebody over to help that senior martial brother of yours, this might not have the desired effect. While that martial brother of yours might be saved, it could bring trouble to the whole Yun Zou Sect.
"That matter with the Chun Feng Sect might blow up even more. After all, if what you said is true, the Chun Feng Sect was attacked to get these people out of there. And if now a demonic sect steps out to help one of the people that was freed from that prison, then the accusation that he is a demon might become more than it is right now. From just an unfounded rumor that most people believe to be untrue because there are so many people involved and nobody would want to have their disciples targeted, it might become that everybody else was just very unfortunate but the Yun Zou Sect has harbored demons all along. There are way too many people who want to pull them down. You should know that."
Jing Yi nodded despite not actually knowing too much about the situation of the Yun Zou Sect. Still, he could imagine that things weren't that easy. After all, he had seen back at the Gathering of Practitioners how some of the other sects had reacted to Qiu Ling. It seemed that the relationship between the first-tier sects wasn't too good. In that case, this really might do more harm than good. But … "If you don't help us, it could be that he will die though."
"So you're willing to risk the whole sect for the life of one person?"
Jing Yi kept quiet for a moment but then nodded. "That the sect might get into trouble is just a possibility right now. But senior martial brother Mu dying, that is a certainty. So I would rather help him first and then maybe try to figure out a way to help the Yun Zou Sect later. Maybe that isn't right. But … I still wouldn't want somebody to just die."
Shen An De looked at his wife, giving her a questioning look.
"I don't see a problem. If anything, then only the Yun Zou Sect would suffer from this, not us. But … it is difficult to say if somebody would be willing to do this. After all, that is a righteous sect. Some of the disciples don't have a very good relationship with them. And the ones who are even better than the Grandelder of the Yun Zou Sect … I'm afraid there aren't many. Jing Yi won't have much of a choice in whom to take. If that person decided to do anything to actually harm that person of the Yun Zou Sect in revenge for something, there would be nothing he can do. It might actually make matters worse."
Shen An De nodded and then turned back to Jing Yi. "We have a disciple that might be able to do this. But as you heard Hong Ai say, just me ordering them might still not be enough to hold them back from doing something.
"I would suggest that I tell you who it is and that you ask them yourself. I will allow them to go but not order them. If you can convince the person, then he is yours to take. If you can't …" He didn't say anything more, leaving the decision up to Jing Yi.
Jing Yi just smiled brightly. In this situation, did he really have a choice?