While Elder Baili was worrying about Elder Feng's plans and the fate of the Teng Yong Sect, Mei Chao Bing couldn't help but ask about what he had noticed before. "Elder Xing has returned to the sect?" He had mentioned it before but Elder Baili hadn't explained anything so he couldn't help but inquire again.
Baili Chao was startled. He looked up and then nodded. "Yes, we deemed it best to have him go and inform Sect Master Zhang of what happened so far directly. We are a little afraid that maybe our messages might be intercepted otherwise. It is quite strange that the other side seems to have so much information while we weren't able to gain anything yet."
Mei Chao Bing gave a hum, his expression turning pensive. "My Master was always very strict on us. It might not have made him well-liked but it definitely made him respected and it did help with making all of his disciples strong. I'm afraid that if some of my senior martial brothers are really followed him, they might be personally working on this plan. I'm afraid his involvement in all of this is bigger than we might be able to see."
Baili Chao watched him for a moment, the previous thoughts not completely forgotten. "Do you have any reason to believe that that is the case?"
"No evidence if that is what you are asking for. It's more of a feeling. I can't explain it myself. But I do think that there is a certain chance that his involvement in this isn't just what it seems. If it is true that he was a spy from the very beginning, then he probably gathered information for all these years and sent it back. Thus, they will also have used this information to plan whatever it is that they want to do."
"Yes, that's the whole problem." Baili Chao sighed deeply and leaned back, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "The problem with this is that we don't really have a chance to turn it around. The spies we had in the beginning have naturally all been detected. After all, Elder Feng was trusted by everyone. Naturally, none of their identities was kept from him. As for new ones … we might be able to get some in but it would be difficult to make them get into a high-enough position to find out anything reliable in a short amount of time."
"And the other sects? Don't they know anything?"
Baili Chao could only smile wryly. "We might be the four big righteous sects but that doesn't mean that we really are as much of a unit as you might think. We are working together because there's a common enemy. And we all have the same roots. But as for sharing all the details … I'm afraid it will not be possible with all of them."
Mei Chao Bing nodded. "I can imagine that." In any case, he had also experienced how this kind of thing worked. You could not just expect others to trust you. It was the same for a single disciple as for a whole sect. Well, that was not something he had to think about right now. "It seems there isn't much that we can do then. Do you think it would be alright to send the message that we need more people to the sect just like that?"
Baili Chao shook his head. "No, it's like with the previous message, it is best somebody goes to deliver it personally. I'm not quite sure how to go about that though. Maybe I'll send Zhi Guan. In any case, Yun Bei Fen is already back, we don't really need to worry about these things for the moment. It would be alright to have him return."
Mei Chao Bing nodded. Not taking into consideration what Yun Bei Fen would have to say to this, he also felt that this was the best way to go about things. After all, Zhi Guan was definitely the disciple with the highest cultivation realm among them. It was only a pity that everything was taking so long. This way, it was really troublesome to plan. The messages needed to be delivered, talked about, and then brought back. With this, the demonic practitioners were definitely in a better place. If only they could change this. If only there was a way to attain information from the other side without being fed lies …
Mei Chao Bing furrowed his brows, trying to come up with some kind of plan. It was difficult though. He knew his Master but his Master also knew him. After all, he was the one who taught him. To outsmart him … would it really be possible?
Baili Chao got up, went around the table, and patted his shoulder. "Don't take it to heart. Nobody expects you to figure this out. He might be … or rather he might have been your Master but you're just a disciple of the sect. You're not responsible for this. If Elder Xing and I can't figure this out and even Sect Master Zhang has no idea, then nobody can expect you to do so."
Mei Chao Bing looked up, being in a daze. Yes, somehow, he had wanted to figure it out all on his own. It was probably that he wanted to prove that he was different. That he would never betray the sect and would never be like his Master. He felt that if he defeated him at his own game, he might be able to get back what he had lost.
He knew that that was stupid. There was no way to do so at all. Because no matter what he did, it wouldn't change the past. The betrayal had happened, the things he had experienced at the sect afterward had also happened and there was nothing he could do to change that. It was the truth he needed to finally accept. No matter how difficult it was.
Mei Chao Bing took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. Turning around to Baili Chao, he gave him a grateful look. "Thank you. It is just that I really would like to do more. If there's anything that I can do, then please depend on me for that. Even though I might not be responsible for what he did or for what he does going forward, I'm still a disciple of the Teng Yong Sect."
Baili Chao smiled at that. "You are and you always will be. Don't worry about that. Also, as for future tasks, I would like you to go and do something indeed. I want to send a few more people with you though. Let me think about whom and then I will talk to all of you together. For now, you should probably go back. Fen'er will already be worried."
Mei Chao Bing nodded and then got up, leaving the Elder alone. He couldn't help but wonder just what kind of task it was that he had in mind.