Zi Yin bowed politely and Zhan Sheng dismissed them all for the day, his mind racing on what to do next to strengthen his ties with the other sects to overthrow the Emperor. Mao Xia lingers back, his mouth twisted in a frown. "My lord, I must express my doubts once more. Allowing Zi Yin to be involved in our plans poses a significant risk. His loyalty is questionable, and I fear he will betray us at the first opportunity."
"General Mao, your lack of trust in Zi Yin is duly noted. However, I have made my decision, and I stand by it. Zi Yin's knowledge and strategic insights are valuable assets to our cause."
"B-But—"
"No buts, I need every advantage to take Emperor Gong Yijun down, which reminds me," Zhan Sheng said. "I need you to look into the Emperor and find out if he's cultivating Gu."
"Gu? For means of possession?"
