In the inn, Ye Tian had scarcely settled into his seat and called for food when a young attendant approached, his face a mask of respect as he whispered, "My lord, please follow me!"
As he spoke, the attendant discreetly revealed a dark token, intricately carved with a menacing spider visage, which appeared quite fearsome.
"Is this a member of the Baidu Sect?" Ye Tian's heart stirred at once; he did not recognize the attendant, yet the attendant clearly recognized him, having discerned his identity from his attire.
With this thought, Ye Tian lifted his chin haughtily, casting a disdainful glance at the attendant, and coldly commanded, "Lead the way!"
"Of course!" Rather than being offended by Ye Tian's arrogance, the attendant seemed even more deferential.
This reaction was understandable, as the Baidu Sect operated under a strict hierarchy; the attendant, merely an outer disciple, would not dare to offend a true disciple like Ye Tian. Even if Ye Tian were to slay him, the Baidu Sect would not punish a true disciple for the transgressions of an outer one.
"My suspicions were indeed correct; the Baidu Sect has thoroughly established a network in Chilin City to safeguard the Wandu Pool."
With his hands clasped behind his back, Ye Tian followed the attendant with an air of superiority, his eyes gleaming with contemplation.
"My lord, our esteemed manager has been awaiting your arrival," the attendant said respectfully as he guided Ye Tian to the entrance of a room, bowing deeply in an invitation.
"Keep watch outside and ensure no one enters!" Ye Tian shot a glance at the attendant, his voice icy.
"Yes, sir!" The attendant nodded eagerly, fully aware that he was already instructed to guard the door.
With a creak, the door swung open, and Ye Tian strode in confidently, encountering an elderly man with his back turned. Upon hearing the door's opening, the elder turned to face Ye Tian, a frown creasing his brow as a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.
"Discovered?"
A weight settled in Ye Tian's chest as he regarded the elder coldly, his hand subtly reaching for the large iron box at his back. Should the elder make any sudden moves, he would strike swiftly and depart Chilin City without hesitation.
The elder before him appeared to be merely at the level of a Martial Sovereign, lacking remarkable talent and certainly inferior to a genius like Yi Xuehan. Ye Tian was confident he could dispatch him in an instant.
"True disciple? Who are you? I do not recall seeing you within the sect," the elder inquired, a hint of perplexity in his tone, yet he made no move to attack.
Ye Tian felt a sense of relief wash over him and replied dismissively, "Have you met all the true disciples in the sect?" He endeavored to emulate Yi Xuehan's haughty demeanor, exuding an air of superiority.
"It seems my identity remains undisclosed," Ye Tian mused inwardly, realizing that his sudden appearance as a true disciple had prompted the elder's curiosity.
After all, in a small place like Chilin City, true disciples of the Baidu Sect rarely ventured. Most had gone out to explore, with some even leaving the Great Yan Kingdom.
The elder, an elder of the Baidu Sect, had only encountered a few true disciples within the sect, and since his assignment to guard Chilin City, he had not seen any for quite some time.
Thus, when he observed Ye Tian striding confidently into Chilin City, coupled with the fact that he did not recognize this true disciple, his confusion was understandable.
However, that was the extent of his thoughts; the elder did not suspect Ye Tian to be an imposter.
"I admit I have not met all the true disciples in the sect, but I have encountered only a handful, all of whom are unparalleled geniuses and the pillars of our Baidu Sect. Pray tell, which one are you?" The elder, sensing Ye Tian's arrogance, displayed a hint of dissatisfaction, his tone laced with subtle mockery.
"Indeed, there are a few you remain unaware of."
At the elder's words, Ye Tian's pride remained unshaken. He held his head high, looking down upon the elder as he assertively declared, "I am one of those few you speak of. Enough talk—arrange a carriage for me to the Wandu Pool!"
"The Wandu Pool!" The elder gasped, his doubts about Ye Tian's identity dissipating instantly. After all, even within the Baidu Sect, few were privy to the existence of the Wandu Pool; anyone who did would undoubtedly belong to the sect.
Yet, witnessing Ye Tian's disdainful demeanor, the elder felt a surge of indignation. Though he may not match the true disciples, he was still a senior figure within the Baidu Sect. Ye Tian, however, treated him as if he were merely a lowly attendant.
With a solemn tone, the elder replied, "Since you are aware of the Wandu Pool, you must also understand the protocols. We need to inform the higher-ups, so please provide your name."
"Yi Xuehan!"
Ye Tian's voice was frigid, a wave of murderous intent crashing down upon the elder, the aura of his blade surging forth, causing the Martial Sovereign elder to stagger back several steps.
"Hiss... the intent to kill!" The elder's eyes widened in alarm, yet he refrained from attacking, quickly bowing before Ye Tian, his face a mask of respect. "It is an honor to have the Young Sect Master in our presence. I apologize for my lack of recognition."
"You are the Young Sect Master!"
Ye Tian was taken aback; he had not anticipated Yi Xuehan's esteemed position within the Baidu Sect. This was no ordinary true disciple but one being groomed as a future leader.
"Could it be..." Ye Tian suddenly considered a possibility: Yi Xuehan's master might very well be the sect leader of the Baidu Sect.
Hiss!
Upon contemplating this, Ye Tian felt a shiver run down his spine. If the leader of the Baidu Sect were to discover that he had slain his cherished disciple, he would likely face a life fraught with assassination attempts, perhaps even provoking the sect leader to take matters into his own hands.
"It seems I must conceal the news of Yi Xuehan's demise; otherwise, once the Baidu Sect investigates, they will surely trace his death back to me." Ye Tian's head throbbed with the weight of the predicament he had unwittingly invited upon himself. Even if he was not personally afraid of the Baidu Sect's vengeance, if they turned their wrath upon Ye City, it would be too late for regrets.
"Young Sect Master!"
"Young Sect Master!"
As Ye Tian pondered, the elder's anxious and apprehensive voice broke through his thoughts. He was genuinely fearful that Ye Tian might report him to the sect leader, a fate that would surely leave him worse off than dead.
Ye Tian cast a dispassionate glance at him and coldly commanded, "Quickly arrange for a carriage; I have no time to waste on idle chatter."
"Yes, yes, of course!" The elder nodded fervently, his heart swelling with relief; despite Ye Tian's brusque tone, he realized he had narrowly escaped disaster.
Once the elder departed, Ye Tian settled into a chair within the room, furrowing his brow in deep contemplation. He needed to clarify several critical details.
First, it was undeniable that Yi Xuehan had accepted a mission to kill him within the Baidu Sect.
Thus, if news of Yi Xuehan's death were to spread while Ye Tian remained alive, even a fool could deduce the connection between Yi Xuehan's demise and him.
"Must I vanish from the face of the earth?" Ye Tian mused, contemplating whether leaving the Great Yan Kingdom and feigning his own death might obscure the matter.
However, he quickly dismissed this notion. Not only was it perilous for him to venture abroad given his current cultivation level, but who could say whether the Baidu Sect might retaliate against Ye City because of him?
Ye Tian was unwilling to gamble on such a risk; after all, the Baidu Sect was a formidable dark sect, and it was certain they would seek retribution for this incident.
"If I am to 'survive,' then Yi Xuehan absolutely cannot die. Therefore, I must devise a means to ensure Yi Xuehan lives, while also preventing others from discovering the truth, and explaining why he did not kill me..."
Ye Tian felt as though his mind might short-circuit; the enormity of this deception was daunting, and crafting a believable narrative would require considerable effort.
Ultimately, Ye Tian resolved to take things one step at a time, initially adopting Yi Xuehan's identity and claiming to have undergone a baptism at the Wandu Pool, thus fabricating the illusion that Yi Xuehan was still alive.
This way, he would not have to worry about the Baidu Sect's retribution.
However, two crucial matters needed to be addressed: first, if Yi Xuehan was indeed alive, then Ye Tian needed a plausible explanation for why he had not perished.
Second, Yi Xuehan could no longer return to the Baidu Sect; a fabricated story would need to be concocted about his extended absence from the sect.
"The second issue is easily resolved. After I undergo the baptism at the Wandu Pool, I can simply inform them that I intend to venture beyond the Great Yan Kingdom. It is entirely normal for true disciples to embark on such journeys, and the sect leader would likely encourage Yi Xuehan to explore as part of his training," Ye Tian thought to himself.
As for the first matter, he needed a reason why Yi Xuehan had failed to kill him, which was somewhat complicated as it involved the Wu family.
After pondering for a moment, Ye Tian's eyes brightened, and he quietly said, "I can claim that I was fortunate enough to encounter a powerful individual who saved me. While this may seem rather coincidental, it is plausible enough for the Wu family to accept, even if they are skeptical. Moreover, this explanation could also account for Yi Xuehan's decision to venture out; feeling humiliated for failing his mission and recognizing his own inadequacies, he would choose to explore."
"Yes, that will work perfectly! I am truly brilliant!"
Ye Tian couldn't help but laugh heartily, indulging in a moment of self-admiration.
"Young Sect Master, the carriage is ready for you. When shall we depart?" The elder's respectful voice called from outside the door.
Ye Tian wiped the smile from his face, assuming the proud and aloof demeanor of Yi Xuehan once more, and coldly replied, "We depart at once!"
With that, he pushed open the door and strode out confidently.
Before long, Ye Tian found himself seated in an opulent carriage, journeying toward the outskirts.
The one driving the carriage was the same attendant, who felt a surge of excitement at the honor of serving the Young Sect Master—a stroke of fortune he believed he could never hope to achieve in several lifetimes.
In the Baidu Sect, Yi Xuehan was nothing short of legendary, having ascended to the rank of Martial Sovereign at a young age, mastered the first layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body, and even comprehended the intent of slaughtering blades.
Such a prodigy was unparalleled throughout the Great Yan Kingdom, especially considering that Yi Xuehan's master was the leader of the Baidu Sect.
Thus, in the eyes of the public, Yi Xuehan was viewed as the heir apparent to the next sect leader.
Even if some true disciples within the sect felt envious, they dared only to grumble in secret, never daring to voice their discontent openly.
However, if the attendant were to discover Ye Tian's true identity, he might reconsider whether this stroke of luck was truly a blessing earned over several lifetimes.