Yun Ze was full of questions, but they were all for Bu Bu!
When Yu Xian had produced the Sumeru Ring back then, she had already acted strangely.
Coupled with her reclusive nature since childhood, not being someone who coveted glory, her desire to join a cultivation family must have had other reasons.
Now that they were about to part, she had to say something to him.
The two walked out of the Ascension Assembly grounds and appeared around the royal palace.
This area had already been cordoned off as a restricted zone, with no one within hundreds of meters.
Bu Bu casually found a tree to lean against and sat down, with Yun Ze following suit.
Neither of them spoke, merely gazing up at the clouds drifting across the sky, enjoying the cool autumn breeze, a scene of perfect contentment. Kuaishuge.
After about a quarter of an hour, Bu Bu's voice finally drifted on the wind.
"Don't you have any questions?"
"I have too many, I'm waiting for you to tell me."
"What if I don't tell you?"
"Then I won't ask."
Yun Ze smiled helplessly, "I'm used to it."
He actually knew.
If the world was a game, neither Bu Bu nor Elder Xiao would see him as a player, but rather a pawn.
No matter what happened, they wouldn't tell him the full reason, only how to act and what to do.
He felt stifled, but there was nothing he could do!
Setting aside the cunning Elder Xiao, even Bu Bu before him was unfathomable to Yun Ze. How could he be their equal, looking down upon the entire game?
Bu Bu frowned slightly and sighed, "The less you know, the better it is for you right now."
Yun Ze's parents used to say the same thing, and he didn't want to hear it now.
"We're about to part, and this is all you have to say?"
"There are still some things I need to tell you."
Bu Bu finally got to the point, "Those two, I believe you can handle them, so I won't elaborate.
As for Yu Xian, his ambitions are vast. Don't get too close, but don't completely alienate him either. If you can't gauge him, observe him for now."
"Okay."
"As for Xiao Hanshi... his ambition is simple, it's the immortal jade in your embrace. However, he seems to have some reservations.
If you have the chance, find out what he's wary of. If he intends to act, then instigate Yu Xian to make a move."
"Understood."
Yun Ze listened carefully, without offering much opinion.
"And the immortal jade..."
Bu Bu pondered for a long time, then finally looked up at Yun Ze, "If I asked you for it now, would you give it to me?"
She was also incredibly conflicted.
On one hand, she wanted to keep these two immortal jades in her possession. On the other hand, she feared that if she went to the Xiu family, these two immortal jades would be discovered.
The best solution was for them to remain with Yun Ze!
Currently, besides Xiao Hanshi and herself, no one else knew the true whereabouts of the immortal jade. Keeping it with Yun Ze was relatively safe.
Yun Ze remained silent, merely shaking his head.
"Then forget it."
Bu Bu didn't dwell on it. She took out a letter from her embrace and handed it to him, "Open it after you get back."
She then stood up and walked towards the barrier of the Ascension Assembly.
"Wait."
Yun Ze carefully placed the letter into his pocket, not standing up, but calling out to Bu Bu, "Do you still have something you haven't said?"
"Hmm?"
"What about you?"
Yun Ze looked at Bu Bu, "I can refrain from asking why you're going to the Xiu family, but I want to know when you'll be back, when we can meet again, or... if we'll ever see each other again?"
His feelings for Bu Bu were peculiar.
When Yun Ze was at his most helpless and desperate, it was she who appeared in his life, with words and actions completely out of sync with her age, dragging him out of his grief and setting him on the path of revenge.
And after this period of growth, his feelings for Bu Bu had become almost like those for family.
How could he not ask about the return date when parting with someone so close?
"We will."
Bu Bu uttered two words without hesitation, then said, "As long as you keep those two things safe, we will meet again sooner or later, at most... five years."
"Alright, then I'll wait for you."
"Mm."
"If you don't come, I'll come find you."
"...Okay."
Bu Bu turned around, and Yun Ze followed suit, standing up.
The two walked towards the Ascension Assembly.
Five years, not short, not long.
For cultivators, it was but a blink of an eye.
Since he could only be a pawn now, not qualified to know those things, he would wait for five years!
Perhaps by then, he would be qualified?
The two re-entered the Ascension Assembly. Elder Xu on the high platform saw them enter and immediately flashed to Bu Bu's side.
"How was it? Finished talking? Should we be leaving now?"
"Mm."
Bu Bu responded calmly, then looked at Yun Ze, "Farewell."
"Farewell."
Yun Ze replied, then watched as the old man led Bu Bu out of the barrier, their figures disappearing from sight.
He was alone now.
Yun Ze sighed deeply, and a smile bloomed on his face once more.
The road ahead was still long.
If he lingered in the present, there would only be more sighs later.
It was better to smile and see how much worse life could get! How much worse could it be to completely crush him!
Yun Ze walked through the crowd and ascended the high platform again.
This time, he didn't undergo the test, but walked through the crowd of those being tested, not forgetting to greet his senior brothers along the way.
When he reached the eighth-level high platform again, he immediately spotted the woman in red.
She was already standing beside Elder Ji, clearly having passed the test.
As for the third disciple, they had not yet appeared.
"Xiao Yun, have you finished handling things?" Elder Ji asked with a smile.
"Reporting to Elder, I've handled half of it."
Yun Ze maintained a smile, pointing to the ninth-level high platform, "I have a friend here, and I need to say goodbye before leaving, don't I?"
"That's only right."
Elder Ji nodded with a smile, "Go ahead, there's still plenty of time, you can chat for a while longer."
"Thank you, Elder."
Seeing Yun Ze approach, the woman in red spoke directly, "Senior Brother Yun, I can call you that now, right?"
Before Yun Ze could reply, Elder Ji's voice rang out again.
"Ah, yes, you two should get acquainted. After entering the sect, you should help and look after each other."
"Yes, Elder."
The two responded in unison.
The woman in red then took a step forward, cupping her hands towards Yun Ze, "Greetings, Senior Brother Yun. My name is Su Ling'er. From now on, we will be fellow disciples. Please take care of me."
"Greetings, Junior Sister Su."
Yun Ze replied, and before she could ask about the red envelope, he said first, "Junior Sister, your banner was bought by Senior Brother, and I'm really short on cash! How about you return the spirit stones to me first, and I'll give you the red envelope after I've accumulated the full amount?"
"Senior Brother, it's no trouble."
Su Ling'er smiled charmingly, "The red envelope can be given at any time, as long as Senior Brother doesn't forget."
She really was obsessed with money!
Yun Ze's words were blocked, and he couldn't say anything more. He could only exchange pleasantries before heading towards the ninth-level high platform.
As soon as he stepped onto this ninth-level high platform, he heard Yu Xian's soft snores.
As expected, he was asleep...
Yun Ze slowly approached Brother Donkey, came to Yu Xian's side, and patted his shoulder, "Brother Yu? Brother Yu, wake up."
"Ah? Is the assembly over?" Yu Xian asked immediately after waking up.
"Not yet, not even half over."
Yun Ze replied helplessly, then asked again, "Brother Yu, I have something important to report. Can you set up something soundproof?"
"Report? Work-related matters..."
Yu Xian looked utterly dejected, but still waved his hand casually.
Yun Ze felt a surge of spiritual energy ripple outwards, and then the surrounding sounds instantly vanished.
"Alright, speak now."
Yun Ze had originally intended to directly mention Elder Ji and Chen Xiao, but as the words reached his lips, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him, and he inexplicably asked...
"Brother Yu, have you heard of... Xiao Hanshi?"
Yu Xian's eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp glint, and he instantly sobered up!
He lowered his body and leaned his face directly towards Yun Ze!
"You, where did you hear this name!"