Chen Shanshui nodded, admitting, "That's right, I do fear that possibility, but my visit this time is more about cooperation."
"Cooperation?"
Yu Daohan was increasingly unable to understand Chen Shanshui's intentions. "What can I possibly cooperate on with the Chen family head?"
Chen Shanshui smiled faintly and shook his head. "I don't think so. Although I have enmity with Master Yu, it doesn't mean we can't cooperate."
"Interesting."
Yu Daohan grinned, curious, "Then tell me, Family Head Chen, how do you propose we cooperate?"
Seeing a glimmer of hope, Chen Shanshui continued, "If Master Yu helps me with one thing, I'll give you the Tunyun Gu, how about that?"
Yu Daohan didn't agree immediately but asked, "What kind of help?"
Chen Shanshui slowly spoke, "The Church of Divine Light is attacking the Chen family these past few days. I hope Master Yu will lend a hand!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Daohan's expression immediately turned serious. "Is that true?"
Chen Shanshui smiled faintly, seemingly confident he had him, and continued, "Master Yu only needs to assist, you don't need to worry about anything else."
Yu Daohan remained silent, his gaze fixed on Chen Shanshui's eyes.
A person's mouth can lie, but their eyes cannot.
Especially when facing someone stronger than oneself, eyes often betray lies.
But Chen Shanshui before him did not seem to be lying.
"Alright, I agree." Yu Daohan nodded in agreement.
Seeing Yu Daohan agree, Chen Shanshui let out a sigh of relief and said, "This Tunyun Gu is one of the Chen family's forbidden Gu. No disciple has raised this Gu for fifty years. However, there is one remaining in the Chen family's Gu house. I will personally deliver it to Master Yu after this matter is concluded."
Yu Daohan nodded. "Agreed."
Seeing Yu Daohan agree, Chen Shanshui cupped his hands in a gesture of farewell, preparing to leave. "Then I shall not disturb Master Yu any further."
As Chen Shanshui turned to leave, Yu Daohan suddenly called out, "Family Head Chen, please stay."
Chen Shanshui stopped, turned to look at Yu Daohan, and smiled, "Master Yu, I'd like to know, how did you know the Church of Divine Light was attacking the Chen family?"
Chen Shanshui knowing about the Church of Divine Light's sneak attack on the Chen family was definitely problematic!
Could it be... the Chen family had an inside agent within the Church of Divine Light? That was impossible.
The three major sects and the Bureau of Spiritual Affairs had tried everything but failed to place an agent within the Church of Divine Light.
Could the Chen family achieve it?
No, that possibility was slim.
Unless the Chen family possessed...!
At this thought, Yu Daohan was stunned, unable to believe his own speculation.
Chen Shanshui offered a meaningful smile. "I cannot tell Master Yu this, but if Master Yu thinks carefully, you should know, or perhaps you have already guessed."
Chen Shanshui's cryptic words might leave others guessing, but Yu Daohan understood.
Chen Shanshui had made it clear.
The Chen family truly possessed a compass!
Late into the night, Yu Daohan stood on an open space outside the village, unable to calm himself for a long time.
The conversation just now forced him to rethink everything.
Based on his deductions, places with compasses were generally first-rate sects.
The three major sects controlled at least six compasses, two per sect, and the rest should be in the hands of other reliable first-rate sects.
But from the conversation just now, it was clear that the Chen family indeed had a compass.
However, it was unknown which level it belonged to.
"What do the three seniors truly mean?"
Yu Daohan was utterly confused, truly perplexed.
Just as he was pondering, his phone suddenly rang.
Taking out his phone, he saw it was Shi Bingzhi calling.
Upon answering, before Yu Daohan could speak, he heard Shi Bingzhi on the other end, panting heavily, with sounds of fighting in the background.
"Master Yu, where are you now?"
Yu Daohan immediately felt something was amiss and asked, "Old Shi, did something happen over there?"
A sound of glass breaking was heard, followed by Shi Bingzhi's voice, "Master Yu, someone is attacking at night, come quickly for support!"
"Alright."
Yu Daohan hung up the phone and turned to run back.
This matter was too strange. Just after he left, Shi Bingzhi was attacked.
Could it be a trap set by Chen Shanshui?
But that was unlikely. If he came alone, wouldn't he fear that Yu Daohan wouldn't agree and would capture him to exchange for the Tunyun Gu?
"Damn it!"
Yu Daohan cursed loudly and ran back to the village quickly.
Regardless of whether Chen Shanshui was responsible, he would save Shi Bingzhi first.
Reaching Chen Qiaorou's doorway, he saw signs of a struggle on the ground, but Shi Bingzhi was nowhere to be found.
Yu Daohan identified the tracks carefully and then ran down a small alley.
Meanwhile.
In a small alley, Shi Bingzhi, gripping a cleaver, ran forward panting, his face grim.
Who were these people?
Their attacks were fierce, and the techniques they used were not Gu worms, so they didn't seem like Chen family disciples.
The four people behind him pursued relentlessly, their faces covered with black cloth, making their features indistinguishable.
The figure leading the charge suddenly swung his short sword.
Shi Bingzhi, with quick reflexes, dodged to the left, evading the incoming short sword.
The short sword grazed Shi Bingzhi's cheek, embedding itself into a wooden pillar to his left.
Shi Bingzhi let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to continue his escape, the short sword suddenly emitted a dazzling light.
"Not good!"
Shi Bingzhi's expression changed drastically, and he quickly raised his hands to protect his face.
*Bang!*
The short sword suddenly exploded, and the resulting energy wave sent Shi Bingzhi flying, crashing into a nearby abandoned wooden house.
Shi Bingzhi's arms were embedded with splinters of broken wood, and his clothes were tattered.
Fortunately, they were only superficial wounds and did not hit vital points.
It was also thanks to him raising his hands to protect his face in time, otherwise, the short wooden fragments from that explosion would have surely killed him if they had hit his head.
Shi Bingzhi immediately stood up, gripping his cleaver, and watched the four figures stride in.
After a brief exchange, Shi Bingzhi realized that these four were not weak.
They were at least at the level of experts on the Heaven Ranking.
And most importantly, the pursuers were continuously increasing. There were definitely more than just these four; he had only managed to escape quickly.
"Damn, why are there so many Heaven Ranking experts around now?"
Shi Bingzhi muttered under his breath, already adopting a defensive stance.
He might not be able to defeat these four, but if the pursuers behind them were all of this caliber, then he was truly finished.
With no way to retreat, he could only hold on until Master Yu arrived to support him.
The four wasted no time; after a glance at each other, they attacked Shi Bingzhi together.
Shi Bingzhi swung his cleaver, clashing with the closest assailant, then quickly retracted and struck another.
Fighting and retreating, Shi Bingzhi was surprisingly evenly matched with the four, with no clear advantage.
At the same time, Yu Daohan heard the explosion in the distance, stomped his foot, and using the friction of the wall, leaped onto the rooftop.
Finally, he locked onto a location and ran towards it swiftly.