Chapter 83: Withdrawal

“Old Lu, you too?”
One Tian Jinzhong was enough to throw the Grandmaster’s thoughts into disarray; now that Lu Jin had also stepped in, the original three-way cooperation took on a different flavor.
Sensing the atmosphere growing tense, the younger generation in the room—like Lu Linglong and Zhang Chulan—instantly felt an ineffable sense of awe and confusion.
Seeing Lu Jin and Tian Jinzhong join forces to target Ye Yan, Xu Si's expression darkened as well. “Old Tian, Old Lu, what is the meaning of this?”
Never mind Ye Yan’s own abilities; at this moment, he was an employee of the North China Division.
In a cooperative setting like this, for the other two parties to single out one of his subordinates before official collaboration began was tantamount to disregarding his authority as the regional director.
Was even a small-time official to be ignored?
Yet, Tian Jinzhong seemed unfazed by Xu Si’s questioning. Resting his hands on his wheelchair, he replied mildly,
“Mr. Xu, you’re a senior manager in the company. Surely you understand better than us commoners what it means to be associated with the All-Truth Demonic Sect?”
Lu Jin, arms folded, echoed calmly in support,
“My stance is not personal. I hold no private grudges. This young man’s character may be decent, but such matters are not for him to be involved in.”
There was no need for debate or sophistry; just the mention of the All-Truth Demonic Sect was enough to silence Xu Si.
No one in the company understood better than he what those four words signified.
Whether it was the sect itself or those connected to it, anyone tainted by that association rarely met a good end.
Now, in the eyes of both men, Ye Yan seemed branded with that mark—a pariah, someone utterly unacceptable to the orthodox factions.
After a moment’s silence, Xu Si raised his head, looking Tian Jinzhong squarely in the eye.
“What if I insist that Ye Yan must participate in this mission?”
Tian Jinzhong smiled faintly. “Who the North China Division sends to participate is your prerogative as regional director. I cannot prevent it.”
“But how can you guarantee that he won’t continue colluding with the All-Truth Sect and leak our plans to them in advance?”
“Never mind what we at Dragon-Tiger Mountain think—surely your company is taking this operation seriously too. Who will be responsible if something goes wrong?”
“I have no intention of entrusting the safety of Dragon-Tiger Mountain to someone I cannot trust.”

Tian Jinzhong’s argument was not personal; he spoke from the perspective of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, considering the greater good.
It was like setting up two opposing armies. If there’s a spy in your own ranks—someone who might relay intelligence to the enemy, or perhaps not—no one would be willing to gamble the outcome of a crucial battle on a single unpredictable element.
Right now, Ye Yan was that spy, accused of collusion with the All-Truth Sect.
Of course Tian Jinzhong would not allow such a person to move freely among his ranks, hence his words.
Xu Si wanted to argue further, but Ye Yan stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Old Tian’s concerns are understandable, especially given the gravity of the situation.”
“I know my place. Since Old Tian and Old Lu have spoken, I’ll withdraw from the mission of my own accord.”
To Ye Yan, this operation against the All-Truth Sect was, at best, a curiosity.
Whether or not he participated mattered little to him. Since Tian Jinzhong had made his stance clear, Ye Yan was happy to step aside.
Yet before bowing out, he made a small request—one that, if granted, rendered everything else unimportant.
“As long as you promise to let Xia He go if you encounter her, I have no other demands. What do you two seniors think?”
“Agreed.”
Tian Jinzhong’s answer came without hesitation.
His only concern was the safety of Dragon-Tiger Mountain. If the condition was merely to spare a single member of the All-Truth Sect, that was trivial and harmless.
Lu Jin considered for a moment before also agreeing to Ye Yan’s proposal. His thinking was much the same as Tian Jinzhong’s; he simply did not wish for any unexpected variables in this grand entrapment.
After all, he was already using Zhang Chulan and the Heavenly Scripture as bait—he had wagered heavily on this game.
“Since both seniors agree, I’ll withdraw from this operation.”
Having received their assent, Ye Yan’s reply was brisk and straightforward.
Xu Si, too, could only shake his head as he looked at Ye Yan, unable to say anything more.
Thus, the conflict came to an end.
For the subsequent discussions, Ye Yan had little interest and soon found an excuse to leave, giving the room over to the others.

…
…
After leaving the room, Ye Yan didn’t go far. He squatted in a relatively quiet corner of the courtyard to smoke. As he smoked, he watched two young Daoists sitting on the steps.
They were about the same height; one was pale-faced, the other pockmarked.
The pale-faced Daoist stood guard at the door, dutifully performing his role.
The pockmarked one crouched under a crooked tree, poking at an anthill with a long stick, thoroughly entertained.
Their contrasting behaviors amused Ye Yan—one old-fashioned and rigid, the other lively and mischievous, complete opposites.
While Ye Yan was observing them, the closed door suddenly opened from within.
The Grandmaster, dressed in simple Daoist robes, emerged slowly. On hearing the door, the pale-faced Daoist quickly bowed in greeting.
“Master.”
The pockmarked Daoist, startled, tossed aside his stick and bowed awkwardly. “Master.”
“Hmm.”
The Grandmaster paid little mind to their reactions, smiling gently as he walked over to where Ye Yan was.
“Grandmaster.”
The Grandmaster nodded. “Young Ye, I apologize for what just happened. My junior is a good man, but his temper leaves much to be desired.”
“You’re too kind, Grandmaster. I understand Old Tian’s concerns. Were I in his position, I would make the same choice.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
The Grandmaster looked Ye Yan up and down, finding the young man increasingly pleasing to the eye.
Standing before him was a polite, poised youth; compared to his own disappointing and arrogant disciple, the contrast made the Grandmaster sigh inwardly.