The Old Fox’s Predicament

“Oh, I never imagined the renowned ‘Scholar‘ would be so young.”

“Heh, senior, you flatter me unduly. This junior merely dabbles in some unconventional affairs; how could I possibly be called ‘renowned’?”

Gu Bei, a faint smile gracing his lips, met the equally amiable gaze of the Valley Master.

With arms casually crossed, the two exchanged polite pleasantries.

“Ah, I’m so delighted by our meeting that I’ve forgotten my manners; I should have invited Chief Gu to the main hall to discuss matters first.”

Observing the Valley Master of Clear Stream Valley, who awkwardly patted his head as if truly just remembering, Gu Bei’s smile conveyed profound understanding.

“Haha, senior is truly a free-spirited individual.”

Gu Bei had long grown accustomed to dealing with such individuals.

Indeed, navigating interactions with them comprised the bulk of his work.

This held true both in his past and in his present circumstances.

Whether he was traversing various lands ‘conducting business’ in earlier days or now residing peacefully within the sect, the dynamic remained unchanged.

At times, Gu Bei found that the true complexity of matters seldom lay in the issues themselves, but rather in the opaque, veiled demands of these enigmatic figures.

They rarely articulated their true desires directly.

Even crucial ‘background information’ necessary for resolving a problem might not be disclosed.

He had once suffered setbacks due to this very tendency.

Yet, back then, people had overlooked his transgressions, considering his youth, low cultivation, and his knack for sweet talk and social grace.

Otherwise, he would have met his downfall long ago.

The same held true even now.

He harbored no illusion that if the matter were trivial, the sect master of an eighth-rank sect, a Grand Cultivator of the Golden Core stage, would specifically carve out time to engage him in such idle chatter.

Especially since this seemingly white-haired Valley Master, from his very first words, revealed himself to be an old fox.

Occasionally, Gu Bei found himself exasperated; he preferred to simply get things done without the added layers of extraneous nonsense.

Regrettably, however, circumstances were rarely so straightforward.

Just like Gu Bei, who now found himself seated within the main hall.

And opposite him, the Valley Master of Clear Stream Valley, who had dismissed all deacons and elders.

Beyond the two of them, no one else remained.

Even Yun Qingyi had temporarily stepped out.

More often than not, matters unfolded in this manner; there was no possibility that Gu Bei’s smooth words, such as ‘Guest Elder Yun is trustworthy, and this junior’s cultivation is meager, so…’, would allow Yun Qingyi to remain present and listen.

Though the Valley Master of Clear Stream Valley had been overwhelmingly enthusiastic moments ago, if Gu Bei were to insist that Yun Qingyi stay, the Valley Master would not betray the slightest change in expression. However, Gu Bei could then forget about learning the true nature of the situation.

The potential cooperation would also likely fall through.

Clear Stream Valley was renowned for its abundant yield of common, mild-attribute medicinal herbs, and it also ran a lucrative business selling affordable elixirs. Partnering with them promised significant profits.

Typically, sects of this caliber had numerous partners, and it wouldn’t usually be the turn of a ninth-rank, barely-qualified sect like the Minor Sword Sect.

This remained true even though Mu Qingsi, the sect master of the Minor Sword Sect, was at the Nascent Soul stage, and Yun Qingyi, their Guest Elder, was at the Golden Core stage.

However, if Mu Qingsi were to press her sword against the Clear Stream Valley Master’s throat, that would be an entirely different matter.

Thus, Gu Bei was certain that Clear Stream Valley had encountered a highly troublesome predicament.

The severity of this issue was undoubtedly significant.

For them to seek him out, it either meant that all of Clear Stream Valley’s existing partners were utterly incapable of resolving the problem, leaving the valley with no choice but to try anything, even a desperate, last-ditch effort.

Or, it meant their partners could indeed resolve it, but their asking price was exorbitant.

Gu Bei leaned towards the latter explanation.

“Let us be direct, then; it is just the two of us here,” Gu Bei stated softly, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

“Chief Gu’s straightforward approach certainly puts my mind at ease—good! In that case, let us dispense with formalities. I’ll be blunt: the forces of the Demonic Path have infiltrated Sanchuan, and they have directly confronted us.”

“Confronted, you say?”

“This old man refused an offer of cooperation from a Demonic Sect Master.”

“The other party…” Gu Bei’s inquiry remained unspoken, the latter half conveyed entirely through his gaze.

“Early Nascent Soul stage.”

“Oh…” Gu Bei nodded lightly. “And besides that? In what other ways did you offend them?”

“None.”

“…” Gu Bei, hearing this, simply smiled faintly and stared silently at the Valley Master.

“Alright, alright, there’s more,” the Valley Master conceded. “I competed with him for the courtesan at the Misty Rain Pavilion, drove up the price of an item he wanted at an auction, booked out the restaurant he was planning to dine at, and then—”

“Alright, alright, I understand, you don’t need to say any more.” Gu Bei felt a prickle of unease on his scalp.

The more he listened, the more this old man sounded utterly improper, increasingly resembling a villain specifically designed to antagonize the protagonist.

The kind of sanctimonious, ‘righteous’ elder of renown.

“Besides these, is there anything else? Beyond personal grievances?”

“None,” the Valley Master shook his head.

Gu Bei let out a dry chuckle, then rose to his feet and began to walk away.

“There is, there is! Ah, Chief Gu is truly a Chief, so perceptive! It seems it’s not easy to hide things from you.”

“So, what is it?” Gu Bei directly filtered out the Valley Master’s insipid chatter.

“The Demonic Path seems to be planning to expand their territory on our side recently,” the Valley Master explained. “So, this old man gathered a few friends, and we banded together.”

Well then, he had managed to offend them both personally and publicly.

However, he had witnessed such situations countless times before.

It was simply utter foolishness, pure vexation.

He had, by now, acquired ample experience in discerning such matters.

“Then, what outcome do you desire?” Gu Bei unhurriedly settled back into his chair, propping his chin as he looked at the Valley Master.

“For them all to die?” The old man blurted out a brazen declaration.

Such an outrageous statement caused even Gu Bei’s pupils to involuntarily contract.

His lips twitched.

Then, the Valley Master smiled somewhat sheepishly. “Even if Chief Gu could accomplish that, we wouldn’t be able to afford the price.”

“So, what I hope for is that they stop targeting us, and perhaps suffer some losses…” The Clear Stream Valley Master’s voice took on a rather insidious tone.

Gu Bei felt that at this moment, the Valley Master ought to have cackled maniacally.

“In that case, what assistance can your esteemed sect offer?”

“Uh… enough medicinal salves?” the Valley Master asked tentatively.

Gu Bei was, by this point, growing somewhat vexed.

The truly repulsive aspect of these high-ranking sect members lay precisely here: they were incredibly stingy with even the slightest support or assistance. He wasn’t working for others; he was working for them.

Yet, even with his internal irritation, he could not let it show on his face.

His earlier ‘death stare’ and feigned departure were merely intended to convey the message, ‘I know you’re trying to deceive me,’ rather than indicating any actual advantage in the negotiation.

He was the subordinate party; where would he find an advantage?

“In that case, at the very least, you should provide me with basic information such as the opponent’s situation and their location, should you not?”

“Of course!”

Gu Bei couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the unfortunate sucker in this deal.

This sensation peaked after he signed the cooperation agreement.

How to put it…

It was like having spent hours running errands through a storyline, only to receive a paltry sum as a reward.

Despite his reservations, the task still had to be completed.

Upon exiting, he summoned Yun Qingyi, and they departed Clear Stream Valley immediately.