"Another one?" The Monkey King lifted his head, smiled helplessly, then bowed again to pore over the bamboo slips in his hands.
"No need to worry. Two Spirit-Refinement cultivators are more than enough. Besides, we already know they're here. Apart from what can't be hidden, there's nothing else they can discover."
The Monkey King let out a long sigh. "If Lord Lao really wanted a thorough investigation, he wouldn't just send those who can barely conceal themselves."
"Hm?" Anna Yang arched her brow, gazing at the Monkey King in puzzlement.
"Two Spirit-Refinement attendants—this is a major affair. Are you telling me Lord Lao can't spare two Spirit-Transformation experts?" The Monkey King didn't even look up, rolling up the bamboo slip and setting it aside, then grabbing another to study closely.
Anna Yang thought for a moment, her eyes widening in sudden realization, but quickly drooped again, her expression full of doubt. "What you say makes sense... but if that's true, why send anyone at all?"
"Just the surface appearance is enough. A Sage’s Path master can deduce forward and backward. Lord Lao is the supreme Sage’s Path practitioner—even with the Heavenly Dao disrupted, his skill is unmatched. Deduction works both ways: from a few symptoms, whether real or feigned, he can infer nearly everything about us. If he was slow to react at first, it was only because he noticed late. It doesn’t mean he’ll always be passive."
"Then why do those attendants keep probing, again and again?"
"To make sure we know. Lord Lao is telling me: there’s already a leash around my neck, and he can tighten it whenever he pleases."
Anna Yang was startled. "Is he threatening you?"
The Monkey King stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Not exactly a threat. If anything, it’s a signal of goodwill."
"I don't get it."
"Given Lord Lao’s rank, we should assume he knows everything we know. When I belonged to Crescent Star Cave, I saw him as our sole enemy. Now, he’s trying to reshape that impression. Those who want to break the Heavenly Dao hope I’ll act as extremely as possible—makes me easier to manipulate. But those who want to set the Heavenly Dao upright, if they can’t strike a deal with me, their hopes are doomed. Now, Lord Lao is telling me: he’s been watching all along, but hasn’t moved against me. So long as I don’t go too far, he’ll let me be."
Anna Yang pondered in silence for a long while, then nodded quietly.
"That does make sense... Wait, are you the Sage’s Path master, or am I? How come you see things so clearly when I’m completely lost?"
"Didn’t you know I practice both paths?" The Monkey King chuckled. "Your temperament isn’t suited for deduction—it’s normal you can’t see through it."
"And you think your temperament is? If you were truly a Sage’s Path master, you wouldn’t even be at the Spirit-Refinement Stage."
The Monkey King flashed her a proud look, but said nothing, bowing his head again to his bamboo slips, a quiet chuckle escaping him.
Standing at the stone chamber’s doorway for a long moment, Anna Yang finally asked, "So what’s your plan now? If he’s showing goodwill, are you ready to reach out to him?"
The Monkey King shook his head.