Time slowly passed.
The grouping situation was quickly determined.
A total of 13 representatives from different sects or clans were present.
Two factions were grouped together, making up five groups.
The remaining sixth group consisted of three people: Shangguan Miaoyin, Ning Qian, and Gu Yan.
Gu Yan smiled at Shangguan Miaoyin and Ning Qian, teasing, "Now we're teammates."
"I hope you're not imposters from the Night organization," he added.
Ning Qian frowned slightly and retorted, somewhat upset, "Mr. Gu, please don't say such things. I would never degrade myself by associating with an organization like Night!"
Shangguan Miaoyin, on the other hand, covered her mouth and chuckled, "Mr. Gu, you really do love joking. Don't forget, I even defended you at the Gu family before."
Gu Yan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Who knows? You should always prepare for the worst. What if..." He deliberately lowered his voice and pretended to be sinister, "...I am the Night King?"
His voice did not really drop; those around him heard it clearly.
The martial artists present were momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Mr. Gu, you're really pulling our leg now!"
"Yeah, there's no way you could be the Night King!"
"Exactly, if you were the Night King, why would you be here helping us strategize?"
"That's right, we trust that Mr. Gu has nothing to do with Night!"
"Besides, if there was any suspicion, we could just test him!"
Everyone expressed disbelief. If Gu Yan were the Night King, it would be far simpler to just kill everyone present, after all.
Shangguan Miaoyin also couldn't help but find Gu Yan's idea ridiculous. She laughed softly and said, "Mr. Gu, you really shouldn't joke like that."
"Anyway, let’s move on. What’s our plan going forward?"
Heh, what a ridiculous man, claiming to be the Night King?
Why don't you say that the Master would cry, throw tantrums, and act spoiled with you?
Such a whimsical and delusional fellow. It seems he has no idea who the Master really is.
He’s still being toyed with, completely unaware of the truth.
The others also turned their attention to Gu Yan.
Now that the groups were decided, it was time to discuss the next steps.
Gu Yan pretended to ponder for a few minutes before speaking.
"For now, let's refer to those from the Heavenly Demon Sect who are suspected of being under the influence of the Night organization as members of the Night faction."
"Judging from their recent activity, we can guess that their next move won’t be far off."
"So, sticking together is actually a way to protect ourselves."
"The number of people each faction has brought isn’t large, but when grouped together, it’s just enough."
"If there are members of the Night faction among us, they can not only report to the others but also keep them in check."
"And if there are no members of the Night faction within a group, then it’s even better. With our numerical advantage, do we really need to fear them?"
"As long as we manage to secure the aura of a member of the Night faction, we’ll gain the upper hand!"
"Therefore, everyone needs to stay vigilant and be careful!"
"Because Night might attack us at any moment. Additionally..."
Gu Yan looked around at the people present and said gravely, "There are many factions that came to Jianghai this time. A total of 18 factions have registered with the Martial Arts Department."
"However, only 13 of those are present here today, so... I suggest you all avoid revealing the details of today's discussions to the factions that aren’t here."
"Especially avoid acting alone to prevent any accidents."
"That’s all."
Somehow, Gu Yan’s words had become the directive for everyone’s actions.
They all nodded in agreement with the plan: "Well said! Mr. Gu's plan is very reliable!"
"Exactly, this strategy not only ensures our safety but also helps us identify members of the Night faction! It’s a brilliant move!"
Gu Yan listened impassively to the praise, nodding slightly to himself.
Good, these dimwits finally believe me. Just as simple-minded as in the original story, these righteous fighters.
As for some of the devious ones who seemed distracted...
Heh, it doesn’t matter. As long as my goal is achieved, that’s all that matters.
Now, it’s just a matter of waiting for the right moment.
...
...
Back in the luxury car, Gu Yan sat in the passenger seat, while Ning Qian and Shangguan Miaoyin sat in the back.
The car drove aimlessly, and no one spoke.
Gu Yan looked out the window, thinking about Qingqiu’s alluring beauty.
Ah~ The first step is done. Now, it’s time for the second step.
Qingqiu, wait for me. Once I finish this phase, I’ll come find you soon~~
Though Qingqiu’s subordinates are here, which can serve as an alibi, it does make some things inconvenient to do. But no worries, I have other ways.
After a few minutes of silence...
Shangguan Miaoyin couldn’t take it anymore. She glanced at Gu Yan and asked with a smile, "Mr. Gu, where are we headed now?
"Are you planning to just circle around Jianghai?"
Good question.
Gu Yan turned to look at the backseat and said, "Hmm... To be honest, even with a plan, keeping you two around puts a lot of pressure on me."
"After all, I’m a married man, and taking you two anywhere isn’t very convenient."
This guy...
Shangguan Miaoyin smiled on the surface, but inside she was seething with envy and resentment.
What a disgusting man, saying such things in front of her, expressing his relationship with the Master like that. Truly, jealousy makes one lose sight of reason!
She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her envy, and chuckled softly, "Mr. Gu, you really do love joking."
"But we can’t just keep driving around Jianghai without a destination, right?"
Hearing this, Gu Yan turned to Ning Qian and asked, "Any suggestions, Miss Ning?"
After a moment of silence, Ning Qian looked at Gu Yan and said slowly, "I want to find my senior brother."
"Gu Yan, do you have any way to locate my senior brother?"
Regardless of the plan, her goal remained finding Xiao Lin.
Before, she hadn’t considered asking Gu Yan for help, but now she remembered that as a prominent figure in Jianghai, Gu Yan must know the whereabouts of the Dragon King Palace’s young master, Xiao Lin.
So, directly asking him for help might be more efficient than searching aimlessly.
Gu Yan naturally wouldn’t refuse such a request. Based on information from his subordinates, Xiao Lin’s relationship with Shen Wan’er had been rapidly progressing.
A mysterious light flickered in his eyes as he responded, "Of course I can, but..."
"Miss Ning, I must remind you that Brother Xiao Lin is currently deeply involved with Shen Wan’er..."
Ning Qian interrupted, "Gu Yan, my senior brother dating anyone is none of my business."
Her tone was somewhat complicated, her gaze slightly uneasy: "I came down the mountain only to help him on my master’s command."
Gu Yan didn’t say anything more. He just nodded and smiled, "Then... Lao Gao, head to Spring Mountain Estate."
his freshman year, Su Bai accidentally bound the "Indulgence Tycoon System." 【Sleeping in? Reward: +$1,000】 【Spent $288 at a street barbecue stall? Cashback: +$2,880】 【Dropped $14,396 on in-game skins? Special reward unlocked: A brand-new Porsche Panamera!】 Luxury cars, penthouses, corporate shares, financial empires… College life was all about living freely and doing whatever he pleased! … When the adorably naive academic genius faced family medical bills and financial struggles, Su Bai waved his hand dismissively: "Your future is on me." "Wuwu~ Big Brother is so good to me! I’ll become a scientist to repay you!" When the genius girl got bullied by a shady professor? Su Bai casually dropped a billion-dollar investment, forcing the university to grovel and beg for her return. A company’s funding chain collapsing? Su Bai smirked—cash was the one thing he’d never run out of. Years later, when people traced the rise of the AI prodigy beauty, who was the man behind her success? Not just that—Su Bai also became the tsundere campus belle’s unattainable dream, the contrast senior’s daily necessity, and the beautiful counselor’s emotional anchor…
n] Top-tier player Zhou Yi died and was reborn into the body of a hopeless simp who shared his name. His first love callously dumped him for a rich heir, his childhood sweetheart saw him as an embarrassment, the ice-cold campus beauty looked down on him—every woman he ever loved treated him like a pathetic doormat. But later, his ex came crawling back in tears: "Yi, I was wrong. Please take me back." His childhood sweetheart became hopelessly devoted: "Yi, just one more glance from you is all I ask." The aloof campus belle blushed as she handed him a love letter: "Zhou Yi, I was blind before. Will you accept my feelings?" To all of them, Zhou Yi just smiled. "Sorry, too late. I’m done with love." Oh, and he also gained a system—every time he earned a woman’s affection, his looks improved and his bank account grew. Soon, he became the nation’s most eligible bachelor, with socialites and heiresses begging for his attention...
lan, the Luo family, tracked him down - along with the babies in their arms. Mo Xuan stared pensively at the paternity test results from over a dozen top institutions, both domestic and international, showing a 99.99% match between himself and the two baby girls. At 23, Mo Xuan, a doctoral student, had become the father of two three-year-old children. The kicker? The mothers weren't even the same person! He gradually realized he was being lured step by step into an elaborate trap designed by these two yandere sisters. "Be good, little Xuan. Sister's life belongs to you entirely." "Brother, if you try to run away, I'll have no choice but to tie you up." Mo Xuan: "Do whatever you want, ladies. I give up."
world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...
