You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

On the main peak plaza of the Qingwei Sect, before the morning mist had completely dissipated, three streaks of light swiftly arrived and landed steadily. They were Chen Yang, Master Huang, and Liu Yu. Upon seeing this, the disciples guarding the mountain gate quickly stepped forward to pay their respects.

Chen Yang remained calm, but a lingering chill ran through his brows. He glanced at the familiar, majestic mountain gate and the swirling spiritual energy, and then gave instructions to the approaching disciples.

"Pass down the order: in half an hour, all inner sect elders, hall masters, and core disciples at the Golden Core stage or above who are on duty outside the main hall must assemble in the council hall. There are important matters to discuss, and there must be no delays!"

"Yes! Leader!"

Sensing the solemnity in Chen Yang's tone, the disciple in charge dared not be negligent, immediately bowed to accept the order, and quickly left to deliver the message.

"Elder Huang, Elder Liu, please go and make some preparations first. We will explain the details of this trip to the Northwest, especially the details of our cooperation with the Special Administration Bureau and the matters we discussed on the way, to our fellow disciples at the meeting later."

Chen Yang then addressed Huang and Liu.

"Don't worry, Sect Leader, I understand!"

The two responded in unison and hurriedly left to prepare materials and calm themselves down.

Chen Yang, alone, arrived first at the core of the Qingwei Sect—the Council Hall—located atop the main peak, overlooking the surrounding mountains. The hall was spacious and solemn, with tall pillars engraved with ancient cloud patterns. Behind the central seat of the sect leader hung a portrait of the Qingwei Sect's founder.

He walked to the main seat, but did not sit down immediately. Instead, he stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the surging sea of ​​clouds outside the hall, his eyes deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.

About an hour later, the sounds of rushing air and footsteps could be heard outside the palace.

One after another, auras, some calm, some sharp, some ethereal, rapidly approached.

The first person to step into the hall was an elderly man wearing a light blue Taoist robe, with a thin face and gentle eyes that carried a hint of vicissitude. He was none other than Xuan Shui Zhenjun, who spent many years traveling abroad and was in charge of some of the external affairs and overseas contacts of the Qingwei Sect.

Behind him followed a burly, ruddy-faced old Taoist priest with hair and beard standing on end like a raging fire. He was none other than the Red Sun True Lord, who was in charge of the sect's alchemy and artifacts and had an upright character.

Immediately afterward, Elder Li Zhengguo, with his refined appearance and composed demeanor, who was in charge of internal affairs and disciple training, along with more than a dozen other True Persons and Palace Masters who each had their own duties within the sect and whose cultivation was at least at the Golden Core stage, also walked in one after another.

"Head!"

"I've met the leader!"

Upon seeing Chen Yang, who was already waiting there, everyone bowed and greeted him, their faces mostly showing a hint of doubt and curiosity. Although the Qingwei Sect had strict rules, this was the first time in recent years that they had summoned all their core members and high-ranking officials so urgently, and judging from the sect leader's expression, it seemed to be no small matter.

"Elders and Palace Master, please be seated."

Chen Yang turned around, a gentle expression on his face, but his eyes remained clear, and gestured for everyone to sit down.

The group sat down on the rosewood chairs on either side as instructed, whispering among themselves and speculating about the content of the emergency meeting. True Monarch Xuan Shui and True Monarch Chi Yang exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Chen Yang coughed lightly, and the hall immediately fell silent, with everyone's eyes focused on him.

"Elder Huang, Elder Liu, you two are the participants in this trip to the Northwest. Why don't you tell the other disciples about the situation in detail?"

Chen Yang looked at Huang Zhenren and Liu Yu, who were sitting on the lower left.

Master Huang could no longer contain himself. Upon hearing this, he immediately stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to the surroundings, and, with his face still flushed with anger, loudly recounted the events of the joint operation with the Special Administration Bureau to wipe out the black-clad men's stronghold, the ambush, and the Special Administration Bureau's repeated concealment of key information, and even the possibility that they were being used as bait. He embellished the story.

He already harbored some dissatisfaction with the Special Administration Bureau, and now, as he spoke, he became even more agitated, spitting as he spoke.

"...Fellow Daoists, please judge for yourselves! Our Qingwei Sect has provided invaluable assistance this time, with our sect leader even personally risking his life to act as bait, attracting most of the enemy's elite forces, which allowed them to successfully steal the information! But what about them? From the very beginning, they didn't treat us as their own people! They kept our core intelligence tightly under wraps, and in the end, they almost drove us to the brink of despair!"
What kind of ally is this? They're clearly using us as pawns and tools!

When Master Huang finished speaking, he was so angry that his beard stood on end.

After he finished speaking, Liu Yu also stood up gracefully. Although her tone was calm, the content was equally sharp.

"Elder Huang's words are all true. In addition, based on our observation and judgment, the Special Administration's research and development progress and maturity in individual soldier equipment, gene agents, and even new energy weapons far exceed the level they previously showed us."

They have a powerful modern scientific research system to support them, and their strength is growing rapidly, but they are very reserved with us.

While we have certainly gained something from this collaboration, it has also exposed our significant gap and dependence in this area.

If this continues, our Qingwei faction will become increasingly passive in future collaborations, and may even be reduced to a subservient position.

Their words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples throughout the hall!

"That's unreasonable!
This Special Administration Bureau is going way too far!

True Lord Chiyang had the most explosive temper. He slammed his palm on the armrest of the chair, making a dull thud, and his face turned red.

"We sincerely wanted to cooperate, yet they schemed against us like this! Do they really think our Qingwei Sect is easy to bully?"

Xuan Shui Zhenjun frowned, stroked his beard, and said in a deep voice.

"They calculated that we had fallen out with the Wang family and other powerful families, and that we didn't have many options for the time being, which is why they dared to act this way."

This is because they're convinced we can't live without them and have no choice but to swallow our anger.

Elder Li Zhengguo also looked displeased.

"If they treat us old folks like this, that's one thing, but according to Elder Huang, they don't even care much about the lives of the disciples we might send out for training. That crosses the line! How can we send our painstakingly trained disciples to them as expendable resources?"

Other elders and the temple master also spoke up, expressing their dissatisfaction and indignation.

"Cooperation requires integrity. How is their behavior any different from that of those unscrupulous people who only care about profit?"

"That's right! Our Qingwei School has a thousand-year history, and we have never suffered such humiliation!"

"This cooperation is better off without!"

"Yes! We'll rely on ourselves! Why should we have to cater to their whims?"

Immediately, the council hall was filled with righteous indignation, accusations against the Special Administration Bureau, and calls to sever cooperation.

Only a few elders with calm personalities, though their expressions were also displeased, remained composed, their gazes fixed on Chen Yang, who had remained silent, awaiting the sect leader's decision.

Chen Yang listened quietly to the crowd's discussion. Once the noise subsided a bit, he slowly raised his hand and pressed it down.

The hall immediately fell silent again, and everyone looked at the sect leader.

"I understand how my fellow disciples feel."

Chen Yang spoke, his voice steady yet carrying a convincing power.

"The actions of the Special Administrative Region Administration are truly disheartening. They also make us realize a reality—in this world, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests."

They will not hesitate to do so when our interests are not entirely aligned with theirs, or when they believe they can sacrifice some of our interests in exchange for greater gains.

He glanced at everyone and continued.

“However, anger will not solve the problem, and acting on impulse is not the best course of action. Elder Chiyang said we must rely on ourselves, Elder Xuanshui said we have no other choice for the time being, Elder Li is worried about the safety of his disciples... What you all say makes sense.”

"What is the sect leader's intention?" Master Huang couldn't help but ask.

"Are we just going to let this go? Continue to swallow our anger and cooperate with them? What about the plan we agreed on before, to send disciples to them to carry out missions and conduct so-called 'joint training'?

This question hit the nail on the head, and everyone looked at Chen Yang.

Chen Yang's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

"Cooperation, of course, must continue. Not only must it continue, but we must also appear even closer on the surface, so that they feel that although we may have some minor grievances, we generally still trust and rely on them."

"what?"

Master Huang and his radical fellow disciples were taken aback, somewhat puzzled.

"Sect Leader, what does this mean? Are we going to continue sending disciples to be cannon fodder for them?"

"The Crimson Sun True Lord said urgently."

"Of course we'll send it."

Chen Yang nodded, and amidst the increasingly puzzled and even somewhat dissatisfied gazes of the crowd, he changed the subject.

"But who to send is up to us."

He paused and looked at an elder who was in charge of the mountain gate's admission and initial screening.

"Elder Liu, I remember recently, and even recently, there have been quite a few people who claim to admire my Qingwei Sect and want to become my disciples, but whose origins are unclear and whose intentions are treacherous, have been turned away, haven't they?"

Elder Liu quickly stood up and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Reporting to the sect leader, this is indeed the case."

Among these people, some had mixed auras, clearly indicating they had practiced other martial arts techniques;

Some of his words and actions were inconsistent with his status;

There are also some who, although well disguised, cannot escape our detection. Most of them are spies or pawns sent by other families, sects, or even foreign forces.

According to the rules, we politely declined or directly asked them to leave, citing reasons such as "unqualified" or "poor character."

Chen Yang smiled.

"From today onwards, the rules will be changed."

"Take all these people in, as long as they don't openly cause trouble! Invite them into the outer sect, give them a little observation, and teach them some basic introductory skills."

"what?"

Elder Liu was taken aback, and the others looked at each other, puzzled.

Master Huang's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of something, and he excitedly slapped his thigh.

"Brilliant! Sect Leader! You mean... to 'train' these scheming fellows a little, and then... send them to the Special Administration Bureau for 'joint training' as 'disciples' of our Qingwei Sect?"

"Exactly!"

A cold glint flashed in Chen Yang's eyes.

"These people are actually spies and even assassins planted by various forces. By sending them to the Special Administration Bureau, we can perfectly fulfill our promise of 'sending disciples,' shut the Special Administration Bureau up, and maintain a facade of cooperation."
Secondly, once these guys go to the Special Administration Bureau, they will inevitably try every means to spy on intelligence and stir up trouble, which will cause some trouble for the Special Administration Bureau and exhaust their energy.

Thirdly, if these people are lucky enough to survive the mission and bring back some intelligence or even technological fragments from the Special Administration Bureau, we can reap the benefits without lifting a finger.

If they die... then they are people of their master's side, what does it have to do with our Qingwei Sect? We are merely 'supplying talent' to the cultivation world.”

After Chen Yang finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted in exclamations of sudden realization and low laughter.

"High! It's really high!"

True Lord Chiyang clapped his hands and laughed, his previous anger completely gone.

"The sect leader's move of 'using a borrowed knife to kill' and 'shifting the blame' is brilliant! Let those rats hiding in the shadows fight like dogs with the Special Administration Bureau!"

Xuan Shui Zhenjun stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes revealing admiration.

"Moreover, we can also use this opportunity to observe how the Special Administration Bureau deals with these 'problem students' and gain insight into their internal management and coping capabilities."

"Killing several birds with one stone, Sect Leader's thoughtful consideration is truly admirable."

Liu Yu's beautiful eyes flickered as she replied.

"Moreover, we still maintain a good working relationship with the Special Administration on the surface, and the relationship may even be more 'harmonious' because we have 'sent high-quality students'. This makes it easier for us to extract some less core technical information or resources from them that we need, so as to buy time and conditions for our own research and development."

Li Zhengguo nodded repeatedly.

"In this way, we can avoid sacrificing our true disciples, create trouble for the Special Administration Bureau, maintain the alliance, and buy time for development. The sect leader's plan has indeed maximized our interests."

The other elders and the temple master also realized what was happening and praised it.

"Master is wise!"

"This is how the Qingwei School responds!"

"Let's see if they dare to underestimate us again!"

The previous dissatisfaction and indignation have now transformed into admiration for the sect leader's wisdom and excitement for his future plans. In the cultivation world, the strong prey on the weak, and deceit and treachery are the norm. Chen Yang's actions are undoubtedly the most pragmatic choice that best serves the current interests of the Qingwei Sect.

Seeing that everyone had no further objections and that their thinking was aligned, Chen Yang raised his hand again to signal for silence and turned his gaze to Master Huang.

"Elder Huang, since everyone agrees, please explain to our fellow disciples the core content of our next 'Hidden Dragon Plan' in detail."

Master Huang straightened up, cleared his throat, and looked at all the expectant faces in the hall before speaking loudly.

"Everyone, after preliminary discussions between the Sect Leader, myself, and Elder Liu, and with your approval, the first step of our Qingwei Sect's 'Hidden Dragon Plan,' which is also the most urgent step at present, is to secretly establish our own comprehensive cutting-edge research base that integrates bio-genetic engineering, new materials, psionic weapons, and armor research and development!"

Establish a comprehensive, cutting-edge research base covering biogenetics, new materials, and psionic equipment!
The idea itself is full of exciting ambition and challenges.

The Red Sun True Lord was the first to lose his composure, and he suddenly stood up, his voice booming like a bell.

"Good! Elder Huang, Sect Leader! This plan is excellent! Our Qingwei Sect should have taken this step long ago! Although I am a rough man and do not understand those complicated scientific research methods, the foundation of our Pill and Weapon Hall is still intact!"

"What rare materials do you need? What special tool parts do you require? Just give me a list, and I'll find a way to get them for you, even if it means burning down my alchemy furnace! Tell me, is there anything else you need us old folks to do? Just tell me!" (End of Chapter)