"Let go, let go of me..."
Zhuge Yehan couldn't breathe, his brain already deprived of oxygen, his consciousness blurring.
However, Ye Ling seemed to have no intention of letting go of Zhuge Yehan, tightening his grip, intending to snap Zhuge Yehan's neck.
"Team Leader, Zhuge Yehan is dying!"
Wu Chengcheng, seeing that Ye Ling truly intended to kill Zhuge Yehan, felt a sudden pang of anxiety and quickly advised Ye Ling, "After all, this mission requires our cooperation. If you kill Zhuge Yehan, the subsequent assassination mission will likely become incredibly difficult!"
After all, Ye Ling's current team members were only her and Zhuge Yehan. If Zhuge Yehan were killed by Ye Ling, they would be in the same boat; she would eventually be dealt with by Ye Ling as well!
Ye Ling had no intention of killing Zhuge Yehan. After Wu Chengcheng spoke, he seized the opportunity to disengage, flinging Zhuge Yehan away. Zhuge Yehan crashed through several thick trees.
Ye Ling casually drew the Bagua disk that had fallen to the ground into his hand, walked up to Zhuge Yehan, and without hesitation, taunted him, "Betraying the Wuhou Sect, defecting to the Hongchen Pavilion, and still daring to talk back to me. I thought you had some skill, but I didn't expect you to be such a waste."
"You!"
Hearing Ye Ling's mockery, Zhuge Yehan's face turned red with suppressed rage, feeling immense humiliation.
But no matter how much he hated it, he knew he was no match for Ye Ling and could only endure it.
Otherwise, he would only bring further humiliation upon himself.
Ye Ling casually tossed the Bagua disk in front of Zhuge Yehan and said, "I'll ask you one last time, what is the mission you are supposed to execute this time?"
Zhuge Yehan lowered his eyelids, still refusing to speak, and reached out to pick up the Bagua disk. However, Ye Ling stepped on it again, leaving Zhuge Yehan frozen in place.
"Speak."
Ye Ling looked at Zhuge Yehan indifferently, a murderous glint returning to his eyes.
Wu Chengcheng could no longer stand it and berated Zhuge Yehan, "Are you an idiot? Lord Zhang is our team leader. Reporting to the team leader and executing the team leader's mission assignments is our most basic duty!"
"Just because 'Number One' suspects the team leader, you have to constantly oppose him?"
"Are you looking for death?"
Wu Chengcheng was furious. She hadn't expected Zhuge Yehan to still be defiant towards Ye Ling at this point!
It wasn't that she cared about Zhuge Yehan's life or death, but she feared that if Zhuge Yehan were dealt with, Ye Ling, in his bloodlust, would also deal with her.
After all, Ye Ling was an eighth-rank extraordinary individual, while they were fourth and fifth-rank. They were merely pawns sent by the Hongchen Pavilion, and their presence or absence made little difference.
Wu Chengcheng hadn't thought things through clearly before. She had listened to "Number One's" deceitful words and insisted on testing Ye Ling. Otherwise, she wouldn't be feeling so terrified right now.
Zhuge Yehan: "..."
He remained silent. As a member of the Zhuge family, he possessed his own pride and did not wish to yield willingly.
Moreover, Ye Ling had insulted him without reservation, which made it even more unbearable.
Seeing Zhuge Yehan's current demeanor, Ye Ling could guess what he was thinking.
According to Zhang Qi's personality, Ye Ling had already planted the seeds of hatred in Zhuge Yehan's heart.
This style of operation by Zhang Qi not only allowed Ye Ling to prove "Zhang Qi's" identity but also created a rift in the cooperation between Zhuge Yehan and the Hongchen Pavilion.
Even if this rift had no immediate impact on the Hongchen Pavilion, as long as Zhuge Yehan grew stronger, he would eventually seek revenge on Zhang Qi.
However, by then, Zhang Qi would have long disappeared from this world. All Zhuge Yehan could do was direct his anger towards the Hongchen Pavilion.
A genius driven by extreme resentment seeking revenge on the Hongchen Pavilion would be more than enough trouble for them.
Of course, these were all potential future developments.
What Ye Ling needed to solve at the moment was to uncover the hidden members of the Hongchen Pavilion and to find Zhang Muya to inquire about the events of that year.
Looking at the Bagua disk under Ye Ling's foot, Zhuge Yehan remained silent for a long time. Finally, he cast aside his pride and said to Ye Ling, "My current mission is to use Zhuge Yexun's death to sow discord between the Zhengyi Sect and the Wuhou Sect, causing them to fall out."
"After the Team Leader assassinates the Zhengyi Sect's sect leader, I will seize the opportunity to stir up trouble within the Wuhou Sect, prompting them to attack the Zhengyi Sect and severely cripple them."
"To use your own clansmen as pawns, discarding them after use. Truly heartless,"
Ye Ling released the Bagua disk and smiled at Zhuge Yehan again.
The Wuhou Sect was also a renowned righteous sect in China, enjoying high prestige in the western region, while the Zhengyi Sect was the face of the eastern region.
The conflict between these two major sects from different regions would have consequences far beyond the suffering of one or two individuals!
In a severe case, the entire Chinese martial arts world could be drawn into the struggle between the Zhengyi Sect and the Wuhou Sect!
At that time, the only beneficiaries would be the Hongchen Pavilion and those scoundrels who wished for chaos in China.
Zhuge Yehan did not refute Ye Ling's statement. He naturally knew the consequences of his current actions.
However, he had things he had to do.
For that, he had already sacrificed his pride.
Having obtained the mission Zhuge Yehan was supposed to execute, Ye Ling no longer bothered Zhuge Yehan. He instructed both of them, "Your respective missions do not overlap, and I don't need to interfere too much. Return to your positions and carry out your tasks."
"However, there is one thing you must be clear about: until I give the order, you are not allowed to act on your own, regardless of who commands you. Violation will result in death. Do you understand?"
"Understood!"
Wu Chengcheng quickly replied. Zhuge Yehan no longer argued and nodded at Ye Ling.
After the exchange, Zhuge Yehan and Wu Chengcheng each chose a direction and left the area, returning to the Zhengyi Sect.
After Zhuge Yehan and Wu Chengcheng departed, Ye Ling stretched lazily and reverted to his original appearance.
"Playing a psychologically twisted person is too difficult... I should have just brainwashed them both and made them obediently serve me."
Ye Ling muttered to himself, then looked in the direction Zhuge Yehan had left, his eyes deepening.
It was clear that Zhuge Yehan had not genuinely joined the Hongchen Pavilion. In fact, his resistance towards "Zhang Qi" was not due to "Number One's" warning, but because he was inwardly resistant.
As for what thoughts Zhuge Yehan harbored, to the point of betraying the Wuhou Sect even at such a cost, it remained unknown.
However, Ye Ling was not a psychologist, nor did he know Zhuge Yehan. He had no time to ponder why he had defected to the Hongchen Pavilion.
For Ye Ling, both the Hongchen Pavilion and Zhang Muya were facing difficulties.
The Zhengyi Sect was hiding Zhang Muya very well. Tianyi had arrived at the Zhengyi Sect early and searched the entire mountain gate without finding any trace of Zhang Muya.
Even in the ancestral shrine of the Zhengyi Sect, Zhang Muya's name was not present...
The Zhengyi Sect clearly viewed Zhang Muya as a disgrace to the sect, holding her in secret confinement, and it was not impossible that they had secretly dealt with her!
Moreover, Zhang Muya's cultivation had been abolished a hundred years ago. After a full century, it was uncertain whether Zhang Muya was even still alive.
With Tianyi yielding no results, Ye Ling would have to take action himself to find any news of Zhang Muya.
"I'm so busy..."
Ye Ling sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.
A gust of wind blew past, and he vanished from his spot.