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Chapter 790: Battle of Wits

At this very moment, both Wang Yiming and Jiang Die were covered in blood, their auras weak, and their clothes tattered, bearing the undeniable marks of battle all over their bodies. Clearly, they had just emerged from a fierce fight. However, judging by their pale faces and flustered demeanor, victory in that battle had certainly not been theirs.

No sooner had the two of them burst out of the spatial rift and before they could even catch their breath, the space around them rippled once more. Another spatial rift tore open, and a figure shot out, landing directly in front of them, blocking their escape. The newcomer was a hunched old woman, leaning on a walking stick. The stick was utterly unremarkable, appearing nothing special, yet from long-term use, the grip had developed a deep, polished patina. This was an old crone with a face full of wrinkles and a head of white hair; from her appearance, she seemed as ordinary as her cane. However, her attire—that of a Talisman Order Black Talisman Master—clearly indicated that her identity was anything but ordinary.

The Old Crone's appearance brought Wang Yiming and Jiang Die to an abrupt halt. Both were keenly aware of her strength and dared not force their way through. Instead, they watched her with wary expressions, guarding against a sudden attack. The Old Crone looked at them, let out a cold laugh, and was about to speak when she suddenly sensed something. Slowly, she turned to look behind her. Behind the Old Crone was the barrier of the Mountain River Grand Array. Since the Mountain River Grand Array had not been attacked, its barrier's light curtain was not visible at that moment; one could only see the illusion set up by the array, unable to perceive the true scene inside.

Just moments before, Wang Yiming and Jiang Die had intended to charge towards the Mountain River Grand Array, hoping their impact would reveal the barrier and create a larger commotion, thereby alerting those inside the array and seeking aid. However, before their bodies could even touch the concealed barrier, the Old Crone had suddenly appeared and intercepted them. Now, under the Old Crone's gaze, the barrier's light curtain partially revealed itself, and a figure stepped out from within. This person wore a smile, first glancing at Wang Yiming and Jiang Die, then shifting their gaze to the Old Crone. This person was none other than Yang Haoran.

Currently, only three people remained in the villa: Yang Haoran, Feng Xiao, and Xiujuan. Feng Xiao was refining medicine, and Yang Haoran naturally wouldn't disturb her. As for Xiujuan, due to her somewhat unique identity, Yang Haoran rarely allowed her to appear in public. Regarding the others, the Spirit Police had encountered a difficult problem, so Bai Xue had gone out on a mission and wasn't home. And Ye Zhiqiu? That fellow still hadn't returned. Yang Haoran didn't know the extent of his improved strength, but he knew Ye Zhiqiu was alive and also knew his location. As for Old Master Wu and Xiao Kang, both had gone out to handle Underworld Office affairs, and thus weren't at home. It was precisely for these reasons that Yang Haoran now appeared alone. Although he had no helpers by his side, he felt no pressure because of it.

Yang Haoran's sudden appearance didn't surprise the Old Crone. After all, this was Yang Haoran's residence; their presence would naturally have caught his attention, and there was nothing strange about the owner appearing. Moreover, she knew that Wang Yiming seemed to have some connection with Yang Haoran, so it would have been stranger if Yang Haoran hadn't shown up, given that Wang Yiming had fled here. "My apologies for disturbing you, Emissary Yang. " Before Yang Haoran could even speak, the Old Crone addressed him first, a smile on her face, her attitude rather polite. "Heh heh, may I ask. . . what seems to be the situation here? " Yang Haoran's gaze rested on the Old Crone as he asked with a smile, his attitude even more courteous than hers. Although Yang Haoran had only briefly glanced at Wang Yiming and Jiang Die, he understood a few things from their expressions when looking at the Old Crone. Nevertheless, understanding was one thing; pretending ignorance and asking questions was another.

"Heh heh, this old woman is merely handling some internal affairs of our Talisman Order. If I have disturbed you, Emissary Yang, I hope you can understand. " The Old Crone replied with a smile. Although her attitude remained very polite, her words clearly implied a warning for Yang Haoran not to meddle.

"Internal affairs of your Talisman Order? What kind of business demands being handled right at my doorstep? Heh heh, you wouldn't be putting on a show specifically for me, would you? " Yang Haoran naturally understood the Old Crone's unspoken meaning, but he didn't humor her; instead, he turned the tables. Yang Haoran knew this Old Crone; she was one of the few Black Talisman Masters in Lecheng's Talisman Order. Likewise, the Old Crone certainly knew Yang Haoran, for in Lecheng's circle of non-ordinary individuals, his reputation far surpassed hers. It was precisely because of this that the Old Crone had some understanding of Yang Haoran's character, so when he turned the tables on her now, she showed no displeasure and felt no surprise, as she had already prepared herself.

"It's not that this old woman insisted on handling the Talisman Order's internal affairs on Emissary Yang's territory. Rather, it's because these two fled here, leaving this old woman no choice but to intrude upon your esteemed residence. " The two outwardly appeared amicable, yet from their very first exchange, they were already engaged in a battle of wits, a clash of sharp tongues. This brief verbal skirmish made Yang Haoran realize that this Old Crone was not to be underestimated. However, Yang Haoran didn't mind, for he, too, was no pushover.

"Would you care to tell me what offense these two committed? " The Old Crone feigned a look of difficulty, hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"Emissary Yang, this is an internal matter of our Talisman Order, and since it involves certain secrets of our sect, it's inconvenient to disclose. I hope you can understand. It's much like if I were to inquire about your Underworld Office's affairs—would you tell me?"

At the Old Crone's counter-question, Yang Haoran pondered for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Old Talisman Master, you speak wisely. If it involves the organization's secrets, it truly isn't something to be casually revealed. Since I cannot inquire about secrets, then allow me to ask you a question that is not a secret."

The Old Crone didn't know what trick Yang Haoran was up to, yet not a hint of displeasure showed on her face. She remained cheerful and amiable, looking exactly like a kind old grandmother. "Heh heh, 'may I ask' is too formal. Emissary Yang, feel free to ask whatever you wish. If this old woman knows, and it doesn't involve the secrets of our Talisman Order, this old woman will certainly tell you everything."

The Old Crone's reply was quick and straightforward, yet Yang Haoran, of course, wouldn't believe these words to be her heartfelt truth. "May I ask, Old Talisman Master, how do you intend to deal with these two? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile, his expression as though he were inquiring about a matter of no great consequence to him.

"What this old woman must do now is take these two traitors back to the Talisman Order. As for how they will ultimately be dealt with, I still need to discuss it with the other Talisman Masters within the sect before a final decision can be made. " Jiang Die, who had remained silent until now, could listen no longer. She hadn't spoken earlier partly because she needed to catch her breath, and partly because she wanted to gauge Yang Haoran's attitude. However, Yang Haoran's attitude left her deeply dissatisfied. Combined with the Old Crone calling them traitors, this immediately provoked her.

"You old hag! You know perfectly well who the real traitor is, don't you spew such malicious slander! " Yang Haoran had witnessed Jiang Die's temperament once before, so her sudden outburst against the Old Crone didn't surprise him in the least. He remained remarkably calm.

The Old Crone's reaction was equally calm. Even with Jiang Die cursing her as an old hag, not a trace of anger appeared on her face. She didn't turn to look at Jiang Die, nor did she make a move against her. Her gaze remained fixed on Yang Haoran. As for Jiang Die, she was completely ignored. For the Old Crone, the difficult one to deal with was Yang Haoran, this Underworld Office agent, not Jiang Die or Wang Yiming in their current state. Once Yang Haoran was handled, everything else would naturally fall into place.

However, she knew that Wang Yiming had some connection to Yang Haoran, so handling the situation wouldn't be simple. Yet, to achieve her objective, she had to be patient, striving to placate Yang Haoran without resorting to force. After all, Yang Haoran was the head of the Lecheng Underworld Division; clashing with him would bring her no benefit, either now or in the future. Thus, she did not want the situation to escalate to that point. As for how to make Yang Haoran stay out of this without resorting to violence, she already had an idea in mind.