Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge gave a bitter smile, his gaze falling on the gently flowing river outside the window, his voice tinged with a sense of vicissitude: "Commander, things in this world are often not as simple as they seem on the surface."

"Although my cultivation level is not low, I have long been branded with the identity of the Luo family gang."

"Like a caged bird, unable to spread its wings and fly high."

"I've considered applying for a transfer to find a new place in the world."

"However, I do not have reliable support or a solid foundation outside. Once I leave, I will be like a kite with a broken string, helpless and alone. Moreover, the Luo family gang has strict rules. Those who leave without permission will lose all resources at best, and their lives will be in danger at worst. Although I am unwilling, I am well aware of the risks involved."

"More importantly, I have been in the Sword Tower for a hundred years. My connections, status, and even hatred are all tightly bound to me. My grudge with Che Yuxuan is like a thorn in my heart. I long to be able to remove it with my own hands one day."

"If I choose to run away, all of this will vanish into nothingness."

"I will also become a laughing stock."

"Therefore, I would rather endure temporary humiliation than stay here and wait for an opportunity to turn things around. And now, that opportunity seems to have arrived. Your appearance, Commander, has given me a new possibility."

After speaking, Bi Muge bowed deeply once more, awaiting Zhou Qingfeng's response.

His words were filled with helplessness about the current situation and longing for the future. They also revealed the human pursuit of power, status and personal honor, as well as the wisdom and courage to survive in complex environments.

“Hmm, that’s a good reason. I understand you.” Zhou Qingfeng glanced at him sideways, took a sip of his tea, and pondered whether or not to accept Bi Muge’s surrender.

Deep down, he was very willing to accept Bi Muge; otherwise, there would have been no need to arrange a private meeting. However, it would have been too hasty to just take him under his wing.

Bi Muge and Che Yuxuan are fellow disciples, so it's normal for them to have old grudges. Even family members have arguments and falling out, but time can always heal these rifts. As long as one side takes the initiative to apologize, they can always make up.

He cannot accept Bi Muge simply because Bi Muge and Che Yuxuan have a past grudge.

Moreover, from Bi Muge's words, one can sense that he still cherishes the bond between teacher and student.

Can one really believe that someone with such complex inner emotions would turn against his mentor, Luo Bingyi?

That remains to be seen.

Because the moment of making a real decision hasn't arrived, no one knows what will happen. Even if Bi Muge now confidently says that he won't show any mercy to the teacher, it's just something to listen to and shouldn't be taken seriously.

"Sit down and try the pink peach cherry blossom pastry. I specially sent someone to buy it from Wufangzhai." Zhou Qingfeng didn't rush to make a decision. He turned around and walked to Bi Muge's side, reached out to support Bi Muge's arm, smiled and held Bi Muge's forearm, pulled him back to his seat, and personally pushed the plate of pastries in front of him.

Seeing this, Bi Muge dared not refuse. He took a piece of pink peach cherry blossom pastry and put it in his mouth. The pastry was very sweet, but his heart was not sweet at all because he had not received a reply from Zhou Qingfeng. This made his heart hang in his throat. He could not eat even the best food and could not taste it. However, since Shangguan asked him to eat it, he could not refuse.

He ate a little too quickly, and even choked on the pastry, coughing with his cheeks puffed out: "Cough cough cough... Commander, this pastry is just too delicious, I couldn't resist, please forgive me."

Seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng patted Bi Muge on the back with a smile and handed him a cup of lychee black tea: "Don't rush, drink some tea to smooth things out, eat slowly, no one will take it from you, we'll talk after you finish eating."

Bi Muge stuffed pastries into his mouth and nodded repeatedly.

Zhou Qingfeng smiled without saying a word. While the pastries were silencing him, he also carefully considered the matter, because whether or not to accept Bi Muge's defection was a big deal, big enough to jeopardize the success or failure of the whole situation, and required utmost caution.

There are many advantages to accepting Bi Muge's surrender.

First, having him infiltrate as an inside agent would allow me to control the dynamics and intelligence within the Luo family gang, and to prepare countermeasures in advance, so that any plans the Luo family gang might have would fall through.

Once Bi Muge's identity as an inside agent is exposed, he can then turn his guns on the officials of the Luo family faction. This would make eliminating the Luo family faction much easier, since only one's own people know where to strike for the most pain and the most fatal blow.

Similarly, there are also great hidden dangers. If Bi Muge is a spy sent by Luo Bingyi, and I take him under my wing and entrust him with important responsibilities, then my situation will become very bad.

After much thought, Zhou Qingfeng decided to cast a divination for himself to inquire about his fortune.

Invoke the mysterious scarlet divination barrel deep within your consciousness.

Silently recite the command, then draw the lots!

A mysterious scarlet divination bucket slowly swayed, and a divination slip floated out.

[The Chinese divination indicates acceptance of Bi Muge's surrender; auspicious.]

[A very bad omen; rejecting Bi Muge's surrender is ominous.]

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng's heart tightened. Following the principle of choosing auspicious if possible and neutral if not, he made a decisive decision. He greeted him with a smile and used a friendly address: "Old Bi, I understand your intentions."

"I understand the difficulties you faced in making this decision; the fault lies with you."

"Work hard for me from now on, and I will definitely not treat you unfairly."

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge was visibly moved. He quickly swallowed the pastry in his mouth, picked up his teacup, and stood up, saying, "Thank you, Commander. I am deeply grateful. I would like to offer you a toast with tea instead of wine. From now on, you are like my second parents. I will do my utmost to fulfill any task you assign me."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded with a smile and gestured, "Old Bi, sit down, sit down, no need for formalities."

Bi Muge put down his teacup, picked up his clothes, sat down, and respectfully awaited instructions.

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Old Bi, I need you to continue playing your role well in the Luo Family Gang. In the future, if there are any major moves within the Luo Family Gang, especially those involving my actions, you should communicate with me in a timely manner, understand?"

Bi Muge was taken aback, then clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Commander, please rest assured, if I learn of any news that is detrimental to you, I will communicate with you immediately."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly, then asked, with the answer in mind, "Who in the Luo family's faction planned and orchestrated the assassination attempt against me?"

Bi Muge looked surprised and shook his head, saying, "I don't know. If someone dares to plot an assassination attempt against you, the fewer people who know about it, the better. Besides, the Luo family gang isn't a monolithic entity; they also have their own small groups and secrets within it."

"This decision was definitely made by someone higher up, who then assigned others to carry it out. I'm afraid no one except the people who were carrying it out and planning it would know about it, since the fewer people who know about something like this that involves the extermination of nine generations of a family, the better."

"Should I conduct a covert investigation?"

Zhou Qingfeng observed the change in his expression and confirmed that he was not lying, so he gave a nonchalant "hmm," poured Bi Muge a full cup of tea, and said, "No need, it's all the same."

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge's heart tightened. He knew exactly what those words meant, because no matter who planned or executed the scheme within the Luo family gang, all members of the gang would have to pay a bloody price for it.

Zhou Qingfeng instructed, "After you go back, you don't need to do anything. Just remember your real mission."

Upon hearing this, Bi Muge understood and rose to greet him with a fist and palm salute: "This humble official understands. This humble official will take his leave."

Zhou Qingfeng looked at him with a smile in his eyes and nodded slightly: "Go ahead."