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

The Plum Blossom Secret Service was quite efficient, finding all the scripture holders in just fifteen days.

Even those who concealed their identities and changed their appearances could not escape the eyes of the Plum Blossom Secret Agents.

Because each scroll of the Dragon Bone Scripture attracts the covetousness and prying eyes of outsiders, there are quite a few people eyeing these scripture holders. In fact, many of the scripture snatchers have followed and chased them all the way to the Sword Tower. Before that, most of them had experienced fierce battles and struggles in the wild.

Even if these hundred or so people really wanted to hide, most of them couldn't. Even if the Plum Blossom spies weren't familiar with these hundred or so people, wouldn't the scripture snatchers who had been following and killing them all along be familiar with them? Thousands upon thousands of scripture snatchers were searching everywhere for the whereabouts of the scripture holders. Once they found a target, they would assassinate them, cast curses on them, snatch the scripture to silence them, and destroy the evidence. In the past six months, such things had happened quite often, and the situation was even getting worse.

The Sword Tower is now experiencing an explosive population growth, with millions of outsiders from all over the world converging there. The average number of cultivators at the Food Fiend Realm is still growing at a terrifying rate every day. They are all here to ascend to the Dragon Realm; they are not here for tourism, sightseeing, or consumption.

The Sword Tower is like a powder keg being constantly filled with gunpowder, and the keg is expanding without any sign of stopping. Countless people are still on their way, and it is foreseeable that the population will increase several times over in the next six months, based on the current situation.

In such a situation, one can imagine how terrible it would be if things got even slightly chaotic.

All it takes is a single spark, and the entire Sword Tower City will be blown to smithereens.

At that time, it will truly be a river of blood and mountains of corpses.

In the main hall of the Censorate, Zhou Qingfeng, dressed in purple official robes, sat on the head seat, silently looking at the list of invitations in his hand.

Hai Shan Yan, wearing a plum blossom mask, stood below, silent and awaiting orders.

After a moment, Zhou Qingfeng closed the list, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "The Plum Blossom Spy is indeed worthy of its reputation. It is said that no matter how turbulent the world is, no movement in the court or the martial arts world can escape the eyes of the Plum Blossom Spy. Seeing is believing. In just fifteen days, they have distributed all the 'Ascension Letters' to the holders. Such extraordinary abilities are truly eye-opening. Today, I, the Admiral, have certainly broadened my horizons."

Hai Shan Yan clasped his hands in response: "The tasks assigned by the Admiral will be undertaken with utmost effort and loyalty by everyone in the Secret Service."

Zhou Qingfeng asked curiously, "Can you tell me how you did it?"

Hai Shan Yan: "Keep it secret. This is the foundation upon which our secret service survives. It must not be leaked."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "I'll reveal just a tiny bit, just a tiny bit, to satisfy my curiosity."

Hai Shan Yan: "Admiral, please don't joke. Even saying a single extra word would violate the internal rules of the Secret Service. According to the rules, anyone who leaks the Secret Service's intelligence without the First City Lord's approval will be considered a traitor and their entire family will be exterminated. If I were to satisfy your curiosity, the price I would have to pay would be too high. If you are really curious, Admiral, you can apply for permission from the First City Lord. I guarantee to answer all your questions without hesitation."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng was speechless for a moment. After considering it carefully, he waved his hand and said, "Never mind, forget I asked."

Hai Shan Yan: "Well, you can pretend I didn't say anything."

Zhou Qingfeng chuckled and pointed at Hai Shan Yan: "Hehe, you're quite humorous."

Hai Shan Yan: "You're quite humorous too."

Zhou Qingfeng was indeed very curious about the methods of the Plum Blossom Secret Agents. It was not very difficult to deliver the Dragon Ascension Tokens to most of the holders of the scriptures, but to deliver each Dragon Ascension Token to the holder of the scriptures accurately without any omissions was extremely difficult.

Because some people who possess the scriptures are very good at hiding themselves. Changing their appearance, hiding their names, and disguising themselves are all basic operations. If they are a cunning old fox who fights alone and hides in the crowd, they will never be found. Even worse, no one knows that the Dragon Bone Scripture is in their hands.

In this situation, the fact that the Plum Blossom Secret Agents could still deliver the Dragon Ascension Tokens to each holder of the scriptures is something that ordinary methods would not be able to achieve. It must be due to some truly core and secret power within the Secret Agents that such a miraculous, rapid, and precise feat could be accomplished.

No, Zhou Qingfeng thought and thought, but he couldn't suppress his curiosity. He reached out and beckoned Hai Shanyan to come closer.

Seeing this, Hai Shan Yan hesitated for a moment, then took a few steps forward and approached the desk.

Zhou Qingfeng leaned forward, stood up, and whispered in Hai Shanyan's ear, "Tell me secretly, and I'll give you a promotion and a raise. There's no one else here. I'll keep your words to myself. We're all on the same side, and I'll keep it a secret."

Upon hearing this, Hai Shanyan turned his head and looked around, then leaned close to Zhou Qingfeng's ear and said, "I'll tell you a secret, but you really can't say it, or someone will die."

Zhou Qingfeng was speechless. He straightened up and said, "Look at you, you don't know how to be flexible at all. No wonder you're the only one on standby in the Secret Service!"

Hai Shan Yan: "Admiral, what you said was a bit hurtful. I was put on standby because..."

"Because of what..."

"Keep it secret!"

"Hiss, you keep everything a secret? What's not a secret? Can you tell me?"

"I can't talk about things that are confidential, and I don't want to talk about things that aren't confidential."

"I can tell, Hai Shan Yan, you have a problem with me."

"No, we've never met before!"

"Do you know me? Have we ever had a falling out? Or have I done something to offend you that makes you hold a grudge against me?"

"..." Hai Shan Yan's forehead was sweating.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Did I guess right?"

Hai Shan Yan: "..." I can't say anything more. If my identity is exposed again, I'm afraid I'll be ruined.

If you talk to Zhou Qingfeng for a few more minutes, you'll probably be able to guess out of thin air that he is the former Hao Duanhun.

Since Hao Duanhun abandoned his identity, he returned to his identity as a secret agent, but he was never given important responsibilities again and has been on standby without any field missions. Moreover, his colleagues are secretly investigating him, screening him, and repeatedly trying to determine whether he will defect.

This is a review process that secret agents go through after completing their undercover mission and returning to the Secret Service. After all, people are human, and after a long period of undercover work, they inevitably forget their true identity and develop feelings for those around them. When they receive orders to betray those around them, this can cause great psychological trauma to secret agents, and most of them die in their later years due to spiritual corruption.

Some individuals may turn against their cause, their will may weaken, and their faith may waver.

Therefore, the review period for these people who return from hiding can be as short as ten years or as long as several decades, and they will most likely never have the opportunity to go out on fieldwork again.

They usually step down to a secondary position, take on a sinecure, and live out their retirement years with little hope of being reinstated.

Hai Shan Yan's situation is relatively good. After years of review without any problems, he has been on standby. Now he has the opportunity to contact Zhou Qingfeng again. In fact, it is a screening process intentionally carried out by the Secret Service. It remains to be seen whether Hai Shan Yan will have any conflicts with Zhou Qingfeng due to the past.

If Hai Shan Yan's identity is exposed again, or if his cooperation with Zhou Qing Feng becomes unpleasant, then he will have no choice but to step down to the second line, and his career as a secret agent will come to an end. From then on, he can only hold a sinecure and live his retirement life with no future to speak of, and his life will be ruined.

"Fine, don't tell me then." Zhou Qingfeng suddenly felt bored. He wasn't actually a very curious person, but the mystery surrounding the Secret Service had truly piqued his curiosity. This feeling was like scratching at his heart and liver, like trying to tickle an itch through a boot, which was quite uncomfortable.