Zhang Yan and Zhou Chongju held secret talks throughout the night. At the break of dawn, they finally stepped out of the Fish Tower.
Zhang Yan halted at the deck in front of the tower and turned back, saying, "Senior Brother, stay here, no need to see me off further."
Zhou Chongju shook his head, replying, "It's only a matter of a few steps anyway."
He then lowered his voice and said, "Although you have considered everything thoroughly, caution is still paramount. If the situation becomes unclear, you must retreat swiftly. With your current Elixir Formation grade, there are many who would seek to align with you—there's no need to tether yourself to a single tree."
Zhang Yan nodded in agreement, saying, "Such words of wisdom from Senior Brother will be well remembered by this Junior Brother."
With that, he raised his hand in farewell and said, "Then, I'll entrust everything to Senior Brother."
