Seeing Grey's wary expression, the middle-aged man immediately offered an explanation with a small smile.
"No need to be so afraid... Well, actually, you probably should be." His lips curled into a wild grin, as though he found Grey's apprehension thoroughly amusing.
"I'm an elder of the Eighth Sequence. You can call me Grandpa Eight if you like. I'm here to escort you to Sky Mist Mountain."
The wild-haired, middle-aged man spoke casually, seemingly unconcerned by Grey's obvious wariness. In fact, he appeared to have anticipated this reaction and was thoroughly enjoying it.
Grey remained silent for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"How can I verify that you're truly an elder of the sect? Impersonating a high-ranking individual from the sect is a crime punishable by death."
Despite the situation, Grey's voice remained calm and composed. He had no intention of blindly trusting a stranger simply because the man claimed to hold a position of authority within Sky Mist Sect.
