357: Chapter 357 It's more interesting when things get out of hand!

Outside the gates of the 749 Bureau headquarters.

A black Hongqi sedan parked by the roadside.

Xuanyuan Huo pushed the door open and got out, standing with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the tightly closed iron gate.

Behind him followed two old men in grey robes, their auras deep and silent.

A moment later.

Several other jeeps drove up from a distance, and a group of people stepped out.

The leader was none other than Beiming Kun.

The two groups stopped outside the gate, less than ten meters apart.

Xuanyuan Huo stood with his hands behind his back, a faint, knowing smile on his face.

"Old Ghost Beiming, instead of drinking your mutton soup this morning, you ran off to have tea with my man?"

Beiming Kun snorted coldly.

"Xuanyuan Huo, stop with the sarcasm."

"Your man?"

"Since when did that kid become your man?"

"He’s just the Chief Instructor of the Hidden Dragon Pavilion, not a servant of your Xuanyuan Family."

Hearing this, Xuanyuan Huo couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"I personally invited Ye Chen to serve as the Chief Instructor, so how is he not my man?"

"As for you..."

He paused, his gaze turning playful. "Kicking down doors with your people first thing in the morning, offering Guest Elder positions and giving out medallions... trying to poach from me?"

Beiming Kun's face darkened.

"Poach from you?"

"I simply cherish talent!"

"That kid can crush a Peak Celestial Master Realm expert at just over twenty years old. Such talent and strength are a complete waste in the Secular World!"

"Inviting him to be a Guest Elder at the 749 Bureau is me showing him respect!"

Xuanyuan Huo laughed heartily.

"Old Ghost Beiming, do you take me for a three-year-old?"

"Do you think I don't know what you're plotting?"

"Aren't you just trying to use Ye Chen to warn those restless fellows in the Kunlun Ruins?"

"And while you're at it..."

He paused, looking Beiming Kun straight in the eye, "To let the 749 Bureau save some face in front of the Dragon Group?"

Having his intentions exposed, Beiming Kun's expression became even uglier.

"Xuanyuan Huo, stop making such baseless accusations!"

"Everything I do is open and aboveboard!"

"On the other hand, you pushed Ye Chen to the forefront as a target while you hide in the back watching the show. Have you no shame?"

The smile on Xuanyuan Huo's face stiffened slightly.

Beiming Kun continued.

"Don't think I don't know."

"Because of the Warring States Ang Book, the Chen Family has had their eyes on Ye Chen for a long time."

"But you, you just pushed him out to be the Chief Instructor, putting him right in the eye of the storm."

"Now look what's happened. He's wiped out the Sima Family and crushed Chen Nufang. Do you think the Chen Family will just let it go?"

"When the time comes, what can your Dragon Group do?"

"Can you protect him?"

Xuanyuan Huo was silent for two seconds before looking up, a smile reappearing on his face.

"Old Ghost Beiming, you're right."

"What the Dragon Group can do is indeed limited."

"But how do you know Ye Chen needs protection?"

Beiming Kun was stunned for a moment.

Xuanyuan Huo stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the distant night sky.

"That kid doesn't need protection from anyone at all."

"What he needs is..."

He paused, his tone tinged with emotion.

"A stage."

"A stage where he can perform to his heart's content."

"The Dragon Group is that stage."

"As for the Chen Family..."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Beiming Kun. "Believe it or not, even if the head of the Chen Family came in person, Ye Chen wouldn't even bat an eye?"

Beiming Kun fell silent.

He thought back to Ye Chen's calm, unruffled face in the hotel room that morning.

He remembered every word he had said.

That tone didn't sound like he was boasting.

Beiming Kun took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"Xuanyuan Huo, tell me the truth."

"What exactly is that kid's background?"

"Is he really from the Secular World?"

"Also..."

"Just how strong is he???"

Someone who could crush Chen Nufang with one foot was definitely no simple character.

Xuanyuan Huo looked at him and chuckled softly.

"I've asked those same questions. Want to guess how he answered?"

Beiming Kun frowned. "How did he answer?"

Xuanyuan Huo shook his head, his tone somewhat helpless.

"He said..."

"He doesn't even know how strong he is himself."

Beiming Kun: "..."

He felt as if he were being toyed with by Xuanyuan Huo.

As if seeing through his thoughts.

Xuanyuan Huo shrugged.

"Do you think I'm messing with you?"

"But the truth is... I'm really not."

"That's exactly what he said."

"Every time I think he's reached his limit, he always manages to show me something new."

"Regarding that Chen Nufang, he originally thought it would take some effort, but in the end, with just one stomp, the man was gone."

"So..."

He paused, looking at Beiming Kun's expressive face. "If you ask me how strong he is, I really can't give you an answer. As for his background, aren't we both quite clear on that?"

Beiming Kun fell silent.

After a long time.

He finally let out a long breath.

"I think I understand now."

"That kid is a monster—a monster who doesn't even know how strong he is."

Xuanyuan Huo nodded.

"Exactly."

"So..."

He looked at Beiming Kun with a knowing smile. "Do you still want to poach him?"

Hearing this, Beiming Kun spoke irritably.

"Poach?"

"I'd love to, but can I even move him?"

"That kid is stubborn. He says that since he gave you his word, he has to keep his promise."

"Even after the conditions I offered, he wouldn't budge."

"I actually quite admire him for that."

Hearing this, the smile on Xuanyuan Huo's face faded slightly. "Old Ghost Beiming, thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

Beiming Kun was stunned.

This was the first time this old ghost had spoken to him so seriously.

After all.

The two sides had been fighting both openly and secretly for over a decade.

Xuanyuan Huo looked at him and said earnestly.

"Thank you for giving him that medallion."

"And thank you for not making things difficult for him."

Beiming Kun waved his hand.

"Stop being so sentimental. I gave him the medallion because he's worth it. As for making things difficult..."

He paused, his gaze becoming profound.

"It's good enough if that kid doesn't make things difficult for others. Who would dare make things difficult for him?"

Xuanyuan Huo laughed heartily.

"That's true!"

"That kid is indeed a troublemaker!"

The two looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter.

Beiming Kun suddenly thought of something, his smile fading slightly as he asked.

"By the way, a key to the kunlun bronze gate recently appeared in the USA."

"Experts have confirmed it's the real deal."

"What are your thoughts?"

Xuanyuan Huo's eyes narrowed, a cold light flickering within them. "That thing must not fall into their hands."

The kunlun bronze gate.

It was the legendary entrance to the treasures of the Kunlun Ruins.

It was said that behind the bronze gate lay ancient inheritances, the secret to becoming an immortal, and countless treasures that would drive people mad.

There were nine keys in total to open the bronze gate, scattered all over the world.

For thousands of years, countless people have been searching for these keys.

But very few have actually been found.

Now, one of them had actually appeared in the USA.

This news was enough to shake the entire martial arts world.

Seeing him like this, Beiming Kun sighed softly. "Your Dragon Group handles external affairs; how do you plan to deal with this?"

All along.

The Dragon Group was responsible for external affairs.

While the 749 Bureau was responsible for internal affairs, maintaining relations with the Kunlun Ruins, and recruiting people with special abilities.

These were the responsibilities divided at the beginning.

Although the two organizations usually fought, they never hesitated when it came to major issues of right and wrong.

Xuanyuan Huo's eyes flashed. "I plan to have Ye Chen go there once the Chen Family matter is resolved."

Beiming Kun was taken aback, and then his expression turned strange.

"Aren't you afraid he'll cause an even bigger stir?"

"That kid is just a ne zha; he blows up wherever he goes!"

"It's fine if he blows things up domestically; at least we can cover for him."

"But if he goes to the USA and blows things up..."

He paused, his mouth twitching twice. "Won't those foreigners go crazy?"

Hearing this, Xuanyuan Huo couldn't help but be amused.

"It's only interesting when it gets big, isn't it?"

"Again..."

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking into the distance. "Ye Chen already has a key in his possession. If he can get a second one, it will be beneficial for all of us."

Beiming Kun's face changed, and he suddenly turned his head. "What did you say? He has one in his hand?!"

This news was too shocking.

There were nine keys to the kunlun bronze gate scattered across the globe, and countless people had been searching for them for millennia.

He didn't know if there were any within the borders of the Dragon Country.

But he never expected...

That kid Ye Chen actually already had one?

Xuanyuan Huo looked at his shocked expression and smiled gently.

"That's right."

"The Bai girl from the Bai Family said so."

The Bai Family.

The Bai Family of Yanjing.

Bai Wanqing, the head of the Tianyao Group!

Beiming Kun took a deep breath, trying to process this startling news.

After a long while.

He finally spoke, his tone becoming solemn.

"Fine."

"If you need my 749 Bureau to lend a hand when the time comes, don't be a stranger."

Hearing this, the smile on Xuanyuan Huo's face grew even wider. "Don't worry, I won't be a stranger at all."

The two looked at each other and suddenly both laughed.