Chapter 175: You're Really Smart!

Still gliding through the air before they reached the canyon, Niu Youdao caught the smell of sulfur and immediately understood why there was no ice or snow inside.

The group descended from the sky and landed directly at the canyon entrance. Warmth washed over them, utterly different from the bitter cold of the frozen world outside.

Meltwater from the surrounding snow formed a winding river through the middle of the canyon. Many people came and went within the valley, and quite a few turned to look at them. What drew attention were the relay attendants’ fur caps Niu Youdao and the others still wore, concealing their true faces.

The cliffs on both sides rose in enormous terraced steps. At the entrance of each cave residence, differently styled lintels had been carved into the rock. These were evidently the shops maintained by the various sects and schools. There were a great many of them.

The way the shops operated was essentially the same as in Star-Plucking City.

Lady Pei and her companions glanced at Niu Youdao’s group from time to time. Wearing the caps outside to ward off the wind and snow had made sense, but they had reached this warm place and still had not removed them. That gave the three escorts something to think about.

Neither group had said where they intended to go, yet both headed in the same direction: Rainbow Inn at the far end of the canyon.

The name presumably came from the rainbow hanging above the valley. It was said that whenever the sky was clear, that rainbow was always there.

At the canyon’s end, the inn stretched across like an enormous wall. There was little beauty to it. Only the arched dome along the top had any elegance.

The bottom of the inn had been pierced through in the shape of a giant arch so the melted snow could flow beneath it. Above the water stood an actual arched bridge, which formed the road leading to the inn’s main entrance.

People lingered beneath both ends of the bridge.

The sight stirred complicated feelings in Black Peony and the others.

They too had once lingered in places like this, hoping to encounter some future opportunity. Now, without quite realizing when it happened, they had stepped out of that life.

Looking back at those people now left a hundred flavors in their hearts.

Their eyes could not help drifting toward the man walking ahead, the one who had led them out.

At the entrance to the inn, Niu Youdao pulled apart the ear flaps of his cap and removed it.

Black Peony and the others followed suit.

Several fur caps sailed outward and dropped beneath the bridge, where the current carried them away.

The moment they entered the inn, attendants came forward with warm greetings.

Niu Youdao, who made a habit of surveying his surroundings wherever he went, suddenly stopped.

He had seen someone he never expected to find here.

The others entering with him followed his gaze.

Wei Duo, seated to one side of the inn’s main hall, froze as well.

He slowly rose and came over, hesitant as though he wanted to approach yet did not quite dare.

He bowed respectfully.

“Sect—”

“Scram!”

Niu Youdao cut him off without the slightest courtesy.

Wei Duo looked troubled and seemed to want to say something.

Niu Youdao glared at him.

In the end, Wei Duo lowered his head and left. After a few steps he quickened his pace, then practically ran out of the inn.

Lady Pei and her companions looked at one another.

Black Peony and the others did the same.

No one knew what had just happened.

Niu Youdao paid Wei Duo no further attention and continued toward the counter with Lady Pei’s group.

He had no idea whom Wei Duo had come here with.

Had he known, he certainly would not have acted that way.

“My apologies, honored guests. The inn is full.”

The innkeeper behind the counter repeatedly cupped his hands in apology.

“If you are willing, you may sit to the side and wait. We will provide complimentary tea. Perhaps some guests will check out before long.”

Lady Pei asked, “Are you certain someone will?”

The innkeeper smiled. “There should be. People check in and out every day. The only uncertainty is when.”

“Young Master, then let us wait.”

Lady Pei spoke to the cross-dressed young woman.

The young woman pursed her plump lips, clearly unhappy, but did not object.

Niu Youdao needed a secure place to stay given his present circumstances, so naturally he intended to wait as well.

The group sat down along one side of the hall.

An attendant quickly came over and served tea.

The cross-dressed young woman suddenly announced, “When a room becomes available, I get it first!”

As she spoke, she glanced at Niu Youdao.

Everyone paused.

It really was a problem.

Surely a whole batch of rooms would not become available at once.

For Lady Pei and the others, naturally any room that opened should go first to their own “young master.”

But Niu Youdao’s people were not part of their group.

There was no reason for them to yield at every turn.

Lady Pei looked apologetically at Niu Youdao.

“Young Master Li, could we perhaps discuss this?”

Niu Youdao looked at the young woman’s domineering, challenging gaze and said with amusement, “Young Master, how about another wager?”

Her eyes widened. “On what?”

“Let us wager on whom the inn will invite to take a room first once one becomes available. The stake remains one million gold coins.”

He smiled.

“Of course, you may write an IOU.”

Lady Pei and the others were speechless.

Again with the IOU.

He was obviously provoking her on purpose.

The young woman looked ready to lose her mind.

He kept bringing up one million gold coins and an IOU as though she were certain to lose.

“You think I’m afraid of you? Fine! We bet!”

Niu Youdao immediately turned toward Black Peony.

“Go to the counter and pay first—”

Whoosh!

Before he could finish, a figure shot away.

The cross-dressed young woman had already flashed to the counter.

“Innkeeper! I’m paying first. The moment a guest room opens, give it to us!”

“...”

Lady Pei’s group and Niu Youdao’s group all stared blankly.

This woman reacted fast.

Niu Youdao beckoned Black Peony closer and murmured into her ear, “You go register too. Use all of your real names. For mine, use the name I used at Inviting Moon Inn—Xuanyuan Dao.”

Black Peony paused for a moment.

Then she turned and went to the counter to handle the registration.

Watching the two whisper together, Lady Pei suddenly felt something was wrong.

She could not explain why.

She simply had the sense that her young mistress was nowhere near as seasoned as this Young Master Li and probably could not outplay him.

Meanwhile, the cross-dressed young woman had already returned with a slight bounce in her step, hands clasped behind her back and chin held high whenever her gaze swept toward Niu Youdao.

“Xuanyuan Dao?”

At the counter, Black Peony had already paid and was giving their names to the attendant handling the register.

The moment the innkeeper, seated behind the counter, heard the three words “Xuanyuan Dao,” his brows twitched.

He stood.

“May I ask which gentleman is Xuanyuan Dao?”

Black Peony froze.

Then inwardly she did not know whether to laugh or cry.

In that instant, she knew Master Dao had this wager practically in the bag.

One million gold coins!

How could the difference between people be this great?

Was making money simply too easy for Master Dao?

Wealth seemed to roll toward him as though it were a game.

Black Peony turned and pointed toward Niu Youdao.

The innkeeper followed her gesture, identified him, and gave a meaningful “Oh.”

“Innkeeper, when a room becomes available, please give it to us first,” Black Peony reminded him before walking away.

The innkeeper did not agree outright.

“We will see what the checkouts look like.”

Yet his eyes continued drifting toward Niu Youdao.

The moment Black Peony left the counter, the innkeeper quickly left as well and disappeared somewhere inside.

“Master Dao, she registered before us.”

After returning, Black Peony was still a little worried.

Seeing that the innkeeper had gone, she bent down and whispered into Niu Youdao’s ear.

Niu Youdao murmured, “Even if she moves in first, she can still be made to move out.”

Hearing that, Black Peony relaxed.

One million gold coins was an enormous fortune.

“Since we’ve already registered, there’s no need to sit here waiting. How about going outside for a look around?”

Niu Youdao rose and addressed Lady Pei and the others.

Lady Pei had not even answered when the cross-dressed young woman snapped, “Dream on!”

She stood, marched in front of Niu Youdao, and sneered.

“We go wandering around, then come back to find everyone has rooms already. By then no one can prove who got one first. You really know how to dream!”

Niu Youdao smiled at her.

“You’re really smart!”

Her large eyes immediately glared at him fiercely.

The words themselves were praise, but coming from his mouth, why did they sound so much like mockery?

Especially with that deeply teasing smile on his face.

A man strode in through the inn entrance.

The moment he entered the hall, he stood like an iron tower.

Wei Duo followed behind him.

It was Yuan Gang.

The cross-dressed young woman, who had been facing Niu Youdao, looked past him.

Niu Youdao glanced over his shoulder.

Then he froze and slowly turned around.

As Yuan Gang approached, he removed his thick padded outer robe and the fur cap from his head.

From the style, both were clearly garments obtained from a relay station.

He passed them backward without looking.

Wei Duo immediately stepped up and took them in his arms.

Niu Youdao’s gaze lingered briefly on the clothes Yuan Gang had removed.

His lips pressed together.

He knew how difficult it was for a non-cultivator to endure the brutal cold of the frozen world outside.

One look at those garments told him what Yuan Gang had been doing.

Looking for him.

Waiting for him outside.

“Master Dao.”

Yuan Gang stopped in front of him and greeted him.

The cross-dressed young woman’s wide eyes stared almost stupidly at the tall, powerfully built man before her.

His face looked carved by blades and axes, cold and hard.

Even through his clothes, the perfection of his physique was obvious, along with the explosive force hidden beneath them.

One glance, and a fierce masculine presence seemed to surge straight at her and envelop her completely.

Lady Pei needed only one look as well before praising inwardly.

What a man!

Still, she was slightly puzzled by the way he addressed Young Master Li.

Master Dao?

Could that be this man’s real name?

Niu Youdao also looked Yuan Gang up and down.

Yuan Gang had changed.

They had been apart only a short while, yet his aura was already noticeably different.

There was something wild and primal about him now, an impression that he could tear tigers and leopards apart with his bare hands.

Even his build had changed slightly.

Every movement carried an unrestrained force, as though some ancient, savage strength had gathered inside his body.

“Go back to your room and wait for me,” Niu Youdao said flatly.

There was no need to ask why Yuan Gang was here.

No need to ask whether Yuan Gang would be staying at Rainbow Inn.

Just as Yuan Gang had known that if Niu Youdao came here, he would certainly choose the best inn available.

The two understood one another too well.

Some questions simply did not need to be asked.

That was also why Yuan Gang had left Wei Duo waiting in the main hall.

Yuan Gang nodded and turned away.

Wei Duo followed with his head lowered, still carrying the clothes.

Watching Wei Duo go, Niu Youdao frowned slightly.

The cross-dressed young woman continued staring blankly after Yuan Gang’s retreating back.

Before long, the innkeeper returned.

He strode directly to Niu Youdao and cupped his hands.

“May I ask whether you are Mister Xuanyuan Dao?”

The eager, ingratiating smile on the innkeeper’s face surprised Lady Pei and her companions.

This was Rainbow Inn.

Anyone who came here should have some idea of the background behind this establishment.

[End of Chapter 175]