Chapter 193: This Wretch Must Be Eliminated

“If all I did was take out money for Commandery Prince Yongping to recruit troops and buy horses, that sort of support would be the worst possible approach.”

Niu Youdao smiled. He reached over, took Peng Youzai’s teacup, and gently placed it into the hand Peng Youzai had extended.

“I can do more than provide money for Commandery Prince Yongping to recruit troops and buy horses. I can also make Tianyu Sect rich enough to stuff itself.”

Then he gestured around at Fei Changliu and the others.

“And all of you as well!”

The men exchanged looks. Peng Youzai set down the teacup.

“I have no interest in things without substance. Why don’t you actually produce the money?”

Niu Youdao said, “The money is already in Tianyu Sect’s shop.”

“...”

Peng Youzai froze. He turned to look at the men behind him. Could there be some hidden circumstance involving the shop here that he did not know about? But the men behind him all shook their heads blankly, indicating that they had no idea what Niu Youdao meant. Xia Hua cut in.

“Sect Leader Peng, I suspect he means the goods in your shop. He sold quite a lot of the goods from ours for money.”

Peng Youzai’s face darkened as he stared at Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao laughed and cursed at Xia Hua.

“Sect Leader Xia, that joke is not funny. Just because things went missing from your shop, do you desperately hope things will go missing from everyone else’s too?”

Then he turned back to Peng Youzai.

“Give me half a month. Half a month from now, I will have all of you seeing money and unable to contain your delight.”

Everyone looked at one another. If he could truly do what he claimed, forget half a month. They could wait half a year.

Peng Youzai said, “Since I have already traveled this far, there is no harm in staying another half month to learn more about this place. I will give you half a month. But if you cannot produce the money by then, what will you say?”

Niu Youdao pointed toward him.

“I will move into Tianyu Sect’s shop right now. If I cannot produce the money within half a month, you may deal with me however you wish. How about it?”

“Stay in our shop?”

Peng Youzai looked suspicious. Niu Youdao smiled.

“I already told you, the money is in Tianyu Sect’s shop. Naturally I need to go there and find it.”

“Sect Leader Peng need not ask more. You will understand when the time comes. In any case, I will be stuck right beneath your eyes, so you need not worry about me breaking my word and running away. Wouldn’t you agree?”

For the sake of money, the matter was settled just like that. Peng Youzai and the others left first. Niu Youdao’s group checked out soon afterward.

“You’re leaving?”

Inside Chu Anlou’s room, Niu Youdao had come specifically to say farewell. Chu Anlou looked surprised. Niu Youdao smiled.

“We have disturbed Innkeeper Chu for long enough. It is time for us to leave.”

Chu Anlou asked suspiciously, “The negotiations went well? They did not make things difficult for you?”

“Tianyu Sect and I never had any grudge to begin with.”

Niu Youdao continued, “As for Liuxian Sect and the other two factions, they were only acting on behalf of the Song family in Yanjing. Now that the Song family is about to fall, there is no reason for them to cling to me endlessly. Once matters were explained clearly, it was over.”

Chu Anlou raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t settle them by waving the Ice and Snow Pavilion’s banner around, did you?”

“Innkeeper Chu worries too much.”

Niu Youdao said, “Perhaps they have been somewhat deterred by the Ice and Snow Pavilion, but I can only stay here briefly. The Ice and Snow Pavilion will not involve itself in my affairs. At most, it can shelter me for a little while.”

“There is still a long road ahead, with many rights and wrongs yet to come. Given enough time, everyone will naturally realize whether I truly have any connection with the Ice and Snow Pavilion.”

“Normal people are not fools. If I tried to deceive anyone, the only person I would ultimately fool would be myself.”

“In the end, real strength must speak.”

“Without something solid in my hands, waving the Ice and Snow Pavilion’s banner around would only harm me.”

Chu Anlou’s expression eased slightly.

“Good that you understand. Then I won’t see you out.”

“Innkeeper Chu, please stay. This one takes his leave.”

Niu Youdao cupped his hands and departed. Chu Anlou gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment and watched him go with his hands clasped behind his back.

He did not mention the several hundred thousand gold coins that were supposedly only being “temporarily held” by him.

Niu Youdao did not mention them either. It was as though the matter had never happened. With his head and face covered, Niu Youdao left Rainbow Inn and took his men to stay in Tianyu Sect’s shop. The moment he settled in, he had Black Peony and the others obtain various materials. Then Niu Youdao became busy. At times he looked like a carpenter working pieces of wood. At other times he hammered away like a blacksmith. In Yuan Gang’s words, Master Dao knew quite a few handicrafts.

Peng Youzai came to inspect the work several times but could never tell what Niu Youdao was doing. Niu Youdao only told him he would understand when the time came. Later, the work seemed to enter a critical stage. Even when Peng Youzai wanted to come look, he was stopped and refused entry... Beizhou, Lingbo Residence. Inside a garden pavilion, Huang Dou and Lin Hu stood before Shao Pingbo.

“How did he become connected to the Ice and Snow Pavilion?”

Shao Pingbo looked doubtful. Huang Dou shook his head.

“We do not know. But the Sect Leader hopes Eldest Young Master will remember his words.”

“The situation is unclear. He hopes you will stop provoking Niu Youdao so as not to create unnecessary trouble.”

“Above all, remember this: Granny Xue behind the Ice and Snow Pavilion stands above all living beings. If anyone dares scheme against the Ice and Snow Pavilion, the consequences are not something we can bear.”

“A single word from the Ice and Snow Pavilion could reduce everything the Shao family possesses to ashes.”

“Eldest Young Master is an intelligent man. We hope you will remember this well.”

Shao Pingbo calmly nodded.

“I will naturally remember the Sect Leader’s words.”

Seeing that he had given his assurance, the two men relaxed. They cupped their hands and took their leave. Shao Pingbo stood silently for a while with his hands behind his back.

Then he suddenly asked, “What do you think of this?”

Steward Shao Sansheng stepped forward and sighed.

“Since Eldest Young Master has already agreed, it would be best to follow Dachan Mountain’s instruction.”

Shao Pingbo narrowed his eyes slightly.

“I wager that he has no real connection with the Ice and Snow Pavilion at all. He is merely a fox borrowing the tiger’s might!”

Shao Sansheng was startled. After following him for so many years, he understood Shao Pingbo well enough to hear the deeper meaning. Eldest Young Master had no intention of stopping.

Uneasy, Shao Sansheng asked, “Why does Eldest Young Master say so?”

Shao Pingbo snorted.

“The reasoning is simple.”

“I am certain Niu Youdao will not let me go.”

“If he truly had some meaningful connection with the Ice and Snow Pavilion, he could simply borrow their power and have me killed.”

“Dachan Mountain would not dare refuse.”

“There would be no need for him to wind around in circles like this.”

“He did not do that.”

“That can only mean he is incapable of doing it.”

“If that is not a fox borrowing the tiger’s might, then what is?”

Shao Sansheng listened and found that the reasoning did seem plausible.

He asked again, “Then how was he able to behave that way at Rainbow Inn?”

Shao Pingbo shook his head.

“We know too little. That part I cannot understand either.”

“But I know that bastard is cunning. There must be some reason we do not know.”

“It is certainly not what Dachan Mountain saw on the surface.”

“In short, the more conspicuously he flaunts himself at Rainbow Inn, the more suspicious the matter becomes.”

“Unfortunately, now even Dachan Mountain no longer dares touch him. There is no point expecting anything from the Song family’s people either.”

“He actually escaped this calamity like that.”

“Truly hateful!”

Shao Sansheng said, “Then why not explain all this clearly to Dachan Mountain?”

“Can it be explained clearly?”

Shao Pingbo asked in return.

“I say Niu Youdao will not let me go. That is something one can understand intuitively but cannot state as proof. Without evidence, there is no way to explain it.”

“More importantly, in Huang Lie’s eyes, I am merely an ant to be used.”

“If I am useful, he uses me. When I stop being useful, he will kick me aside.”

“He will never risk offending the Ice and Snow Pavilion in the slightest for my sake.”

“These people... when it comes to fighting and killing, they know what to do. But one after another, their brains simply are not enough.”

“There is no explaining things clearly to this pack of fools.”

He turned back and lowered his voice to Shao Sansheng.

“Secretly contact other cultivators and have them keep a close watch on the Ice and Snow Pavilion.”

“I am certain Niu Youdao will still stop at nothing to obtain the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit.”

“Sooner or later, something will happen at the Ice and Snow Pavilion!”

Shao Sansheng was startled.

“But... Eldest Young Master has already exposed this matter. He would still dare make a move?”

Shao Pingbo sneered.

“The Ice and Snow Pavilion? Are they not merely people of higher status?”

“Do you truly imagine them to be gods?”

“They can frighten the incapable.”

“They cannot frighten someone with real ability.”

“And capable people are usually confident.”

“The fact that he dared head straight for the Ice and Snow Pavilion already says a great deal.”

“He used Dachan Mountain to restrain me and accused me of intending to use the Ice and Snow Pavilion against him.”

“That was nothing more than an advance precaution, an attempt to seal my mouth.”

“If anything, it proves even more strongly that he has no intention of giving up.”

“And that also proves more clearly that he has no true connection with the Ice and Snow Pavilion.”

“He cannot obtain the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit through normal means.”

“So he will inevitably use abnormal means.”

“I suspect he never intended to seek the fruit openly in the first place.”

“Have our people watch the area closely. Especially the place where the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit grows.”

“If anything unusual happens, no matter how small, I want to know immediately!”

With Dachan Mountain’s warning still hanging over them, Shao Sansheng felt uneasy.

“Eldest Young Master, even you say Niu Youdao is no simple man. Is taking this risk truly worth it?”

“Worth it?”

Shao Pingbo shook his head.

“It is not merely worth it. It is far too worthwhile.”

“If I possessed his circumstances, I would do the same thing.”

“At first, even I did not think of it.”

“But from the information Dachan Mountain sent back, that bastard has clearly fixed his eyes on the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit.”

“Even after I exposed the matter, he refuses to let go and is willing to take risks.”

“Why?”

“Only afterward did I gradually understand.”

“This wretch is extremely deep, and his vision reaches far.”

“I fear he has already set his eyes on the fat meat that is Jinzhou!”

Shao Sansheng was astonished.

“Jinzhou belongs to Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion. How could Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion possibly tolerate that?”

Shao Pingbo asked, “Answer me this. If the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit is delivered into the hands of Hai Ruyue and her son, will Hai Ruyue let her son use it?”

“Of course.”

Shao Sansheng replied, “If there is a chance to save him, no mother would have reason to watch her son die.”

Shao Pingbo asked again, “And what if the fruit was stolen from the Ice and Snow Pavilion?”

“I fear she would still have to use it.”

Shao Sansheng said, “Once anything happens to Xiao Tianzhen, her own position in Jinzhou becomes troublesome as well. Whether for her son or for herself...”

He suddenly lifted his head. He seemed to have understood. Shao Pingbo stared into his eyes, knew he had grasped the point, and gave a slight nod.

“You guessed correctly.”

“Once Xiao Tianzhen uses a Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit stolen from the Ice and Snow Pavilion, Hai Ruyue and her son will never be able to free themselves from Niu Youdao’s control.”

“Mother and son will inevitably be controlled by him in secret.”

“Otherwise, the fury of the Ice and Snow Pavilion is not something the two of them can bear.”

“He only needs to control the mother and son from the shadows.”

“There is no need for him to openly confront Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion.”

“Once the time is ripe, he can reach out and swallow the fat meat that is Jinzhou whenever he wishes.”

“A man like this is dangerous.”

“So long as he has fixed his eyes on Jinzhou, the rough men of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion may not be his match.”

“Sooner or later, they will fall into his hands.”

“More importantly, merely controlling the mother and son in secret could already bring him enormous benefits.”

“That is the true reason he will stop at nothing to obtain the Scarlet Yang Vermilion Fruit.”

“Now I can basically be certain that from the very beginning, he never intended to seek it openly.”

“He must have concealed the matter from Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion and the other factions.”

“When I learned that he had even detained people from Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion at Rainbow Inn, I became even more certain of this!”

“Have people watch the Ice and Snow Pavilion closely.”

“He will absolutely make his move.”

“Such an excellent opportunity cannot be missed.”

“I will eliminate this wretch in one stroke!”

Shao Sansheng nodded.

“Good. Eldest Young Master can rest assured. This old servant knows what to do.”

[End of Chapter 193]