Chapter 257: Flood Dragons Howl at the Moon

Black Peony said, "Master Dao, with Linghu Qiu here, Dachan Mountain really may not dare act recklessly."

With his back to her, Niu Youdao said, "Even without Linghu Qiu, Dachan Mountain wouldn't act recklessly against me. Setting aside what happened between Huang Lie and me at the Ice and Snow Pavilion, Dachan Mountain isn't going to obsess over Shao Pingbo's private grudges. Even if it were Tianyu Sect, they wouldn't make trouble over His Highness's personal grudges either. Unless their actual interests are touched, sects like these won't go looking for random trouble. And as you said, with Linghu Qiu here, Dachan Mountain would have to give him at least some face."

Black Peony froze again. She had always assumed Master Dao's arrangements were meant to guard against Dachan Mountain. So it was not Dachan Mountain after all. She could not help asking, "Then who is the guest you're waiting for, Master Dao?"

Niu Youdao said, "The same thing I told you before. I'm worried that mysterious force may step in to help him. If even Dachan Mountain doesn't dare move rashly, the chances of Shao Pingbo using some smaller force against me are lower still. The odds of success would be too poor. He's suffered losses at my hands before. He won't casually do something he isn't confident about."

"So if a guest comes, there's a very good chance it'll be that mysterious force. And if that mysterious force is willing to help him over something like this, then there's no need even to ask about the warhorses. They should take part in that too... No, not should. They definitely will! Warhorses are vitally important to Shao Pingbo. The cost of failure would be too high!"

As he spoke, he gave a cold laugh. "If I can't even figure out who these people around Shao Pingbo are, then the enemy stays hidden while I stand exposed. That leaves me far too passive. A goose leaves its cry as it passes; a man leaves traces wherever he goes. If they remain still, I won't even know who the enemy is, much less where to strike. But the moment they move, they'll inevitably leave traces behind. I'd like to see exactly what kind of people make up this mysterious force!"

Black Peony said, "Linghu Qiu's network really could make them wary."

Still facing away, Niu Youdao shook his head. "Linghu Qiu shouldn't be enough to make that mysterious force wary too."

Black Peony found that strange. "Why do you say that?"

Niu Youdao fell silent and did not answer. He understood perfectly well that Linghu Qiu's face was not some all-purpose pass beneath Heaven. It might carry weight with a force like Dachan Mountain, but a faction able to casually deploy three flying mounts could fairly be said to have a seat in Misty Pavilion. Such people might not even take a broker like Linghu Qiu seriously, much less fear him.

Seeing that he would not explain, Black Peony, as one of the people closest to him, felt obligated to offer a counterpoint. "Master Dao, don't forget that you yourself know how important the warhorses are to Shao Pingbo. Right now, the warhorses are the urgent matter. Perhaps most of Shao Pingbo's attention is on that, and he won't spare the effort to deal with you for the time being."

Niu Youdao turned around and sighed. "It's inevitable that he wants me dead. I stayed hidden for more than a year without showing myself, and he never found an opportunity to strike. Now I've finally come out once. If I disappear into seclusion again, who knows how many years he may have to wait for another chance? You think he can simply ignore that?"

"If I can keep watch on Beizhou, then there's no possibility he isn't watching Qingshan Commandery too. I refuse to believe he hasn't planted eyes in Qingshan Commandery. I deliberately made a circuit through the city before leaving. I refuse to believe he doesn't know I've come out of the mountains."

"The reason I haven't hurried along this entire journey, the reason I've been waiting for a guest to appear, is because I want to find out who this mysterious force actually is. We're already likely to run into difficulty after difficulty once we start operating in Qi. If I still know absolutely nothing about a mysterious force hiding behind us, ready to strike at any moment, then matters become even more troublesome..."

The last words left him in a long sigh. Black Peony could hear the worry beneath his outward calm. Now that he had explained it, she began to understand the thought and effort behind his arrangements after leaving the mountains. She also understood that Master Dao's attempt to obtain warhorses was more difficult and more dangerous than Tianyu Sect's own efforts. Worry rose in her heart as well.

"Clean this up." Niu Youdao took the secret message he had been holding behind his back and handed it to her, then pointed toward the map.

Black Peony immediately destroyed the secret message. The marks drawn over the waterways on the map had to be removed as well.

"Aaoo... aaoo... aaoo..."

Just then, three long cries echoed outside. They were not especially loud, yet they carried with extraordinary penetration, as though they meant to pierce the Nine Heavens. The two exchanged a glance and flashed to the window to look outside.

Moonlight poured over Boundless Pavilion like liquid silver, turning the lake surface into glittering scales of light. Looking toward the source of the sound, they could just make out three column-like forms rising from the water, two large and one small, sending ripples across the lake.

The two larger bodies were as thick and powerful as ancient gnarled trees. The smaller one was obviously less than half their size. Scales clearly covered their bodies, catching the moonlight and reflecting it back in a dim halo. From the faint movement, one could tell they had raised their heads to the moon and were roaring. Flood dragons howling at the moon!

Unfortunately, they were in the middle of the lake, far away, and it was nighttime. With the moonlight scattering and shifting across the water, their true appearance could not be made out at all.

Niu Youdao waved a hand and was just about to guide a Moon Butterfly over with his qi to light the scene so he could get a proper look.

Someone else had already grown impatient. On one of the stone bridges spanning the water, another person had directed a Moon Butterfly to fly rapidly toward the creatures. Yet just as it was about to draw close, there came an enormous splash.

A huge tail whipped out of the lake. Massive though it was, it moved with startling speed. In a blur, it struck the Moon Butterfly and smashed it out of existence.

"Hahaha..."

A wave of laughter immediately broke out outside, everyone openly mocking the unlucky cultivator. Niu Youdao paused and had no choice but to suppress his own Moon Butterfly.

"Aaoo... aaoo... aaoo..."

Three more dragon cries rolled across the lake, long and sustained, drawing everyone's attention. Under countless watching eyes, the three flood dragons with their heads raised above the surface slowly sank. In the end, they vanished completely beneath the rippling moonlit water.

Linghu Qiu was also standing at his window watching. He chuckled and lifted his head toward the bright moon in the night sky when a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

Hongxiu went to open it. Outside stood a prosperous-looking man, who immediately asked, "Is Mr. Linghu here?"

Hongxiu looked puzzled. "And you are?"

The stout man answered neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I'm a clerk from Qiyun Sect. Our Shopkeeper Fan is an old acquaintance of Mr. Linghu's. He heard Mr. Linghu had arrived and sent me over to pay respects."

"One moment." Hongxiu answered politely.

She did not dare slight someone from Qiyun Sect and immediately went back inside to report to Linghu Qiu.

Linghu Qiu himself was not worried. No one dared cause trouble in this place. He quickly said, "Invite him in."

The stout man was soon shown inside. "Li Zhen, clerk of Qiyun Sect's shop. Greetings, Mr. Linghu."

"Li Zhen?" Linghu Qiu looked him up and down. "You look somewhat unfamiliar. I don't remember seeing you at Qiyun Sect's shop here before."

The stout man, Li Zhen, smiled. "I've been stationed here for quite a few years, and I haven't seen you here either, sir."

"Then perhaps we simply never crossed paths." Linghu Qiu laughed.

In truth, he had not visited this place for several years himself. His earlier remark had only been a probe. If he said he had never seen the man and the man replied that he was newly arrived or something similar, that would instead have seemed suspicious.

Linghu Qiu smiled and asked, "Does Shopkeeper Fan have some instruction for me?"

Li Zhen said, "The Shopkeeper asks Mr. Linghu to honor the shop with a visit. He has an important matter to discuss with you."

Linghu Qiu hesitated. "What matter?"

Li Zhen shook his head. "That I truly don't know. The Shopkeeper didn't say, and it wasn't my place to ask. Naturally you'll know once you go."

Linghu Qiu nodded. Qiyun Sect's Sect Master held a seat in Misty Pavilion. When someone from Qiyun Sect extended an invitation, it was difficult for him not to go.

Even so, he was still worried about Niu Youdao. If he was absent, someone might take the opportunity to cause trouble. Then he reconsidered. No matter how bold a certain someone might be, surely they would not dare act recklessly here.

So he said, "Brother Li, go on ahead. I'll tidy myself up and come immediately."

Li Zhen frowned. "Then please hurry, Mr. Linghu. Don't keep the Shopkeeper waiting."

"Naturally." Linghu Qiu readily promised.

Li Zhen cupped his hands and took his leave. The moment he was gone, Linghu Qiu followed almost immediately. The claim that he needed to tidy himself up had been false. The truth was that he did not feel comfortable leaving Niu Youdao unchecked. Taking Hongxiu and Hongfu with him, he went to Niu Youdao's room and knocked before entering.

The two sworn brothers had traveled together long enough that they were already quite familiar. There was no need for pleasantries.

Niu Youdao asked directly, "Something the matter, Elder Brother?"

Linghu Qiu gave a sound of acknowledgment. "A little something. An old friend here has invited me over. I need to make a trip."

Niu Youdao immediately looked interested. "Are you taking me along to make his acquaintance?"

Linghu Qiu waved a hand and smiled bitterly. "With the other party's background, I can't casually bring someone along without warning. I came over to ask whether you're planning to go out."

Niu Youdao froze. "What business could I have at this hour? Naturally I'm going to rest. Why would I go out? If I want to look around, I can do it tomorrow in daylight."

Linghu Qiu nodded. "Good. I hear you've made quite a few enemies. Your cultivation levels genuinely don't put me at ease. When I'm not beside you, try not to run around unnecessarily."

Niu Youdao chuckled. "I've made Elder Brother worry. Rest assured, I won't run around. Go meet your friend without concern."

"Good." Linghu Qiu nodded.

As long as Niu Youdao remained inside the Heavenly Lake Inn, there should not be any problem. With that, Linghu Qiu finally felt comfortable leaving.

Inside a dark, unlit pavilion near the Heavenly Lake Inn, a tall, thin man stood at a window with his hands clasped behind his back, staring fixedly at the inn's exit. A door opened behind him. A stout man entered. It was Li Zhen, who had just visited Linghu Qiu.

He walked to the tall man's side and said quietly, "He agreed."

The tall man said indifferently, "How did he react? Any suspicion?"

Li Zhen said, "Everything was normal. He shouldn't suspect anything. Inside Boundless Pavilion, there's no reason to worry about trouble. What could possibly happen from going to meet the shopkeeper of Qiyun Sect's store? He has no reason at all to be suspicious."

The tall man asked again, "When you notified him, he wasn't together with the target, was he?"

"No. I went inside and checked. The target wasn't there." As Li Zhen spoke, his voice suddenly dropped. "He's coming out."

A light flashed through the tall man's eyes. He stared toward Linghu Qiu, Hongxiu, and Hongfu as they emerged from the Heavenly Lake Inn, then made a slight gesture with one hand.

Li Zhen immediately slid open the small metal box hanging from his waist like a jade pendant and released the Moon Butterfly resting inside. The Moon Butterfly danced in the air, instantly filling the pitch-black room with light. Both men had already moved away from the window.

A little later, the light inside the room vanished again. Another window opened, and the two men reappeared on the opposite side, watching Linghu Qiu and the two women leave.

[End of Chapter 257]