Chapter 372: Someone Wants to See Who Has More Men

The enormous fleet bore down on the coast like a moving wall. At the bow of the lead ship stood a wedge of people. The man at its point had his sword planted before him in that familiar trademark posture. Anyone who knew him recognized him at a glance.

Shang Chaozong turned and gave a loud order. "Beat the drums! Sound the horns!"

Several great drums thundered together, their booming rolling across the pier. A row of ox-horn trumpets sounded at once, their low calls echoing without end. Banners stood in ranks and snapped in the wind. The pier welcomed the arriving fleet with full ceremony. Everyone noticed a lavishly dressed woman crowding in beside Niu Youdao and looked toward her. Shang Shuqing, her eyes still red, quietly studied the woman as well.

Standing at the bow, Niu Youdao glanced aside at Guan Fangyi, who had only just hurried out of the cabin and squeezed her way over.

She had put on exquisite makeup and changed into splendid clothes, restoring the dazzling appearance of Hongniang of Fufang Garden in the Qi capital.

"You hid yourself away for half the day just to put on makeup?" Niu Youdao asked.

"What? Is that not allowed?" Guan Fangyi curled her lip. "I have appearances to keep too. I can't show up for the first time looking filthy and disheveled and let you country bumpkins look down on me."

She swept her gaze over the shore ahead and saw soldiers guarding a huge area. It would have been almost impossible for any unauthorized person to approach the pier without being discovered.

She gave a low exclamation. "What a reception! They're here to welcome us?"

Niu Youdao gave a sound of acknowledgment. As the ship slowed and drew toward shore, Guan Fangyi noticed a woman on land staring at her. With Shang Shuqing's appearance, it was difficult not to notice her.

Guan Fangyi lowered her voice. "That woman with the blotches on her face—is she the famously ugly daughter of Prince Ning, Shang Jianbo?"

Niu Youdao smiled bitterly inwardly. Shang Shuqing truly was famous for being ugly. He gave another sound of acknowledgment while returning the cupped-hand greetings of those ashore.

Guan Fangyi could not help clicking her tongue. To look like that and still dare show herself openly—what kind of strength of heart did that require? She found herself admiring Shang Shuqing's courage. Seeing so many people on shore watching them, Guan Fangyi gradually composed herself and assumed a dignified bearing.

A group ran out along the water's edge and signaled to the approaching ships, directing them toward assigned berths.

Ropes were thrown from the ships. People ashore caught them, slowly hauled the vessels alongside, then secured them with mooring lines.

Gangplanks were lowered.

Niu Youdao and the others walked down the sloping planks onto shore.

"Master Dao, you've worked hard!" Shang Chaozong was the first to step forward and greet him with cupped hands, his face full of emotion and excitement.

Niu Youdao returned the salute. "At least I did not disappoint Your Highness. The warhorses have been brought safely out of the State of Qi."

Shang Chaozong nodded again and again. "Good! Good! Good!"

"Master Dao, you've worked hard indeed."

Lan Ruoting and Meng Shanming, whose wheelchair had been pushed over, also greeted him warmly.

"Only what I should do," Niu Youdao replied politely.

"Master Dao!" Xia Hua came over and deliberately addressed him with exaggerated respect, lips pursed as she smiled in delight.

Fei Changliu and Zheng Jiuxiao also stepped forward smiling to greet him. At the side, Shang Shuqing waited eagerly for her turn to speak to Niu Youdao.

But after exchanging a few polite words with the people before him, Niu Youdao's gaze abruptly fixed on the Tianyu Sect group—and on Peng Youzai, who was smiling as he watched him.

Niu Youdao gestured for Fei Changliu and the others to move aside, then walked toward Tianyu Sect at an unhurried pace. Shang Shuqing, ignored just as she was about to speak, bit her lip slightly. Niu Youdao and Peng Youzai stopped face-to-face.

Their eyes met.

"Brother Niu, you've worked hard," Peng Youzai said with a smile, cupping his hands.

Niu Youdao replied calmly, "Hard work is nothing. What chills the heart is when certain people do things they shouldn't."

"Oh?" Peng Youzai's gaze flickered. He knowingly asked, "Why do you say that?"

Niu Youdao said, "I hear Tianyu Sect intends to come after me and has even seized my people. May I ask what principle justifies that?"

The festive atmosphere around them immediately cooled. No one had expected Niu Youdao to challenge Peng Youzai on the spot, without giving the Sect Leader the slightest face. The expressions of the Tianyu Sect elders behind Peng Youzai darkened. Guan Fangyi idly waved a round fan as she moved to Niu Youdao's side.

Uncle Chen, Old Six Xu, and the dozens of Fufang Garden people who had come to welcome them immediately took position behind Guan Fangyi. Someone on Tianyu Sect's side made a gesture.

More than a hundred Tianyu Sect disciples in the surrounding area instantly flew over and confronted them, their numbers bearing down on Niu Youdao's side.

Shang Chaozong was about to step forward to mediate when Meng Shanming extended a hand to stop him and gave the slightest shake of his head.

"Gongsun," Niu Youdao called without fully turning, "someone wants to see who has more men than us."

Gongsun Bu raised one hand and gave a signal. A long howl sounded from the ship behind them.

Lu Lijun appeared.

From the hundreds of large ships offshore, figure after figure flew into the air. At least a thousand people converged toward the pier. The pupils of the Tianyu Sect party contracted.

Through their Dharma Eyes, they sensed the dense, chilling yin aura on these people and immediately realized that every one of them was a ghost cultivator. For a moment, no one could understand where Niu Youdao had found so many ghost cultivators.

Niu Youdao turned his head slightly again. "Sect Leader Fei, Sect Leader Zheng, Sect Leader Xia. What do your three sects intend? Are we all walking the same road, or are we going our separate ways?"

Fei Changliu, Zheng Jiuxiao, and Xia Hua exchanged looks.

All three understood.

Niu Youdao was forcing their sects to take a position. One after another, they raised their hands and issued orders.

In an instant, more than a thousand disciples of the three sects flew over as well and directly surrounded Tianyu Sect's few hundred people. Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting exchanged a glance. Both realized that the fundamental balance of strength between the two sides had not actually changed much. Before, the three sects had swallowed their anger in the face of Tianyu Sect.

The moment Niu Youdao returned, everything became different. Under pressure from him, the three sects now had no choice but to oppose Tianyu Sect openly.

Meng Shanming lowered his head and slowly straightened his sleeves, looking like a detached bystander with nothing to do with the affair. The entire pier abruptly became tense enough to snap.

Facing the encirclement, Peng Youzai remained unmoved. He swept a cold glance over the crowd and said disdainfully, "A rabble."

Guan Fangyi gave an exaggerated little cry. "And who might this be? I've only just arrived, and the first thing I hear from you is an insult."

Peng Youzai's gaze fell on her face. He smiled. "Hongniang of the Qi capital. I've long heard your great name. Peng Youzai of Tianyu Sect."

"So you're Sect Leader Peng of Tianyu Sect. I've heard much about you as well." Guan Fangyi smiled. "Tell me, I haven't offended you, have I? Why insult me the moment we meet?"

At some point, a black talisman had appeared between her fingers. She held it like a fan and casually waved it before her face.

She looked perfectly composed.

Inwardly, however, she was cursing furiously. A fight the moment she arrived?

Niu Youdao, you bastard!

Peng Youzai's gaze tightened when it landed on the talisman.

Heavenly Sword Talisman!

The expressions of the Tianyu Sect group changed, and all of them went on high alert. Niu Youdao also noticed that the other side's reaction was wrong and glanced sideways at the talisman in Guan Fangyi's hand.

Peng Youzai's gaze then returned to Niu Youdao. He enunciated each word. "If you don't want to die, don't make trouble. This is not a place where you get to run wild."

Niu Youdao said, "Everyone here knows perfectly well who started this trouble. I don't want trouble either, but my people were seized for no reason. In any dispute, reason comes first. Is it excessive for me to ask for an explanation? Sect Leader Peng, can I simply watch my own brothers be taken away to die and say nothing? If I did, the hearts of my people would scatter. So my people are not for anyone to seize whenever they please."

Feng Entai hurriedly squeezed forward to mediate. "Third Brother, what talk of dying? You've misunderstood. Nothing like that happened."

"Stand down!" Peng Youzai barked.

Feng Entai had tried to help only to be rebuffed. Looking awkward, he could only slowly retreat.

Peng Youzai said, "Niu Youdao, I can give you an explanation. But you must also give me an account for what happened here today. Otherwise no amount of argument will make it reasonable. This is Tianyu Sect's territory. Others are not permitted to run wild here!"

That was no empty threat.

Today, on their own territory, the senior figures of Tianyu Sect had been surrounded. If they received no explanation, where would their face go?

Even if they let matters rest for the moment, if the other side refused to give them a satisfactory account afterward, Tianyu Sect would inevitably gather its people and settle matters with them.

Niu Youdao said, "Reason governs every affair, and events have an order. As long as Sect Leader Peng gives me an explanation, I will naturally give Sect Leader Peng a satisfactory account afterward."

Peng Youzai said slowly, "We're all on the same side. Junior Brother Feng is right. No one is dying. You misunderstood. I detained your people first because you had failed to return for so long and there had been no news from you. I was worried something might change in Qingshan Commandery. I was worried certain people might develop other intentions. Your people were surrounded by powerful forces. If I didn't put them under control first, I feared someone else might carry them off. To put it plainly, I was protecting them. They're perfectly well. They've been given good food and drink, and no one has laid so much as a finger on them. Since you've returned, naturally they'll be released back to you. I guarantee they will be completely unharmed."

That was his explanation.

But to Fei Changliu and the other two sect leaders, the words were exceedingly unpleasant to hear. Peng Youzai was obviously implying that he had been worried their three sects might harbor disloyal intentions.

Niu Youdao nodded. "Since Sect Leader Peng has said this in front of everyone, I believe you won't go back on your word. I'll make a guarantee as well. As long as my people return safely, I will give Sect Leader Peng a satisfactory explanation."

"What are you all crowding around here for? Disperse."

Peng Youzai rebuked the surrounding people, clasped his hands behind his back, and strolled forward. He brushed past Niu Youdao and walked directly into the people blocking his way. Niu Youdao had not given any order, and no one dared do anything to Peng Youzai. Almost instinctively, they opened a path for him. Niu Youdao waved a hand, signaling his own people to disperse as well.

"Niu Youdao."

Peng Youzai stopped by the shore with his hands behind his back and called to him.

Niu Youdao walked over. "What instruction does Sect Leader Peng have?"

Peng Youzai raised his chin toward the dense spread of large ships offshore. "How many warhorses?"

Niu Youdao replied, "Thirty thousand..."

"Thirty thousand?"

Shang Chaozong cried out in surprise before he could finish and hurried over.

"Master Dao, did you say you brought thirty thousand horses?"

Even Peng Youzai whipped his head around, plainly shocked. "Thirty thousand?"

Meng Shanming and Lan Ruoting were stunned as well. They had wondered why there were so many large ships. So this madman had actually brought back thirty thousand warhorses in one stroke. Everyone close enough to hear was shaken.

It was difficult to imagine.

Niu Youdao said, "Since I'd already traveled thousands upon thousands of li to make the trip, naturally I took as many as I could. Better that than having to go through the trouble again later. Unfortunately, we encountered storms along the way. The winds were high and the waves violent. More than ten ships capsized, and we lost over a thousand horses that could not be recovered. Another few dozen horses couldn't endure the long voyage at sea and died of illness. But fortunately, all one thousand mares are safe and sound. Treat them well, and they can be used for breeding. There are still more than twenty-eight thousand horses aboard the ships."

[End of Chapter 372]