Chapter 376: Only the One Who Laughs Last Is a True Hero

"Thanking you?" Ghost Mother's eyes nearly spat fire.

At present, however, her greatest concern was not that the Qi Emperor might move against her. It was Zhang Xingrui.

"Now that this has happened, where can Zhang Xingrui go? Am I supposed to have his whole family follow me to Xianyin Mountain and live the rest of their lives without ever seeing daylight? Xiaoyue Pavilion's power runs unfathomably deep. They could find him almost anywhere. Can Zhang Xingrui escape their pursuit? Is he supposed to spend the rest of his life living in danger? If you hadn't interfered, how would Zhang Xingrui ever have been dragged into this trouble? And you still want me to thank you?"

Niu Youdao said, "Big Sister, calm down. Since matters have already reached this point, Zhang Xingrui's identity has been exposed. Naturally, he can't return to Hao Yunsheng. Otherwise, Hao Yunsheng would certainly take him hostage and use him to threaten you."

"It's a pity so many people follow you, making it difficult to find another cultivation ground more suitable than Xianyin Mountain. Otherwise, you and Zhang Xingrui could both come to my side."

Ghost Mother said angrily, "Can this little patch of yours withstand Xiaoyue Pavilion? If Xiaoyue Pavilion concentrates its experts and launches a sudden attack, even Tianyu Sect couldn't stop them. You can barely protect yourself, yet you're talking about protecting him?"

Niu Youdao waved a hand. "That's exactly why I wouldn't have you come here. Since Big Sister and I have now become sworn siblings, your affairs are my affairs. How could I sit by and ignore this?"

"If I truly wanted to wash my hands of it, I could simply have paid you, released him, and declared the matter none of my concern. Why would I invite trouble upon myself?"

"Big Sister, rest assured. I have a way to keep Zhang Xingrui and his entire family safe."

Ghost Mother asked, "What way?"

Niu Youdao said, "In the State of Qi, there is one person who can protect Xianyin Mountain, protect Zhang Xingrui's family, make Xiaoyue Pavilion afraid to act rashly, and make the Prince of the Western Court afraid to act rashly as well."

Ghost Mother froze for a moment. Her eyes shifted as she thought, then she asked suspiciously, "Hao Yuntu? You can get Hao Yuntu to step forward?"

Niu Youdao said, "Big Sister, set your heart at ease. If you trust me, leave this matter to me. I will give you an answer you can be satisfied with..."

The people waiting outside had no idea what the two discussed. All they knew was that by the time Niu Youdao and Ghost Mother emerged from the relay station, dusk had already fallen. The large herd of warhorses had begun leaving in separate groups, escorted by disciples from the various sects. Ghost Mother summoned Lu Lijun and made arrangements for the ghost cultivators who had come with her. For the time being, she had no intention of leaving.

Until Niu Youdao gave her a satisfactory answer, she would remain.

Words alone were meaningless.

She wanted to see actual results.

Niu Youdao stood outside the relay station and looked around. Gongsun Bu came over and said, "Master Dao, His Highness asked me to find out how much longer your business here will take and whether you want to return together."

Niu Youdao said, "Tell His Highness we can set out."

Across from the relay station stood a money house, its entrance crowded with people. After a while, quite a few people released Goldenwings. Old Six Xu exchanged cupped-hand farewells with a group of them, then separated from the crowd and returned.

Niu Youdao lifted his chin toward the money-house entrance. "What's the situation?"

Old Six Xu said, "Everything with the sailors has been settled. All compensation that needed to be paid has been paid. They received extra money, so they're very happy."

"With so much money, it wasn't convenient to carry it around, so they deposited it into the shipowners' accounts. They've all sent messages back to notify the shipowners. That settles the matter."

Niu Youdao asked, "Did you clarify all their backgrounds and origins?"

"Yes. We asked everything and recorded it."

Niu Youdao narrowed his eyes at the bustling groups of sailors near the money house, all preparing to go eat and drink together.

He murmured to himself, "I wonder whether any of those backgrounds conceal Xiaoyue Pavilion interests."

Guan Fangyi, standing beside him, stared over there for a while as well. There was no way to tell just by looking.

She turned back and teased, "You just got your hands on five million gold coins, and now it's all gone?"

Niu Youdao did not seem to care. "If it's gone, it's gone. Where there are people, there will be money. Without people, money won't last. Better to invest in people than hoard money."

Guan Fangyi clicked her tongue twice. "You're generous when it's someone else's money."

That was what she said, but the look she cast at him carried unmistakable admiration.

Then she called, "Hey. How are you going to explain yourself when we get back?"

Niu Youdao looked startled. "Explain what?"

Guan Fangyi tapped him on the chest with her round fan. "Peng Youzai! You surrounded his people, and he demanded an explanation. If you can't give him one, won't I be dragged into trouble with you?"

Niu Youdao said, "You're worrying too much. I hold the liquor formula. I told him long ago that I had left myself a fallback. He's thinking about the profits from the liquor, so he doesn't dare move against me. He's afraid I'll make the formula public."

"This so-called explanation is nothing more than a step for him to climb down. Any explanation will do."

"Besides, I just gained a sworn elder sister. Until he understands what's going on, he won't dare act rashly. Peng Youzai is nothing to worry about."

So that was it.

Guan Fangyi nodded inwardly, then looked back toward Ghost Mother, who was giving instructions to her subordinates not far away. She found the whole thing secretly amusing.

Then she turned back and asked, "What about Xiaoyue Pavilion? They aren't going to swallow a loss and do nothing. Don't think that escaping the State of Qi means they won't dare touch you. Your location is clear now. You're in Qingshan Commandery. Xiaoyue Pavilion can make a move against you whenever they please."

"Nothing to worry about. Since I dared come back, I naturally have a way to deal with them."

Niu Youdao tossed out the words and walked away, heading toward Shang Chaozong, who was approaching from outside. Not long afterward, the group set out with a rumble of hooves. Among them was a carriage carrying Meng Shanming. Everyone else, including Shang Chaozong and Niu Youdao, rode horses. Ghost Mother also brought several ghost cultivators along... Late that night, the party reached the road outside Qingshan Commandery's city that led into the mountains. Shang Chaozong insisted on personally escorting Niu Youdao farther.

His hospitality was too earnest to refuse, and Niu Youdao could not dissuade him, so he let him come. When they reached the valley, they found a group waiting inside the long pavilion. It was Peng Youzai and the others. Yuan Fang and his people were there too.

Everyone dismounted.

Yuan Fang flashed over at once, visibly emotional as he cupped his hands. "Master Dao!"

Niu Youdao looked him up and down. "Are you all right?"

Yuan Fang shook his head. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Black Peony, she... she..."

His face darkened with grief. Clearly, he had already heard that Black Peony had died. Niu Youdao raised a hand to stop him from continuing. He did not want to speak of it again. It had already happened. Repeating it over and over served no purpose except to deepen the grief.

Instead, he asked, "You didn't give them the liquor formula, did you?"

Yuan Fang hurriedly straightened his back and gave an emphatic assurance. "No. Absolutely not! They only locked us up. They never even asked us about the formula."

"Mm." Niu Youdao patted him on the shoulder, then walked toward Peng Youzai.

Bai Yao had already flashed ahead and reached Peng Youzai's side. He was whispering something into Peng Youzai's ear.

Judging by the uncertain, startled looks Peng Youzai kept casting toward Ghost Mother, it was not difficult to guess what Bai Yao was telling him.

Niu Youdao arrived and cupped his hands. "Sect Leader Peng, why trouble yourself to wait here and welcome me?"

"Welcome you?" Peng Youzai said. "Why ask when you already know?"

Niu Youdao nodded, then turned and extended a hand in invitation. Peng Youzai followed him away alone. Once they had put some distance between themselves and the others, the two stopped beneath the moonlight.

Niu Youdao said, "As for obtaining these thirty thousand warhorses, I was merely the executor. The plan itself was devised by Tianyu Sect. The money used to purchase the horses came from Tianyu Sect, and Tianyu Sect was the one that arranged for them to be brought here. I was merely an errand runner. I wouldn't dare claim the credit."

Peng Youzai's eyelid twitched.

He understood immediately.

Niu Youdao intended to hand the credit to Tianyu Sect as his explanation. And indeed, this was exactly the credit Tianyu Sect wanted. Otherwise, the sect would lose too much face.

They had struggled for more than a year, lost so many people, paid such a heavy price, and accomplished nothing. If mighty Tianyu Sect proved inferior to a single Niu Youdao, how could they bear the humiliation?

Peng Youzai said, "Do you take everyone for blind fools?"

Niu Youdao said, "I don't know whether they're blind, but I can tell you one thing for certain. Aside from the few people around me, no one knows how these warhorses were obtained."

"I kept the entire process highly confidential from beginning to end because I feared something might go wrong. So no one else knows the details."

Peng Youzai said, "Do you think His Highness is a fool?"

Niu Youdao said, "Whether His Highness is a fool doesn't matter. What matters is that His Highness will not publicly speak ill of Tianyu Sect."

"Besides, His Highness genuinely doesn't know how this operation was carried out. I will tell him that Tianyu Sect planned the entire affair from beginning to end."

"From this moment onward, the people around me will all say the same thing publicly: this was Tianyu Sect's achievement. If the people who actually handled the matter all say that, what can outsiders say?"

Peng Youzai said, "Men have two lips. You can make them say one thing today and the opposite tomorrow."

Niu Youdao said, "What benefit would I gain by opposing Tianyu Sect over something like this? Is there any need?"

"Tianyu Sect doesn't have to confirm it, and doesn't have to deny it. All you need to do is remain silent. Leave the rest to us, the people involved."

"Sect Leader Peng, what do you think?"

Peng Youzai neither agreed nor refused. He simply turned and walked away. But he did not head back toward the Tianyu Sect group.

Instead, he walked over to Ghost Mother, cupped his hands, and smiled. "I am Peng Youzai of Tianyu Sect. May I ask whether this is Ghost Mother herself gracing us with her presence?"

Ghost Mother said darkly, "Sect Leader Peng is too polite."

Peng Youzai said, "A distinguished guest has come from afar. As the local host, Tianyu Sect should extend proper hospitality. I would be honored to invite you into the city..."

"No need to trouble yourself." Ghost Mother cut him off directly and gestured toward Niu Youdao, who was walking over. "My little brother and I still have matters to discuss."

"If that's the case, I won't disturb you."

Peng Youzai had offered warmth only to be met with coldness, but he laughed it off.

He turned, glanced at Niu Youdao, then abruptly looked back and asked, "Did Niu Youdao give you the money?"

Ghost Mother looked at him coldly. "What? Do you want to take it back?"

"Haha! Absolutely not. Farewell!"

Peng Youzai cupped his hands, swept his sleeves, and strode past them. Seeing this, the Tianyu Sect group followed him away one after another. After watching them leave, Shang Chaozong came over and invited Niu Youdao aside.

Once they were alone, Niu Youdao asked, "Does Your Highness have any further instructions?"

Shang Chaozong smiled bitterly. "About Tianyu Sect coming here and arresting your people... I am truly ashamed. I..."

Niu Youdao raised a hand and stopped him. "There's no need to say any more. I understand the situation. I wasn't here, and the three sects didn't dare stop them. Your Highness was isolated and lacked the strength to stop them either. There's no need to take such a small matter to heart. I, Niu Youdao, am not so narrow-minded that I can't understand even this much. Your Highness must remember one thing. At present, our strength is inferior to theirs. There are times when we must endure what should be endured. Once Your Highness has established your power, it will be their turn to swallow their anger. For now, we still need Tianyu Sect's strength. Avoid confronting them head-on whenever possible. Yield for the time being and wait for the future. The times are treacherous, and the road ahead for both of us is rough. A hero isn't judged by a single victory or defeat. Only the one who can laugh at the end is a true hero!"

[End of Chapter 376]