Chapter 464: Myriad Beasts Spirit Pearl

Guan Fangyi had never witnessed the period when Yuan Gang used to beat Yuan Fang on a regular basis, so this scene seemed especially abrupt to her. She was both surprised and confused.

Yuan Fang was plainly part of Niu Youdao's trusted inner circle. He was normally obedient as well, doing whatever he was told. Even if he had no great achievements, he had certainly put in plenty of hard work. Why abuse him like this? Yun Ji, on the other hand, looked at the beaten Yuan Fang with a thoughtful expression, as though she had guessed something. It was only a casual beating, though Yuan Gang's blows had been rather heavy. In the end, he stopped.

Curled up in the corner, Yuan Fang slowly lowered the arms shielding his head. Once he saw Yuan Gang walk away, he finally relaxed.

He wiped blood from his nose, stood with his face swollen and bruised, and moved off to one side sighing miserably. Yet he did not seem to hold any particular grievance. Guan Fangyi could not bear watching it.

Yuan Fang often brought her delicacies and treats, so among the people around Niu Youdao, he was one of those with whom she got along best.

She walked over and asked indignantly, "Why did they beat you?"

Yuan Fang looked helpless. "Master Dao already said it. He didn't like the sight of me."

Guan Fangyi stared. "Just for that?"

As far as Yuan Fang was concerned, was that reason not enough? He grumbled inwardly while wiping his bloody nose, looking resigned to his fate. Guan Fangyi was not accustomed to this sort of thing.

He was.

Guan Fangyi grew furious at his lack of spirit. "And you're willing to let them bully you like that?"

Hearing the commotion, Niu Youdao looked back. "Hongniang, don't sow discord inside our own ranks."

Guan Fangyi immediately turned and strode toward him. She pointed at the unconscious Chao Shenghuai and the other two on the ground.

"You still have the nerve to accuse me? Let me ask you something. Did you already know who those three were? Did you already know they intended to harm us?"

Niu Youdao laughed and nodded. "Yes."

Guan Fangyi exploded. "Then you still dragged us straight into their trap? Now things have blown up this badly. How are you planning to clean up the mess?"

Niu Youdao shrugged as though it were nothing. "If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you catch the cub? At least now we know why they attacked us."

Guan Fangyi said angrily, "Just to find that out, you dragged us into such a huge risk even though you knew it was a trap?"

With one hand resting on his sword, Niu Youdao spread the other palm. "The facts prove my judgment was correct."

"Myriad Beasts Sect had no idea these three intended to attack us. The sect didn't even know we were here. That means we're safe."

"As long as we circle around this area and reach the exit from another direction, Myriad Beasts Sect won't know this affair had anything to do with us. We can leave smoothly."

Yuan Gang had already pried the exact situation from the three men's mouths. They had concealed this entire affair from Myriad Beasts Sect.

Niu Youdao's judgment in the moment had therefore been correct as well: having the Butterfly Rakshasas kill the other Myriad Beasts Sect disciples had eliminated everyone else who knew the truth.

"..."

Guan Fangyi did not yet know what Yuan Gang had learned during the interrogation. Hearing that they could leave safely left her momentarily speechless. Niu Youdao turned and looked toward Yun Ji. The true danger now lay with this woman. For the moment, his sworn-brother relationship with Yun Huan was nowhere near enough to rely upon. If Yun Ji exposed the truth and Myriad Beasts Sect learned what had happened, the consequences would be terrifying.

Myriad Beasts Sect had a seat in Misty Pavilion. It was not something Tianyu Sect could compare with. Even Xiaoyue Pavilion fell short. It was one of the foremost sects beneath Heaven, an existence Niu Youdao's current strength simply could not resist.

Yun Ji seemed to guess what he was thinking. She said calmly, "Finished handling your business? If you are, let's go."

Niu Youdao turned and walked toward her, using his sword as a staff. "Senior, there's no need to keep running around blindly. We're already safe. We can circle around and leave."

Yun Ji asked, "You're not helping me anymore?"

"I never promised to help you. You haven't given me the thing you offered in exchange either. This hardly counts as breaking my word."

"The transaction can continue."

Niu Youdao shook his head. "There's no need. The longer we remain here, the more dangerous it becomes. The sooner we leave, the safer we are."

"If we delay until most people have already gone, and only the few of us leave at the very end, the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples guarding the entrance may become suspicious."

"Senior, I don't know whose remains could matter so much that you're willing to take this kind of risk. But for us, it isn't worth it."

"We've already seen the fantastical beauty of this place. If Senior insists on continuing the search, you'll have to suit yourself. We won't accompany you."

As far as Niu Youdao's side was concerned, the little episode of Yuan Gang beating Yuan Fang had already been thrown to the back of everyone's mind. Whether Yuan Gang, Guan Fangyi, or even the bruised and swollen Yuan Fang, all of them now stared toward Yun Ji. Anyone with half a brain understood that if they could not restrain this woman's mouth, endless trouble would follow. The moment an outside threat appeared, their minds immediately closed ranks again.

Yun Ji said, "No. Without your help, I can't search freely through this ancient forest. My progress is too slow."

"If you insist on leaving, I won't stop you. Leave him with me."

She pointed at Yuan Gang.

Niu Youdao looked back at Yuan Gang, then turned to her and shook his head. "I won't abandon my own brother and leave him here to risk his life with you."

Yun Ji said, "Isn't my son your brother too? Can't you help us this once?"

"Helping someone depends on the circumstances." Niu Youdao lifted his sword and cupped his hands, still refusing. "Senior, do as you please. We won't accompany you."

He turned to leave.

Yun Ji's voice hardened. "If you abandon me here, I can't guarantee I'll keep control of my mouth. If I happen to meet people from Myriad Beasts Sect, I may become nervous and say things that shouldn't be said."

Niu Youdao stopped.

His cold gaze slid toward her. "Are you threatening me?"

Hostility appeared in the eyes of Yuan Gang, Guan Fangyi, and Yuan Fang as all three stared at Yun Ji.

Yun Ji swept a glance across them. "Planning to attack me?"

"Forget for a moment who would win or lose. If fighting breaks out and draws Myriad Beasts Sect over here, I doubt that's what you want either."

Niu Youdao said, "The words righteousness and duty remain in my heart. I also hope that, for your son Yun Huan's sake, you will show restraint and not force my hand."

Guan Fangyi and Yuan Fang both froze. At last, they realized who this woman was. Yuan Gang had already learned Yun Ji's identity privately from Niu Youdao earlier. There were some questions only Yuan Gang could ask and receive an easy answer.

Yun Ji said, "I'm not trying to make an enemy of you. The Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm opens only once every ten years. The span is too long. If I keep dragging this out, I can't endure it either."

"Now I've finally encountered people like you who have a way to move through this forest. That can be called my own fortune."

"Niu Youdao, help me this once."

"I promise you that I will never reveal a single word of what I saw here. In the future, if you have something that requires my help, so long as it is within my power, I will not stand aside. What do you say?"

Niu Youdao replied, "Since you dare use this matter to threaten me now, how am I supposed to trust your promise?"

Yun Ji tilted her chin toward Yuan Fang.

"You beat him for no reason just now. I assume it's because those three fellows learned his true form was a Golden King Bear and targeted him, causing today's entire disaster."

Niu Youdao and Yuan Gang exchanged a look.

How did this woman know?

They themselves had only just learned the reason.

A Golden King Bear?

Guan Fangyi turned toward Yuan Fang in surprise. She knew Yuan Fang was a bear demon, but she had never known his true form was a Golden King Bear. In truth, Yuan Fang was no longer the naïve abbot of Nanshan Temple who understood nothing of the cultivation world's dangers. These days he would never casually expose details about his true form to anyone, which was why Guan Fangyi had not known.

"..."

Yuan Fang was equally startled, even nervous.

"It seems I guessed correctly." Yun Ji continued, "Those three aren't the only ones who know his background. Someone has already set their sights on you..."

She then explained what had happened when she rented the residence, finally adding, "Hou Qingtian and the others have already put that man under surveillance. If you help me, once we get out, I can hand him over to you to deal with."

Only now did Guan Fangyi truly understand. No wonder Niu Youdao had found Yuan Fang so irritating and ordered him beaten. The disaster had been caused by Yuan Fang, yet he had still stood there wearing an innocent expression. Wasn't that practically asking to be hit?

Niu Youdao narrowed his eyes slightly. His thoughts turned rapidly for a while before he asked, "How did you know that 'Zhu Jiang' was fake?"

Yun Ji replied, "Zhu Jiang's ancestor was Zhu Chicheng, the Sect Leader of Myriad Beasts Sect two generations ago."

"I was actually part of Myriad Beasts Sect myself in those days. I was Zhu Chicheng's spirit beast."

"A hundred years ago, when the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm opened, I entered it together with Zhu Chicheng. He too wanted to find Shang Song's imperial retreat, so he brought me into this ancient forest."

"As expected, we encountered danger and were surrounded by Butterfly Rakshasas. My cultivation was still weak then, and even my transformed human form was only that of a child. Because I possessed an innate talent for the earth-escape technique, Zhu Chicheng told me to flee first."

"I returned to Myriad Beasts Sect, but Zhu Chicheng never came back."

"As he remained missing, the balance of interests inside Myriad Beasts Sect gradually began to shift."

"I kept making trouble and demanding that the sect search for Zhu Chicheng. I insisted that, unless his death had been confirmed, no one else could assume the position of Sect Leader."

"That offended certain people and interfered with certain interests. In the end, I was expelled from Myriad Beasts Sect."

"In truth, it went far beyond merely expelling me."

"I had been Zhu Chicheng's spirit beast. While I remained inside Myriad Beasts Sect, some people found it inconvenient to move against me. The moment I left, however, I was immediately targeted for assassination."

"If I hadn't known the earth-escape technique, I would have died long ago."

"After that, I had no choice but to hide away in order to survive. Only after I grew up and my appearance changed did I dare show myself openly again. Later, I established myself at Duyun Mountain."

"Every time the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm has opened since then, I have entered to search for Zhu Chicheng's remains. At the same time, I take the opportunity to look after his descendants."

"That is why I know every generation of Zhu Chicheng's descendants. Someone tried to impersonate Zhu Jiang. How could I fail to notice?"

So that was the story. The others listened with considerable emotion. None had expected this woman to have such a history behind her.

Niu Youdao tried asking, "For a hundred years, you've repeatedly come here and risked your life simply to find your old master's remains?"

He believed in loyalty and gratitude. But to throw oneself into danger again and again for a century, to the point of neglecting one's own power outside, seemed excessive. There were other ways to express loyalty.

More importantly, Yun Ji kept referring to her former master by the name "Zhu Chicheng" without any honorific. If she truly cared about him purely through affection and reverence, the way she spoke of him seemed oddly lacking in respect.

So Niu Youdao had his doubts.

Yun Ji said, "You're right."

"Finding Zhu Chicheng's remains and bringing closure to the old bond between us is one reason."

"The other reason is that Myriad Beasts Sect's inheritance token was still on Zhu Chicheng when he disappeared. That is the Sect Leader's token of Myriad Beasts Sect."

"The people who succeeded him never possessed that token. It should still be together with Zhu Chicheng's remains."

Guan Fangyi's eyes flashed.

She suddenly blurted, "The Myriad Beasts Spirit Pearl?"

[End of Chapter 464]