Chapter 516: Waiting by the Stump for the Rabbit

Chao Shenghuai was somewhat furious. It was nothing but a verbal promise. How was he supposed to believe it?

But from the beginning, this had been a gamble on the other man's character. Even if Niu Youdao refused to give him another copper, there was nothing Chao Shenghuai could do. Still, no matter how he looked at it, he had at least received one million. That was better than nothing.

His grandfather might be an Elder of Myriad Beasts Sect, but this was still the first time in Chao Shenghuai's life that he had personally possessed one million gold coins at once.

Even so, five million had suddenly become one million. How could he not be angry? How much risk had he taken to obtain those five flying mounts?

For the moment, however, something else mattered more to him. "The matter's done. You've already pocketed such an enormous benefit. Hurry up and get out of here."

If he had not mentioned it, things might have been fine. The moment he did, Niu Youdao pondered for a moment and said, "For now, I don't think I'll leave yet. As for the remaining four million gold coins, you'll have to wait a few days for someone to bring the money."

"Thinking about it, no one knows what may happen later. Better to settle money and goods cleanly so neither side owes the other anything. That avoids future misunderstandings. Once I leave Myriad Beasts Sect, every account between us will be erased. No matter what anyone says afterward, I won't acknowledge a thing."

"From then on, we're strangers on the road. Better not to contact each other again. We'll act as though we never met. That's good for both of us. Wouldn't you agree?"

"..."

At the beginning of that speech, Chao Shenghuai's anger had surged. He instinctively assumed Niu Youdao was breaking his word and playing him, and he nearly went mad.

But as the rest came out, it was like several basins of cold water pouring over his head. His fury died instantly. What sparks remained barely smoldered.

He had been blocked so thoroughly he could not say a word.

His thoughts struggled over those four million gold coins.

Four million!

If he waited only a few more days, he might actually get them. Why had he risked attacking Niu Youdao in the Illusory Realm in the first place?

To remain unmoved before four million gold coins was genuinely difficult.

To Niu Youdao, Chao Shenghuai was still far too green. He was nowhere near capable of matching Niu's methods. Manipulating him was child's play. With hardly any effort, Niu Youdao twisted aside Chao Shenghuai's urgent desire to drive him away.

Did Chao Shenghuai truly think he could make Niu leave before Niu had finished his own business?

Before Chao Shenghuai could calm down and think it through, Niu Youdao moved the conversation on. "There weren't any mistakes in yesterday's operation, were there? Tell me the entire process in detail."

Still struggling over the four million, Chao Shenghuai instinctively followed his lead and recounted everything.

When he finished, he seemed to remember something. "Right. There's one matter you need to help me with. It helps you too."

Niu Youdao mentally retraced the entire operation from his account. After thinking briefly, he said, "What is it? Speak freely."

Chao Shenghuai said, "Those four junior disciples of mine who took part can't be left alive. Sooner or later, they'll become hidden dangers. Unfortunately, it isn't convenient for me to act personally, and their strength isn't much worse than mine. I can't let anyone else know about something like this either, so I can't ask other people for help. Think of a way to deal with them for me."

Niu Youdao understood. Silence the witnesses.

He discovered that this fellow truly was vicious. Chao Shenghuai spoke of killing his own fellow disciples without the slightest hesitation.

Niu Youdao gave an acknowledging sound. "Understood. Don't worry. Leave this to me. After I leave, I'll keep people in Myriad Forms City waiting for your message. When you think the timing is right, arrange things and notify them to act."

Chao Shenghuai said, "Leave as soon as you can. And while you're still here, stop causing trouble."

His tone was already far less urgent about driving Niu Youdao away. Four million gold coins might be his after only a few days. That sum sat heavily in his heart.

Niu Youdao said, "I don't want to cause trouble. I'm only afraid someone will come looking for trouble with me. So you'll still need to keep an eye on anyone who doesn't get along with me. Make sure I can leave safely."

Chao Shenghuai said, "There's one more thing. Don't you owe me an explanation by now?"

Niu Youdao asked, "What?"

"He Youjian. Isn't it time you handed him over?"

"He died long ago."

Chao Shenghuai became angry again. "Don't give me that! Even now you still want to use him to threaten me? If something happens to me, Myriad Beasts Sect will hunt you throughout the entire realm!"

Niu Youdao said, "Even you understand that logic. Do I still have any reason to use him to threaten you now? Think about it. Myriad Beasts Sect guards the exit from the Illusory Realm. Do you really think I'd risk smuggling him out?"

"I was only joking with you at the time. Of course, it wasn't a very funny joke."

"..." Chao Shenghuai had nothing to say. Thinking about it, that did make sense.

Precisely because it made sense, he felt even more suffocated.

He had gone this far over a dead man?

Normally, Chao Shenghuai considered himself fairly clever. Today, he suddenly felt like an idiot in the other man's hands.

"Brother, look on the bright side. Without all this, you might never have earned so much money in your entire life. Wealth and rank are sought amid danger. Right or wrong isn't important. What matters is that you achieved your goal, isn't it?" Niu Youdao understood exactly what he was thinking and offered a word of comfort.

Then he added, "If you absolutely need to see him before you'll feel at ease... The two brothers were family, and I couldn't bear to separate them. If you truly care, go to the place where you fought them and look beneath that tree. The brothers are buried together there."

"All right. I'll head back first. Staying too long invites suspicion. If anything comes up, contact me the usual way."

...

Niu Youdao had only just left the ravine and returned to the courtyard when Yuan Gang hurried over to meet him.

Niu Youdao stopped. Yuan Gang leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Chen Guishuo's message has arrived. The letter has been delivered to Xiaoyao Palace. He's heading for the next one now."

Niu Youdao gave a soft "Oh" and smiled faintly. "Our news has arrived. Looks like Sect Leader Long here will receive word very soon as well. Dachan Mountain is about to get a pleasant surprise."

...

A Golden Wing descended from the sky and slipped into Xiaoyao Palace's guest courtyard.

Before long, Yi Shu came walking quickly through the pavilions and terraces. She entered the waterside pavilion, reached Long Xiu's short couch, and presented a decoded secret message with both hands. "Master, a message from an Elder back at the Palace."

Long Xiu, who had been meditating cross-legged, slowly finished circulating his qi and opened his eyes. He took the message and read it.

His brows drew together. "Beizhou intends to submit?"

Yi Shu remained silent. She had decoded the message herself and naturally already knew its contents.

"The people from Dachan Mountain came by before, didn't they?" Long Xiu asked while continuing to study the letter.

Yi Shu answered, "Yes. Dachan Mountain Elder Huang Tong requested an audience with Master. Master declined to see him."

Long Xiu said, "Find out where they're staying. Have him come see me."

"Yes." Yi Shu accepted the order and hurried away.

...

A lone rider galloped along the official road, whipping his mount onward without pause toward the road that disappeared into the mountain forest ahead.

The rider was Song Shu.

When the towering mountains beyond the forest became faintly visible, Song Shu's spirits lifted. At last he was close. A mountain seen ahead could run a horse to death, but once he crossed that forest, Wushang Palace would not be far.

Yet not long after charging into the woods, he was forced to yank hard on the reins and bring his panting mount to an emergency stop.

A carriage had broken down across the road ahead. Something seemed wrong with one of the wheels, and the driver appeared to be underneath trying to repair it. A cliff wall rose on one side of the road and a steep slope fell away on the other, leaving Song Shu no way around.

He slowly urged his horse forward and called, "Please move the horse aside and make room for me to pass."

The curtain over the carriage window lifted.

Xiao Tie, manager of Liuxian Sect's shop at the Ice and Snow Pavilion, showed his face and stared directly at Song Shu's disguise.

The instant Song Shu saw him, his expression changed.

Fortunately, the false face concealed it. He turned his head slightly, avoiding Xiao Tie's gaze.

Why had he reacted so strongly?

Because the two men knew each other.

Liuxian Sect, Fuyun Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain had once depended on the power of the Song family. It would not have been much of an exaggeration to call them enforcers raised by the Song household to handle its affairs. Any family that reached the Song clan's former level of power maintained cultivation factions to work on its behalf. This was, after all, a world ruled by cultivators. Many matters still required cultivators to handle them.

Song Shu had spent years in the cultivation world. Of course he had visited the Ice and Snow Pavilion before.

Given his status in those days, how could Xiao Tie, the shop manager there, have failed to receive him warmly?

The two naturally knew each other.

Xiao Tie smiled. "That voice sounds familiar. Only the force in those eyes isn't quite what it used to be. Third Master Song, it's been many years. Why pretend not to know an old acquaintance?"

"Third Master, Xiao has been waiting here for you for quite some time. Fortunately, you didn't disappoint me. Otherwise, I truly wouldn't know how to explain myself to the sect."

Song Shu's heart lurched.

Without another word, he sprang from the saddle and shot toward the woods beside the road, intending to escape under cover of the trees.

While he was still in midair, two figures burst from the forest and cut him off. Swords flashed on both sides. In an instant, they were locked in combat, and several more people shot in to surround him.

Crash!

The carriage exploded apart. Xiao Tie flew from within and joined the fight.

The horses screamed and bolted amid the thunderous commotion.

The disturbance lasted only a short while.

Soon Song Shu crashed to the ground coughing blood, with Xiao Tie's foot planted on his chest. He could not move.

The edge of Xiao Tie's sword rested against his throat.

Xiao Tie was a Golden Core cultivator. If Liuxian Sect had entrusted him to represent the sect at the Ice and Snow Pavilion, his strength naturally could not be poor.

Song Shu's own strength, by contrast, was mediocre. His aptitude for cultivation had always been ordinary, and he had little experience fighting desperately for his life. Back when he swaggered through Shangqing Sect, it had been entirely because of his family background. A man of that status rarely had any reason to fight to the death himself.

In truth, Xiao Tie alone could have subdued him, much less a whole group attacking together. Capturing him was naturally no problem.

"Dog traitor who betrayed your master! Heaven will punish you!" Song Shu shouted bitterly.

Xiao Tie sneered.

If the orders from above had not specifically required the man alive, he could have killed Song Shu on the spot. He patted Song Shu's face twice with the flat of his sword. "Third Master, a phoenix fallen from its perch is worse than a chicken. Sharp teeth won't help you now. Search him!"

Two men stepped forward, restrained Song Shu on the spot, and quickly dragged him deep into the woods to be searched.

Xiao Tie looked around, sheathed his sword, and waved one hand.

People immediately began cleaning the scene. The broken pieces of carriage blocking the road were quickly thrown into a ditch beside it.

They had set up a broken carriage as a roadblock because there was no other practical way. They could hardly stop every traveler passing through this place and interrogate them. Wushang Palace was nearby. If they happened to stop a Wushang Palace disciple traveling in plain clothes, that would be troublesome. Provoking some other powerful cultivator would be just as bad.

Fortunately, Niu Youdao had already pointed out the route. He judged that Song Shu was in a hurry and would not waste time wandering around by obscure paths. Song Shu would certainly take the necessary road toward his destination.

And because the people here knew Song Shu personally, the job became much easier.

Every traveler passing through was stopped in the same way. If the person was not the target, the carriage would immediately be moved aside and the road cleared with complete courtesy, avoiding unnecessary trouble.

The only problem was that no one knew which of the three sects—Baichuan Valley, Wushang Palace, or Tiannü Sect—Song Shu intended to visit first.

So the personnel from Liuxian Sect, Fuyun Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain divided into three groups. Each guarded one unavoidable route, waiting by the stump for the rabbit so nothing would slip through.

In the end, Song Shu happened to run into Liuxian Sect's group and was captured.

After some activity deep in the forest, a disciple returned carrying three sealed letters wrapped in oilcloth. He presented them to Xiao Tie. "Martial Uncle, we found them!"

Xiao Tie took the letters and checked them. Then he smiled.

How could he not be pleased?

His sect had already promised that if he accomplished this task, it would count as extraordinary merit and he would be promoted exceptionally to Elder.

[End of Chapter 516]