Chapter 517: Played by Niu Youdao

There were only so many Elder positions in a sect. Normally, someone advanced only when a vacancy opened. An exceptional promotion was not easy to obtain.

And Xiao Tie was hardly the only person who wanted such a position. If a candidate truly had to be chosen, the choice might not necessarily have fallen on him. This time, fortune had simply landed in his lap.

Liuxian Sect had little choice but to make an exception. If the mission failed, Niu Youdao had threatened to erase the sect from Nanzhou.

Faced with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this, how could Xiao Tie not summon every ounce of effort? Fortunately, he had fulfilled the mission and obtained what he wanted.

After securing the letters, Xiao Tie waved his hand. The group took their captive and swiftly disappeared into the depths of the mountain forest...

A clear mountain stream burbled over the stones.

Several unsuccessful Myriad Beasts Sect disciples crouched beside the water washing clothes. Besides their own clothing, they also had to wash things for other senior and junior disciples. Otherwise, why call them unsuccessful? They had failed to make much of themselves in the sect and had to live by watching other people's faces.

"Does Niu Youdao have a lot of sworn brothers?"

Zhou Tiezi was one of the men by the stream. He knew little about the outside world and lately had inevitably been asking around about Niu Youdao. The moment he heard the senior brother opposite mention that Niu Youdao liked swearing brotherhood with people, he raised his head and asked.

The senior brother chuckled. "No idea whether there are a lot, but I've heard he does like swearing brotherhood. Still, what sincerity could there be in someone like that? It's nothing more than mutual use. There's a very famous independent cultivator in the cultivation world named Linghu Qiu. Rumor says that after he and Niu Youdao swore brotherhood, he was thrown into prison in the Qi capital, while Niu Youdao abandoned his sworn brother and ran off."

"And then there's that Elder of Tianyu Sect in Nanzhou where Niu Youdao is now—some Feng something-or-other. I hear he's another sworn brother. So what? Aren't Niu Youdao and Tianyu Sect fighting each other to the death now? Forget everything else. That Elder Chen who just died, wasn't he from Tianyu Sect too? One of his sworn brother's fellow disciples dies, and have you seen Niu Youdao show his face to pay respects? He didn't even make a token gesture."

Hearing all this, Zhou Tiezi's heart sank. The clothes in his hands were suddenly being washed rather absentmindedly...

The weather was pleasant. Niu Youdao and Guan Fangyi climbed the mountain behind their courtyard and looked out from the heights.

The beauty all around seemed to stir some old sorrow. Guan Fangyi suddenly sighed faintly. "Back then I left the mountains and wilds and entered the red dust. Looking back now, I don't even know whether it was right or wrong. Perhaps growing old and dying among the mountains and forests wouldn't have been such a bad choice."

Niu Youdao had never deliberately questioned her about her past. Hearing this, he could not help asking, "You came from the mountains?"

Guan Fangyi slowly lifted her face toward the sky. Her eyes were distant and confused. She did not answer.

Niu Youdao chuckled. "There are killing dangers hidden in the mountains before us just the same."

A Golden Wing flew over their heads and descended into the courtyard below.

Before long, Yuan Gang ran up the mountain but did not approach them directly.

Niu Youdao strolled away from Guan Fangyi and went over to him.

Guan Fangyi shot them a glance and snorted unhappily. "Sneaking around."

"Master Dao, our eyes outside report that Dachan Mountain's Sect Leader Huang Lie has arrived," Yuan Gang said quietly as Niu Youdao came near.

Niu Youdao raised an eyebrow. "Fast enough. Looks like he rushed without stopping the moment he received the news. Quite a hard journey. Good. He hasn't disrupted the timing I estimated. He came at just the right time!"

...

"Sect Leader Huang." Qiu Shan once again appeared outside the mountain gate to receive guests.

Huang Lie had brought more than a dozen people with him, all travel-worn. He cupped his hands with a smile. "Brother Qiu, you were promoted to Elder of Myriad Beasts Sect, yet I failed to come personally and offer congratulations. Please forgive me."

"You make too much of it." Qiu Shan waved a hand. It was only a promotion to Elder; he had no desire to turn it into some grand celebration. If people from every direction really came congratulating him with great fanfare, that would be rather excessive. What would the other people inside Myriad Beasts Sect think?

He knew Huang Lie was only speaking courteously anyway. Qiu Shan stepped aside and gestured inward. "Sect Leader Huang, please."

Huang Lie glanced at Huang Tong and the others who had come to greet him, but said nothing. His party followed Qiu Shan inside, with Huang Tong's group behind them.

Huang Lie's status was different from Huang Tong's. Qiu Shan took him directly to see Sect Leader Xi Haitang. The formal pleasantries between host and guest need not be repeated.

There were many people in Huang Lie's party, and his own standing was high. After he and Xi Haitang parted, Dachan Mountain's group was assigned a larger guest courtyard.

Once Qiu Shan and the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples had left, Huang Lie, who had personally seen them out, stopped amid the pavilions and terraces and turned to Huang Tong. "What happened? Tell me the entire course of events in detail."

Before Huang Lie even arrived, Huang Tong had sent him word on the road about Long Xiu summoning him.

The message had been unclear, so naturally Huang Lie wanted a proper explanation now.

Huang Tong said, "Just as I wrote. At first, none of the six great sects would see me. Then Long Xiu suddenly summoned me. He said very little and simply handed me a letter Shao Pingbo had submitted to Xiaoyao Palace, asking whether I represented Dachan Mountain in coming here to discuss the matter."

"I didn't understand the situation, so all I could do was evade the question and push everything onto Sect Leader, saying we would wait for your arrival before deciding."

Huang Lie asked, "Was the letter genuine?"

Huang Tong replied, "At the time I couldn't tell, and it would have been inappropriate to scrutinize it too openly in front of Long Xiu. We still need to contact Shao Pingbo and find out exactly what is happening."

"The moment I received your message, I sent word to Beizhou Prefectural Capital," Huang Lie said. He paced back and forth for a while, then added, "Elder Zhong sent word saying Shao Pingbo mentioned that Chao Shenghuai, grandson of Chao Jing, may be one of Niu Youdao's people."

"Ah!" Huang Tong looked shocked. "How could that be possible?"

Huang Lie said, "Can you think of a way to keep an eye on him and see whether you can find evidence?"

Huang Tong considered it, then looked troubled. "Elsewhere, perhaps. Inside Myriad Beasts Sect, our people cannot wander around freely. Even if the two sides are colluding, their contact would certainly be secret. Finding proof here is probably impossible."

...

Inside the dungeon of the Beizhou Provincial Inspector's Residence, an iron door clanged open. Zhong Yangxu came striding inside.

Shao Sansheng, who had been sitting on a mat in the corridor, rose in alarm and softly called, "Eldest Young Master."

Beyond the bars, Shao Pingbo, who had been standing in quiet thought, turned around. When he saw Zhong Yangxu had come alone, he answered softly, "It's nothing."

Zhong Yangxu stopped outside the cell. He did not circle around the matter. Staring at Shao Pingbo, who cupped his hands in greeting from inside, he asked heavily, "What is going on with the letter sent to Xiaoyao Palace?"

Shao Pingbo understood at once. Xiaoyao Palace must have been the first to receive one of the letters. Calmly, he said, "It wasn't only Xiaoyao Palace. I sent letters to Zijin Cave, Lingjian Mountain, Baichuan Valley, Wushang Palace, and Tiannü Sect as well."

Zhong Yangxu's face sank. "What are you trying to do? Are you tired of living?"

"Niu Youdao wants to bring disaster upon Beizhou. How could I sit and do nothing? I secretly sent letters to both sides, pretending willingness to negotiate submission. If Yan sees Beizhou preparing to submit, it will fear Han interfering and will naturally conceal the matter from Han. The same is true in reverse."

"When that happens, the momentum toward the two states dividing Beizhou between them will collapse on its own, and Niu Youdao's scheme will fail as well. Afterward, if negotiations go nowhere, Beizhou loses nothing. Everything simply returns to the way it was."

"But there is one thing we absolutely must guard against. Once this affair is over, to prevent Niu Youdao from stirring up trouble again, Dachan Mountain must eliminate him!"

Zhong Yangxu frowned and thought for a while, then suddenly looked up. "You already knew what Niu Youdao was planning. In other words, you were the one who provoked this affair in the first place?"

"Uncle!" Shao Pingbo raised his voice. "Even now, can you still not see it? This is all Niu Youdao's scheme to frame me. I never provoked this affair. I knew because someone leaked the information to me."

Zhong Yangxu asked, "Who leaked it? And why didn't you report it earlier?"

"Tianyu Sect. Tianyu Sect contacted me first. I imagine they wanted to use me against Niu Youdao too. I didn't report it because I was afraid Dachan Mountain would misunderstand!"

Zhong Yangxu gave a cold snort. "Whether that is true or false will naturally be investigated."

After discussing the matter a little longer, Zhong Yangxu turned and left.

"Uncle, that Niu cur is treacherous. He cannot be underestimated. Make sure Sect Leader Huang is careful!" Shao Pingbo clutched the iron bars and shouted after him. He truly wished he could rush personally to Myriad Beasts Sect. He had no confidence in the abilities of Dachan Mountain's people, especially when they were facing Niu Youdao.

Zhong Yangxu gave no response.

The two men watched him leave until the iron door clanged shut. Only then did Shao Pingbo lift his head and breathe out. He muttered to himself, "As long as the letters arrived."

Yet worry remained hidden in his tone. His own move had taken effect, but Niu Youdao was personally sitting at Myriad Beasts Sect, radiating the faint menace of a man bent on killing. Shao Pingbo still could not feel at ease.

He glanced back at the Dachan Mountain disciple keeping watch on them. Unfortunately, his own freedom was now restricted.

...

"Brother Zhou, something on your mind?"

Zhou Tiezi had finished laying out the meal inside the hall and was on his way out when he encountered Niu Youdao coming in. Niu immediately noticed that Zhou Tiezi no longer seemed as warm as before and could not help asking.

"No, no. Everyone, please enjoy your meal." Zhou Tiezi forced a smile and excused himself.

Niu Youdao turned and watched his departing back, thoughtful.

Yuan Gang moved closer and lowered his voice. "Something's off. Could there be a problem?"

"Keep an eye on it." Niu Youdao left the words behind and turned into the hall, where he could not help smiling.

Yin'er was already stuffing herself shamelessly. Yuan Fang stood beside her, serving her carefully. Niu Youdao had assigned him that task: stay close to Yin'er and do not let her run wild.

There was no choice. They could not afford to expose the demon king's identity. Without someone watching her specifically, no one felt at ease.

Not long after the meal, Niu Youdao sat in the pavilion with one hand resting on his sword, watching Zhou Tiezi come and go as he cleared away the dishes.

Zhou Tiezi had only just carried the things away when Yuan Gang hurried over. He handed Niu Youdao a sheet of paper bearing folds and creases and said quietly, "We have it. Liuxian Sect's people captured the man on the road to Wushang Palace."

Niu Youdao took the letter. Shao Pingbo's vivid red seal was the first thing that entered his eyes. After reading the contents carefully, a faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Liuxian Sect handled this well."

...

"I'd say there is an eighty or ninety percent chance this whole thing was stirred up by that Shao Pingbo."

Huang Lie stood by the railing. After reading Beizhou's reply, he gave a cold snort. Then he fell silent again and stared at the letter for a while. "Still, his method isn't bad. Submission... Make preparations. I will personally visit the Sect Leaders of all six great sects."

Before long, Huang Lie led several Dachan Mountain members out of their guest courtyard. They headed first for Xiaoyao Palace. Huang Tong already knew the way, so there was no need for a Myriad Beasts Sect disciple to guide them.

One visit followed another. Aside from Xiaoyao Palace, when Huang Lie raised the matter of submission, the other sects were somewhat surprised. Even so, no one rejected a piece of good fortune being delivered directly to their door.

Huang Lie himself was not surprised. The six great sects were scattered across two different states. Couriers needed time to travel back and forth. Since he had already come personally, it no longer mattered whether those sects received the letters earlier or later. He could make the decisions himself.

By the time he emerged from the last visit, at Tiannü Sect's guest courtyard, it was already deep into the night.

The moment he stepped outside, Huang Lie's expression darkened.

After speaking with the six sects in depth, he had more or less figured out one thing.

They had been played by Niu Youdao.

All that nonsense about Niu Youdao inciting the six great sects to carve up Beizhou—there was nothing of the sort!

[End of Chapter 517]