Chapter 588: A Massive Mobilization

Niu Youdao gave a soft sound of surprise. “Ask me? Feihua Pavilion is a dignified sect. What could I possibly give you?”

Cao Yuer sighed. “Master Dao, why ask when you already know? Ever since Zhou Shouxian was defeated and Feihua Pavilion and Zhenling Academy were driven out of Nanzhou, we've been like homeless dogs, with nowhere to settle and no peace from one day to the next. Worse still, both sects have so many disciples. Their basic cultivation resources and daily expenses are no small sum. We have no income, only expenditure. We cannot sustain this forever. If it continues, the hearts of Feihua Pavilion and Zhenling Academy's people will scatter, and I'm afraid both sects will be destroyed in our generation. How could we face the founders and masters of generations past?”

Niu Youdao nodded slightly. “You've indeed had a hard time. I can understand that. But Sect Leader Cao should also understand that when we attacked Nanzhou back then, circumstances left us no choice.”

Cao Yuer nodded. “I understand. Everyone has his difficulties. How could we not know what the Yan Emperor thinks of Commandery Prince Yongping? When sides contend, someone must win and someone must lose. Our skill was inferior. We lost, and that is that. There is nothing to complain about. All we can do is climb back up after falling. I only hope Master Dao will give Feihua Pavilion and Zhenling Academy a chance.”

Niu Youdao asked, “What kind of chance? Surely you don't expect us to hand Nanzhou back to you?”

“Master Dao is making too much of it. We would never dare challenge Master Dao's position in Nanzhou.” Cao Yuer leaned forward slightly. “But Dachan Mountain dominating Nanzhou alone may not be good for Master Dao either. Dachan Mountain is only waiting. Give them ten years, let their overall strength rise another step, let them gain the strength to fully control Nanzhou from end to end—will they still tolerate Master Dao's influence in Nanzhou then?”

“They may not even have the patience to wait ten years before turning on you. At any moment they could do something unfavorable to Master Dao. Does Master Dao truly have no concerns?”

Niu Youdao rested one hand on his teacup. “You mean we should kick Dachan Mountain out of Nanzhou?”

Cao Yuer said, “Master Dao, think about it. One family standing alone above all the rest is never good. If Feihua Pavilion and Zhenling Academy replace Dachan Mountain, the situation becomes completely different. Feihua Pavilion, Zhenling Academy, and the three sects under Master Dao could form a three-legged balance, each checking the others. Would that not be the best arrangement for Master Dao?”

Niu Youdao seemed thoughtful.

He remained silent for quite a while before slowly saying, “How could I not know that one family dominating everything is a problem? But inviting a god in is easy; sending one away is difficult. Kicking Dachan Mountain out may not be so simple. Do you have some good method?”

He seemed tempted.

Cao Yuer leaned farther forward. “As long as Master Dao has the intention, we can naturally think of a solution together. With you and us coordinating from inside and outside, we needn't fear that no opportunity will appear.”

Niu Youdao hesitated. “Let me think about this.”

“Good. Master Dao can consider it carefully. How about I come again in three days?” Cao Yuer rose to take her leave, plainly meaning that she would return in three days for his answer.

Niu Youdao rose with her and said courteously, “Why make such a troublesome trip back and forth? You might as well stay in the guest courtyard.”

Cao Yuer waved a hand. “There are too many eyes and ears here. If I remain too long and Dachan Mountain learns of it, that would be inappropriate.”

“In that case, I won't keep you. Three days from now.”

“Please stay.” Cao Yuer extended a hand, signaling that Niu Youdao did not need to see her out and attract unnecessary attention.

Niu Youdao did not insist. He simply waved for Duan Hu to escort them.

After watching the guests leave, the flower-robed man finally spoke.

“You kicked Tianyu Sect out with the front foot, and now with the back foot you're preparing to kick Dachan Mountain out too?”

Niu Youdao planted both hands atop his sword. “I returned yesterday. She arrived today. She never came looking for me earlier, never later, yet appears precisely now. You think that's coincidence?”

The flower-robed man asked, “You mean she has some other purpose?”

Niu Youdao chuckled. “I thought I'd have to wait a little longer. Seeing Sect Leader Cao at this moment tells me something. If I haven't guessed wrong, when the imperial court was preparing to attack Nanzhou earlier, Feihua Pavilion was probably among the forces they intended to use.”

“The imperial court is this impatient? They're already moving against you again?”

“I'm afraid it's right in front of us.” Niu Youdao's voice slowed. His gaze deepened, and he turned toward Yuan Gang. “The people sent to sound out the road have probably arrived.”

Yuan Gang replied, “Everything is ready. The people involved don't know what they're being prepared for. No one will leak the plan.”

Niu Youdao trusted anything he handed to Yuan Gang. Since Yuan Gang said it was ready, he asked nothing more. He tilted his head slightly. “Go. And notify Huang Lie while you're at it. The grand gift has arrived.”

Yuan Gang gave a slight nod, turned, and strode away.

The flower-robed man only half understood what they were talking about, but he did not ask. This was also the first time he had come specifically to witness Niu Youdao's methods with his own eyes. He was quite willing to wait and see exactly what this man intended to do.

...

Once Cao Yuer had left the heavily defended area around Maolu Villa and reached the official road, she released a breath. Looking back at the endless green mountains, she asked her disciple again, “Did you see clearly? Are you certain?”

Her disciple replied, “Master, don't worry. There can be no mistake. This disciple saw him perfectly clearly. That was definitely Niu Youdao himself. If there is the slightest error, this disciple is willing to guarantee it with my life!”

“Go!”

Cao Yuer called once and led her disciple rapidly away. The two vanished into the mountain forests ahead.

Master and disciple raced through the deep woods.

Along the way, Feihua Pavilion disciples appeared and disappeared behind them, screening their retreat and watching for anyone following.

They reached a gorge deep in the mountains.

Ga Miaoshui, dressed in ordinary clothes, stood beside a stream with his hands clasped behind his back, his face cold and somber.

Several men accompanied him.

Jin Wuguang, Sect Leader of Zhenling Academy, was there. Gao Shaoming, likewise dressed in plain clothing, was also present.

“They're back,” Jin Wuguang suddenly said.

Everyone, including Ga Miaoshui, turned.

Cao Yuer and her disciple flashed down before them.

“Eunuch Ga.” Cao Yuer cupped her hands. “I have not failed the mission.”

Ga Miaoshui asked, “Can you confirm Niu Youdao is inside the villa?”

“At this moment, he is absolutely inside Maolu Villa. I spoke with him face-to-face exactly according to the plan. There can be no mistake.”

“Good!” Ga Miaoshui said. “There is news that he intends to move into the Provincial Inspector's Residence in Nanzhou. Once he gets there, acting against him again will become much more troublesome. If we do nothing this time, so be it. But once we act, he absolutely cannot be allowed to escape. We must strike once and strike true, and end that villain's life!”

His cadence rose and fell as he reminded everyone present, especially Cao Yuer and Jin Wuguang.

“Are the men from Zhenling Academy and Feihua Pavilion all in position?”

“In position.”

“They're concealed and awaiting orders. They can close in and attack at any time.”

The two Sect Leaders confirmed it, yet both felt a measure of sorrow.

To eliminate a single Niu Youdao, the two sects had mobilized almost everyone except their Qi Refinement Realm disciples. More than ten thousand cultivators had gathered.

The formation could hardly be called small.

Both Cao Yuer and Jin Wuguang knew what role their people were meant to play. They were simply there to deal with the large numbers of cultivators from Liuxian Sect, Fuyun Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain guarding Maolu Villa.

The three sects might be weaker than Feihua Pavilion and Zhenling Academy, but if fighting began, they would hardly stand there and let themselves be slaughtered. Even if fish and net were destroyed together, they would make the attackers pay a price.

Yet there was no choice.

Just as Cao Yuer had told Niu Youdao, since losing their territory in Nanzhou, Zhenling Academy and Feihua Pavilion had become homeless dogs within Yan. They had no income but still had to support enormous numbers of people.

And with so large a body of cultivators, what territorial power would not worry about them? Who would willingly allow them to settle nearby?

No faction controlling territory within Yan would shelter them. Powers in other states would be even less willing to tolerate them.

If the imperial court had not shown leniency, such a huge group of cultivators might not even have found a place to stand. If even the imperial court refused to tolerate them, local powers would certainly become even less courteous. They would be driven from place to place endlessly, and the consequences over time were easy to imagine.

The bitter part was this: they were being asked to mobilize such enormous strength and pay such a tremendous price merely to eliminate one Niu Youdao, yet there was almost nothing in it for them.

The imperial court offered only a little money, plus empty promises.

Heaven knew when Nanzhou would actually be taken and those promises honored.

But there was no choice.

An arm could not twist a thigh. The imperial court might not be able to give them much, but if they disobeyed, it could certainly force them into a dead end.

Conveniently, when the Yan court had been preparing to attack Nanzhou before, Grand Minister of Works Tong Mo had already approached them.

Their manpower had therefore been deployed near Nanzhou in advance. This time the court simply used the two sects again while they were already there, leaving them without even the excuse that gathering such large numbers from a great distance was inconvenient.

Ever since losing their territory in Nanzhou, Zhenling Academy and Feihua Pavilion had completely lost their voice within Yan.

“Good!” Ga Miaoshui nodded.

He turned toward another group of cultivators standing before him and cupped his hands.

“This time we have assembled three hundred experts to be air-dropped into Maolu Villa for the killing strike. You gentlemen will lead them. Outside, Zhenling Academy and Feihua Pavilion will launch a hard assault and draw away the bulk of the enemy's manpower. Inside, we will rely on all of you. I hope everyone will work with one heart!”

The group returned the salute.

One man said, “Eunuch Ga, I admit Niu Youdao has some reputation, but mobilizing such an enormous force merely to deal with one Niu Youdao—isn't that excessive? Even if we take his head, people may laugh at us.”

“That villain is no ordinary man,” Ga Miaoshui replied. “His methods are formidable, nothing an ordinary cultivator can be compared with. His measure is vast, and he must not be underestimated. Better to be overprepared than caught unready.”

He waved the objection away and said no more.

Then he flashed across the stream.

Beneath the rock wall on the opposite side, an elderly man in yellow robes sat cross-legged atop a boulder, looking somewhat aloof from the rest.

This old man was none other than Zong Yuan, ranked seventh on the Golden Core Ranking, one of the independent cultivators who had carried that path almost as far as it could go.

When the cultivators across the stream looked toward him, respect immediately appeared in their eyes.

They had not expected the imperial court to call even this man out of seclusion simply to deal with Niu Youdao.

Ga Miaoshui cupped his hands. “Mr. Zong, have you memorized the man in the portrait?”

Zong Yuan slowly opened his eyes. “I'm not a three-year-old child. There's no need to keep repeating yourself. You only need to remind Shang Jianxiong to honor his promise afterward. Otherwise I'd like to see whether the experts of the three great sects can stay at his side every moment for the rest of his life.”

Ga Miaoshui remained expressionless.

Threats like that meant nothing to him.

Did this man not understand who enforced the rules beneath Heaven?

With the handle already held in their hands, the matter could be made large or small as they pleased. If they wished, they could smooth it over. If they chose to make it serious, and could not handle it themselves, they could report it upward to Misty Pavilion.

Before uttering useless threats, Zong Yuan would be better off considering whether, after angering this side, he could survive Misty Pavilion's pursuit.

[End of Chapter 588]