Chapter 721: Master Dao's Abilities Are Beyond Measure

Once the aberrant demon qi was purged, Yin'er slowly woke. The moment she opened her eyes and saw Niu Youdao, she reached out and tugged at his sleeve, murmuring sweetly, "Dao-Dao..." Then she seemed to remember something and abruptly sat up. "Who hit me?"

Niu Youdao hauled her to her feet. "I did."

Yin'er's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because you weren't behaving while I was gone."

Yin'er pouted, deeply aggrieved. "The food wasn't good."

"Make do for now. We'll talk when we get back to the villa." With that, Niu Youdao dismissed the matter. He had no interest in arguing with her and simply gestured for Old Second Wu to find the demon king something, anything, to eat and keep her mouth occupied.

"You were probing that red-faced Monkey with what you said." Guan Fangyi suddenly made the comment after following Niu Youdao off to one side.

Niu Youdao replied blandly, "Was I?"

"You were. Definitely." Guan Fangyi was curious. "I remember you once drew a portrait of Su Zhao, the proprietress of Among the White Clouds. What exactly was her relationship with Monkey?"

Niu Youdao was silent for a moment. "Su Zhao was Monkey's woman."

"What?" Guan Fangyi stared at him in astonishment. That smooth, socially adept brothel proprietress in the Qi capital had actually been the woman of a wooden block like Monkey? She found it almost impossible to believe. "How is that possible? Wasn't Su Zhao from Xiaoyue Pavilion?"

"That was exactly why Xiaoyue Pavilion hunted them down. Su Zhao died at Xiaoyue Pavilion's hands while the two of them were fleeing together. Monkey buried her himself." Niu Youdao gave only the bare outline.

Tragic love between men and women had always been easy for a woman to sympathize with. Guan Fangyi sighed. "No wonder. He meets someone who looks like her, and suddenly that red-faced Monkey starts acting strange."

Niu Youdao lifted his face to the sky and sighed. "Exactly. Of all people, he meets someone who looks like her. How can it be this much of a coincidence? Heaven plays tricks on people. I only hope this doesn't turn into some ill-fated entanglement."

Guan Fangyi rolled her eyes at him. "I've known no small number of men. Good or bad, afterward I never truly resented any of them. The pleasures of men and women are such a beautiful thing. How does it become some ill-fated entanglement the moment it comes out of your mouth?"

"You don't understand. A man like Monkey doesn't give his heart easily..."

Guan Fangyi cut in, "I think I understand what you mean. Still as a mountain, but once the mountain moves, it comes crashing down. You're afraid that once he falls for someone, he won't be able to control himself? Don't tell me you're planning to interfere. No one can control matters of the heart. If you're truly acting for his good, I advise you to let things take their natural course. Best not to meddle. Monkey isn't someone who can't tell right from wrong."

"That's exactly why I hope this woman's background is simple." Niu Youdao paused. "It's too much of a coincidence. He only went out for a little while, and somehow he met a woman who looks like her. Is that really chance?"

Guan Fangyi frowned. "You think there's something wrong?"

"If it isn't chance, then the problem is enormous."

Guan Fangyi understood his meaning. If someone had arranged this deliberately, then it meant their movements had been under observation all along. One could even say there might be a traitor among them.

Who could it be?

Yuan Gang and Yin'er were impossible. Other than the old hands from Fufang Garden, there was hardly anyone else around them. More troubling still, whoever arranged such a thing would have needed to know the secret between Yuan Gang and Su Zhao. The more one thought about it, the more frightening it became.

She hesitated. "Maybe you're thinking too much. He only went out suddenly on a whim. Even someone plotting against you might not have had time to arrange anything... Though with your personality, whenever anything looks abnormal, you can't help suspecting it."

"Let's hope so." Niu Youdao gave a slight nod, then instructed her, "Keep an eye on this in secret."

"Mm." Guan Fangyi nodded. She could understand that much. Once something suspicious had been noticed, there was no way they could simply ignore it. They had to get to the bottom of it.

Even so, the way she looked at Niu Youdao turned faintly peculiar.

Niu Youdao noticed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Guan Fangyi looked as though she was suppressing a laugh. "I think you should spend more time worrying about yourself."

Niu Youdao was puzzled. "What's wrong with me?"

"I hope there's nothing wrong with you either. You're still young. I refuse to believe there isn't a single woman beneath Heaven who can move your heart. Do you realize how abnormal that is?"

Niu Youdao did not know whether to laugh or cry. Whether it was this woman or Black Peony, they both kept coming back to this question. He said helplessly, "I don't go into the water. I'd rather stand on the bank and enjoy the scenery. I don't want to become scenery in someone else's eyes. Better to watch other people live and die for love than do it myself. I just don't want the trouble."

Guan Fangyi looked at him with utter contempt. "Are those even words a human being should say? Is love between a man and woman something you can avoid because you're afraid of trouble? I don't believe reason can control a thing like that. There has to be something wrong inside that heart of yours!"

Niu Youdao sighed and complained, "Why drag me into this again? I say, you're already an old woman. Is it really appropriate to keep talking about love between men and women all day?"

"Bullshit! Who are you calling old? Am I old? One flutter of this lady's eyes and a whole crowd of men would fall prostrate beneath my skirts, believe it or not! Do you think everyone is as cold-blooded and heartless as you? You bastard, spending my money and living off me..."

The moment he called her an old woman, Guan Fangyi exploded and unleashed a torrent of abuse.

...

The Song army biting tightly at the rear stopped to rest. The Yan army avoiding them up ahead therefore stopped as well.

Inside a temporary central command tent, Gong Lince lifted the flap and entered. He walked up to Meng Shanming, who sat before a map. "Marshal Meng, withdraw."

Meng Shanming's wheelchair was turned to face him. "Sect Leader Gong, I've already explained the reasoning very clearly."

"I understand the reasoning. But circumstances have changed," Gong Lince said. "The present situation no longer allows us to keep wearing ourselves down against the Song army like this. If they keep tying us up, our provisions won't last much longer, and we will no longer be able to intercept Luo Zhao's withdrawing army. If we don't leave now and wait until Chen Shaotong's force joins Luo Zhao's, then our own army may not be able to leave even if we want to. Of two evils, choose the lesser. If we withdraw now, at least we can preserve some of Yan's strength to deal with the crises ahead. You cannot possibly fail to understand that."

Meng Shanming asked, "The three major sects still haven't found a way to counter the Myriad Beasts Sect's art?"

At that, Gong Lince looked helpless. "This should be one of the Myriad Beasts Sect's secret methods. They flatly deny having anything to do with it, and for now we cannot find evidence. Without evidence, we have no grounds to force them to yield. The Myriad Beasts Sect is no ordinary little sect that can be made to bow its head so easily."

"With the influence of the three major sects, you still can't make the Myriad Beasts Sect compromise in private?"

Gong Lince shook his head. "They hide behind their rules and say they do not involve themselves in disputes among the states. For the moment, it truly is difficult. We can settle accounts with them later. Right now, we should deal with the danger in front of us first. Marshal Meng, give the order to withdraw."

"Let's wait a little longer."

Gong Lince's voice deepened. "Marshal Meng, you asked for three days. I gave you three days. Those three days have long since passed, and you still haven't found a way to deal with the enemy. We must withdraw!"

Meng Shanming remained calm. "Wait a little longer. A solution may arrive."

"Meng Shanming, stop being stubborn!" Gong Lince snapped. "I've given you more than enough face. If you insist on having your own way, then I will have no choice but to resort to force. Before, you had confidence of victory, so the men below all listened to you. The situation is different now. I don't want to make things ugly for you."

Meng Shanming said slowly, "Sect Leader Gong, wait a little longer."

Gong Lince had run out of patience. He turned and shouted, "Men!"

Several Zijin Cave disciples immediately entered from outside the tent.

Gong Lince waved a hand. "Escort Marshal Meng back to Yan first!"

With a hiss of steel, Luo Da'an instantly drew his sword and planted himself in front of the wheelchair, protecting Meng Shanming.

Gong Lince's voice sank. "Since you're Marshal Meng's trusted disciple, I won't leave you behind. Take him too!"

The cultivators were just about to move when Meng Shanming said mildly, "Stop."

He turned his head toward Gong Lince. "Sect Leader Gong, if I say we should wait, naturally I have a reason."

"Marshal Meng, dragging this out serves no purpose. It will only make us miss our chance to withdraw. Do you intend to wait until Luo Zhao blocks the great river on the Yan side?"

"Master Dao knows about the difficulty we're facing. He has already found a solution. How can we let that chance pass?"

"Niu Youdao?" Gong Lince looked doubtful.

Meng Shanming nodded. "Yes."

"The three major sects have no solution. What could Niu Youdao possibly do?"

"I don't know what his solution is either. But Master Dao's abilities are beyond measure. Since Master Dao says there is a way, I doubt he is speaking idly. Lu Zheng has already gone to make contact. We should have an answer very soon."

The reason Meng Shanming had originally asked for three days was that Niu Youdao had said from the start that he would give him an answer within three days. And within those three days, he truly had produced an answer: a solution had been found. But Niu Youdao still needed time to turn the secret formula into usable medicine. That was why they had gone past the deadline and why Gong Lince had lost patience.

This matter was supposed to be handled in secret. Meng Shanming had never intended to tell Gong Lince. But Gong Lince was about to use force, and with no other choice, Meng Shanming had revealed it.

Nor did he actually know what Niu Youdao intended to do. Niu Youdao was hardly going to tell him that he had coerced Chao Jing, an Elder of the Myriad Beasts Sect, into handing over the secret formula.

Gong Lince was still debating whether to wait when the sound of hoofbeats came from outside, along with the rumble of carriage wheels.

Footsteps followed.

Lu Zheng had returned. He lifted the tent flap and entered, only to freeze when he saw the drawn-sword tension inside.

Meng Shanming spoke. "All of you, move aside."

Gong Lince gestured for his disciples to stand down. Lu Zheng looked from one side to the other as he approached, then gave his respects.

Meng Shanming did not waste words. "How did it go?"

"The people at the meeting point handed over a pile of things. We've brought them back. They're outside the tent."

"Let's have a look." At Meng Shanming's order, Luo Da'an sheathed his sword, moved behind the wheelchair, and pushed him outside. The others followed.

A carriage stood outside the tent, piled high with bulging burlap sacks.

Gong Lince walked over, personally lifted one sack down, and opened it. Inside was a full load of yellow-brown medicinal pills, a harsh, pungent smell rising from them.

Lu Zheng bent beside Meng Shanming and whispered in his ear, "Marshal Meng, the people who delivered the goods said these pills are to be dissolved in warm water and mixed into the troops' food and drink. They must be given secretly for three days straight so the medicinal properties can permeate the body. After that, just like the Song soldiers, our men will no longer be harassed by snakes, insects, rats, and ants. The effect lasts for one month, and during that month we can fight the enemy without fear. They also said they don't want this publicized. Marshal Meng should give the credit to the three major sects..."

Meng Shanming nodded repeatedly as he listened, relief finally settling in his heart.

One month was more than enough.

Without that crutch, Chen Shaotong's rabble was worthless before his two-million-man army. He could crush them however he pleased.

[End of Chapter 721]