Chapter 753: May We Never Meet Again

Wei Duo had never been under consideration by the Shangqing Sect at all.

Whether they cared for Wei Duo or had objections to him, from the Shangqing Sect's internal standpoint, he was still the eldest disciple of the former Sect Leader Tang Mu. That status remained. With Tang Mu gone, simply throwing Wei Duo into the Tiandu Secret Realm would be inappropriate both inside and outside the sect.

So the Shangqing Sect rejected Wei Duo's request.

Wei Duo, however, fought hard for it. He made such a commotion inside the sect that quite a few people were watching.

Facing Tang Yi's questioning in person, Wei Duo stammered, "Y-yes! I'm... suitable. The sect c-can't spare... the E-Elders. B-below the Elders... my status is the m-most suitable!"

What he said was not wrong.

The Shangqing Sect was already weak. It truly could not afford to lose more of its capable people. As the eldest disciple of the previous Sect Leader, Wei Duo's status was also sufficient to give Wei's three major sects a proper explanation.

But Tang Yi did not believe that was his real reason.

She stared at him and asked, "Is it because Niu Youdao is on the independent-cultivator list entering the Tiandu Secret Realm?"

One sentence exposed his thoughts.

Wei Duo lowered his head slightly.

Luo Yuangong and Su Po, standing nearby, did not know what to say. They did not know whether they should call this foolish loyalty.

Even after everything that had happened, Wei Duo still recognized only Niu Youdao as the Sect Leader of the Shangqing Sect.

Under ordinary circumstances, Tang Susu would certainly have flown into a rage over it.

This time, however, the man was risking his life while also taking danger away from the other people of the Shangqing Sect. Even she could not bring herself to say anything.

Tang Yi said, "Senior Brother, do you understand how many conflicts Niu Youdao is entangled in now? Experts who want to deal with him are everywhere. Even if you go, it won't be any use. You won't be able to help him."

Wei Duo raised his head. "A-at least... there'll be o-one more person to... b-block for him!"

Tang Yi did not know what to say.

She asked, "Do you truly have to go?"

Wei Duo nodded forcefully. "Yes! P-please... Sect Leader... g-grant my request!"

Tang Yi hesitated for a while.

In the end, she slowly said, "All right."

Su Po suddenly spoke. "Sect Leader, I think it would be better to consider this again."

Tang Yi waved a hand. "Since he insists, let him go."

"Th-thank you, Sect Leader." Wei Duo cupped his hands in salute, then withdrew.

After he left, Su Po sighed. "Why put himself through this?"

Tang Susu gave a cold snort. "It isn't that we're heartless or disloyal. He chose this himself. He can't blame anyone else."

Tang Yi said helplessly, "His heart isn't here. Keeping him would only torment him. Let him go."

After the people inside the hall dispersed, Su Po returned to his own courtyard and called over the one-eyed, lame Tu Han. He told him that they had already agreed to let Wei Duo enter the Tiandu Secret Realm.

"Ah!" Tu Han sighed. "People this loyal and righteous are rare in this world. He shouldn't come to a miserable end. Should I contact that person? If that person speaks, Niu Youdao should at least look after him somewhat."

Su Po gave a bitter smile. "Better not. Niu Youdao can barely protect himself. How is he supposed to look after Wei Duo? If we truly did that, Wei Duo might become even more dangerous. He would probably be safer staying with Wei's cultivators."

Tu Han said, "The question is whether he'll be willing to stay with Wei's cultivators."

Su Po fell silent.

Once Wei Duo entered the Tiandu Secret Realm, he would certainly go looking for Niu Youdao.

Otherwise, he would never have fought so hard to go in.

...

At Demon Ridge, behind the Demon Palace, a Golden-Furred Hou on the cliff suddenly threw back its head and roared.

"Roar!"

Zhao Xiongge, sitting at the edge of the sheer cliff with a wine gourd in his arms, looked back.

Beneath an eerie sky of ever-shifting dark clouds, a figure came flying over with the grace of an immortal. He landed lightly, sweeping his broad sleeves as though folding away a pair of wings. His long black-and-white hair, spread wide in the wind, drifted gently down as well.

It was Nantian Wufang, Left Envoy of the Demonic Sect.

"What did you want me for?" Nantian Wufang walked over and stopped beside Zhao Xiongge.

One stood while the other sat, both looking into the distance beneath the shifting light and shadow of the dark-clouded sky.

"The Tiandu Secret Realm." Zhao Xiongge took a swig of wine.

Nantian Wufang withdrew his gaze and looked down at him. "Didn't Sha Rulai already strike your name from the list?"

Zhao Xiongge said, "You and I both know why he struck me off. That person still hasn't gotten what he wants, so for now he doesn't want me dead."

Nantian Wufang said, "Don't tell me you still want to go inside."

"I'm not that bored. Niu Youdao sent me a message. He's threatening me now. No, more precisely, he's threatening you."

Nantian Wufang looked somewhat surprised. "Threatening me? What do you mean?"

He did not believe Niu Youdao possessed the qualifications to threaten him.

Unless...

The face of a woman flashed through his mind, and something inside him tightened slightly.

Zhao Xiongge lowered his wine gourd and looked up at him with a broad, knowing smile.

Nantian Wufang seemed to understand. His expression darkened slightly. "How would he know about the relationship between Guan Fangyi and me?"

Zhao Xiongge burst out laughing.

He doubled over with laughter for quite a while before finally shaking his head. "What does it mean to have a guilty conscience? This is what it looks like. Did I ever say it was that woman? What are you nervous about?"

"You're imagining things."

Zhao Xiongge drew his legs back and stood. He draped an elbow lazily over Nantian Wufang's shoulder and leaned against him. "I've always been curious. How could you let her spend so many years in the Qi capital with other men? And then there's Niu Youdao. Everyone knows that woman has already become Niu Youdao's woman. Do you truly not care at all?"

"A man like you... I honestly don't understand how your mind works. I'm genuinely curious. Come on, tell me. Let me learn something."

Nantian Wufang swept his arm out and knocked Zhao Xiongge's elbow away. "Drunkard. Speak about the matter at hand. What is he threatening me with?"

Zhao Xiongge chuckled for a while, then asked, "Wu Zhaoxing, ranked sixth on the Golden Core Ranking. Is he actually one of the Demonic Sect's people?"

Nantian Wufang said, "Whether he belongs to the Demonic Sect or not, what does that have to do with Niu Youdao?"

"Wu Zhaoxing is also on the independent-cultivator list entering the Tiandu Secret Realm. Tell me whether it has anything to do with Niu Youdao."

"Niu Youdao didn't say anything else. He only sent one reminder: if he cannot return alive from the Tiandu Secret Realm, Wu Zhaoxing's identity as a member of the Demonic Sect will become known to everyone beneath Heaven!"

Nantian Wufang frowned.

Zhao Xiongge said, "At first I was puzzled too. I couldn't understand what game that brat was playing. Then I realized the words weren't meant for me at all. They were meant for the Demonic Sect."

Nantian Wufang muttered to himself, "How would Niu Youdao know?"

That amounted to an admission.

Zhao Xiongge laughed. He had not expected Niu Youdao to have secretly gotten hold of one of the Demonic Sect's secrets at some unknown point. He could not resist teasing him. "So Wu Zhaoxing really is one of the Demonic Sect's people?"

Nantian Wufang said, "Wu Zhaoxing has hidden himself very deeply. His identity has never been exposed. How could Niu Youdao know his background? Did Wu Zhaoxing reveal something the last time he went to Myriad Beasts Sect to stand up for that Shangqing Sect of yours? Everything was handled very carefully then. He shouldn't have."

"You're asking me? How would I know? That brat is cunning as hell. I've delivered the message. Handle it however you like. It has nothing to do with me."

Zhao Xiongge understood better than anyone that once Wu Zhaoxing's identity was exposed, the man would be as good as dead.

The person who kept the Demonic Sect firmly by the throat would never allow the sect to possess someone of Wu Zhaoxing's strength outside his control.

If the previous Sect Leader of the Demonic Sect had not been that person's adoptive father, forcing him to preserve a fig leaf proving that he had not killed his own adoptive father, that person would have slaughtered the Demonic Sect long ago.

How else could a Demonic Sect that secretly harbored disloyal thoughts have survived until today?

...

Niu Youdao had returned to Maolu Villa.

The wars were frozen, and his name was now on the list entering the Tiandu Secret Realm. No one would move against him now. Doing so would mean interfering with Misty Pavilion's affairs.

So returning at present was safe.

"Set your mind at ease about Nanzhou. If anyone dares stretch a hand toward it recklessly, I won't sit by and watch."

After throwing down those words, Yucang turned and jumped with Dugu Jing onto a large flying mount.

As they rose into the sky, Yucang looked back at Niu Youdao seeing them off from the entrance of the villa below. He sighed. "Contact every Sect Leader I have some friendship with immediately. I need to meet them as soon as possible."

"Yes!" Dugu Jing acknowledged.

In the mountain forest, Niu Youdao watched them leave while leaning on his sword in silence.

Yucang wanting to protect him was certainly a good thing.

But Niu Youdao did not believe Yucang could persuade the various sects to show him mercy.

For other matters, Yucang's face might carry weight.

But once the struggle over the interests of the states was involved, people would not hesitate even to poison fellow disciples. Yucang's little bit of face probably would not be worth a damn.

Still, since Yucang was willing to try his utmost, Niu Youdao would not stop him.

There was no harm in trying.

It cost him nothing anyway.

"Master Dao." Yuan Gang, who had returned from Five Beams Mountain, came forward and greeted him.

He glanced around, then lowered his voice. "Should we do something through Gongsun Bu? Maybe we can get Misty Pavilion to remove your name from the list."

Niu Youdao immediately warned him, "Don't act recklessly. Without absolute certainty, don't kick that hornet's nest. Otherwise there'll be no cleaning up the mess afterward. That side is far more dangerous than the Tiandu Secret Realm. If they decide to kill us, we won't even have room to maneuver."

Yuan Gang nodded slightly, worry still visible in his eyes.

Niu Youdao said, "The moment Zhao Xiongge sends any reply, tell me."

Regarding Wu Zhaoxing, Niu Youdao merely had suspicions.

He had no evidence at all.

Yet he had bitten straight onto the Demonic Sect anyway.

Now he wanted to see how the Demonic Sect reacted.

When they returned inside the villa, Niu Youdao saw "Su Zhao" upstairs in one of the buildings, looking into the distance with a worried expression.

Niu Youdao glanced at Yuan Gang again.

He said nothing.

Even so, Yuan Gang immediately felt the pressure.

Once Niu Youdao met Guan Fangyi inside, he gave another instruction. "Contact Chao Jing again. Tell him I want to go to Myriad Beasts Sect and meet him face-to-face."

Guan Fangyi was surprised. "Do you really need to travel all that way?"

"If I'm gone, it'll be for a full year. Yin'er will become a major problem if enough time passes."

Guan Fangyi's expression turned grave.

Once that Demon King erupted and no one could control her, the resulting chaos could spread beneath Heaven. Even all nine supreme experts beneath Heaven would be alarmed.

Maolu Villa would be finished.

She immediately reminded him, "Should we invite the Commandery Princess over? Yin'er listens to her."

"Useless. If I'm gone too long, no one here will be able to suppress her. Even the Commandery Princess won't help."

Niu Youdao did not explain the matter of neutralizing the aberrant demon qi inside Yin'er.

"The Tiandu Secret Realm doesn't allow me to bring people inside either. Otherwise, I could take her with me. There's no other choice now. We can only send her back to the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm."

Guan Fangyi understood.

Although the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm remained open for long periods now, Myriad Beasts Sect disciples guarded the entrance. Sneaking inside without discovery was impossible.

Only Chao Jing had the ability to help with something like this.

She nodded, then tentatively asked, "After sending her away... will we bring her back later?"

They had lived together for so long that some attachment had inevitably formed.

Otherwise, the safest solution would simply have been to kill Yin'er.

That question left Niu Youdao looking faintly melancholy.

"If we can avoid trouble, then better to save ourselves the trouble."

He paused, then said quietly, "May we never meet again."

[End of Chapter 753]