Chapter 756: Drawing the Sword in Tiangu

This was Niu Youdao's first visit to Misty Pavilion.

The Tiandu Secret Realm was not far from Misty Pavilion. Those who came to enter the Secret Realm were not qualified to enter Misty Pavilion itself and look around. They could only admire its imposing presence from afar.

Niu Youdao and the others had flying mounts and did not need to endure a long journey overland. They had deliberately timed their arrival, so they were among the later groups to appear.

By the time they arrived, large numbers of cultivators had already gathered in the valleys around Tiandu Peak. Cultivators from every faction mingled with independent cultivators.

The valley where everyone had gathered was called Tiangu.

It lay directly outside the entrance to the Tiandu Secret Realm.

Niu Youdao's group caused some commotion when they arrived.

A whole row of flying mounts descended, and no one knew at first who had come with such an impressive display. Among all the arrivals, only the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples had made a greater entrance.

There was no helping that.

Myriad Beasts Sect was the faction that sold large flying mounts. Every disciple, senior or junior, whom it had sent to participate in the Tiandu Secret Realm had been delivered here aboard one.

No other sect could compare with that.

The large flying mounts descended outside the valley.

After dropping off their passengers, they immediately returned. This was not a place where they could remain for long.

Misty Pavilion personnel were stationed outside the valley to register arrivals and verify identities.

When they learned the newcomers included cultivators from both Yan and Zhao, they quickly summoned people from the three major sects of both states to confirm there were no mistakes.

If anything went wrong, such as someone entering under a false identity, the three major sects of the relevant state would be held responsible.

The people from Yan who helped verify their identities were easy enough to deal with.

Those from Zhao, however, showed them no goodwill at all.

Naturally, they had no reason to show Situ Yao and the others any pleasant expressions.

Yun Ji and her son Yun Huan had traveled with Niu Youdao.

With relations between them and Zhao having deteriorated this badly, they could hardly have come together with Zhao's cultivators. Otherwise, the awkwardness and humiliation along the way would have been difficult to avoid.

Their fate was much the same as that of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion.

Both mother and son had been nominated by Zhao and forced to come.

Many things had developed in ways no one anticipated.

When Duyun Mountain first came to Nanzhou to help Niu Youdao, mother and son had never imagined Zhao would attack Nanzhou. They had only come because they were forced to dispel Misty Pavilion's suspicions.

Once Zhao moved against Nanzhou, mother and son had no road of retreat.

Their connection with Niu Youdao had already been exposed.

Zhao had begun to suspect Duyun Mountain's loyalties and would not leave a future threat unresolved. It tried to force mother and son to act against Nanzhou, giving them no chance to remain ambiguous.

But Niu Youdao held an enormous weakness over Yun Ji.

How could she possibly attack Nanzhou?

And Niu Youdao was hardly an easy man to deal with.

He wanted to seize the opportunity to bring Duyun Mountain's power under his control, so he too requested Duyun Mountain's assistance.

Did Yun Ji have any choice?

The demons of Duyun Mountain could only betray Zhao and throw themselves onto Niu Youdao's side.

They could never return to Duyun Mountain now.

They had no choice but to depend on Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao might treat them politely, but the fact remained that the demons of Duyun Mountain led by Yun Ji had no choice but to submit to him.

The reversal in their relationship left Yun Huan more emotional than anyone.

Back when they first met, he had barely regarded Niu Youdao at all.

On the surface, they were still sworn brothers.

In reality, Yun Huan had already bowed his head and submitted.

No matter how powerful his mother was, she still had to yield before Niu Youdao's methods.

Guan Fangyi felt much the same sense of emotion.

Niu Youdao had given up one Myriad Beasts Spirit Pearl, and now the entire body of demon cultivators from Duyun Mountain had fallen under his control.

He had concealed his hatred over Black Peony's death, drawing Xiaoyue Pavilion to his side as an ally, while also gaining control over Chao Jing, an Elder of Myriad Beasts Sect.

To seize control of Nanzhou, he had struggled repeatedly with Tianyu Sect until he finally drove Tianyu Sect away. Then he brought in Dachan Mountain and firmly suppressed it, gripping Nanzhou's power of decision in his hands.

When the flames of war threatened, allowing Jinzhou's forces to retreat into Nanzhou had been a major strategic decision.

Now Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion also seemed to be falling under Niu Youdao's influence without even realizing it.

The trend ahead was already imaginable.

It would be difficult for Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion to escape his control again. The situation had ceased to be something it could decide for itself.

By controlling Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion, he had indirectly strengthened his check on Dachan Mountain as well, tightening his hold over Nanzhou's power of decision even further.

At present, whether in terms of the strength he commanded or his influence over Nanzhou, Shang Chaozong and the others no longer had any alternative either.

As for Fuyun Sect, Liuxian Sect, and Lingxiu Mountain, there was even less need to mention them.

The three sects had no choice but to obey Niu Youdao meekly.

Even their Sect Leaders had to address him respectfully as Master Dao when they saw him.

On the surface, Niu Youdao seemed to possess no forces of his own.

In reality, both openly and in secret, he had tied a whole collection of powers to himself and made them serve him.

And now it appeared Niu Youdao had made another major strategic choice.

He intended to join Zijin Cave.

Privately, Guan Fangyi had actually begun worrying about Zijin Cave.

Niu Youdao's apparent low profile was merely a disguise.

When it came to seizing cities and territory, he was not soft-handed in the slightest.

He knew when to advance and when to retreat.

When circumstances required yielding, he could swallow even deep hatred.

When it was time to act—such as when he decided the situation had reached the point where he needed large flying mounts to conduct his affairs—he would use any means necessary to achieve his goal.

The objective had been achieved.

The matter was done.

Even now, outsiders and many people within his own camp had no idea where all the large flying mounts in his hands had come from.

Would Niu Youdao make a major decision casually?

Once Zijin Cave let this wolf in sheep's clothing through its doors, Guan Fangyi genuinely worried for the sect.

She wondered whether Gong Lince would regret it someday.

A discarded disciple abandoned by the Shangqing Sect, starting with almost nothing, had spent only a few short years building, both openly and secretly, a force capable of influencing the fate of an entire state.

And he was still so young.

Guan Fangyi had remained beside him for years and personally witnessed more examples than she could count.

How could she not feel deeply about it?

A thousand troops are easy to obtain; one true general is hard to find.

The Shangqing Sect had actually abandoned a man who could have been of enormous use to it, reducing itself to its present decline and dependence on others.

Whenever Guan Fangyi heard news concerning the Shangqing Sect, she truly did not know how to judge them.

Yuan Gang, who understood Niu Youdao better than anyone, felt nothing of the sort.

He barely even gave the matter thought.

To Yuan Gang, this was simply how Master Dao ought to be.

It was also why, back then, he had told Shang Shuqing that the man Master Dao was mattered more than his cultivation.

At this moment, however, Niu Youdao was somewhat surprised.

He had encountered an old acquaintance he had not seen in a long time.

When his turn came for registration and identity verification, he saw Bai Yulou, manager of the Inviting Moon Inn in Star-Plucking City, handling the procedure.

This was the man who had once received benefits from him.

Niu Youdao nodded and smiled at him.

Bai Yulou did not react at all. His face remained expressionless.

Since that was how Bai Yulou wished to behave, Niu Youdao did not make any further gesture either.

Once his identity was confirmed, he moved on.

After every member of the group had been verified and no problems were found, they passed the checkpoint together and entered the valley.

A group was already waiting for them inside.

Li Wuhua, Elder of Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion, had arrived earlier. He hurried over to Situ Yao and said, "Sect Leader, Zhao won't let us occupy our old place. Yan has taken us in for now."

He was referring to where they would stay inside the valley.

Tiangu had seen many openings of the Tiandu Secret Realm over the years.

The states had come here again and again, and the territories occupied by the various powers had become clearly divided. Each had claimed its own ground and carved caves into the valley walls to use as lodging.

Now Zhao refused to let Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion stay in its old area and had driven them out.

Situ Yao nodded to show he understood.

He still could not help sighing.

There was nothing else he could do.

Forced by circumstances, his gaze drifted toward the Zhao people blocking the road ahead.

He did not know what awaited them.

Ghost Mother had arrived earlier.

Unlike Yun Ji, she had not completely fallen out with her own state, nor was there any need to do so. She therefore arrived together with Qi's cultivators in the capacity of a cultivator from Qi.

Most of the independent cultivators were independent only in ordinary times.

By now, the powers of the various states had recruited nearly all of them.

Apart from a few top independent cultivators who possessed enough absolute strength to refuse, once most independent cultivators were approached by a state's powers, they had no choice left.

After entering the Tiandu Secret Realm, they could only serve the people who had recruited them.

Otherwise, they would die.

And the choice they made this time affected more than the present.

After leaving the Tiandu Secret Realm, they would already have chosen sides and stood against other powers.

It would be difficult ever again to remain detached from worldly conflict.

Ghost Mother had originally intended to come over and greet Niu Youdao.

Then she noticed a group of people staring at Niu Youdao and the others with obvious ill intent.

She had no choice but to remain where she was and refrain from approaching.

Niu Youdao and the others could not simply stay outside.

In the end, they came face-to-face with Zhao's cultivators.

The Elders leading Zhao's three major sects here were Wan Tongfu of Luoxia Villa, Wang Bukong of Guiyuan Sect, and Ming Jing of Juxian Sect.

They stood at the front and blocked the way.

Niu Youdao tilted his head slightly.

After someone beside him quietly introduced the three men's identities, he smiled. "Gentlemen, what exactly is this supposed to be?"

Wan Tongfu, Elder of Luoxia Villa, said disdainfully, "This old man does not waste words on someone already marked for death."

"Marked for death?" Niu Youdao gave a soft sound of surprise. "If that's so, why stand here blocking the road and picking a fight?"

Wan Tongfu truly ignored him.

Instead, he stared at Situ Yao. "Situ Yao, I'm giving you one final chance. Choose carefully which road you're going to take. If you choose wrong, there'll be nowhere to buy medicine for regret."

Situ Yao's voice carried suppressed grief and anger. "A road? Do we still have any road left to choose? You people never intended to leave us alive! Elder Wan, then tell me. Where is this road you speak of?"

Wan Tongfu said, "Certain matters require temporary sacrifices in obedience to the greater situation. That cannot always be avoided."

"Since I am standing here waiting for you, naturally I am willing to give Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion one more chance. The condition is that Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion must show sincerity in repenting."

"So long as that sincerity is sufficient, I guarantee that Jinzhou will still belong to Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion!"

Situ Yao asked, "What kind of sincerity do you want?"

Wan Tongfu said, "Simple. We'll see what Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion does after entering the Tiandu Secret Realm. If you choose a side, naturally you should do the work of that side."

As he spoke, he glanced toward Niu Youdao.

The people around Niu Youdao looked at one another.

They wanted Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion to attack this side inside the Secret Realm?

Niu Youdao could not help smiling.

Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion had already fought Zhao's three major sects until blood flowed everywhere. The current battlefield situation was no longer something Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion could decide however it pleased.

Niu Youdao believed that so long as Situ Yao was not a fool, he would know exactly what choice to make.

He reached out and patted Situ Yao's arm. "Sect Leader Situ, take your time discussing it. We won't disturb you."

Then he looked toward the people blocking the road. "A good dog knows not to block the road. Kindly move aside."

As he spoke, he continued walking forward.

The men opposite had no intention of moving merely because he told them to.

Every one of them stood exactly where they were.

Clang!

A sword rang.

The treasured blade planted against the ground suddenly flashed from its sheath.

A streak of cold light erupted too quickly for the eye to follow.

Two sprays of blood burst into the air.

Wan Tongfu, Elder of Luoxia Villa, and Ming Jing, Elder of Juxian Sect, were struck at the same time.

The sudden attack had caught both men completely unprepared at such close range.

Who could have imagined that anyone would dare draw a sword here?

No one had taken any precautions.

The sword had left its sheath with terrifying speed, giving them no chance to defend themselves.

"Ah!"

Two screams rang out at once.

Both Elders were cut cleanly in half at the waist.

[End of Chapter 756]