Chapter 758: Misty Pavilion Has a Visitor

Everyone turned toward Bai Yulou.

Stop what?

Everyone had already stopped!

The whole affair had happened too quickly.

Niu Youdao had drawn his sword and cut down two men. Then the Heavenly Sword Talisman rattled through one violent barrage, and it was over.

By the time Bai Yulou appeared, only a standoff remained.

Everyone had already stopped.

Niu Youdao stood leaning on his sword, a Heavenly Sword Talisman pinched between his fingers as his cold gaze swept the surroundings.

A group of Zhao cultivators formed a semicircle around him.

The two sides faced one another in tense silence.

Misty Pavilion cultivators flashed in as well and surrounded the scene, taking control of the situation.

The Zhao cultivators were filled with grief and fury, but the sight of Misty Pavilion personnel appearing still made them nervous and afraid.

They had fought in Tiangu, at the very entrance of the Tiandu Secret Realm, directly beneath Misty Pavilion's eyes.

To say they were not frightened would be a lie.

Especially now that every one of the leading figures on Zhao's side had been killed.

The people left behind had no one to steady them and little confidence of their own.

The instant Bai Yulou shouted for everyone to stop and Misty Pavilion's people appeared, the Zhao cultivators immediately lowered the weapons they had drawn.

Not one dared disobey.

Niu Youdao looked coldly around him.

Then, slowly and unhurriedly, he put away the Heavenly Sword Talisman in his hand.

Bai Yulou flashed down into the middle of the battlefield.

He looked over the blood everywhere, the severed limbs and broken bodies scattered across the ground.

Then he abruptly turned and faced Niu Youdao directly.

Step by step, he advanced.

Niu Youdao stood with one hand on his sword and watched him approach without moving an inch.

Apart from the sound of the wind, the valley was silent.

Everyone held their breath and watched.

Bai Yulou stopped directly in front of Niu Youdao.

His face was dark.

He raised one hand and pressed a finger into Niu Youdao's chest.

In a low voice, slowly, word by word, he asked, "Have. You. Gone. Mad? You dare cause trouble here?"

With every word, his finger jabbed Niu Youdao's chest once.

Niu Youdao did not move.

He waited until Bai Yulou finished, then replied slowly, "They struck first!"

Bai Yulou said, "If they struck first, you could have called for help. This is not a place where anyone is allowed to run wild."

Niu Youdao said, "They were trying to kill me. They had already attacked. There was no time to call for help. If I hadn't fought back, I would have died. Once a man is dead, how is he supposed to call for help?"

Bai Yulou said, "Zhao's people would kill you here? Do you believe that yourself?"

Niu Youdao said, "I don't. I couldn't even believe they would dare attack here. But they did attack. How was I supposed to judge that they wouldn't kill me?"

"Hmph. Pray for your own good fortune!" Bai Yulou jabbed him heavily in the shoulder.

Then he turned and shouted, "Detain every last one of them! They will await judgment!"

Not one person escaped.

Apart from the dead, everyone from both sides directly involved in the incident was detained.

That included Situ Yao and the others who had arrived with Niu Youdao.

Under the eyes of the entire valley, every one of them obediently submitted to arrest.

No one knew what fate awaited them.

Situ Yao and the others felt like crying.

What had they done?

They had only just arrived, and Misty Pavilion had already arrested them?

For no reason at all, they had been dragged down by Niu Youdao?

They badly wanted to ask what wrong medicine Niu Youdao had taken.

But this was hardly the time for a leisurely conversation, and the people escorting them away were not going to give them the opportunity.

Just like that, the whole group was taken away without offering the slightest resistance.

Niu Youdao included.

Bai Yulou swept a cold gaze across the entire valley.

Then he turned and left quickly.

He had to report the incident.

Nothing like this had ever happened in Tiangu before, and the matter involved the opening of the Tiandu Secret Realm.

He did not dare decide how to handle it on his own.

Once the people involved had all been taken away, the remaining Yan cultivators looked at one another.

No one knew what to say.

Ghost Mother slowly emerged from the corner of the rock wall where she had taken shelter.

She had seen everything clearly.

Now she also saw the people at the cave entrances around the valley beginning to discuss the incident in low voices.

As for this sworn younger brother of hers, even Ghost Mother was speechless.

She had watched the entire sequence of events.

It was not that she had forgotten the bond between sworn siblings.

There was simply nothing she could do about something like this.

At another cave entrance, the Elders from Song's three major sects looked at one another.

The Elders sent by Zhao's three major sects to take charge here had simply been killed that cleanly?

All three men felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

Fortunately, it had not been them.

They too had once entertained the idea of giving Niu Youdao a taste of their displeasure here.

It seemed they were not the only ones feeling fortunate...

...

Misty Pavilion had a visitor.

Not exactly an honored guest.

A friend of Sha Rulai's—perhaps he could be called a friend.

At the very least, he was an acquaintance.

Who can live in this world without knowing some people?

The men of the nine supreme experts controlled all beneath Heaven, but they could not remain forever suspended above the world.

When matters had to be handled, feet still had to touch the ground.

Knowing some people was necessary.

It made minor affairs faster and easier to resolve.

Mr. Yucang had arrived.

He had only been here a short while, having reached Misty Pavilion slightly before Niu Youdao arrived at Tiangu.

Since a guest had come, Misty Pavilion naturally offered good wine.

Sha Rulai and Yucang sat cross-legged across a low table from one another, chatting idly over wine.

"Mm. Excellent wine!" Yucang set down his cup and pointed toward the wine flask. "As far as I know, the person responsible for brewing this wine has also come to participate in the Tiandu Secret Realm this time."

Sha Rulai lifted his eyes slightly. "Niu Youdao?"

Yucang clapped his hands and laughed. "I didn't expect Brother Sha to know even such an insignificant person."

Sha Rulai smiled faintly. "The wine is good. Naturally, the man behind it cannot be entirely insignificant. He can already influence the situation of an entire region. How could I not have heard of him?"

Yucang said, "The wine may be excellent, but far too little is produced. Since Brother Sha likes it, I happen to know Niu Youdao quite well. When I return, I'll say a word to him and have a batch produced specifically for Brother Sha."

Sha Rulai shook his head slightly. "Take a man's gift and your hand grows soft; eat his food and your mouth loses its edge. The thing itself doesn't matter. But if I accept something from him and word spreads, others will start thinking too much. They'll speculate about my relationship with him. The effect would be poor."

"Rules are rules. A little appetite for food and drink is fine to indulge now and then. There's no need to take it too seriously."

Yucang said, "I won't hide it from Brother Sha. I actually came here because of Niu Youdao."

Sha Rulai lowered his eyes. "Brother Yucang, my answer is still the same. Rules are rules. Once a man's name is on the list, there is no reason to remove it without cause. Better not to put me in a difficult position."

Yucang waved a hand. "Brother Sha misunderstands. I know the rules. Give me a hundred times the courage and I still wouldn't dare break them. How would I dare put Brother Sha in a difficult position?"

Sha Rulai gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment and lifted the flask to pour more wine. "Then it seems there's something else."

Yucang said, "I won't hide this either. Niu Youdao is my nephew's teacher. My relationship with him runs deep."

Sha Rulai smiled faintly. "I've heard something of it."

Yucang leaned forward slightly. "Whether he returns alive from the Tiandu Secret Realm is uncertain. He is my nephew's teacher, after all. By sentiment and by reason, I ought to see him off."

"Could Brother Sha make things convenient and let me enter Tiangu to meet him?"

In truth, meeting Niu Youdao was secondary.

What Yucang really wanted was to enter Tiangu, take Niu Youdao around, and have him meet people from the various sects with whom Yucang had long-standing relations.

Yucang was no fool.

He had already met the Sect Leaders of several factions with whom he had friendships.

But Niu Youdao was entangled in struggles involving enormous interests.

Those personal connections sounded pleasant enough when spoken aloud.

When killing began, however, none of them would soften their hands.

Yucang only hoped those who were not direct stakeholders might restrain themselves somewhat and refrain from striking too ruthlessly.

If that happened, then with Niu Youdao also protected by certain factions, he might be able to remain safe.

Everything that needed to be said between Yucang and Niu Youdao had already been made clear in their earlier meeting.

The reason Yucang still wanted to enter Tiangu, and specifically to enter at this moment, was to borrow Misty Pavilion's prestige.

He wanted the relevant parties to see him there.

He also wanted them to be unable to measure how deep his connection with Misty Pavilion ran, so they would seriously consider his attitude and whether offending him was truly worthwhile.

To keep Niu Youdao alive, Yucang was sparing no effort.

He had no choice.

Whether Niu Youdao lived or died was simply too important to him.

A faint, enigmatic amusement appeared at the corner of Sha Rulai's mouth.

He slowly raised his cup and drank.

He said nothing.

He simply savored the wine.

Yucang waited hopefully for a while without receiving an answer.

Then he tried again. "Brother Sha certainly shouldn't accept gifts from others. But you could brew this wine yourself. Once I go inside, I'll speak to Niu Youdao and have him hand over the recipe."

He was deciding the matter on Niu Youdao's behalf without permission.

In Yucang's view, did one really need to choose between a brewing recipe and one's life?

He believed that if Sha Rulai wanted it, Niu Youdao would not dare refuse.

Sha Rulai set down his wine cup and smiled faintly. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Yucang waved the concern aside. "There's nothing inappropriate about it. Is Brother Sha someone who cares about that little money? Of course not."

"You certainly wouldn't take the recipe out and sell the wine yourself, stealing Niu Youdao's business. You would only brew a little for yourself or share it with family and friends."

"A small pleasure of the palate. Nothing more."

Sha Rulai said, "Strictly speaking, you're only seeing someone off. Letting you enter Tiangu once would not matter much. But Brother Yucang, it truly would be somewhat inappropriate for you to go inside."

Yucang did not understand. "Why?"

Sha Rulai idly turned the wine cup beneath his fingers. "Xiaoyue Pavilion is such a large organization. Misty Pavilion could hardly have failed to pay attention to it."

"The reason we have ignored it is that, by and large, it has observed the rules."

"So long as it continues to observe the rules, so long as it acts within the rules, then there is nothing particularly serious about its existence."

"Brother Yucang, do you understand what I mean?"

The instant those words fell, Yucang felt his blood run cold.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

Cold sweat burst across his body.

The color slowly drained from his face.

For a moment, he could not speak.

Could Sha Rulai possibly have mentioned Xiaoyue Pavilion to him for no reason?

To bring up Xiaoyue Pavilion so suddenly in front of him could mean only one thing.

They had known his identity all along.

What friend?

After knowing each other for so many years, Sha Rulai had apparently been watching a monkey show the entire time, probably treating Yucang himself as a joke.

Yucang felt as though he were sitting on needles.

He did not even dare move.

Silence lingered between them for a while.

Sha Rulai poured another cup of wine. "The wine truly is excellent. But remember what I just said. Everything must be done within the rules."

"You may enter Tiangu, but your actions may not cross the line. Understand?"

Yucang finally relaxed.

Sha Rulai had at least given him some face and clearly had no intention of doing anything to him.

Yucang immediately cupped his hands, about to offer thanks.

Just then, faint booming sounds rolled in from the distance.

The disturbance was coming from the direction of Tiangu.

It sounded like a fierce battle.

Sha Rulai set down the wine flask and cast a cold glance toward the sound. His voice deepened. "What's happening? Go look!"

Someone on the pavilion immediately accepted the order and flew away.

Sha Rulai had already risen.

He walked to the railing, clasped his hands behind his back, and stared into the distance.

Before long, Bai Yulou came flying back at speed.

He went straight up to the pavilion, cupped his hands, and reported, "Sir, something happened in Tiangu. Two groups started fighting."

Yucang's heart lurched.

Who would be so bold?

Concerned for Niu Youdao's safety, his first thought immediately went to him.

Don't tell me something happened to Niu Youdao?

"Heh!" Sha Rulai gave a cold laugh.

A chill entered his eyes. "Interesting. Who caused the trouble?"

"Niu Youdao of Nanzhou in Yan and Zhao's cultivators fought. Niu Youdao used a Heavenly Sword Talisman..." Bai Yulou immediately began giving a rough account of what had happened.

[End of Chapter 758]