Chapter 765: One After Another

Although Niu Youdao was a key figure being protected by Yan's contingent, he was still only one part of Yan's cultivators. The three major sects of Yan continued to hold the real authority here, and major decisions were not his to make.

As for Yan Baoru joining them, Niu Youdao could not tell whether it was good or bad. He had no particular objection.

Still, before the others finished confirming matters with Yan Baoru, he quietly warned the people around him, "Don't let that woman approach me casually."

Yun Ji looked suspicious. "Is there some problem?"

It was not that there was a problem. It was that he did not know whether there was one.

He had only just encountered Ximen Qingkong, ranked first on the Golden Core Ranking, among Wei's people. Now he had run into Yan Baoru, ranked second.

It might truly be coincidence. Yan Baoru's explanation also made sense.

But Niu Youdao was maintaining an extremely high level of vigilance. The slightest unusual movement was enough to arouse his suspicions.

Too many people here wanted him dead.

He wanted to return alive.

He had no choice but to be careful.

That was one of the troubles with intelligent men. They had a tendency to think too much about everything.

The false "Su Zhao" had also been a chance encounter, and that too had immediately put Niu Youdao on guard.

Put plainly, a man like Niu Youdao was suspicious of anything that looked like a coincidence.

"Keep an eye on her for me."

Niu Youdao did not explain the reason behind his suspicions.

Until those doubts were eliminated, he would remain cautious.

Once he had said this, the people from Nanzhou could hardly avoid becoming wary as well.

The way they looked at Yan Baoru changed subtly.

One more person joined the group, and they continued onward.

Before long, someone else blocked their path.

This time it was not a beautiful woman but a man—an old man carrying a sword on his back.

His background was just as impressive.

Wu Zhaoxing, ranked sixth on the Golden Core Ranking.

Shan Hai, Elder of Xiaoyao Palace, once again stepped forward to question the newcomer. "Wu Zhaoxing, why are you blocking the road?"

Wu Zhaoxing said, "Spending a whole year alone in this damned place isn't much of a life. Better to find some people to travel with. At least then I won't have to handle every petty chore myself."

"I've been waiting here. Whichever group I encountered, I intended to join. If you don't mind, count me in."

"Set your minds at ease. Spirit Seeds are of no particular use to me."

At those words, Shan Hai found himself momentarily speechless.

Yan's cultivators looked at one another.

His explanation was almost identical to Yan Baoru's.

Wasn't this far too much of a coincidence?

And both were top experts on the Golden Core Ranking.

Had the two of them arranged this in advance?

It was not only Yan's cultivators who found it strange.

Even Yan Baoru wore an odd expression and did not know whether to laugh or cry.

She could not help thinking to herself: What exactly was this supposed to be?

A teasing smile, however, appeared at the corner of Niu Youdao's mouth.

While most people were not paying attention, he moved close to Yan Li, Elder of Zijin Cave, and whispered a few words into his ear.

Yan Li turned and looked at him in some surprise.

Niu Youdao calmly withdrew again as though nothing had happened.

Just as everyone was beginning to suspect something was wrong with Yan Baoru and Wu Zhaoxing appearing one after the other for almost identical reasons, Yan Li stepped forward and persuaded Shan Hai and Chu Fengping to accept Wu Zhaoxing into the group.

Yan Li's explanation was simple.

Wu Zhaoxing was his friend.

Yan Li had invited him.

There would be no problem.

With Yan Li personally making that guarantee, what else could anyone say?

In front of everyone, Yan Li told Wu Zhaoxing, "Brother Wu needn't worry about food or daily matters. On this trip, all Brother Wu needs to do is help protect Niu Youdao."

Wu Zhaoxing glanced toward Niu Youdao.

Their eyes met.

Niu Youdao wore a faint smile.

"Fine." Wu Zhaoxing nodded and agreed, then walked directly toward Niu Youdao.

After Niu Youdao's earlier warning concerning Yan Baoru, Yun Ji and the others were already on alert.

They did not know what was going on with Wu Zhaoxing, but the two arrivals one after the other were certainly suspicious.

They all looked toward Niu Youdao for his reaction.

Only after seeing him give a slight nod did they move aside and allow Wu Zhaoxing to reach him.

Seeing Wu Zhaoxing take up position near Niu Youdao, Yan Baoru's brows drew together slightly.

Quite a few cultivators from Yan watched this scene and sighed inwardly.

Having status and position truly was useful.

A man like Niu Youdao did not even need to do anything. Even after entering a place like this, he still had top experts assigned solely to protect him.

Unlike them, who could only risk their lives.

The group continued onward.

But the atmosphere had become somewhat strange, all because Yan Baoru and Wu Zhaoxing had appeared one after the other using almost the same explanation.

...

The forest truly was enormous.

It would take at least half a day to walk out of it.

No one was in any hurry to leave either.

Before exiting the forest, the group decided to rest.

The trees here were simply too immense.

They were so enormous that no other trees could properly grow beneath them.

Spirit Trees could not grow where the sunlight was completely blocked.

Only after leaving this forest would they be able to find Spirit Trees.

That was also why the killing would begin only after everyone left this place.

And once the one-year period ended, the killing would finish here as well.

For now, the Tiandu Secret Realm expedition had only just begun.

No one had harvested any Spirit Seeds yet.

That made this forest relatively safe for the moment.

Most people would rest and recover here before leaving the forest and beginning their dangerous journey through the Tiandu Secret Realm.

Yan's cultivators were no exception.

They began hollowing caves directly into the trunks of the enormous trees, groups of cultivators using their arts to carve out the wood.

A single giant tree was enough.

The caves excavated into its trunk could accommodate more than a thousand cultivators from Yan.

Time flowed differently here than outside.

A full cycle of night and day inside the Secret Realm corresponded to two days in the outside world.

Near dusk, Chu Fengping, Elder of Lingjian Mountain, came to the tree hollow where Niu Youdao was staying.

He had something to discuss.

Inside the hollow, Chu Fengping asked that everyone else withdraw.

Niu Youdao nodded.

Once the unrelated people had left, he asked, "What instructions does Elder Chu have for me?"

Chu Fengping seemed to want a clearer look at his reaction.

He released a Moon Butterfly inside the tree hollow.

In truth, Moon Butterflies could not survive long here either.

If someone wanted to keep one alive, they had to spend Spirit Seeds on it as well, grinding them into powder and mixing the powder into the Moon Butterfly's food.

By the Moon Butterfly's glow, Chu Fengping studied Niu Youdao for a while.

Then he slowly said, "I have a female disciple. She's fairly attractive. I brought her with me."

Niu Youdao smiled bitterly inwardly.

He could roughly guess what was coming.

One sect after another.

It was as though refusing any one of them was not an option.

He sighed. "And then?"

Chu Fengping said, "She may not be some peerless beauty capable of toppling kingdoms and cities, but she's quite suitable for you. Marry her."

"You're an intelligent man. You should understand what I mean."

Niu Youdao said, "I think I understand. But is your disciple willing?"

"I don't want to marry someone who doesn't want to marry me."

Chu Fengping said, "You've already reached this point. There is no road back."

"At your present level, if you still let emotions dictate everything, you'll fail yourself and you'll fail all those who follow you."

"A man must shoulder the responsibilities that come with his position."

"By the same logic, whether she is truly willing—is that important?"

Niu Youdao said, "She's a living person. As her master, don't you care at all what she thinks?"

Chu Fengping said, "Young people are sometimes too naive. Their thoughts aren't realistic."

"Besides, she agreed."

"Even if some reluctance remains in her heart, after the two of you spend enough time together, feelings will naturally grow."

"Don't overthink it. I'm not as shameless and despicable as you're imagining."

"Precisely because I'm her master, I have to consider what is best for her."

"Once she joins with you, the benefits she gains may be things she could never earn even after a lifetime of hard work inside the sect."

"What parents don't hope their daughter marries well?"

"The heart with which I treat her is no different from that of her own parents."

"She understands perfectly well what she stands to gain. Otherwise, she would never have agreed."

Niu Youdao asked, "Is this truly only for her sake? Elder Chu isn't thinking of himself at all?"

Chu Fengping said, "If things go well for her, then naturally things go well for me as her master."

"And if things go well for me, naturally things go well for her as my disciple."

"Originally, I wasn't willing to come here. The sect promised that I would be allowed to take the lead on this matter, and only then did I reluctantly agree."

"Relax. I wouldn't casually choose some random mess of a person and marry her off to you."

"The girl is quite decent."

"There's no need to resent the arrangement simply because interests are involved."

Niu Youdao asked, "What if I refuse?"

Chu Fengping said, "If you refuse, and I can't obtain control over Nanzhou, then why should I still have Lingjian Mountain pay the price and make sacrifices to protect you?"

"Not protecting you would be the mild consequence."

"If I deliberately hold you back, your situation will become even more dangerous."

"I advise you not to act impulsively."

He had said nothing earlier.

Only after they entered the Tiandu Secret Realm did he bring this up.

Clearly, he had planned it long ago.

Niu Youdao said, "You know my situation too. Sha Rulai's demand is far too harsh. I almost have no road to survival."

"Can you really bear to marry your disciple to a dead man?"

Chu Fengping said, "At first, after you caused that incident, I did abandon the idea. I thought I could only count myself unlucky."

"But after observing you, I realized you don't seem worried at all."

"Lingjian Mountain knows something of your abilities. You truly aren't simple."

"Then Wu Zhaoxing appeared."

"That finally persuaded me to gamble once."

Niu Youdao teased, "After all, it's only sacrificing one female disciple. Or perhaps it doesn't even count as a sacrifice."

"At most, she sleeps with me a few times. She doesn't actually lose anything. Is that it?"

Chu Fengping said, "If you want to take first place, the only possibility is to gather together all the Spirit Seeds collected by everyone from Yan on this expedition."

"Without Lingjian Mountain's people, it cannot be done."

"You have no choice."

Niu Youdao nodded. "Elder Chu is an honest man."

"Fine. I'll seriously consider the matter. Give me some time."

Chu Fengping said, "My patience is limited. How long do you intend to consider it?"

Niu Youdao raised one hand and spread all five fingers.

"Five days."

"Five days according to the time here. Within five days, I will definitely give Elder Chu a clear answer."

"Fine. Five days."

Chu Fengping agreed without wasting more words.

He turned and left immediately.

Niu Youdao left his own tree hollow soon afterward and went to Yan Li's.

He sold Chu Fengping out without hesitation.

After learning what Chu Fengping had tried privately, Yan Li gave repeated cold laughs.

"What a shameless bastard. He truly has no face left at all."

Niu Youdao said, "Elder Yan, I'll follow your arrangement. If you say no, I'll refuse him immediately."

"Of course—"

Yan Li had barely begun when he raised a hand and stopped himself.

After thinking for a moment, he shook his head.

"Brother, the fact that you told me this openly proves where your intentions lie. I'm very pleased."

"But it wouldn't be wise to refuse him yet. If that old bastard starts holding us back, it'll become troublesome."

"Give me some time to think about how best to deal with him."

Niu Youdao said, "Fine. I'll leave this matter to Elder Yan."

"There's something else. I need to leave for a while. I hope Elder Yan can cooperate with me..."

After returning to his own tree hollow, Niu Youdao summoned Wu Zhaoxing as well.

Once Wu Zhaoxing learned that Niu Youdao intended to leave alone and wanted him to help cover the disappearance, he refused immediately.

"No. Leaving by yourself is too dangerous."

[End of Chapter 765]