Chapter 791: Demons, Devils, Ghosts, and Monsters—All Bound by One Oath

"That was then. This is now!" Niu Youdao shot back.

He lifted his sword in one hand and paced back and forth before the four of them.

"I'm different from people like you who make your living out at sea. I hold Nanzhou in my hands and command armies by the tens of thousands. My generals know how to wage war, my civil officials know how to govern. In civil administration and martial achievement alike, they are first-rate. At home, we've put down rebellion and can stand against the Yan court as equals. To the east, we defeated Song. To the west, we pressed Zhao. To the north, we held off Han."

He spoke without haste, yet the momentum behind his words was vast enough to make all four listeners inwardly tense.

None of these things was secret. They had heard something of the wars among the states. A moment's thought was enough to tell them that the bastard was not boasting. He was stating facts.

Niu Youdao suddenly stopped and turned to face them again.

"To the powers of the various states, the killing inside the Tiandu Secret Realm is nothing compared with the struggle among states outside, where the survival of entire sects is tied to their interests. Grudges can be put aside for the moment. They can even be ignored completely."

"You've all heard something of the situation outside. Today two sides fight to the death; tomorrow they're as close as brothers. That's perfectly normal."

"There are only interests. There are no eternal grudges. If something brings profit, everyone scrambles to do it. If it brings no benefit, no one goes looking for trouble."

"So long as I return alive, I can influence the Yan-Zhao war. Unless Yan's three major sects are absolutely certain of success, they won't dare move lightly against me. My army has already invaded Zhao territory. With a single word from me, Zhao will be too busy saving itself to have any leisure to trouble all of you."

"Han is at war with Song. With one word from me, the forces of Beizhou in Yan can invade Han territory. Once I speak, Han will have to give me some face simply to keep me steady."

"As for Song, it begs Yan to send troops every few days. Forget whether it dares offend me. Song can barely save itself right now. Where would it find the time to trouble you?"

"Qi and Wei both care deeply about the wars I can influence. Unless they aren't afraid of me disrupting their plans, once I speak, those two states will have to give me some face as well."

"Jin is admittedly a thorny one. I truly can't influence it. But so long as the other states remain still, with Jin watching their wars like a tiger waiting to pounce, I refuse to believe Jin alone would choose this moment to concentrate its strength and fight the people of the Four Seas to mutual destruction."

"It's still the same thing I said before: that was then, this is now. The situation inside the Tiandu Secret Realm is different from the situation outside. That's also where my helplessness lies."

"If I die inside the Tiandu Secret Realm, then everything I've just said can be forgotten. But so long as I return alive, I can influence the entire situation outside. No matter how badly all of you offend the Seven States in here, they won't have the leisure to settle accounts with you afterward—especially when you offended them by helping me."

"Take another step back. I'm the chief culprit. I'm the one who gathered all of you together. If they want someone to blame, I'll be first. You people from overseas will only come after me."

"So in truth, cooperating with me is a very good choice for all of you. Everyone benefits. It's mutually advantageous."

"Of course, if you insist on saying that I'm the one begging you, then fine. Here I am, asking all of you to help me."

With that, he planted his sword before him again and rested both hands on it, quietly watching their reactions.

Each of the four wore a different expression.

Even Hong Gaitian, who had been mocking and ridiculing him only moments before, fell silent.

Earlier, they had looked at Niu Youdao almost as though he were a clown putting on a show.

After hearing this argument, however, they abruptly realized that although he appeared weak and isolated here, he did in fact possess the qualifications to join forces with them.

After a long while, Fuhua suddenly clapped several times.

"Niu Youdao, what a tongue you have!"

Niu Youdao smiled. "Was anything I said untrue?"

Fuhua said, "Suppose you really succeed. Suppose you truly take first place. What if you receive the reward and refuse to give it to us? Or what if you simply forget everything you just promised?"

"Then I'd have truly offended the people of the Four Seas to the death," Niu Youdao replied. "Once the Tiandu Secret Realm expedition ends, I'll still be busy dealing with wars in the secular world. Why would I deliberately invite all of you to come settle accounts with me?"

The four considered it and found the reasoning sound.

Niu Youdao continued, "If everyone still feels uneasy, then we may as well add another bond between us."

"It is my honor to meet the four of you today. I feel as though we've been old friends from the moment we met. If none of you objects, I, Niu, would be willing to swear brotherhood with all of you as siblings of different surnames!"

Sworn siblings?

All four froze at once.

Niu Youdao smiled.

"So long as I return alive, I won't make wild promises about anything else. But within Yan, and at the very least within Nanzhou, if any of you asks something of me and it lies within my power, I certainly won't refuse."

"Naturally, if I ever have the chance to travel overseas, I'll have to ask all of you to look after me as well."

"It's a matter that benefits everyone. What do you say?"

...

Outside the cave, Wu Zhaoxing, Yun Ji, and Yun Huan kept glancing toward the entrance, deeply worried.

While they were still fretting, the people inside finally emerged.

They came out talking and laughing.

What stunned the three was that the notoriously difficult Hong Gaitian actually walked out shoulder to shoulder with Niu Youdao, one thick arm slung around Niu Youdao's shoulders as he hugged him along.

What was going on?

The three looked at one another.

Even if the alliance had been successfully negotiated, did they really need to become this close?

As soon as the leaders of the Four Seas emerged, they began shouting instructions and calling people over to prepare something.

When Niu Youdao came near, Yun Ji immediately asked, "How did it go?"

Niu Youdao gave a slight nod.

"It's done."

All three released a breath of relief.

Not long afterward, a simple incense altar was erected from earth, stone, and timber.

Fuhua called over.

Niu Youdao immediately walked across.

Without wasting words, the two stood before the incense altar and then knelt together.

They burned grass in place of incense, spoke their oath, and swore themselves as elder sister and younger brother on the spot.

Conditions were limited.

Everything was kept simple.

What was happening?

Wu Zhaoxing, Yun Ji, and Yun Huan all stared blankly.

Nor were they the only ones.

Many of the Four Seas cultivators who had gathered to witness the ceremony had not known what was going on either. They looked at one another in astonishment.

And it was not over.

Once Niu Youdao and Fuhua rose, Hong Gaitian stepped forward to continue.

Niu Youdao had originally intended for all five of them to swear brotherhood together.

The four leaders of the Four Seas refused.

Their forces advanced and retreated together here only because circumstances forced them to. Alone, each faction was too weak to withstand the pressure from the Seven States, so they had to join hands.

Before entering the Tiandu Secret Realm, however, the Four Seas had opposed one another across the ocean as well.

Naturally, that too was thanks to Misty Pavilion.

Before coming in and after going out, they were rivals.

How could the four of them possibly swear brotherhood with one another?

They were willing to swear ties with Niu Youdao only because of the benefits he had described.

Whether they took the oath seriously afterward was entirely up to them. It cost them nothing, and there might even be conveniences and advantages to gain.

Why not?

And so, before the simple incense altar, they came forward one after another.

Wu Zhaoxing and the Yun mother and son were now completely dumbfounded.

Yun Ji thought of Ghost Mother and could not resist looking back at her son.

Yun Huan's face twitched, his expression wonderfully complicated.

He had already experienced Niu Youdao's habit of seizing the slightest agreeable opportunity to swear brotherhood. The first time he had met Niu Youdao, the two of them had somehow become sworn brothers for no apparent reason.

Thinking about the present scene, Yun Huan had to admit that perhaps he should not have been surprised.

Wu Zhaoxing handled it somewhat better, though he still muttered, "Wonderful. Four in one go. Demons, devils, ghosts, and monsters—the whole set."

Once the ceremonies were finished, Niu Youdao and his newly sworn siblings gathered together, talking and laughing with extraordinary warmth.

Wu Zhaoxing watched and repeatedly shook his head.

"This fellow... I truly have to hand it to him."

Yun Ji and Yun Huan felt much the same.

Earlier, when Niu Youdao said he intended to unite the overseas cultivators, they had not believed he could pull it off.

Not only had he done so, he had somehow become sworn siblings with all four leaders sent here by the Four Seas.

The man was simply bizarre.

They genuinely could not refuse to be impressed.

Even so, Yun Ji still criticized him aloud.

"This fellow normally looks deep and calculating, yet every so often he does something absurd and completely unreliable."

Who could disagree?

Wu Zhaoxing nodded with deep feeling.

The matter of Niu Youdao trying to find a mount all along the journey remained especially vivid in his memory.

...

In the middle of the lively conversation, Niu Youdao happened to glance back and see the three of them.

Remembering something, he immediately beckoned.

The three walked over.

Niu Youdao stepped forward, caught Yun Huan by the arm, and introduced him to his new sworn siblings.

"Yun Huan, the man who used to run Duyun Mountain, and also my sworn elder brother. Of course, he doesn't stay at Duyun Mountain anymore..."

The expressions of Lang Jingkong, Fuhua, Hong Gaitian, and Duan Wuchang instantly became extraordinarily colorful.

They stopped hearing anything Niu Youdao said after that.

One could only blame the overseas cultivators for not following the affairs of the Seven States closely enough.

They had not known Niu Youdao and Yun Huan had already sworn brotherhood.

People who had paid serious attention to Niu Youdao knew about it.

Then, one after another, all four slowly turned their gazes toward Yun Ji.

She was Yun Huan's mother.

Niu Youdao and Yun Huan were sworn brothers.

And now they were all sworn siblings with Niu Youdao.

The relationship seemed complicated, but it was not truly difficult.

Once straightened out, the answer was immediate.

In the blink of an eye, Yun Ji had become a mother-generation elder to all four of them.

One looked blank.

One looked foolish.

Another's face twitched.

Hong Gaitian slowly raised his head and stared speechlessly at Heaven.

Only a short while earlier, he had still harbored improper thoughts toward Yun Ji.

Now, after one bout of sworn brotherhood, the change in seniority sent a chill through him.

Every improper thought vanished instantly.

All he wanted now was to offer his respects to Niu Youdao's ancestors!

If they had known this beforehand, the handful of benefits Niu Youdao had painted with his glib tongue would never have persuaded them into the oath.

But the deed was already done.

They had sworn the ties.

It was too late to regret it.

How were they supposed to address Yun Ji from now on?

Yun Ji could tell something from their reactions as well.

She felt awkward herself and inwardly cursed Niu Youdao for his absurdity.

He had somehow produced several enormous juniors for her out of nowhere.

Too embarrassed to keep looking at them, she turned her head aside.

Wu Zhaoxing finally understood the awkward situation.

His cheeks puffed.

He truly could not hold it in.

He turned away and walked off to one side with his back to them.

His expression twisted violently, his fists clenched, and both arms went rigid as he struggled desperately not to burst out laughing.

Under Niu Youdao's enthusiastic introduction, Yun Huan cupped his hands and prepared to greet the four politely.

"Someone below needs me."

Fuhua lowered her eyes, tossed out the excuse, and was the first to turn and leave.

"I've got something to handle."

Hong Gaitian found an excuse too, lowered his head, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked away.

Lang Jingkong and Duan Wuchang likewise invented reasons and hurried off.

They were afraid Niu Youdao might next introduce Yun Ji.

Better to disappear before he opened his mouth.

Otherwise, none of them knew how they were supposed to address her.

In the blink of an eye, all four were gone.

Yun Huan's hands remained cupped toward empty air.

He stood there speechless, still too entangled in the situation to understand what had just happened.

[End of Chapter 791]