Chapter 818: This Time, I Truly Can't Afford to Lose!

Only a question of who went first and who went later? Yan Li could not resist rolling his eyes. Picking up a bargain was picking up a bargain. Could that really be prettied up?

Of course, this side was acting for Zijin Cave's interests as well. Who went first and who went later no longer mattered. As long as they achieved the objective, there was no need to argue the point to a conclusion.

For Fuhua and the others, however, Niu Youdao's words were music to their ears. They were more than happy with a method that would reduce their own losses.

Yan Li waved a hand, dropping the argument, and said helplessly, "I have nothing to say about you picking up the bargain. I can hold back too. But if we really beat Jin half to death, I can let them off, but the others may refuse to. They may keep chasing and killing them, which means you still might not get the bargain. And if I hold back right under everyone's eyes, won't that be a little too obvious? How am I supposed to explain myself?"

"That's easy enough. I have a method Elder Yan can consider..." Niu Youdao crooked a finger, signaling Yan Li to lean closer, then whispered into his ear for a while.

The others watching frowned, unable to hear what Niu Youdao was saying. Whatever it was, Yan Li's eyes and expression became increasingly colorful.

When the whispering finally ended, Yan Li slowly straightened from where he had leaned in to listen. He looked Niu Youdao up and down with an exceedingly strange expression. "Isn't doing that a little too shameless?"

"Eh!" Niu Youdao shook his head. "It has nothing to do with shamelessness. In war, deception is simply part of the game."

"Heh. Deception in war?" Yan Li's expression and tone were full of contempt. "You're not the one who has to do it, so whether it's shameless doesn't matter to you, right?"

Niu Youdao sighed repeatedly. "I'm not forcing you, nor could I. I only offered it for your consideration. If you have a better method, decide for yourself."

"Enough of that." Yan Li waved him off. "Think this through first. Everything you're planning rests on the premise that those three sides fall into internal conflict. What if they don't?"

"If they don't, then all of you stay hidden and don't show yourselves. As the time for the exit to open draws closer and Qiyun Sect still can't obtain what it wants, that group won't be able to restrain themselves forever. Sooner or later they'll turn on Han and Song. At worst, I'll add another dose and make sure they fall out whether they want to or not!" Niu Youdao said. "In any case, once you return, prepare immediately. Wait for my message. The moment word from my side arrives, bring your people and rush over. As long as we coordinate properly, there shouldn't be a problem."

Yan Li asked, "What about you? Have you thought about that? Once Jin is driven away, the three states holding the exit become five. In Han, you destroyed Tiannü Sect. In Song, you destroyed Blood God Hall. In Wei, you destroyed Lingxu Mansion. In Qi, you destroyed Daqiu Sect. You didn't even spare our own State of Yan—Chu Fengping of Lingjian Mountain would love to skin you alive!"

"Of the five states guarding the exit, there isn't a single one you haven't offended! On top of that, once our groups meet, it'll become obvious that the Spirit Seeds are still with your people. How could they possibly let you go? Even if I wanted to help you, I couldn't withstand that many people intercepting us. Can you escape?"

"I don't need you to help me escape!" Niu Youdao swept a hand toward Fuhua and the others. "There are still more than seven hundred people on this side. Just find a way to help me get them out."

Yan Li raised his brows. "I can't even let you alone slip through. How am I supposed to get several hundred people through?"

"Hold back."

"Hold back?" Yan Li stared at him. Again?

Niu Youdao nodded. "The reason I want you to drive Jin away and take over its position at the exit is so you can get these people out. Once the five states occupy the exit, Zijin Cave must secure one sector for itself. Only then will they face the least resistance when they break through your side and have a chance to get out."

Yan Li fell into thought and understood. "If that's the case, you really would have a chance to break out with them."

"No." Niu Youdao shook his head. "I won't leave with them. I'll go out alone first. The moment the exit opens, Myriad Beasts Sect, Ling Sect, and Tianxing Sect will leave immediately. Once they're gone, I'll follow them out." He turned his head toward Fuhua and the others. "I go first. Afterward, you break out through the sector Zijin Cave is helping to cover."

Everyone looked surprised. Yan Li was even more startled. "You're going out alone first?"

Niu Youdao had only just nodded when Fuhua immediately objected. "No! The moment you show yourself first, you'll alert everyone. The others will start paying attention to Zijin Cave's side. If we then try to get out through there, we'll face far more resistance."

"Don't worry," Niu Youdao said. "I won't leave through Zijin Cave's side."

The others looked at one another.

Yan Li frowned. "Can you really get out alone?"

"You don't need to worry about that. I have my own way to escape."

Yan Li could not understand. "If you can leave together, why split it into before and after?"

Niu Youdao looked toward the Four Seas cultivators. "So they can get out more easily. So they can carry the Spirit Seeds out for me more easily. I've already created a false impression around the exit, trying to make people believe the Spirit Seeds on this side are all with Myriad Beasts Sect and the other neutral sects. Once those three sects leave, if I follow them out immediately afterward, it will make that false impression seem even more convincing."

Yan Li said impatiently, "What kind of convoluted nonsense is this?"

Niu Youdao turned back to him. "I cannot leave together with the Four Seas people! Only if the five states believe the goods are with the three neutral sects, only if they genuinely believe I've colluded with those three sects and that the goods have already gone out, will they think there's nothing left to gain by fighting the Four Seas people to the death. That will reduce the resistance when the Four Seas group tries to leave!"

Yan Li said, "Whether there's resistance or not isn't going to change much because of that tiny possibility!"

"Elder Yan!" Niu Youdao's voice suddenly rose, then softened again. "This time, I cannot afford to lose. If there is even the slightest possibility of increasing our chances of success, I have to use it. I cannot ignore it!"

Yan Li was about to say something more, but Niu Youdao raised a hand to stop him. "And that's not the only reason! If everyone believes there's nothing left to seize from the Four Seas group, Zijin Cave will have a reason not to stop them with everything it has... I'm giving you that excuse as well!"

Yan Li asked, "Once things reach that point, do we really still need an excuse like that?"

"We absolutely do!" Niu Youdao's voice rose sharply in objection before softening again. "This time, I truly cannot afford to lose! I don't only want the Spirit Seeds in Jin's hands. I also want the Spirit Seeds in Zijin Cave's hands! We cannot rule out the possibility that someone will secretly form an alliance and pool enough Spirit Seeds to seize first place. Since I can't eliminate every other faction, I have to control close to half of all the Spirit Seeds before I can guarantee first place!"

"Only if the matter is properly concealed can you quietly hand the Spirit Seeds over to me without arousing suspicion!"

Without arousing suspicion? Yan Li understood now. He understood why Niu Youdao had just taught him that shameless method.

"Elder Yan, the war outside has only been frozen. Once the Tiandu Secret Realm gathering ends, the fighting will continue. To avoid affecting the war, the relationship between me and Zijin Cave still cannot be known to Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain. Otherwise, all kinds of unpredictable consequences may follow."

"So you absolutely cannot let them become suspicious. You have to use this excuse!"

The scene abruptly fell silent. Everyone present felt an inexplicable shock. None of them had expected Niu Youdao's planning to reach this far.

"You..." Yan Li muttered half a sentence and stopped. His expression was exceedingly complicated. He truly did not know what to say about Niu Youdao.

At least one thing had become clear to him. This kind of thinking, accounting for every side and every consequence, not merely the immediate situation but also the war afterward and Nanzhou's position, could not have been improvised on the spot. Who knew how much effort Niu Youdao had already spent planning this escape? He had probably exhausted himself over it.

Yan Li suddenly had the strange feeling that Zijin Cave's special recruitment of this fellow into the sect might not necessarily have been a good thing.

Niu Youdao stood with both hands resting on his sword. As he looked into the distance, a fleeting trace of weariness passed through the depths of his eyes, almost impossible to notice.

His gaze slowly returned, breaking the silence. "Elder Yan, once the Four Seas people are out, Zijin Cave shouldn't linger either. No one can guarantee that something won't stir greed among the other four states and make them turn on you. Leave the Secret Realm as quickly as possible."

Yan Li seemed to be thinking something over. He gave a grunt. "Understood."

Then his eyes lifted toward the Four Seas cultivators. "If you're going to break through, you'll inevitably face some interception. Why not hand the Spirit Seeds you're carrying to Zijin Cave? It would be safer for Zijin Cave to take them out."

He was thinking of Niu Youdao. If these demons and monsters changed their minds after leaving the Secret Realm and refused to hand the Spirit Seeds over, all of Niu Youdao's effort would have been wasted.

"No!" Fuhua immediately shrilled in refusal, objecting without hesitation. She also stated the reason bluntly. "These Spirit Seeds are our final guarantee for getting out alive! Once we hand them over, we lose our value. Who knows what you'll do then? As long as we make it out, we'll naturally honor our promise. If we can't get out, we might as well scatter the Spirit Seeds along the road. Let the various states pick up however many they can!"

She gave Niu Youdao a strange smile. "We may not have been born in the same year, the same month, and the same day, but at least we can die in the same year, the same month, and the same day, right?"

It was a line from the oath of sworn brotherhood. Niu Youdao understood exactly what she meant: if we can't live, don't think you're going to live either.

Yan Li's face darkened.

Niu Youdao raised one hand to stop him. "No need for all that trouble. Leave the Spirit Seeds with them! I, Niu, have ridden through the jianghu. I travel roads and make friends. So long as someone sincerely wishes to be my friend, I put righteousness first and never treat them harshly!"

A brilliant smile immediately spread across Fuhua's face. She raised a thumb at him. "Well said. Little brother, I like hearing that!"

Their present situation was dangerous. Of course she liked that he was not stripping away her final leverage.

Yan Li frowned for a while but ultimately said no more. He raised a hand and patted Niu Youdao on the shoulder, signaling him to step aside for a private word.

Niu Youdao followed him away from the others and asked with a smile, "What instructions does Elder Yan have?"

Yan Li asked, "You're going out alone first. How exactly do you plan to escape?"

"I'll decide according to the circumstances. I can't say for certain yet. Methods are flexible even when people aren't. There will always be a way."

Yan Li asked again, "How did you escape from the river in that gorge?"

"Luck." Niu Youdao's expression did not change. "Originally I intended to use Zijin Cave's side to help me escape. Instead, I discovered a concealed underwater passage. By the time I came out of it, all of you had already left. That's how I got away."

"Oh." Yan Li gave him a sidelong look, his gaze rather meaningful. "Someone involved in the search saw a Misty Pavilion man leave the area. Chu Fengping suspects you may have disguised yourself as him. Once we get out, he may pay close attention to that point."

"Let him." Niu Youdao remained perfectly calm. "A straight body has no fear of a crooked shadow."

"Good." Yan Li nodded. Seeing nothing unusual in Niu Youdao's reaction, he relaxed slightly.

[End of Chapter 818]