Chapter 872: The Only Way Is to Take Them by Force

Niu Youdao sighed.

"There are some things I hope Your Highness understands."

"It's not that I never considered having Your Highness withdraw the army in exchange for the safety of the Commandery Princess and the young prince."

"But that approach won't work."

"It isn't because I'm reluctant to give up the gains of this war."

"If we do that, we ruin the plans of the three great sects. Once that happens, what reason will they have left to restrain themselves?"

"With no internal or external force holding them back, they will certainly strike at us without mercy."

"Even if the Commandery Princess and the young prince return safely, they still won't escape the calamity."

"And it won't be only us who suffer. Large numbers of the brothers under Your Highness will be dragged into the bloodbath as well."

Shang Chaozong replied, "This Prince understands everything Master Dao is saying."

"Just tell me what needs to be done. I will obey."

Niu Youdao said, "What I mean is that we have no other choice left."

"We can only take them from the enemy by force!"

"Take them?" Meng Shanming was startled. "They're hostages in the enemy's hands. They will certainly be guarded extremely tightly."

"The enemy can take the lives of the Commandery Princess and the young prince at any moment."

"There is simply no opening to act."

"How are we supposed to take them by force?"

They could hardly seize two corpses and call that a rescue.

Niu Youdao raised one hand toward him.

"I already have a general idea of what to do."

"I'll adapt to circumstances and handle things as carefully as I can."

"But I need to make one thing clear beforehand."

"I have no absolute certainty of success."

"All I can say is that I will do everything I can."

"Your Highness must prepare yourself for the worst."

The hearts of Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming sank instantly.

With enormous difficulty, Shang Chaozong nodded.

"I understand."

"Master Dao, give the orders. This Prince will cooperate with everything I have."

Niu Youdao pointed toward Yun Ji.

"As for Zhao's army, Yun Ji and I are going over there right now."

"At the moment, I have no direct channel of contact with the other side, and their area is under military control."

"I need Your Highness to help me establish contact."

At those words, everyone except Yun Ji, who already knew the plan, looked surprised.

Even Guan Fangyi was startled.

Shang Chaozong said in astonishment, "You're going to Zhao's army now?"

"There are still several hours before the time we agreed to meet. Why go now?"

Niu Youdao replied, "The agreed time can be moved forward."

"The reason for doing so is secrecy."

"My meeting with Zhao's forces cannot be allowed to reach the ears of the three great sects, or they will certainly ruin things."

"I'll speak plainly."

"The three great sects are unreliable."

"I have been guarding against them all along."

"That's why I previously told Your Highness to make absolutely certain what truly happened at the Prince's residence."

"Forget before. Even now, I still do not trust them."

"We have to guard against them."

Shang Chaozong asked, "Good. What should I do?"

Niu Youdao said, "Large numbers of Your Highness's scouts are constantly moving and hiding along the front lines. No one will find that unusual, and they can avoid the eyes of the three great sects."

"Secretly send one reliable man carrying a letter to Zhao's army."

"Tell them I want to go over personally and hold a confidential meeting."

"Have their aerial defenses prepare to receive me and let me through."

"If I go personally, they will agree."

Shang Chaozong nodded.

"That's simple. It won't be a problem."

"Anything else?"

"Yes."

"Your Highness must also prepare to attack."

"You do not need to seek victory."

"Even a feigned attack is enough."

"In any case, you must force the enemy to draw more strength toward the front to reinforce its defenses."

Shang Chaozong asked, "That can be done. When do we move?"

Niu Youdao replied, "Watch carefully."

"After I arrive there, once fighting breaks out on my side, the commotion will not be small."

"As long as you pay attention, you should notice it."

"The instant I move, Your Highness must move as well."

"Remember: do not delay."

"I'm placing my life in Your Highness's hands."

"This..." Shang Chaozong stared at him in alarm and uncertainty.

Meng Shanming was equally shocked.

Just the two of them?

Guan Fangyi blurted, "Master Dao, you and Yun Ji are going into Zhao's army to start a fight?"

Niu Youdao replied, "If we're going to take them by force, fighting is unavoidable."

That was not what shocked Guan Fangyi.

She pressed him, "Don't tell me the two of you are going there by yourselves to snatch people away."

"You're not joking, are you?"

Niu Youdao asked, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Now Guan Fangyi finally understood the plan.

"You want to use the Heavenly Sword Talismans as cover to buy Yun Ji enough time to take the Commandery Princess and the young prince underground and escape?"

"At present, that's the only way," Niu Youdao said. "It's the only workable method."

Guan Fangyi asked, "Then how are you going to escape?"

"That's why I need Your Highness to launch an attack in support. It will lure large numbers of enemy cultivators toward the front."

Guan Fangyi was growing anxious.

"What good will that do?"

"You're going deep into the heart of the enemy position."

"Forget eight Heavenly Sword Talismans. You still need to spend some of them buying time for Yun Ji."

"Even if you had a hundred Heavenly Sword Talismans, you wouldn't be able to fight your way out from that far inside!"

"Zhao's strongest forces are gathered over there now."

"With such a long distance to cover, they can keep you tied down no matter what."

"There's no way you can break free!"

She turned toward Yun Ji.

"Do you think this is workable?"

Yun Ji shook her head.

"I also think it's too dangerous."

"I advised him against it, but he insists."

Guan Fangyi did not care what Shang Chaozong or Meng Shanming thought.

She warned Niu Youdao directly, "If you do this, you're throwing my money into the water."

"I don't agree."

"I absolutely oppose it!"

Niu Youdao did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"How can you go three sentences without bringing up money?"

"I told you already. I'll repay the cost of the Heavenly Sword Talismans double afterward."

Guan Fangyi glared at him.

"If you're dead, am I supposed to ask a ghost for repayment?"

"And after all the wicked things you've done, are you even qualified to become a ghost?"

Niu Youdao refused to argue with her.

"Enough. My mind is made up. There's no need to say more."

Shang Chaozong also tried to stop him.

"Master Dao, if that's the plan, then forget about saving Qing'er and the child."

"It's too dangerous."

"You're overthinking it," Niu Youdao said. "If I had no confidence at all, I wouldn't take the risk for no reason."

"It's settled."

Guan Fangyi said, "Master Dao, listen to me for once."

"If this method can work, then let the people from the three great sects go instead."

"The strongest forces of all three sects are gathered here. They have the strength to fight the people opposite."

"Give them the Heavenly Sword Talismans and let them go."

"With their strength, they're the most suitable people to snatch the hostages back."

Niu Youdao replied, "Aren't you talking nonsense?"

"Send the people of the three great sects deep into an enemy army filled with experts and surrounded by thousands upon thousands of troops to snatch hostages?"

"Do you think they'll agree?"

Guan Fangyi was genuinely desperate now.

"Then you can't go with only two people either!"

"At least bring more men!"

Niu Youdao said, "More people would make things worse."

"The more people we bring, the more alert the enemy becomes."

"They would never allow the Commandery Princess and the young prince to leave their control, and we'd have gone for nothing."

"Only a small group can make the enemy relax its vigilance enough for us to find an opening."

"Besides, more people would only become burdens."

"Anyone extra who goes will certainly be going to die. I won't be able to protect them."

"To put it unpleasantly, the ones willing to follow me into danger are all our own people."

"There is no need to sacrifice our own people to save our own people."

Meng Shanming, who had been frowning in thought, suddenly spoke.

"Master Dao, your method truly is too risky. I don't think it's advisable."

"But after hearing your reasoning, I do have a steadier approach."

"Oh?" Niu Youdao said. "I'd like to hear Marshal Meng's advice."

Everyone else looked at Meng Shanming expectantly as well.

After some thought, Meng Shanming said, "If you go deep into the enemy's rear, a feigned attack by our army will not help much."

"If Master Dao truly has a certain degree of confidence, then I still suggest acting at the time both sides already agreed to meet."

"At that time, the two armies will be confronting one another, and our own experts will all be present."

"If anything changes, our people can immediately charge across and rescue you."

"With a large number of Heavenly Sword Talismans protecting Master Dao, helping you break free should not be a problem."

Shang Chaozong nodded.

"That can work."

Guan Fangyi nodded repeatedly as well.

"Yes, yes. Let's do it that way."

Niu Youdao looked at them and asked, "Are all of you eager for me to die early?"

"Uh..." Meng Shanming stared. "Master Dao, why would you say that?"

Niu Youdao replied, "I already said this absolutely cannot be allowed to reach the ears of the three great sects."

"There are certain things I'm sure all of you understand in your hearts."

"The three great sects would love to eliminate me."

"The only reason they have not done it yet is that the present moment is not ideal."

"A great battle is imminent. They do not want fresh disorder."

"In front of Your Highness and Marshal Meng, at the moment of the decisive battle, they have reservations and cannot conveniently attack me."

"But if I die at the hands of the enemy?"

"Nothing could suit them better."

"Do you truly think that if the two armies are facing one another and I'm surrounded and attacked, they will risk everything to rescue me?"

"Even if all of you are watching, even if they appear to intervene, they can still make sure they lose."

"They have countless ways to lose in such a fashion that none of you can find fault."

"No matter how many Heavenly Sword Talismans I carry, I will never escape."

"They can simply let Zhao's cultivators keep me tied down, fighting and chasing until I'm dead."

"This affair absolutely cannot be allowed to reach their ears."

"Otherwise, I dare guarantee they will borrow another man's blade to kill me!"

Everyone fell silent, their expressions grave.

Niu Youdao continued, "There is another problem."

"When the two armies are facing one another, the enemy will never allow the Commandery Princess and the young prince to leave their control."

"So long as they keep hold of the hostages—even if they only have one finger touching the Commandery Princess and the young prince—I will have no way to get the two of them out safely."

As he finished speaking, he walked several steps to the hanging map and pointed at the heavily defended location of the enemy's central command camp.

He tapped it twice.

"This is why I need to meet them in secret ahead of time."

"The private discussion isn't the goal."

"The goal is to avoid the people of the three great sects and to make sure I appear here."

"If I go over early, then naturally this is where they'll take me."

"The place is filled with experts and protected by a great army."

"If only the two of us go, our numbers pose no threat."

"Only then will they relax their vigilance enough for me to create a moment when the Commandery Princess and the young prince are temporarily out of their control."

"If you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you seize the tiger cub?"

Guan Fangyi said anxiously, "Fine. Let's say everything you said makes sense."

"But if you have to cover Yun Ji while she takes them underground, how are you going to escape yourself?"

"There are too many experts over there."

"Even the Supreme Elders of Zhao's three great sects are all present."

"You have no way out!"

"That is why I asked Marshal Meng about Jiao Lake earlier."

Niu Youdao lifted his hand and pointed toward the lake on the map.

"This place is only two li from the enemy's central command tent."

"Once Yun Ji gets the hostages away, I will immediately rely on the Heavenly Sword Talismans and fight my way sideways toward Jiao Lake."

"So long as I can escape into Jiao Lake, they may not be able to do anything to me."

"After Yun Ji gets the Commandery Princess and the young prince to safety, she'll immediately hurry to Jiao Lake to meet me and take me away beneath the lakebed."

Niu Youdao lowered his hand from the map and turned toward Shang Chaozong.

"That is why I need Your Highness's army to launch an attack in support."

"I have only a limited number of Heavenly Sword Talismans. I cannot hold out for long."

"My only option is to flee toward Jiao Lake and use it as cover."

"Only if Your Highness's army draws large numbers of cultivators toward the front to reinforce the defenses will I have a chance to escape."

"Otherwise, if thousands upon thousands of cultivators pour into Jiao Lake after me, I fear one man alone will never survive long enough for Yun Ji to come retrieve me."

"So Your Highness must remember this."

"The instant fighting begins on my side, your army must launch its offensive promptly."

"You cannot move too early."

"If you move early, you'll alert the enemy. They'll clamp down on the Commandery Princess and the young prince, and I won't have any chance to act."

"And you cannot move too late."

"If you're late, my life will be forfeit!"

Everyone stared at him, deeply shaken.

They could all imagine what the scene would look like.

Surrounded by thousands upon thousands of enemy soldiers and experts gathered like clouds, Master Dao would have to fight his way through alone and carve out a path of blood.

Guan Fangyi's eyes reddened.

"Didn't you say you hate fighting and killing?"

[End of Chapter 872]