Chapter 893: Zijin Cave's New Elder

Gong Lince said, "Whether Mr. Yucang controls Qin's government is not important for the moment. What Xiaoyue Pavilion needs to do now is win over the officials and people of Zhao's former territory and turn those lands fully into its own. That is its most urgent task. For now, it poses no threat to us and will not go looking for trouble either."

"Yan's ordeal can be considered over. In the end, one could even say we turned misfortune into blessing."

His last words carried deep emotion.

Back then, Yan had faced the danger of national destruction.

Now not only had it turned the war around, it had also swallowed a large portion of Zhao's territory.

How could Gong Lince not feel emotional?

For the moment, the situation surrounding Yan was favorable.

The new Qin was busy stabilizing its internal affairs.

Han and Song were still at war and had no attention to spare for Yan.

Yan's current position was excellent.

Niu Youdao slowly sipped his tea and teased, "If Yan managed to turn misfortune into blessing, then my Nanzhou should receive the foremost credit."

Gong Lince did not disagree.

Without Nanzhou campaigning east and west, without Nanzhou holding Yan's military morale together, and without Nanzhou's commanders and generals devising their strategies, the state destroyed now might not have been Zhao at all.

It might have been Yan.

"That's true," Gong Lince said. "But Xiaoyao Palace and Lingjian Mountain will never admit it. I'm afraid they'll still want to settle accounts with all of you."

Niu Youdao said, "I'm hiding inside Zijin Cave. What can they do to me? So long as I remain alive, let them try laying a hand on Shang Chaozong if they have the nerve."

"If they dare touch someone under Zijin Cave's protection, Zijin Cave presumably won't let their people off either. Isn't that so?"

Gong Lince sighed. "Once the fact that you've come here is made public, those two sects will probably fly into a rage from humiliation. The pressure on me will be enormous."

"So long as it doesn't crush you, it isn't pressure worth talking about." Niu Youdao set down his tea. "To prevent fresh complications, Zijin Cave should immediately send a group of experts to Shang Chaozong and take over his protection completely."

"I'll make the arrangements with Shang Chaozong's side. They'll cooperate."

"Sect Leader Gong, I do not want anything happening to Shang Chaozong. I'll put the words here plainly. If anything happens to him, I guarantee the armies of Nanzhou and Jinzhou will immediately rise in rebellion. No one will have an easy time!"

Gong Lince replied, "You need not worry about Shang Chaozong's safety. I'll make the arrangements."

"What we may still need to discuss, however, is the matter of you joining Zijin Cave."

"Oh?"

Niu Youdao put down his teacup and spread both hands.

"I don't care either way. If Zijin Cave doesn't want me, I can go to Xiaoyao Palace. I can go to Lingjian Mountain too."

Gong Lince's brows lifted.

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm standing on your territory. How would I dare threaten you?" Niu Youdao said. "I'm only stating a fact. If there is no place for me here, there will naturally be another place that will take me. I'm not the kind of man who hangs himself from a single tree."

Gong Lince said, "You're thinking too much. What I want to discuss is this: the promise we made to you will not change, and neither will the Elder position we agreed to give you."

"But you are joining Zijin Cave midway through your path. The others mean that you may become an Elder of Zijin Cave, but for the time being you will have no authority to participate in Zijin Cave's decisions."

"Everyone wants to observe you a little longer and make sure your heart truly lies with Zijin Cave before discussing anything further."

Standing nearby, Guan Fangyi immediately looked toward Niu Youdao to see how he would react.

Niu Youdao ran one finger around the rim of his teacup.

"In other words, my position as Elder will be an empty title."

"I won't have the right to participate in decisions, but once all of you make a decision, I must obey it. Is that what you mean?"

Gong Lince replied, "Every disciple of a sect must obey the sect's decisions. That is not unique to Zijin Cave. Every sect works the same way."

Niu Youdao chuckled.

"You want the horse to run, yet you won't feed it grass. You people truly know how to arrange things."

"Fine. I don't care. I agree."

Gong Lince continued, "There is one more matter. Although you will be given the corresponding rank, for now you will not have the right to consult Zijin Cave's higher-level cultivation methods."

"Until everyone can be certain you truly stand with us, I hope you can understand how the others feel."

Niu Youdao laughed again.

"I understand. I understand. Fine. I agree."

Seeing how readily he accepted the conditions, Gong Lince stood.

"Good. Then it's settled."

"Prepare yourself a little. Tomorrow I'll take you to pay respects to Senior Martial Uncle Zhong Guzi."

"Once that lineage is established, your position as an Elder of Zijin Cave will become perfectly proper."

"All right."

Niu Youdao rose to see his guest out.

After Gong Lince left, Guan Fangyi came to Niu Youdao's side.

"No authority over this, no authority over that. Why didn't you even ask what benefits or powers you actually get? You just agreed blindly?"

Niu Youdao said, "What's there to ask? I hold actual power in my hands. They can't manipulate me however they please. Do I need to haggle with them over every word?"

"Take one step back and the sea and sky open wide. First preserve the useful body. There will be plenty of days ahead."

"We can play slowly."

"There's no rush."

...

Zhong Guzi was the senior-most of Zijin Cave's five surviving Supreme Elders, and also the oldest.

Even the other Supreme Elders addressed him as Senior Brother.

According to Yan Li, this venerable elder was nearing the end of his lifespan and had only a few years left to live. He remained in long-term seclusion and almost never emerged.

Naturally, Niu Youdao had gone out of his way to ask Yan Li about him.

He was about to take the man as his master. He could hardly know nothing about what sort of person that master was.

From Yan Li's explanation, Niu Youdao detected a certain flavor in the arrangement.

Although Zhong Guzi held extraordinary seniority, he possessed little factional influence inside the sect.

Niu Youdao guessed that those above and below in Zijin Cave did not want him joining hands with any powerful Supreme Elder who already controlled a faction within the sect.

So they had disturbed this old man, who had been secluded for years.

The next day, Niu Youdao was led to a point halfway up a cliff face.

Guan Fangyi, who had followed him, was stopped below and not allowed to approach. She could only watch from a distance.

A pavilion had been built half into the cliff itself.

Outside it, Sect Leader Gong Lince stood waiting atop a flight of stone steps.

When Niu Youdao arrived, Gong Lince gave him a slight nod.

Below the steps, on a stone platform cut into the cliff, stood Yan Li, Yue Yuan, Shen Baochun, Qiao Tianguang, Yuan An, Fu Junrang, Yin Yide, and Mo Lingxue.

All eight Elders of Zijin Cave were present.

They stood in two rows beneath the steps.

Mo Lingxue was a woman.

Whether they had met him before or not, all eight were studying Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao also stepped forward of his own accord to greet and acquaint himself with them.

Some responded coldly.

Others were warmer.

Niu Youdao paid no mind and remained courteous to all.

After a short wait, the great doors set into the pavilion opened with a low rumble.

An extremely old man with a face covered in wrinkles slowly walked out.

Gong Lince and the eight Elders immediately turned together, cupped their hands, and bowed.

"Senior Martial Uncle!"

Niu Youdao followed by cupping his hands.

He did not address the old man yet.

His place in the lineage had not been formally established, so it would have been improper to call him anything casually.

His eyes flickered as he carefully studied the old man.

There was no need to ask.

This was almost certainly Zhong Guzi.

Zhong Guzi's drooping eyelids lifted a little.

He looked directly at Niu Youdao.

"Is this the one?"

"Precisely," Gong Lince replied respectfully.

Zhong Guzi said, "I took six disciples in my life. Every one of them died an untimely death for the sake of the sect."

"I have nothing to give you."

"Are you certain you still wish to take me as your master?"

Niu Youdao answered, "I am willing."

Zhong Guzi's eyes, suddenly full of spirit despite his aged face, swept slowly across everyone present.

He naturally understood what these people were planning.

But each generation had its own affairs.

With sect rules above them, many matters were no longer his to control.

In the end, he sighed.

"Then do as you wish."

Gong Lince immediately stepped aside and gestured to Niu Youdao, signaling him to proceed according to what had already been agreed.

Niu Youdao walked forward.

At the foot of the stone steps, before everyone present, he knelt and kowtowed in formal discipleship.

Watching from far away, Guan Fangyi suddenly felt an inexplicable ache in her heart.

After Niu Youdao completed the ceremony of taking a master, Zhong Guzi said little.

He removed a jade pendant from his waist and tossed it to Niu Youdao.

"Unless there is something important, do not come disturb me."

"Letting go is also a kind of blessing."

"Take care how you conduct yourself from this day onward."

With that, he turned and walked back through the doors.

"This disciple will remember Master's teachings!"

Niu Youdao held the jade pendant in both hands and bowed again.

He watched Zhong Guzi leave.

Only after the pavilion doors had closed did he rise on his own and look over the jade pendant in his hand.

Gong Lince descended the steps with a smile.

"Junior Brother, from now on we're all brothers of the same sect."

Niu Youdao immediately cupped his hands toward the others.

"Greetings, Senior Brothers. Senior Sister."

Everyone exchanged a round of polite courtesies.

Gong Lince patted him on the shoulder.

"Enough. There's no need for everyone to stand on ceremony."

"Someone will send your clothing over shortly. Once you've changed, come to the council hall. There is something we need to discuss with you."

The group dispersed.

Yan Li gave Niu Youdao a smile before turning away as well.

Niu Youdao looked back at the tightly shut doors for a moment, thoughtful.

Then he too turned and left.

On the stone steps descending the mountain, he met Guan Fangyi.

As the two walked down the winding stairway together, Guan Fangyi muttered, "People always say there is gold beneath a man's knees. You knelt awfully readily. I imagine it didn't feel very good inside?"

Niu Youdao walked with one hand resting on his sword and the other playing idly with the jade pendant.

He shook his head slightly.

"He's old enough to be my great-grandfather."

"I can kneel to him, and he can accept it."

"There's nothing uncomfortable about that."

Not long after the two returned to Maolu Annex, Wen Mo'er arrived.

Two female disciples followed behind her, each carrying several sets of clothing.

"Greetings, Elder!"

Wen Mo'er led the two women in a smiling bow.

"No need for such courtesy."

Niu Youdao waved a hand.

"We meet again."

Wen Mo'er smiled and nodded.

Then she pointed toward the clothing.

"The Sect Leader asked me to deliver these and told Elder to change before going quickly to the council hall."

"From today onward, the three of us have been assigned by the sect to attend to Elder's daily needs."

"If there is anything you require, simply instruct us."

"Much obliged."

Niu Youdao replied courteously and signaled Guan Fangyi to accept the clothing.

Afterward, he went inside.

When he emerged again, he wore an entirely purple set of robes.

He now looked every inch a proper disciple of Zijin Cave.

Four golden satin ribbons hung from his waist, marking his rank as Elder.

The Sect Leader and the sect's Supreme Elders wore five ribbons.

Elders wore four.

Steward disciples wore three.

Senior disciples wore two.

Ordinary disciples wore one.

Junior disciples wore none.

Different rank meant different treatment and privileges within the sect.

Watching from the courtyard, Wu Zhaoxing and Yun Ji glanced at one another.

Having learned that a group of people was already waiting for him, Niu Youdao did not linger.

Wen Mo'er led the way to the council hall.

Once they arrived, she did not have the status to enter.

She remained outside and watched Niu Youdao go in alone.

The people inside were the same group he had seen during the apprenticeship ceremony.

They dispensed quickly with the polite words and went straight to the subject.

As Niu Youdao listened, one brow rose slightly.

One after another, they began asking him to hand over the secret liquor formulas.

"As a disciple of Zijin Cave, there is no such thing as private property. Everything is to be placed under the sect's unified allocation and distribution."

"This principle is not unique to Zijin Cave. It is the same in every sect."

Voices came from all sides.

Niu Youdao listened with a smile.

Seeing him remain so calm, Yan Li began to feel something was wrong.

He knew this bastard far too well.

Niu Youdao had never been some soft persimmon others could casually squeeze.

Once everyone finally stopped talking, Niu Youdao asked, "What does the Sect Leader think?"

Gong Lince looked somewhat embarrassed.

Even so, his expression remained solemn.

"No one is trying to make things difficult for you. Sect rules apply equally to everyone."

"A long war has consumed a great deal of the sect's wealth, and there are still many disciples who must be supported."

"Naturally, ownership would belong to the sect, but management would still remain under your control."

"What do you think?"

What did he think?

Niu Youdao had originally intended to hand the formulas over to Zijin Cave.

But now he did not want to give them so much as a single coin's worth.

He rested both hands on his sword.

His ten fingers tapped lightly for a while.

Then he suddenly said, "I have no objection. I obey the sect's decision."

"But this matter isn't mine to decide."

Everyone frowned.

Gong Lince looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

Niu Youdao said, "I won't hide it from any of you."

"When I attended the gathering at the Tiandu Secret Realm, I caused some trouble in Tiangu and nearly lost my life."

"To save myself, I offered the secret formulas to Sha Rulai."

"Now, if I start passing them around elsewhere, I have no idea what Sha Rulai might think."

"Why don't all of you ask Sha Rulai for his opinion first?"

"So long as he has no objection, I certainly have no objection."

"I'll hand them over with both hands!"

[End of Chapter 893]