Chapter 923: I Lost

Up in the treetops, the two Supreme Elders watching the fight exchanged a glance when they saw it end.

Chun Xinliang muttered, "Wasn't Niu Youdao said to still be at the Foundation Establishment Realm? Even if he's already at the Golden Core Realm, how could he take a solid blow like that without the slightest reaction? Surely his cultivation can't be higher than both of ours?"

There was a reason for his confusion. Even if the difference in cultivation were like that between an adult and a child, when a child charged into an adult with all his strength, it would still be difficult for the adult not to budge at all unless his body were exceptionally robust.

Tu Kuai muttered, "It is a little strange. We can ask later and see what happened."

Down below, the people of Zijin Cave looked at one another. From Yan Li's expression, it was hard to tell whether he was smiling.

The actual exchange in the training ground had not lasted long. If anything had taken time, it was the stretch before Niu Youdao counterattacked, when those fireballs had bombarded him without pause. But the instant Niu Youdao finally acted—a palm counterstrike, then a sword drawn in the same motion—the match had ended almost immediately.

The contest had concluded cleanly and decisively. Anyone with some experience could see afterward that both sides had adopted the same approach: wait for the opening, then decide victory with a single strike.

Gong Lince tilted his head slightly and murmured into Yan Li's ear, "Did he drug him?"

Yan Li understood what his Senior Brother meant. If Kunlin Shu had not been drugged, how could Niu Youdao have taken such a solid blow without reacting at all? Even if Niu Youdao's cultivation were higher, surely it could not be so absurdly high. No matter how one looked at it, something seemed strange.

"Probably," Yan Li murmured back.

Gong Lince asked quietly, "Do you know what drug he used?"

Yan Li said, "No."

Gong Lince said, "You're close to him. Find a way to ask later."

"Mm." Yan Li nodded. He was curious too.

Qian Fucheng, still stunned outside the grounds, felt his heart turn cold. The moment he thought of all the consequences, his mind went blank.

Fire Phoenix, held by the throat in Yun Ji's grip, watched her Senior Brother standing wounded beneath another man's sword, and tears poured down her face.

Even outsiders had seen the underlying pattern. Kunlin Shu, who had been in the fight himself, naturally understood it even more clearly. Niu Youdao's earlier lack of reaction had been bait, meant to lure him into attacking. He had also been aiming to decide the match in one strike.

Kunlin Shu truly no longer cared about the pain in his body. With a bitter smile, he said, "If you hadn't had a sword in your hand, I might not have lost to you."

Niu Youdao said, "A loss is a loss. A man doesn't need to make excuses for failure. You've seen the speed of my draw. You should know that if I'd used my sword for that counterattack, you wouldn't even have kept your life. I could have dismembered you on the spot."

Kunlin Shu said, "Give me one more chance. I still haven't brought out my true strength. I have stronger techniques I haven't used."

Niu Youdao said, "Is there any need? You've lost."

"I only want to bring out everything I have and truly fight you once. I can't accept losing like this!"

Niu Youdao asked in return, "Do you think I'll still fight you?"

Kunlin Shu's body was trembling from the abnormal condition inside him. "Elder Niu, please. I beg you, give me one more chance. As long as you fight me once more, no matter who wins or loses, count it as my loss. Will that do?"

Niu Youdao said, "Fine. I can satisfy you. But the old rule still applies. You don't have the standing to bargain with me. If you want me to agree, you must put up a price."

A trace of delight appeared on Kunlin Shu's face. "What does Elder Niu want?"

Niu Youdao lifted his chin toward the restrained Fire Phoenix. "Her. See her? Not bad-looking."

Kunlin Shu glanced at his Junior Sister, who was crying yet unable to move. His expression convulsed. In grief and fury he said, "You want my Junior Sister? Elder Niu, you're now a dignified Elder of Zijin Cave. Such a shameless thing..."

"You're overthinking it. I have no interest in your Junior Sister's looks." Niu Youdao beckoned backward with one hand. Not far away, the scabbard stuck in the ground tore itself free with a swish and shot toward him. The sword against Kunlin Shu's neck withdrew, reversed, and slid cleanly into the flying scabbard.

Niu Youdao turned the hilt in his hand and planted the sheathed sword against the ground, both hands resting atop it. His long hair drifted in the wind as he said expressionlessly, "I can give you another chance. I can fight you one more time, right now. The offer expires if you wait. I don't have that much time to play with you. If you lose, I will take your Junior Sister's life immediately. I will cut off her head in front of you.

"You already took one palm from me. Do you think you're still in any condition to fight? And don't tell me to let you heal first, then wait until you're recovered before I fight you again. If you want to fight, then fight now. Put your Junior Sister's head up as the stake. Do you dare?"

The abnormality inside Kunlin Shu made him shudder again without thinking.

And he understood. Niu Youdao was teaching him a principle.

Even if no one restrained him now, even if there were no sword at his neck, even if he were allowed to continue fighting freely, the condition inside his body meant he still could not win. There was no question of whether he had managed to display his full strength. Even if he had lost because of one mistake, a loss was still a loss.

"I lost!" Kunlin Shu closed his eyes and gave a bitter smile.

Niu Youdao lifted his head slightly and looked at the sky. He found the answer satisfactory enough. If Kunlin Shu were willing to let his own wife die for the sake of his obsession, then Niu Youdao would not keep him. If even his wife's life could not restrain him, a man like that would be useless to retain.

From the moment the two had met again, Niu Youdao had been testing Kunlin Shu's bottom line. Now he was finally reassured. He asked slowly, "I remember that earlier you told me there were things a man shouldn't do, and told me not to drag a woman into matters between men. I told you I didn't need you to remind me whether I was a man.

"Now ask yourself this. Becoming a slave yourself would have been one thing, but you dragged your Junior Sister into lifelong slavery with you. Tell me—is that something a man should do?"

"Heh..." Kunlin Shu laughed bitterly, and then he cried.

Fire Phoenix saw it. Seeing a grown man like her Senior Brother shedding tears in public cut her heart like a knife. She wanted to struggle but could not move. She wanted to shout but could make no sound.

The people outside the grounds had no idea what the two were saying.

Niu Youdao said calmly, "What's a grown man crying for? Do you regret it? Do you regret how recklessly you acted before?"

Kunlin Shu choked on his tears. He did regret it.

Once his stubborn obsession was shattered, he finally came to his senses. He truly regretted it. Niu Youdao's warning had been right. If he alone had wanted to throw his life away, that would have been one thing, but he had actually dragged his Junior Sister into lifelong slavery because of his own stubborn insistence. The remorse in him was beyond measure.

His long hair drifting in the wind, Niu Youdao leaned on his sword and said evenly, "Cry if you want. It won't help. A man's tears aren't worth money. Just now you asked me to give you a chance. Think carefully. Did I give you one or not?

"It isn't that I never gave you a chance. Before the match, I gave you chance after chance. I told you repeatedly that if you regretted it then, there was still time. I reminded you that in single combat, I have never once been defeated. I even warned you, plainly enough, that you did not know my true depth and should not act rashly. But you refused to listen. You wouldn't shed a tear until you saw the coffin."

Every word now struck straight at the heart. What remained of Kunlin Shu's spirit was trampled down until he finally understood just how foolish he had been. He regretted it so much his guts seemed to turn green. Choking back tears, he said, "I deserve ten thousand deaths. My death would be no loss!"

"Death?" Niu Youdao raised an eyebrow. "Open those tear-filled eyes and look at your crying Junior Sister."

Kunlin Shu lifted his head and looked at his Junior Sister, whose tears were falling soundlessly.

Niu Youdao said slowly, "I advise you not to do anything foolish. You had better honor the promise you made. You're mine now. Whether you live or die is for me to decide. If you dare break your word, tonight I'll send seven or eight men to your Junior Sister. I guarantee she'll remember it for the rest of her life."

Kunlin Shu was furious. He whipped his head around. "You..."

Niu Youdao looked at him sidelong. "I told you already: this road was one you chose yourself. Don't regret it. And you told me yourself that fortune or disaster, glory or disgrace, you would bear it willingly. Regretting it now is too late!

"Kunlin Shu, learn wisdom from this setback. Remember my words properly this time and don't act like a fool again: if you live, your Junior Sister lives. If you die, your Junior Sister will live a life worse than death. I mean what I say!"

Kunlin Shu's face was full of grief and fury. His entire body trembled with it, yet there was nothing he could do to the man before him. Only now did he begin to realize something: everything was under this man's control!

Just then, Niu Youdao's cold gaze swept aside. He suddenly raised a hand and waved, while stepping in front of Kunlin Shu himself.

Qian Fucheng was coming, flying toward them.

The instant he saw Niu Youdao's signal, Wu Zhaoxing flashed over urgently as well.

Yun Ji handed the restrained Fire Phoenix over to Guan Fangyi, then flashed to Niu Youdao's side. She and Wu Zhaoxing took positions to his left and right, guarding him.

Qian Fucheng clenched his teeth inwardly. Once he recovered from the daze of defeat, he had immediately made a decision: he would rather kill Kunlin Shu himself than allow him to fall into Niu Youdao's hands. Otherwise, there would be no way to answer to the sect. In any case, when they had arranged for Kunlin Shu to go to Sacred Realm, there had already been an intention to send him to his death.

Seeing the people barring his path, Qian Fucheng realized his attempt had probably failed. Niu Youdao's vigilance and reaction were far too sharp.

"Elder Qian, what business do you have?" Niu Youdao asked coldly.

Qian Fucheng said, "Move aside. I have something to say to Kunlin Shu."

Niu Youdao said, "From this moment on, he's mine. If you have something to say, say it from where you are."

The reaction from Niu Youdao's side also made Gong Lince and the others realize something was wrong. They rapidly flashed over and gathered around Niu Youdao, fully displaying the advantage of fighting on home ground.

Qian Fucheng knew it was over. This was not a place where he could behave however he pleased, and he no longer had any opportunity to try.

He had brewed this bitter fruit himself. Now he had to swallow it.

Qian Fucheng's throat moved. From behind the people between them, he asked, "Kunlin Shu, was there some problem with this match? If there was, say so. I will uphold justice for you!"

Now he was trying to find room to dispute the result.

But it was too late. Niu Youdao had already sealed off every road of retreat. He gave a cold laugh and immediately cut in. "Kunlin Shu, a man had better not go back on his word. Otherwise, I mean what I say!" As he spoke, he slowly turned his head toward Fire Phoenix, still held outside the grounds.

Kunlin Shu was not stupid. He understood the Elder's intention. But when he followed Niu Youdao's gaze and saw his Junior Sister's tear-streaked face, desolation filled his heart. How could he fail to understand what Niu Youdao meant?

Yan Li glanced back as well, and delight immediately rose in his heart. Truly ingenious. This Junior Brother had bitten down on Kunlin Shu's wife and refused to let go, and now it was obvious what a brilliant move that had been. His Junior Brother really was scheming enough to the bone. This was getting interesting.

"Elder, I lost!" Kunlin Shu lowered his head and admitted it.

[End of Chapter 923]