Chapter 935: An Ungrateful Wolf You Can Never Feed Full

Gong Lince plainly had something he wanted to ask Niu Youdao, but he first accompanied Yuwen Yan away.

Watching the two groups depart, Guan Fangyi walked over to Niu Youdao's side and asked, "Yuwen Yan was acting all mysterious just now. What did he say to you?"

Niu Youdao narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "He may have realized I was the one manipulating things behind the scenes."

"What?" Guan Fangyi was surprised. "We handled everything pretty carefully. We didn't leave any obvious trace. Are you overthinking it?"

Niu Youdao said, "Whether I'm overthinking it or not, there's no way around letting Kunlin Shu represent Tianhuo Sect in Sacred Realm now. I underestimated Sect Leader Yuwen and carelessly let him turn the tables on me."

Guan Fangyi did not understand. "Because you promised Kunlin Shu you'd let him represent Tianhuo Sect in Sacred Realm?"

Niu Youdao sighed. "Pang Zhuo, the master of Kunlin Shu and his wife. Have you forgotten what Yuwen Yan said to threaten Kunlin Shu just now?"

Guan Fangyi said, "I remember. Yuwen Yan said that if Kunlin Shu wouldn't go to Sacred Realm, what grounds did he have to believe Kunlin Shu would dare fight to mutual ruin?"

Niu Youdao said, "It's more than that. That old fellow had no good intentions. He deliberately stopped halfway and didn't force the issue. Then, once he was outside, he deliberately pulled me aside and whispered something mysterious to me. If I later insist that Kunlin Shu go to Sacred Realm, people on Zijin Cave's side will find it hard not to suspect there's something between me and Tianhuo Sect. The old fellow deliberately buried a nail for me to step on."

Guan Fangyi's expression grew slightly grave. "Will it be troublesome?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "Not especially. He only wanted to make me uncomfortable. He was also telling me that he'd seen through my tricks and knows I don't want to hand the people over to Zijin Cave, and won't let Zijin Cave dispose of them. That's why he could leave without worry."

Guan Fangyi was startled again. "If he saw through it, could Zijin Cave have seen through it too?"

Niu Youdao said, "He probably figured it out by combining everything with that letter. Zijin Cave has no clue about the letter at all. They won't connect it to me."

Guan Fangyi immediately became alert. "Then will he tell Zijin Cave?"

"Tell them what?" Niu Youdao said. "That I sent the letter that drew them here? What evidence does he have? Without evidence, it would look like he's trying to sow discord between us. At the very least, there would be grounds to suspect him of that. Since he already knows I don't want to hand the people over to Zijin Cave, he won't expose the matter. If the right to dispose of Kunlin Shu and his wife truly fell into Zijin Cave's hands, would he then prepare to keep bargaining with Zijin Cave? The best move is to let go! He's a smart man. He won't negotiate with Zijin Cave anymore. He should leave Zijin Cave."

With that, he turned and went back inside.

Kunlin Shu and Fire Phoenix were still in the covered corridor, leaning against one another in dejection, neither saying a word.

Niu Youdao walked in and sighed. "Since things have reached this point, forget about Tianhuo Sect. There's nothing good about that crowd anyway. They wanted to send you to Sacred Realm. You know perfectly well what intentions they had. This whole mess began because they were unkind first. You two don't need to blame yourselves too much. Just face reality."

...

"Brother Yuwen, you...?" Gong Lince realized something was wrong.

He had assumed the Tianhuo Sect party would return to the guest quarters. Zijin Cave had already prepared for a second round of negotiations. Instead, Yuwen Yan led his people in the wrong direction. They were actually preparing to part ways and leave outright.

Yuwen Yan said coldly, "We came unannounced and caused quite a disturbance. Tianhuo Sect still has matters to handle. We'll be returning first."

Gong Lince froze, then hurriedly said, "Brother Yuwen, I wasn't deliberately trying to make things difficult for you. How about this? We've known each other for many years, and I only need to give everyone in my sect some sort of accounting. I can make a concession. We can sit down and discuss things slowly."

Yuwen Yan said, "There's no point going in circles. I said ten million. Will you accept it or not? Give me a straight answer."

If he could bring the people back at a relatively small price, he still wanted them back. If the price was too high, then forget it.

Gong Lince chuckled. "Brother Yuwen, are you trying to dismiss a beggar?"

Yuwen Yan said nothing more. He turned and made a signal. The people below immediately rang their signal bells, and before long several large flying mounts arrived.

Yuwen Yan took the lead. His accompanying party jumped onto the flying mounts after him, then rose into the sky and departed.

"Brother Yuwen..." Gong Lince called from the ground.

The flying mounts gave no response. They gradually receded into the distance and disappeared.

The people of Zijin Cave stood there dumbfounded, looking at one another.

After all that trouble and all their preparation, this was the final result? They were simply done negotiating?

"Sect Leader, did we ask for too much?" Elder Fu Junrang ventured.

Gong Lince said heavily, "We were supposed to start high. He isn't an idiot. Doesn't he know how to bargain?"

Everyone thought about it and agreed. Gong Lince turned toward the Maolu Annex, his gaze flickering for a while before he suddenly flashed away.

The others exchanged looks, then followed.

When this group returned, Niu Youdao came out to receive them once more.

The moment they met, Gong Lince said, "Yuwen Yan and the others have left. They've gone back to Tianhuo Sect."

Niu Youdao knew perfectly well why, but asked aloud, "How much did they agree to give?" He looked eager to divide the spoils.

Gong Lince said, "After seeing the people, they lost all interest in negotiating. Not a single coin. They simply left. Elder Niu, do you know what happened?"

Niu Youdao looked astonished. "Impossible! How could that happen? Sect Leader, you're asking me, but I'd like to ask you the same thing."

Gong Lince said flatly, "Before Yuwen Yan left, at the gate, what did he say to you?"

Niu Youdao looked startled. "Nothing much. He called me over and left me with one sentence. I'm still wondering what it meant."

Gong Lince immediately asked, "What did he say?"

Niu Youdao frowned in thought. "Five words. He said, 'I received the letter!'" He concealed nothing about this and told the complete truth.

"'I received the letter...'" Gong Lince murmured, turning the words over without understanding what they meant. He looked at the others around him and saw that none of them seemed to understand either. He asked Niu Youdao again, "That was all he said?"

Niu Youdao showed a trace of displeasure. "Sect Leader, what do you mean by that? Do you think I'm lying to you? He only had enough time to whisper one sentence in my ear. Do you think there was time for him to ramble on about a whole pile of things?"

That was true. Even if Yuwen Yan had said something else, there had not been time to say much.

Gong Lince fell silent briefly, then said, "We shouldn't have let them meet. The reason Yuwen Yan stopped negotiating is probably that he already conveyed what he needed to Kunlin Shu. By using Kunlin Shu's master as leverage, he no longer needs to worry about Kunlin Shu leaking the secret art."

Niu Youdao muttered inwardly that, sure enough, hardly anyone who managed to climb into such a position was simple.

The others from Zijin Cave also came to sudden understanding.

Yan Li, however, immediately looked toward Niu Youdao and tentatively asked, "Elder Niu, you didn't do something behind our backs, did you?"

"What do you mean?" Niu Youdao immediately shot back. "Are you saying I told Tianhuo Sect to use Kunlin Shu's master as leverage? Elder Yan, you know perfectly well that not long after the match, Qian Fucheng already tried using their master Pang Zhuo to threaten them, and I was the one who stopped him. Just now Qian Fucheng was the one who brought it up again. Surely you're not going to claim Qian Fucheng and I arranged that together?"

Then he turned to Gong Lince. "Sect Leader, wasn't I opposed to letting them meet in the first place? I refused because I was worried something might happen, but you insisted..."

"Enough!" Gong Lince raised a hand and cut him off, refusing to let him continue. If Niu Youdao went on, the blame would land squarely on Gong Lince for insisting on his own way and refusing to listen to advice. Gong Lince brushed the matter aside lightly. "They wanted to verify the hostages. There was no way we could refuse to let them meet. What's done is done. Yuwen Yan found an opening. We'll think of another solution."

The other people from Zijin Cave were already looking at him, all somewhat suspicious. Niu Youdao had discussed this with the Sect Leader beforehand?

When the two had stepped aside for their private conversation earlier, no one else had known what they discussed.

A while later, Gong Lince and the others left again. Only Yan Li remained behind, lingering stubbornly beside Niu Youdao. Every so often he muttered something suggestive. "Everything was going perfectly well. How did it suddenly turn into this? Strange. Truly strange."

Niu Youdao sat in the pavilion drinking tea, one hand resting on his sword. From time to time, he glanced at Yan Li pacing in front of him. His teeth itched. He wanted nothing more than to draw his sword, stab the old fellow several times, and let some blood out of him so he would stop endlessly muttering.

He was not stupid. How could he fail to see that Yan Li was still suspicious of him?

Finally unable to stand it any longer, he snapped, "Get out. You're not welcome here!"

Yan Li immediately turned around. "Junior Brother Niu, why become angry out of embarrassment?"

Smack! Niu Youdao slapped the table and rose. "Embarrassed, my ass! I'm sick of your endless insinuations. You think I can't hear what you're implying? Let me ask you this. As far as Zijin Cave is concerned, is it better to profit from the negotiations, or to keep those two people?"

Yan Li said, "Naturally, profiting from the negotiations is better. What use are those two people?"

Niu Youdao asked in return, "So by your logic, Zijin Cave isn't stupid, but I am? I don't want benefits and instead want to keep two people whose hearts aren't with me. What damned use do I have for two Tianhuo Sect disciples?"

Yan Li said seriously, "You can't put it that way. They may not be useful to Zijin Cave, but they're different for you. At the very least, they're two more pairs of hands."

"Get out!" Niu Youdao shouted. He was genuinely furious. There was no point reasoning with this old bastard. Since reason would not get through, he could only use force. "I don't have time to tangle with you. Men, throw him out!"

"Junior Brother Niu, I was only making conversation. Why lose such a temper? Have them prepare some extra wine and dishes. It's getting late, so I'll eat here tonight."

"I told you to get out. Didn't you hear me?"

"Elder Yan, please!"

Yan Li was helpless. The host refused to keep his guest, and several people forcibly "invited" him out.

Afterward, Guan Fangyi appeared with a trace of worry. "Master Dao, Yan Li seems to suspect you. Will that cause trouble?"

Niu Youdao said irritably, "When doesn't he suspect me? I could let out a fart and he'd spend half the day suspecting something. Damn dog. Old bastard. He's been eating and drinking at my place for ages... an ungrateful wolf you can never feed full. Just looking at him annoys me. From now on, without my permission, don't let him through the gate! He still wants to eat my food? I'll knock his teeth out... Pass on my order. Have Beizhou make a move. Take out his people."

[End of Chapter 935]