Chapter 945: Whoever Wants to Go Can Go. I'm Not Going!

At the very least, a weight had lifted from everyone's hearts. No one inside the sect had plotted against Niu Youdao. Otherwise, there was no telling how large the affair might become, and it would probably be difficult to investigate clearly. With the matter also involving the candidates bound for Sacred Realm, how could they afford delay? If it blew up, it truly would be no small thing.

Yan Li was secretly amused. Niu Youdao, oh Niu Youdao. Let's see you keep acting arrogant now. This time, you're going to suffer!

Whether by some strange mutual intuition or mere coincidence, Niu Youdao happened to cast him an almost imperceptible glance. Their eyes met. Niu Youdao's brow lifted slightly, as though he had read the schadenfreude in Yan Li's heart.

Yan Li likewise caught the barely perceptible cold smile at the corner of Niu Youdao's mouth. Based on what he knew of the man, and on pure instinct, his heart gave a sudden thump. A faint sense of foreboding rose in him.

"Ah!" Chun Xinliang sighed, though no one knew what he was sighing about. He turned toward the row of seated figures and asked, "Sect Leader, are the Elders from the other sects truly as Niu Youdao described? Are they all prominent figures among the Elder ranks of their respective sects?"

He knew some of them, but there were others he genuinely did not recognize. He had, after all, long since retired and rarely concerned himself with outside affairs. He no longer understood the circumstances of the various sects especially well, which was why he asked.

Gong Lince nodded and answered respectfully, "Junior Brother Niu was not wrong. The situation is indeed as he described. We also find it somewhat strange and do not know why Sacred Realm specifically selected Junior Brother Niu. It's understandable that he can't make sense of it, but it truly cannot be said that anyone inside the sect is trying to harm him."

"Indeed." Chun Xinliang nodded, then sighed toward Niu Youdao. "Niu Youdao, the intentions of Sacred Realm are difficult to fathom. That does not mean there is a problem with the list, much less that someone is trying to harm you. You are overthinking it. Go back. All of you, go back. The same rule applies as before: handle things as they ought to be handled, and follow sect rules in everything. Don't come disturbing your master's secluded cultivation over baseless matters again." With that, he stuffed the list back into Niu Youdao's hand and waved for everyone to leave.

The implication sounded very much like: behave yourself, Niu Youdao. We won't pursue the matter of you coming here to make a fuss.

The key was that there was little point pursuing it anyway. How were they supposed to? Niu Youdao was bound for Sacred Realm. Could they really start nitpicking and punishing him over every little thing when they were about to send him there? If they genuinely enraged the bastard and he did what he had threatened—if he was going down, everyone was going down with him—that would become troublesome.

Besides, Niu Youdao controlled considerable power. He was not someone they could simply touch whenever they pleased. If handled badly, it could cause major upheaval. Chun Xinliang knew perfectly well what had happened during the Battle of Jiao Lake, when the Shang faction had rallied its forces and confronted Yan's three major sects.

Then again, if Niu Youdao had not possessed some foundation of his own, he would never have dared cause this sort of fuss here, much less throw himself into Zijin Cave's arms so casually. Even willfulness required capital. Otherwise, who would tolerate a grown man behaving willfully?

Gong Lince and the others rose together and cupped their hands. "Yes!"

Niu Youdao, however, looked utterly shocked. He was not having it. "Martial Uncle Chun, how can you say no one is trying to harm me?"

Again? Everyone stared at him. Even Gong Lince had begun cursing inwardly. Damn it, are you ever going to stop?

Tu Kuai's temper flared at Niu Youdao's endless pestering. For a moment he wanted to slap the man across the face. But after glancing at Zhong Guzi, he restrained himself. With Zhong Guzi sitting there, he ultimately did not explode. Instead, he endured it and slapped the back of his right hand against his left palm. "Niu Youdao, you cannot make accusations without evidence, especially against your own fellow disciples. The matter is already perfectly clear. For some unknown reason, Sacred Realm specifically named you. Zijin Cave does not possess the ability to manipulate Sacred Realm's decisions. No one inside the sect is trying to harm you!"

Niu Youdao said, "Martial Uncle Tu, no matter how you look at it, putting me on this list is suspicious. If someone inside the sect secretly interfered, it's hardly impossible. For example, Sacred Realm might have sent the list back and instructed the sect to replace one name with an Elder. Then this group could have concealed it from me and secretly submitted my name. A whole group of people conspiring together to harm me is entirely possible!"

Just as Tu Kuai's eyes widened with fury, Zhong Guzi, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly spoke. His ancient voice came slowly. "You are not an outsider. You are all fellow disciples of one sect. No one here has joined together to harm you."

He did not open his eyes as he spoke. Once the sentence was finished, he fell silent again.

The single remark carried the weight of settling the whole matter. The anger that had been about to erupt from Tu Kuai was instantly suppressed.

Niu Youdao froze. In the end, he answered with full respect, "Yes."

He understood as well that if not for the man sitting there holding everyone in check, this group would never have tolerated him making such a fuss.

He also understood that without concrete evidence, his master had difficulties of his own and could not openly speak in his defense. To a certain extent, maintaining silence was already the greatest support Zhong Guzi could give him.

After a brief silence, Gong Lince said, "Junior Brother, Elder Zhong is right. We are all fellow disciples. No one would conspire to harm you. The matter of the list truly caught us by surprise as well. Sacred Realm never sent the list back to us, and we never tampered with it. Misty Pavilion directly sent the revised list and ordered us to comply. We had no room to alter it. You can verify this afterward."

Niu Youdao clung firmly to his position. "I've weathered enough wind and waves over the years. I'm not an idiot. There is definitely something wrong with this!"

Tu Kuai said, "If you insist there is a problem, then where is it? What evidence do you have? Your guesses?"

Niu Youdao suddenly raised a hand and pointed at Yan Li. "Then we'll have to ask Senior Brother Yan!"

Me? Yan Li stared blankly. Seeing everyone turn toward him, he hurriedly said, "Niu Youdao, don't talk nonsense. What does this have to do with me?" He had been caught completely off guard.

Niu Youdao spoke with absolute certainty. "Not long ago, you warned me to behave myself if I wanted to keep making my way here, or you'd make me regret it! I refused to give you face at the time. Not long afterward, something like this happened. Your words really did come true. And with my appearance on this list already suspicious, how can there be such a coincidence? You tell me no one is trying to harm me? I don't believe it!"

"..."

Yan Li was left speechless. He stood there blankly, thinking back to their earlier argument. In his anger at the time, he really did seem to have said something along those lines.

One by one, everyone turned to look at Yan Li. Chun Xinliang and Tu Kuai in particular frowned. If that was really what had happened, then it was no wonder this bastard kept feeling that someone was trying to harm him.

Only after recovering from his shock did Yan Li finally understand. He suddenly realized what the strange curl at the corner of Niu Youdao's mouth earlier had meant. He had already sensed something was wrong, and now he saw where the pit had been dug.

Hadn't Niu Youdao wanted to duel him earlier? Right now, Yan Li truly wanted to duel Niu Youdao. He wished he could stab the bastard ten thousand times!

Furious, Yan Li shouted, "Niu Youdao, stop spouting lies here!"

Niu Youdao argued back fiercely. "I'm spouting lies? I tried to drag you to Tortoise-Slumber Pavilion that very day to settle the matter, and the Sect Leader personally stepped in to stop us. The Sect Leader witnessed it with his own eyes. You think you can deny it?"

Everyone turned toward Gong Lince again. Chun Xinliang asked heavily, "Sect Leader, did Yan Li truly say something like that?"

Gong Lince answered, "If you're referring to their argument some time ago, I did personally see the two of them quarreling. But by the time I arrived and stopped them, I had not heard what either had said beforehand, so I cannot fabricate testimony."

He truly had not heard it himself. Later, however, Yan Li had confessed the matter to him, so Gong Lince more or less knew what had been said. He simply would not admit that now.

The reason was simple. Yan Li was his junior brother under the same master and belonged to his faction. At a moment like this, with Niu Youdao unable to produce evidence, Gong Lince would naturally protect his own man.

If a man would not protect his own people when the opportunity allowed it, he could not remain Sect Leader for long.

Chun Xinliang asked again, "Yan Li, answer honestly. Did you say those words?"

Yan Li felt as though a hundred mouths would not be enough to defend himself. He hated that he had lost his temper and failed to control his mouth that day. But what did that quarrel have to do with this matter? Niu Youdao was too slippery. He had somehow managed to drag Yan Li into this as well. If this continued, wouldn't Yan Li be unable even to talk back whenever the bastard pestered him in the future?

Fortunately, his Sect Leader Senior Brother had given him a way out. Yan Li immediately denied it outright. "No! I absolutely never said anything like that."

How could he admit it? Niu Youdao had no evidence, so naturally Yan Li would refuse. If the matter had not involved the Sacred Realm list, it would only have been a quarrel, a few angry words. He could have admitted it and been done. But now he could not possibly acknowledge it, or the whole thing would become hopelessly tangled.

Niu Youdao clicked his tongue and laughed coldly. "Good. So you really are a petty man. When your conscience is gone, you truly can say whatever you like!" At the same time, he shot Gong Lince a sidelong glance.

Yan Li said furiously, "Niu Youdao, if you're going to frame someone, you need evidence. You don't get to say whatever you please!"

Niu Youdao said, "Elder Yan, you're ruthless. I've finally seen what kind of man you are today. Your words are no better than farts. I won't believe another damned thing you say in the future. Yan Li, you say you never said it? Then swear a dire oath in front of everyone. If you're lying, may you die a miserable death!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Yan Li swore on the spot. "I swear, if this matter of the list has anything to do with me, if I tampered with it in any way, may Heaven punish me, may my cultivation be destroyed, and may I die a miserable death!"

Niu Youdao could not help laughing. Yan Li was no easy mark either. The man had casually substituted one concept for another in his dire oath, clearing himself while still seeming to swear solemnly. After laughing, Niu Youdao spat back, "Do you take me for a three-year-old?"

"Enough!" Chun Xinliang suddenly shouted. He had seen through the situation. If they kept arguing, it would never become clear, and there would be no end to it. Worse, if Niu Youdao somehow argued his way into gaining the moral high ground, that would become troublesome. The Sacred Realm list was already finalized. Niu Youdao had to go whether he wanted to or not. That point could not be changed, and even Senior Brother Zhong could say nothing about it. Chun Xinliang pointed at Niu Youdao. "Whatever happened, can you produce evidence for your suspicions?"

Niu Youdao said, "Petty men naturally act behind people's backs. This happened suddenly, so I cannot produce evidence immediately. Martial Uncle Chun, please allow me to investigate in detail. A goose leaves a cry as it passes; water leaves a trace as it flows. There will always be clues left behind. Give me time and I will definitely uncover them!"

Chun Xinliang refused to argue further. "Investigate if you want. But the Sacred Realm list cannot be defied. Until you have solid evidence, everything proceeds according to the list from Sacred Realm!"

With those words spoken, everyone tacitly accepted the decision. Yan Li looked at Niu Youdao and laughed coldly to himself.

Who would have thought Niu Youdao would simply ignore the ruling and remain stubborn to the end? "Sacred Realm? Whoever wants to go can go. I'm not going! I still have important business to handle here. Until that matter is settled, there is no way I'm going to Sacred Realm."

[End of Chapter 945]