Chapter 979: Who Is the Spy?

Family shame was best kept within the family. Gong Lince knew the matter probably could not be concealed, but he still had no desire to tell an outsider too much. He gave a faint smile. "It's nothing. Some junior disciples didn't know how to behave. Just a small misunderstanding. Elder Niu is looking for you." He raised a hand and gestured toward the entrance.

Yucang looked at him, then at the way the people of the Maolu Annex were blocking the gate and confronting Zijin Cave. Suspicion flickered across his face. Why did this feel like an invitation to enter a trap?

After thinking about it, he decided he was overthinking things. Neither Zijin Cave nor Niu Youdao would recklessly act against him. The State of Qin was not some decoration either.

Yucang gave two dry laughs, cupped his hands, and went over.

The people blocking the gate had already been notified and allowed him through.

Once inside, someone led him to Niu Youdao's courtyard. Yet Niu Youdao did not come out to greet him. Instead, someone invited him to sit in the pavilion used for receiving guests. That was somewhat contrary to etiquette, so Yucang asked, "Where's Niu Youdao?"

Guan Fangyi smiled. "Master Dao just returned from Sacred Realm. He's not exactly presentable at the moment and is bathing. He'll be out shortly. Mr. Yucang, please wait a moment."

Yucang snorted. "Putting on quite the airs." He shook his head, said nothing more, and went into the pavilion to sit.

After waiting a while, Niu Youdao's voice came from inside the room. "Hongniang, come in for a moment."

Guan Fangyi dipped slightly toward Yucang in apology. Yucang raised a hand, indicating she should go ahead.

When she reached Niu Youdao's room and pushed open the door, she found him fresh from his bath, his hair hanging loose, already seated before the dressing table. She immediately understood. This lord was accustomed to being waited upon and was treating her like a maid, summoning her to comb his hair.

Before he left for Sacred Realm, Shang Shuqing had always done this without the slightest complaint. Now that Shang Shuqing was gone, Guan Fangyi could only walk over and take her place. She could not resist grumbling, "Why not have Wen Mo'er comb it for you? She's young and pretty." Her hands never stopped moving.

Niu Youdao ignored the remark. After a while, however, he noticed her hands moving rather quickly and reminded her, "No rush."

Guan Fangyi said, "Yucang is here. He's waiting outside."

Niu Youdao gave a cold snort. "Let him wait!"

Hearing the displeasure in his voice, she realized he was deliberately leaving Yucang sitting there for a while, so she slowed her hands to cooperate.

Since he was in no hurry, she had questions of her own. She was curious about Sacred Realm and had not found a chance to ask before. This was as good a time as any.

As for the problem with Zijin Cave, she was no longer worried in the slightest. So long as this man was back, her nerves settled. There was nothing to panic about.

Niu Youdao did not hide Sacred Realm's circumstances from her. Whatever he knew, he told her.

Once his hair had been tied up, Niu Youdao rose and walked over to the sword rack. He took down his sword and drew it a short distance from its sheath. The words "Loyal Heart, Martyr's Blood" were still there. It was indeed his sword.

Shing! The blade returned to its sheath. He planted the scabbard against the floor and walked out with one hand around the hilt, using the sword like a walking stick.

Following behind him, Guan Fangyi smiled faintly. The Master Dao from earlier had somehow looked wrong no matter how she viewed him. This was the Master Dao she knew: sword in hand, strolling along with it as casually as a cane...

From the pavilion, Yucang watched Niu Youdao approach at an unhurried pace. Once the man arrived, he teased, "Washed clean?"

Niu Youdao sat opposite him and replied, "Is Mr. Yucang implying Sacred Realm is filthy?"

"..."

Yucang was choked speechless. He hurriedly waved his hands. "Nothing of the sort. Don't talk nonsense." As he spoke, he even glanced around, then lowered his voice. "Old Brother, what's going on? How did you come back? Did Shen Yidu and the others come back too?"

Niu Youdao countered, "Mr. Yucang returned from Sacred Island, yet instead of going back to Xiaoyue Pavilion, you came here. Did you know I would return and come specifically to wait for me?"

Yucang heard the mockery in his words and knew Niu Youdao had guessed why he had come. The question was rather embarrassing. He could only smile bitterly. "When you're caught up in the affairs of all beneath Heaven, no one gets to act purely on emotion. Friendship is friendship, business is business. One matter is one matter. You and I both understand that. Since Old Brother has returned, there's no need to mention it any further. Once I leave here, I'll depart Zijin Cave immediately. Will that do?"

Niu Youdao said, "Do as you please. I don't care. If Mr. Yucang wants to play, I'll keep you company anytime. I can still pull out several hundred thousand troops whenever I like. As long as Qin doesn't think that's too few."

Yucang lightly slapped the table and said earnestly, "Old Brother, now you're making this meaningless. Can we drop it? Tell me about Sacred Realm. What exactly happened?"

Niu Youdao said, "No rush. First, I need to borrow something from you."

Yucang looked suspicious. "Borrow something? What?"

Niu Youdao said, "Give me a few Spirit-Torment Pills."

"Spirit-Torment Pills?" Yucang stared at him. "What do you want those for?"

Niu Youdao said, "Three pills. One question: are you giving them to me or not?"

Yucang replied, "Old Brother, it isn't that I refuse. Those things are troublesome to use. You probably know the situation. There is no antidote that can cure them completely. Once someone takes one, they need the suppressing antidote over the long term. If I give you the poison, doesn't that mean I also have to keep supplying you with the antidote? Aren't you afraid I'll suddenly cut you off?"

Niu Youdao said, "I don't want the antidote. I only want the poison!"

Yucang froze, then probed, "Who are you planning to use it on? Poisons are everywhere. Why insist on the Spirit-Torment Pill? I'm warning you, don't do anything reckless. Once the victim's symptoms flare up, Xiaoyue Pavilion won't be able to wash its hands of the matter. Don't drag us into this."

Niu Youdao said, "Do you still want to know about Sacred Realm? Do you want to know what Shen Yidu did inside?"

Fuck! What had Shen Yidu done in Sacred Realm?

Yucang's eyes widened. He wanted to curse the man's mother. Niu Youdao was actually using this as a bargaining chip. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Old Brother, this isn't very honorable. Before you left, I gave you twenty million!"

Niu Youdao replied, "Are you reminding me to ask you for more money? If I added another ten million to the bill, I imagine you'd pay that too. Mr. Yucang, you came here to pull the rug out from under me. Which one of us is being dishonorable?"

"Stop!" Yucang immediately raised a hand to cut him off, then beckoned to Dugu Jing.

Dugu Jing rummaged inside his clothes, took out three wax-sealed pellets, stepped forward, and placed them on the table before retreating again.

Niu Youdao picked them up and examined them. "Are these real? I've never seen them before."

Yucang said, "If you think they're fake, I'll give you one free to taste. Old Brother, don't say I didn't warn you. Don't use these things recklessly. If you create some enormous disaster, Xiaoyue Pavilion will not carry the blame for you. Don't fault me if I expose you."

Niu Youdao casually slipped the Spirit-Torment Pills into his sleeve and answered a completely different question. "Shen Yidu had no choice either. Some things simply had to be done. Try to be understanding."

That irrelevant answer made Yucang's heart jump wildly. He asked with extreme tension, "What did he do inside Sacred Realm?"

"Nothing much. The moment we entered Sacred Realm, trouble came looking for us. Ding Wei handed out paper and brushes..." Niu Youdao did not hide anything. He explained what had happened from beginning to end. Apparently unwilling to drag the conversation out, and knowing Yucang would ask anyway, he even explained in one go how Luo Fangfei had inexplicably sent him out.

Yucang frowned deeply after hearing it.

Niu Youdao genuinely had no desire to waste more time with him. He rose to see his guest out. "That's what happened. I still have matters here to deal with, so I won't keep you."

At the mention of matters here, Yucang came back to himself and rose as well. "The two sides are facing off outside. What happened?"

Niu Youdao said, "Nothing serious. Someone saw I was gone and injured my people. I can't pretend nothing happened. It has nothing to do with you, and I doubt you want to get dragged into it. Better stay clear." He waved, signaling that the guest should be seen out.

Yucang wanted to remain and watch what happened, but since his host was driving him away, he could only leave.

Once he emerged from the Maolu Annex, he still wanted to linger and see how matters developed. Unfortunately, Gong Lince did not want him staying to watch the spectacle either and likewise ordered him seen off.

With a belly full of curiosity, Yucang had no choice but to leave this place of trouble.

Inside the Annex, Niu Youdao called Yuan Gang over again and reminded him, "The situation is what it is. I can't deal with everyone who took part in surrounding and attacking you. Too many people were involved, and there's no way to punish them all. Zijin Cave would never agree. You've followed me for so many years. I don't need to explain the reasoning, do I?"

Yuan Gang nodded, but then said, "If we let the person who started the trouble off like this, aren't we letting him off too cheaply?"

"I don't need the reminder. I'll give everyone an explanation. Let's go." Niu Youdao turned and walked away.

Before long, the people blocking the entrance to the Maolu Annex opened a path.

From deep inside came the familiar sound known to everyone in the Annex: the tapping of that "walking stick" against the ground, drawing closer and closer.

Under countless watching eyes, Niu Youdao appeared with Guan Fangyi, Yuan Gang, and the others behind him.

Descending the steps before the gate, Niu Youdao stopped in the open space between the two opposing groups. He assumed his familiar posture, sword planted vertically before his abdomen, both hands resting on the hilt. Looking left and right, he said, "Sect Leader, it's nothing serious. Is there really any need for such a grand mobilization?"

Gong Lince and the others came forward. Gong Lince said, "It truly isn't anything serious. I'm relieved Junior Brother can think of it that way. I believe Elder Zhong would be relieved as well if he knew."

Niu Youdao said, "It may not be serious, but right and wrong still have to be made clear. Right is right, wrong is wrong. Zijin Cave cannot let a bad man escape, nor can it wrong a good man. Sect Leader, do you think what I've said is correct?"

Gong Lince said, "The matter has already passed!" He was warning Niu Youdao not to create further complications.

With both hands resting calmly on the sword hilt, Niu Youdao said evenly, "Sect Leader, according to what I've learned, there is a very real possibility that an enemy spy has infiltrated Zijin Cave. This spy is deliberately sowing discord inside our sect, trying to manufacture conflict and throw Zijin Cave into chaos. As an Elder of Zijin Cave, I cannot pretend I know nothing. Can Sect Leader truly allow a spy to go uninvestigated? If Sect Leader says there is no need to investigate and that such a person may be spared, then I will never mention this matter again!"

Behind the others, Yan Li's mouth twitched. Something about Niu Youdao's tone was obviously wrong. Trouble was coming. He felt it strongly.

Everyone could feel it. The moment Niu Youdao returned and stepped forward, the entire situation changed at once. Forget everything else—he could hold the scene down, and even the force with which he handled matters was completely different.

Gong Lince pressed his lips together slightly, then slowly asked, "Who is the spy?"

[End of Chapter 979]