Chapter 994: At Least This Guy Has Some Conscience

Niu Youdao was not blind. He had noticed the change as well and had been observing it all along. Newly arrived in the Desolate Marsh Deadlands, he had no idea whether this was normal or abnormal. He merely replied calmly, "There's nothing difficult to explain. Follow the plan. Unless necessary, don't let yourselves be easily disturbed. Without my permission, neither of you is to act rashly."

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie answered together, "Yes!"

The three continued onward.

Later, while they rested on a grassy slope in the marsh and recovered the spiritual power they had spent, the two men keeping watch discovered another abnormality.

Qin Guan lowered his voice to Niu Youdao, who sat cross-legged as though pondering something. "Elder, to the left. A black one came."

Niu Youdao turned his head.

Among a group of white foxes frolicking in the muddy shallows, a black fox had appeared at some point. Its fur was glossy and pitch-black.

Suddenly, it sprang with vigorous agility and landed on another grassy slope. It raised its head and yawned toward the sky. Then all four limbs went slack and it lazily sprawled in the grass, seemingly settling down for a leisurely nap.

"That's arrogant enough. It actually dares sleep right in front of us. It practically treats us as though we aren't here," Ke Dingjie muttered through clenched teeth, taking the act as a provocation.

Niu Youdao narrowed his eyes and studied the creature for a while.

Then he turned back, closed his eyes, and entered meditation. Faced with temptation, he sat as immovable as an old monk in samadhi.

Seeing him like that, Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie knew he still would not permit them to hunt. They suppressed the impulses already beginning to stir...

By the time Niu Youdao had recovered his spiritual power and opened his eyes again, the black fox in the grass was gone. So were the Demon Foxes that had been playing all around them.

The group set out once more.

The apparent infestation of Demon Foxes vanished along the way. In fact, they saw very few after that, as though conditions had returned to what they had been on the first day.

Near evening, they reached the next rendezvous point. Niu Youdao's group arrived first, and the other teams came in one after another.

When everyone gathered to count their harvest, they discovered one group was still missing: the Western Sea contingent led by Fuhua, together with Kunlin Shu.

Today's harvest was clearly somewhat better than yesterday's. They had killed several more Demon Foxes. Their conversation showed that they had already gained a little hunting experience after the first day's encounters.

Only several more?

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie both sensed something was wrong. That did not match what they had seen along their own route. The hunting results should not have looked like this.

Niu Youdao sensed the inconsistency as well and probed, "We've already gone fairly deep into the Desolate Marsh Deadlands. Shouldn't we be encountering more Demon Foxes?"

Lang Jingkong replied, "What kind of reasoning is that? How could there be more? We've already alerted the snakes by beating the grass. Finding those Demon Foxes should only become harder."

Everyone nodded, agreeing.

Niu Youdao could not help exchanging a look with Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie.

But the three of them had gained nothing. They could hardly tell everyone what they had seen along the road, or there would be no way to explain why they had still returned empty-handed.

Chao Jing asked, "Old Brother, did your group still gain nothing today?"

Niu Youdao had other thoughts on his mind. After a moment of consideration, he shook his head. "Strange. All of you still found something, but we didn't see even the shadow of a Demon Fox the whole way."

Everyone immediately began offering their own analyses of the situation.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie, however, knew Elder Niu was lying.

After a while, Chao Jing seemed somewhat agitated. "If we keep making only this little progress every day, it won't work. We need to think of another method." His gaze drifted toward Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao knew the words were meant for him.

The old fellow's secret dealings behind his sect's back had been exposed. He was anxious to achieve results and enter Misty Pavilion.

Niu Youdao gave him a mild reassurance. "Take it slowly. We've only just started. You already want everything accomplished in one stroke? Where is there such a convenient thing? We still have plenty of time. Three whole months. Let's observe the situation first."

Chao Jing thought about it and realized he was right. They had only just begun, yet he was already becoming restless and losing his composure.

Night fell.

Several campfires had already been lit, but Fuhua's group still had not returned. Gradually, everyone began to worry.

Hong Gaitian said, "They couldn't have run into some accident, could they?"

Worrying would accomplish nothing if something truly had happened. In the darkness, with everyone unfamiliar with the terrain, searching would be difficult. All they could do was continue waiting.

They waited until the night grew deep.

Then a disturbance outside the camp put everyone on guard.

A short while later, they discovered it was a false alarm. The Western Sea people had returned, all four of them, not one missing.

Hong Gaitian went forward and asked, "Why are you back so late?"

Fuhua walked directly to Niu Youdao, who was sitting cross-legged. "We discovered traces of Misty Pavilion. We secretly followed them for a while and checked where they settled down for the night. That's why we came back late."

Niu Youdao immediately rose. "Where are they?"

Fuhua took out the handbook and turned to the map. Pointing to a spot she had already marked, she said, "Here."

The gathered Elders crowded around to look, but none could make much of it.

After examining the map, Niu Youdao nodded. "Good. I understand. You've worked hard."

Fuhua asked, "We've found them now. What next?"

Niu Youdao said, "I have my own plans."

Since he said that, and had consistently refused to explain himself, everyone knew further questions would get them nowhere. They could hardly force him to speak, so they let it go.

Chao Jing's concern had shifted back to the harvest. "How did your group do today?"

Fuhua shook her head. "Not much. We only took two Demon Fox vertical eyes." She tilted her chin toward Niu Youdao. "Wasn't he concerned about Misty Pavilion's movements? Once we found their trail, we didn't dare create too much noise through fighting. We spent the whole time following them quietly. What about you? How many did you take?"

"Ah!" Chao Jing sighed. "Not many either..."

When Kunlin Shu heard that Niu Youdao's group had once again gained nothing that day, he could not help glancing at Niu Youdao, who was holding the map and studying it.

After everyone returned to their respective campfires and quieted down for the night, Kunlin Shu rose from the Western Sea group and walked over.

Fuhua, sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, opened them slightly and glanced after him.

Firelight flickered over Niu Youdao as he continued studying the terrain and environment on the map. He raised his head slightly when Kunlin Shu crouched beside him. "Something wrong?"

Kunlin Shu's fist, hidden inside his sleeve, lowered into the grass in front of Niu Youdao and left something there.

Niu Youdao looked down.

Three Demon Fox vertical eyes lay in the grass.

He smiled. "What's this supposed to mean?"

Kunlin Shu said, "They're for you."

Niu Youdao replied, "Oh? Didn't you say you came this time to repay Tianhuo Sect, that you entered the tempering for Tianhuo Sect and that all your gains would go to Tianhuo Sect? Why are you suddenly kind enough to give them to me? You see I have no harvest and pity me?"

This was precisely why Niu Youdao had separated from him.

First, Niu Youdao had never intended to hunt Demon Foxes at all, while Kunlin Shu meant to exert himself for Tianhuo Sect. Their intentions conflicted.

Second, Kunlin Shu still had deep feelings for Tianhuo Sect. Or perhaps it was because his master Pang Zhuo remained in Tianhuo Sect's hands, and Kunlin Shu did not want the sect to suffer because of this tempering.

If he noticed some clue from Niu Youdao's side, he would probably be unable to avoid warning Tianhuo Sect.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie were different. Once Niu Youdao warned the two not to tell anyone else, they would naturally help conceal matters. They were all standing in the position of Zijin Cave disciples.

That made Kunlin Shu awkward to keep close.

Niu Youdao did not want to make things difficult for him. Niu Youdao had his own way of handling people and affairs, and he understood perfectly well how to weigh urgency and importance. Some people could be dealt with by cutting through tangled hemp with a sharp blade; with others, one could only proceed step by step. He believed that when the water arrived, the channel would form.

At least with Kunlin Shu's present state of mind, there were things Niu Youdao intended to do that he could not yet let Kunlin Shu know.

He would rather spend effort on Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie.

That was why bringing Kunlin Shu along personally during this Demon Fox hunt had become unsuitable.

At the very least, every other group had three people. If Niu Youdao's group had four and still came back empty-handed, that would be somewhat difficult to explain.

So Niu Youdao had deliberately sent Kunlin Shu away to Fuhua's side, dressing it up by saying Fuhua was a woman and asking Kunlin Shu to help protect her.

A woman?

Fuhua naturally had no interest in swallowing that line. So what if she was a woman?

Niu Youdao placated her by revealing part of the truth, though his explanation was half true and half false. He said Kunlin Shu wanted to help Tianhuo Sect obtain good results, and it would be inappropriate for Niu Youdao to help conceal that. To avoid suspicion, he asked Fuhua to take Kunlin Shu with her and help hide his personal harvest.

It was only a small favor, and Fuhua had little reason to refuse.

Later, she indeed helped Kunlin Shu conceal the matter, keeping his hunting results from being exposed.

But after seeing Kunlin Shu fight, Fuhua had felt somewhat uncomfortable.

She discovered he was genuinely formidable. His offensive methods were extraordinary. The entire Western Sea team together was not as effective at hunting as Kunlin Shu alone.

And a man like that was going to hand all his results over to Tianhuo Sect?

A woman's thoughts being what they were, she felt at least somewhat displeased.

Of course, Kunlin Shu had also taken Niu Youdao's affairs seriously. He had willingly spent large amounts of spiritual power ranging back and forth over a wide area.

He was the one who discovered Misty Pavilion's trail, after which Fuhua led the group to follow them.

Right now, he truly did feel some sympathy for Niu Youdao.

More than that, he felt guilty.

In a low voice, he said, "Starting today, half of what I gain will go to Tianhuo Sect, and half to you."

"So you personally killed six today. Not bad." Niu Youdao smiled and teased him.

More accurately, he felt a little gratified. It seemed he had not misjudged the man. At least this guy still had some conscience.

Smiling, Niu Youdao said, "Take them back."

"..."

Kunlin Shu stared at him in surprise.

Niu Youdao shook his head slightly. "I appreciate the thought, but I have no use for them."

Then he explained, "I don't care about my personal result. In the end, the tempering team's total result will be combined and compared against Misty Pavilion anyway. Give everything you take to Tianhuo Sect. Put in more effort and let Tianhuo Sect see your sincerity. Perhaps your master will have an easier time there because of it."

"I'm serious. I'm not saying it for appearances. Take them back and keep them yourself. I've already spoken to Fuhua. She'll help you conceal it."

For the people of the jianghu to have changed what they called him from "Master Thief" to "Master Dao," he naturally possessed something beyond the ordinary.

He knew when to win people over with virtue.

Kunlin Shu stared at him blankly.

An inexplicable wave of emotion rose in his heart.

He had a stubborn nature and was not the sort to fuss or dither. Without another word, he slowly picked the three vertical eyes back out of the grass, rose, and left.

Perhaps only after being defeated and falling into Niu Youdao's hands had Kunlin Shu truly begun the real tempering of his own life.

Niu Youdao watched his back disappear past the firelight and shook his head faintly.

Then he lowered his gaze to the map again.

He was about to make his move.

Certain matters had to be planned thoroughly. At the very least, he had to guard against the risks that might arise.

He had no choice but to think deeply and proceed with extreme caution.

The situation before him did not allow a single wrong step.

[End of Chapter 994]