Chapter 1025: I, Niu, Have Always Done Things Fairly

Ao Feng himself had no idea how he made it back into the gathered crowd. Even when people greeted him, he did not hear them.

The others merely assumed he was relying on his status to act too aloof. After finding themselves snubbed, they stopped going out of their way to speak to him.

Although everyone taking part in the contest had gathered together, the two camps remained clearly divided: one crowd dressed in red, the other in black.

For Niu Youdao, the people from the various sects were all old acquaintances. Even those he had not known before had become familiar faces at Shouque Villa. Naturally, plenty of people greeted him when he returned.

Niu Youdao nodded to them one by one, smiling and exchanging pleasantries, until he ran into a hard case in the crowd. Taishu Shancheng planted himself directly in Niu Youdao's path without moving an inch, plainly intending to force him to go around.

Niu Youdao said blandly, "A good dog knows not to block the road."

"Hmph!" Taishu Shancheng snorted and made a show of looking around. "Wasn't Chao Jing traveling with your group? How is it all of you are back, but Chao Jing isn't? Don't tell me you killed him to silence him."

As he said, the cultivators from the various sects had entered the Desolate Marsh Deadlands in three larger groups. Those who set out together naturally returned together, so anyone missing from a group was easy to notice.

Of course, for Taishu Shancheng, it was more than a matter of noticing. He knew perfectly well that Chao Jing was dead. He had personally finished the man off and sunk the corpse into the swamp. Even Taishu Shancheng himself probably could no longer identify the exact place where he had dumped the body.

The Desolate Marsh Deadlands were vast, and most of the terrain looked much the same. At best, he could remember the general area, not the precise location.

He dared say this first because he knew Chao Jing definitely would not return. Second, precisely because he knew Chao Jing would never come back, he wanted to plant the idea in everyone's mind that Niu Youdao might have killed him to silence him. Once word reached Myriad Beasts Sect, perhaps it would create some trouble for Niu Youdao.

In plain terms, he harbored no good intentions. He was deliberately trying to make trouble for Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao smiled pleasantly. He genuinely could not help finding the old fellow amusing. Did Taishu Shancheng really think no one knew what fine deed he himself had done? He actually dared bring up Chao Jing. The man's nerve was impressive. Niu Youdao teased, "None of us know where Chao Jing went. How does Elder Taishu already know he was silenced? You only quarreled with him a few times. There's no need to curse him like that, is there? Or do you already know Chao Jing is dead? If so, perhaps you can enlighten us as to how he died."

Since Niu Youdao knew the truth, he naturally knew exactly where to press.

The implications of their words were much the same. Taishu Shancheng had poured dirty water over him, so Niu Youdao simply poured the same dirty water back.

Taishu Shancheng's heart gave a jolt. Such was the guilty conscience of a thief: when someone's words struck the truth, there would always be some reaction. He suddenly had the feeling he had lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot, but he concealed it with a cheerful laugh. "Chao Jing and I weren't traveling together. Whether he returns has nothing to do with me. If he really doesn't make it back, Little Brother, you'd better think about how you're going to explain yourself to Myriad Beasts Sect."

Niu Youdao said, "Elder Taishu seems awfully pleased with himself. Your results this time must be quite good."

Hands clasped behind his back, Taishu Shancheng looked up at the sky. "Compared with everyone else, they're passable."

Niu Youdao nodded. "Elder Taishu worked so diligently. It seems your sincere desire to join Misty Pavilion is plain for all to see!"

One sentence immediately made the expressions of the surrounding sect cultivators turn strange.

Taishu Shancheng's smile stiffened. He could no longer laugh. If those words reached Qiyun Sect, they would be anything but good for him. What if he failed to join Misty Pavilion and still had to return to Qiyun Sect afterward?

Only now did he realize he had fallen into Niu Youdao's verbal trap and been maneuvered into incriminating himself.

"Hmph! A petty man who knows nothing but verbal tricks. I am ashamed to keep company with you!" Taishu Shancheng flung his sleeve and left with a cold snort. Having discovered that he simply could not win a war of words with Niu Youdao, and that every sentence only put him at a greater disadvantage, he chose to retreat.

The two Qiyun Sect disciples followed him away in embarrassment. Moments ago, they had strutted over at his side to block Niu Youdao's path.

Niu Youdao called after them, "Elder Taishu, all the hard work you've shown here can't be hidden. Someone among us is definitely going to tell Qiyun Sect about it!"

He was not afraid of upsetting the old man. He was afraid the man might not be upset enough, so he happily poured oil onto the fire and cared little how badly it burned him.

The surrounding sect cultivators suppressed their laughter. Fuhua, Hong Gaitian, and the others exchanged meaningful looks, discovering once again just how sharp their sworn younger brother's tongue could be.

Quan Taifeng shook his head with a wry smile.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie exchanged glances, faint smiles on their faces. Elder Niu had driven Taishu Shancheng away with his tail tucked between his legs. The two felt a touch of reflected pride, as though he had won face for Zijin Cave.

Niu Youdao cupped his hands and exchanged a few more pleasantries with everyone before heading toward the rear of the crowd.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie naturally followed. Once they reached the back, however, Niu Youdao suddenly stopped and warned them in a low voice, "Go away. From this moment on, unless I call for you, act as though you don't see me."

Hearing him lower his voice, Qin Guan also asked quietly, "Elder, why?"

"Don't ask about things you shouldn't know. Get lost."

"Yes!" Both answered softly. They had no idea what this meant, but if their Elder had said it, then he naturally had his reasons. They obeyed and left.

Niu Youdao remained hidden behind the crowd, waiting for someone.

Before long, the man he was waiting for arrived, slowly and unobtrusively drawing closer.

It was none other than Ao Feng.

Niu Youdao had known Ao Feng would find an opportunity to come over and demand an explanation. That was why he had deliberately chosen a place near the boundary between the sect participants and Misty Pavilion's contestants. It made it easier for Ao Feng to approach. Had Niu Youdao stood in the middle of the sect crowd, Ao Feng probably would not have dared come near him. It would have been far too conspicuous.

Once they drew close, Niu Youdao faced the main peak while Ao Feng, almost shoulder to shoulder with him, faced down the mountain.

One appeared to be watching the people on the main peak, while the other seemed to be admiring the scenery below. They looked like complete strangers with nothing to do with one another.

Ao Feng spoke first, barely moving his lips. "What are you trying to do?"

Niu Youdao replied just as quietly, his lips almost still. "You can try guessing."

"I think you're tired of living."

"Mr. Ao, that's quite a lot of resentment. You'd better not do anything reckless. You couldn't kill me when you robbed me before, and you may not be able to kill me now either. And let me remind you: I'm not the only person who knows about this. Mr. Ao should carefully weigh the consequences before acting rashly."

Niu Youdao had seen killing intent flash in Ao Feng's eyes as the man approached. Apparently, Ao Feng had begun considering killing him here at any cost to silence him. If eliminating Niu Youdao was the only way out, the man might even dare attack him openly in front of everyone. Niu Youdao naturally had to extinguish that dangerous thought first.

The corner of Ao Feng's mouth twitched. "What exactly do you want?"

"Does Mr. Ao know why, when everyone handed in their gains, the officials kept each person's harvest sealed separately?"

Ao Feng's irritation rose. "Stop speaking in circles. I asked what you want."

Niu Youdao ignored the interruption and continued at his own pace. "Because I reported to Misty Pavilion that someone robbed me. The gains were sealed and stored separately, presumably so they can be checked later."

Ao Feng's brow twitched violently. "You've already reported me to Misty Pavilion?"

"Don't worry. I'm not that reckless. I, Niu, have ridden the jianghu, through wind or rain; I travel the roads, and I make friends. I like making friends. Since I want to be friends with Mr. Ao, there is naturally no reason for me to harm you, much less send you to your death. I only told Misty Pavilion that someone robbed me, and that the person was from Misty Pavilion. I did not say who. I said I hadn't seen the culprit clearly. Of course, whether I saw clearly depends entirely on Mr. Ao's attitude. If you don't want me to have seen clearly, then naturally I didn't. If Mr. Ao insists on making me see clearly, then I will have no choice but to explain everything plainly to Misty Pavilion. What does Mr. Ao think?"

Ao Feng said, "Fine! As long as you never mention this again, I'll make sure to look after you properly in the future. I keep my word."

"Now that makes the conversation meaningless. 'Look after me properly'? How, exactly? Do you think I'd believe such nonsense? I'm afraid when the time comes, Mr. Ao's idea of looking after me will be to distance yourself from the matter as quickly as possible and find an opportunity to silence me. You would never allow this affair any chance of resurfacing. I can't afford the consequences of that, and I have no reason to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. Wouldn't you agree?"

That was indeed exactly what Ao Feng had been thinking. He had intended to steady Niu Youdao for now, then find an opportunity to dispose of him later. Having his thoughts exposed left him somewhat embarrassed and furious. "Then what else do you want? Right now, other than giving you my word, there's nothing I can do!"

"Mr. Ao, don't be impatient. I told you I came to make a friend. If a friend is in trouble, naturally I should help. As it happens, Mr. Ao is quite fortunate. I happen to know of two Misty Pavilion men who robbed someone, and those two men are already dead. You can put the blame on them."

"If you already have people you can blame, then blame them yourself. If you really want to help me, don't drag me into it."

"Mr. Ao, if you and I are going to be friends, I can't be the only one showing sincerity, can I? It isn't that I don't want to come forward myself. Someone in Misty Pavilion wants to make trouble for me. In a matter where the dead cannot testify, my word is useless. Mr. Ao's status is different. Your testimony would carry the right weight. If I'm willing to resolve Mr. Ao's trouble, shouldn't Mr. Ao show some sincerity and help resolve a little trouble for me as well?"

Ao Feng said, "What situation? Explain it clearly."

"Among the Misty Pavilion people taking part in the contest, two men robbed me. Mr. Ao happened to pass by and witnessed it with your own eyes. Later, you followed those two and saw them rob Chao Jing and his companions as well. Chao Jing killed the two robbers. Of Chao Jing's group of three, the other two died, while Chao Jing escaped with severe injuries. Then Chao Jing ran into Taishu Shancheng..." Niu Youdao laid out the entire story and explained the details carefully. These were the words he wanted Ao Feng to repeat.

Ao Feng's face twitched when he finished. "Do you know what the consequences will be if I give testimony like that? You want me to prove Misty Pavilion violated the rules. If I offend the whole of Misty Pavilion, how am I supposed to have a good life afterward? You're calling this solving my trouble? You're creating trouble for me!"

He had been hoping to use his results from this contest to secure a transfer out of Wuliang Garden. If he did something like this, how could he still expect to earn merit and leave?

What he did not know was that Niu Youdao had no intention of letting him leave Wuliang Garden in the first place. If Ao Feng were not stationed there, Niu Youdao would never have gone to such trouble to construct this entire scheme.

"I, Niu, have always done things fairly. Whether Mr. Ao prefers to invite trouble now or trouble later is entirely up to you. Choose your own consequences. I won't force you." Niu Youdao dropped those words and left, turning back into the crowd of sect cultivators.

[End of Chapter 1025]