Chapter 1040: Demon Fox Bureau

Neither Hong Gaitian nor Qi Bisang had expected this result. They had never imagined Misty Pavilion would actually uphold fairness, recognize that the two of them had suffered a loss, and assign them to the All-Under-Heaven Money House after all.

Naturally, both were all smiles. Everyone else looked lifeless and dispirited, forced to face an unknown future.

Huang Ban gave his final instructions. "The matter is settled. Go back and prepare. Mr. Ding has already sent orders to the various departments. Once they receive word, they'll gradually send people here to collect you and take you to your assignments."

Afterward, the group returned in low spirits.

The moment they reached the courtyard, the people who had spent so long mixing together once again crowded into Niu Youdao's room to console him.

In the cultivation world, everyone belonged to different sects. Opportunities to live together for such a long stretch of time were actually rare. Whatever their differences, familiarity naturally bred a certain closeness, making it easier for them to gather together.

The group had discovered that Niu Youdao was particularly unlucky. Everyone else was leaving Sacred Realm. Of all of them, Niu Youdao alone had been assigned to remain inside.

"Little Brother, none of us expected this. Try not to take it too hard." Hong Gaitian patted Niu Youdao on the shoulder with a sigh.

Niu Youdao gave him a sidelong look. "Take it easy? Who was it yesterday who couldn't take it easy and came making a scene in my room? Today you've suddenly learned how?"

Fuhua spat lightly. "Ignore him. But seriously, be careful. If you need help with anything outside, we can carry word out for you."

Niu Youdao showed neither fear nor grief. Calmly, he said, "It is what it is. Don't worry about me. Go back and prepare yourselves. Think about how you're going to deal with the people in your assigned departments. There's no need to waste time here with me."

Their destinations had now been settled, and they truly did need to calm down and think carefully. After exchanging a few courtesies, everyone took their leave.

Once the outsiders were gone, Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie, both somewhat downcast, came over. Qin Guan asked, "Elder, when will Sacred Realm let us go back?"

Niu Youdao said, "I don't know."

Inwardly, however, he knew perfectly well. There was no question of anyone "letting" them go back. The Nine Saints intended to use them and would keep using them to the end. If they died, Zijin Cave would simply send replacements in to continue. Escaping these disputes and returning to Zijin Cave was probably impossible.

Zijin Cave was not the only faction being kept inside Sacred Realm this time. Seven others were staying as well, making eight unlucky factions in total.

The names of those factions might mean little to other people, but each one struck Niu Youdao. He noticed something.

Almost every faction being kept inside Sacred Realm had a grudge against him: the three sects of Jin led by Qiyun Sect, Tianhuo Sect of Qi, Heaven-Splitting Palace and Blood God Hall of Song, and Myriad Beasts Sect. Lingxiao Pavilion, because Quan Taifeng had a good relationship with him, was not among them.

Every faction on good terms with him had been sent outside. The ones left behind were all factions with whom he had some history.

In total, eight factions remained inside Sacred Realm, while the other twenty were assigned outside it.

...

Since they were already inside Sacred Realm, the Misty Pavilion personnel coming to collect the factions assigned there naturally arrived first.

Not long after everyone returned to the courtyard, the eight unlucky factions were summoned outside to assemble.

Almost everyone from the unrelated factions appeared in their doorways, quietly watching the unfortunate group.

Xuan Yao arrived leading a group of Misty Pavilion personnel. He paced back and forth before the eight factions for a while. When he passed Niu Youdao, their gazes met. Xuan Yao gave a slight smile that seemed more like a cold one. Then he turned and said, "All of you, follow me."

The eight factions left the courtyard behind him and disappeared from everyone's sight, following him all the way out of Shouque Villa.

A group of large flying mounts waited outside the villa. Once everyone arrived, the mounts took them aboard and swiftly rose into the sky.

...

Mountains and seas lay silent; men moved amid splendor.

Before them stood a place of elaborate pavilions and terraces, the central hub of Misty Pavilion within Sacred Realm.

Its name was Wentian City.

Unlike the outside world, Misty Pavilion had no authority to interfere in the Nine Sacred Lands. Nor did Sacred Realm contain nearly as many people as the mortal world. The matters Misty Pavilion handled here were comparatively simple. Apart from administering the territories outside the Nine Sacred Lands, it was responsible for coordinating affairs between the Nine Sacred Lands.

That was also why only eight factions had been kept inside Sacred Realm, while the other twenty had all been sent outside.

Once they arrived, the large flying mounts that had carried them there took to the air again and disappeared.

Xuan Yao led the eight factions inside and brought them to an open area, where a group of Misty Pavilion personnel were already waiting with hands respectfully folded.

When Xuan Yao arrived, they all cupped their hands in salute.

"I've brought the people. Each bureau can take its assigned group," Xuan Yao said after stepping among them.

"Yes!" everyone answered.

Several Misty Pavilion personnel immediately stepped forward. The man in front called out, "Qiyun Sect, follow me."

Taishu Shanhai led his two disciples out of the group and followed the man away.

One group after another was called and taken away, leaving fewer and fewer people behind.

The three from Zijin Cave were the last to be collected. As they left, Niu Youdao looked back once and found Xuan Yao watching him as well.

After reaching a courtyard, the man leading them stopped and turned. Facing the three, he fixed his eyes on Niu Youdao and asked in an unfriendly tone, "You're Niu Youdao?"

Niu Youdao cupped his hands. "I am."

The man looked him up and down for a while before slowly saying, "I am Long Fanhai, a deacon of the Demon Fox Bureau. Starting today, the three of you will serve in the Demon Fox Bureau. You were appointed by the Sacred Venerables. If you have any problems, you may come to me at any time."

Demon Fox Bureau?

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie looked at one another. What kind of place was the Demon Fox Bureau?

The two knew nothing about it. Niu Youdao, however, frowned slightly. He had seen the name in the materials Chang Qingshan provided.

It was a department inside Sacred Realm specifically responsible for hunting and killing Demon Foxes.

How had he just happened to be assigned here?

He could not tell whether that was fortunate or unfortunate.

"Long Fanhai?" Niu Youdao smiled. "Deacon, that's certainly a fine name."

"No need to flatter me." Long Fanhai answered bluntly. He gestured to one side.

Someone immediately came forward carrying a cage containing a messenger Goldenwing and handed it directly to Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao accepted the cage, puzzled. "What is this for?"

Long Fanhai said, "This Goldenwing can contact one of the nine Sacred Venerables directly. Those above instructed us to give it to you."

Niu Youdao gave a soft sound of acknowledgment. "May I ask which Sacred Venerable this Goldenwing reaches?"

"You don't need to ask me. I don't know. Those above don't know which Sacred Venerable your reports go to either. We won't interfere, and you shouldn't ask. Asking me would be pointless."

Niu Youdao nodded. "Understood."

Long Fanhai continued, "According to the instructions from above, this small courtyard is reserved specifically for the three of you. If you need anything for your daily food or other necessities, simply tell the guards outside."

"Thank you for the trouble."

Long Fanhai gestured again. Two people approached carrying several sets of clothing. "These are Misty Pavilion uniforms. Change into them later. It'll make it easier for you to conduct affairs within Misty Pavilion."

With that, he turned and walked away. As he went, he threw back one last sentence. "If anything comes up, speak to the guards outside."

The rest of the Misty Pavilion personnel followed and disappeared, leaving the three men alone in the empty courtyard, looking at one another.

Still carrying the birdcage, Niu Youdao tilted his head in a signal.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie immediately set down the clothes in their hands and split up, swiftly searching the entire courtyard in detail.

Niu Youdao looked around as he walked into a pavilion. He placed the cage on the stone table and sat down on a stone stool.

The search took nearly an hour. Only then did Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie meet up and return.

Qin Guan reported, "Elder, there's nothing wrong."

Ke Dingjie added, "The problem is that we have too few people. The courtyard isn't large, but there are plenty of obstructions. If someone sneaks in, it'll be difficult to notice."

Niu Youdao said, "You're overthinking it. Nothing is going to happen to us here. If something does happen, the entire Demon Fox Bureau will be implicated. No one dares act recklessly. What you two need to do is take turns standing watch. Don't let anyone get close enough to learn our private business."

"Yes!" both men answered with cupped hands.

Niu Youdao pointed toward the uniforms they had just received. "Change into Misty Pavilion's clothes first. Then go out and look around. Get a feel for the surroundings."

"This..." Qin Guan hesitated.

Ke Dingjie hesitated too. "Elder, we only just arrived. Is it appropriate to wander around?"

Niu Youdao looked at them strangely. "The two of you have even killed two Misty Pavilion men. Do you really need to be this afraid?"

The moment the words left his mouth, both men panicked.

One hurriedly looked around in every direction. The other waved his hands repeatedly. "Elder, you can't say things like that carelessly."

Niu Youdao sighed. "You're here to conduct inspections. They're the ones who should be afraid of you. You need to change the way you think and throw away this fear of Misty Pavilion." He raised a finger and tapped toward his temple. "Remember: the Sacred Venerables are precisely afraid that something might happen to us, which is why they personally took authority over our life and death. Misty Pavilion has no power to dispose of us. No one dares openly touch us. You can afford to do whatever you like."

"Whatever we like?" Qin Guan's face turned bitter. "Elder, isn't that taking it a little too far?"

"Fine. Let me put it another way. I'll set a rule for you. Starting today, deliberately make trouble for them. Find trouble even where there isn't any. Provoke them into showing us disrespect. The moment we catch even the smallest problem, we report it immediately!"

"Ah!" Both men stared.

Ke Dingjie did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Even a tiny problem gets reported to a Sacred Venerable? Elder, is that really appropriate?"

"There's nothing inappropriate about it. We need to understand what we're here to do. Do you still not understand our position? Didn't you see Taishu Shanhai and the others being sent in as replacements? The Sacred Venerables' intention to rectify Misty Pavilion could not be clearer. I'm telling you now: until the Sacred Venerables achieve their objective, don't even think about leaving alive. If we die, Zijin Cave will send replacements to continue."

The two had already guessed as much. Their expressions dimmed.

Niu Youdao continued, "Do you think it's possible to stay perfectly harmonious with Misty Pavilion? The Sacred Venerables' blade is already raised. They've already prepared to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys. Whoever stays cozy with Misty Pavilion is courting death. That person will be the first to put his own neck beneath the Sacred Venerables' blade."

"'Inspect them'? 'Find problems'? Do you think Misty Pavilion doesn't know the Sacred Venerables want to rectify it? You don't need a brain; you could guess it with your backside. Misty Pavilion has long since prepared its response. What problems are we supposed to uncover? The Sacred Venerables sent us here, yet if we prove useless, naturally they'll replace us. And how do you think they'll replace us? They aren't going to let us hop and skip back home alive. Without some intimidation behind the replacement, changing people would be useless. Everyone would merely go through the motions and wait to return."

"The blade meant to kill a chicken and warn the monkeys is already raised. Someone is definitely going to die. We cannot let that blade fall on our necks. We have to survive this first hurdle. So make trouble. Make trouble for Misty Pavilion even when there's nothing to make trouble over. The more we torment Misty Pavilion, and the more willing we are to report upward, the safer we'll be through this first stage."

[End of Chapter 1040]