Chapter 1051: People About to Die

"A misunderstanding is fine so long as it's cleared up." Heaven-Splitting Palace Elder Yu Hua laughed mildly, playing the peacemaker.

"Exactly, exactly." Blood God Hall Elder Mei Changhong repeatedly tried to smooth things over as well. "The proper course is for everyone to work together."

The two of them seemed to have forgotten entirely that the State of Song had nearly been driven to destruction. The others chimed in too.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie watched coldly from the side, sneering inwardly. They understood enough to know their Elder was never this easy to take advantage of. Everything was under Elder Niu's control, yet this crowd really seemed to think he was made of clay and could be pinched however they liked.

There were too many people for the small pavilion to hold them all. Niu Youdao extended a hand. "Let's talk in the reception hall." He led the way out.

The group followed him inside. Once host and guests had taken their seats, before the tea had even arrived, Lu Yao asked directly, "Elder Niu, quite a few things seem to have happened here at the Demon Fox Bureau. How did you end up clashing with Demon Fox Bureau Deacon Long Fanhai?"

Niu Youdao answered lightly, "Didn't Misty Pavilion already notify all of you about what happened?"

It had, but the notice only said Long Fanhai had tried to pry into a Sacred Venerable's correspondence. That little bit of information was nowhere near enough to satisfy everyone's curiosity.

Heaven-Splitting Palace Elder Yu Hua sighed. "Elder Niu, since we're joining forces, information needs to flow both ways. If none of us knows what's happening, how are we supposed to coordinate? If some mistake occurs because of that, what then? Little Brother, please tell us the details."

Blood God Hall Elder Mei Changhong agreed. "Exactly. If anything happens on our side in the future, we'll also need to inform Little Brother promptly."

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie brought in tea and placed cups on the side tables beside each seated guest.

Niu Youdao was in no hurry. Only after the two finished serving everyone did he slowly say, "There's really nothing more to it. What happened is basically what Misty Pavilion announced. Ah, that's right. I also secured a few additional powers for all of you. From now on, whenever necessary, you may call upon Misty Pavilion's large flying mounts at any time. And when circumstances require it, your inspections need not be limited to your assigned bureau. Those are benefits I obtained for everyone."

No one had any interest in drinking the tea now. Not a single cup was touched.

Because the grudge between them ran deep, Taishu Shanhai had originally intended to avoid speaking as much as possible. In the end, however, even he could not resist. "Elder Niu, I'm afraid there's some water mixed into those words of yours."

Niu Youdao shot him a cold sidelong look. "Old Taishu, what are you trying to say? Your Qiyun Sect people have spoken disrespectfully to me again and again. Are you determined to make trouble for me? Whatever game you want to play, draw the line. I'll accompany you anytime. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

"You..." Taishu Shanhai shoved against the armrests and was about to rise in anger. Among all the sects beneath Heaven, when had Qiyun Sect ever feared anyone? He had spoken perfectly civilly, yet Niu Youdao was deliberately picking a fight.

Motian Sect Elder Lei Sheng and Qingyue Villa Elder Huangfu Jin immediately jumped up and held him down before he could stand.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie had already flashed in front of Niu Youdao to protect him, staring fiercely at Taishu Shanhai in case he tried anything improper.

An Shougui repeatedly pressed his hands downward toward both sides. "Calm down, all of you. Calm down. Since we're talking about joining forces, anything can be discussed. There's no need to lose your tempers."

The others kept shooting Taishu Shanhai meaningful looks as well, signaling him to speak properly and restrain himself. They were here asking something of Niu Youdao; he needed to mind his attitude.

Taishu Shanhai forced down his anger and actually squeezed out a trace of a smile. "Little Brother Niu, you've misunderstood me. I wasn't attacking you. It's simply that what you said doesn't quite add up. Misty Pavilion did notify us, yes. But the problem is this: if Long Fanhai was accused of prying into a letter you wrote to a Sacred Venerable, then you must already have submitted a report to that Sacred Venerable before any of this happened. Otherwise, what would there have been for him to pry into?"

It was rare for him to speak so pleasantly before the other factions. Swallowing his pride like this did not feel good.

Niu Youdao waved Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie back and said calmly, "So what?"

Lu Yao immediately asked, "Then before the Long Fanhai affair happened, Little Brother really had written to the Sacred Venerable and submitted a report?"

"I did. So what? Am I not allowed to write?"

Lu Yao hurriedly waved his hands. "That's not what I mean. Anything within Little Brother's authority is beyond our interference. Even Misty Pavilion has no right to interfere. It's just that everything was perfectly normal and you had only just arrived. What was there to report?"

Niu Youdao looked at him sidelong. "Elder Lu, are you planning to imitate Long Fanhai and pry into the contents of my correspondence with the Sacred Venerable?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Lu Yao shot to his feet in alarm and denied it again and again with righteous solemnity. "Everyone heard what I said. I was only asking for clarification. I have absolutely no interest in the specific contents of any letter written to a Sacred Venerable, and I would never dare harbor any intention of prying into one."

"Elder Lu didn't mean that. Little Brother, you've misunderstood..." The others hurried to smooth things over for him.

Their mouths were all busy placating Niu Youdao, but inwardly they could not help wondering why it felt as though they had come here specifically to be insulted.

Standing behind Niu Youdao again, Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie exchanged a glance. Today they had truly learned what the bearing of a Zijin Cave Elder looked like: one man pressing down all the Elders of the other factions. As Zijin Cave disciples, merely watching it was invigorating.

Amid all the attempts at persuasion, Niu Youdao lifted his tea and took a sip. "If it was a misunderstanding, and if none of you has any intention of prying, then why I submitted a report is no longer something that needs explaining, is it?"

He was guiding them slowly, forcing the conversation toward the subject he wanted.

As expected, they no longer dared ask about the report itself. But there was one other matter they simply could not suppress. An Shougui said, "Little Brother, I remember you said before that we were 'people about to die.' You couldn't have said that for no reason."

Niu Youdao set down his cup. "You already know the reason in your own hearts. Do you really need to ask me?"

Everyone exchanged puzzled looks. An Shougui asked again, "Little Brother, what do you mean? We're asking precisely because we don't know."

Niu Youdao once more planted his sword upright before him and rested both palms over its hilt, spreading his ten fingers. "Why did the Sacred Venerables make the various factions into inspectors and insert us into Misty Pavilion?"

Everyone looked at one another again. An Shougui hesitated. "Even Ding Wei explained the reason. When we first met him at Shouque Villa, he said the Sacred Venerables were dissatisfied with Misty Pavilion. That should be why we're inspecting it. Isn't it?"

"What does Misty Pavilion mean to every major faction beneath Heaven? Having us inspect Misty Pavilion is like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth. Do the factions dare?"

"Of course we're wary. Naturally we don't dare act recklessly. But Little Brother has certainly been reckless enough."

"Me, reckless? You flatter me." Niu Youdao's gaze sharpened. "Elder An, the Sacred Venerables are wise. Do you think they don't understand our position and our fear? They know perfectly well we don't dare act, yet they still force us to brace ourselves and do it. Do you imagine the Sacred Venerables merely want us to go through the motions? Do you think they will sit by and do nothing while we protect ourselves by refusing to exert any effort?"

Everyone fell silent.

"The Sacred Venerables will naturally push us. How? Can they rely on Misty Pavilion to push us into investigating Misty Pavilion? Or do you imagine the Sacred Venerables have enough leisure to sit down with us one by one, speak earnestly from the heart, and waste endless words persuading us to work harder?"

His voice abruptly turned forceful. "Kill a chicken to warn the monkeys! Gentlemen, the Sacred Venerables' blade has already been raised. It is already hanging over your necks!"

Everyone's hearts jolted.

The words were definite, and the logic behind them was sound. How could they not be alarmed? Some were only a step away from breaking into cold sweat.

Niu Youdao continued, "Why did every faction want to go to the All-Under-Heaven Money House? Because everyone wanted to avoid trouble and avoid offending Misty Pavilion. Every faction naturally intends to offend Misty Pavilion as little as possible, to smile and muddle through because they know they cannot afford to provoke it. But can the Sacred Venerables tolerate that?"

"The faction representatives have only just taken their posts. You can say everyone is still learning the situation, so naturally the Sacred Venerables will not act immediately. But the attitude of the factions guarantees that sooner or later people will grow slack. The Sacred Venerables are waiting. Waiting for the blade to rise and fall."

He glanced toward Taishu Shanhai and An Shougui. "Old Taishu and Elder An were brought in as replacements, weren't you? By now this tempering has made one thing perfectly clear: it is nothing like the Tiandu Secret Realm. Inspectors can be replaced from their factions at any time. If the present group refuses to exert itself, no problem. Kill a batch. The people who come afterward will naturally work hard. Who would still dare slack off then? The Sacred Venerables are bound to kill a group to make an example of the rest."

"So, gentlemen, are you enjoying yourselves here? I also hope all of you can keep muddling along happily. But perhaps you should each feel your own neck and ask how much longer your heads will remain stored there. Gentlemen, am I wrong? If you aren't people about to die, then who is?"

The terrifying consequences made more than one person swallow dryly. Some faces had already changed color.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie exchanged glances. Elder Niu had frightened this crowd badly enough that not one of them dared speak.

The reception hall fell silent for a while. The only sound was the faint click of Niu Youdao's cup against its saucer.

After a long time, Taishu Shanhai finally asked, "So that's why you hurried to petition the Sacred Venerable and got Long Fanhai killed?"

Niu Youdao said, "If all of you are tired of living, that's your business. I'd still like to live a while longer. Naturally I need to find fault with Misty Pavilion. My attitude of doing my duty is plain for everyone to see. When the butcher's blade falls later, I imagine it won't fall on my neck."

"As for saying I got Long Fanhai killed, you think far too highly of me. He was the dignified deacon of the Demon Fox Bureau. How could he die just because I wanted him dead? The Sacred Venerable wanted him dead. The Sacred Venerable was making his position clear and backing the inspectors. Didn't all of you receive the notice? Why make sure every inspector knew about it? Because the Sacred Venerables are giving us courage."

Naturally, he would never mention his grudge with Xuan Yao or admit that this had been a counterattack. Nor would he say Long Fanhai had been methodically forced into a dead end by his design.

At this point, everyone finally understood.

So they had already reached a moment where life and death were at stake. Niu Youdao had simply found a method for avoiding the first calamity. What they themselves needed to do no longer required any further reminder.

The matter was clear. The atmosphere had reached this point, and no one knew when the butcher's blade might fall. Everyone now had more urgent matters to attend to and no mind for further idle talk. After exchanging a few perfunctory courtesies, they rose to leave one after another.

Niu Youdao stood to see them out. Just as they reached the eaves, he suddenly told Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie, "Take good care of those two Goldenwings. There must not be any mishap."

The departing guests followed his gaze and saw that there were actually two Goldenwings.

An Shougui asked in confusion, "Little Brother, all of us only have one Goldenwing. Why do you have two?"

Niu Youdao said, "You only have one? I wouldn't know about that. Today, not long ago, the Sacred Venerable had another one delivered to me. Said it would make communication more convenient."

"Oh!" One thoughtful expression after another appeared on their faces.

[End of Chapter 1051]