Chapter 1054: Xue Luo'er Is Getting Married

Xuan Yao had little interest in the other factions jumping up and down. His attention remained fixed on Niu Youdao. "Niu Youdao has behaved himself? He hasn't caused any more trouble?" The man's string of reports still left a deep impression on him.

Huang Ban knew Xuan Yao was still holding his anger toward Niu Youdao. "He hasn't caused any more trouble. Compared with the other seven factions, he's been quiet. But lately he keeps requisitioning large flying mounts and leaving Wentian City. One day he goes to one of Misty Pavilion's eastern outposts, the next day to one of the western ones. He visits almost one place every day. At least he looks like someone diligently carrying out inspections for the sake of the Sacred Venerables."

Xuan Yao said, "Be careful. He may be looking for trouble."

"I am a little worried, but so far he's behaved himself."

Xuan Yao suddenly said, "Brother Huang, how about letting me handle matters over at the Demon Fox Bureau?"

Huang Ban was speechless for a moment. In the end, he sighed. "Brother Xuan, it isn't that I refuse to give you face. I know you can't swallow this grievance. Mr. Ding can't either. But now truly isn't the time. Niu Youdao submitted report after report, openly offending us and making his grudge with you known to those above. If anything happens to him now, it would be impossible not to draw suspicion. He files a complaint and then dies right afterward. What would that look like?"

"Brother Xuan, the Sacred Venerables are still leaving everyone a measure of room and are still willing to follow rules. If we genuinely anger them, do you think it will matter whether Niu Youdao's death looks perfectly reasonable? Do you think they need evidence before they can move against us? They don't. One decree would be enough to drag every relevant person before them. Once someone is taken into a Sacred Land, Misty Pavilion is no longer the one conducting the interrogation."

"Lan Ming came. Long Fanhai clenched his teeth and denied everything. What good did that do? His corpse is still hanging in the middle of the city, stinking as a public warning."

"You were questioned by Lan Ming too. Why didn't you suffer any physical torment? It wasn't because Lan Ming lacked evidence. Mr. Ding protected you, and Lan Ming gave Mr. Ding face. Otherwise, even if you survived, you'd have lost a layer of skin."

"Inside Misty Pavilion, Mr. Ding presides over the Pavilion and can still protect us to some extent. Once you're taken into a Sacred Land, even Mr. Ding can no longer interfere."

"Offending one or two of the Nine Sacred Lands isn't necessarily a problem. So long as we have a Sacred Land backing us, no one faction will casually move another faction's people. But these sect inspectors exist by the joint will of all nine. If Niu Youdao is killed now and Tianlan Sacred Land demands the people involved, I'm afraid Dayuan Sacred Land would simply close one eye and keep silent. Whether they uncover anything or not, do you truly think you'd still return alive?"

"Brother Xuan, it isn't that I refuse you face. This is Mr. Ding's intention as well. Stay idle for a while and wait until this gust of wind passes."

Xuan Yao fell silent.

...

At mealtime, food was delivered to the courtyard where Niu Youdao was staying at the Demon Fox Bureau. When the dishes were laid out, they were noticeably lavish.

Ever since the sect inspectors had submitted complaints saying the various bureaus were deliberately making things difficult for them, the bureaus had improved the quality of their meals. There was no point letting anyone petition upward over such a trivial matter.

But the bureaus' concessions did not make the inspectors ease off.

Instead, the inspectors saw that their complaints worked and grew even more aggressive.

"I don't feel like eating. You three eat." Niu Youdao glanced over the table with his hands behind his back, threw down the words, and left.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie could only save a portion for Kunlin Shu. The three men now took turns guarding their quarters.

Niu Youdao returned to his room, went inside, shut the door, and drew a letter from his sleeve.

Qu Lingkun had secretly slipped it to him earlier when carrying the food box into the courtyard.

Niu Youdao spread the letter open.

The handwriting was familiar.

It was indeed Yuan Gang's reply.

The message said they had received Niu Youdao's instructions and were already arranging everything. He was not to worry.

Seeing the letter and confirming that the person behind Qu Lingkun had truly helped him establish contact, Niu Youdao felt no joy at all.

Hands clasped behind his back, he paced the room and carefully reconsidered the matter from every angle.

Even now, he could not understand why the hidden party wanted to help him.

The greatest problem was that the other side possessed knowledge of what he had done inside the Tiandu Secret Realm.

During their previous exchanges, Niu Youdao had deliberately threatened the hidden party as a test.

Yet the other side had never once used the Tiandu Secret Realm matter to threaten him in return.

Instead, they had agreed to help him.

Niu Youdao did not believe they cared about Qu Lingkun's life. Neither Qu Lingkun nor Chang Qingshan at Shouque Villa was anything more than a small pawn in the hidden party's hands.

And if they dared use such people to contact him, then whoever stood behind them surely had ways to protect themselves.

Even if Niu Youdao flipped the table, at worst Qu Lingkun and Chang Qingshan would suffer. The trail probably could not be followed back to the person behind them.

In other words, if Niu Youdao angered that hidden party, the other side could sacrifice two pawns at any time and use the Tiandu Secret Realm matter to put Niu Youdao to death.

Yet they had not done so.

And now Yuan Gang's letter had reached his hands, proving the other side's sincerity.

Why?

After thinking it over repeatedly, Niu Youdao saw only three possibilities.

First, the hidden party could not expose what he had done inside the Tiandu Secret Realm without exposing themselves as well.

Second, they might no longer possess evidence. Niu Youdao's recent behavior had given him some measure of self-protection. If someone accused him now, everyone would suspect Misty Pavilion merely wanted to eliminate him. Without evidence, the accusation would have little persuasive force.

Third, perhaps the hidden party genuinely did want to help him.

But all three possibilities were nothing more than guesses.

Ultimately, everything still came back to the same question.

Why had the other side sought him out in the first place?

Why had they begun by saying they wanted to help him?

Even genuine help could not come from nowhere. There had to be a reason.

Yet the other side had never once stated any condition.

The fewer conditions they named, the less secure Niu Youdao felt.

What worried him most was that the hidden person might not be the man he suspected.

What if one of the Nine Saints himself was setting a trap?

Niu Youdao raised the letter and looked at it again.

Then he slowly crushed it to powder in his hand.

He had to find some way to probe this matter to the bottom.

Otherwise he would remain in the light while someone hidden in the dark controlled the situation, with no idea what cards that person held. Remaining passive every moment would leave him in grave danger.

...

When Niu Youdao came out of the room, Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie had already finished eating. Kunlin Shu had gone in to take his turn at the meal.

Niu Youdao walked over to the other two and said, "We've already visited all the nearby outposts. Starting today, we'll go farther out. We may not return the same day. One of you go file the necessary notice with Misty Pavilion and handle the paperwork for requisitioning a large flying mount."

"Yes!" both men answered.

After a brief exchange between them, Qin Guan left to take care of it.

Ke Dingjie looked somewhat puzzled. "Elder, is there actually any point in us running around like this?"

For the past several days, the two of them had followed Niu Youdao from place to place.

Truthfully, it felt almost like sightseeing.

Ke Dingjie could not see what purpose lay behind it.

Niu Youdao said, "No particular point. It just makes us look diligent in carrying out our duties."

He tossed out the perfunctory answer and turned away.

When Qin Guan returned after filing the notice, he came riding a large flying mount and landed directly inside the courtyard.

After making a few preparations, the three Zijin Cave men mounted the bird and rose into the sky.

Kunlin Shu was left alone in the courtyard, keeping watch over one birdcage. Niu Youdao had taken the other Goldenwing with him.

Kunlin Shu had no idea what Niu Youdao was doing with these daily trips.

Since coming here, Kunlin Shu himself had had almost nothing to do.

Niu Youdao never took him along when he went out.

Gradually, Kunlin Shu sensed that until he completely decided where he stood, there were certain matters Niu Youdao was deliberately keeping him away from.

Ever since losing to Niu Youdao in the State of Qi years ago, Kunlin Shu had traveled a difficult road to reach this point. He had suffered enough hardship that much about him had changed.

The arrogance he once possessed had long since been worn away.

What remained was torment.

...

Amid the vast sea stood a mountainous island covered in pavilions and buildings.

A large flying mount descended from the sky and landed in an open space between the structures.

Niu Youdao and his two companions dismounted.

Two Misty Pavilion men appeared and challenged them. "Who are you?"

"Niu Youdao," Niu Youdao answered.

At his signal, Qin Guan produced Misty Pavilion's written authorization and showed it to them.

Once they confirmed that the newcomer truly was Niu Youdao, the two Misty Pavilion men exchanged glances.

Their attitude immediately became considerably more courteous, though a certain distance remained.

They had little choice but to be polite.

There was even some nervousness in their manner.

News of Long Fanhai's death had reached this place as well.

They knew the man standing before them was no benevolent figure. He was someone who had come specifically to find faults.

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie had already grown accustomed to such reactions.

After following Niu Youdao around these past few days, they had found that Misty Pavilion personnel everywhere treated them in much the same way.

After a few perfunctory words, the two men invited Niu Youdao to drink tea.

Niu Youdao had no interest.

He looked around and found the place unusually deserted. "Before coming here, I heard more than ten people were stationed at this outpost. Why does it feel as though only the two of you are here? Where is everyone else?"

Not long afterward, Niu Youdao left the outpost and went to a nearby reef island.

There he stood shoulder to shoulder with Island Master Xu Liang, the man responsible for guarding the area.

Before them, several people surfaced from the sea and hauled up a strange giant clam dredged from the seabed.

Crack!

The huge shell was broken open in public.

Someone dug through the mass of flesh inside and soon extracted a fist-sized pearl glowing with brilliant blue light.

Xu Liang beckoned.

One of his men brought the blue pearl over and placed it in his hand.

Xu Liang turned it over and inspected it. "No flaws. This is the one."

Then he handed it to Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao took it.

The deep-blue object was indeed beautiful.

He raised it to his nose and smelled it.

No scent.

He asked, "Is gathering these things the reason you're stationed here?"

Xu Liang hurriedly explained, "Elder Niu, don't misunderstand. It isn't that we're neglecting our proper duties. Ice and Snow Sacred Land sent word asking us to collect some Seven-Colored Treasure Pearls and deliver them there. These things aren't easy to gather from the deep sea. We have no choice. We have orders to obey."

Niu Youdao could not help asking, "What does Ice and Snow Sacred Land want them for?"

Xu Liang looked surprised. "Elder Niu doesn't know?"

Niu Youdao paused, then smiled. "If it isn't some secret that can't be spoken of, I'd be glad to hear the details."

Xu Liang smiled faintly. "There's nothing secret about it. Ice and Snow Sacred Land is about to celebrate a joyous occasion. Granny Xue's granddaughter is getting married. It isn't much of a secret. You would've learned sooner or later. The Seven-Colored Treasure Pearls are probably meant as decorations."

Niu Youdao looked surprised. "You mean Ice and Snow Pavilion Master Xue Luo'er is getting married?"

"Exactly. Granny Xue has no other granddaughter."

Niu Youdao stood in the sea wind, his robes fluttering.

A thoughtful look entered his eyes as he remembered what had happened years ago at Ice and Snow Pavilion.

When his thoughts returned to the present, he asked, "I wonder who is fortunate enough to win the favor of the Ice and Snow Pavilion Master?"

Xu Liang said, "I don't know. The news appeared rather suddenly. I heard he's an independent cultivator from the cultivation world named Chuan Ying. Supposedly he's extraordinarily handsome."

"An independent cultivator?" Niu Youdao was genuinely surprised.

[End of Chapter 1054]