Chapter 1075: Just Because I Haven't Moved Against You Doesn't Mean I Don't Know

Judging from Niu Youdao's expression, Sha Rulai could tell that Jia Wuqun had probably caught his attention. That was not something Sha Rulai particularly cared about, however. He asked, "Is there anything else you want to know?"

"Far too much."

"Don't tell me you intend to stand here talking with me all night."

"Fine. If the opportunity comes later, I'll ask Mr. Sha for guidance again." Niu Youdao nodded, then raised one finger. "One final question."

"Ask."

"Do you have any way to get me out of Sacred Realm?"

Sha Rulai frowned. "Without the Nine Saints' permission, you have no way to leave Sacred Realm now. Surely you don't expect me to speak on your behalf? If you truly want to get out, think of some other method yourself. Aren't you able to communicate directly with Lan Daolin? You'd be better off finding some way to work on him, or seeking help from someone else. In any case, I'm not suited to speak for you, and under the present circumstances I can't even find a plausible excuse."

"Mr. Sha misunderstands me. What I mean is, can you get me out secretly without alarming anyone?"

"Have you gone mad? If you leave Sacred Realm now, who is supposed to account for you? If I get you out, I'll be implicated too."

"That's exactly why I hope Mr. Sha can take me out secretly. So long as no one knows, naturally no one will suspect you."

Sha Rulai warned him gravely, "There is only one exit. Anyone leaving must pass through it, and the exit is jointly guarded by people from all nine sides. It is fundamentally impossible to leave without anyone noticing. Anyone entering or leaving is questioned. How could you possibly avoid discovery?"

Niu Youdao frowned. "But I remember the last time your wife took me out, everything went very smoothly. No one carefully searched or questioned me before letting me leave. If I disguise myself properly, they shouldn't discover me without a detailed inspection."

"That was because Luo Fangfei carries a special token granting free passage. Only people of our level can enter and leave without stringent inspection. We are all direct-disciple-level figures under the Nine Saints, and when we travel in and out it is often on business for them. Anything done for the Nine Saints may involve secrets that cannot be pried into by outsiders. That is why passage is convenient for us."

"Exactly. Then why not personally take me out? If I disguise myself carefully, there shouldn't be any problem."

Sha Rulai's face darkened. "That is precisely why I said that if I take you out, I won't be able to escape responsibility. If you disappear, Sacred Realm will certainly conduct a strict investigation. They will inevitably suspect that you left Sacred Realm, and the only people capable of taking you out would be people of my level. The moment they check who left during that period, they'll immediately discover that I took someone out with me. Do you really think I could clear myself?"

So that was what worried him. Niu Youdao asked, "In other words, you truly can get me out."

"I can. But I will not do it."

Niu Youdao's eyes flickered slightly. Then he suddenly smiled and waved a hand. "All right. Since that's the case, we'll stop there. I won't mention it again."

Only after seeing him give up did Sha Rulai's unease settle somewhat. "I've told you things I should and shouldn't have told you. You've seen my sincerity. Isn't it time you let me see my daughter?"

"Naturally." Niu Youdao extended a hand in invitation. "I'll take Mr. Sha to her now."

Now that Sha Rulai had calmed down, he was no longer in such a rush. He asked cautiously, "Where is she?"

"For safety, I kept her rather far away, somewhere near the Desolate Marsh Deadlands. I'll take you there."

"Near the Desolate Marsh Deadlands..." Sha Rulai frowned and murmured to himself. After estimating the distance, he found it truly was rather far. In the end, he shook his head. "Traveling together over such a long distance would be inappropriate. If anyone sees us together, it could cause trouble. We'll go separately. Give me the exact location, and I'll meet you there later."

His caution was not unreasonable. Niu Youdao immediately agreed and told him the precise location, then departed first on his Gray-Feather Eagle.

After rising into the sky, Niu Youdao glanced back at the canyon and let out a long breath of relief.

The hidden figure who had weighed on his mind was finally dealt with.

He had to admit that this meeting with Sha Rulai had yielded enormous gains. With Sha Rulai's help, many things he did in the future would become far more convenient.

The risk had been worth taking.

Now that this matter was settled, he had much more confidence in his future plans and could finally act with fewer restraints.

...

The journey was long. By the time dawn arrived, Niu Youdao finally reached the outer region of the Desolate Marsh Deadlands.

He landed on a mountaintop.

It was the same summit where the competition in the Deadlands had begun and ended when he first entered the area.

The Gray-Feather Eagle descended onto the peak. Niu Youdao jumped down and surveyed his surroundings. Apart from the wind, everything was silent.

A skeleton lay on the mountaintop.

Niu Youdao looked at it twice. If he was not mistaken, it was Taishu Shancheng's remains. His body had been thrown here back then and no one had ever come to collect it.

Scratches covered the bones, probably marks left by some animal gnawing on them.

People in this world were long accustomed to seeing human remains. In the chaos outside Sacred Realm, corpses fallen beside the road were a common sight. No one found them strange anymore. Given Niu Youdao's own background, a skeleton like this stirred little feeling in him.

Not long afterward, someone crept furtively up the mountain.

It was none other than Hei Yun, Clan Chief of the Demon Fox race.

Hei Yun looked around before walking over. "How did it go?"

"There shouldn't be any problem. Did you bring them?"

"Yes. They're not here. We hid them near the swamp so we can withdraw quickly if anything changes."

"Can you guarantee it's safe?"

"Don't worry. We placed lookouts throughout a radius of dozens of li. No one can approach without being noticed. If anything changes, we'll receive warning immediately."

"Good." Niu Youdao relaxed and nodded. "Then we'll wait. It shouldn't be long."

Sure enough, they did not wait long.

Roughly half an hour later, a Scarlet Hunting Eagle descended onto the mountaintop. Sha Rulai arrived wrapped in a black cloak.

The moment he saw the disheveled-haired man standing beside Niu Youdao, Sha Rulai became wary. "Who is this?"

Niu Youdao turned to Hei Yun. "Words alone aren't proof. Clan Chief, I'll have to trouble you to demonstrate your transformation."

"Now?" Hei Yun looked surprised.

Niu Youdao nodded. "Now. Please."

Sha Rulai had no idea what the two were talking about. He could only see that Hei Yun seemed somewhat unwilling.

Even so, Hei Yun swayed, bent forward, and rapidly shrank. In the blink of an eye, a black fox stood on all fours before them.

Sha Rulai was badly startled. "Demon Fox?"

The black fox looked up at him, seemingly disdainful of his astonishment. Then its forequarters rose, its body expanded, and in another instant it had transformed back into human form.

Niu Youdao smiled. "Mr. Sha, allow me to introduce him. This is Mr. Hei Yun, the current Clan Chief of the Demon Fox race."

"The Demon Fox Clan Chief?" Sha Rulai was even more astonished.

He was genuinely shocked.

Niu Youdao had actually gained the Demon Fox race's trust and joined hands with them?

Sha Rulai knew perfectly well how suspicious the Demon Fox race was by nature. The Nine Saints had spent countless years exhausting every possible method without accomplishing what Niu Youdao had somehow managed to do. It was difficult to believe.

Niu Youdao then introduced Sha Rulai to Hei Yun. "This is Sha Rulai, disciple of Luo Qiu."

Hei Yun gave a couple of noncommittal grunts. His attitude was neither warm nor cold, and a complicated emotion hid beneath his expression.

Watching him, Niu Youdao could understand.

In a certain sense, Sha Rulai did have ties to the Demon Fox race. His present wife was the daughter of the Demon Foxes' former Clan Chief. Put that way, he could even be considered a son-in-law of the Demon Fox race.

"A pleasure to meet you." Sha Rulai cupped his hands respectfully toward Hei Yun.

It was not empty courtesy. He genuinely felt this was an extraordinary meeting.

Hei Yun, however, clearly had little interest in responding.

Sha Rulai could only turn back to Niu Youdao. "Where is my daughter? Don't tell me you intend to break your word."

"Mr. Sha, there's no need for impatience." Niu Youdao soothed him, then turned to Hei Yun. "Clan Chief, bring them over."

Hei Yun turned and walked to the edge of the mountain. He raised an arm and waved forcefully several times before returning. "Wait a moment. They'll be here shortly."

The three waited on the summit.

Wind howled over the mountain. Niu Youdao stood motionless with both hands resting atop his planted sword, a faint smile on his face. Hei Yun turned his head and looked off to the side. Sha Rulai glanced from one man to the other.

After some time, two figures flashed onto the summit, each carrying an unconscious captive under one arm.

The two Demon Fox Elders had brought Sha Huanli and Xiang Ming.

Both hostages were still unconscious.

Sha Rulai's gaze locked onto his daughter, concern unmistakable in his eyes.

"Release them," Niu Youdao said.

Hei Yun nodded as well.

The two Elders immediately acted and woke the captives.

Sha Huanli slowly regained consciousness. The moment her eyes focused on the Demon Fox Elder beside her, she instinctively tore herself free and retreated in fear.

"Girl, it's all right now," Sha Rulai called.

Sha Huanli turned toward the voice.

The moment she saw the face beneath the black hood, she rushed over and hid behind Sha Rulai.

Whatever the relationship between father and daughter, her first instinct was still that her father could protect her.

Xiang Ming came around as well. One look at the scene gave him a rough idea of what must have happened. Sha Rulai had probably come to rescue them, some agreement had been reached, and the Demon Foxes had agreed to release them. They should be safe now.

He immediately strode over to Sha Rulai and saluted. "Sir, this subordinate was incompetent."

A look of apology covered his face.

"It's all right. It's over." Sha Rulai's answer was flat.

At the same time, he caught his daughter's wrist and sent spiritual power through her body, checking whether she had suffered any injury.

Xiang Ming looked back at the smiling Niu Youdao and lowered his voice. "Sir, Niu Youdao is colluding with the Demon Fox race. We fell into his trap..."

He quickly explained how they had been deceived and captured.

Niu Youdao shrugged, wearing an apologetic expression.

After listening, Sha Rulai gave a quiet acknowledgment. "I know."

Then he slowly released his daughter's wrist. "You're unharmed. That's enough."

He turned back toward Niu Youdao and the Demon Foxes.

Niu Youdao smiled. "Mr. Sha, what do you think? I didn't break my word, did I? You may take them away at any time. But as for the matter in front of us..." He gestured toward Hei Yun and the others. "I'm afraid you'll have to settle that yourself."

Sha Rulai understood.

Their collusion with the Demon Fox race could not be exposed. Niu Youdao was telling him to find his own way to silence his daughter and Xiang Ming.

Sha Rulai nodded faintly, then looked back at Xiang Ming. "Is your body all right?"

"Nothing serious. My spiritual power has merely been sealed."

"I'll release it for you."

Sha Rulai reached toward him.

Then, without warning, his index and middle fingers came together like a sword.

Pfft!

The two fingers drove straight into Xiang Ming's chest, and at the same time a destructive surge of spiritual power poured into his body.

Blood sprayed from Xiang Ming's chest.

His eyes widened. Blood soon spilled from the corner of his mouth as well.

The two men stared at each other.

Shock filled Xiang Ming's face. Choking on blood, he asked, "Why?"

Sha Rulai looked at him without emotion.

"Just because I haven't moved against you doesn't mean I don't know."

A bitter smile appeared on Xiang Ming's face.

"I understand..."

His gaze slowly shifted toward the stunned Sha Huanli.

"Miss... take care of yourself. I won't be able to accompany you anymore. Listen to Sir. Everything he does is for your own good..."

His body went limp and collapsed.

[End of Chapter 1075]