Chapter 1089: The People of Misty Pavilion Are All Useless Trash!

There was no beating around the bush. Quan Taifeng had said it plainly: he had come to ask the sect for help.

He dared drag the entire sect into investigating Misty Pavilion because he knew these people had no way to refuse. If the sect refused to get involved, probably not a single Elder present would escape this calamity.

Everyone in Lingxiao Pavilion wore a grave expression. It truly was a dilemma, yet there was no real choice.

Refuse to support Quan Taifeng? If one person failed to satisfy the Nine Saints, the Nine Saints would kill one. They would keep killing until this side gave its full support. At present, that was the trend everyone could see.

Before the tempering began, no one had expected anything like this. Back then, everyone had tried to shirk responsibility and stay out of it, thinking that once they dodged the immediate trouble, the matter would be over.

Only now did they realize that every one of them had been inside the Nine Saints' game from the beginning.

"Ah!" Sect Leader Guan Jitai let out a long sigh. "Everyone, you've all heard Junior Brother Quan clearly. What do you think?"

...

At the Chancellor's residence in the State of Song, Zi Pingxiu entered a pavilion and slowly sat down opposite Jia Wuqun.

He sighed. "Sir, you've heard about the commotion caused by the Nine Saints rectifying Misty Pavilion, haven't you?"

Jia Wuqun smiled faintly and nodded calmly.

Zi Pingxiu said, "They killed people from several major sects at the same time. All beneath Heaven has been shaken."

Jia Wuqun raised his brush and wrote on the board before him, then showed it to Zi Pingxiu:

The Hong Yunfa affair must already have enraged the Nine Saints. Killing people from the various sects at this juncture is meant to force those sects to exert themselves!

Zi Pingxiu nodded. "They borrow the strength of the various sects to rectify Misty Pavilion, then use Misty Pavilion's blade to execute people from those same sects. They rectify Misty Pavilion while weakening the cultivation world's strength yet again. What a fine method."

Jia Wuqun wrote another line:

All beneath Heaven are chess pieces. The Nine Saints are the players. That is all. It hardly counts as some brilliant method.

The words made Zi Pingxiu's heart jump. He hurriedly waved at Jia Wuqun several times to stop him, glancing around at the same time.

Jia Wuqun only smiled and continued writing:

For them to suddenly kill people from the various sects, the Hong Yunfa affair was probably not traced to anything conclusive. That shows whoever stood behind Hong Yunfa is no simple figure either. With the Nine Saints now applying force to rectify Misty Pavilion, matters have reached this point and those inside Misty Pavilion will no longer cling to luck. Signs of great disorder have appeared. Great change may soon sweep all beneath Heaven. Chancellor, you must be cautious.

Zi Pingxiu silently considered the words, then nodded.

He had taken the warning to heart.

Precisely because of that, he could not help sighing. "When immortals above start fighting, ordinary mortals below suffer along with them."

Jia Wuqun continued writing:

If there is any news whatsoever concerning Niu Youdao, inform me promptly.

Zi Pingxiu smiled. "Sir truly does pay him extraordinary attention."

Jia Wuqun wrote another line and turned it toward him:

Chancellor, do not laugh. The first person to challenge Misty Pavilion was Niu Youdao. The first person to see through the Nine Saints' scheme was also Niu Youdao. Since he has already understood the situation, would a man like him simply sit and wait for death? Watch his movements. They may reveal which way the wind is blowing and let us perceive Heaven's timing in advance, so that Chancellor can judge early and avoid calamity while seeking fortune.

Zi Pingxiu could no longer smile.

His expression turned grave, and he nodded slightly.

...

Inside his pavilion, Shao Pingbo slowly lowered the latest news from the cultivation world.

He had learned it somewhat late, but late was still better than knowing nothing.

Naturally, what reached him was only information already public in the cultivation world. Secret intelligence that required covert investigation would not simply be delivered to him along with everything else.

Even so, Shao Pingbo was often able to infer what lay behind public information.

Shao Sansheng entered carrying tea. After setting down the cup, he noticed Eldest Young Master's deep, almost wooden expression and glanced at the intelligence on the table. He reached out, picked it up, and read.

Only then did he learn that the Nine Saints had killed inspectors from several major sects.

He sighed. "Those major sects are always so high and mighty, yet before the Nine Saints none of them has any temper at all."

Shao Pingbo said, "The map has been unrolled and the dagger revealed. The Nine Saints are exerting force now. Misty Pavilion is probably about to see some fierce internal struggle."

Shao Sansheng asked, "Eldest Young Master fears the shockwaves from Misty Pavilion's internal fighting might reach us?"

Shao Pingbo said, "What good would fear do? Once those people begin fighting to the death, all beneath Heaven will be dragged in. No one will escape. Sooner or later, everyone will be swept up."

"Worrying about that is useless, and there is nothing to worry about. What I worry about is Niu Youdao."

"The present situation proves that Niu Youdao is indeed the Niu Youdao who crossed hands with me so many times. He was the first to see through the Nine Saints' intention. That means he understood the situation long ago and has been moving ahead step by step."

"A man with his ability is no ordinary opponent. Once he seizes the initiative, the storm inside Sacred Realm may not be able to kill him."

"He is too dangerous. If he comes out of a storm like this whole and unharmed, he will return carrying the momentum of that storm with him. When that happens, I may not even have the strength to strike back."

Shao Sansheng trusted his judgment and asked worriedly, "Then what should we do?"

Shao Pingbo spoke one word at a time.

"We cannot let him come back alive!"

Shao Sansheng was about to respond when someone suddenly ran in from outside and reported, "My lord, Chief Steward Tao's carriage has arrived."

Chief Steward of the Inner Palace Tao Lue was here?

Shao Pingbo immediately rose and personally went to receive him.

Tao Lue was one of the Emperor's trusted confidants and also controlled Blackwater Terrace, the largest intelligence organization in Jin. Shao Pingbo did not dare neglect a man like that.

Before he even reached the entrance, Tao Lue had already strode inside with his accompanying guards.

Shao Pingbo hurried forward and saluted. "Chief Steward Tao."

Tao Lue acknowledged him, waved for everyone else to withdraw, and did not bother sitting down. He spoke directly where he stood.

"Minister Shao, His Majesty sent me here personally to tell you something, and instructed me to make certain I conveyed it to you with my own mouth."

"His Majesty says the war against Wei may now be formally launched. Before the Jin armies attack, every piece of groundwork must be put in place properly!"

It had finally come!

Shao Pingbo's spirits lifted. He cupped his hands. "This subject accepts the decree!"

After lowering his hands, he tentatively asked, "Chief Steward Tao, has Qiyun Sect agreed?"

Tao Lue nodded. "Naturally. You can rest easy. This time there should be no further changes."

Shao Pingbo immediately extended a hand. "Chief Steward Tao, please sit inside and we can speak at leisure."

Tao Lue waved him off. "No need. A major affair is approaching. There are many urgent arrangements I still need to make inside and outside the palace. I cannot delay here. I have delivered His Majesty's decree. I'll take my leave first."

He turned and walked away.

Shao Pingbo immediately followed and personally saw him out.

Tao Lue was not the only one who became busy.

After sending him away, Shao Pingbo also plunged into frantic preparations. He pulled out stacks of documents and reviewed the entire situation once more.

With war approaching, many things had to be prepared beforehand.

The actual killing on the battlefield was merely the final step that decided victory and defeat.

He worked until midafternoon, when Blackwater Terrace sent over its latest intelligence on Qi and Wei.

The courier set down the intelligence and had just turned to leave when Shao Pingbo, bent over the desk, suddenly said in an even voice, "Stop."

The courier halted, slowly turned back, and cupped his hands. "What instructions does Minister Shao have?"

Without lifting his head, Shao Pingbo continued marking documents with the brush in his hand. "Take a message to the people behind you. I want detailed information about Niu Youdao inside Sacred Realm."

The courier glanced around. "Minister Shao can rest assured. I'll pass the message."

Shao Pingbo continued writing calmly. "Don't merely pass the message. Get the matter done. Something this small should not be difficult for you."

The courier raised an eyebrow. "Minister Shao, are you ordering me?"

"If you're giving orders to me in my Blackwater Terrace capacity, I'll accept them. But if you're speaking disrespectfully to my other identity, then I suggest you carefully weigh the consequences."

"Consequences?"

Shao Pingbo stopped writing, casually set down his brush, and lifted his head with a cold gaze.

"If what I said displeases you, then I'll phrase it differently."

"Tell the people behind you that these are my words: the people of Misty Pavilion are all useless trash!"

Shao Sansheng, standing nearby, felt his heart leap into his throat.

Fortunately, he understood Eldest Young Master and knew he was not someone who acted recklessly. If he dared say something like this, there had to be a reason.

The courier's face instantly darkened. "Minister Shao, you truly don't value your own life."

Shao Pingbo rose and walked directly up to him until they stood face-to-face.

His expression was completely blank.

"Hong Yunfa's death was suspicious. Anyone with eyes can see there was someone behind him. Has Misty Pavilion found that person?"

"The Sacred Venerables want to know the true cause behind Hong Yunfa's death, don't they?"

"Tell the people behind you this: if Misty Pavilion cannot find the answer, that only proves Misty Pavilion is incompetent. It does not mean everyone beneath Heaven is equally incompetent."

"For example, this insignificant man before you would be happy to relieve the Sacred Venerables of their worries."

"Let me enter Misty Pavilion. Give me three days, and I guarantee I'll drag out the person who forced Hong Yunfa to his death!"

"Heh!" The courier gave a cold laugh. "Minister Shao certainly knows how to tell enormous jokes."

Shao Pingbo said, "I'm not joking."

"If I say I can uncover the truth in three days, then I can uncover it in three days. I'll stake the head on my shoulders upon it. If I fail, I will offer up this head myself!"

The courier mocked him. "I truly never realized Minister Shao possessed such extraordinary ability."

Shao Pingbo said, "For others, perhaps it would be difficult. For me, the case can be broken with a casual turn of the hand. It is barely worth mentioning."

"Was ordering me to incite the war against Wei the will of Misty Pavilion? No!"

"Someone doesn't want to be implicated by the Hong Yunfa affair. They want to stir up the situation beneath Heaven to create distractions. They don't want Sacred Realm continuing to cling to Hong Yunfa's case, so they want to manufacture a major upheaval and divert Sacred Realm's attention."

"If I enter Misty Pavilion, first I investigate whom Hong Yunfa was connected to. Second, I investigate whom people like you are connected to."

"Sort out the people behind both chains, compare the two lists, and the hidden hand naturally reveals itself."

"Is that difficult?"

"For me, it is very simple."

"Of course, if the people behind you don't want me investigating, I won't go looking for trouble. Naturally, I'll pretend I know nothing."

Uncertainty flickered through the courier's eyes. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Shao Pingbo said, "Perhaps you truly don't understand. Perhaps you're pretending not to. It doesn't matter."

"You're only an errand runner passing messages. You don't need to understand too much. Simply relay my words upward. Someone will understand them."

He extended a hand toward the exit.

"I won't see you out."

The courier's expression shifted several times. He nodded and had just turned when Shao Pingbo spoke again.

"Don't forget my matter. I want detailed information about Niu Youdao inside Sacred Realm."

"And tell the people behind you not to entertain crooked ideas about me."

"I hate people who tear down the bridge after crossing the river."

"I've done what they wanted. They had best show some credibility in return. Otherwise, someone may just send Sacred Realm the method for uncovering the truth behind Hong Yunfa's death."

"Tell them this as well: I am an excellent person to cooperate with."

"I can help them."

[End of Chapter 1089]