Chapter 1090: Set Fire to It

The courier gave no indication one way or the other.

He could not remain for long, so he left quickly in silence.

Shao Sansheng, still shaken, made his way stiffly to Shao Pingbo's side. "Eldest Young Master, you..."

Shao Pingbo knew what he was worried about. His face remained expressionless.

"Old Shao, I have no choice. If I don't push back forcefully, those people will use every possible method to kill me and silence me."

"We know nothing about how deeply their people have infiltrated. There is no defense against an enemy like that."

Shao Sansheng sighed and shook his head. "Eldest Young Master already has a way to resolve the danger. Why say something so outrageous? What if you truly anger them..."

Shao Pingbo said, "They came directly to me and ordered me to incite the war against Wei. That means they intend to kill me afterward and silence me. Clearly they never regarded me as worth anything."

"If my words weren't heavy enough, they wouldn't strike the other side like a blow to the head."

"The people behind this should be dissidents inside Misty Pavilion. Precisely because I insult Misty Pavilion and show that I don't take it seriously, they may look at me differently."

"Only if I show no fear of Misty Pavilion will they become interested in cooperating with me."

Shao Sansheng, who had been full of worry moments earlier, suddenly understood.

By explaining how to expose the person behind Hong Yunfa, Eldest Young Master had both threatened the other side and demonstrated his own ability—or, more accurately, his value.

His outrageous insult toward Misty Pavilion was really meant to catch their attention.

He was recommending himself to them, making them see him as someone worth cooperating with.

Once he understood, Shao Sansheng admired him beyond words.

"Eldest Young Master is wise!"

Then he hesitated. "But... these dissidents inside Misty Pavilion are effectively opposing the Nine Saints. Can they truly be a match for the Nine Saints? Are they really suitable people to cooperate with? This old servant fears we may eventually draw fire onto ourselves."

Shao Pingbo asked, "Do I have a choice?"

Shao Sansheng cupped his hands. "Since Eldest Young Master already knows how to expose the person behind Hong Yunfa, why not contact the relevant side in Sacred Realm directly? Offering the strategy and serving Sacred Realm would surely be safer."

Shao Pingbo asked, "And then?"

"After I offer the strategy, what happens afterward?"

Shao Sansheng was left speechless.

After a moment, he ventured, "With Eldest Young Master's ability, perhaps Sacred Realm would value you and make use of you."

Shao Pingbo said, "Old Shao, that's wishful thinking. You're thinking too much."

"In the eyes of the Nine Saints, I am nothing."

"The Nine Saints are rectifying Misty Pavilion, but it is only a rectification. Once the rectification ends, Misty Pavilion will still be Misty Pavilion."

"And even if matters could develop as you hope, what about right now?"

"Do you think those people would allow me to contact Sacred Realm?"

"We have no idea how powerful these dissidents are inside Misty Pavilion, nor which faction they belong to. Who could I contact and be certain I wouldn't run straight into their hands?"

"To keep the planned war against Wei secret, the court has kept us under close control all this time. Right now, we know only that this one courier is a Misty Pavilion man. Who can guarantee there aren't others?"

"What if Tao Lue himself belongs to them? It is not impossible."

"Why did the person assigned to deliver documents to me just happen to be one of Misty Pavilion's people?"

"If I dare move recklessly now, the other side will spare no cost to kill me. They might even kill His Majesty directly."

"Old Shao, those people already have their eyes on me. At present, apart from frightening them enough to make them hesitate, I have no other method."

"We are hanging by a thread."

"The calmer we remain at a moment like this, the less the other side can read us and the less they will dare move rashly."

"The more composed we appear, the less they will dare gamble."

"Besides, they need this war right now. If I die now, the arrangement on Wei's side may descend into chaos and everything they've worked for will be lost."

Shao Sansheng asked anxiously, "If we truly cooperate with them, what do we do in the future?"

Shao Pingbo said, "If we're dead, what future is there to discuss?"

"First preserve our lives. First find firm footing."

"We'll worry about everything else afterward."

"Once the war succeeds and I have room to maneuver again, then we can make longer plans."

...

In the capital of Qi, Yan Baoru looked almost like a different person.

Like an ordinary housewife, she stood beside a well in a courtyard washing a pile of clothes.

If others in the cultivation world saw the expert ranked second on the Golden Core Ranking doing such menial work, their jaws would probably drop.

Yet Yan Baoru's hands moved with practiced ease, and her expression was peaceful.

Hidden here under the protection of the Ghost Doctor's disciple, far from all those grudges and vendettas, her heart had become extraordinarily calm.

She knew how rare such an opportunity was.

Most people could not even enter the door of the Ghost Doctor's disciple, much less become one of his attendants.

After experiencing so much life and death, if possible, she would willingly live like this for the rest of her life.

Once the clothes were washed, she carried a bucket of them to the drying area in the rear courtyard.

One by one, she took them out, shook them open, and hung them over the line.

Afterward, she gathered the clothing that had already dried, carried it into the rooms of the master and his two attendants, folded each person's garments neatly, and stacked them in place.

Only after finishing all of this did she go to the medical hall specially prepared inside the residence.

She lifted the cloth curtain and entered.

The Ghost Doctor's disciple Wuxin was once again cutting into flesh, blood everywhere.

Guo Man, assisting at his side, gave Yan Baoru a slight nod when she entered.

Seeing they were busy, Yan Baoru moved to one side without speaking and watched quietly.

Wuxin used a knife to cut open the skin across the chest of a man lying motionless.

He deliberately created a long, bloody wound across otherwise healthy flesh.

It did not look like treatment at all. It looked more like he was sculpting a scar.

The man's face was wrapped completely in white cloth, with only holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth.

After quite some time, Wuxin finally put away the knife.

He sprinkled medicinal powder over the bloody wound on the patient's chest, then called for white cloth and wrapped the injury.

Once finished, Wuxin examined the man's condition.

After confirming there was no problem, he raised a sleeve to wipe the sweat from his forehead, turned, and left.

Naturally, the remaining cleanup fell to Guo Man and Yan Baoru.

The two women gathered the jars, bottles, bloodied materials, and other items, carried them outside, and began washing everything.

Objects used by Wuxin for treatment were cleaned differently from ordinary items. Everything had to be soaked in a specially prepared medicinal powder.

While the two women worked, Yan Baoru could not help asking, "Can using a knife to reshape someone's face truly make one person look exactly like another?"

Guo Man said, "I don't know either. This is my first time seeing it. Before this, I'd only heard Sir mention in passing that it could be done."

Yan Baoru said, "Even if he can be made to look like Niu Youdao, Niu Youdao himself is inside Sacred Realm. If a fake Niu Youdao suddenly appears outside, no matter how similar he looks, wouldn't the fraud be exposed immediately?"

Guo Man said, "Who cares? He asked for it himself. Whatever happens afterward has nothing to do with us."

Yan Baoru said, "I'm simply wondering why Sir agreed to do something like this."

Guo Man shook her head. "I don't know. When we met him, Niu Youdao's people were hunting him down. He said his entire family had died at their hands. Perhaps Sir felt pity at the time and saved him."

Yan Baoru asked, "Was his identity verified? Could there be some problem?"

"What problem could there be? Once he walks out this door, if he wants revenge on Niu Youdao, that's his own affair. It has nothing to do with us."

"The real issue is that Sir wanted to do it. You tried persuading him yourself. Did it help?"

Yan Baoru shook her head lightly, somewhat helpless.

She had indeed tried to persuade him, but it had been useless.

She sighed. "I simply don't want Sir getting dragged into those grudges and vendettas."

"I've fought Niu Youdao before. That man is frightening. Once you provoke him, who knows what trouble may follow."

"Fortunately, he's trapped in Sacred Realm and can't get out. Hopefully nothing happens."

Guo Man's hands stopped moving.

A strange light flickered in her eyes as she tentatively asked, "Sister Baoru, you seem very afraid of Niu Youdao."

A scene suddenly flashed through Yan Baoru's mind: someone gripping her hair and forcing her head down into an anthill.

She would never forget how that had felt for the rest of her life.

She pressed her lips together. "I only think Sir has no need to provoke him."

Guo Man asked curiously, "Sister Baoru, don't you want revenge on Niu Youdao?"

Yan Baoru smiled bitterly. "His influence is enormous and his connections span everywhere. He's now an Elder of Zijin Cave, with experts gathering around him like clouds."

"I can't even get close to him. One sentence from him can make me flee like a homeless dog."

"How am I supposed to avenge myself? What would I use?"

"If Sir had not taken me in, and if Niu Youdao didn't have reservations about the Ghost Doctor's influence, he certainly would never have let me off."

"So long as he can forget I exist, I've already thought things through. Let the past remain in the past."

"I can't afford to provoke him."

"It's not a bad thing for Sister Baoru to think that way. Less trouble is better than more." Guo Man nodded in agreement.

Then she clicked her tongue. "Speaking of Niu Youdao, I still remember when I first heard about him. Back then he was only an insignificant figure trapped in one small corner."

"Who would've imagined that in just these few years he'd build such an enormous force? That man truly is formidable."

An unusual light flickered in her eyes.

...

In the Desolate Marsh Deadlands, a Gray-Feather Eagle plunged into a mountain forest.

Niu Youdao flashed to the ground and looked around.

The grass nearby rustled.

A black fox emerged and walked toward him, transforming into human form as it came.

It was Hei Yun, Clan Chief of the Demon Fox race.

They were old acquaintances now and did not bother with courtesy.

Hei Yun approached and asked, "You arranged another meeting. What is it this time?"

Niu Youdao said, "I want to see Ao Feng. It's about time I met him and had a proper talk."

Hei Yun looked startled. "If you want to see him, then go see him. Why come to me?"

"Don't tell me you want me to accompany you to meet Ao Feng."

"No. He's hiding inside Wuliang Garden, and it isn't time for me to enter Wuliang Garden yet."

"Even if I went in now, meeting him there and making contact would easily arouse suspicion. Wuliang Garden is no place for us to meet and talk."

"So I want the Demon Fox race to help me invite him outside."

Hei Yun stared at him. "Niu Youdao, are you joking?"

"You know perfectly well he's inside Wuliang Garden. I can't contact him at all. I can't even see him. There is no method of communication between us."

"How am I supposed to invite him out for you?"

"Stand outside Wuliang Garden and shout his name at the top of my lungs?"

Niu Youdao said, "People are alive. If we think about it, there will always be a way."

"A way?" Hei Yun said. "What way? I truly have no method for this."

"If we can't invite him out directly, then invite him out indirectly."

Hei Yun asked, "Then tell me how this indirect invitation is supposed to work."

Niu Youdao answered simply.

"Set fire to it."

"I've studied the terrain around that area. The forest is dense."

"Arrange people to hide around Wuliang Garden. Once everything is ready, ignite fires on all sides at the same time."

"So long as the blaze is fierce enough, it may burn away whatever concealment is hiding Wuliang Garden and force the place into view."

"Even if it doesn't, with such a huge forest fire outside, could the people inside Wuliang Garden possibly refuse to come out and fight it?"

"Ao Feng will very likely come out to help extinguish the fire."

[End of Chapter 1090]