Chapter 1135: "Me"

Could Ximen Qingkong really leave Xuan Wei? Judging by all these years, Niu Youdao feared the man would never learn his lesson. Even if they cured him, he would probably run straight back to Xuan Wei. In that case, saving him this time would have been for nothing.

But that was not something Niu Youdao intended to dwell on. Setting it aside, he asked, "Have you found Shao Pingbo's whereabouts?"

Sha Rulai gave him a sidelong glance and answered crisply, "No."

"Not even a single clue?"

"I told you already, I'm no longer in Misty Pavilion, so there are some things I can't conveniently inquire about. The grudge between you and Shao Pingbo is known to everyone. If I start asking after him and someone with an eye for such things notices, it would be difficult for them not to suspect a connection between you and me."

Niu Youdao was about to argue the point, but Sha Rulai raised a hand to stop him. "You asked me to meet you just to ask about this?"

Niu Youdao gave a rueful smile and sighed. Then his expression turned serious. "Help me bring someone in from the outside."

Sha Rulai's voice sank. "Are you joking?"

"Don't worry. As long as you can bring him in, there won't be any problem. The moment he enters, I'll send him straight to the Demon Foxes. He won't show his face, and no one will discover him."

Sha Rulai frowned. "Is it worth taking this risk? Who is he?"

"Me!"

"You?" Sha Rulai stared at him, baffled. "What do you mean?"

Niu Youdao instructed, "Find someone with a build similar to mine and take him out with you..."

...

Several days later, Sha Rulai left the Sacred Realm. He first made a trip to Star-Plucking City to visit his daughter. On the return journey, he stopped on a lonely island and met the "me" Niu Youdao had spoken of.

Wrapped in a black cloak and wearing a mask, Sha Rulai clapped his hands several times.

Three people emerged from a cave on the island, all in disguise. Two were Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang. The third was the man they had brought from the Qi capital.

Neither side knew the other's identity. Sha Rulai asked, "Which one?"

Duan Hu said to the man from the Qi capital, "Go. Just follow him."

The man stepped out from among the three somewhat uneasily and cupped his hands to Sha Rulai in greeting.

Sha Rulai pointed at the disguise on his face, indicating that he should remove it.

The man looked back at Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang. Wu Sanliang nodded. "Do exactly as he tells you."

Only then did the man raise a hand and peel away the disguise, revealing his true face.

The instant he saw that face, Sha Rulai's pupils contracted. He was genuinely shocked. He stepped forward at once and could not resist taking the man's face between both hands to inspect it. The longer he looked, the more astonished he became. At last he understood what Niu Youdao had meant by "me." How could there be someone in the world who looked so much like him?

Sha Rulai examined him carefully again and again. At least on the face, he could see no trace of fakery. Could Niu Youdao possibly have a twin brother?

Of course, even when facing Niu Youdao himself, Sha Rulai had never inspected him at such close range. He could not say whether there were small differences between this man and the real Niu Youdao. But other people would be no different. That alone made the resemblance sufficient to pass the false for the true.

What exactly did Niu Youdao intend to do by bringing someone like this inside?

Sha Rulai had always admired Niu Youdao's courage and willingness to act. But now that he was expected to bring such a man into the Sacred Realm, he found himself uneasy instead.

"There's nothing more for you two to do here," Sha Rulai said coldly, turning his head slightly.

Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang cupped their hands, then swiftly departed. Dao Ye's orders had been explicit: they were not to pry or ask questions about anything. Otherwise, their lives might be in danger.

This was not Niu Youdao being overly suspicious. It was simple reality. If Sha Rulai discovered anything wrong, he would absolutely kill Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang to silence them. Niu Youdao would not be there to stop him even if he wanted to. Sha Rulai's authority to make decisions on the spot was not something Niu Youdao could control.

"Put your false face back on and come with me."

At Sha Rulai's cold instruction, the man immediately obeyed. Once his disguise was restored, the two departed.

After leaving the island, they traveled onward to another isolated island.

Once Sha Rulai confirmed there was nothing suspicious there, he tore off the man's disguise and tossed him another disguise together with a change of clothes. "Change!"

While the man changed appearance again, Sha Rulai personally helped with the disguise, working with painstaking care until he was satisfied that nothing would look suspicious without a close and deliberate inspection.

Sha Rulai himself also removed his mask and black cloak, revealing his true appearance.

There was no problem with that. The man from the Qi capital did not know Sha Rulai and had never seen him before.

The man did not know where they were going next. He simply followed Sha Rulai aboard a Scarlet Hunting Eagle and took to the sky. Along the way, Sha Rulai naturally gave him a set of instructions.

Only when they reached their destination did the man discover, to his alarm, that they had come to the legendary Sacred Island through which people entered and left the Sacred Realm.

"Don't panic. I call the shots here. Just keep quiet and follow me." Sha Rulai saw his nervousness and reassured him purely to keep him steady. Naturally, this was not truly a place where Sha Rulai alone called the shots.

Hearing that the other man supposedly held authority here, the visitor from the Qi capital was startled and secretly tried to guess his identity, still unable to determine who he might be.

The moment they entered the walled compound on Sacred Island, people came forward to inspect them. All of the inspectors saluted Sha Rulai, while Sha Rulai simply tossed them a token.

After verifying it, they returned the token and let the pair pass without delay. They did not even question them.

It was exactly as Sha Rulai had said before. People at their level often went outside on business for the Nine Saints. Matters belonging to the Nine Saints were not for others to pry into.

Had it been anyone else entering or leaving this place, whether or not they were searched would have been secondary. They would certainly have been questioned about their purpose.

Sha Rulai came and went here often enough that he possessed considerable confidence. Otherwise, he would never have dared bring someone inside.

And just like that, the man from the Qi capital passed through under Sha Rulai's protection. He followed Sha Rulai into a rippling shimmer and, when he emerged again, found himself in another world. The experience opened his eyes considerably.

The two went to Shouque Villa and requisitioned a flying mount. Once airborne, they headed toward Daluo Sacred Land.

Their apparent destination was merely a cover. Midway through the journey, they changed course and went elsewhere to meet Niu Youdao, who appeared in disguise this time.

"You were vague and mysterious about everything. What exactly are you planning to do after bringing a man like this in?"

"It isn't time to explain yet. When the time comes, sir will naturally understand."

"When the time comes? If you refuse to explain the matter clearly, how do you expect me to keep playing along? How can I safely hand this man over to you?"

"Sir, I can tell you only one thing: I'm doing this partly for your sake as well. You'll understand."

"All I can see is an enormous problem. I don't see how any part of this is for my sake."

"Sir, there are things that would do neither of us any good to know right now. Neither of us would feel at ease. Allow me to keep something in reserve, just as you keep things in reserve from me. Leaving each other some room is better for both of us. You need only understand that I cannot possibly harm you. Harming you would bring me no benefit at all; harming you would be the same as harming myself. It won't be long. Please be patient, sir. Before much longer, I'll naturally give you an explanation."

The man from the Qi capital had no idea what the two were murmuring about off to the side. He could sense the displeasure of the man who had brought him inside. Then he saw the newcomer walk over and say only, "Come with me."

When the man who had brought him did not object, he took his leave and followed the newcomer away.

Having received the man, Niu Youdao swiftly flew toward the Desolate Marsh Deadlands.

The visitor still had no idea what was happening even after they reached the Demon Foxes' stronghold. He only knew that the moment he arrived, the Demon Foxes placed him under their control.

There was one thing he did understand. He knew Niu Youdao was also inside the Sacred Realm, so the reason he had been brought here must somehow involve Niu Youdao. Impersonate Niu Youdao inside the Sacred Realm? Who were these people? What were they planning? Unease gnawed at him. He could faintly sense that he had been drawn into an enormous conspiracy. Yet this was the Sacred Realm, a world he knew nothing about. That ignorance left him frightened and powerless.

...

In Wentian City, within the Demon Fox Bureau district, Niu Youdao and Qin Guan walked slowly into a pavilion and sat down.

"Elder, the atmosphere in Wentian City seems a little strange."

"What's strange about it?"

"I can't quite put my finger on it. Elder, after living here for so long, aren't you worried at all?"

"Worried about what?"

"You offended Xuan Yao. Every time I see him, the way he looks at you is openly hostile. This disciple worries that sooner or later he won't let you off."

"Xuan Yao is hardly the only one I've offended. I've offended Ding Wei too. Things have already come this far, so there's nothing to fear. Besides, what can a mere Xuan Yao do to me? Put your heart back in your belly. Before he gets a chance to act, I'll kill him first."

"Has Elder already thought of a way to deal with him?"

"What way? It isn't convenient to say yet. When the time comes, you'll understand. In any case, he'll end up like Long Fanhai, dying stifled and helpless, with no way to do anything about us!"

"This disciple knows Elder's ability. Then I'll simply wait and enjoy the show. Oh, right, Elder. I heard from the Demon Fox Bureau that the routine sweep in the Desolate Marsh Deadlands is almost over. The Demon Fox Bureau personnel taking part should be returning soon."

"About when?"

"It seems the sweep ends in five days."

"Five days... Then we should make a trip. Our inspection duty is with the Demon Fox Bureau, after all, and the Demon Fox Bureau's task is exterminating Demon Foxes. If we ignore it from beginning to end, that would be difficult to justify."

"We're going into the Desolate Marsh Deadlands again?"

"I can tell you don't much like going there. Truthfully, neither do I. Don't worry, we're not going now. Didn't you say it ends in five days? We'll go a little early and wait at the place where they gather before returning. When they arrive, we'll ask about the situation, go through the motions, and leave."

Their idle conversation gradually drifted onto other subjects. Behind the pavilion, beside an artificial hill, an eavesdropper quietly slipped away on careful feet.

Not long after the man left, Ke Dingjie emerged from a moon gate on the other side. He hurried into the pavilion and reported in a low voice, "Elder, he's gone."

Niu Youdao narrowed his eyes slightly. "Take a shortcut to Xuan Yao's residence immediately. Get there ahead of him and see whether he goes inside."

With Qu Lingkun, whom Sha Rulai had arranged, quietly assisting them from the outside, Niu Youdao had some idea who belonged to whom among the people furtively watching others in Wentian City. Qu Lingkun knew a little, and once he deliberately made inquiries, Niu Youdao naturally learned a little as well.

"Yes!" Ke Dingjie left swiftly.

"Let's go." Niu Youdao rose as well.

After returning to the courtyard where they were staying, Qin Guan glanced at Kunlin Shu sitting quietly beneath the eaves. Once he followed Niu Youdao into the room, he lowered his voice and asked, "Elder, why arrange things this way? If that man really passes those words to Xuan Yao, won't you be forcing Xuan Yao to make a killing move against you?"

Niu Youdao gave him only a simple answer. "Don't worry about it. I have my own arrangements."

[End of Chapter 1135]