Chapter 1141: Damn It, It's Finally Here!

Everyone looked at one another. An Shougui, Elder of Myriad Beasts Sect, asked for confirmation, "Wuliang Garden? The Wuliang Garden where the forbidden treasure is kept?"

Niu Youdao said, "Is there another Wuliang Garden here?"

Unease immediately appeared on quite a few faces. That place was far too taboo. Even disciples of the Nine Saints avoided it whenever they could. Charging straight toward Wuliang Garden on their own initiative was practically asking for trouble, and once trouble arose there, it would never be something minor.

It was not only them. Even Kunlin Shu, standing behind them, was surprised when he heard.

Taishu Shanhai said gravely, "Niu Youdao, that isn't a place we should be going."

Niu Youdao said, "Why not? With our authority as inspectors, apart from the Sacred Lands themselves, where in the Sacred Realm are we forbidden to go? Is there any rule saying we cannot enter Wuliang Garden? No! The Sacred Venerables gave us such broad authority precisely because Misty Pavilion is so powerful and because they wanted us to be able to act without obstruction. If you don't dare go, then I'll go by myself. But afterward, don't accuse me of shaking you off and acting alone. Remember this yourselves: it isn't that I want to go it alone. It's that you're too timid and afraid of trouble."

The Elders exchanged looks. Some even leaned over and muttered into another's ear. More than one suspected this fellow might deliberately be dragging out a mountain none of them dared climb, using it to scare everyone off and shut their mouths once and for all.

Taishu Shanhai asked suspiciously, "You truly dare go to Wuliang Garden?"

Niu Youdao said, "Old Taishu, listen to yourself. Why wouldn't I dare? It isn't as though I've never been there."

Everyone was startled. Two people nearly spoke in unison. "You've been to Wuliang Garden?"

This time it was Niu Youdao's turn to be surprised. "You didn't know?"

They looked around at one another questioningly. Clearly, none of them had known.

Niu Youdao had assumed they knew already. After all, they had even heard about his trip to Ice and Snow Sacred Land to drink wedding wine. Now it seemed Wuliang Garden truly was taboo enough that no one had spoken outside about his visit there.

Taishu Shanhai asked, "When did you go?"

Niu Youdao said, "Don't tell me none of you heard about the great fire outside Wuliang Garden either?"

"That we heard about," Taishu Shanhai said. "What does it have to do with you?"

"You can't say things like that carelessly. What do you mean, what does it have to do with me? Anyone who doesn't know the story might hear you and think I started the fire." Niu Youdao continued, "What I mean is that there was something suspicious about that fire. I was already planning to go investigate when Ding Wei, Presiding Administrator of Misty Pavilion, happened to return from outside and was heading to Wuliang Garden. So I went with him. You could say I went inside and broadened my horizons. And it wasn't only me. Ask the two Zijin Cave disciples with me. They went in as well."

Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie nodded repeatedly, confirming that it was true.

Everyone exchanged looks. The story probably was not fabricated. They discovered this fellow truly had no small amount of nerve. He really had gone into Wuliang Garden.

Taishu Shanhai asked, "A few days ago you said your investigation had reached a critical point. Now you want to go to Wuliang Garden. Is what you're investigating connected to Wuliang Garden?"

Niu Youdao said, "I already found that fire suspicious. After I entered Wuliang Garden, I questioned several people in my capacity as an inspector and discovered the blaze truly did have problems. It wasn't a natural disaster. It was man-made. You may not know what the fire scene looked like." He gestured with both hands. "The fire did not start from one point. It ignited around Wuliang Garden on all sides at nearly the same time. The flames were fierce the moment they rose, and they were difficult to extinguish for quite a while. Someone clearly set that fire deliberately!"

Everyone considered his words. An Shougui asked, "Who would have the nerve to set fire to Wuliang Garden? What would be the purpose?"

"I don't know who the culprit is. If anyone knew, the Nine Saints would probably have punished them severely long ago. As for the purpose, it isn't difficult to imagine." Niu Youdao said, "At the time, I suspected someone was targeting the Wuliang Fruit. After questioning several people inside Wuliang Garden, that suspicion only grew stronger. Unfortunately, the circumstances then made it inappropriate for me to alert the quarry, so I did not remain inside for long. After leaving Wuliang Garden, I kept running about and investigating in secret. Eventually, I uncovered a few clues."

What clues? Qin Guan and Ke Dingjie glanced at one another and muttered inwardly. Why did we never hear about this?

Then again, Elder Niu often left them behind and disappeared on his own. They truly had no idea what he had been doing during those absences, or whether he had really found something.

Everyone's expressions turned solemn. Mei Changhong, Elder of Blood God Hall, asked, "What clues?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "I can't say yet. Gentlemen, don't look at me like that. You all understand the principle. Anyone who dares set fire to Wuliang Garden cannot be an ordinary person. Without hard evidence, I can't name names recklessly, or I may bring disaster down on myself. The purpose of this trip is precisely to confirm the clues I've found. Once they're verified, we can report the matter."

He looked around at them. "As for why I called all of you along this time... I'll tell you the truth. It isn't because I'm some benevolent soul eager to share the credit. I've already been inside Wuliang Garden once. There are too many people there. If I start questioning them, my manpower isn't enough. First, I have no idea how long it would take. Second, I'm afraid I won't be able to control the situation quickly enough to prevent people from colluding on their stories."

"Gentlemen, if we can verify the evidence this time, it will be a great merit for all of us. It should be enough to carry us through the charge of dereliction we're about to face."

"Of course, if you don't want to go, I won't force you. But let me put the ugly words first: before I verify the evidence, not one word of what I just said can leak outside. If news gets out and alerts the quarry, you'll share the blame when the clues disappear."

Everyone hesitated. Taishu Shanhai tested him. "You really found a clue? You're certain this trip will produce something?"

Niu Youdao said, "Elder Taishu, isn't that nonsense? If I had no clue and no confidence at all, would I dare barge into Wuliang Garden?"

When they thought about it, that was true. Wuliang Garden was not a place where anyone could make trouble for amusement.

Taishu Shanhai looked around at the others. "What do all of you think?"

Going to Wuliang Garden to investigate a case was no small matter. Yet after exchanging looks for a while, though everyone remained uneasy, no one could find any convincing reason to refuse.

In the end, the whole group steeled themselves and took to the air together behind Niu Youdao.

That was precisely what Niu Youdao had expected. The matter might have come abruptly, but he could not think of any reason these people would stay behind...

The journey was long. They crossed countless mountains and rivers and spent considerable time in the air before finally reaching their destination.

Eight large passenger-carrying flying birds circled overhead. Below them, traces of the great fire were still plainly visible. New green had already sprouted across the scorched land, but it could not hide the wounds the blaze had left across the earth.

Niu Youdao had been here before. He knew where Wuliang Garden lay and where the entrance was.

Under his guidance, eight Gray-Feather Eagles descended one after another onto the same low hillside.

The others could not see Wuliang Garden anywhere and were still looking around when Niu Youdao shouted toward one direction, "Inspectors of the eight sects, acting under the command of the Nine Saints, have arrived! Open the formation gate at once!"

Inside Wuliang Garden, Ao Feng and Wei Ye happened to be the guards on duty at the gate.

Niu Youdao had calculated the timing before coming. He had deliberately chosen a day when Ao Feng was on duty.

At the sight of Niu Youdao, Ao Feng froze beneath the archway. More than twenty people had shown up all at once. He could not help wondering, What is Niu Youdao trying to do? Rob the place?

But that was impossible. With Wuliang Garden's defensive strength, twenty-odd people could not stir up much of anything here.

Even so, Ao Feng immediately realized Niu Youdao had not come with good intentions. He would never appear rashly. The scheme they had prepared for so long was probably going to unfold today.

Damn it, it's finally here! Ao Feng's heart pounded, his nerves wound tight.

Wei Ye shook the warning bell hanging beside the archway. A squad of men emerged in response.

A pale blue crack twisted into existence in the empty air. The line suddenly swelled, instantly becoming an enormous bowl-shaped curtain of rippling light.

Inside the inverted shell of light, pavilions and towers appeared as though squeezed out of the wilderness itself, like a mirage.

The formation gate opened, and a group of men walked out.

Taishu Shanhai and the others looked at one another. The place where they had landed was perfectly aligned with the formation gate. That alone showed Niu Youdao truly had been here before.

Because of that, because his earlier words were confirmed as true, their hearts settled slightly.

The man leading the group was an elderly fellow with gray-white hair. His cold gaze swept across them before settling on Niu Youdao at the front. He frowned. "Niu Youdao? What are you doing here again? This isn't a place for you to fool around. Get lost!"

Those words only reassured the members of the other seven sects further. Niu Youdao had not lied. He had indeed been here before.

Without changing expression, Niu Youdao said heavily, "May I ask senior's honored name? Do you intend to defy the decree of the Nine Saints?"

The old man refused to give his name. Instead, he held out a hand. "Where is the Sacred Venerables' decree? Hand it over for inspection."

Niu Youdao said, "We are inspectors personally appointed by the Nine Saints to oversee the Sacred Realm. Don't tell me you don't know that."

The gray-white-haired elder said coolly, "I know a little about your status. As for the rest of them..." His gaze swept across the group. "I don't know them."

Niu Youdao reached into his sleeve and took out the identity document issued by Misty Pavilion certifying his status as an inspector. These papers had been given to them precisely to make it easier to carry out their duties.

He waved the document in his hand and told the others, "Gentlemen, take out your inspection credentials and submit them for verification."

Everyone cooperated readily. They produced their documents one after another and held them in their hands, waiting to be checked.

The gray-white-haired elder did not hurry to inspect any papers. He asked coldly, "What are all of you doing here?"

Niu Youdao said, "The great fire at Wuliang Garden was suspicious. We've come to investigate it!"

The elder replied, "Wuliang Garden is a special place. We received no notice from the Sacred Lands. Forgive us for being unable to comply."

Niu Youdao's voice sank. "You intend to resist the decree?"

"I wouldn't call it resisting a decree. If you're determined to enter, there are two choices. Either obtain an explicit decree and bring it here for me to verify, or wait while I send word to the Sacred Lands and ask whether they agree to let you inside."

His attitude was firm.

Niu Youdao finally understood. His status as an inspector was nowhere near as solid as Ding Wei's authority had been. Last time Ding Wei had said they were going in, and they had simply gone in. None of these obstacles had existed.

Niu Youdao's attitude was just as unyielding. This time, he had to get inside. His tone turned cold. "We did not request advance authorization precisely because we were afraid of alerting the quarry. We had to prevent people inside Wuliang Garden from colluding on their testimony or destroying evidence. That is also why the Sacred Lands could not have notified you beforehand."

The gray-white-haired elder said, "Alerting what quarry? Colluding on what testimony? Destroying what evidence? I don't understand all your babbling. Either do as I said or get lost. This isn't a place for you to run wild!" With that, he turned, waved his hand, and prepared to lead his men back inside and close the formation entrance.

Niu Youdao shouted angrily, "Stop right there!"

[End of Chapter 1141]