Chapter 1148: Suffocation

Inside the council hall, people from the various sects had gathered after sorting and organizing the testimony. Each group carried a pile of written statements.

"The statements are all here. Not one is missing. Count them yourself." Taishu Shanhai came before Niu Youdao and waved for his disciples to bring the records forward.

Niu Youdao waved a hand. "We're all branches from the same root now. I have nothing to distrust. There's no need to count them."

Taishu Shanhai said, "Even if you don't count them, we still have to hand them over to you."

Niu Youdao said, "Let's divide the burden among ourselves. I already have an extra person on my flying mount, so carrying such a large stack would be inconvenient. Besides, the matters recorded here involve something extremely serious. Keeping everything in one party's hands would not be safe."

Everyone thought about it and found the reasoning sound. They let the matter drop and ordered their own disciples to keep the records securely.

A burst of footsteps sounded outside.

All nine deacons arrived together and strode into the hall. The gray-white-haired elder said heavily, "Niu Youdao, you've caused trouble here for so long. Did you uncover any hard evidence? I said the ugly words beforehand: if you barged in here and cannot give us an explanation, I will not let this matter go easily!"

Niu Youdao had naturally prepared an answer. He pointed toward the piles of records held by the various sects. "There is too much here to read all at once. Once I finish reviewing everything, you will naturally receive an explanation. Never mind you wanting one from me. I came to Wuliang Garden, so the Sacred Venerables will certainly demand an explanation from me as well. If I cannot give one, senior won't even need to trouble yourself. I won't get past the Sacred Venerables. Rest assured, all of you. There will be an explanation. I have no intention of making trouble for myself."

The gray-white-haired elder said, "With that much material, how long are we supposed to wait for you to sort through and read it all?"

Niu Youdao said, "If senior cannot wait, then we can stay here and organize it on the spot. You need only find us somewhere to live for a day or two."

That was practically a joke.

The gray-white-haired elder said heavily, "Wuliang Garden is not a place where outsiders are permitted to stay!"

Niu Youdao knew the man could not make such a decision anyway. "We understand the weight of the matter. We'll leave now and sort through the clues as quickly as possible before reporting upward. However, before we go, this junior has one presumptuous request. I hope the seniors can agree."

The members of the various sects looked at one another, wondering what Niu Youdao intended to do now.

The nine deacons also exchanged glances. One of them asked, "What is it?"

Niu Youdao gestured around at the members of the various sects. "Wuliang Garden isn't a place people can enter casually. None of them have ever seen what a Wuliang Fruit actually looks like. Since they've finally had the rare chance to come inside, could the seniors show some mercy and allow them to go pay their respects to it? That way the trip won't have been completely wasted."

So that was all.

Taishu Shanhai and the others immediately perked up. Since they had come all this way, they truly did want to see it.

Another deacon sneered. "You're thinking too much. Better not to see it. Seeing it brings no benefit. I advise all of you not to invite trouble upon yourselves. Get lost immediately!"

The instant he said that, the expectation in Taishu Shanhai and the others vanished. Suddenly, none of them quite dared go look anymore.

Niu Youdao could only shrug toward the members of the various sects, looking helpless. Then he cupped his hands in farewell. "Since senior has spoken, we'll take our leave."

The words had barely left his mouth when someone came running urgently from outside and reported, "Deacons! Sacred Venerable Wushuang has arrived in person! Open the formation gate at once!"

The method for opening the great formation was held by the nine deacons. No one else could operate it.

Sacred Venerable Wushuang?

Lü Wushuang had come?

Niu Youdao's heart gave a violent thump. Every nerve inside him drew taut in an instant. This time, he truly felt nervous.

Just moments ago he had been thinking their luck was good because no outsiders had arrived today.

He had prepared himself for the possibility that someone might come. Even if an outsider appeared, he had intended to use the enormous authority of the inspection to isolate that person temporarily so nothing would disrupt the operation.

But not even in his dreams had he imagined Lü Wushuang herself would personally appear.

No matter how large the hat of authority he wore, it meant nothing before Lü Wushuang.

Damn this rotten luck.

Unease began churning in his heart.

The situation had completely escaped his calculations. He had no idea what might happen next, and for the first time he had no real confidence at all. His mind began racing as he recalled everything Sha Rulai had told him about Lü Wushuang's temperament.

The moment Taishu Shanhai and the others heard that one of the Nine Saints had arrived personally, even though none of them had anything to hide, tension still rose in their hearts.

Ke Dingjie and Qin Guan instinctively glanced toward Elder Niu. The two of them were even more nervous. What their Elder had done today had already made them realize something was not normal. Now Lü Wushuang had arrived. They could only hope nothing went wrong.

Learning that the Sacred Venerable had arrived, the nine deacons all turned solemn. Ignoring Niu Youdao and the others, they immediately turned and hurried out to welcome her.

Niu Youdao's gaze flickered rapidly.

Then he hardened his heart and clenched his teeth. Rather than avoid her, he made an immediate decision to go meet her directly. Hiding might only make him look suspicious. He had come here openly under the banner of authority granted by the Nine Saints.

He waved a hand. "Come. We go welcome the Sacred Venerable!"

Taishu Shanhai and the others were almost numb by now. This entire trip had left them like fools being pushed from one place to another, completely unable to control their own movements. Whatever Niu Youdao said, they had done. This time was no exception. They hurried after him to welcome her...

Outside the entrance to the great formation, a man and a woman looked at one another.

The man was Kunlin Shu. He stood beside the eight large flying birds, repeatedly examining the graceful woman before him. He had absolutely no idea who she was.

He could only tell from the way she had abruptly descended from the sky that her cultivation was anything but ordinary.

The woman, meanwhile, had simply landed and stood there without stating her name or background. She waited quietly for Wuliang Garden to open its gate.

Her expression was aloof and lonely, her features breathtakingly beautiful, her figure slender and graceful. Her clothes moved though there was no wind, drifting lightly around her. She looked almost as though she might float away into immortality at any moment.

A purple dress set off skin as white as snow, giving her an extraordinarily pure, cold, and detached air. Combined with the fact that she had descended from the heavens, she gave the impression of an immortal maiden fallen from the sky, untouched by worldly desire.

The visitor was none other than Lü Wushuang, Sacred Venerable of Wushuang Sacred Land!

She had been passing through the skies above when she noticed someone below and descended to see what was happening. That was how she had come across Kunlin Shu.

Seeing that he showed no intention of bowing in greeting and instead kept studying her openly, she could tell at once that he did not recognize her.

Beneath the archway, Ao Feng could see the visitor outside the formation gate. He naturally recognized her.

His heart trembled.

His calves almost went weak.

Fear and panic surged through him.

Why had this woman suddenly come here?

The thought was enough to make him nearly shake.

After all, the life-and-death goods were still hidden beneath his crotch!

Wei Ye, by contrast, had nothing to hide. He merely maintained a respectful posture.

A group of figures came flying over.

The nine deacons arrived first, with Niu Youdao and the others following close behind.

The formation gate opened.

The group emerged, led by the nine deacons, and together performed a grand bow. "Greetings, Sacred Venerable Wushuang!"

Only then did Kunlin Shu realize who the woman was. He froze.

Remembering his earlier discourtesy, fear rose at once. He hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed along with the rest.

The ethereal Lü Wushuang swept her clear, cold eyes over the group indifferently. She merely noticed that an unusually large number of people had come out to receive her.

She did not recognize Niu Youdao and the others, who had come only to make up the numbers, nor did she pay them any attention.

Tilting her head slightly toward Kunlin Shu behind them, she asked in an aloof voice, "What's going on?"

Her voice was pleasant, as clear and crisp as a spring striking stone, yet it carried the same merciless chill as her expression.

The deacon stationed here from Wushuang Sacred Land immediately stepped forward and cupped his hands. "The inspectors appointed by the Sacred Venerables came here to investigate the arson case..."

He quickly and methodically gave a detailed account of everything that had happened.

Ao Feng could hear his own heartbeat again. Terror gripped him.

Niu Youdao, bowing with cupped hands, swallowed several times as well. His inner state was hardly any better.

Facing someone like Lü Wushuang, if a fight broke out, the words "chance of victory" did not even deserve consideration. Such a thing simply did not exist.

"Niu Youdao?" Lü Wushuang repeated, doubt in her voice.

Her cold gaze swept across the crowd. "Where is he?"

Niu Youdao immediately stepped forward and bowed. "Niu Youdao greets the Sacred Venerable!"

Lü Wushuang asked, "Who gave you the authority to come investigate Wuliang Garden?"

The instant she said that, Ao Feng's heart rose straight into his throat.

There was no road back for Niu Youdao now. He answered calmly, "Apart from the Nine Sacred Lands themselves, all other places may be inspected. In the authority granted by the Sacred Venerables, there was no rule stating that Wuliang Garden could not be inspected."

Lü Wushuang asked, "Did you find anything?"

Niu Youdao replied, "The final result still needs to be sorted and verified."

Lü Wushuang turned her cold eyes toward the Wushuang Sacred Land deacon who had stepped forward. "What about the fruit tree?"

Ao Feng suddenly felt as though he were suffocating. The thing hidden beneath his crotch seemed almost impossible to keep under control. Inside, he was furiously cursing Niu Youdao.

Earlier he had said that sooner or later the bastard would get him killed. He had never imagined those words might actually become prophecy so quickly.

Niu Youdao's own heart nearly stopped beating.

The stationed deacon replied respectfully, "We inspected it just now. Everything is completely normal."

Lü Wushuang looked back at Niu Youdao. "There is a traitor inside Wuliang Garden. Someone used the great fire in an attempt to coordinate inside and outside. You already possess clues?"

What did it mean for spoken words to be like water poured onto the ground?

Today, Niu Youdao finally understood.

The story he had invented earlier to fool the people of Wuliang Garden had now become water impossible to gather back up. He could not deny it.

All he could do was brace himself and answer, "Yes, Sacred Venerable."

Lü Wushuang asked, "Who do your clues point to?"

Still bowing, Niu Youdao glanced left and right, then hesitated. "Before I sort out the final result and obtain solid evidence, I fear there may be an error. I do not dare speak recklessly."

Lü Wushuang said coldly, "I order you to say it now."

"This..." Niu Youdao was genuinely in difficulty.

The entire thing had been fabricated. There was no target at all. What was he supposed to name?

"Hm?" Lü Wushuang gave a questioning sound through her nose. "What? My words no longer carry weight? You intend to resist and refuse to speak?"

"I would not dare!" Niu Youdao denied it at once.

His thoughts raced madly. Finally, he hardened himself and said, "The evidence truly has not yet been sorted out. I genuinely do not dare speak carelessly. If the Sacred Venerable insists that I reveal it now, I would not dare conceal anything. I only beg the Sacred Venerable to allow me to come close and speak quietly, so that I may tell the Sacred Venerable alone."

He raised his eyes and saw Lü Wushuang regarding him with an icy gaze, as though he were an ant.

Niu Youdao immediately added, "I suspect there is a traitor inside the garden. It truly would not be appropriate to disclose the matter openly. If I speak in front of everyone, I fear it may affect the investigation that follows. I beg the Sacred Venerable to judge clearly!"

Lü Wushuang's bright eyes flickered slightly. She swept a glance across the surrounding people, then coldly uttered one word.

"Granted!"

Niu Youdao immediately turned his back to her and began straightening his clothes with great seriousness, as though afraid of appearing disrespectful before approaching.

At the same time, his gaze swept across the people present.

For an instant, his eyes met Ao Feng's.

He gave the faintest hint of a look.

Ao Feng's heart jolted.

He understood.

Niu Youdao considered this the perfect opportunity to draw everyone's attention.

The bastard actually wanted him to make his move under Lü Wushuang's very eyes!

Inside, Ao Feng immediately began cursing every generation of Niu Youdao's ancestors.

[End of Chapter 1148]