Chapter 1154: Arrest!

Xuan Yao waited nearby until Huang Ban had finished handling the urgent report, then asked, "I heard Wushuang Sacred Land has detained the people from the other seven sects. Is whatever they're doing connected to this?"

Huang Ban shook his head. "I wouldn't call it detention. They're protecting them. Before Niu Youdao's accident, the inspectors from all eight sects should have been together. I don't know what they were doing, but it seems they were with Lü Wushuang. The moment those people returned, Wushuang Sacred Land placed them under comprehensive protection. Niu Youdao alone failed to return for a long time. Who would have imagined he had been assassinated?"

Xuan Yao was badly startled. "Niu Youdao and the others were with Lü Wushuang earlier? What were they doing together?"

This was completely beyond his expectations. He could not understand it at all. How had Lü Wushuang become involved?

Huang Ban said, "I'd very much like to know what they were doing with her as well. Whatever happened, it was enough to make Wushuang Sacred Land act as though it were facing a mortal enemy. I went to ask. The people from the seven sects refused to reveal a single word. They said that without the Sacred Venerable's permission, they did not dare leak anything."

Suspicion and uncertainty churned in Xuan Yao's eyes as he stood there thinking.

Huang Ban also pondered for a moment before suddenly sighing. "Brother Xuan, anything serious enough for Lü Wushuang to personally involve herself is unlikely to be small. If Niu Youdao's death is connected to that matter, then this probably won't end easily. Once a Sacred Venerable is enraged, blood flows like a river. A great many lives may have to be used to fill this hole."

Xuan Yao's mouth went dry. He said nothing, but his Adam's apple moved.

He could not understand how Lü Wushuang had become entangled in the affair.

This matter was unlikely to end well...

...

At Wushuang Sacred Land, Lü Wushuang stood by the railing of a jade pavilion, looking up at the stars. She suddenly turned, her voice sharp. "Dead?"

The disciple reporting to her was Hua Meiru, a woman of considerable beauty herself. She held the report out with both hands. "Yes! The report says he was attacked by a group of masked men in the Desolate Marsh Deadlands. Judging by the wound, he should have died under the attack of a Heavenly Sword Talisman."

Lü Wushuang extended two slender fingers, pinched the sheet, and flipped it over. Her cold eyes swept across the contents.

Then she gave a faint, icy laugh. "Interesting. The hidden mastermind is quite capable. Niu Youdao had barely finished investigating Wuliang Garden before someone immediately moved to silence him. How impatient. Niu Youdao must truly have obtained something that frightened the other side. Otherwise, they would never have been in such a hurry."

Hua Meiru was surprised. "Master, you're saying Niu Youdao was investigating Wuliang Garden?"

Lü Wushuang flicked the paper in her hand. It disintegrated into powder and scattered on the wind. "It seems I need to make a trip to Wentian City personally."

Hua Meiru blinked. "Master, didn't you just send Junior Brother to Wentian City?"

There was no answer.

She had also wanted to ask why her master had sent Junior Brother there in the first place, but the only reply was the sharp sound of air tearing apart.

Her master had already become a ghostly silhouette beneath the moon, shooting toward the horizon...

...

At Wuliang Garden, Ao Feng had just stepped out of his room and was about to find Jin Xu, the deacon stationed there by Wuxu Sacred Land, when he abruptly stopped in surprise.

He saw a group of people he had not expected.

They were from Wuxu Sacred Land, and the man leading them was none other than his master, Ye Nian.

Ye Nian led the group straight toward Wuxu Hall, where the stationed deacon presided.

Ao Feng immediately hurried after them to pay his respects.

By the time he arrived, he found that the men Ye Nian had brought were already surrounding the stationed deacon, Jin Xu. Several Wuxu Sacred Land personnel stationed there looked at one another, having no idea what was happening.

Jin Xu swept his gaze around and said heavily, "Ye Nian, what is the meaning of this?"

Ye Nian stared at him. "Nothing else. I came under the Sacred Venerable's decree to ask Uncle Jin a few questions face-to-face."

Jin Xu replied gravely, "Since this is the Sacred Venerable's decree, this subordinate respectfully awaits your questions."

Ye Nian asked, "The inspectors from the eight sects came to Wuliang Garden the day before yesterday. Were you the one who sent the message to Wuxu Sacred Land?"

"Correct!" Jin Xu said. "They wanted to force their way inside. I refused. But they carried the title of inspectors appointed by the Sacred Venerables, so it was inconvenient for me to block them by force. I could only let them enter. Afterward, of course I reported the matter to the Sacred Venerable. Was there anything wrong with that?"

Ye Nian nodded. "Nothing wrong. Let me ask you this: apart from the Goldenwing message you sent that day, did anyone else release a Goldenwing to transmit information outside?"

Jin Xu said, "Wuxu Sacred Land was on rotation guarding the gate that day. I controlled every opening of the formation entrance and was present each time it opened. Apart from the one Goldenwing I ordered someone to release, no one else sent one. But after Wuxu Sacred Land handed over the gate rotation, I do not know whether people from the other factions released any."

Ye Nian said, "So you admit that, on that day, apart from you, no one else transmitted information outside?"

Jin Xu replied, "On the surface, yes. But many people entered and left that day. I cannot guarantee that anyone who went outside did not transmit information afterward."

Ye Nian said, "In that case, I'm afraid Uncle Jin will have to suffer a grievance for now."

He gave a slight wave of his hand.

The men who had come with him immediately surged forward and restrained Jin Xu on the spot.

They had come bearing Du Wuxu's authority. Jin Xu did not dare resist, though he still struggled several times and cried indignantly, "Ye Nian, why are you arresting me?"

Ye Nian said, "Uncle Jin, the clear will prove clear, and the turbid turbid. You are Master's trusted man. No one will mistreat you. This is Master's will. For now, please return to the Sacred Land and cooperate with an investigation. Once the matter is clarified, your freedom will naturally be restored. I will temporarily take your place and oversee matters here."

Jin Xu shouted, "What exactly did I do wrong?"

Ye Nian answered, "Whether you did anything wrong, you'll learn once you reach the Sacred Land."

He waved his hand and barked, "Take him away!"

Just like that, Jin Xu was escorted away on the spot.

The commotion quickly alarmed the whole of Wuliang Garden. People emerged from all sides to watch Jin Xu being taken away.

Whispers and speculation spread everywhere. Some even wondered whether Jin Xu had been the inside traitor in Wuliang Garden.

Ever since the inspectors from the eight sects had made their scene here, everyone had been speculating about that supposed traitor.

After personally watching Jin Xu leave Wuliang Garden, Ye Nian met with the other eight stationed deacons and gave them a brief greeting. When they asked what had happened, he refused to disclose anything.

After returning to Wuxu Hall, Ye Nian summoned Ao Feng.

Ao Feng naturally had to pay respects to his master. Ye Nian raised one hand indifferently, signaling that the formalities were unnecessary, then asked, "When the inspectors from the eight sects came to investigate, were you on duty at the formation gate?"

Ao Feng was uneasy inside.

He had no idea what had happened. A guilty conscience makes a thief suspicious, and he could not stop himself from connecting everything to the theft. Yet he could not make sense of it. If the stolen fruits had been discovered, how could Wuliang Garden possibly remain this calm? There had been no unusual movement at all from the fruit tree, and lately he had been watching that side closely.

Besides, if the theft had been discovered, why arrest Jin Xu?

"Yes. This disciple was on duty," Ao Feng answered carefully.

Ye Nian asked, "That day, apart from Jin Xu transmitting a message outside, did anyone else do so?"

Ao Feng said, "Only Jin Xu. This disciple did not see anyone else."

After that, Ye Nian remained silent for quite some time, apparently thinking.

Ao Feng raised his head to glance at him and could not resist asking, "Master, has Elder Jin committed some offense?"

Ye Nian looked at his disciple and did not conceal the matter. "The day after Niu Youdao left Wuliang Garden, he was assassinated and killed in the Desolate Marsh Deadlands!"

"Ah!" Ao Feng turned pale with shock.

Niu Youdao was dead?

Heavens above, this joke had become enormous!

They had finally stolen the goods and sent them out. If Niu Youdao was dead, who would honor the bargain? Would there be any point in Ao Feng going to the Desolate Marsh Deadlands anymore?

He had taken so many risks and spent so much effort. He could not accept this result. He actually began to stammer. "Th-this... how is that possible?"

Ye Nian gave him a cold look. "What's impossible about it? Niu Youdao came to investigate Wuliang Garden. As for exactly what he was investigating, if no one else sent word outside, then Jin Xu is the greatest suspect. Judging by the timing of Niu Youdao's death, someone must have leaked the information that very day for the killers to have enough time to prepare."

"Why kill Niu Youdao at exactly that moment? The more one thinks about it, the more frightening it becomes!"

"The moment news of Niu Youdao's death reached the Sacred Land, it immediately aroused the Sacred Venerable's suspicion. As soon as the Sacred Venerable received the report, he ordered everyone inside the Sacred Land who might have come into contact with Jin Xu's message to be placed under control and investigated thoroughly!"

Ao Feng said, "But... it's also entirely possible that Niu Youdao's own group leaked the information after they left."

Ye Nian said, "Which is precisely why we have to investigate! Hopefully Jin Xu's message was not what leaked. Otherwise, once the Sacred Venerable becomes enraged..." He shook his head and did not continue, letting out only a sigh.

Ao Feng was completely at a loss.

He had originally intended to ask Jin Xu for leave, planning to use up his annual leave so he could seize the chance to get out of Wuliang Garden.

Who could have known Jin Xu would suddenly be arrested and his own master would take over instead?

That by itself was not the greatest problem.

The greatest problem was that Niu Youdao was dead.

For a time, Ao Feng could not decide whether he should still leave Wuliang Garden.

How could that bastard possibly die?

Ao Feng simply could not understand it.

He knew better than anyone that the supposed inside traitor was complete nonsense fabricated out of thin air. How could Niu Youdao have been killed because that nonexistent traitor leaked information?

Impossible.

And yet the Sacred Land could not possibly be mistaken about news like this.

Niu Youdao had to be dead!

Ao Feng truly had nothing left to say to Heaven.

How had things turned out like this...

...

Inside a stone chamber, Niu Youdao, seated cross-legged in meditation, slowly opened his eyes. He exhaled a breath carrying the scent of blood, and his complexion and bearing had visibly recovered.

Seeing him finish regulating his injuries, the three men waiting nearby immediately gathered around.

Qin Guan said, "The Fox Clan Chief sent word. He said to notify him when Elder woke. The goods have arrived, and he asked Elder to go over."

Niu Youdao nodded and rose.

After taking one step, he stopped again, looked toward Kunlin Shu, and asked, "Are your injuries all right?"

Kunlin Shu shook his head. "I've already taken medicine. I can't circulate my cultivation, so I'll recover more slowly at most. It's nothing serious."

Niu Youdao said, "It isn't that I don't trust the three of you. It's simply that some matters are too important. For now, I cannot allow any of you to go outside and show yourselves. You may have to remain here for quite some time."

"I sealed your cultivation because I'm afraid that if you're kept here too long, you may eventually stop understanding my intentions and force your way out. Especially you, Kunlin Shu. You still have feelings for Tianhuo Sect, and there's a very real chance you might try to warn them about something."

"There are some ties I can allow you to honor, and some I cannot. Whether you understand or not, I need to keep all three of you under control for now. This is for your own good as well. Later, you will understand."

Kunlin Shu said quietly, "I'll follow Master Dao's arrangements."

Niu Youdao raised one hand, signaling that the three should stop there, then left alone.

The moment he appeared outside, the Fox Clan quickly sent word to Hei Yun. Before long, Hei Yun and several others came out together to receive him, all visibly excited.

"I heard the goods arrived?" Niu Youdao asked.

"Mm. Come." Hei Yun extended a hand and led the way.

The group entered a stone chamber personally guarded by two Fox Clan Elders.

Hei Yun walked to an altar table and opened a jade case.

A soft red glow immediately seeped out.

Niu Youdao stepped closer and looked inside.

Twelve Wuliang Fruits lay peacefully within.

He reached in, picked one up, and verified it.

Hei Yun asked excitedly from beside him, "How do you plan to distribute these?"

Niu Youdao casually tossed the fruit in his hand to him. "First use one to treat the Old Clan Chief and restore her. We'll talk about everything else afterward."

Seeing that he had thought first of the Old Clan Chief without the slightest stinginess, the Demon Foxes immediately nodded and voiced their approval.

The way they looked at Niu Youdao softened by another degree.

After all, this was an incomparably precious treasure beyond price.

Truthfully, even if Niu Youdao had said nothing, they would have insisted on securing one for the Old Clan Chief first.

[End of Chapter 1154]