Chapter 1171: Panic Spreads

Yan Li paid no mind to Guan Fangyi's reaction. He looked around, taking in the courtyard that the people of Maolu Annex had occupied for so long, then slowly folded his hands before his abdomen and said coldly, "In accordance with the agreement between Zijin Cave and Elder Niu, I'm afraid I must inconvenience all of you. The agreement aside, sect rules do not permit large numbers of outsiders to remain here. Please leave immediately."

Guan Fangyi naturally knew of the agreement. She also knew that once Niu Youdao died, none of them could remain here. Trying to stay by force would only bring danger down on them. Niu Youdao had therefore left her instructions long ago for precisely this possibility: leave.

She nodded. "Naturally we'll obey. But with so many people suddenly having to move, we need at least some time to pack and prepare. Leaving immediately is rather difficult."

Yan Li said indifferently, "Zijin Cave is not entirely without consideration. I'll give you half a day. After half a day, if anyone is still lingering here, don't blame me for being discourteous."

"With all these belongings and so many people, how are we supposed to finish packing in half a day?" Guan Fangyi challenged.

Seeing him unmoved, she understood. A bitter smile appeared on her face. "Master Dao has only just died, and he died for Zijin Cave at that. Yet Zijin Cave turns around and presses us like this. Isn't this going too far?"

"Rules are rules!" Yan Li threw down the words and turned away.

The disciples accompanying him all wore traces of schadenfreude. Everyone knew their master was openly taking revenge.

Yan Li was indeed taking revenge, and even this did not feel like enough to him. But Gong Lince had warned him not to go too far.

The reason was simple. Just as Zijin Cave had discussed with Niu Youdao before, the sect still wanted to take over the forces under Shang Chaozong smoothly. If they went too far now, they would make things difficult for Shang Chaozong, and explaining themselves to that side afterward might become troublesome.

There was no need to create complications in a more important matter merely to vent a moment's anger. Gong Lince had therefore restrained his junior brother.

Of course, he had still given Yan Li a chance to let off some steam.

Ju An witnessed the entire scene. He slowly walked over to Wen Mo'er. Husband and wife exchanged a look and sighed. There was nothing they could do. They had no power to overturn Yan Li's decision.

As Yan Li and his party departed, they seemed afraid the rest of Maolu Annex might not yet know of Niu Youdao's death. Whenever they encountered someone along the way, they made a point of offering their condolences and reminding them of the news.

In the blink of an eye, panic spread through all of Maolu Annex.

The moment Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang heard the news, they rushed toward the inner compound.

Yuan Gang clearly had not heard yet. Bare-chested, he was conditioning his body, the corded muscle across his frame striking to the eye.

"Master Yuan, something happened to Master Dao..." Duan Hu hurried beneath the iron bar and quickly explained the situation.

Yuan Gang stopped training. Hanging upside down from the iron bar, he flipped himself to the ground. His expression turned grave.

Duan Hu lowered his voice. "Master Yuan, did Master Dao truly meet with disaster? That fake stand-in..."

Yuan Gang suddenly whipped his head around. "Shut up!"

Duan Hu could only close his mouth.

He swiftly looked around, then exchanged a glance with Wu Sanliang. Both men stared expectantly at Yuan Gang, hoping for a definite answer.

Others might know nothing, but the two of them had personally taken part in preparing the "fake Niu Youdao." The matter was a strictly guarded secret. In the entirety of Maolu Annex, only the three of them knew about it, and Yuan Gang himself had secretly arranged everything.

Now that news of Niu Youdao's death had suddenly arrived, it was impossible for them not to be suspicious. Both assumed Yuan Gang knew more of the truth.

Yuan Gang gave them no answer. He went into his room and slammed the door shut with a bang.

The two men following behind nearly had their noses struck by the door.

Wu Sanliang knocked softly. "Master Yuan!"

"Let me be alone for a while," Yuan Gang answered from inside.

The two outside could only give up. Even so, they could not calm their hearts. They wandered silently around the courtyard, hoping Yuan Gang would come back out.

His reaction had left both of them uncertain.

Inside the quiet room, Yuan Gang slowly lowered himself and sat on the floor. His face remained taut as he sat there in complete silence.

In truth, he did not know very much either.

Perhaps some things had been inconvenient to explain in letters. Niu Youdao had never told him about any other plans. He had merely instructed Yuan Gang earlier to secretly arrange the counterfeit and handle the matter in absolute secrecy.

What exactly the false Niu Youdao was meant to be used for, Yuan Gang genuinely did not know.

Now news of Niu Youdao's death had come without warning. He too had been caught completely unprepared and could not tell whether it was true or false.

Given his hot-blooded and impulsive temperament, the only reason he could remain steady now was because he shared the same suspicion as Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang.

Could this be Master Dao's "golden cicada sheds its shell" stratagem?

Their side had continued sending information into the Sacred Realm at regular intervals, yet Master Dao's side had not replied for some time.

That was what truly filled him with unease.

He did everything he could to suppress the apprehension in his chest and comfort himself.

Master Dao should be fine.

He should be fine.

Yuan Gang understood Niu Youdao. With Master Dao's ability to range freely through the jianghu and carve his way through storms of blood, surely nothing would happen to him.

For the moment, there was no way to verify whether the news was true.

All Yuan Gang could do was comfort himself like this and shut himself alone inside the room.

Outside, Guan Fangyi arrived.

Her eyes were red, and her makeup was smeared. She had plainly cried. She came while forcing down her grief.

Seeing Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang, she asked, "Where's Monkey?"

Duan Hu answered, "Inside."

Guan Fangyi started toward the room, but Duan Hu reminded her, "Hongniang, Master Yuan said he wants to be alone for a while."

She stopped and looked back. "He already knows?"

The two nodded.

Wu Sanliang said, "We just told him."

Guan Fangyi looked toward the room whose door was tightly shut in broad daylight. She seemed to understand something and did not go over to disturb him after all.

She sighed. "If he wants to be alone, let him be alone for a while. But... you should have heard about the situation too. Yan Li is forcing us out. He has given us only half a day to pack. If we delay, I'm afraid he'll seize the opportunity to make trouble and settle old scores."

"I know he feels terrible. Everyone does. But reality still has to be faced. Later, the two of you need to persuade him properly. Tell him to start packing as soon as possible."

The two nodded and cupped their hands as she left.

Guan Fangyi walked away in a daze.

All these years, Niu Youdao had treated her well.

She might often have had nothing good to say about him aloud, but after knowing him deeply, she understood how rare it was to meet someone so reliable, someone who could put others so completely at ease.

After so many years together, genuine affection had formed between them. It was not the affection between a man and a woman. It was closer to true family.

The sudden terrible news had genuinely devastated her.

She wanted badly to find somewhere and cry without restraint.

But she could not.

She still had to steady Maolu Annex. She still had to carry out the arrangements Niu Youdao had left behind and see everyone settled properly.

The arrangements Niu Youdao had made before leaving had only been precautions against the worst.

Guan Fangyi had never expected the day would truly come when she had to carry them out.

Her heart was desolate.

She had barely stepped out of the courtyard when Fire Phoenix came hurrying over. The young woman seized her hand, panic written all across her face. "Hongniang, I heard Master Dao met with disaster in the Sacred Realm?"

The question made Guan Fangyi's heart ache again.

Yet she was also afraid Fire Phoenix would suffer. Holding the woman's slender hand, she comforted her. "Don't worry. Misty Pavilion only told Zijin Cave to send replacement personnel. They didn't mention Kunlin Shu. Your husband should be all right."

It was precisely the uncertainty that made things even more worrying.

Fire Phoenix knew everyone was in a terrible state and did not know what to say. She hesitated for a while, then asked, "I heard Zijin Cave is giving us only half a day to leave?"

Guan Fangyi sighed. "Master Dao is gone. Zijin Cave won't tolerate us anymore either. If they want us to leave, then we'll leave."

"Don't worry. We won't abandon you. Come with us, all right?"

Fire Phoenix looked lost.

If she did not leave with these people, where else could she go after already betraying her own sect?

She began to cry and nodded through her sobs.

Guan Fangyi comforted her for a few more sentences and told her to hurry back and pack.

She had only just sent Fire Phoenix away and had not gone more than a few steps when Yuan Fang came rushing over in monk's robes, his broad sleeves flapping wildly.

He did not even have time to greet Fire Phoenix as they passed.

He ran straight up to Guan Fangyi, fear all over his face. "Hongniang, they're saying Master Dao has... has gone. Is it... really true?"

Guan Fangyi bit her lip and silently nodded.

Yuan Fang's face collapsed into something like a bitter melon.

His sleeves flailed as he turned in circles like a headless fly. "How could that happen? How could he just die? What kind of man is Master Dao? He's always the one bringing calamity down on others. How could somebody else bring calamity down on him? Impossible! That's impossible!"

He abruptly stopped, faced Guan Fangyi, and spread both hands. "I heard Zijin Cave is driving us away. Master Dao is gone. What are we supposed to do?"

Guan Fangyi forced a smile. "You don't have to worry. You're in a better position than any of us. You can stay here."

"I stay here? No, no, no..." Yuan Fang frantically waved both hands. "I wouldn't dare stay. Those people have always been against us. When Master Dao was here, they feared him. Now he's gone and they have nothing to restrain them. Won't they bully this poor monk to death?"

"They have strength in numbers. This poor monk is no match for them!"

From the way he spoke, one might think he could have been a match for Zijin Cave if only the sect had not possessed strength in numbers.

After waving his hands, he stared and asked, "Where are you going? We'll leave with you."

Guan Fangyi sighed. "Once you've stepped into some muddy waters, getting out is never so easy. When Master Dao was here, he could still look after all of you. Now he's gone, and even our own position is difficult."

"How are we supposed to drag a whole crowd of ordinary monks around with us? Could you really abandon all those monks and leave them behind?"

Abandoning the monks of Nanshan Temple would touch upon Yuan Fang's faith.

He could not do it.

He scratched his head frantically.

Guan Fangyi continued, "This was actually Master Dao's intention before he left. He said you have the secret method for brewing wine in your hands. That's a source of profit. As long as you're willing to remain, Zijin Cave will certainly treat you well. They absolutely won't make things difficult for you."

"If you stay in Zijin Cave, your safety will be guaranteed. If you follow us instead, people will covet what you possess and you'll only bring danger to us."

"Buddha above! This poor monk gave rise to greed. If there must be punishment, punish this poor monk alone!" Yuan Fang pressed his palms together and prayed toward the sky with a thoroughly remorseful expression.

He regretted having been too greedy and keeping every profitable method clutched in his own hands, such as the secret wine recipe.

Now those very things had become shackles around his neck.

Guan Fangyi had no mood to indulge his nonsense and walked away directly.

She understood this wicked monk far too well.

His repentance would last only for the moment. The instant another opportunity to make money appeared, he would grab whatever he could exactly as before.

As long as his nature did not change, even the Buddha himself would probably have trouble persuading him otherwise.

Sometimes she found it strange.

Niu Youdao truly had never been choosy about what sort of people he took in. He had even dared take in a monk like this, a man without much character to speak of.

What had he wanted him for?

Did Maolu Annex really lack a few monks to pour tea and water, till the fields, and tend to meals?

After closing his eyes and praying for a while, Yuan Fang lowered his hands and looked around.

Guan Fangyi was gone.

He immediately flung out his sleeves and ran off at top speed, no one knew where.

[End of Chapter 1171]