Chapter 1255: I'm Not Asking for Much

"Who would dare take this thing? Whoever takes it dies!" Xi Haitang's mouth was blunt enough, but his hands were very honest. They clutched the object instinctively, without the slightest intention of letting go.

"Heh!" Gong Lince found the sight amusing and could not help laughing as he shook his head.

Xi Haitang realized what he was doing, but still gave a cold snort. "Brother Gong, you should understand the consequences of obtaining something like this. Yes, I want it. But once the fruits in Wuliang Garden are discovered missing, you should know what the Nine Saints will do next."

Niu Youdao said, "If they were going to discover it, they'd have done so long ago and the whole world would already be in an uproar. Do I need you to remind me now? Fine, I'll tell you the truth. The fruits in Wuliang Garden have been gone for a long time. Every fruit hanging on the tree is fake..."

He briefly explained the situation surrounding the guards at the fruit tree. So long as Crow Generals stood watch, outsiders had no way to approach the fruits without authorization or touch them.

Xi Haitang's eyes flickered. He was clearly tempted, yet his words still did not quite match his heart. "That may be so, but there are too many uncertain factors. Sooner or later the truth will come out."

Niu Youdao waved a hand. "I can't be bothered arguing with you. I'm asking one thing: do you want this or not? Are you joining us or not?"

Xi Haitang asked, "And if I say I don't want it?"

Niu Youdao said, "What kind of nonsense is that? If you don't want it, give it back. There are plenty of people who do."

Xi Haitang asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll report you to the Misty Pavilion?"

Gong Lince said, "Xi Haitang, is there any point saying that? There were twelve fruits on the tree. Do you really think you're the only person he gave one to?"

Xi Haitang reacted immediately. "You have one too?"

Gong Lince said, "If I hadn't first made sure I had one, would there be one for you?"

Xi Haitang asked, "Who else has one?"

Gong Lince said, "You're not usually this foolish. Why are you saying nothing but stupid things today? You're already talking about reporting us. Do you think I can still tell you who else has one? And if you accept it, do you think I'd go around telling everyone else that you have one?"

Xi Haitang looked toward Niu Youdao and changed the subject. "I've heard some things about what happened in the Sacred Realm. You certainly did quite a few fine deeds behind Myriad Beasts Sect's back!"

Niu Youdao said, "Forget doing things behind Myriad Beasts Sect's back. I dared do this behind the Sacred Realm's back and put the very thing in your hands. What the hell does Myriad Beasts Sect count for? I traveled all this way to bring you treasure, and now you want to talk about this?"

"Yes, the rumors are true. So what? Don't put on that 'a dog won't eat shit' act. I ask you only this: can you bear to give up the thing in your hands? If I wasn't sure you couldn't, would I dare show my face and bring this out?"

"You don't want it and plan to report us, is that it? Fine. I don't want the thing either. Go report us. Report us all you like."

He slapped the false face back onto his own, used spiritual power to straighten it into place, then turned and waved to Gong Lince. "Let's go."

Gong Lince stared. They were really just going to leave the thing behind and walk away?

Seeing him hesitate, Niu Youdao waved again. "He doesn't even know how to use it. Keeping it won't do him any good."

Gong Lince frowned and was just about to follow when Xi Haitang suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

Niu Youdao looked back. "What? Planning to keep us here by force? This man has already used a Wuliang Fruit. Are you sure you can beat him?" He pointed at Gong Lince.

Gong Lince was caught between laughter and tears. This fellow truly could spin anything. It was true he possessed a Wuliang Fruit, but he had not even arranged a suitable time to use it yet.

Xi Haitang had never meant to hold them by force. His expression turned awkward before he finally managed to ask, "How do you use this thing?"

Niu Youdao immediately turned around and came back. "First, let me ask you something."

Xi Haitang looked suspicious. "What?"

Niu Youdao asked, "Back when the entrance to the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm could no longer be sealed, did any of the Nine Saints come here?"

Xi Haitang was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "All of them came. Every one of them even went inside to inspect the place. We secretly arranged their entry and departure, so no one else was disturbed."

Niu Youdao asked, "I've heard there's a Holy Rakshasa inside the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm. Is that true?"

Gong Lince did not understand why he was asking about this. He had no idea that Myriad Beasts Sect's control of the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm entrance was precisely why Niu Youdao had considered giving Xi Haitang one of the twelve limited fruits in the first place.

Xi Haitang was puzzled. "Why do you care about that?"

Niu Youdao said, "Do you even need to ask? Almost the entire world can be counted as territory under the Nine Saints' power. Once we're exposed, there will be nowhere to hide. Wherever we go, we may be found."

"The Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm is different. It is filled with Butterfly Rakshasas. If large numbers of ordinary cultivators enter, they first have to face countless Butterfly Rakshasas and simply cannot penetrate very far."

"But once we break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, that will be different. If we hide inside, no matter how high the Nine Saints' cultivation may be, finding us in the boundless Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm would be like searching for a needle in the ocean."

Gong Lince's eyes brightened. That really did seem to make sense.

"And Myriad Beasts Sect sits right beside the entrance to the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm. Sect Leader Xi, no one could escape into it more conveniently than you. The moment anything goes wrong, you can hide inside."

"But I've heard there's a Holy Rakshasa in there. Naturally, I'm worried that something might go wrong."

Hearing this, Xi Haitang fell silent for a moment. "Legend says there is one. But whether it truly exists, no one has ever seen it. I can't say for certain."

Niu Youdao asked, "I've heard Myriad Beasts Sect has been planting Light-Repelling Grass inside the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm all this time, gradually eating away at its territory. Haven't you noticed anything unusual?"

He was asking because of Yin'er. Ever since he tricked Yin'er back into the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm, he occasionally thought of her and wondered how that glutton was doing these days.

He was somewhat worried that Yin'er might come into conflict with cultivators from the outside world and alarm the Nine Saints into acting personally. If that truly happened, he had no idea whether Yin'er could stand against the Nine Saints.

There was also the matter of Zhao Xiongge. That man was stubborn to the bone, guarding against Niu Youdao as though against a thief. Niu Youdao had spoken from the heart, yet in certain matters Zhao Xiongge still refused to believe him no matter what.

When the opportunity was right, he would have to prove to Zhao Xiongge that the Wuliang Fruit Wu Chang stole from the Demonic Sect had actually belonged to him. And, well, that Demon Canon was very likely his too.

He was certain the Demon Canon was in Zhao Xiongge's hands.

Of course, he had little interest in the Demon Canon itself. As he had told Zhao Xiongge, if it were truly so useful, Zhao Xiongge would have used it long ago. Would he still have been suppressed by Wu Chang for all these years?

Still, Niu Youdao did want to see exactly what the Demon Canon recorded.

Xi Haitang said, "Planting Light-Repelling Grass and gradually encroaching on the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm was actually the Nine Saints' intention. In the past, the realm's gate closed periodically, which made things difficult. Now that it remains open for long periods, matters are much easier."

"As for anything unusual, there have been some strange incidents in recent years. Disciples who venture deep inside frequently disappear without a trace. No one knows what happened to them. Myriad Beasts Sect has already lost quite a few disciples this way."

Niu Youdao probed, "Not a single disciple who witnessed what happened managed to return alive?"

Xi Haitang said, "There are countless Butterfly Rakshasas inside. Any outsider who enters is treated as an alien and attacked with suicidal frenzy. Anyone going deep has to travel in groups. If something happens to the group, how could a lone survivor make it back?"

"Flying mounts and messenger Goldenwings cannot be used deep inside. They cannot outrun the encirclement and pursuit of so many Butterfly Rakshasas. Once you go deep enough, you'll be torn apart alive."

"There's also no way to establish isolated messaging stations. So no one knows what happened to the disciples who disappeared in the depths."

"I have the feeling the deeper one goes, the more dangerous it becomes. For now, I no longer dare send disciples deeper to investigate."

Niu Youdao fell briefly silent. That was indeed how it was. He had gone deep inside himself and knew the situation. A person traveling alone had almost no chance of avoiding discovery, because that was the Butterfly Rakshasas' world.

He also did not know whether the recent abnormalities had anything to do with Yin'er.

After a moment, he nodded. "Then keep watching the situation. If anything unusual happens—especially if you discover the Holy Rakshasa—send us word in time."

"Remember, it would be best to notify us before you send any message to the Nine Saints. That way, we'll at least have time to prepare."

"Easy enough." Xi Haitang brushed the matter aside with one sentence, then pointed at the thing in his hand. "How do I use this?"

At the moment, he cared far more about how to use the Wuliang Fruit.

Gong Lince smiled. "This? Using it is simple enough. The problem is that you'll probably need to arrange the timing carefully..."

After leaving Myriad Beasts Sect, Gong Lince and Niu Youdao parted ways.

Once Niu Youdao descended the mountain and traveled far enough from Myriad Beasts Sect, he slipped into another stretch of deep mountains and met Yun Ji. The two mounted a flying mount, rose into the air, and headed north.

Jia Wuqun and Yuan Cong had returned to the Chancellor's residence in the State of Song. Yun Ji's assignment was complete, and she had returned to Niu Youdao's side.

On this trip to the Ice and Snow Pavilion in the Great Snowy Mountains, Yun Ji was only escorting him. Once she delivered Niu Youdao to his destination, she immediately flew away on the mount and vanished from sight.

Niu Youdao checked into the Rainbow Inn alone.

At the counter, he saw an old acquaintance: Chu Anlou, the innkeeper of the Rainbow Inn.

So many years had passed in the blink of an eye. Chu Anlou was still the innkeeper here, but Niu Youdao was no longer the Niu Youdao of those days.

Seeing this innkeeper inevitably reminded him of the humiliation from years ago, when Chu Anlou had patted him on the face. Niu Youdao gave the man behind the counter a slight nod and faint smile, then followed an attendant to his room.

Chu Anlou frowned slightly and could not help looking back at the departing guest.

He saw all kinds of people in this place. Perhaps it was only an illusion, but there seemed to be something unusual in the man's gaze when he looked at him.

Niu Youdao stayed at the Rainbow Inn for several days.

A few days later, while wandering through the various shops, he entered one belonging to Myriad Beasts Sect and happened to run into Sect Leader Xi Haitang, who was there on an inspection.

The two met like old acquaintances.

Afterward, Niu Youdao traveled together with Xi Haitang.

Half a day later, Xi Haitang arrived at Tianxing Sect. He briefly met Sect Leader Du Yunsang, then went to pay a visit to Tianxing Sect's previous Sect Leader, Wen Hua.

That he could smoothly meet both the current and previous Sect Leaders was naturally because of his status as Sect Leader of Myriad Beasts Sect.

In a quiet area behind Tianxing Sect, inside a cave residence built into the mountainside, everyone else was dismissed at Xi Haitang's request.

Wen Hua sat in the secluded chamber, his hair and beard completely white, his appearance dignified. Stroking his beard, he said, "This old man stopped concerning himself with sect affairs long ago. Sect Leader Xi, what matter could you not discuss with Sect Leader Du that you had to come see me personally?"

Standing behind Xi Haitang, Niu Youdao spoke.

"As far as I know, Elder Wen stepped down early because of your daughter and passed the Sect Leader's position to your son-in-law."

"But because that son-in-law once had a relationship with another woman, you never fully trusted him. The true authority over Tianxing Sect still remains in Elder Wen's hands."

The matter touched on a family disgrace.

Wen Hua's gaze instantly turned sharp and cold. "Who are you?"

Niu Youdao directly produced a stone sphere and slapped it onto the table before him.

Crack!

The shell broke apart, revealing the object inside, pulsing with red light.

Wen Hua looked surprised. "What is this?"

Niu Youdao answered calmly, "A Wuliang Fruit!"

Wen Hua shot to his feet in shock. His white beard trembled slightly, his eyes full of disbelief.

Xi Haitang subconsciously scratched his forehead. Apparently, he himself had reacted almost exactly the same way.

Niu Youdao pointed at the Wuliang Fruit. "Years ago, your daughter struck one of my people. Now I'll use this in exchange."

"I'm not asking for much. It's very simple."

"Let my person slap your daughter a few times in front of everyone."

[End of Chapter 1255]