Chapter 1305: A Lecherous Look

Some things truly were worlds apart when they fell outside one's field. Niu Youdao still could not see where the trap lay, so he asked again, "Marshal Meng, please explain it in detail."

Meng Shanming nodded. "The Jin army's abrupt halt after making such a show of launching a major offensive from Qi's western front exposed Gao Pin's intentions. Combined with his present deployments, it is no longer difficult to guess what he wants. Looking back at the pattern of his clashes with Huyan Wuhen, we can now work backward and see his strategy."

"Qi's terrain is flat and well suited to cavalry. Tactically, the Qi army has the advantage and Jin is at a disadvantage, especially with Huyan Wuhen as the opponent. In a direct collision... Gao Pin lost to Huyan Wuhen repeatedly in the past and is deeply wary of him. Yet Huyan Wuhen was the one defeated last time. That shows Gao Pin's style of warfare has changed greatly. You could say that after suffering the pain of defeat, he reflected on it and changed his methods. Looking at Gao Pin's current battlefield disposition, he has no intention whatsoever of seeking a decisive battle. He is still fighting defensively and waiting for circumstances to change. But Qi has almost no natural strongpoints to defend. Once that kind of strategy is carried into Qi territory, it becomes difficult to make it work and easy for Huyan Wuhen to break through."

"That makes Gao Pin's purpose clear. His earlier posture of a massive offensive from Qi's western front was only meant to force Huyan Wuhen to withdraw, because Jin did not want to share the 'granary' with Qi. Once the Qi army pulled back, Gao Pin had achieved his aim. He occupied all the former territory of Wei, strengthened the fortifications along Wei's old borders, and rebuilt the defenses according to his own requirements. At the same time, Jin rapidly sent people into former Wei territory to restore production from the 'granary.' Jin is already doing exactly that. Gao Pin's goal is not to rush into attacking Qi. He wants to stabilize his rear, restore the granary's output as quickly as possible, and prepare for a protracted war."

"That gives him freedom to advance or retreat. Jin can afford a war of attrition; Qi cannot. As long as Gao Pin can hold his defenses and refuse battle, what difference does it make if the Qin army enters Qi? Gao Pin excels at defense. If his line has no opening, even Huyan Wuhen can do nothing to him. What could Luo Zhao accomplish? A rash attack would only repeat the Battle of Three Slopes, and that would probably play straight into Gao Pin's hands. Qin did not enter earlier; entering now will only increase Qi's consumption. As long as Gao Pin holds fast, keeps up the posture of being ready to attack at any moment, and occasionally supplements it with raids against Qi, then if he has the patience to grind his opponent down for three to five years, disorder will break out inside Qi on its own. Once Qi has been drained hollow, Gao Pin will be able to deal with it without ever fighting a great decisive battle."

"Huyan Wuhen had no intention of withdrawing so easily at first. He would rather have allowed the Jin army on the western front to enter Qi before engaging it. If Huyan Wuhen had persisted with that strategy, Gao Pin would probably have had a headache. If Gao Pin sent troops out to meet him head-on, he would fear he could not defeat Huyan Wuhen. But if he let the western army drive deep into Qi, then once Huyan Wuhen turned back against it, those troops would not find it easy to withdraw. At that point, Gao Pin might be forced into a decisive battle with Huyan Wuhen whether he wanted one or not. On the other hand, if the western army did not dare advance deeply, Huyan Wuhen would see through the bluff. Qi could then simply sit and wait for circumstances to change. If Jin dared abandon its defensive barriers and come out to fight, Qi would oblige. If Jin continued turtling behind its defenses, Qi could occupy half of Wei and run it as its own granary. That is exactly the situation Gao Pin did not want."

"Huyan Wuhen's original strategy was not wrong. Even if the disparity in national strength meant he ultimately could not defeat Jin, with his ability, a decisive battle on the grasslands could still have maimed Jin badly. Unfortunately, Huyan Wuhen could not withstand the pressure from the Qi court. Not only was a lifetime of illustrious reputation ruined in a single stroke, Qi itself was placed completely at a disadvantage, allowing Gao Pin's scheme to succeed. Gao Pin's style of warfare changed so abruptly that it became difficult to fathom him. I failed to see his intention before, and I suspect Huyan Wuhen did as well. Still, Huyan Wuhen is an old hand. His battlefield instinct at the beginning was correct. It's only... ah!"

Niu Youdao was astonished. "People say, 'Yan has Shanming; Qi has Wuhen!' Yet Gao Pin managed to deceive both you and Huyan Wuhen on the battlefield. Is he really that formidable? Then why did he repeatedly lose to Huyan Wuhen before? If I remember correctly, the last time he was defeated, Huyan Wuhen nearly captured him alive."

Meng Shanming shook his head. "Such sayings are pleasant to hear, but that's all. They are not immutable truths. What famous general was not tempered by defeats, learning lessons from each one? Huyan Wuhen and I both happened to meet national calamity and were tempered by years of unending war. Why shouldn't Gao Pin likewise reflect after defeat and change? One generation of newcomers replacing the old is perfectly normal, provided they are given the opportunity. Gao Pin rose from an ordinary foot soldier to become Grand Marshal of Jin and has won Taishu Xiong's regard. He must not be underestimated."

"For Gao Pin to dare wage a war of attrition like this, there must be pressure from the Jin court as well. He must have received Emperor Taishu Xiong's support. Without Taishu Xiong backing him with all his strength, Gao Pin could not mobilize the power of the entire state to set this game in motion. In boldness, Hao Yuntu cannot compare with Taishu Xiong. Taishu Xiong made Gao Pin what he is, while Hao Yuntu ruined Huyan Wuhen."

"To survive a hundred battles is luck; a general can hardly avoid dying on the battlefield. I only hope Huyan Wuhen meets a good end."

Huyan Wuhen was not even dead yet, but Meng Shanming's words already carried a trace of the fox mourning the hare.

Niu Youdao only wanted a grasp of the situation. He had no intention of spending his energy delving deeply into the study of warfare. With nothing else to discuss, he sent the others back.

Given his present circumstances, Shang Chaozong and the rest were not suited to remain there long either, lest they arouse suspicion.

Guan Fangyi naturally saw the guests out in person. On the surface, she was living under another's roof, after all.

Niu Youdao stayed inside and watched them leave. His eyes settled somewhere they had no business settling, following the sway of Guan Fangyi's waist and hips.

He was wondering how a wildflower from the mountains had blossomed into this amid the red dust of the mortal world, and what sort of journey of the heart had brought her here.

The name Nantian Wufang had given her had stayed with her all these years. For the moment, Niu Youdao genuinely did not know whether he should tell Guan Fangyi the truth.

After thinking it over, he decided it was better not to tell her yet. If the woman lost control of her emotions and ran off to Demon Ridge, the resulting commotion could become enormous. Zhao Xiongge had been able to infer certain things from a few clues; if she went there herself, other people in the Demonic Sect might also be able to guess something.

For now, he did not want anything to happen to Nantian Wufang.

"The way you've been looking at Hongniang lately really is a little strange," Yun Ji suddenly said from beside him.

"Hm?" Niu Youdao turned to her in surprise. "What's strange about it?"

"Lecherous!" Yun Ji tossed out the word and turned away.

"Uh..." Niu Youdao was left speechless, then followed her.

After the two returned through the secret passage to the entrance of the underground chamber, Niu Youdao called after her again. "Wait."

Yun Ji stopped and turned around. "I was only saying it casually. If you have nothing guilty on your mind, there's no need to overthink it."

Niu Youdao waved a hand. "Think whatever you like. I don't care. I have something serious to discuss."

"Go on."

"It's been a long time since you've contacted Sister Wu, the Ghost Mother, hasn't it?"

Ghost Mother? And "Sister Wu" at that? Hearing him put it that way, Yun Ji could not help remembering how this man had first sworn brotherhood with her son, then gone on to swear siblinghood with Ghost Mother Wu Xuejun herself. Setting the thought aside, she said, "Since coming to Maolu Villa, I've basically had no contact with her. After the way things turned out between you and Tianhuo Sect, she still has to maintain a foothold in Qi. It wouldn't be convenient for me to keep associating with her frequently."

"Find some time to go see her quietly. Meet her privately if you can, and do your best not to let anyone discover it."

Yun Ji did not understand. "Why?"

Niu Youdao turned and entered the underground chamber. He walked to the wall and stared at a map of all beneath Heaven.

Yun Ji followed his gaze and immediately froze. Xianyin Mountain in Qi, where Ghost Mother Wu Xuejun resided, had been marked on the map.

And it was not only Xianyin Mountain. Every notable place beneath Heaven where yin gathered had been marked.

"Someone is probably going to set their sights on places where yin gathers—and they will want the large ones!" Niu Youdao suddenly said.

Yun Ji did not understand. Nor could she make sense of what went on inside this man's head all day. One matter would suddenly appear from the east, another from the west, leaving everyone around him without the faintest clue what connected them. Even now that she was often at his side, she still frequently could not understand what he was doing.

Yet the outcome repeatedly proved that when events finally arrived, everything was already within his control. Only then would comprehension dawn on her.

...

Wuliang Garden was finally reopened, with entry and exit permitted again within the rules.

By now, the seven Saints other than Yuan Se and Lü Wushuang all had a good idea who had been behind the trouble and whom Niu Youdao had originally been investigating.

Xuan Yao had committed suicide after the incident. Once word got out, Ding Wei and Huang Ban disappeared as well, followed by a succession of people from Dayuan Sacred Land within Misty Pavilion.

Anyone with eyes could tell someone was silencing witnesses. There was little need to keep guessing who was responsible. Unfortunately, there was no evidence, and the suspected party flatly refused to admit anything.

Now that everyone knew who needed watching, there was no longer any reason to keep Wuliang Garden sealed, nor could it remain sealed forever. The only choice was for each side to have its own people stationed there keep a close eye on personnel from Wushuang Sacred Land and Dayuan Sacred Land, while tightening the guard over the Wuliang Fruits.

The formation gate opened. Having successfully obtained leave, Ao Feng walked out at an unhurried pace with a bundle on his back.

After going some distance, he looked back. The great formation and the entire Wuliang Garden had vanished into thin air.

He was finally out. Ao Feng, who had endured endless torment, let out a quiet breath. After determining his direction, he flashed away.

Several days later, at the edge of the Desolate Marsh Deadlands, Ao Feng flew up onto the mountaintop where people from the Demon Fox Bureau often gathered and landed lightly on the summit. He looked around.

Niu Youdao was already dead. Ao Feng had never placed much hope in whether the promise Niu Youdao had made him would still be honored.

But what else could he do? The theft of the Wuliang Fruits would be exposed sooner or later. Once he came out this time, he had never intended to return to Wuliang Garden.

He had come only to try his luck.

He looked all around. There was no sign of anyone waiting to receive him.

"You finally came."

Ao Feng's heart was sinking. Just as he was wondering where in the Sacred Realm he could possibly hide, and how long he could stay hidden, a voice suddenly came from behind him.

He whipped around. From a small cave beneath a huge rock on the summit emerged a gray-furred Demon Fox. As it approached, it transformed into an old man.

Ao Feng's heart jumped, but he remained wary.

The old man came closer. "People from our clan have been lying hidden outside Wuliang Garden and watching it all this time. We've waited a long time for you. A few days ago, we finally saw you come out. Once the message reached me, I came here and have been waiting ever since. Niu Youdao told our clan to receive you. Come with me."

[End of Chapter 1305]