Chapter 1385: Shaken to the Soul

Xi Haitang went back and did as instructed. After secretly warning the disciples for a while, he sent them back into the cave deep in the ravine and had the entrance sealed again.

He checked the sealed cave entrance, then returned to Niu Youdao and Yun Ji. "Let's go!"

The three quietly slipped out of the ravine. Just as they were about to seize the moment and rush the exit before the Butterfly Rakshasas could react, Niu Youdao suddenly raised a hand. "Wait!"

Xi Haitang and Yun Ji both turned to him in puzzlement.

Yun Ji asked, "What is it?"

Niu Youdao instead asked Xi Haitang, "The exit has been occupied by Butterfly Rakshasas, and the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples have all withdrawn. Won't there be a large number of Myriad Beasts Sect disciples guarding outside?"

Xi Haitang fell silent briefly, then nodded. "Certainly. After such an enormous disturbance, the sect will definitely mobilize a large number of disciples to guard the outside and prepare for any change."

Niu Youdao said meaningfully, "In other words, unlike before, when you could casually muddle through and bring us in or out, this time we're certain to emerge in front of a great many people."

Xi Haitang and Yun Ji both understood what he meant.

The two of them were disguised. With so many eyes watching, it would be easy to draw suspicion. More importantly, after alarming the Nine Saints, every Misty Pavilion eye and ear in the area was sure to have been activated.

Xi Haitang thought for a moment. "You really do consider things thoroughly. How about this: I'll go out first and find some way to send the others away."

Niu Youdao looked toward the Butterfly Rakshasas clustered around the exit. "With this many Butterfly Rakshasas, including quite a few Blood Rakshasas, would it be appropriate for you to kill your way out alone so easily?"

Xi Haitang asked, "You have another plan?"

"We'll still go out together, but we'll have to look a little more miserable." Niu Youdao raised a hand and tore the false face from his own features, then gestured for Yun Ji to do the same. "In a moment, smear some Butterfly Rakshasa blood over your faces. If no one can recognize us at first glance, that will be enough. Once we're outside, before the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples identify who the two of us are, find an excuse and pretend to order us off on some task. We can use that chance to slip away from among your disciples. No one should stop us."

Xi Haitang considered it and gave a small grunt of agreement. "That is a good plan. Fine. We'll do it that way."

Yun Ji also tore away her disguise.

The three acted immediately. After discussing the details and making their preparations, they rushed out together.

Their movement instantly drew the surrounding Butterfly Rakshasas into a mass attack.

Xi Haitang and Yun Ji protected Niu Youdao between them. Neither displayed anything close to the strength expected of a Nascent Soul cultivator. They had to guard against hidden observers who might still be watching and prevent anyone from noticing anything suspicious, so the three appeared to struggle their way forward in a difficult battle.

After a fierce clash, they finally burst out of the Illusory Realm.

All three looked thoroughly battered. Their hair hung loose, their faces were covered in blood, and their clothes were torn.

Xi Haitang was slightly better off, with less blood on his face. Niu Youdao and Yun Ji were almost impossible to recognize.

The Myriad Beasts Sect disciples guarding Butterfly Valley immediately stirred when they saw someone emerge.

"That's the Sect Leader! The Sect Leader is out!"

But with extraordinary figures still present, no one dared act rashly.

Du Wuxu, Luo Qiu, Lan Daolin, and Lü Wushuang all turned and stared at the three who had just rushed out.

The four had already grown impatient from waiting and were preparing to go inside to investigate when someone suddenly emerged.

The three newcomers were still pretending to be utterly exhausted, panting heavily in their battered state. The moment Xi Haitang saw those four standing there, his mind went blank and even his heart began trembling.

Niu Youdao was stunned as well. His scalp went numb.

What was going on?

With the status of these four, what did it mean for all of them to be standing here guarding the entrance?

Surely they could not all have happened to arrive at the same time.

Could their luck truly be this bad?

At that moment, Niu Youdao regretted his decision so deeply he could have kicked himself. Had he known this was the situation outside, it really might have been better to let Xi Haitang come out first and send people away.

Then again, faced with these four, Xi Haitang probably would not have been able to send anyone away at all.

Niu Youdao had assumed that with Xi Haitang, Sect Leader of Myriad Beasts Sect, alongside them, getting out would be simple. He had never imagined they would run headfirst into such a colossal problem.

Apart from knowing that Zhangsun Mi had died, the three had no idea how the rest of the battle had unfolded. They did not know what had happened to Wu Chang and the others, so naturally they could not have predicted that Wu Chang would wait outside like a hunter by a stump for a rabbit to appear and create this situation.

Du Wuxu and the others likewise did not know the true depths of what had happened inside. Wu Chang had simply left without explaining anything, leaving the four unwilling to rush into danger blindly.

Through that whole tangle of accidents, Niu Youdao had never imagined the four would remain here waiting for Mu Lianze and Zhangsun Mi.

Sometimes events were simply like this. They exceeded everyone's expectations.

Yun Ji, ironically, was the calmest of the three because she did not recognize the four Saints.

An accident had happened. They could only face it.

Niu Youdao rapidly surveyed the scene and did not see Wu Chang or the others present.

Why were Wu Chang and the rest absent?

Could they all have died inside?

If none of Wu Chang's group had emerged, then these four, not knowing what had happened, would certainly have entered to investigate. Wasn't that the entire reason they had come? There was no possibility they would simply stand outside waiting indefinitely.

If Wu Chang and the others had emerged, then what did it mean for these four to still be guarding the entrance?

In the blink of an eye, Niu Youdao ran through the possibilities.

Seeing that Du Wuxu and the others had not reacted much, he glanced at Yun Ji. She still appeared reasonably calm, at least calm enough not to let the four notice anything abnormal.

His own nerves settled slightly.

He moved closer to Xi Haitang and raised a hand as though wiping blood from his mouth. His lips barely moved as he spoke rapidly under his breath. "Don't panic. If they ask questions, act as though you know nothing. Say we just discovered someone fighting the Holy Rakshasa high inside the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm. Don't identify who it is. Let them suspect it may be one of the five who entered earlier."

He gave the instruction because he still did not know which of the five Saints who had gone inside had already emerged.

At least Zhangsun Mi had not come out.

Yun Ji, standing close enough to hear, was surprised. She still did not understand what was happening.

Xi Haitang understood Niu Youdao's words, but not the reason behind them.

Luo Qiu had already finished looking them over and spoke. "Xi Haitang, what is happening inside?"

Xi Haitang steadied his panic. Pretending to be surprised by their presence, he quickly stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Xi Haitang, Sect Leader of Myriad Beasts Sect, pays respects to the Sacred Venerables!"

Hearing the form of address, Yun Ji finally understood.

Her heart immediately lurched.

She was shaken to the soul.

"Follow..." Niu Youdao muttered indistinctly.

Then he hurried after Xi Haitang and cupped his hands. "Greetings, Sacred Venerables!"

Yun Ji hastily followed and bowed as well. "Greetings, Sacred Venerables!"

The four Saints ignored the two of them completely.

Luo Qiu stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "Xi Haitang, what is happening inside?"

Xi Haitang's mind was truly in chaos.

He still did not understand what Niu Youdao's instructions were meant to accomplish, but he knew Niu Youdao would not gamble with his own life under circumstances like these. Gritting his teeth, he cupped his hands and answered, "Sacred Venerable, I don't know what happened. We only saw enormous numbers of Butterfly Rakshasas appear. Just now, we also discovered someone high in the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm fighting the Holy Rakshasa!"

Someone was inside fighting the Holy Rakshasa?

Luo Qiu and the other three visibly jolted and exchanged looks.

Without another word, all four flashed away.

One after another, they plunged directly into the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm.

The instant they entered, swarms of Butterfly Rakshasas attacked them.

The four struck heavily, blasting the creatures aside as they seized every opening to scan their surroundings.

Outside, Xi Haitang stared after their sudden departure, momentarily stunned.

Then realization began dawning. He roughly understood what Niu Youdao had been trying to do.

Before anyone else could react, Niu Youdao raised a hand again as though wiping blood from his lips and whispered quickly, "Hurry. Let the two of us leave."

They had to get away now.

If the four Saints found nothing inside and came back out, they would be in serious trouble.

Xi Haitang pretended to turn and look toward the Illusory Realm entrance. Without moving his lips, he murmured, "What about me?"

"You can't leave now," Niu Youdao replied. "Immediately lead people inside to protect the Sacred Venerables. If anything looks wrong, flee deeper into the Illusory Realm and hide. Leave a mark at the place where we changed clothes earlier. I'll find a way to go back in and meet you later."

He was thinking of Xi Haitang's safety, but also wanted Myriad Beasts Sect people to rush inside and create more commotion, making the four Saints overlook the earlier appearance of Niu Youdao and Yun Ji.

This did mean forcing Xi Haitang to take a risk.

But one man taking the risk was better than all three.

Qi Wantong had already approached. "Sect Leader, you finally came out."

Xi Haitang had no choice but to stop the whispered exchange. Seeing Niu Youdao repeatedly signaling with his eyes, he turned and cupped his hands to Qi Wantong. "Elder Qi."

Qi Wantong asked, "Why did it take you so long to come out?"

"We'll discuss that later." Xi Haitang dismissed the question, then turned to the two people behind him. "You two, go make preparations immediately."

"Yes!"

Niu Youdao and Yun Ji accepted the order with cupped hands, then flew away together.

In full view of all the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples, the two slipped away openly.

Xi Haitang watched them go and cursed inwardly.

Those two had escaped. Even if the sky collapsed, they had nothing to fear.

He was the one left behind to handle everything with his heart in his throat.

The Myriad Beasts Sect disciples nearby who had enough standing to speak were already gathering around to greet him.

Xi Haitang swept one broad hand through the air. "Forget the formalities. There are too many Butterfly Rakshasas inside right now. All disciples, immediately follow me in and protect the four Sacred Venerables!"

He knew issuing this order would inevitably cause casualties among his disciples.

There was no time to care about that now.

Qi Wantong frowned. "Sect Leader, there are so many Butterfly Rakshasas. I'm afraid the disciples will suffer heavy losses." He was clearly urging Xi Haitang to reconsider.

Xi Haitang possessed more than enough adaptability to deal with something like this.

He immediately leaned close to Qi Wantong's ear. "The four Sacred Venerables went inside. At the very least, we have to put on a show."

Understanding dawned on Qi Wantong. He nodded repeatedly.

Several hundred Myriad Beasts Sect disciples were quickly gathered.

Xi Haitang swept one arm forward.

With the Sect Leader himself leading the charge, everyone followed him back into the Illusory Realm.

...

Deep in the mountain forest, Niu Youdao and Yun Ji flashed into a stream valley.

The two looked at one another and finally let out a breath.

Yun Ji asked, "Those four just now were Du Wuxu, Luo Qiu, Lan Daolin, and Lü Wushuang?"

She had seen the other five before.

Niu Youdao nodded. "It was them."

Yun Ji patted her chest, still badly shaken.

Fortunately, this fellow had reacted quickly enough not to give the four Saints time to examine them or question them. He had actually managed to send all four charging straight into the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm, buying them an emergency chance to escape.

Otherwise, if even one of the four had remained sufficiently vigilant, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

She was also thankful for Niu Youdao's earlier caution in making one extra preparation.

If the two of them had emerged still wearing false faces and run into the Four Saints, there would have been no hiding the disguises from their Dharma Eyes. At that point, refusing to remove the masks and reveal their true faces would have been impossible.

Niu Youdao had already stepped into the stream and was rapidly splashing himself clean with his art.

[End of Chapter 1385]