Chapter 1478: The Sacred Venerable Comes in Person

In a single exchange, Gongsun Bu’s face changed drastically.

He had never imagined the gap between his cultivation and Yun Ji’s could be so enormous.

His vision blurred. Before he even understood what had happened, he was subdued in an instant, his cultivation sealed as Yun Ji shoved him back inside.

“Sit.”

Niu Youdao inclined his chin.

Gongsun Bu looked as though he had lost both parents.

He had thought that even if he was no match for the people here, so long as he could rush outside and create enough commotion for others to see, Niu Youdao’s side would have to hold back.

Then he would at least possess some bargaining power.

Only now did he realize he had thought far too highly of himself.

Before Master Dao, he had no power to resist at all.

How could he possibly have escaped?

Yuan Gang walked in.

He too had been waiting outside.

He moved to one side and stared coldly at Gongsun Bu.

When Gongsun Bu failed to react, Yun Ji pressed one hand down and forced him back into the chair.

Niu Youdao lifted his chin slightly.

Yuan Gang stepped forward and laid brush, ink, paper, and inkstone before Gongsun Bu.

Niu Youdao said, “Give Wuliang Mountain an explanation.”

“Give them a reason for your disappearance, and I’ll give you a quick death.”

“It saves me trouble, and lets you leave with a little dignity.”

Gongsun Bu knew what he wanted.

Niu Youdao wanted him to write that he was a spy, so taking control of Wuliang Mountain afterward would proceed smoothly.

Yet even ants cling to life.

Gongsun Bu did not want to die so easily.

With difficulty, he said, “Master Dao, considering all the years I served Maolu Villa, give me a road to live.”

Niu Youdao no longer gave him any room.

He slowly shook his head. “Once the chance is missed, it is missed.”

“Write or don’t write. That is up to you.”

“But you are still the head of a sect. I suggest you leave yourself some dignity.”

With that, he slowly sipped his tea and stopped looking directly at Gongsun Bu.

His composure was almost unnerving.

By the time the cup was empty and Niu Youdao set it down, Yuan Gang placed one hand on Gongsun Bu’s shoulder and prepared to drag him away.

“Wait!”

Gongsun Bu abruptly raised a hand, bitterness all over his face. “I’ll write.”

Yuan Gang released him.

Gongsun Bu slowly reached for the brush.

He dipped it into the ink, considered his wording for some time, then finally put brush to paper.

After writing only a few short lines, he slowly set the brush down again.

Guan Fangyi stepped forward, lifted the sheet, and held it out horizontally for Niu Youdao to inspect.

The contents were simple and clear.

Gongsun Bu admitted that he was an agent of Misty Pavilion, that he was deeply ashamed of having wronged everyone in Wuliang Mountain, and that he was leaving out of shame.

After checking the wording and finding no problem, Niu Youdao raised his chin toward Gongsun Bu. “Drink your tea.”

Guan Fangyi took the written testament and stepped aside.

Gongsun Bu stared at the teacup before him.

With a bitter smile, he reached out, lifted the cup, raised his head, and drained it in one swallow.

He even swallowed quite a few tea leaves with it.

After setting down the cup, he looked across the table. “Master Dao, weren’t you already killed? Why...?”

Yuan Gang suddenly moved.

One arm locked around Gongsun Bu’s neck.

His other hand seized the man’s chin and twisted.

Crack!

Gongsun Bu’s face turned all the way around toward his back.

His eyes bulged wide.

He could no longer see Niu Youdao.

Blood trickled from his mouth.

Before dying, he had still wanted the answer to the question tormenting him.

Yuan Gang did not give him the chance.

Yuan Gang hated traitors more than anything.

Gongsun Bu fell to the ground with a crash.

Yun Ji stepped forward, grabbed the still-twitching body, and dragged it away to dispose of it, burying him deep underground.

Niu Youdao acted as though he had seen nothing.

He did not even lift his eyes.

Holding the teapot, he slowly poured himself another cup. “Hongniang, go handle the rest.”

Guan Fangyi nodded and left.

With Gongsun Bu gone, Wuliang Mountain naturally had to undergo a smooth transition.

There was no possibility of abandoning an intelligence network built over so many years.

And now that Gongsun Bu, a surviving Misty Pavilion agent, was dead, the agents Lü Wushuang had instructed Huo Kong to leave off the purge lists in several other regions also had to be dealt with.

In other words, those agents all had to be exposed.

The result would naturally be flight or death.

Otherwise, if Gongsun Bu alone met with trouble, suspicion would inevitably arise.

Everything had already been arranged.

Guan Fangyi only needed to execute the plan.

Her abilities had limits when it came to handling major affairs, and she herself lacked confidence when dealing with those.

But for smaller matters where the course had already been laid out clearly, the worldly skill that had earned her the name Hongniang in the Qi capital had not been gained for nothing.

Handling them posed no difficulty.

By the time the pot of tea was empty, Niu Youdao’s mood had visibly dulled.

He did not particularly like striking ruthlessly at people close to him.

Yet people’s hearts were different.

It was probably impossible to guarantee that no one around him would ever harbor divided loyalties.

Given enough time, such a day was bound to come...

Guan Fangyi summoned Wuliang Mountain’s senior leadership and told them that Gongsun Bu had left behind a letter before fleeing.

After reading it, Wuliang Mountain’s elders did not know what to say.

None had imagined that the man who had questioned them only yesterday was actually the true Misty Pavilion spy.

The hidden Misty Pavilion agent had been their own Sect Leader!

The situation seemed obvious.

Since Zijin Cave already knew who the person was, Gongsun Bu knew the truth would eventually come out.

So he had fled.

The Sect Leader was gone, but Wuliang Mountain’s affairs could not simply be abandoned.

This network was the foundation on which everyone there made a living.

Guan Fangyi therefore discussed a division of responsibilities with the elders.

Each elder would oversee one portion of the organization.

For the time being, no one would raise the matter of appointing a new Sect Leader.

With Gongsun Bu’s whereabouts still unknown, no one was in a position to jump forward and fight for the post anyway.

This too was Niu Youdao’s intention.

Delay the matter first.

Once enough time passed, with each elder enjoying the benefits attached to the portion under his own control, none would willingly surrender authority.

The new arrangement would gradually become fixed.

Niu Youdao did not want Wuliang Mountain to remain a sect that could break away from Maolu Villa merely because one Sect Leader gave the order.

He intended to use this opportunity to reform it completely.

Niu Youdao understood very clearly that guiding a few trusted confidants around him and controlling a large organization were two entirely different things.

From this point onward, Wuliang Mountain would still appear to be a sect on the surface.

In reality, as the new structure gradually took shape, it would lose the nature of a sect altogether and fully evolve into an intelligence organization.

There would no longer be a Sect Leader.

Each branch within Wuliang Mountain would naturally accept direct leadership from Maolu Villa.

From then on, “Wuliang Mountain” would merely be a collective name for several intelligence branches under Maolu Villa.

...

A volcano rose from the earth, its brown slopes riddled with openings.

This was the place where Qiyun Sect forged artifacts.

Around the volcano stood other graceful peaks. Amid lush green mountains, pavilions and halls stretched in continuous rows.

This was Qiyun Sect’s headquarters.

Inside the sect’s council hall, Taishu Feihua listened to a report with surprise and suspicion. “Another Misty Pavilion spy has been discovered? Is this never going to end?”

A disciple replied, “We don’t know who secretly exposed him. According to that sect, the spy has already fled. Misty Pavilion now suspects Qiyun Sect of leaking the agent’s identity.”

“Nonsense!” Taishu Feihua snapped. “Didn’t we already hand over to Misty Pavilion the infiltration list Huo Kong sent us?”

“If this man’s name wasn’t on that list, what does he have to do with us?”

Taishu Feihua had received an urgent summons from the sect saying Misty Pavilion had once again sent people to question them.

That was why he had rushed back from the Jin imperial palace.

Just then, sounds of someone trying to block visitors came from outside.

“Gentlemen, please allow me to report your arrival first.”

The two men inside looked up.

A group of more than ten people strode toward the hall, directly pushing aside the disciples outside.

Most wore Misty Pavilion attire.

Only the two at the front did not.

Taishu Feihua recognized the man leading the way.

It was Hei Shi, Elder of Tianmo Sacred Land.

Hei Shi’s appearance alone startled Taishu Feihua.

Behind him stood a tall figure shrouded in a black cloak.

Taishu Feihua hurriedly waved the disciples outside away, then strode forward and cupped his hands. “Taishu Feihua welcomes Elder Hei Shi.”

The group stopped.

Hei Shi said blandly, “Sect Leader Taishu, there is no need for idle words. You presumably understand why we came.”

“Another Misty Pavilion inspector has had his identity exposed.”

“As far as I know, Qiyun Sect had access to the list of inspectors.”

“We hope Qiyun Sect can provide an explanation.”

The fact that Hei Shi had personally come to question him made Taishu Feihua’s heart tighten.

He hurriedly said, “Elder Hei Shi, I have already investigated this matter.”

“The person Elder mentions was absolutely not on the list Huo Kong sent us.”

“Before this, Qiyun Sect truly did not know that person was a Misty Pavilion inspector.”

Hei Shi said, “Anyone can make claims with his mouth.”

“We will investigate this matter thoroughly.”

“Starting today, Misty Pavilion will formally station personnel inside Qiyun Sect and conduct a comprehensive investigation.”

“I presume Qiyun Sect will not obstruct us.”

Station personnel here?

With a group like that living inside the sect, how could anyone remain at ease?

Especially under the current circumstances, when no one knew what else might happen.

Taishu Feihua hurriedly said, “Elder Hei Shi, I am willing to guarantee with my life that Qiyun Sect had absolutely nothing to do with this matter.”

The tall figure in the black cloak suddenly spoke.

“So you mean to refuse Misty Pavilion entry?”

His voice was deep and powerful, carrying the detached indifference of someone accustomed to standing above others.

Hei Shi immediately turned toward him and bowed slightly.

Taishu Feihua was startled again.

What kind of person could make Hei Shi show such deference?

He already had a suspicion about the newcomer’s identity, yet did not dare believe it.

The man raised a hand and pushed back the black cloak that half covered his face.

Beneath unbound hair, a pair of imposing tiger eyes stared coldly at Taishu Feihua.

Wu Chang.

Hei Shi reminded him, “Sacred Venerable Tianmo has come in person. Why are you not paying your respects?”

Taishu Feihua had already suspected as much, though he had never seen Wu Chang before.

Hearing it confirmed, he was shaken to the core.

He had never imagined such a small affair would actually bring Wu Chang here personally.

He immediately bowed in alarm.

With Wu Chang personally present, Taishu Feihua had no choice.

Neither did anyone else in Qiyun Sect.

Even if Wu Chang had not come, Qiyun Sect would still have had little room to refuse.

But with the Sacred Venerable himself arriving in person, they did not even dare offer an excuse.

What followed far exceeded Taishu Feihua’s expectations.

More than a thousand Misty Pavilion personnel formally moved into Qiyun Sect and dispersed throughout every corner of the organization.

More terrifying still, Wu Chang personally remained at Qiyun Sect to oversee matters.

And Hei Shi, Wu Chang’s trusted subordinate, was almost constantly beside Taishu Feihua, frequently attending all manner of Qiyun Sect meetings together with him.

...

At Myriad Beasts Sect, Luo Qiu stood proudly inside the sect’s council hall with his hands clasped behind his back.

Below him, Sect Leader Xi Haitang and a group of elders bowed their heads in fear and submission.

From that day onward, large numbers of Misty Pavilion personnel formally moved into Myriad Beasts Sect.

...

At Ling Sect, Ding Mountain was also the sect’s alchemy grounds.

Before a Heaven-grade great alchemical furnace, Lan Daolin stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring indifferently at the blazing fire beneath the furnace.

Behind him, Ling Sect’s Sect Leader Yan Zhutian and the others stood slightly bowed in attendance.

...

On a mountaintop outside Nanzhou City, Niu Youdao stood with his hands behind his back, facing the rising sun.

Beside him stood Wen Hua, the former Sect Leader of Tianxing Sect, who had come in disguise.

He was recounting how Du Wuxu had personally led people into Tianxing Sect and established a presence there.

[End of Chapter 1478]