Chapter 1527: What Torment!

There was no need to think further. He did not dare hesitate either. Saving his life came first. He flashed away and plunged into the river.

Yuan Cong moved a fraction later, almost following directly on his heels into the water. A muffled bang came from beneath the river, followed by a churn of spray mixed with blood.

A splash sounded behind them. Wei Duo and Jia Wuqun quickly turned and saw Yuan Cong already rising from the water.

Yuan Cong stepped onto the small skiff, his cold gaze sweeping the surroundings with hawk-like vigilance, plainly checking whether any survivors remained.

Wei Duo and Jia Wuqun stared at him. They had both known his cultivation was high, but seeing him kill so many people in the space of a few breaths was still shocking.

Wei Duo had also personally witnessed Yuan Cong withstand a Heavenly Sword Talisman head-on. When Yuan Cong had killed the people from Misty Pavilion in the past, Wei Duo had only suspected. Now the suspicion in his heart was finally confirmed. Yuan Cong really was a Nascent Soul cultivator!

He had even silenced the other men traveling on their own side. What was he trying to conceal? This time, even Jia Wuqun could see it. No wonder Nanzhou had said that with this man beside him, his safety was assured. So Yuan Cong was a Nascent Soul cultivator. No wonder Nanzhou dared oppose the Nine Saints when even the man dispatched to protect Jia Wuqun was at the Nascent Soul Realm. The strength hidden on Nanzhou's side could be imagined.

After watching the surroundings vigilantly for a while, Yuan Cong crouched, swept a hand, and drew up a dragon of river water. It washed the disguise from the false fisherman's face.

Once the man's true appearance was revealed, Jia Wuqun's gaze shifted slightly. He was plainly surprised and clearly recognized him.

Yuan Cong asked, "Why did you try to assassinate him?"

The false fisherman stared at him, seeming unable to believe what he had just witnessed. "Who are you?" he asked in return. After seeing Yuan Cong withstand the Heavenly Sword Talisman, how could he not be shocked?

Yuan Cong said, "If you don't want to suffer, answer honestly."

The false fisherman looked toward Jia Wuqun and gave a miserable laugh. "Why did I try to assassinate him? Jia Wuqun, others may not know, but don't you? You treacherous dog! You'll die a miserable death!"

Yuan Cong turned toward Jia Wuqun, inquiry in his eyes.

Jia Wuqun bent forward and traced characters with a finger across his back, giving him the answer: Mo Gao, Chief Steward of the Inner Palace under Mu Zhuozhen. He disappeared during the upheaval back then.

Yuan Cong understood. So this was one of Mu Zhuozhen's surviving loyalists, a diehard remnant who had come to avenge him.

Yuan Cong still had questions for Mo Gao, but Jia Wuqun traced another message across his back: People travel along the river. Leave first.

Yuan Cong nodded and pointed a finger, putting Mo Gao into unconsciousness. Then he rose. Under the control of his spiritual power, the skiff swiftly cut through the wind and waves.

Wei Duo's thoughts were still racing when Yuan Cong suddenly spoke. "Don't spread what shouldn't be said. Otherwise, don't blame me for slaughtering the Shangqing Sect to the last man!"

He had named the Shangqing Sect outright. Who those words were meant for hardly needed explanation.

Jia Wuqun looked back at Wei Duo and smiled faintly.

The boat and its passengers receded into the distance until they disappeared.

Yet two figures stood atop a drifting plank amid the wreckage left behind. They were Wu Chang and Hei Shi, watching the direction in which the skiff had vanished.

"So this Jian Shanyue really is a Nascent Soul cultivator!" Hei Shi suddenly said, turning his head. His expression was grave, though inwardly he was envious.

This assassination attempt had been arranged entirely by him. After listing every connected figure and considering them one by one, he had found that if they wanted to avoid alerting the snake by striking the grass, the others were extremely difficult targets. After thinking it through from every angle, only this "Jian Shanyue," now using the name Yuan Cong, had seemed suitable. A centipede may be dead, but it does not stiffen at once. It was perfectly natural for a surviving loyalist of Mu Zhuozhen to seek revenge.

Wu Chang gave a low snort. "If there is one, then the others are almost certainly the same. Otherwise it wouldn't be enough to persuade those sects to risk opposing Misty Pavilion. Jian Shanyue, Wen Hua, Yan Zhutian, Xi Haitang, Gong Lince, Kunlin Shu, Ao Feng, Zhuge Chi—that already makes eight. Whether Zhao Xiongge is one remains uncertain, but one thing is certain: Maolu Villa itself is hiding at least one. In other words, we've found roughly nine already. Keep watching. Try to identify the rest as well."

"Yes!" Hei Shi acknowledged, then flattered him. "Once we have them all clearly in hand, the day Sacred Venerable stands supreme beneath Heaven will be close at hand."

By now, he understood Wu Chang's intentions better than anyone. Once they had identified these Nascent Soul cultivators, Wu Chang's own strength and the advantage of striking prepared against the unprepared would give him plenty of ways to eliminate them one by one. Even the so-called Holy Rakshasa was nothing to fear. With a sudden ambush, she could be killed before she had time to transform.

One thing was certain: they would not touch the people whose identities had already been uncovered. Those people still had to be used to eliminate Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu.

Once those two Sacred Venerables were gone, Wu Chang could deal with these people afterward. Then all beneath Heaven would truly belong to Wu Chang, and he could do whatever he pleased.

Wu Chang said, "It's still possible we've misjudged them. But their correspondence with one another will eventually reveal corroborating clues. Keep watching."

Hei Shi said, "Sacred Venerable can rest assured. Now that we have firm targets, we can intercept and inspect the letters passing between them. It has made things much easier."

"Don't grow careless. Everyone involved must be cautious, then more cautious still. Don't give Lan Daolin or Du Wuxu any opening to exploit. I can handle this myself. I don't want them putting a hand into it too."

"Yes!" Hei Shi bowed. "The controls are extremely strict. There is absolutely no possibility of the information leaking."

...

"Attacked?" Inside the secret chamber, Niu Youdao paced with a confidential letter in hand and raised an eyebrow. "Looks like Wu Chang has already made his move. Yuan Cong's strength has been exposed."

Yun Ji hesitated. "They interrogated the attacker and confirmed he was a surviving loyalist of Mu Zhuozhen seeking revenge. There doesn't seem to be any flaw. How can you be certain it was Wu Chang?"

Lü Wushuang, seated to one side, answered, "When two opponents are playing Go, each knows where the contest lies in the other's move. If the timing fits, that's enough. Evidence isn't necessary. Since he says it was Wu Chang, it probably was." Her gaze turned toward Niu Youdao. "For Wu Chang to trace Yuan Cong so quickly can mean only one thing: he can already decipher Maolu Villa's correspondence."

As she said this, realization struck her. She slowly rose, her voice turning cold. "You did this deliberately! Maolu Villa isn't the only bait you're using. You're using everyone as bait. Have you gone mad?"

Uncertainty showed in Yun Ji's eyes.

Niu Youdao remained calm. "Only if it isn't fake, only if he uncovers the real truth himself, only if every doubt in his mind is dispelled, will he truly believe it. We absolutely cannot arouse even the slightest suspicion. Only if he thinks he's hidden in the dark while we're exposed in the light, only if he believes everything about us is under his control, will he feel secure. Only then will he have enough patience to keep playing."

He turned to look at Lü Wushuang. "He knows Maolu Villa has a problem. The integration of the entire State of Yan was such a major disturbance—that itself was my test of him. Yet he still didn't react. Instead, he traced Yuan Cong. What does that tell you? It tells you he's taken the bait, and he's bitten down hard. He won't let go now until one side is dead!"

Lü Wushuang enunciated each word. "You seek life by placing yourself in mortal danger. Be careful you don't play yourself to death!"

Niu Youdao asked, "If you were Wu Chang, what would you do next?"

Lü Wushuang drew a deep breath. "With Wu Chang's ambition, he should first use your side to eliminate Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu, then wipe your entire side out afterward! But don't forget one thing. Even if Wu Chang is the only one left, I can guarantee that all your forces combined still won't be able to kill him. At the very least, if he wants to flee, you cannot stop him! Everyone exposed by then will still be unable to show themselves openly, no different from the present situation, perhaps even worse. Take the people in Nanzhou who can't run away, for example!"

Niu Youdao turned to face her and studied her for a moment. Then he suddenly smiled. "So what do you suggest? Stop now?"

Stop now? Lü Wushuang was exasperated enough to laugh. He had already pushed matters this far. Everyone who should never have been exposed had already been exposed. How could stopping now possibly help?

Then another thought struck her. "No. Have you left some hidden measure for dealing with Wu Chang?"

Niu Youdao did not want to discuss it. He walked back to the table, sat, and stared at the confidential letter in thought.

After spending some time with him, Lü Wushuang had come to understand him somewhat. If he did not want to speak, there was no point pressing him. She changed the subject. "Who exactly is this Yuan Cong? Is he Jian Shanyue?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "No."

"Then who is he?"

Niu Youdao remained silent for a while. Then, in a heavy voice, he said, "Send word to Yan Zhutian. Have him keep an eye on Lan Daolin's disciple Qing Jiu and see whether that thing can be used to turn him. Send word to Wen Hua. Have him keep an eye on Du Wuxu's disciple Si Shaodong and see whether that thing can be used to turn him. Send word to Zhao Xiongge. Have him discuss it with Nantian Wufang and judge how likely it is that Wu Chang's trusted subordinate Hei Shi can be turned with that thing."

Yun Ji tested, "That thing? The Wuliang Fruit?"

Niu Youdao said, "Do not write 'Wuliang Fruit.' Let whoever reads the letter guess for himself."

Lü Wushuang still could not resist asking, "What are you trying to do?"

"Nothing. Wait."

Wait? Yun Ji and Lü Wushuang looked at each other, plainly unable to tell what medicine Niu Youdao was selling in his gourd.

...

At Qiyun Sect, Hei Shi reached the entrance to the tower's hidden chamber and hesitated. He looked down at the confidential letter in his hand yet again, his heart full of torment.

The letter sent from Maolu Villa had been intercepted and copied, so naturally he had seen the deciphered contents.

They wanted to turn him? And what exactly was "that thing"? Could it be the Wuliang Fruit?

If it really was the Wuliang Fruit, the temptation was almost enough to steal his soul. From the moment he saw the letter, he had felt as though he were being roasted alive. He wanted nothing more than to go straight to Maolu Villa and demand a clear answer. If they really had one, then fine—let himself be turned.

But there were realities he had to face. Should he report the contents of this letter to Wu Chang or conceal them? If he concealed them, should he silence the people responsible for intercepting and copying the letters? Should he silence the people specifically responsible for deciphering them?

Or should he simply ignore everything else, go directly to Maolu Villa to leak information, and exchange that service for a Wuliang Fruit? Wasn't the whole point of turning him to use him against the Three Sacred Venerables?

Even if Maolu Villa truly possessed another Wuliang Fruit, what if he went there and they decided he no longer had value? Given their strength, he might not leave alive. And once he showed himself before them, even if they refused to give him the fruit, what could he do about it? Use someone else to make contact? Send a secret message? Forget whether such a matter could safely be entrusted to another person—doing so would probably frighten Maolu Villa into fleeing immediately. They would hardly remain where they were exchanging messages back and forth with him at leisure. And the moment they ran, Wu Chang would certainly be alerted.

Every direction he considered was wrong somehow.

What torment!

[End of Chapter 1527]