Chapter 1528: Waiting, Dragging It Out

More absurd still, the confidential letter actually said they intended to use "that thing" to turn him. Hei Shi had no idea what Wu Chang would think after reading it.

In the end, he decided the whole idea was too unreliable. He simply could not find a safe way to handle it, did not dare take the risk, and had no idea how much Wu Chang secretly knew already. After drawing a deep breath, he stepped to the hidden chamber and knocked. "Sacred Venerable."

"Enter," Wu Chang's voice came from inside.

Only then did Hei Shi push the door open. He went to the couch and presented the letter with both hands. "Sacred Venerable, Maolu Villa has made a move."

Wu Chang waited with his eyes closed for the rest of the report. When nothing followed for quite some time, he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the letter being offered to him, he studied Hei Shi a little longer than usual.

Most of the time, Hei Shi simply summarized matters directly. It was rare for him to hand over a letter and make Wu Chang read it for himself.

Wu Chang accepted it and read the contents. He roughly understood Hei Shi's difficulty. The matter involved Hei Shi personally. If Hei Shi organized the information and offered his own conclusions, it might sound as though he were arguing on his own behalf.

"That thing?" Wu Chang looked puzzled. "What thing? The Wuliang Fruit?"

Hei Shi said, "None of the confidential letters sent to Yan Zhutian, Wen Hua, or Zhao Xiongge says what the thing is. They all call it only 'that thing.' But I estimate it may well be the Wuliang Fruit. What else could possibly have a chance of turning the three of us?"

"Three people? Three more Wuliang Fruits? Absurd! We've already counted roughly nine people. I don't believe they could still have three Wuliang Fruits left unused after all this time."

"Judging by the letters, they seem only to be observing three possible targets and looking for an opening. It should be about judging which one has a chance of being turned, not necessarily three Wuliang Fruits. Based on the various signs, Zhuge Chi probably used his Wuliang Fruit quite a long time ago, perhaps not long after the fruit was stolen thirty years ago. Wen Hua has also been retired for many years, and Jian Shanyue was likewise in seclusion for years. Kunlin Shu and Ao Feng, however, clearly broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm only recently. Judging from the span of time between Zhuge Chi's use and Kunlin Shu's, there really is a possibility that they still have a Wuliang Fruit in reserve."

Wu Chang fell silent for quite some time before suddenly asking, "If they really offered you a Wuliang Fruit to turn you, would you defect?"

Hei Shi's heart tightened. What he had feared had arrived. After a moment of silence, he answered, "This subordinate would indeed be tempted, but I would not dare betray Sacred Venerable."

Wu Chang said, "I promised you long ago that once I obtained the Wuliang Fruit, I would give you one. Who could have known the fruit would be stolen and even the Wuliang Fruit tree destroyed? If they truly still have a Wuliang Fruit, rest assured. Once we obtain it, I will give it to you!"

Hei Shi quickly dropped to one knee. "Sacred Venerable, please withdraw that promise."

Wu Chang was somewhat surprised. "What? You don't want it?"

"It isn't that I don't want it. If all Nine Saints were still here, this subordinate would desire it more than anything. But now..." Hei Shi paused. "Sacred Venerable is on the verge of standing supreme beneath Heaven. This subordinate neither dares nor wishes to take it. So long as I can continue serving Sacred Venerable, I am already completely satisfied."

Wu Chang understood. If all Nine Saints still existed, Hei Shi would dare accept it. Once Wu Chang alone ruled supreme beneath Heaven, accepting a Wuliang Fruit would be courting death.

He studied Hei Shi's expression for a while before slowly saying, "At least you're speaking honestly. There is no hurry to decide this now. We'll discuss it when the time comes."

"Yes!" Hei Shi answered, inwardly cursing Maolu Villa. Those people truly knew how to screw a man over. Everything had been perfectly fine, and then they suddenly pulled a stunt like this. Weren't they trying to get him killed?

He did not know whether Wu Chang believed him, much less whether Wu Chang would suspect that he might secretly collude with Maolu Villa for the sake of a Wuliang Fruit.

One thing, however, he knew for certain. This plan was far too important to Wu Chang. Wu Chang could not possibly fail to guard against him. Now that Wu Chang knew this information, he would never allow Hei Shi to ruin the larger plan.

Wu Chang said, "Keep watching their correspondence closely and see how they intend to proceed. If they choose you and bring out a Wuliang Fruit to turn you, you might as well agree."

"Uh..." Hei Shi choked on his words.

...

Inside the secret chamber, Lü Wushuang arrived and placed a letter in front of Niu Youdao. "Zhao Xiongge didn't discuss anything with Nantian Wufang. He replied directly."

At the mention of Nantian Wufang, Niu Youdao instinctively glanced toward Guan Fangyi, who was idly preening herself nearby. He wondered what expression this woman would show if she met Nantian Wufang someday.

He picked up the letter. Guan Fangyi leaned her face over as well to read.

The contents confirmed that Zhao Xiongge truly had not discussed anything with Nantian Wufang. Zhao Xiongge stated explicitly that if "that thing" really meant what he thought it did, Hei Shi would definitely defect. Whether Hei Shi could actually be useful was uncertain, however. Hei Shi might not be able to find an opportunity to make a move against Wu Chang.

Niu Youdao put the letter down calmly. "Understood. Wait until Yan Zhutian and Wen Hua reply before deciding."

Guan Fangyi asked in confusion, "What are you up to?"

She received no answer.

...

At Qiyun Sect, Hei Shi entered a heavily guarded courtyard halfway up the mountain and went straight into a quiet room.

Three female cultivators were inside. Their sole task was deciphering the relevant confidential letters intercepted from Nanzhou. Their lives were under strict control. They were forbidden to interact or speak with anyone else and were not permitted to leave the courtyard.

When Hei Shi entered, all three stood together and saluted. Yet there seemed to be something strange hidden in the way they looked at him.

Hei Shi asked, "Is it finished?"

"It is." One woman took out a sheet of paper and offered it to him.

Hei Shi read it. His face tightened, and inwardly he cursed Zhao Xiongge's ancestors through eighteen generations.

The letter said that Hei Shi had no loyalty to Wu Chang whatsoever, that he simply had no choice at present, and that there was no need to discuss anything with Nantian Wufang. So long as they brought out "that thing," Hei Shi would definitely defect. The only uncertainty was whether Hei Shi could find a chance to act against Wu Chang.

With this damned mess written on the page, how was Hei Shi supposed to hand it to Wu Chang?

Now he roughly understood why the three women had been looking at him so strangely.

Without another word, Hei Shi turned and left to report to Wu Chang.

He had not dared conceal the previous letter. Wu Chang had already seen it and might already be on guard against him. Now he dared conceal this one even less.

Inside the hidden chamber, Wu Chang read the report without expression. Then he offered a word of reassurance. "Now that I know, the situation is under my control. Don't overthink it. I believe that even for the sake of profit, you would not betray me."

"Sacred Venerable sees clearly." Hei Shi bowed deeply.

...

Replies from Yan Zhutian and Wen Hua arrived one after another. Their answers were much the same as Zhao Xiongge's. There was no need for any observation. Both were certain: whether Qing Jiu or Si Shaodong, if given a choice and offered a Wuliang Fruit, either man would undoubtedly rebel.

After reading the letters in the secret chamber, Niu Youdao pulled a sheet of paper from the pile on his desk and handed it to Lü Wushuang. "Have Monkey send messages according to what's written here."

Lü Wushuang took it and read. The instructions were addressed separately to Yan Zhutian, Wen Hua, and Xi Haitang. Zhao Xiongge was no longer involved.

The page listed three Misty Pavilion personnel selected by Niu Youdao. They were currently stationed respectively at Qiyun Sect, Ling Sect, and Tianxing Sect, each one among the Misty Pavilion members assigned to keep his sect under control.

The leverage that could be used against all three was laid out clearly on the page. Yan Zhutian, Wen Hua, and Xi Haitang were to find ways to use that leverage and secretly bring the three Misty Pavilion men under control.

The letters repeatedly warned them not to expose their own identities. Contact was to be made secretly, control established secretly, and they were to proceed slowly rather than take risks. They were not to act until they possessed absolute confidence. Exposure was forbidden.

One glance was enough for Lü Wushuang to understand. The targets at Ling Sect and Tianxing Sect were convenient for Yan Zhutian and Wen Hua to handle. Qiyun Sect had no one from their own side, making contact difficult. Having Zhao Xiongge handle it might be inconvenient for the Demonic Sect, so Niu Youdao had given the Qiyun Sect problem to Xi Haitang instead.

After reading, Lü Wushuang raised her head. "You're planning to control these three, then have them approach Hei Shi, Si Shaodong, and Qing Jiu?"

Niu Youdao gave a derisive snort, with a trace of mockery toward himself. "Even if Hei Shi, Si Shaodong, and Qing Jiu were turned, how likely do you think they are to succeed in striking Wu Chang, Lan Daolin, and Du Wuxu? Consort Yuan is precedent enough."

The chances were very low. Lü Wushuang already had the answer in her heart. Suspicion entered her voice. "Are you using these three people to cover for something else?"

Niu Youdao shook his head. "I'm not covering anything. I'm just creating something for them to see. We made move after move before. If everything suddenly becomes quiet, it may arouse suspicion. So long as there is activity, Wu Chang will have the patience to keep waiting, and he won't let Du Wuxu or Lan Daolin act rashly. Drag it out. Drag it out for as long as possible!"

He truly was trying to delay matters as much as he could. His side had already completed its preparations, but he still lacked absolute confidence and did not dare launch the final strike recklessly. Having reached this stage, he would not move without absolute confidence.

So he hoped to steady Wu Chang and drag matters out as long as possible. If he could delay until his own cultivation broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm, that would be the best outcome he could hope for.

The Wuliang Fruit tree's sudden flowering had completely disrupted his original plan. Now he hoped to reach the result he wanted by another route.

Lü Wushuang did not understand. "What use is dragging things out like this?"

Niu Youdao said, "We want to use Wu Chang. Wu Chang wants to use us. Right now neither side dares alert the snake by striking the grass, because each fears that acting rashly will arouse the other's suspicions. We don't have any good way to deal with Du Wuxu and Lan Daolin either. At this stage, those two must be extraordinarily vigilant. They're difficult to handle. Wu Chang understands them, and he is also someone who can approach them easily. Since we don't have a way, let Wu Chang find one."

He raised his eyes and fixed them on Lü Wushuang. "Drag it out. When Wu Chang can no longer afford to drag it out, he will naturally find a way to solve the problem."

...

At the summit of a mountain, Wu Chang stood facing the wind.

He was waiting.

Waiting for Maolu Villa to strike again.

Hei Shi hurried over and reported, "Sacred Venerable, we've found the superior of the messenger inside the Sacred Realm. We don't know who the person is. They were disguised, and we did not dare alert the snake by striking the grass. The person is actually hidden not far from the Sacred Realm exit and appears to specialize in handling contact between Maolu Villa and the people inside the Sacred Realm."

Wu Chang looked back. "Wait. Don't disturb them. They won't stop. They will definitely make another move."

Wu Chang was waiting.

Niu Youdao was dragging it out.

And so it dragged on, day after day, month after month.

The deadliest contest beneath Heaven, a contest that would decide the fate of all beneath Heaven, remained hidden from sight. No one in the world could perceive it. Everything seemed to be proceeding as usual.

[End of Chapter 1528]