Chapter 1537: Final Arrangements

At Ding Mountain of Ling Sect, heat billowed through the alchemy grounds hollowed out inside the mountain.

Sect Leader Yan Zhutian appeared upon the inner wall of the cavern, standing on a terrace that projected inward as he looked down over the alchemy grounds and the roaring fires beneath pill furnaces of every size.

He watched furnaces opened. He watched ingredients measured, placed inside, and sealed away. He watched Ling Sect disciples bustling up and down. He watched Misty Pavilion personnel weaving among them, supervising and recording everything.

Yan Zhutian stood high above with his hands clasped behind his back, expressionless. The flickering flames below reflected in his eyes, just like the turmoil in his heart.

This time, he did not know what road he was about to lead Ling Sect down.

Perhaps it was a road of no return. Perhaps it would lead Ling Sect out from under this kind of supervision and restraint once and for all. Even if part of it was for himself, no matter what, it was worth taking the risk.

Whatever the final result, there was one thing he could be certain of: Ling Sect would not be exterminated. At the very least, its disciples would not be slaughtered to the last.

The reason was simple. So long as cultivators still existed beneath Heaven, they would need the miraculous pills and medicines refined by Ling Sect, no matter who ruled the world.

If this failed, the one most likely to fall beyond redemption was Yan Zhutian himself.

...

In the secluded rear mountain of Tianxing Sect, Wen Hua strolled along an openwork corridor carved into the cliff outside his cave residence.

The scenery before him was plainly familiar, yet now it seemed almost as though he were seeing it for the first time. Reluctance showed in his eyes. He wanted greedily to imprint every sight of Tianxing Sect into his memory.

When he saw a group of disciples sitting in meditation among the mountains, he stopped and looked down at them from afar, somewhat lost in thought.

Every generation had its own affairs to shoulder. By rights, he had already retired. The entire sect supported him without complaint, and he should not be doing anything that betrayed it. More than that, the current Sect Leader was both his son-in-law and his disciple.

For the sake of his own selfish desire, he might very well lead the sect onto a road of utter destruction. Was that really right?

But now, he had no choice.

Nor did he know whether Niu Youdao was merely frightening them with exaggerated danger.

Niu Youdao had said people like them had all been exposed.

Niu Youdao had said that after infiltrating Wu Chang's side, they had discovered Wu Chang had already identified the connection between Maolu Villa and those who had shared in the Wuliang Fruit. All of them were now secretly under Wu Chang's watch.

The only reason Wu Chang had not moved against them yet was that he wanted to use them to eliminate Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu, then sweep them all into one net afterward.

For now, Wu Chang still did not know that Niu Youdao had discovered this, so Niu Youdao intended to turn the scheme back on him. He would first lead a group to join forces with Wu Chang and eliminate Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu, after which everyone would combine their strength and eliminate Wu Chang.

In other words, once Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu were gone, they would lose their value to Wu Chang, and Wu Chang would come for them.

How had they been exposed when everything had been going so well?

The letter had been delivered personally by someone sent by Niu Youdao. They no longer even dared use Goldenwings for communication. The seriousness of the situation seemed to be exactly as Niu Youdao had described.

That also meant Wen Hua no longer dared send a message back asking Niu Youdao to explain in detail.

He still did not know whether everything Niu Youdao had said was true, but he could only act according to Niu Youdao's instructions.

Under Niu Youdao's plan, once the time came, they would be able to verify it for themselves. So long as they captured the men Wu Chang had dispatched to intercept the letters, that would naturally prove the truth.

Once Wen Hua confirmed he had been exposed, there could only be life or death between him and Wu Chang. If Wu Chang did not die, then sooner or later the whole of Tianxing Sect would face disaster because of Wen Hua!

"Master." His closing disciple, Shan Xian'er, came skipping over in high spirits. "Master, what are you looking at?"

Wen Hua turned, looked at her, and smiled. "Nothing. Just taking a walk."

He turned back and looked over the whole of Tianxing Sect again.

The only thing with which he could comfort himself was that what he was doing was not solely for his own sake. It was also for Tianxing Sect's future. If they succeeded, Tianxing Sect would stand on an entirely different level, and everyone would have reason to thank him.

...

At the seaside near Medicine Valley, Guo Man was searching among wave-washed rocks for seafood when the strange fish transformed from a demon cultivator once again swam to her feet. It spat out the message it carried, then swiftly vanished.

Without attracting attention, Guo Man picked up the wax-sealed message in passing and continued searching for seafood for a while before leaving.

She had always maintained secret contact with Maolu Villa through this hidden channel. Even after Yan Baoru returned and brought back a direct method of contacting Maolu Villa, Guo Man had continued using the covert line.

Wu Chang had gained control of Yan Baoru's line, but he had never discovered Guo Man's hidden channel.

...

Inside the secret chamber of the Maolu compound, Yun Ji hurried to Niu Youdao's side and reported, "Kunlin Shu, Ao Feng, and Wang Zun have arrived. They've met Yuan Cong in the mountains outside the city."

Niu Youdao nodded silently. He rose from behind the desk, walked to the wall, tore down a map, then returned and spread it across the tabletop. Picking up a brush, he circled a place within Jin, folded the map, and handed it to Yun Ji.

"Give them the map. Tell them to travel ahead to this place in Jin and wait for us there. If they have questions, I'll explain when I see them."

Yun Ji was somewhat surprised. "We're not going together?"

"Too many people together would draw attention. Better to split up. We still need to visit another place first. You'll understand later."

Yun Ji said no more and turned to carry out the order.

By the time she returned from outside the city and reported back, Lü Wushuang was already standing beside Niu Youdao, waiting for her.

A short while later, Yuan Gang arrived with the Three-Roars Saber on his back. "Everything is arranged. When the time comes, Yuan Fang will carry it out."

Niu Youdao gave a small grunt, then said to Yun Ji, "Open the passage to the princely residence. The Commandery Princess and the others should already be waiting for us."

The Commandery Princess? Yun Ji did not understand, but she did as instructed. Leading the way, she left the secret chamber and followed a tunnel to its end. She pressed a palm against the earthen wall. The soil dissolved and parted, revealing a passage.

The group crossed through and entered the hidden chamber beneath the princely residence.

By the light of several lamps, Yin'er was eating. Lan Ruoting and Shang Shuqing, who had been seated waiting, immediately rose when they heard footsteps.

Seeing Niu Youdao and the others arrive, both greeted him. "Master Dao."

Yin'er turned her head while still chewing and gave him a sweet smile. "Daodao."

Niu Youdao smiled back, then asked Lan Ruoting, "Mister Lan, is everything ready?"

"Master Dao can rest assured. Everything has been prepared according to your instructions. There will be no problem."

Niu Youdao nodded. "Good. Then carry out your side according to plan."

"Yes!" Lan Ruoting cupped his hands and accepted the order.

Niu Youdao turned toward Shang Shuqing. "Then let's go." He beckoned to Yin'er as well. "Yin'er, come."

"Where are we going?" Yin'er stood with the food box in her arms, curiosity all over her face.

"You'll know when we get there." Niu Youdao went over, seized her arm, and simply pulled her along. Seeing that Shang Shuqing was coming too, Yin'er stopped resisting and kept eating as she walked.

Yun Ji opened the way ahead. A hole appeared from nowhere in the wall and swallowed the group.

Lan Ruoting stood with his hands cupped, watching them leave. Only after the earthen wall merged shut again did he lower his hands. He sighed and muttered something no one else could hear...

The group traveled underground. When they saw daylight again, they were already deep in the mountains. Yin'er kept chewing as she looked around curiously.

Yun Ji and Yuan Gang shook their summoning bells. Before long, two flying mounts came around the mountain ridge and swooped down.

Niu Youdao seized Yin'er and Yuan Gang by the arms and leapt onto one. Yun Ji took Shang Shuqing and Lü Wushuang onto the other.

The two flying mounts rose into the sky carrying them away...

The distance from Nanzhou Prefectural Capital to Canglu County was not short, but for flying mounts traveling within a single province, it did not count for much.

When Niu Youdao spotted Prince Ning's Villa outside Canglu County's city from the air, he pointed toward a place in the mountains. The two flying mounts dove and landed in a valley.

The group jumped down and looked around. A man shot out from the woods.

It was Zhao Xiongge.

After exchanging a brief greeting, Niu Youdao wasted no words. He had Yuan Gang remain behind to keep watch, then led the others toward the old place.

By now, Yun Ji roughly understood why they had come. The place where they stopped was precisely where she and Niu Youdao had come the previous time. She could not help glancing back at Shang Shuqing twice.

At Niu Youdao's gesture, Yun Ji cast a spell and brought the group down through the earth, directly to the gloomy underground river.

The roar of an underground waterfall could be heard in the distance. Zhao Xiongge released a Moon Butterfly to illuminate the darkness and asked suspiciously, "Niu Youdao, why did you bring us here?"

Shang Shuqing looked around. She knew this place. Was this not the secret passage beneath Prince Ning's Villa?

Niu Youdao gave a brief explanation. "The fallback your Senior Brother Dong Guo plotted is here."

"What?" Zhao Xiongge understood instantly. He whirled around, disbelief all over his face. "You're certain?"

Fallback? Lü Wushuang's eyes flickered. She did not know what he meant, but if all of them had come sneaking here in such secrecy, it had to concern something of enormous importance.

Shang Shuqing did not understand what he meant either, but she did understand that he was referring to Dong Guo Haoran of the Shangqing Sect.

Yun Ji knew perfectly well what the matter involved and now understood something else as well: Zhao Xiongge was another person in the know.

Niu Youdao said, "It's confirmed. I've already gone to the sealed place and seen it myself." His gaze briefly swept toward Shang Shuqing.

Zhao Xiongge's eyes settled on Shang Shuqing's face. He understood. So that was why this woman had been brought.

Niu Youdao said, "I'm leaving these two women with you. Protect them no matter what and wait for me to return. If nothing goes wrong, we should be back within five days. If we don't come back, I won't be able to concern myself with what happens afterward. What is inside the sealed place will be in your hands. Decide what to do with it."

He pointed at Lü Wushuang. "She knows many of the contact methods for the forces I've secretly deployed, and she has a good head on her shoulders. You can discuss matters with her."

"By then, Jia Wuqun will also be in Shangqing Sect's hands. You can bring Jia Wuqun over. And there's Shao Pingbo in Jin. I never allowed him to be exposed, precisely so he could be kept in reserve for you. With Jia Wuqun and Shao Pingbo, one in the open and one in the shadows, those two minds working together after they gain enough information will not be inferior to mine. Add her experience and everything she knows, together with the sealed object left by that old fellow Dong Guo, and you may still have a chance to turn the tables."

That was also why Niu Youdao had brought Lü Wushuang here.

For some matters, brute force alone was useless.

For this trip, he had prepared for the possibility that he might never return.

The earlier arrangements and restrictions he had placed around Jia Wuqun had been designed so that, if the worst happened, Jia Wuqun would be forced onto this side's boat. His arrangements and restrictions around Shao Pingbo had served the same purpose. Even allowing Lü Wushuang access to intelligence from all parts of Maolu Villa had carried a deeper intent. All of it had been preparation for a day when something might go wrong.

Through layer after layer of contingencies and arrangements made in advance, he had left Zhao Xiongge a complete team and paved the road for those who came after him.

Whatever else might have happened in the past, Niu Youdao had never forgotten that he was a disciple of the Shangqing Sect. Today, by laying his hidden foundation bare to Zhao Xiongge, he was leaving the Shangqing Sect a road to survival.

Having Zhao Xiongge arrange for the Shangqing Sect to hide Jia Wuqun served two purposes at once: it protected the Shangqing Sect and ensured Zhao Xiongge would know where they had gone into hiding.

Niu Youdao had arranged everything.

Even if he fell beyond redemption, he would have no lingering concern.

Down here, including the dead Dong Guo Haoran, lay the aspiration for which two generations of Shangqing Sect disciples had struggled and sacrificed.

[End of Chapter 1537]