Chapter 1560: It Begins

Lü Wushuang came over. Hearing the heartbreaking sobs outside, she asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

Niu Youdao looked at her, then at Shang Shuqing. "You want to know?"

Shang Shuqing truly did want to know what had happened, but she did not know whether it was appropriate to ask.

Niu Youdao spared her the difficulty.

"The man who was beaten half to death is Nantian Wufang, Left Envoy of the Demonic Sect. He was Hongniang's first man."

"He disappeared afterward. Hongniang stayed in Qi Capital precisely because she was searching for him. Circumstances forced her into becoming the famed Hongniang of Qi Capital, known for her beauty throughout all beneath Heaven."

"Back then, Nantian Wufang probably wasn't yet Left Envoy of the Demonic Sect. He had accepted a mission entrusted to him by the Demonic Sect Saintess: secretly search for the next Saintess."

"The Saintess made those arrangements because she sensed Wu Chang would not let her live. And that was indeed what happened."

"In the end, Nantian Wufang found Hongniang. Hongniang met the requirements to become the next Saintess, but Nantian Wufang fell in love with her, and Hongniang loved him too. The two became lovers."

"Nantian Wufang knew what sort of fate awaited Hongniang if she became the Demonic Sect Saintess. She would probably be unable to escape Wu Chang's murderous hand..."

Niu Youdao slowly recounted the old story.

When the two women heard it, they were astonished.

Qi Capital's Hongniang, whose fame had spread throughout the realm, had actually been meant to become the Demonic Sect Saintess?

Lü Wushuang fell silent for a moment before asking, "So the Demonic Sect Saintess who was involved with Zhao Xiongge went to her death in Hongniang's place?"

Niu Youdao neither confirmed nor denied it.

There were some things no one could say for certain.

If Hongniang had become the Demonic Sect Saintess, would she truly have followed in the previous Saintess's footsteps?

No one could guarantee it.

Every person's circumstances and fate were different. No one could pronounce on what would definitely have happened.

But it was a fact that Nantian Wufang had caused Guan Fangyi to fall into the red dust and endure a past she could not bear to remember.

And yet everything Nantian Wufang had done had also been intended to preserve Guan Fangyi's life.

Right or wrong?

Who could truly say?

Niu Youdao said, "Many things in this world have no absolute right or wrong. Right and wrong depend on how the people involved see them. If they can let it go, it was right. If they can't, it was wrong."

He lifted his chin toward Nantian Wufang, who was still being treated urgently.

"You women can speak to her more easily. If he survives, tell Hongniang the truth."

"If he doesn't survive and dies here, then let this matter rot in your stomachs. Better never to tell Hongniang."

Lü Wushuang stared at him speechlessly. "You didn't tell Hongniang any of this beforehand. You waited until she'd already beaten him half to death before saying it?"

"If Hongniang still had feelings for him, she would naturally have held back. She wouldn't have used a killing hand, so of course he wouldn't die."

"If she hated him enough to kill him and truly did kill him, then why make Hongniang suffer through hesitation and torment afterward?"

"This has dragged on for so many years. Why keep entangling it?"

"It was time for a resolution. Was Hongniang supposed to remain trapped by this matter forever?"

"If you fail to cut when you should, you only invite greater disorder."

"Either let the past scatter with the wind, or bring the two of them back together. I'm helping Hongniang."

After dropping those words, Niu Youdao turned and walked away with his sword planted like a staff.

Lü Wushuang stared after him, speechless.

At last she slowly turned toward Shang Shuqing.

"Commandery Princess, you'd better think carefully about whether you really want to follow a man like this."

Shang Shuqing felt helpless.

Why had the subject somehow come back to her again?

Ignoring Guan Fangyi, who was still weeping outside, the two women instead went over to Zhao Xiongge to wait and see whether Nantian Wufang would survive his emergency treatment.

Now they understood what Niu Youdao meant.

If this man survived, it meant Guan Fangyi had not truly been able to forget him.

She had vented her anger.

Then, once she learned that Nantian Wufang's actions back then had been intended to protect her, perhaps this violent reunion really would bring the two of them back together.

At this point, both women found themselves hoping Nantian Wufang would live...

What was destined to come finally came.

Gong Lince, Wen Hua, Xi Haitang, and Yan Zhutian, who had all been hiding, received the summons and arrived one after another at the warehouse to rendezvous.

The group gathered and discussed matters for a long time.

At last they reached a unanimous decision.

Gong Lince was still somewhat worried. "I'm only afraid all this work will be for nothing. Will Wu Chang really come looking for us on his own?"

Niu Youdao said, "He has no choice. If he refuses to come, I'd be perfectly happy to let him drag this out longer."

The next day, once every preparation had been completed, the entire group changed into soldiers' uniforms and set out escorting the wagon convoy...

A vast tide had already begun rolling across all beneath Heaven.

At Niu Youdao's call, the scattered remnants of Han's forces began gathering again and preparing for battle.

The scattered Yan forces likewise regrouped.

Song too was mobilizing troops on a large scale and advancing westward.

Jin's offensive, by contrast, began to slow as chaos erupted in its rear.

Unknown attackers struck Jin's new capital.

Court officials were repeatedly ambushed, leaving the entire bureaucracy terrified and unable to know peace.

The Jin army's supply lines in the rear were also attacked again and again, impossible to defend everywhere at once.

Personnel from Misty Pavilion and Tianmo Sacred Land streamed into the Jin army.

Wu Chang had effectively abandoned control over the Sacred Realm.

He had no choice.

Even if he refused to abandon it, he could no longer control it.

The forces opposing him inside the Sacred Realm were already stronger than the forces he retained there. Anyone who failed to withdraw in time could imagine what the consequences would be.

Cultivators from All-Under-Heaven Money Houses across the realm were likewise summoned into the Jin army to prepare for battle.

Nearly every force still under Wu Chang's command was being concentrated within the Jin army.

With the communication and financial network of the Money Houses collapsing, ordinary livelihoods were already being affected.

The entire realm sank into disorder...

Inside the Jin army camp, Taishu Xiong stood at the entrance of a tent with a dark expression.

Beside him, Qiyun Sect Leader Taishu Feihua looked no better.

Both men were staring toward the figure atop a distant watchtower.

Taishu Xiong suddenly lowered his voice. "Killing Jin Jue that way was stupid beyond belief."

"Now that all pretense has been torn away, nearly the entire cultivation world has risen against him. They're converging on this place from every direction, hiding all around and watching us."

"His people barely dare leave the camp now. The moment they go out and expose themselves, they get killed. If this continues, he'll end up a commander without soldiers."

"Now that hidden group has issued its call, Han, Yan, and Song can regroup without fear."

"Even he himself has been pinned here and doesn't dare move carelessly. The moment he leaves, the enemy's Nascent Soul cultivators may attack this place."

"Who among us could stop them?"

"All beneath Heaven has slipped completely out of control. He can't control it anymore."

Taishu Feihua said, "He had no choice either. Once Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu died, that hidden force plainly intended to deal with him next."

"How could he allow them to keep preparing in secret? Naturally, he had to seize the initiative."

Taishu Xiong said, "Before he was certain he could eliminate those people, Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu were obviously standing on the same side as him."

"Why in the world did he join those people against Lan Daolin and Du Wuxu?"

"Fine, say he had to cooperate. But then why did he let those people escape at Qiyun Sect?"

"And now he turns around and tries to find them again. Isn't that absurd?"

Taishu Feihua said, "I can't understand what he was thinking either."

"In any case, we've already been dragged onto his ship. We can't get off now."

"All we can do is hope he wins. If he loses, those hidden Nascent Soul cultivators will certainly come for us, and we won't be able to stop them."

Taishu Xiong spat to one side. "If I were him, I'd simply disappear into the shadows myself and keep fighting that group from there. It would save everyone trouble."

"Now both sides possess killing power capable of destroying an army's command center. How are we supposed to fight a war like this?"

Taishu Feihua said, "Easy for you to say. His martial strength now stands first beneath Heaven. Unless he's truly driven to the end of the road, how could he willingly hide in the shadows?"

At that moment, Tao Lue came striding over and reported urgently, "Your Majesty, Blackwater Terrace's scouts have discovered traces of Shang Chaozong and Meng Shanming."

Taishu Xiong gave an interested sound and immediately took the secret report.

He and Taishu Feihua leaned together to read it.

Afterward Taishu Xiong asked, "What do we do?"

Taishu Feihua looked toward the watchtower and asked Tao Lue, "Has that side received the news?"

Tao Lue answered, "Elder Hei Shi already took a copy over."

Taishu Feihua sighed. "Then let that man decide for himself."

Atop the watchtower, Wu Chang stood wrapped in a black cloak.

Hei Shi flew up and landed beside him.

"Sacred Venerable, Blackwater Terrace's scouts have found Shang Chaozong's trail."

Wu Chang extended one hand from within the cloak and accepted the report.

After reading it, he asked, "Is the information reliable?"

Hei Shi hesitated. "I don't know whether it's reliable. I suppose it shouldn't be false."

He was helpless too.

Misty Pavilion's intelligence network had collapsed. Now they could rely only on Jin's Blackwater Terrace and military scouts to gather information.

Wu Chang said, "Have Blackwater Terrace prepare support and guides. I'll make the trip personally."

Hei Shi hesitated. "Sacred Venerable, could it be a trap?"

The opposing side was openly targeting Wu Chang now.

Any clue could be a snare laid specifically for him.

A trap?

From beneath the cloak, Wu Chang's half-shadowed gaze stretched into the distance.

Things had already reached this point.

His dealings with Maolu Villa had ended in disaster.

The enemy's Nascent Soul cultivators could strike anywhere they pleased.

That meant Wu Chang had already lost the greater game.

Momentum no longer stood on his side.

Trap or not, he had to face it.

Wu Chang said slowly, "If it truly were a trap, they wouldn't expose their trail now. They could simply wait until the armies finished assembling before showing themselves."

Hei Shi still had to warn him. "Sacred Venerable, if Hei Li's information was part of the deception, then the matters concerning the Holy Rakshasa and Luo Fangfei may have been false as well. You shouldn't take the risk lightly."

Wu Chang said, "If they truly possessed that sort of strength, why would they need to hide in the first place? They could simply come find me directly."

"I intend to test their depth myself."

"Don't worry. Even if something happens, if I want to leave, they won't be able to stop me."

Seeing that Wu Chang had already decided, Hei Shi could say nothing more.

He could only acknowledge the order.

...

Another small town.

Another town abandoned because war had frightened its people away.

Three li outside the town stood a low earthen rise.

Wu Chang, wrapped in a black cloak, walked slowly to the top and stood looking into the distance.

A Blackwater Terrace scout dressed as a farmer followed him up and pointed ahead.

"We tracked them all the way here. They're resting in that small town."

Wu Chang stared for a while, then said slowly, "Begin."

"Yes."

The Blackwater Terrace scout accepted the order and hurried away.

A short while later, more than a dozen flying mounts appeared in the distant sky.

Wu Chang walked down the earthen rise and headed toward the town ahead at an unhurried pace.

As the flying mounts swept over the town, dozens of figures dropped from the sky and rushed straight down into it.

Fierce fighting erupted instantly.

Inside a house in one corner of the town, Niu Youdao looked out through the window.

"He even brought helpers along to probe the way. Looks like Wu Chang isn't quite as bold as all that."

He turned toward Shang Shuqing beside him.

"Wu Chang should be here. He should be somewhere nearby."

"It's begun. Are you afraid?"

[End of Chapter 1560]