Chapter 1573: Arriving in Droves

"Sever the spiritual-qi passages between the Five Domains?"

The words immediately threw everyone present into an uproar.

None of them knew whether Niu Youdao was telling the truth. Xi Haitang suddenly asked, "Don't tell me you intend to dominate the human world alone and enjoy all its splendor and wealth for yourself?"

Niu Youdao said, "If I refuse to leave, none of you can do anything about me anyway. But I can make all of you this promise: everyone in Maolu Villa, myself included, will migrate into the Fifth Domain as well. Once the migration is complete, I will withdraw into the Fifth Domain together with all of you. I will absolutely not remain alone here in the human world. If I violate this oath, may Heaven strike me down!"

He had even sworn such a dire oath.

Yun Ji and Guan Fangyi exchanged looks. Yuan Gang frowned. Niu Youdao had not breathed a word of this to them beforehand.

That exchange finally settled everyone down and laid the groundwork for what came next. Niu Youdao then had the group escorted back under guard.

Until these people had entered the Fifth Domain, he had no intention of releasing them.

Of course, he also kept his promise to them: each sect would first be allowed to send people into the Fifth Domain to verify the situation for themselves.

Just as he had told Wang Zun earlier, Sha Huanli arrived. The people sent out to receive her brought her to Maolu Villa.

Niu Youdao then had Wang Zun brought out as well. The two met Sha Huanli in a waterside pavilion.

The moment she saw Niu Youdao, Sha Huanli was stunned. "Niu Youdao, you're still alive?"

The last time the two had met was when Niu Youdao abducted her in the Sacred Realm. They had not seen one another since. Afterward, all she had heard was that Niu Youdao had died.

Niu Youdao extended a hand to invite her to sit. "It's a long story. There are some things I need to tell you as well. First, let me introduce someone to you. You should recognize him, shouldn't you?"

He pointed toward Wang Zun.

Sha Huanli nodded slightly. Wang Zun had been one of her father's trusted subordinates. Naturally she knew him.

Niu Youdao said, "He has another identity. He is your mother's younger brother. He is your maternal uncle."

Sha Huanli stared in disbelief.

Wang Zun forced a smile. "Huanli, I'm sorry. I've hidden this from you for so many years. There truly was no alternative before. For my own protection, and for your safety, your father and I had no choice but to keep you in the dark. Now that all Nine Saints have fallen, we can finally tell you the truth."

"All Nine Saints have fallen?" Sha Huanli asked in surprise.

After escaping Star-Plucking City, she had lost contact with the outside world. Until now, she had no idea what had been happening.

Niu Youdao nodded. "Yes. Your father deserves no small share of the credit."

Wang Zun said, "I know you've always resented your father. I stayed at his side all these years, so I know better than anyone that many things were nothing like what you imagined. You misunderstood him."

"Your father always wanted to avenge your mother. He endured in silence for years, constantly waiting for an opportunity. He simply never dared tell you."

"This time, in order to avenge your mother, your father..."

He stopped. He truly could not force the words out.

Sha Huanli was no fool. She stared at him, already realizing something. Her eyes reddened, but she did not dare ask. She only waited.

In the end, Niu Youdao broke the silence. "Mister Sha fell to Luo Qiu's murderous hand. He is gone."

"By the time we took you away from Star-Plucking City, it had already happened. The greater situation was still unsettled then. We were afraid you might act impulsively and place yourself in danger, and we didn't know how to tell you, so we kept it from you."

Wang Zun's eyes reddened too. "Huanli, don't hate your father. He wasn't the man you thought he was. He truly loved your mother. Back then, he endured enormous pressure for her and still refused to give her up. My elder sister willingly chose him and never blamed him."

"Sending you away to Star-Plucking City and keeping his distance from you was also something he did because he had no choice. The person in this world who cared about you most was actually your father..."

A tear slid down Sha Huanli's cheek.

As Wang Zun slowly explained the whole chain of cause and effect, tears eventually streamed silently down her face.

But she never made a sound.

Once the truth had been laid bare, Niu Youdao had a sympathetic Guan Fangyi take Sha Huanli away to rest.

Wang Zun wiped his tears with one hand, then suddenly asked, "Do I absolutely have to go to the Fifth Domain?"

Niu Youdao answered slowly but firmly, "It isn't that I don't trust you. The affairs of the world are ever-changing. What is true now may not be true later. The years ahead are long. What thoughts you may have in the future, I'm afraid even you cannot guarantee."

"I don't know you deeply enough either. So yes, you must go."

Wang Zun sighed. "Huanli is no longer young. I'm afraid it won't be easy for her to find a good family. I want to see her marry. I want to see her marry a good man. I want to see her have children."

Niu Youdao said, "Don't worry. Sha Rulai entrusted her to me, and I will see it done. It isn't some impossible matter."

"Before I leave, I'll arrange everything. From princes and ministers down to peddlers and common laborers, she can choose any good man beneath Heaven she likes. If she wants several men, that's fine too. She can be willful in this one matter."

"So long as she takes a liking to someone, there will be people to make it happen. She'll never lack food or clothing, and she'll spend the rest of her life free, at ease, and happy."

Several men?

Wang Zun's gloomy mood vanished at once. He did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Still, with Niu Youdao giving him such a guarantee and making those arrangements, he could finally put his heart at ease.

...

Those closest to the water get the moon first.

After hearing that the Nascent Soul experts had all gathered at Maolu Villa, several senior figures of Zijin Cave hurried over.

The moment they saw Niu Youdao, the arrivals were dumbfounded. Yan Li exclaimed, "Niu Youdao, you're actually still alive?"

Standing on the steps of the waterside pavilion, Niu Youdao smiled. "What, were you hoping I'd be dead?"

"Hmph!" Yan Li snorted, his expression thoroughly sour.

Guan Fangyi said coldly, "Looks like Elder Yan still wants to settle that old account."

Yuan Gang had already reached behind himself and closed one hand around his saber hilt.

Neither he nor Guan Fangyi had forgotten what Elder Yan had done back then.

Yan Li glanced at them and immediately grew wary. He had no idea whether the rumors were true, but it was said that both of these people now possessed Nascent Soul-level strength.

Niu Youdao raised one hand to stop them. "Forget it. The past is the past."

What Yan Li had done back then truly had gone too far, but Niu Youdao's side had hardly been gentle in response. Niu Youdao had killed Yan Li's disciple and later maneuvered Yan Li into the Sacred Realm to suffer. That was revenge enough.

Besides, Zijin Cave's cooperation was still needed now. There was no reason to keep settling old scores.

Elder Mo Lingxue tugged Yan Li backward. Then she and the other elders stepped forward together to greet him. "Elder Niu."

Niu Youdao smiled and cupped his hands. "Everyone, we meet again."

At that moment, Yun Ji arrived accompanying Zhong Guzi and Gong Lince.

Seeing the two of them, the Zijin Cave delegation was shaken. They had already heard rumors that Zhong Guzi was a Nascent Soul cultivator, but seeing him alive in person was another matter entirely.

This Supreme Elder was truly still alive!

Then they looked at Niu Youdao again.

So this master and disciple had both faked their deaths.

After the greetings, Yan Li and the others were plainly excited. What they wanted to discuss was how Zijin Cave would next stand proudly over all beneath Heaven.

Instead, Zhong Guzi and Gong Lince told them about the Fifth Domain.

Following Niu Youdao's earlier instructions, they spoke of the strange phenomena at the Tiandu Secret Realm and in the Boundless Desert, explaining that the grand formation left behind by Shang Song was about to collapse. The passages between the Five Domains would soon close, the spiritual qi flowing into the human world would be cut off, and the cultivation world here would inevitably decline.

In the end, the message was simple: Zijin Cave needed to prepare to withdraw into the Fifth Domain.

Yan Li and the others were naturally shocked. Had anyone else told them such a thing, they would have doubted it. But with Zhong Guzi and Gong Lince saying it, they had little choice but to believe.

Before leaving, Yan Li asked, "Senior Zhong and Sect Leader aren't returning with us?"

Gong Lince cursed inwardly. If I could leave, do you think I wouldn't want to?

Outwardly, he remained composed. "The matter of the Five Domains is no small affair. It is our highest priority. Senior Zhong and I still need to remain here for further discussion."

"As for the sect's affairs, you elders can discuss them among yourselves and make the necessary decisions. If anything arises, send word and contact us."

After that group hurried away, people from the other sects began arriving one after another.

Once Maolu Villa let it be known that the Nascent Soul cultivators were all gathered here, how could the various sects possibly stay away?

They came in droves.

When Tianxing Sect arrived, old enemies inevitably found themselves face-to-face.

Du Yunsang and Wen Xinzhao both came.

One had heard that his father had fought Wu Chang and wanted to see whether his father had been injured. The other had come because this involved the fate of the sect. Du Yunsang naturally needed to confirm for himself whether Wen Hua had truly become a Nascent Soul cultivator.

The confrontation could not be avoided, and Guan Fangyi had no intention of avoiding it either.

The moment she heard Wen Xinzhao had come, she not only appeared of her own accord, but brought Nantian Wufang with her.

When the two sides met, Guan Fangyi's gaze swept across Du Yunsang and then simply ignored him.

Perhaps the past would never truly be forgotten, but she had indeed let it go.

Her gaze settled on Wen Xinzhao instead, and she giggled. "Madam Du, you once told me never to appear before your eyes, and that every time you saw me, you'd beat me once. Now you've come looking for me yourself. Isn't that a little too overbearing?"

Du Yunsang did not know the relationship between Nantian Wufang and Guan Fangyi and paid no attention to Nantian Wufang at first.

His eyes went straight to Guan Fangyi's missing arm. He plainly wanted to say something, but with so many people present, he could not bring himself to speak.

Nantian Wufang, meanwhile, was studying Du Yunsang.

He knew all about what had happened between Guan Fangyi and Du Yunsang. He had kept track of it for years.

Yet his expression remained calm throughout.

Whatever he might feel inside, he understood at least one thing: the fault had begun with him. He had no right to blame anyone else.

Wen Xinzhao already disliked Guan Fangyi. Worse, whenever she saw Guan Fangyi, she could not help watching her husband's reactions.

Sure enough, she immediately noticed something unusual.

Her anger flared.

But she was not entirely blind to the situation. She too had heard the rumors. Guan Fangyi was supposedly a Nascent Soul expert now.

Wen Xinzhao had considered not coming at all, but with her father present, she had assumed nothing would happen.

More importantly, her husband might meet that woman again. She simply could not stop herself from coming to watch him.

She forcibly restrained her anger, but fear or no fear, she still failed to control her mouth completely. "If you've done nothing shameful, what are you afraid of?"

Nantian Wufang's eyes instantly turned cold as blades when he looked at Wen Xinzhao.

Killing intent flashed from him.

The Demonic Sect had once been the foremost sect beneath Heaven, a faction the world openly called a demonic cult. One could hear something of its nature from the name alone.

And Nantian Wufang, Left Envoy of the Demonic Sect, was no decorative figurehead. Within the sect, his standing had once been even higher than Wu Chang's.

He was only willing to remain quiet and unobtrusive now because he was beside Guan Fangyi.

Wen Hua's face darkened. He shouted, "Shut your mouth! Is this how you behave as a guest? Apologize at once!"

He understood the present situation better than anyone.

His daughter could not possibly be Guan Fangyi's match.

Even Wen Hua's own life was currently held in Maolu Villa's hands. If his daughter truly failed to understand the height of Heaven and depth of Earth, father and daughter alike might end up losing their lives here.

In truth, the moment he saw his daughter come running over, anger had already risen inside him.

She was behaving absurdly.

She truly had no idea how high Heaven was or how deep the Earth.

[End of Chapter 1573]