Chapter 1580: Zha Hu's Entrustment

Yin'er came running down the slope by herself, a small shoulder bag full of food hanging at her side.

She ran straight toward the field ridge and joined Niu Youdao and Shang Shuqing in the excitement.

Not long afterward, Niu Youdao and Shang Shuqing returned with Yin'er, their little tagalong, trailing them.

Outside the villa, Guan Fangyi reached out with her one remaining arm and tugged Shang Shuqing's sleeve, signaling for her to stay behind.

Yuan Gang glanced back, then turned and followed Niu Youdao into the villa.

Guan Fangyi stared at Shang Shuqing with an extraordinarily complicated expression.

The look made Shang Shuqing somewhat embarrassed. "Sister Hong, what is it?"

Guan Fangyi sighed. "How does your body feel? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?"

Shang Shuqing said, "I feel very well. My body feels light, my breathing is smooth, and I've never felt so free or at ease. Even my sense of smell is much sharper. I can clearly smell the fragrance of grass in the fields. I haven't noticed anything wrong with my body."

Yun Ji nodded. "That's good. There shouldn't be any further problem."

Guan Fangyi took Shang Shuqing's hand. "Commandery Princess, I've made many wrong choices in this life. But the most correct choice I ever made was leaving Qi Capital and following Master Dao."

"In the end, I'm satisfied. He never disappointed me. I didn't follow the wrong man. These years were worth it. Do you understand?"

Shang Shuqing did not know why she had suddenly begun saying such things.

Half understanding and half not, she nodded.

Guan Fangyi told her with complete seriousness, "Commandery Princess, Master Dao may seem cold on the surface, but his feelings have always been suppressed by his reason."

"He truly treats you well."

"In this world, you probably won't find another man who will treat you better."

"His Highness and the Princess Consort can't compare with how well he treats you. Even your own parents couldn't compare."

"There are things you probably don't understand now, but one day you will."

"Commandery Princess, treasure him. Never fail Master Dao, or I, Hongniang, will not forgive you!"

Hearing her speak so gravely, Shang Shuqing was somewhat stunned.

She truly did not know what had happened.

Embarrassed, she merely answered with a soft "Mm," treating it as a promise.

Guan Fangyi knew she still did not understand.

But some things truly could not be said.

Even setting aside the matter of Shang Shuqing personally, there was a rational reason Master Dao had ordered them to keep their mouths shut.

If outsiders learned that Master Dao had forever lost his chance to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, some might harbor dangerous thoughts.

Master Dao himself could be placed in danger.

In the end, Guan Fangyi smiled and released her, letting her go rest.

After watching Shang Shuqing leave with Yin'er, Yun Ji gave a long sigh. "Our Master Dao truly has a large enough heart. To give up even that... I know I couldn't."

Guan Fangyi looked back at her. "Have you forgotten who gave you that Myriad Beasts Spirit Pearl?"

"You only have what you have today because he helped you achieve it."

"He made all of us whole, but himself..."

Her eyes reddened.

Her voice caught, and she could no longer continue.

Yun Ji fell silent.

Her mood became heavy as well.

After returning to his own courtyard, Niu Youdao instructed Yuan Gang, who had followed him inside, "The passage between the Sacred Realm and the human world has already been severed. It's time to put a little pressure on every faction to withdraw. Release the news."

Some days passed.

Shang Shuqing, following the fighting at the front, volunteered to lead the hundred thousand Crow Generals and help Shang Chaozong.

Niu Youdao stopped her.

Shang Chaozong already commanded the forces of several states and held an absolute advantage in his siege of Han.

Niu Youdao still wanted Shang Chaozong to fight the war himself.

He wanted everyone to see that even without the help of a hundred thousand Crow Generals, Shang Chaozong could still sweep away the unruly.

Ultimately, he was still laying the groundwork for what would happen after they left.

Once news spread that the passage between the Sacred Realm and the human world had been cut off, quite a few powers specifically sent people to Sacred Island to verify it.

After confirming that it was true, confirming that the passage which had existed for several hundred years had genuinely vanished, all beneath Heaven was shaken.

No faction dared treat its preparations for withdrawal casually any longer.

Once the momentum had reached a certain point, Guan Fangyi left Maolu Villa at Niu Youdao's direction and traveled to the Tiandu Secret Realm once again...

Within a blue lake in the Tiandu Secret Realm, a pyramid rose from the water.

Carrying a load of equipment, Guan Fangyi landed atop the pyramid and carefully set down a device Niu Youdao had personally constructed.

She drew water from the lake and filled a trough.

Then she carefully inserted an ancient-looking metal staff into the mechanism.

From within came the sound of water dripping.

After confirming there would be no problem, Guan Fangyi swiftly flew away.

She hurried out of the Tiandu Secret Realm but did not leave.

Instead, she remained in Tiangu and waited.

The device Niu Youdao had constructed was actually nothing more than a simple balancing mechanism.

Once enough dripping water accumulated, the balance would tip, the catch would release, and the Immortal-Subduing Staff inside the mechanism would automatically slide into the recess atop the pyramid.

The device had been smeared with Yuan Gang's blood to prevent some animal from interfering with it and causing an accident.

Not until the moon stood bright in the sky did a rumbling vibration roll through Tiangu.

The unmoving bank of mist began surging violently.

At last, as though being drawn away by a black hole, it contracted into a single point and vanished into empty space without leaving the slightest trace.

The cliff wall behind it was exposed.

Guan Fangyi even walked up to the cliff and inspected it repeatedly.

Only after confirming there would be no further problem did she fly away and return to Maolu Villa to report.

Niu Youdao then ordered the news released again.

The passage between the Sacred Realm and the human world had only recently been cut off, and all beneath Heaven was still reeling from the shock, when another startling report spread: the Tiandu Secret Realm had now been completely severed from the human world as well.

There would be no more Spirit Seeds in the world!

Wave after wave of shock struck people's hearts.

The impression became unmistakable.

There truly was not much time left.

By this point, the great sects of the cultivation world had already gathered nearly all the independent cultivators scattered throughout the realm.

A full-scale search for hidden cultivators also began across the human world, with secular forces cooperating with cultivators from the various sects.

Even Han, though still at war, cooperated fully.

Refusing would only bring harsh punishment from the cultivation forces, and Han could not afford that.

Maolu Villa also made its position explicit.

Even after all visible cultivators had withdrawn from the human world, the purges of hidden cultivators would not stop.

They would continue indefinitely.

No one should imagine that once the other cultivators had left, he could remain behind and run rampant, tyrannizing ordinary people as he pleased.

First ask whether you can defeat the hundred thousand Crow Generals that will remain in the human world.

In short, there was only one message:

From this day onward, there would be no place for cultivators to stand in the human world!

Under such intimidation and pressure, the remnants of Wu Chang's forces finally had nowhere left to hide.

Hei Shi at last came voluntarily to Maolu Villa.

Inside the waterside pavilion, Hei Shi presented the exquisite Heaven-Swallowing Ring with both hands.

He carefully watched Niu Youdao's reaction, still uneasy at heart.

Of course, before daring to appear, he had secretly sent a letter to Maolu Villa asking whether the earlier promise remained valid.

Only after receiving confirmation did he show himself.

After confirming there was no problem with the Heaven-Swallowing Ring, Niu Youdao toyed with it for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Where is the Demon Canon?"

Hei Shi was startled. He hurriedly said, "Wu Chang already destroyed the Demon Canon."

"After memorizing its contents, he was afraid the knowledge inside might spread. He threw the Demon Canon into the furnace at Tianmo Sacred Land."

"I don't know what material the Demon Canon was forged from. It took a full three days and two nights before it melted completely."

"Several people witnessed the matter. Mister can find them and verify it."

Niu Youdao said, "Very well. I believe you."

"And I keep my word as well. What happened in the past will no longer be pursued."

"But there is one condition you must still obey. There will be no exception regarding migration into the Fifth Domain."

"If anything comes up in the future, you may contact Maolu Villa directly."

Hei Shi finally relaxed.

He bowed with cupped hands. "Thank you, Mister, for your magnanimity."

Niu Youdao said, "Go."

"Yes."

Hei Shi backed away in farewell.

Before turning, he looked at Niu Youdao several more times, then finally left.

His heart was full of emotion.

Even at the moment of his death, Wu Chang had never known who his true opponent was.

Of the Nine Saints, aside from Lü Wushuang, not one had even known whose hands had truly brought them down.

Could they be called unjustly defeated?

Hei Shi had only just left when Duan Hu strode quickly into the pavilion and reported, "Master Yuan, there's a man outside calling himself Zha Hu. He says he wants to see you."

"Zha Hu?"

Yuan Gang froze.

Duan Hu added, "He says he was the steward of former Qi Supreme General Huyan Wuhen's household."

"According to the guards outside, he came driving a carriage. During the search they discovered three children inside."

"The guards said Zha Hu specifically emphasized that he had brought Huyan Wei's daughter here to see you."

Niu Youdao, seated and drinking tea, glanced toward Yuan Gang.

Emotion stirred across Yuan Gang's face. "Quickly. Invite him in."

Duan Hu hurried away.

Yuan Gang paced back and forth for a while, then finally lost patience as well.

He went out personally and waited at the villa gate to receive them.

He did not have to wait long.

Zha Hu arrived holding an infant who could move all four limbs but was still too young to walk.

Duan Hu came with him, holding one boy by each hand.

They flew in together and landed one after another outside the gate.

Yuan Gang had spent quite some time in Qi Capital.

Zha Hu had also visited the Tofu House there in those days, so the two men knew each other.

The moment they met, Yuan Gang's gaze went directly to the infant in Zha Hu's arms.

The baby clutched a piece of milk cake and sucked noisily at it.

Zha Hu, however, stared at Yuan Gang's arm with shock and uncertainty. "Wasn't your arm severed? Don't tell me the man in the Qi imperial palace back then wasn't you?"

Yuan Gang said, "It was me. I only used a secret art to regrow it."

Zha Hu visibly relaxed.

He looked at the infant in his arms, then at the two boys beside him.

"This is Huyan Wei's daughter. Those two are the sons of Huyan Wei's elder brother."

"Before the Supreme General died, he entrusted them to me."

"By rights, this is my responsibility. I shouldn't come trouble you."

"But with all the commotion you've created..."

"If it were only me, hiding from place to place wouldn't matter."

"But the child in my arms is too young. She hasn't even been weaned."

"These boys still need to study and learn how to conduct themselves. One day they need to marry and establish families of their own."

"They can't spend their whole lives hiding in the mountains with me."

"Brother Yuan had a deep friendship with the child's father. You once risked your life and fought shoulder to shoulder with him."

"I also trust the Supreme General's judgment of people."

"I believe Brother Yuan is someone worthy of being entrusted with them."

"I want to entrust these three children to Brother Yuan."

"With the power behind you, I believe you can protect them and let them grow up safely."

"I wonder whether Brother Yuan would be willing to help me with this?"

His gaze fell on the Three-Roars Saber carried across Yuan Gang's back.

Yuan Gang stepped forward and extended both hands.

Very carefully, he took the infant from Zha Hu and held her in his own arms.

Lowering his head, he looked at her and discovered that her eyes greatly resembled her mother's.

Seeing those eyes, he remembered that woman's proud expression as she raised her head and told him:

"I like you!"

He remembered her dancing through the palace in flames, tears streaming down her face, until she finally perished in the sea of fire.

He remembered the child's father falling beside him, riddled with arrows until he looked like a hedgehog, murmuring to himself as he died.

The past had been brutal and heartbreakingly beautiful.

Every scene remained vivid before his eyes, engraved deep in his heart.

The infant knew nothing of sorrow or worry.

She stared curiously at the stranger before her, opened her toothless mouth, and giggled.

Then her plump, damp little hands hugged the milk cake again as she continued sucking it noisily, obviously enjoying herself.

A rare tenderness appeared in Yuan Gang's eyes.

He raised his head and looked at Zha Hu.

Then he nodded.

"I'll raise her as my own daughter."

"You don't need to worry about those two either."

"I'll take good care of them."

[End of Chapter 1580]