Chapter 1834: Turning Back (II)

For Situ Huo, this was naturally the best solution. He had no desire to become involved. Let Li Zhouwei and Liu Bai attack the Capital Immortal Dao and contend with Ch'i Lanyan. Would that not suit everyone?

Why make him go along and leave both sides suspicious of each other? Yet the coldness in Li Zhouwei's expression gradually faded, and his smile deepened.

Rather than argue, he replied, "Huai-Pacifying General... you had best think this through."

As the command token in his hand slowly lit up, the nether carriage overhead seemed to tremble faintly. Situ Huo's expression began to change.

Li Zhouwei had certainly considered that option. If possible, he would have spared himself this tiresome exchange with the Situ Family Daoist Master and simply gone with Liu Bai. But Xuanmiao Temple had numerous cultivators and lay close to the Capital Immortal Dao. In his and Yang Ruiyi's calculations, the Capital Immortal Dao would be easy to take but difficult to hold. If it came to it, Yang Ruiyi would abandon Jianghuai to secure Shanji!

And the very person Great Song needed to guard against was Situ Huo!

If the situation changes and orders come to abandon Jianghuai, Liu Bai will certainly relinquish Mount Tangdao and withdraw south if he is the one guarding it... But Situ Huo?

This old bastard has none of Liu Bai's integrity. He might hold out until the very last moment, then, when things go wrong and the situation shifts, join the Buddhist Dao with a show of having 'no choice.' By taking advantage of that change, he could still obtain an exceedingly high inherent rank!

That was itself one of Situ Huo's possible plans. This treacherous, scheming Daoist Master was always waiting for the highest bidder! His most profitable course might be to use True Essence to cross the Purple Mansion Threshold first, then defect to the Buddhists during a decisive battle, but Yang Ruiyi was no fool. Given a suitable opportunity, Situ Huo could turn to the north at any time!

When the Buddhist cultivators had surrounded the mountain earlier, who could say whether Situ Huo had been considering offers? Of all the worries that plagued Yang Ruiyi daily in the Wilderness, more than half concerned Situ Huo himself!

Thus, as Li Zhouwei's words reached his ears and the nether carriage stirred overhead, Situ Huo understood almost instantly. He met Li Zhouwei's gaze, those brilliant golden eyes piercing him like swords.

The Yang Family member who came in that nether carriage is not merely guarding this mountain and keeping the north guessing. Their presence is also meant to deter you...

Li Zhouwei's arrival with a command token to compel his redeployment was likewise a warning from the Yang Family!

A dark look flickered across the old Daoist Master's face. Whatever thoughts passed through his mind, he showed no embarrassment. He smiled as though his answer were only natural. "Since you have requested it, King of Wei, I shall of course obey!"

No sooner had he spoken than Li Zhouwei's command token abruptly fell from his fingers, transforming into a cascading torrent of gray wind. It engulfed both figures in Banished Essence, their silhouettes wavering within.

The faint outline of the great void emerged. Situ Huo stood with his hands clasped behind his back, while Li Zhouwei remained silent, his expression composed.

Actually... There is one other candidate to guard Mount Tangdao.

Li Zhouwei himself!

Unfortunately, Situ Huo and Liu Bai were on terrible terms. Despicable and scheming as Situ Huo was, he thought nothing of bowing and scraping, but Liu Bai could hardly get along with him. Fearing that this would jeopardize the operation, Yang Ruiyi had refused to let Li Zhouwei guard the mountain.

Li Zhouwei was happy with that arrangement.

Storming their mountain and destroying their gate suits my dharma body perfectly!

————

Xuanmiao Temple.

Lamps glowed dimly, and dharma light flickered. A youth with an ethereal countenance stood on the mountainside. His eyes, once radiant and serenely at ease, were now clouded with gloom.

Tao Jiexing had returned to Xuanmiao Temple with an utterly changed expression, a faint desolation lingering in his eyes. He pushed open the door and entered. But the man at the head of the hall had changed as well.

The young man stood silently to one side, his face dark.

Ch'i Lanyan had always been proud. His background in the Pavilion of Profound Order and the Pavilion Viewing faction, together with his discovery of the Heavenly Plain opportunity, had driven his self-satisfaction to new heights. Now, however, the easy confidence with which he held every answer and controlled the situation had vanished, replaced by profound gloom and disbelief.

Guangchan is dead... Now we're in trouble... Yang Ruiyi...

Guangchan's death had shaken Ch'i Lanyan's entire understanding of the situation. It was not merely that someone of Guangchan's cultivation had fallen to a single blow. More unsettling still was the loss of control over the whole conflict and the troubles that came with it!

Ch'i Lanyan felt gloom, anger, and an even greater urgency. Yet when he closed his eyes, he discovered a faint trace of fear buried beneath them all.

That only made him angrier.

The atmosphere in the hall was unbearably oppressive, but Tao Jiexing could not remain silent. He stepped forward and said through gritted teeth, "I saw something wrong with the heavenly signs in the north... I fear my cousin's... dharma body has been destroyed. But... But... when I tried to divine what happened, Banished Essence obscured it. I could not see clearly, so I came to ask you, senior..."

For a moment, Ch'i Lanyan had no words. Suppressing a sudden surge of anger, he could only reply, "Your cousin... is dead!"

Tao Jiexing and Li Jieyi were as close as immediate family, and Li Jieyi had also been something of an elder to him. He had already suspected the truth. Now that those words confirmed it, he immediately lowered his head and began to weep.

"Cousin... You lost your better judgment... I said it long ago... This was an unjust campaign, and now it has truly cost him his life! How grievous!"

Tao Jiexing had little understanding of social niceties, and his words were like oil poured onto a fire. The man in Daoist robes prostrate nearby trembled as he listened.

Only he would dare speak like that... and get away with it without anyone saying much... Those words are merciless!

Sure enough, anger seemed to flare in successive waves within Ch'i Lanyan, and his temples began to throb.

But the Tao Family was no ordinary family. Though their standing did not match that of his own martial uncle, Wei Xuanyin, they could still be counted among a True Monarch's descendants. Many of their elders came from the Pavilion of Seeking Purple and had extensive personal connections.

He could only force himself to say, "Jiexing, what are you saying? He fell victim to the Yang Family's schemes!"

Tears covered Tao Jiexing's face. He looked up, his gaze alone rebuffing Ch'i Lanyan's words. The youth gritted his teeth, his former humility and innocence shattered, and cried, "Senior Ch'i! My cousin was not merely a Maha of the Great Mahayana Dharma Realm. He was a member of our Tao Family, my cousin, Daoist Master Xuanwei's senior martial brother, and Daoist Master Shaoxun's disciple! This matter does not concern only the Great Mahayana Dharma Realm and Dayang Mountain!"

Ch'i Lanyan's expression immediately changed. He hurriedly stepped forward and replied, "This was Li Zhouwei and Yang Ruiyi's scheme!"

Yet Tao Jiexing, usually so meek, rose to his feet with resolve written across his face and said coldly, "I will certainly report my cousin's death to my family... Senior Ch'i, you had best consider how you will answer for it!"

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