"What is all this for?" Niu You Dao looked at her in surprise and asked,
"Didn't Manager Gao just say that Wandong Heavenly Palace hopes the ruler of Qingzhou recovers?"
Gao Mulan nodded:
"Wandong Heavenly Palace truly hopes the ruler of Qingzhou recovers. But why speak of it now?"
Niu You Dao:
"Since you truly hope to obtain the Red Yang Fruit, then you can put that in writing!"
Gao Mulan's body stiffened at that moment. She was afraid to pick up the brush, and without extending her hands, she slowly stood up:
"Why write it down if our sincerity is in our hearts?"
Niu You Dao shook his head:
"Manager Gao doesn't know everything. The news we received simply doesn't align with yours. I heard that Wandong Heavenly Palace, to prevent me from causing trouble for you before the Ice and Snow Palace, decided to kill me!"
Gao Mulan felt a tremor in her heart: "Who could have revealed this secret?"
If Niu You Dao had said this earlier, she would not have paid it any mind. But now, with his relationship with the Ice and Snow Palace unclear, she dared not do anything.
She immediately waved her hand and said:
"No, no. Who spreads such rumors?"
Niu You Dao: "Well, if they're rumors, then I ask Manager Gao to confirm everything in writing."
Gao Mulan didn't understand what he was trying to achieve, but she couldn't just sign everything so easily. She stood up and said:
"Everything is already clear. Why sign anything?"
Niu You Dao nodded and, spreading his hands, said:
"Indeed, one's words must be backed by actions. Perhaps we should go together to the Ice and Snow Palace, since Wandong Heavenly Palace wishes to help obtain the Red Yang Fruit."
Gao Mulan almost cried out:
"I would go. But Wandong Heavenly Palace has already requested the Red Yang Fruit, and the Ice and Snow Palace refused. We achieved nothing."
Niu You Dao: "This time it will be different. I will make the request for Manager Gao."
Gao Mulan: "In this matter, I am not my own master. I will need to consult with my teachers. Farewell!"
She cupped her hands and turned, preparing to leave.
Niu You Dao tapped the table twice:
"If I let you go now, will you then kill me?"
Gao Mulan froze, stopped, and turned around.
"I already said that no one will kill you!"
Niu You Dao looked at Wu Kun:
"Manager Wu Kun, can you guarantee that no one will kill me?"
Wu Kun, standing to the side, froze. The Heavenly Jade Sect and Wandong Heavenly Palace were now allied. And now, he couldn't just say anything.
"Brother Niu, there must be some mistake here. If Gao Mulan wanted to kill you, why would she come here then?"
Niu You Dao: "You mean, as soon as I leave the inn, I'll be killed immediately?"
"No, no, no." Wu Kun immediately denied everything. He noticed that this fellow was quite annoying.
"I mean, if Manager Gao intended to kill you, she wouldn't have come here."
Niu You Dao: "Then you explain to me, why, in that case, do they not want to confirm their goodwill in writing?"
Wu Kun wanted to say something but then stopped. And then, sighing, he said:
"Brother Niu, why are you asking me this? I don't know either. How can I answer you?"
Gao Mulan: "Brother Niu. I said that as soon as I receive a message from my teachers, I will answer you. Is that fine?"
Niu You Dao squinted at her:
"If you're not afraid of death, you can try to leave. Let's see if the inn will let a person who wants to kill me go!"
Gao Mulan angrily retorted:
"You have too few troubles! Niu You Dao, I came with good intentions to inform you, and you respond so rudely!"
Niu You Dao calmly replied:
"You know everything perfectly well yourself. Either write down the proof, or come with me to the Ice and Snow Palace to request the Red Yang Fruit. The choice is yours. Of course, you can try to leave here alive." He picked up the paper and brush and pushed them towards her, awaiting her answer.
Hei Mudan stood to the side, astonished by Niu You Dao's boldness. He wasn't even afraid of Wandong Heavenly Palace?
Wu Kun also stood to the side, maintaining his composure. For now, he didn't know what to do, and as a representative of the Heavenly Jade Sect, he decided not to take anyone's side yet.
Gao Mulan was seething internally. How regrettable that she couldn't seize Niu You Dao right now! However, she dared not. She dared not, not just because she wouldn't be able to leave the inn, but more importantly, she feared bringing trouble upon Wandong Heavenly Palace. One shouldn't think that Wandong Heavenly Palace, even in the Zhao Kingdom, could truly lord over everything. If the Ice and Snow Palace wished, it could destroy them with a single word!
And Niu You Dao had essentially left her no other choice. She had only one option!
She dared not leave, nor could she simply provide a written guarantee. The only thing she could do was to go with him and plead for the ruler of Qingzhou. This was the lesser of two evils.
"Very well! For the sake of the ruler's health, I will accompany you. You can come to the shop at any time, and I will be waiting. I take my leave!"
"No need to rush!" Niu You Dao said calmly. He walked to the cabinet and took out a sword.
Gao Mulan turned and said angrily:
"I already said I'd go with you to make the request!"
Pulling the sword halfway from its scabbard, Niu You Dao looked out the window, and the sunlight fell upon his face.
"It's all the same whether you're at your place or staying here – what difference does it make? I can tell your people to come here. And if something happens, you can instruct them."
"You..." Gao Mulan gnashed her teeth.
Wu Kun cupped his hands:
"Brother Niu, I've already conveyed what I needed to. I have matters at the shop, I must leave."
Niu You Dao: "Don't rush. Stay together. You'll keep Manager Gao company."
Wu Kun: "Brother Niu, what do you mean by this? Do you want to place me under house arrest?"
"Shhhk!"
Niu You Dao drew the sword and tossed it to Yuan Gang. Niu You Dao himself clasped his hands behind his back:
"Manager Wu overthinks things. I am an old acquaintance of the Heavenly Jade Sect, and I wish for you to remain as a witness between myself and Wandong Heavenly Palace. Are you against this? Do you also wish to secretly harm me?"
Wu Kun replied with displeasure:
"Brother Niu, what are these words for?! If you want me to be a witness, I will be. You can find me at the shop at any time."
Niu You Dao: "I will also inform your people at the shop. If anything happens, they can come to you here. Hei Mudan, your room is empty, take the guests there to rest!"
"Phew!"
"Truly decisive. Not a shred of respect for such powerful sects!" Hei Mudan felt a tremor in her heart. What did he intend to do, daring to offend such mighty sects?
"Sirs, please follow me." She approached Wu Kun and Gao Mulan, gesturing with her hand for them to follow.
The two individuals were furious, yet they dared not cause a scene here. The situation compelled them to comply. Wu Kun flicked his sleeves and turned around, while Gao Mulan cast a cold glance at Niu You Dao.
Niu You Dao squinted at them:
"Manager Wu, if you allow Manager Gao to escape, don't hold it against me!"
The two individuals left, paying him no mind.
Yuan Gang walked to the cabinet and returned the sword. He turned around and approached Niu You Dao, who was gazing far into the distance.
Niu You Dao spoke to himself:
"The matter has been exposed, the Red Yang Fruit isn't as important anymore. Whether it's here or not makes little difference. Even if it's brought to her, Hai Ru Yue would hardly dare to use it."
Yuan Gang: "How did that happen?"
It seemed Lord Dao no longer had room for error.
Niu You Dao: "I met with a master. That Shao Ping Bo has begun to act and exposed me. He turned out to be far more dangerous than I imagined. But how did he know I was coming here for the Red Yang Fruit? A dangerous man!"
Yuan Gang: "I'll go to Beizhou and eliminate him."
Niu You Dao shook his head:
"It's too dangerous. He has many cultivators. You can't just force your way through."
Yuan Gang: "What will you do?"
"Go and find out who is backing the Shao family. Find out who the manager of their shop is, and also the managers of the Liuxiang Sect, Flowing Clouds Sect, and Subtlety Mountain Sect shops. Find out everything and summon them..." Niu You Dao instructed.
As soon as they finished speaking, Yuan Gang immediately left.
In the corridor, Yuan Gang ran into Hei Mudan. She whispered to him:
"Hasn't Lord Dao gone too far?"
To her, the Heavenly Jade Sect and Wandong Heavenly Palace were extremely powerful spheres of influence.
"Lord Dao knows his limits!" Yuan Gang blurted out and immediately headed to his room. He grabbed Wei Duo, and they went downstairs. Hei Mudan, watching them, secretly cursed Yuan Gang to herself...
In the inn's common hall, Yuan Gang found an attendant and got some information from him. Then he summoned Duan Hu, Lei Zong Kang, and Wu San Liang. All of them exited the inn and headed directly to the Dachang Mountain shop.
"Sir, please. Are you buying or selling?"
Several people entered the shop, and the shop assistant immediately began questioning them from the doorway. However, when he saw Duan Hu and the others behind Yuan Gang, his tone instantly changed.
Yuan Gang pushed the assistant aside, and looking at the person behind the counter, asked:
"Is the manager here or not?"
Duan Hu and the others were astonished by Yuan Gang's manner of speaking, even breaking out in a cold sweat. How could one address a shop whose sect governed an entire province in such a way?
Just then, the assistant wanted to say something, but held his tongue.
The person behind the counter stood up. This was none other than the shop manager, Mei Shi Kai.
Mei Shi Kai looked at Yuan Gang, then at Duan Hu and the others. He slowly replied:
"I am the manager. Gentlemen, do you have business?"
Yuan Gang: "Lord Dao requests your presence."
Mei Shi Kai roughly understood who Lord Dao was. Although Shao Ping Bo hadn't asked the people of Dachang Mountain to attack, Dachang Mountain already knew about Niu You Dao.
"I don't know who this Lord Dao is?" Mei Shi Kai pretended not to know who he was referring to.
"Niu You Dao!"
When Yuan Gang and the others left the Dachang Mountain shop, their group was one person smaller. Lei Zong Kang remained with Mei Shi Kai to show him the way.
Meanwhile, the others headed towards the Liuxiang Sect.
As soon as they entered the shop, a disciple of the Liuxiang Sect greeted them with a smile:
"Gentlemen..."
"Bang!"
Yuan Gang suddenly delivered a powerful punch to his gut, sending him flying backward to violently collide with the counter.
"Thud!"
Blood trickled from the disciple's mouth. The sound of cracking ribs could be heard.
Wei Duo and the others were simply *** speechless. Had this man gone mad?
Immediately, many Liuxiang Sect disciples rushed out from the shop. They surrounded them. The manager, Xiao Tie, also appeared.
"Who are you people?"
Yuan Gang stood calmly in place and replied indifferently:
"Who is in charge here? Follow us. Lord Dao invites you!"