Wu Kong returned to the shop, his jars gone. He inquired about Elder Cheng's whereabouts, then proceeded to the inner section of the shop. After receiving permission, he entered the room where Peng Yu Cai and the other elders were deliberating.
Wu Kong, observing proper etiquette, greeted everyone.
Cheng Tian Xu asked him:
— Did you sell them?
Wu Kong nodded: "I did. Three jars for 1,500 gold coins." He took out the banknotes and handed them to Cheng Tian Xu.
Cheng Tian Xu took the money, counted it, and then asked:
— Each for 500 gold? Didn't the buyers say the price was too high?
Wu Kong respectfully replied:
— Reporting to Elder, we opened one jar for tasting. The remaining three jars were sold to three different shops. As soon as they learned that one jar cost 500 gold, they were initially displeased. However, after they tasted the beverage, they immediately declared it excellent liquor and wanted several more jars. I explained that we currently have a limited quantity. They were eager to place orders immediately. Some ordered ten jars, others a hundred. This disciple did not dare to accept such large orders!
All the elders, upon hearing this, immediately broke into smiles.
Cheng Tian Xu waved his hand, smiling:
— Good, we understand. You may leave now.
— Understood!" Wu Kong, still somewhat bewildered, departed.
Cheng Tian Xu saw him off, then turned to Peng Yu Cai and said:
— Head, it seems we were overly worried. We could even set the price higher than 500 gold. We could even raise the price by another 100.
Peng Yu Cai also nodded, smiling.
Another elder rose and said:
— Head, I believe that even if we sell it for 500 gold per bottle, we could earn 3 million gold in a year! That's not to mention Kuangai County and Qingshan County; even several years of their profits wouldn't surpass the earnings from selling this beverage.
Peng Yu Cai looked at the others and asked:
— What do you all think?
One elder replied:
— Head, I think this is an excellent venture.
Cheng Tian Xu also nodded: "Head, this trade is profitable. We can agree. I'll go call him."
— Wait!" Peng Yu Cai waved a hand. Seeing that everyone agreed, a good feeling welled up within him too.
He chuckled and replied:
— No hurry. We agreed to give him our answer tomorrow. If we rush, he'll become conceited.
There was sense in this, so everyone agreed.
Cheng Tian Xu suddenly said:
— This way, Feng Lin Bo might take offense.
Several people fell silent. Feng Lin Bo had toiled for them for so many years. To strip him of his authority in such a manner felt a little awkward. Even the other elders understood that treating Feng Lin Bo this way was improper, let alone Peng Yu Cai.
Peng Yu Cai waved his hand:
— I am the Head of the Heavenly Jade Sect, and he is my son-in-law. For the sake of the Heavenly Jade Sect, they will agree to make sacrifices. I can persuade Feng Lin Bo and Yu Lan. Do not worry.
As soon as he spoke, everyone else instinctively understood what would happen. The Heavenly Jade Sect would have to compensate Feng Lin Bo afterward.
The next day, Fei Chang Liu and the others once again arrived at the Heavenly Jade Sect's shop. The Heavenly Jade Sect had agreed to Niu You Dao's terms.
The three sects were relatively weaker and smaller than the Heavenly Jade Sect, but that didn't mean they shouldn't discuss this matter with their disciples. After all, a turning point had arrived for them too. Especially since such a powerful sect as the Heavenly Jade Sect had given its assent to Niu You Dao, the three sects felt reassured.
Seeing that the fate of the Southern Domain might be decided before them, Black Peony and the others simply trembled with excitement. They once again looked at Niu You Dao with different eyes. Compared to him, they couldn't even imagine now how narrow-minded they had been, and how lowly they had regarded everything.
And now, they were grateful to him for allowing them to broaden their horizons.
They marveled at how Lord Dao, with a single palm, could disperse clouds and bring rain, and how he could instantly outmaneuver the very people sent to kill him.
In truth, many were already thinking about how many families in the Southern Domain awaited ruin. How many fates would be altered because of them.
Many wondered how Feng Lin Bo would react to this news. He had truly "brought a wolf home."
After consulting with Niu You Dao, the three sect heads returned to their respective sects to prepare everything.
Peng Yu Cai also prepared to return. After all, it wouldn't look good for a sect head to be absent from his sect for so long.
However, before departing, he still spoke with Niu You Dao:
— When do you plan to return to Qingshan?
Niu You Dao smiled and replied:
— For now, it's better if I don't openly declare my presence in Qingshan. I will appear there sooner or later.
Peng Yu Cai said, annoyed:
— You shouldn't delay the matter of the liquor. Every second must be utilized. You need to ensure your safety on the journey... You might inadvertently run into trouble. Perhaps I should leave a few people to ensure your safe return?
All the sect heads had already determined that Niu You Dao was the key to wealth, and now they truly wished they could simply take him with them.
Niu You Dao: "No need. I will head to the Ice and Snow Palace later. The Ice and Snow Palace will arrange for my safety. There shouldn't be any problems with that."
"No wonder he travels as he pleases!" Peng Yu Cai twisted his mouth, wondering to himself what kind of relationship Niu You Dao had with the Ice and Snow Palace.
However, he did not press for answers, as Niu You Dao offered none.
However, hearing that the Ice and Snow Palace would ensure his safety, he calmed down.
— Return quickly. This matter brooks no delay.
— Very well!" Niu You Dao smiled.
Peng Yu Cai turned and departed.
Once the room was empty of outsiders, under Yuan Gang's watchful eye, Niu You Dao approached a cabinet and retrieved a sword. He drew the blade and looked at his reflection. Niu You Dao slowly said:
— Monkey, this time, we truly have a firm foothold. As long as nothing goes wrong in Qingshan, then we can truly say we've found a safe haven.
Yuan Gang remained silent. He understood that Niu You Dao had thought long and hard to achieve their current position. It hadn't even been half a year since he left the Supreme Purity Sect, and yet he had fended off those who sought to kill him.
Yuan Gang clearly knew that if he were in Niu You Dao's shoes, he wouldn't have been able to achieve this. In this regard, Yuan Gang was far from Niu You Dao's equal. He also wondered how delighted the Shang family siblings would be when they learned of this.
A memory immediately surfaced in his mind: of countless people slaughtering each other in the forest, and of Guan Tie reaching out to him before his death...
Pushing these thoughts aside, Yuan Gang asked:
— When do we steal?
— We can't act right now. At the very least, we cannot act while we are at the Ice and Snow Palace. First, we need to await news from Wei Duo. Let's observe the situation..." Niu You Dao said, sheathing his sword.
The next day, the group disguised themselves and departed from the Ice and Snow Palace.
When they reached the snowy stretches, the group continued their journey by flying overhead. Yuan Gang, however, was climbing the snow-covered mountain. Yuan Gang was catching up to everyone. Black Peony and the others only now noticed that Yuan Gang was not a cultivator. He wore far more clothes than the others and sank deeper into the snow, while they moved effortlessly over the snow's surface. It was hard for them to imagine how Yuan Gang, with the body of an ordinary person, could endure such bitter cold?
Several people were sliding down the mountain slopes when Yuan Gang caught up to them from behind. Yuan Gang stood on two planks, his body leaning forward, arms trailing behind. He simply seemed to float in the air.
When Black Peony and the others looked at him, they were startled. Was he a daredevil, descending a gorge like that? He'd surely crash, wouldn't he?
However, Yuan Gang flew past them without a care. And when he landed, he neither crashed nor sank into the snow, but gracefully glided over the snowy surface. Thus, riding on two planks, he moved across the snow-covered hills.
Black Peony and the others stared wide-eyed, but Niu You Dao stood to the side, smiling.
"Show-off!" Niu You Dao set off to catch up with Yuan Gang...
Once they passed the snowy stretch, green plains and fields once again spread out before them. This time, the group stopped not in deserted mountains nor a densely populated city, but in a village by a river.
Black Peony didn't know what Niu You Dao intended to do, or why they had stopped.
Niu You Dao, as always, told them they would find out when the time was right.
Several people didn't know what Yuan Gang was doing. He usually stayed within his courtyard, and no one knew what he was preparing.
Niu You Dao, meanwhile, did not cultivate. Instead, he calmly strolled through the village. He bought liquor and drank with the old men, conversed with them, played with the children, or went to the riverside to fish.
Thus, half a month flew by.
The sun was already setting, and Niu You Dao was returning from the river after fishing. Children immediately ran up to him, overjoyed. They knew he had a large catch in his basket because Niu You Dao was a skilled fisherman.
Niu You Dao returned after the children had cleaned out his basket. Gazing at the pensive Yuan Gang, he asked:
— Is everything ready?
Yuan Gang nodded: "Almost."
He descended from the wall of his house and retrieved a letter:
— News from Wei Duo.
— Ah!" Niu You Dao took the letter, and they entered the house together.
The more Niu You Dao read, the more delighted he became.
In truth, there was nothing particularly significant written in the letter. Only a few details concerning Shao Ping Bo. For instance, that he had a younger sister by his birth mother, who had died early. And from his stepmother, he had two younger half-brothers, whom he severely oppressed.
— Interesting," Niu You Dao whispered. He put away the letter and said:
— Have Wu San Liang come.
Yuan Gang exited the house, and soon Wu San Liang arrived.
He cupped his hands and said:
— Lord Dao!