"— Eh..." Yuan Fang stared at him intently.
He had, in truth, long harbored doubts about Niu You Dao. Yet, hearing him speak so candidly made it difficult to believe. He began to ponder the reason for such an attitude, and tilting his head, asked:
"— Lord Dao, why do you harm me so? At the mountain monastery, I didn't act intentionally; Song Yang Qing forced me then." He thought Niu You Dao was angry with him because of that incident.
Niu You Dao patted him on the shoulder:
"— You're overthinking it. I'm not harming you; I'm helping you."
Yuan Fang lifted his head in astonishment: "— Helping me?" At that moment, his face seemed to scream: "You're setting me up!"
A slick residue appeared on Niu You Dao's hand. He found a clean spot on Yuan Fang's clothes and rubbed his hand there, all while saying:
"— You know, sooner or later, you would have been discovered. Either way, it's better to be discovered now and resolve the matter at once."
"*Die!*" Yuan Fang muttered to himself, then continued to plead: "— Lord Dao, it would be better if you let me go. If you release me, I'll set up a memorial tablet for you at the monastery and pray for you every day, wishing you a long and prosperous life. How about it?"
Niu You Dao leaned on his sword and said seriously:
"— If you want to go, go. But listen to my bitter words before you depart. The moment you leave this relay station, our connection will be severed. And to forge it anew will be extremely difficult."
"*Damn you and your 'connection'! I'm praying for this 'connection' to end! Is enduring beatings every day really better?*" Yuan Fang thought to himself, yet he clasped his hands and said:
"— Please, Lord Dao, grant my request. I need to keep my word, or I'll burn in hell."
Niu You Dao nodded:
"— You can't force affection. If you wish to leave, then leave. This Niu wishes you well. Be healthy!" He waved to Yuan Gang, and the latter approached.
Niu You Dao sighed and said: "— Monkey, one should forgive people when possible. There's no need to make their lives difficult. Let them go. Give them a horse." After speaking, he took his sword and concisely departed.
Yuan Gang was surprised but let them go and even gave them a horse. He couldn't believe Lord Dao had made such a decision and was astonished. However, if Lord Dao had spoken, it had to be done. So, leading the horse, he said to Yuan Fang:
"— I won't see you off!"
Yuan Fang gratefully bowed and clasped his hands: "— Amitabha Buddha! Excellent, excellent! I will place a tablet before the temple and not forget Lord Yuan."
A tablet? Yuan Gang certainly didn't believe him. As long as this scoundrel didn't curse him, that would be enough. So, without ceremony, he turned and followed Niu You Dao.
When Yuan Gang entered the room, he immediately began to change his clothes.
Niu You Dao, however, did not change. He stood leaning on his sword with closed eyes, steam rising from his damp clothes, gradually growing quite thick.
Yuan Gang, having changed his clothes, asked:
"— Lord Dao, do you truly want the scoundrel to leave?"
In truth, he didn't want Yuan Fang to leave. Yuan Gang realized that the bear was capable and could be taken along on their journey, as could his monks. Extra hands for errands wouldn't hinder them.
Niu You Dao, with eyes still closed, calmly stated:
"— Let him go? Where would he go? You can climb onto my boat, but you can't climb off it. Believe it or not, he'll soon be begging me to let him stay."
Yuan Gang, having changed, froze. How could that be? Yet, after a moment's thought, he understood Lord Dao and offered a slight smile. Niu You Dao had deliberately exposed him to Feng Ru Nan. Where could he possibly escape now?
Indeed, Niu You Dao's clothes were drying right on him, and at that moment, a knock sounded. Yuan Fang's faint voice drifted through:
"— Lord Dao, Lord Yuan, may I come in?"
Yuan Gang approached, opened the door, and saw Yuan Fang standing there, smiling. Yuan Gang said displeasedly:
"— If you want to leave, then leave. Don't be annoying. Get lost!"
"— Bang!" He slammed the door shut so hard it nearly hit Yuan Fang's face.
Niu You Dao smiled slightly. He opened the window, looked at the blue sky and white clouds, and clicked his tongue, muttering:
"— That rain came and went so suddenly. How fickle the weather!"
No sooner had he spoken than Yuan Fang's faint voice sounded again:
"— Lord Dao, Lord Yuan."
Yuan Gang, putting away his clothes, shouted again:
"— Get lost!"
But Yuan Fang not only didn't leave; he dared to open the door and enter.
Yuan Gang, holding damp clothes, immediately tossed them aside and clenched his fists, ready to strike Yuan Fang.
Yuan Fang instantly retreated, waving his hand as he said:
"— Lord Yuan, don't be hasty. Please listen to me first. Lord Yuan, Lord Dao."
"— Monkey, when will you stop being so short-tempered? Even if our connection is severed and he's ready to leave, will there be a problem if he just asks a question? Let's hear him out first," Niu You Dao, standing with his back to them and facing the window, spoke calmly.
Yuan Gang had only raised his fists, yet he lowered them afterward:
"— Speak quickly and to the point."
Clutching his head with both hands and huddled in a corner, Yuan Fang immediately began to thank Niu You Dao:
"— Lord Dao... truly a great man!"
Niu You Dao, gazing out the window, asked:
"— Weren't you going to leave? Why did you come back?"
Yuan Fang brightened when his departure was mentioned. He had indeed gathered his monks, and with a single horse, they were preparing to leave the relay station. However, they noticed numerous soldiers' gazes fixed upon them. Under such surveillance, how could they possibly escape anywhere? Especially within the territory of Kuangai County.
He understood why Feng Ru Nan hadn't immediately executed him. He was Niu You Dao's man, and thus the Prince's man. This meant she wouldn't openly attack the Prince's man in front of everyone, as that would ignite a conflict between them. But if they left for a deserted area on their own, then dealing with them would be utterly effortless for Feng Ru Nan. Especially since she had many masters by her side, far stronger than Niu You Dao.
Moreover, they had one horse for twenty people. How far could they possibly get on foot?
Therefore, when Niu You Dao "released" them, it was tantamount to sending them to their deaths.
Having discovered the trap, Yuan Fang felt a pang of doubt. Did Niu You Dao intentionally want to expel him so that he would no longer be considered his man? After all, what use did he have for Niu You Dao now?
"— This... Lord Dao. We don't wish to leave just yet," Yuan Fang said with a smile.
"— Just now you said it was vital for you to leave. And now you don't want to? And later you'll want to again? Bear, do you want to play games with me so much?" Niu You Dao continued to speak calmly.
"— I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!" Yuan Fang immediately disregarded Yuan Gang and approached Niu You Dao:
"— Lord Dao, I didn't mean that..."
Niu You Dao didn't wait for him to finish and said:
"— See our guest out. Expel them from the relay station and make it known to everyone that he has nothing to do with us. If he tries to enter here again, kill him without mercy!"
Yuan Fang was truly terrified at this moment:
"— Lord Dao, ahh..."
Yuan Gang walked up to him and punched him in the stomach to silence him.
"— Lord Dao, you truly cannot do this. You cannot cross the river and burn the bridges behind you!" Yuan Fang grabbed Yuan Gang's arm and began to struggle with him.
He had no intention of leaving. Before, for the safety of his monks, he hadn't dared to resist. But now, with them being sent to their deaths, he began to use all his strength and was no less powerful than Yuan Gang. What wouldn't one do when life itself was at stake!
Niu You Dao turned and, looking at the bear, said:
"— Burning bridges? Fine. Don't say later that I'm merciless. I'm giving you one more chance. You can choose again: leave or stay!"
Yuan Gang held Yuan Fang, and Yuan Fang spoke in a weak voice:
"— I won't leave temporarily!"
Niu You Dao: "— Temporarily? You'll stay as our freeloaders, and then, ignoring all problems, just walk away? Where has such a thing ever been seen? You choose now. Say one word. Look, even my patience has limits!"
Seeing Yuan Fang lost in thought, Niu You Dao told Yuan Gang:
"— Take him out."
Yuan Fang immediately cried out: "— I'll stay! We'll stay!"
Niu You Dao lowered his hand, and Yuan Gang released Yuan Fang. Niu You Dao approached him:
"— Bear, this is your choice. You've chosen your path. You'll be responsible for it. Are you certain you choose to stay?"
Yuan Fang cried out mournfully to himself and, tilting his head, said: "— I'll stay!"
But inwardly, he resolved that as soon as an opportunity arose, he would immediately flee.
At that moment, a knock sounded, and the door immediately opened. Weng Li stood beyond. She stepped in and, looking at Yuan Fang, said:
"— You, follow me. The Princess wishes to see you!"
Yuan Fang was instantly terrified. That woman had even beaten her own husband; what chance did *he* have? He immediately looked imploringly at Niu You Dao:
"— Lord Dao!"
Niu You Dao, holding his sword, stepped forward and blocked her path:
"— He's not going!"
Weng Li froze and said discontentedly:
"— Didn't you hear? The Princess ordered him to come!"
Niu You Dao said indifferently:
"— The Prince said that in any matter, his consent is required. Especially in matters concerning the Princess."
Niu You Dao didn't care what the Prince would say. Because whatever Niu You Dao said, the Prince would say. And he wasn't afraid of directing all arrows at the Prince. Feng Ru Nan wouldn't dare to kill the Prince. At most, she would beat him, and that would be all.
Weng Li was speechless. She turned and, before leaving, said angrily:
"— Just you wait!"
Niu You Dao turned and said to Yuan Fang:
"— It's nothing. As long as I'm here, she won't touch you. Today, I'll tell you that from this day forward, we'll share our food and our drink. We'll share all blessings and misfortunes together."
"— Thank you, Lord Dao, thank you, Lord Dao!" Yuan Fang immediately began to thank him. If not for Niu You Dao, he would likely have perished.
Just then, footsteps thundered.
"— Bang!"
Someone kicked the door open, and Feng Ru Nan entered, leading several people.
Seeing them, Niu You Dao furrowed his brows.
"— This woman who acts like a man truly knows no bounds?"