Yuan Gang understood Niu You Dao. Along the way, they were bothered by a ghost. It seemed very strange.
At first, it ruined their torches, but then it stopped. There were two possibilities: either it realized it was futile, or it simply didn't know the entire area well. Or perhaps both. After all, this ghost had never ventured into this village, a place devoid of cultivator-mentors. This suggested that the ghost had indeed never been here.
However, no matter the specifics, one thing was now certain: this ghost was extremely cautious. It was unlikely to have abandoned them. After all, neither side had attacked the other, and neither knew the other's strength. This meant the ghost wasn't willing to take unnecessary risks.
It seemed, as Lord Dao had said, that the ghost was limited in strength.
Two women arrived from the foot of the mountain. They carried simple sedan chairs; a chair hung between two bamboo poles.
As he helped Shu Qing into the sedan chair, Niu You Dao suddenly said, "Monkey, help the Princess down the mountain." Having said this, he nodded to him.
Yuan Gang understood that Niu You Dao was subtly hinting for him to check the situation in the village as well.
Shu Qing and the others turned and looked at him.
Luo An asked, "Master. Aren't you coming down?"
Niu You Dao: "I have matters to attend to. General Luo, may I borrow your guard?" he said, pointing at the young man in the pavilion.
Luo An asked, surprised, "I don't know why Master needs him?"
Shu Qing knew Niu You Dao's habits; even if she asked him, he wouldn't answer until he had acted. So she immediately said, "Uncle Luo, listen to him."
Hearing her words, Luo An could only shout to the guard, "Shang Hu, did you hear that?"
The young man in the pavilion nodded, "I heard."
The crowd of people began to descend. Yuan Gang took his bags and accompanied Shu Qing.
Niu You Dao smiled, watching them go. And when they had disappeared from sight, Yuan Fang approached him.
"Lord Dao. Do you intend to catch that demon or ghost?" Yuan Fang also guessed.
Niu You Dao quietly replied, "I came to seclude myself for cultivation. However, this demon hasn't appeared yet. Until I catch it, I won't be at ease!"
"Mmm!" Yuan Fang understood and nodded his head.
Niu You Dao quietly whispered:
"I believe it has been following us and won't leave us alone just like that. As long as the sun shines, the ghost won't attack due to the yin and yang barrier. We will stay here now and wait for nightfall, for it to emerge from its cave. You, however, will need to wait for it inside the cave, so that as soon as it emerges, you can cut off its escape routes. And as soon as it comes out, you'll give me a signal. Understood?"
Yuan Fang nodded, "Understood."
He turned and headed for the entrance. Only halfway there, he stopped, turned around, and said, "Lord Dao, it might be better if I don't go in there now. What if it's already inside and notices my entry?"
Niu You Dao hummed and said, "Listen to me."
Yuan Fang approached, and Niu You Dao whispered something into his ear.
Then they lit torches and entered the cave together. They descended to the river, where Yuan Fang extinguished his torch and placed it where the other torches were kept. Then they turned and walked back. Niu You Dao was holding the only lit torch. However, halfway back, Yuan Fang vanished into a hidden spot, while Niu You Dao exited the cave. As soon as he was out, Niu You Dao immediately cast aside the torch and headed towards the pavilion.
"Master!" Shang Hu, seeing Niu You Dao, cupped his hands and greeted him.
"What are your orders?" he asked, noticing that Yuan Fang had not emerged from the cave.
Niu You Dao: "Are you guarding here alone? Does anyone bring food?"
Shang Hu: "It's nothing. During the day, one person guards, and in the evening, people come and relieve him. At night, two people guard the entrance, rotating every two hours."
Niu You Dao smiled, "Understood. We'll do it this way. Today, I'll help you stand guard. You can return."
"Ah! How can that be?" Shang Hu even waved his hand in protest.
Niu You Dao placed his sword before him, rested both hands upon it, and sternly said:
"Then, will I need to consult with General Luo?"
"Uhhh... alright!" Shang Hu scratched his head, seemingly fearful of Luo An. He turned and said, "Then, when the time comes, I'll bring you food."
Niu You Dao simply smiled. The people here were simple-hearted and direct. He said with a smile:
"No need. If there are any objections, you can ask the Great Princess!"
In truth, with his cultivation, he could now go 2-3 days without food. The only thing was, he might simply become weaker.
After seeing Shang Hu off, Niu You Dao began to admire the beautiful scenery. Following this, he sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. He began to meditate. This was what he had been missing after his trip into the dungeon...
"Uncle Meng!"
As soon as Shu Qing and the others descended the mountain, a crowd of people greeted them. At the head of the crowd was a grey-haired man, seated in a wheelchair. He had a lean face, yet his gaze was warm. He appeared neat and tidy. One could discern his aristocratic demeanor.
Though Shu Qing limped, she still alighted from the sedan chair and approached him with red eyes. He was so close to her.
This man was Meng Shan Ming. He had originally been the great general of Prince Ning, Shang Jian Bo. He was, in himself, also a learned man. It was only later, when the Wuli and Yinyang units, ten thousand strong, breached a hundred-thousand-strong army's blockade, that he sustained severe injuries to both legs. Thus, Prince Ning allowed him to retire. Prince Ning had then offered him a life of wealth and glory in the capital, but Meng Shan Ming was concerned about the relationship between Prince Ning and the imperial household. Therefore, he decided to retire here with his family and people. And it seemed not in vain. Otherwise, he too would have been eliminated during the purge.
Now, he was responsible for that secret passage.
"The Great Princess has already grown up. It's good that you are well!" Meng Shan Ming caressed her and said with a sigh. One could see his eyes grow moist.
"Before this, news came from the young prince, so we knew you would arrive within 2-3 days. However, we didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. Thus, we couldn't manage to greet you properly!"
"Uncle Meng, there's no need for formalities." Shu Qing shook her head. Even she hadn't expected to arrive so quickly. It was fortunate that Niu You Dao had carried her on his back.
"You must be tired from the journey. No need to stand here. Let's go inside the house and talk there." Meng Shan Ming noticed Shu Qing limping, so he waved his hand, and they proceeded into the village.
Thus, they entered a courtyard with a temple. It was the largest structure in the village.
A thick scent of incense filled the main hall. Behind the censer, atop the steps, stood memorial tablets. The names of fallen officers were inscribed there. Prince Ning's name and those of his two sons were also at the very top.
Shu Qing lit candles, bowed, and placed the candles in the censer. Then, in the main hall, she sat on a chair beside Meng Shan Ming. She recounted everything that had happened since Prince Ning's death. Meng Shan Ming dismissed the other people. After all, such a large number of people did not need to know about these matters.
In truth, Meng Shan Ming already knew almost everything. He and Lan Ruo Ting maintained secret communication. However, they couldn't discuss everything in detail. It wouldn't do for a Bird King to fall into the wrong hands. But now, Shu Qing could tell him everything in detail.
After the two had spoken, Luo An hastily entered. He whispered something into Meng Shan Ming's ear.
Meng Shan Ming raised a hand and grabbed Luo An's mustache, making him yelp.
Then Meng Shan Ming slapped his cheek with his palm:
"Is the Great Princess an outsider? Why should she not know this?"
Luo An grimaced and awkwardly said, "I forgot."
Watching such a burly man behave so meekly and awkwardly before the old man, Shu Qing pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.
Shu Qing still smiled and said, "It seems Uncle Meng's skill is still as formidable as ever."
"My skills are rusty," Meng Shan Ming said with a smile, waving his hand, and then asked Luo An:
"What is it? Speak."
Luo An: "That person who came down with the Great Princess is now roaming the village and examining everything. I don't know if we should prevent him from accessing certain areas?"
As soon as Shu Qing heard this, she immediately understood they were speaking of Yuan Gang.
Meng Shan Ming calmly replied, "Since he came from the Prince, then he is a trustworthy person. There's no need to hinder him, to avoid misunderstanding."
Shu Qing added, "It would be unwise to hide anything from him. Since he has come, he will find out anyway."
Luo An immediately departed.
Meng Shan Ming spoke, "I heard the last disciple remained on the mountain slope. Why does he not wish to be seen?"
Shu Qing seriously said, "We encountered complications on the way..." She immediately recounted everything that had happened on their journey here.
Meng Shan Ming sat up straighter, his expression serious: "Since an evil spirit has appeared, it must be eliminated, lest it cause trouble."
Shu Qing: "If I'm not mistaken, he is most likely occupied with precisely that."
Meng Shan Ming: "Perhaps we should send people to him?"
Shu Qing: "Since he has decided so, he can handle it himself."
Meng Shan Ming said doubtfully, "The evil spirit did not attack you in the secret passage. It's unknown how strong it is. From where does the Great Princess derive such confidence?"
Shu Qing: "Uncle Meng, you don't know everything. This last disciple of Master Dong Guo, though not the highest in cultivation among all of Master Dong Guo's disciples, is nonetheless the most capable. One could say he is now the rightful head of the Supreme Purity Sect..."
Shu Qing told Meng Shan Ming everything about Niu You Dao. About his imprisonment in Peach Blossom Spring, about the incident at the Southern Mountain Monastery, how he married off the Prince, and how he borrowed troops from Feng Lin Bo... She told him all of it.