Meng Shan Ming listened carefully. After she finished speaking, he pondered for a moment, then said:
“Truly a capable man. It's just that his methods are not entirely noble. He treads the line between good and evil! Yet, in these turbulent times, nobility doesn't always guarantee justice and goodness. The Supreme Purity Sect made a mistake and let such a talent slip away, though it did help the prince. Ah, what a pity the Supreme Purity Sect disdained Master Dong Guo's painstaking efforts... and now, they've even offended the prince!”
Then he looked at the tablet bearing Ning Wang's name and sighed deeply. The son of the esteemed Ning Wang was forced to rely on Feng Lin Bo and take his daughter as a wife. How could this befit Chao Zong?
After this, Shu Qing also relayed to him the plan for seizing Qingshan County. More precisely, Chao Zong and Lan Ruo Ting had asked her to do so, seeking Meng Shan Ming's opinion. After all, he had been Ning Wang's chief general and was well-versed in strategy. Sending such a plan via Bird King was quite dangerous.
Meng Shan Ming pondered for a moment and said, "I haven't been out for a long time, so I cannot answer immediately. I need some time, then I will give you my reply."
He then inquired about other matters before sending Shu Qing and an attendant to wash up and rest.
Afterwards, his wheelchair was wheeled to the library, where Meng Shan Ming personally wrote a secret letter to Shang Chao Zong. This letter was dispatched to him via Bird King. He wrote that Shu Qing had arrived safely....
That evening, Niu You Dao stood leaning on his sword on the mountainside. No one knew what thoughts occupied his mind.
Shang Hu and a man named Liu Da Sheng were ascending the mountain, and as soon as they saw Niu You Dao, they immediately greeted him: "Master!"
Niu You Dao turned and, with a smile, asked, "Are you on duty tonight?"
Shang Hu replied, "Yes, we are on duty tonight."
Niu You Dao said, "You may remain on duty tonight. Just remember: without my permission, no matter what you see or hear, you must not strike the alarm bell."
The two men nodded their heads. They had received Niu You Dao's command.
The sun sank in the west, and dusk gradually crept in.
The moon was already rising into the night sky. Niu You Dao sat outside the thatched pavilion on a pile of stones, holding his sword before him, his eyes closed as if asleep.
A fresh breeze, a clear moon, the chirping of insects, occasional cries of birds, and the distant roar of a waterfall permeated the air.
In the darkness, the flickering lights of the village echoed the stars above.
Silence fell. The two guards usually conversed and laughed at this hour, but today, with Niu You Dao present, they dared not make any casual noise. They feared disturbing Niu You Dao.
The two men did not understand what Niu You Dao intended to do here.
Two hours later, as deep night descended, another two men arrived and relieved the guards. Shang Hu and his companion warned the new watch about Niu You Dao's instructions.
The new guards also did not understand what Niu You Dao intended to do.
As the latter half of the night set in, a rumble echoed from not far within the cave, followed by strange sounds.
A series of sounds could be heard, as if something was fighting deep within the cave. However, it wasn't clearly audible from outside.
The calmly sitting Niu You Dao opened his eyes, stood up, and smoothly drifted towards the cave. However, just as he was about to enter, the movements ceased. He immediately shouted, "Bear!"
From inside, Yuan Fang quickly shouted, "Lord Dao, I've got him!"
A short while passed, and Yuan Fang emerged from the cave, holding an old man in white robes.
The two guards in the pavilion couldn't make him out clearly. They only saw Yuan Fang moving strangely, but they did not see the old man.
"Caught him!" Yuan Fang said joyfully. "He couldn't do much. However, just as Lord Dao said, he was indeed very cautious. On his way up, he probed the entire area and did not bypass me. So I had to attack him immediately."
Niu You Dao examined him and asked, "Did you sabotage the torches on your way here?"
The old man in white spoke in fear, "Master, please spare me! Spare me, Master! This humble one will not dare to cause trouble again!"
Niu You Dao asked, "Where is your accomplice?"
The old man in white froze, then immediately said, "No accomplice. No accomplice. Just me. Master, please let me go."
Niu You Dao pressed, "How did you get down here?"
The old man replied in a trembling voice, "Several years ago, people were pursuing me, so I hid in the mountain."
Niu You Dao listened without interest. He turned and placed his sword on the ground. "Bear, continue to watch. If his accomplice appears, kill him immediately."
The old man in white cried, "Master, I guarantee there's nothing! It truly was just me! If there is, then kill me!"
"Clang!" A sword sound rang out.
Niu You Dao drew his sword, and it flashed under the moonlight.
"Aargh!" A cry of pain pierced the air.
"Shnk!" The long sword returned to its scabbard, and Niu You Dao stood with his back to them. His movements were barely discernible.
Yuan Fang shuddered. He hadn't expected Niu You Dao to suddenly kill the old man. Yuan Fang immediately released the old man.
Niu You Dao had sharply cut the old man in half, and smoke wafted from him. No blood was seen.
However, the two guards only saw Niu You Dao swing his sword, heard a scream, and then the old man's body appeared on the ground.
Under the moonlight, the old man's bisected body could be seen dissipating into black smoke and vanishing.
The two guards were terrified by this scene. Only now did they truly understand what Niu You Dao had been doing here and whom he had killed. They hadn't imagined there were ghosts lurking in this cave, and a belated fear gripped them.
As soon as the body vanished, Niu You Dao calmly turned around and looked towards the village.
Under normal circumstances, he did not like to kill personally. In fact, he disliked killing people in general, as it could affect his character and his psyche. It could become a habit and even impact his mental faculties. Who knew, it might even lead to nervous issues.
He often said that on horseback, the wind would be fair, and the rain could serve as a roof.
And when encountering a confrontation, it was always better to resolve everything peacefully.
However, his dislike for bloodshed and killing did not mean he hadn't done it, or couldn't kill!
Yuan Fang did not understand why Niu You Dao had just told him to go and check the cave for an accomplice, only to immediately kill the old man himself? Such capriciousness in a person was quite frightening!
Unknown to anyone, if the ghost had admitted to having an accomplice, or had flatly refused to speak, it would have forced Niu You Dao to deal with that issue. But since the ghost himself guaranteed he was alone, what use was he to Niu You Dao?
He wasn't in the same situation as Yuan Fang. Niu You Dao didn't have the strength or time to slowly deal with this ghost and ascertain its nature. Moreover, their paths of yin and yang were fundamentally different. Therefore, he immediately decided to kill it!
Yuan Fang turned his head towards the cave and asked, "Lord Dao, should I continue to watch?"
"No need for you to waste your energy," Niu You Dao calmly replied, then waved at the two guards.
The guards quickly ran over and greeted him with fear.
"Someone, bring General Luo An and a few men," Niu You Dao commanded.
"Understood!" the two men responded.
The two men quickly exchanged words, and one of them descended the mountain.
Not long after, torches were lit in the village, and a group of people headed this way.
Soon, Luo An arrived with ten men. Yuan Gang was among them. On their way, they had just learned what had happened here and whom Niu You Dao had killed.
"Master, what are your orders?" Luo An asked, cupping his hands.
Niu You Dao pointed towards the cave and said, "General, I ask you to bring stones and seal this entrance for one month, and station more men here."
Luo An asked, "Hasn't the Master already killed the ghost?"
Niu You Dao replied with a smile, "Just in case. To ensure nothing untoward happens within the month."
He had to eliminate the slightest danger, no matter the cost. When he entered secluded cultivation, he would be very weak. Therefore, he needed to be absolutely secure. And after a month, when he was fully recovered, he could then tackle other matters.
Seeing Niu You Dao speak so seriously, Luo An immediately agreed, "Understood!"
"Then I thank the general. Bear, stay here for now. Only descend once the cave is sealed," Niu You Dao instructed Yuan Fang.
Yuan Fang nodded his head. He understood. If the ghost still tried to pass, ordinary people wouldn't notice it, but Yuan Fang would. And once the cave was sealed, the ghost wouldn't be able to pass silently.
Niu You Dao cupped his hands towards Luo An, then immediately turned and began to descend the mountain with Yuan Gang.
Below, everyone had already learned of Niu You Dao's actions. Everyone knew, including Meng Shan Ming and Shu Qing. However, they were not in a hurry to question them, deciding instead to let the two men rest well.
A room had already been prepared for both of them.
As soon as they entered the room, Yuan Gang immediately offered Niu You Dao green tea.
Holding the teacup, Niu You Dao calmly asked, "What's the situation like?"
Yuan Gang replied, "There was little time. Everything is still unclear for now. I also cannot yet tell the village's population. However, there's a very cunning disabled man here. Judging by his scars, he has seen war many times. He must be a veteran of Ning Wang. There are also many artisans and many families here. More precisely, this place resembles a secret armory.