Back in his room, Niu Youdao spread out the map of the Sacred Realm again. Taking the ruler he had made in his spare time, he measured and marked distances across the map.
Following the location of the Sacred Realm's entrance and exit, he measured the distance to the Great Luo Sacred Land and estimated the travel time.
Afterward, he measured the distance from the Sacred Realm's entrance and exit to the Ice and Snow Sacred Land and likewise estimated the time required.
Finally, he measured the distance between the Great Luo Sacred Land and the Ice and Snow Sacred Land. After estimating the time, he carefully examined the terrain along all three routes.
He studied the map for a while, then paced before the desk for a while. Whenever something occurred to him as he paced, he would swiftly bend over the desk again to examine the map and ponder.
After repeating this for quite some time, Niu Youdao suddenly called out, "Qin Guan!"
Hurried footsteps sounded outside. Qin Guan pushed open the door and entered. "Elder, what is it?"
Niu Youdao said, "Notify the Demon Fox Bureau. Tell them I'll be joining the routine purge of the Desolate Marsh Deadlands."
"This..." Qin Guan hesitated. Rather than immediately accepting the order, he solemnly cautioned, "Elder, Misty Pavilion is already displeased with us. The Demon Fox Bureau may very well seize this chance to strike at you. The Desolate Marsh Deadlands are precisely the sort of place where they could make their move. It would be far too easy for something to happen. Elder, please think twice!"
Niu Youdao said, "All the sects have caused such a stir, yet Misty Pavilion still swallowed its anger and endured. That shows they mean to tolerate things for the time being. I reported