In Crisis

They reached the opposite bank and went ashore once more under the watchful eyes of the troops stationed there.

The opposing commander brought his deputy officers to pay their respects to Shang Chaozong. The other side had not yet openly rebelled and was still nominally composed of Imperial Court officials, while Shang Chaozong was still an Imperial Court Prince. In both reason and propriety, they had to come and pay their respects. Overall, they remained fairly courteous toward Shang Chaozong. They all knew that Shang Chaozong could not really be considered one of the Imperial Court's people, but neither could he be called an enemy.

The commander here had initially intended to host a banquet, but Shang Chaozong politely declined. He only requested some supplies. He had no particular fondness for these rebels who relied on their own troops to defy authority. After all, he was a member of the imperial clan himself.

Even so, the other side remained courteous and specially dispatched a ten-man escort to accompany Shang Chaozong's party, claiming that they would escort them until they left Guangyi Commandery.

Shang Chaozong did not refuse—and he could not refuse. He knew that although they called it an escort, it was actually surveillance. After all, he had five hundred elite cavalrymen under his command. Once they formed up, they could charge into battle, and even several thousand infantrymen in formation might not be able to stop them. They could fully cooperate with the Imperial Court's actions. With the relationship between Guangyi Commandery and the Imperial Court laid bare, the other side had no choice but to guard against them.

The group set off once more, with a little tail following behind. The young officer leading them was named Qu Wu. He kept a measured distance as he followed and monitored them, reporting the situation along the route whenever they passed an relay station.

Once they entered Guangyi Commandery, they were already quite close to Little South Mountain. The next day, they finally reached the foot of Little South Mountain. The hilly woodland beside the official road was the so-called Little South Mountain.

Shang Shuqing turned her head and called, "Brother!"

Shang Chaozong raised a solemn hand. His expression was grave because several people on their side had already reached a conclusion: sooner or later, Niu Youdao would part ways with them. They could not keep him. The reason he had not left sooner was probably related to delivering the letter. Once they reached Little South Mountain, it would likely be time for Niu Youdao to bid them farewell.

Seeing the gesture, the entire party halted as one, pulling back on the reins. The horses and men stopped in the middle of the road.

Sitting upright on her horse with a Gauze Hat on her head, Shang Shuqing leaned slightly forward and turned toward Niu Youdao on the other side. "Master, weren't you going to deliver a letter? We've reached Little South Mountain."

"Oh! We're here?" Niu Youdao looked as though he had only just found out.

Chu Ze, the centurion in charge of scouting ahead, pointed toward the road leading into the mountains in the distance. "Nanshan Temple lies along this road!"

Niu Youdao turned around and pointed at the bundle hanging from Yuan Gang's saddle. "Monkey, the letter's in the bundle. Go deliver it for me."

Yuan Gang silently nodded. He flicked the reins in his hand, sending his mount out of formation. After turning halfway around, he raised his whip toward one of the personal guards in the party and said without the slightest courtesy, "You. Come with me."

The guard was named Su Jieren. Seeing Yuan Gang point at him, he could not help staring blankly before looking toward his leader. Shang Chaozong turned back and gave him a slight nod. Only then did Su Jieren urge his horse forward. Yuan Gang flicked the reins and galloped toward the mountain road, with Su Jieren following behind.

"Stay alert!" Lan Ruoting shouted, signaling Guan Tie with a glance at the same time.

Guan Tie understood. He nodded slightly and led a group of men to one side to stand guard. Most of the five hundred cavalrymen spread out under orders to keep watch.

Qu Wu, the young officer from Guangyi Commandery responsible for surveillance, led his men over at a run and asked, "Prince, what happened?"

Lan Ruoting smiled and answered on his behalf. "Nothing. We sent someone to Nanshan Temple with a letter. We'll only have to wait for him to return; it won't take long."

Qu Wu gave an "Oh," then led his men away, continuing to look around restlessly.

"Come with me!"

Yuan Gang, galloping along the mountain road, suddenly turned and shouted. His mount wheeled around, veered off the mountain path, and charged into a dense forest with gently sloping terrain.

Su Jieren followed him around the bend and charged in. Not far into the forest, Yuan Gang suddenly reined in his mount and silently observed the surroundings.

Su Jieren pulled up beside him, puzzled. "Brother Yuan, weren't we going to Nanshan Temple to deliver the letter?"

"Dismount!" Yuan Gang ordered. He swung a leg over and jumped down, then removed the bundle from the horse's back and took out a set of clothes. They were Niu Youdao's clothes.

Su Jieren had just dismounted when he caught the clothes Yuan Gang tossed at him, clutching them in confusion.

Yuan Gang lifted his chin at him. "Change clothes!"

"Why?" Su Jieren asked, bewildered.

Yuan Gang said, "I told you to change, so change. Why are you spouting so much nonsense?"

Su Jieren was somewhat helpless, but he could only do as told. His movements were a little slow, so Yuan Gang shouted again, "Hurry!"

After changing his outer garment in a few quick motions, Yuan Gang stepped forward and tugged at his hair, intending to alter his hairstyle.

This time, Su Jieren refused. He covered his topknot and backed away warily. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Yuan Gang did not force him. "If you're unwilling, go back. Tell the Prince you're unwilling to run errands and do odd jobs for me, and have him send someone else who is."

"..." Su Jieren was speechless and helpless. In the end, he gave in.

Before long, Yuan Gang had changed his hairstyle into the same casual ponytail Niu Youdao wore, tied loosely behind his head. He slapped a letter against Su Jieren's chest. "It's simple. Pretend to be the Master and deliver the letter to Nanshan Temple. Tell them you're Shangqing Sect disciple Niu Youdao, here by order of the Sect Master to deliver a letter, and ask to see the abbot! Delivering the letter is secondary. The main task is to observe the situation inside the temple. Remember?" That last sentence was purely meant to steady Su Jieren and blur the danger lurking beneath the surface.

After giving him a thorough set of instructions, the two mounted their horses and left the forest, returning to the mountain road and continuing onward. When they reached a spot where Nanshan Temple could just be glimpsed atop the mountain, Yuan Gang once again slipped alone into the woods, while Su Jieren galloped toward the summit.

After hiding his horse in a secluded part of the forest, Yuan Gang quickly crept toward the summit on foot. At last, he concealed himself in the crown of a large tree and watched, personally witnessing Su Jieren enter through the temple gates.

"Abbot, someone has arrived outside claiming to be Shangqing Sect disciple Niu Youdao. He says he has come by order of the Sect Master to deliver a letter to you."

In the main hall of the rear courtyard, Abbot Yuan Fang was drinking tea and conversing with Song Yanqing and the others when a disciple came to report.

Before Yuan Fang could answer, Song Yanqing shot to his feet, his eyes gleaming. He gave a cackling laugh. "As expected, he came!" He turned to Yuan Fang and said, "Let him in!" Then he waved to Xu Yitian and Chen Guishuo, leading the two of them into a small side room to avoid being seen for the moment. In the partition window, Song Yanqing poked several holes through the paper with his finger.

Yuan Fang was rather helpless. He did not want to get involved in disputes between cultivation sects. That was not something a minor demon like him could afford to provoke. But with no other choice, he waved at the reporting disciple. "Show him in."

Soon, Su Jieren arrived, carefully observing his surroundings all the way. After saluting Yuan Fang, he pulled a letter from his robes and presented it with both hands.

In the small side room, Song Yanqing's brows drew together. How could he fail to recognize Niu Youdao? The newcomer had merely imitated Niu Youdao's appearance—he was absolutely not Niu Youdao. He turned to Xu Yitian and Chen Guishuo and said, "Go out and see what's going on!"

The two accepted the order and walked straight out of the side room without bothering to conceal themselves. They quickly left.

Yuan Fang opened the letter and shook out the paper inside. He looked at it from top to bottom, then left to right. He turned it over and over, examining it repeatedly, yet he could not make head or tail of it. He could not find a single trace of writing. It was plainly just a blank sheet of paper!

Song Yanqing strode out and snatched the letter away. He glanced up and down at Su Jieren, then lowered his gaze to the contents in his hand. His eyes froze. What was going on? He, too, began turning the letter over and over to examine it...

At the entrance to Nanshan Temple, Xu Yitian quickly rushed out and ran down the steps toward the foot of the mountain, his gaze sweeping from side to side along the way.

Yuan Gang, hidden in the tree crown, quietly kept watch. His eyes suddenly flickered. Another figure flashed out from within the temple walls, paused on the walltop, and vaulted through the air. He landed on a tree branch outside the temple. Using the branch for leverage, he sprang lightly into the air again. Light as a swallow, he drifted forward by stepping from branch to branch, his gaze searching from side to side as well.

The newcomer was Chen Guishuo. He and Xu Yitian were working together, one above and one below, to search the area.

Yuan Gang secretly cursed his luck. The coincidence was simply too perfect. Chen Guishuo was drifting straight toward the spot where he was hiding. Now he did not even dare shift to another hiding place. The slightest movement could expose him. He could only remain utterly still and hope that Chen Guishuo had not noticed him.

But he was not so lucky. Before Chen Guishuo had even landed on the tree crown, his gaze flashed and locked onto Yuan Gang. His pupils abruptly contracted. With a clang, he casually drew his sword, flicked it to send sword flowers blooming, and lunged through the air straight at Yuan Gang's hiding place.

Yuan Gang dropped low and slid downward. He planted a foot on a fork in the trunk, borrowed its force to spring forward, and launched himself through the air, flying from this tree toward another.

With several swishing sounds, branches and leaves burst apart and scattered. Amid flashing sword light, the obstructing foliage in the crown was shredded to pieces by the sword shadows in Chen Guishuo's hand. He kicked off the tree without pause, darting like a swallow flying through rain. He pierced straight through the crown, continuing to pursue Yuan Gang, man and sword together.

Yuan Gang landed on another tree, seized a branch, and let it bend beneath him before dropping to the ground. He then darted through the woods at a mad sprint. The moment he saw that his opponent was light as a swallow and could fly across the treetops, he knew he had fallen into a crisis. This was no ordinary martial warrior.

Chen Guishuo pursued without letting his feet touch the ground, kicking off one trunk and then another as he flew through the forest. His speed far surpassed Yuan Gang's fleeing pace. In the blink of an eye, he caught up and struck through the air with his palm. A Profound Clear Palm burst forth with a howling sound, its force blasting toward Yuan Gang from a distance.

Sensing the danger, Yuan Gang had no time to dodge. His back tensed hard, arching as he braced himself. With a booming impact, he took the palm strike head-on. The blow sent him flying forward at even greater speed, abruptly widening the distance between him and his pursuer as he continued running wildly.

Chen Guishuo cried out in surprise. He had not expected his opponent to take one of his palm strikes and act as though nothing had happened. He continued chasing Yuan Gang, who was weaving chaotically through the forest and using the trees to evade him. Once he closed the distance again, Chen Guishuo learned from his previous mistake and thrust his sword through the air.

Yuan Gang sidestepped the attack. His arm brushed against the tree trunk before him, and his body followed the motion around behind the tree. After circling the trunk, he suddenly drove a fist out with a roar, smashing toward Chen Guishuo on the other side.

Chen Guishuo had pursued him around the trunk with his sword and was caught off guard when Yuan Gang emerged from the opposite side. Even more unexpected was that Yuan Gang dared to counterattack. Judging from the sound of the fist, its force seemed fierce indeed. In his haste, Chen Guishuo struck out with a palm and took the punch head-on.

Boom! The impact shook Yuan Gang until he lost control of his body and tumbled backward down the mountain slope.

Chen Guishuo was also shaken back several steps upon landing. He braced his rear leg against the slope before stabilizing himself, his heart thudding with alarm. What tremendous brute strength this man had!

That punch from Yuan Gang had thoroughly stirred Chen Guishuo's killing intent. He rose into the air again and quickly caught up once more. Sword light descended from above, enveloping Yuan Gang below. This time, he no longer intended to keep him alive for questioning. He meant to strike him down without mercy!

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