Chapter 182: 182. Chapter 179: No, You Know

182. Chapter 179: No, You Know

"Who is it?" Gu Mo asked immediately, his voice rising sharply.

Liu Liu Yinzhu did not answer directly, but said: "Master, before recommending this person, I must mention several other matters."

"Go on," Gu Mo knew Liu Liu Yinzhu never spoke without reason; there must be purpose behind her words.

Liu Liu Yinzhu said:

"Not just us—Der Yue Sect and Tianqi Sect also have survivors because of one person. His name is Ding Huan. He's just a cook."

Gu Mo heard "cook" and yet this man had enabled so many to escape the Great Gorge Valley; he felt a flicker of curiosity:

"Is this cook highly cultivated?"

Liu Liu Yinzhu shook her head:

"No, his cultivation is weak, and his talent is ordinary. Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to become a common disciple's cook just to enter the Dao Cultivation World."

Liu Liu Yinzhu had walked part of the journey with Ding Huan; she naturally knew he became Der Yue Sect's cook because Guan Ai needed one.

"Tell me," even Gu Mo was now interested.

He too wanted to know how a cook could lead so many out of the Great Gorge Valley.

Liu Liu Yinzhu did not conceal anything; she recounted every action Ding Huan had taken along the way, including her own judgments and speculations.

"You say that after learning Qu Yue Mountain intended to kill him, he engineered Qu Yue Mountain's death under mysterious circumstances?"

Gu Mo spoke with a frown; what Liu Liu Yinzhu described sounded implausible.

Liu Liu Yinzhu nodded:

"The first time he manipulated Qu Yue Mountain, I witnessed it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears.

After he provoked Qu Yue Mountain into leaving, we returned safely to the main path, while Qu Yue Mountain barely made it back—both his feet gone.

I suspect he knew the forest ahead was dangerous. He even anticipated Qu Yue Mountain's thoughts, knowing Qu Yue Mountain would never follow us into the woods."

"Could Qu Yue Mountain's death have been caused by the lingering yin poison of the Swallow-Foot Corpse?" Gu Mo asked.

Liu Liu Yinzhu's tone was certain:

"Unlikely. I saw Qu Yue Mountain's corpse—his flesh and meridians had all turned to sludge. It could not have been the Swallow-Foot Corpse's poison.

Moreover, with Qu Yue Mountain's experience, he wouldn't have failed to notice he was poisoned, yet remained in his tent."

"Then how did Qu Yue Mountain die?" Gu Mo asked again.

Liu Liu Yinzhu was equally puzzled:

"That's what confuses me. When Qu Yue Mountain's body was discovered, I was speaking with Ding Huan—he had no opportunity to commit the act."

"Who found him?"

"Yan Mei, a new disciple of Shuang Hun Sect. I never suspected him until the end, when he didn't join us but followed Ding Huan instead—that's when I began to doubt him."

"No need to doubt—it's definitely Yan Mei."

"But how could Yan Mei have had the chance to ambush Qu Yue Mountain?"

"It's very likely connected to Ding Huan. You said he led you all out of the Great Gorge Valley unharmed.

He also crossed the Lost Marsh unscathed. If he had no tricks, he couldn't have done that."

After speaking, Gu Mo gasped for breath several times.

Liu Liu Yinzhu fell into thought; she had seen no trace of Ding Huan's methods.

Then again, if she had seen them, Ding Huan wouldn't have killed Qu Yue Mountain.

"You should have brought him back," Gu Mo sighed. "From your tone, this Ding Huan seems eager to join a sect."

Liu Liu Yinzhu hurried to say:

"I did intend to bring him back, but after seeing how he manipulated Elder Qu, I grew afraid.

He's just a cook—and already this dangerous. What if he grows stronger in the future…?"

Liu Liu Yinzhu did not finish, but Gu Mo understood her meaning; his voice grew ragged:

"Yinzhu, from Ding Huan's actions, he is not a cruel man, but one who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and vengeance, and keeps his word.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have continued cooking for Guan Ai during such peril. Someone who honors his promises is no villain. His actions were merely self-preservation.

If this man is truly as formidable as you say, then he is worthy to become the master of Zi Yuan. Yinzhu, do you know Zi Yuan's current situation?"

Liu Liu Yinzhu shook her head; she was not fully aware.

Gu Mo pointed outside:

"Zi Yuan is now beset by internal strife and external threats. Though I plan to entrust the sect to you, I fear you cannot control it—I intend to help you before I die…"

"Master…"

Gu Mo waved his hand, silencing Liu Liu Yinzhu:

"You'll soon learn of the internal troubles. As for the external threat, you can guess: Zi Yuan Zhongshan is now claimed outright by the Nine Tones Sect.

I'm certain that as soon as my death is announced, they will seize Zi Yuan Zhongshan. Even Elder Pu Jun's mishap may have their fingerprints.

With your abilities, merely holding the sect together would be a triumph. Recovering Zi Yuan Zhongshan for Zi Yuan is nearly impossible.

If Ding Huan is truly as formidable as you say, then he is qualified to become master of Zi Yuan.

He need not have high talent. Though Zi Yuan has declined, we still possess some resources. Low talent? So what?

If he can leverage what we have, he might make Zi Yuan Zhongshan jointly held by both sects. At the very least, Zi Yuan could use Zi Yuan Zhongshan…"

Perhaps Gu Mo had expended too much energy; here, he could not suppress it—he spat a jet of blood.

"Master!" Liu Liu Yinzhu rushed forward to support Gu Mo.

"No need. Go find Ding Huan now. If you find him, invite him to Zi Yuan. I will speak with him face to face.

Such a talent won't wander forever. I only fear that by the time you reach him, he's already joined another sect."

After forcing out these words, Gu Mo closed his eyes and began to rest.

"Master, rest assured—I will find him."

Liu Liu Yinzhu increasingly regretted not keeping Ding Huan behind.

……

Because Ding Huan had taught Yan Mei the Shadow-Stepping Technique, their speed had increased by more than several tiers.

After the two men and the monkey had traveled for seven days, Ding Huan stopped.

"Brother Huan, are we setting up camp here today?"

Yan Mei felt it was still only noon; for the past few days, they had rushed forward nonstop, stopping only when night fell.

He had started calling Ding Huan "Brother Huan," echoing Lao Liu's habit of calling him "Brother Huan" all the time.

"No—we're crossing the Lost Marsh again from here, then heading to the Dao Cultivation World to blend in."

Ding Huan spoke, gazing at the Lost Marsh before him.

"But this stretch of Lost Marsh seems wider than elsewhere," Yan Mei said, puzzled.

Elsewhere, across the Lost Marsh, one could glimpse faint forests and mountain ranges; here, all that stretched ahead was an endless expanse of marshland.

"No choice—someone wants me dead," Ding Huan sighed.

He couldn't be sure whether the Qiong Executive had abandoned the hunt; people were better off being cautious.

"You're just talking nonsense—just follow Brother Huan," Lao Liu sneered at Yan Mei.

After several days of failed attempts to break through to Foundation Establishment, Lao Liu's morale had cracked.

Ding Huan had already stepped into the Lost Marsh; Lao Liu followed instantly, and Yan Mei didn't delay—he hurried after them.

Perhaps because almost no one had walked this stretch, Ding Huan had taken only a few steps when he spotted something hidden beneath the marsh.

Before he could make out what it was, a black shadow lunged at him.

Ding Huan, who had already noticed it, swung his long blade—the black shadow was split cleanly in two.

"That's a Black Silent Snake. If it bites you, even a Foundation Establishment expert is doomed."

Seeing clearly what the snake was behind Ding Huan, Yan Mei spoke, still shaken.

"Don't worry—it poses no threat to us," Ding Huan assured Yan Mei.

He was leading the way—how could a Black Silent Snake possibly bite him? Even if it did, so what?

Ding Huan didn't slow down—he accelerated further.

Along the way, he killed at least dozens of Black Silent Snakes; Yan Mei watched, heart pounding with dread.

The marsh they'd chosen was indeed wide; even with Ding Huan's blazing speed, it took them until the next morning to finally step out.

Gazing at the empty hills and fields ahead, Yan Mei finally exhaled in relief.

He doubted anyone would believe his story—a newcomer who hadn't even entered a sect, yet had crossed the Lost Marsh three times.

Once, he'd crossed it at night.

"Let's leave this place quickly." Whether or not the Qiong Executive could find them here, he had no intention of lingering near the Lost Marsh.

Lao Liu and Yan Mei naturally did exactly as Ding Huan said.

……

While Ding Huan, Yan Mei, and Lao Liu were still frantically fleeing,

the Yanyue Sect had become famous in the Dao Cultivation World.

Dozens—perhaps even a hundred—sects had traveled from the Dao Cultivation World to the Mortal World to recruit disciples.

But only the Yanyue Sect returned with more than half of their recruits.

Other sects either brought back only a few, or lost everyone.

The Yanyue Sect had already been strong in the Dao Cultivation World; now, it had risen further.

With the Yanyue Sect's status elevated, the Shao Sect's position naturally rose—and along with it, Guan Cui's status as the future Shao Sect Lady also soared.

When Qing Yu returned, she didn't notice Guan Cui's furrowed brow, and exclaimed excitedly:

"Cui-jie, did you hear? Our Shao Sect has been invited to the Ascension Realm Dao Discourse Assembly!"

As the prospective Shao Sect Lady, Guan Cui had not yet met the Shao Sect since arriving at the Yanyue Sect.

The Shao Sect had been away attending the Dao Cultivation World Sect Alliance, and before he returned, he'd been invited again—to the Ascension Realm Dao Discourse Assembly.

But Guan Cui was not pleased; she looked at Qing Yu with calm, cold tone:

"Qing Yu, do you know why the Enforcement Elder of Shuang Hun Sect came to our Yanyue Sect?"

"Ah…" Qing Yu's eyes flickered with panic, then she hurriedly said: "I don't know."

Guan Cui's tone grew even colder: "No—you do."