Volume 11 Chapter 57

I walked backed the way I came with springs in my steps. If I didn't get to let loose on a punching bag (read: Abels) and stroll around at night, I would've been so bored that my hair turned black. If I wasn't mistaken, Abels was under the impression that I was helping him train; I felt too bad to tell him I was just sick of being cooped up indoors. As for his improvements, the credit was all his. He was all smiles after every beat down, so maybe something in his soul changed? I just hoped I wouldn't be charged for eliciting brain damage... Anyhow, I was damn relieved to quit my acting gig. Most importantly, I finally collected everything I wanted for the expedition.

Facing off against Six Evils wasn't that scary, not after the millenniums Mount Daluo had been facing them. Even if we encountered one we'd never came across before, we had plans. As long as we had the physical capacity, did the maths and strategized, we had a big chance at winning. The primary concern was the environment.

Six Evils inhabited and grew up in different environments. Environment was a factor that influenced any fight. The change in terrain could substantially alter their abilities and character. Using the white python as an example, it grew up without feeding on humans, costing it sharper senses. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to restrict its movement so easily. This was an example of its environment weakening it. There were examples of the environment strengthening them in the past.

It went without saying that not every place out there was Mount Daluo. In other words, pretending they were hypothetically identical to Mount Daluo, blessed with more strength and people, in a different environment, a casualty-free campaign could become the termination of an entire sect.

Grandmaster often said, "Tte power to slay Six Evils has always been there. There just aren't enough people who can wield it." The director's job was alter to the foreign environment into their favour. In this expedition, I was the director. Although it took me months of non-stop preparation, I finally saw hope for the hunt.

I had reached an agreement with Nieyao's three neighbours, Baimu and Wanyu. Morcher wasn't a problem since it would become part of the Central Plain. Qingqiu and the other three states agreed to be our backup. Even if they didn't lift a finger, it was good enough as long as they stayed out of our way so that we wouldn't be caught in a pincer attack. All of my work served one purpose - to set up an environment that would maximise our chances of success.

In regards to the lineup I needed, I was ticking off boxes. Lai Jingzhen, Luo Ming, Abels, Uncle Feng Xue and Moyan Luohou manifested the possibility of triumph. It shouldn't be surprising that we needed all of them given we were challenging the strongest race among Six Evils.

In the middle of nowhere at night, I saw two men "grappling" with each other on the ground. I immediately ducked behind a tree, then carefully shifted my head out.

"Brother Ming, what are you hiding for? I saw you!" Dugu yelled.

Dugu? Then, the other bloke is...

"Second?!"

Dugu and Hong Jiu's attire were torn here, there, another piece there, and they were "grappling"... Hong Jiu also yanked Dugu's sash with everything he had.

"Don't go there!" Dugu yelled as he resisted Hong Jiu's takedown.

"Oh, no, I'm not misunderstanding. I'm not against your relationship."

Dugu would've flipped out at me if he wasn't occupied with holding his sash together with his left and hammering Hong Jiu with his right. At every window he was afforded, he'd spit profanities at me. Alas, the ability to multitask didn't save him from Hong Jiu.

"It's not what you think! It's him! He... He won't let go of me!"

Hong Jiu fumed, "Who says you have to let go just because you're tired? How can I let go?! Show me how to 'let go'!"

"If I let go, you'd pull my pants down! Let! Go!"

They say better late than never. I finally remembered I asked Hong Jiu to stop Dugu. Now it made sense. I guess it just wasn't Dugu's day. I flicked Hong Jiu a wink of gratitude, but he didn't catch it. Therefore, Hong Jiu kept tugging at Dugu's sash.

I made my way over, shouting, "Second! Second! Stop! There's no money inside! That's his sash!"

Unfortunately, the sound of cotton ripping beat me to the punch.

A soft, whispering breeze, stirs my hair. Going out without pants in this weather may freeze your pair.

***

"Sorry for the holdup." I victoriously returned to the foot of Mount Wanyu. "Ahaha, I could not catch up to the big worm, and my traps did not live up to the hype, hahaha."

I get that they thought I was odd for being so jubilant despite failing to capture Gewu, but their opinion changed when they saw Hong Jiu using tiger fur for a coat and Dugu wrapped up in leaves.

I hurried over to Emperor Yuansheng and, with a palm-fist salute, reported, "Hero Li, I have retired. I have not let you down. He escaped."

"It's all right! I'm glad you're safe and sound. It's no big deal if he got away; you can just capture him down the road. Men, bring our hero a stool, a pot of boiling water and the mantou I hid thirty days ago. Treat our hero to all the luxuries of the mortal realm."

"You are too kind! To think you would let me eat first. I am at a loss for words." I dabbed my eyes with my sleeve.

Emperor Yuansheng gently patted my left shoulder. "Say less. Say less. I should do this much when you staked your life for me."

Even though everything people had to say was written on their faces, Feiyi's monarch ribbed, "A shameless one meets an old fox, how enlightening."

Chiyi's monarch pointed to us and said to his vassals, "Don't ever speak to me in such a roundabout way. Keep it to the point, especially the way you speak."

Emperor Yuansheng and Dugu communicated using eye gestures when they thought I wasn't paying attention. While Emperor Yuansheng was perplexed and trying to decipher the visual codes, Dugu looked as though he was fuming. Post-traumatic disorder is no joke.

Zhuiyue sent me a "safe" signal, so that was another burden off my shoulders.

I originally planned to have my three juniors protect the formation, lest the python invoke even more panic, and I was cognisant of how rough it'd be on them. Nonetheless, Young Shiyi offered to protect the formation, and her being her, nobody could object. For that reason, I spared some attention to monitor the situation in case I received a call for help.

When I turned my attention back to Emperor Yuansheng, he was already looking at me. He had every reason under the sun to be vigilant of me. After all, the way I came down the mountain exceeded what I should've been capable of. I was able to tell four monarchs what to do and work with their envoys. Moreover, Gegewu treated me as the last boss. I needed excuses to clear suspicion.

Unlike Gegewu, Emperor Yuansheng knew exactly what internal cultivation discipline put me in the state I used to deceive Gegewu. Even if Emperor Yuansheng didn't voice it, I was aware he was questioning me. Dugu following me was irrefutable evidence of the fact. The discipline was taboo to Emperor Yuansheng.

In a soft voice, I said, "Hero Li, please take everyone back up the mountain. We do not need to go anywhere tonight, so we should spend the night on Mount Wanyu. Today's events are wreathed in a lot of smaller events, and I shall detail them for you later. I need to see these people off first."

Emperor Yuansheng still needed to limit the number of people who knew his true identity, so he gave me a nod. Ah Neath and her vassals headed up the mountain with them in spite of them being classified as guests. From what I could tell, she had learned of his true identity. Being the money-oriented lass she was, she'd definitely try to strike up a business relationship with him.

Iron and Wood Guardians were already waiting for them on my orders, and Boss was already acquainted with them. Hence, I didn't need to accompany them to the top.