Seeing this fellow actually dare to give advice on this matter, Tian Yu scoffed and said, “Oh? A clumsy method? Do you have a method that is not laughable?”
Long Xingyun replied directly, “Did you not suspect that the third-place scholar knows the secret here? Just make him speak. Why abandon a clever approach for a clumsy one?”
Thinking he might have a good idea, Tian Yu said dismissively, “Do I need you to remind me of that?”
The implication was obvious. They had already tried it long ago.
Long Xingyun immediately asked, “How did it go?”
Tian Yu replied, “Is it not obvious?”
Long Xingyun knew full well what was happening. He had already heard about certain things, but he put on an act and said, “So you are just going to let him be like this? Can none of the three major forces pry his mouth open?”
Tian Yu said, “What are you yapping about? Is it your turn to yap here? Go away and stay out of it.”
“Third Uncle,” Long Xingyun quickly pleaded for mercy. He had tried to put on airs but could not keep up the act, so he had to lay it out directly. “I have a method that might make him speak.”
Tian Yu was already impatient with him. He only tolerated him because of a certain connection, otherwise he would have told him to get lost long ago. What was this good-for-nothing doing giving orders here? “Spit it out quickly.”
Long Xingyun put on a shameless smile and said, “Third Uncle, I heard that you cannot be sure whether he really knows or not. Besides, you swore an oath earlier to keep him safe, so you cannot forcefully pry his mouth open. Is that correct?”
Tian Yu glanced at him sideways and said, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Long Xingyun nodded and bowed with a fawning smile. “Third Uncle, if my method works, you must give me a chance to serve the Great Saint. Otherwise, everyone will keep gossiping behind my back.”
Tian Yu said, “Stop making empty promises here. Are you going to say it or not? If not, get out.”
Long Xingyun stared at him blankly for a moment, suddenly blinked, then turned around and swept his sleeves away on the spot, acting as if he truly intended to leave.
“…” Tian Yu was speechless.
The group of subordinates who had just been discussing matters with him also looked at each other in bewilderment.
“Stop!” Tian Yu suddenly called out. Addressing the retreating figure, he said, “Say it first. If it is truly a feasible method, I will naturally give you a chance to serve the Great Saint.”
Long Xingyun immediately turned around and hurried back, wearing a playful smile. “Does Third Uncle keep his word?”
Tian Yu’s face darkened.
Long Xingyun quickly put on a pleading face. “I will say it, I will say it. Third Uncle is naturally a man of his word.” After speaking, he raised his hand and pointed towards the heavy rain outside the cave.
Everyone turned their heads to look, somewhat confused. Tian Yu also frowned, not understanding.
Long Xingyun then explained, “The water outside cannot be drunk. Those without sufficient cultivation lack the ability to extract clean moisture from the air. That third-place scholar seems to only be at the Upper Martial Realm, does he not? Third Uncle, look. If he runs out of drinking water and accidentally loses his food, he will have nowhere to find food or water in this world.
In this situation, we could simply grant him his freedom. With his cultivation, going without food for a month might be fine, but going without water for a month would be very difficult.
If thirst does not break them in a month, try two. If hunger does not break them in two months, try three. Anyway, the Little Cloud Realm is so vast, and we will likely be searching around for a long time.
Third Uncle, with their cultivation, they cannot endure it for long. This hunger and thirst is more terrifying than torture. Have you ever seen starving refugees? For a bite of food or a sip of water, they will guarantee to honestly spill everything they know. We would not be forcing him. He would come running to us honestly and beg to tell us.
During this time, we can continue with the clumsy methods. If he really does not know, it will not delay our plans. Third Uncle, walking on two legs is steadier than walking on one. Of course, we should also secretly send people to follow and watch them. If they head straight for the treasure location, we can discover it in time. Only by giving them a chance will they possibly make a move.”
Tian Yu’s eyes flickered repeatedly. His look towards this eldest nephew held a touch of surprise. He had always thought this fellow would only rely on the glory of the older generation to bully men and women or throw his weight around in his lifetime. He never expected him to have some ideas in his head. He had indeed underestimated him.
The few subordinates beside him also looked at Long Xingyun with clear astonishment.
Long Xingyun thoroughly enjoyed this feeling. He subconsciously straightened his chest, snapped open his folding fan again, and gently waved it for a while before asking, “Third Uncle, what do you think of my method?”
Tian Yu hummed in agreement. “Alright, I understand. You may go back for now.”
Long Xingyun said, “Then I…”
Tian Yu interrupted, “I said I understand. Did you not hear me?”
Long Xingyun was speechless and could only obediently head back.
Liu Piaopiao, sitting nearby, was filled with doubt and unease.
Tian Yu had recently taken a favourable view of her and had already ordered her to serve by his side.
Serving by Tian Yu’s side did not mean she held a high rank or position. It merely meant he found her reliable. Even if used as a messenger, she would be one who knew her limits and could handle tasks reassuringly. Naturally, it also meant more opportunities.
To a certain extent, it meant Tian Yu had already given her an opportunity.
Hearing this conspiracy, Liu Piaopiao was not actually worried about whether Yu Qing and the other two had food or water. She knew the miasma in the Little Cloud Realm was completely useless against those three. What did it mean that water could not be drunk or food could not be eaten? It did not exist.
What worried her was the person who came up with this terrible idea. Long Xingyun was clearly allied with Qin Jue. She knew something about the grudge between Qin Jue and Yu Qing. She wondered if there was some hidden scheme within it, and whether it would bring harm to Yu Qing and the others.
After a moment of silence, Tian Yu sent a subordinate to invite Meng Po and Xiang Lanxuan.
The subordinate went and soon brought the two of them one after another.
The leaders of the three factions all walked to the cave entrance and gathered to whisper among themselves…
Liu Piaopiao eventually appeared before Yu Qing.
The three sworn brothers, sitting cross-legged, all looked up at her, somewhat stunned. They did not understand what this woman meant by walking up to them in public. Was she not afraid of raising suspicion?
Liu Piaopiao casually tossed the stone she had been playing with onto Yu Qing’s face. “What are you looking at? We let you escape from Jianyuan Mountain last time, but do not think you will escape again. I will watch you like a hawk.” With a cold snort, she turned and left with her hands behind her back.
Yu Qing was speechless. Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie exchanged a glance.
At the intersection inside the cave, the personnel from the three factions watching the three of them merely observed and did not react.
After a while, taking advantage of no one watching, Yu Qing reached out and picked up the stone Liu Piaopiao had thrown at his face. He secretly closed his palm around it, circulated a bit of energy to probe it, and discovered it was exactly as he suspected. When the stone had hit his face earlier, he had already felt it seemed hollow.
He squeezed it in his palm, and the stone cracked. A small, tightly rolled paper ball rolled into his hand.
He slowly unfolded the paper ball in his palm, took the opportunity to secretly glance at it from time to time, and after fully understanding its contents, silently ground the paper into powder.
This seemingly idle and casual action did not even raise suspicion from Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie, who were meditating beside him.
Yu Qing began to carefully observe his surroundings. He had not expected Liu Piaopiao to provide useful intelligence to them so quickly, and it even contained the conversation between Long Xingyun and Tian Yu. He somewhat suspected whether Liu Piaopiao had been set up.
He picked up the stone, which had split into two pieces, and secretly used energy to destroy it in his palm…
The rain stopped and the sky grew dark. The three groups did not move in the dark, so they simply stayed put and waited for dawn.
When dawn broke, everyone gradually exited the cave. The three groups began assigning new tasks. They were to move out, abandon this mountain, and search elsewhere.
Yu Qing, who had been on guard all night, finally felt somewhat relieved. He estimated that Liu Piaopiao had probably not been exposed. However, this meant he now had to worry about the intelligence she had provided.
Sure enough, his worries were not over. Tian Yu had already pointed at the three sworn brothers and asked, “What are the three of you planning to do?”
Yu Qing replied, “Where would we have the right to make plans?”
Xiang Lanxuan giggled. “Alright, we keep our word and will not trouble you further. We are about to rush around searching, so we will not bring you three burdens along. Go your own way. We will meet again when the exit opens. Remember, our princess is waiting for you!”
Meng Po added, “You are not our people after all. We cannot keep you by our side and guarantee your safety for life. If you cannot take care of yourselves and something happens, do not blame us. Take care.”
The three sworn brothers looked completely bewildered. Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie were truly stunned.
With a wave of their hands from the three leaders, the three groups of people leapt down the mountain and swiftly departed.
Apart from the three sworn brothers, everyone else brought into the Little Cloud Realm by the three major forces were Xuan-grade cultivators. Even if the three brothers wanted to chase, they could not catch up. Liu Piaopiao’s red figure also gradually faded into the distance with the crowd.
Watching them leave, Mu Aotie spoke first. “What is going on?”
Nan Zhu suddenly clapped his hands. “This is a good thing! Now we…” Before he could finish, he licked his lips, winked at his two junior brothers, and gave an unspoken hint.
“You are overthinking it. Do not speak nonsense,” Yu Qing said quietly, pouring cold water on the idea. He glanced coldly around them. According to Liu Piaopiao’s intelligence, there were definitely people secretly watching them nearby.
This was not even the most dangerous part. They were not afraid of the miasma. His worry was the same as Liu Piaopiao’s. Long Xingyun and Qin Jue were allies.
The two senior brothers sensed something was wrong. Nan Zhu asked, “What is it?”
Yu Qing beckoned them, signalling them to lean in, and explained how Liu Piaopiao had passed the message the previous day.
The two senior brothers immediately grew doubtful and uneasy, and also began secretly observing their surroundings.
“Let us go. Follow the direction the three groups took,” Yu Qing said with a wave of his hand and started moving.
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie followed immediately. They both understood what the fifteenth brother meant. If someone really wanted to draw the three groups away to secretly attack them, then following those groups would actually be the safest option.
Otherwise, with their cultivation, facing anyone in this Little Cloud Realm would be hopeless. They would only end up slaughtered.
Even though the three groups also harboured ill intentions, they still had to follow them.
However, reality was cruel. The three groups had already intended to shake them off. They simply could not catch up. By the time they realised and started chasing, they no longer knew where the three groups had gone.
They climbed to the mountain peak and looked around, but saw only rolling peaks and no human figures.
“Eat. Eat as much as you can,” Yu Qing said.
At his command, he unbuckled the large pack on his back and took out rations and water skins.
The two senior brothers did the same. The three sworn brothers began stuffing food into their stomachs.
Someone would not let them have their wish.
Sounds of fighting suddenly erupted nearby. Dozens of people suddenly appeared. They were members of the three groups, clearly fighting over something. In the blink of an eye, the clash reached right in front of them.
After the group fought and moved on, the three sworn brothers could only stare in blank frustration. Swords and blades have no eyes, and their belongings were accidentally destroyed. Their food and drink were gone, and the perpetrators had fled, leaving them with nowhere to complain.