Chapter 703: Old Niu's Natural Advantage

Wang Youhong was well aware that they had to abide by the rules of Dingfengdu. He believed that everyone else in their group, except for the unruly brute, understood this as well. Therefore, his main concern was keeping that brute in check.

Unlike his past habits, Wang Youhong still instinctively sought out mortals in Dingfengdu, but he no longer dared to act with his former recklessness. This was because his actions had led to two encounters with Ji Yuan, the second of which had nearly cost him his life.

The two rendezvoused at a tavern run by mortals. The three tall, slender individuals, dressed somewhat like martial artists, brightened instantly upon seeing Wang Youhong approach, recognizing one of his common transformations. The unassuming, honest-looking man beside him was undoubtedly the ox demon, who had been personally invited into the Tianqi Alliance by several Destiny Envoys.

"Greetings, Master Hong, Master Niu!"

Before Old Niu and Wang Youhong could draw near, the three had already bowed to them in unison. Wang Youhong simply nodded without speaking much, while Old Niu, intrigued, observed the trio, then cast a look at Wang Youhong.

"Heh, this effeminate one is quite haughty. Old Niu's stomach is rumbling; is there any food and drink?"

The trio glanced cautiously at Wang Youhong, and seeing his impassive face, they quickly addressed Old Niu.

"Yes, yes, yes, the food and drinks are already set inside! Master Niu, Master Hong, please come right in!"

"Now that's better. Come on, stop dawdling; let's go inside and eat."

Old Niu strode ahead, and as he passed the trio, he directly grabbed one man's clothes, hauled him forward, and proceeded to lead everyone into the tavern.

True to the trio's word, the food and drinks were already prepared. In a corner of the main hall, two tables had been pushed together, laden with steaming dishes. Spiritual energy circulated around them, indicating their potent essence, which matched their perfect appearance, aroma, and taste.

"Oh, this isn't bad at all. Food with spiritual essence—aside from immortal fruits I've occasionally found, Old Niu has never truly tasted anything like this…"

"Heh heh heh, as long as Master Niu likes it, that's all that matters! Your humble servant knew you two were arriving and specially prepared this with great care…"

The tallest and thinnest man among them approached Old Niu, offering an ingratiating smile. Old Niu returned the smile, and then, before the man could react, made a move that caught everyone completely off guard.

Before anyone else could react, Old Niu suddenly raised his hand and delivered a powerful blow to the man beside him.

*Bang!* *Thud!*

The entire tavern vibrated slightly. The tall, slender man lay on the ground, having been hammered down by Old Niu, his upper body embedded in the floor. He was trembling and convulsing slightly, clearly injured and terrified, though not fatally so.

"Are you purposely mocking Old Niu? You know I'm an ox, yet you order so many meat dishes? Couldn't you have ordered more vegetables? You truly infuriate Old Niu! If that effeminate one hadn't said this is an immortal's domain and I should restrain myself, Old Niu would have truly wanted to crush you to death!"

This sudden outburst considerably startled Wang Youhong. He immediately grabbed Old Niu's arm, his magic power surging, to prevent the ox from further violent actions.

"Master Niu, that's quite enough! You two, hurry and order more fresh vegetables—make sure they're rich in spiritual energy! Go quickly, and help him up as well!"

The other two quickly helped the man, who was bleeding from his mouth and nose, up from the floor and hurried towards the counter.

This incident not only startled Wang Youhong and his three companions but also shocked everyone nearby, both inside and outside the tavern. Many cultivators turned their gaze towards Old Niu, whose eyes were now bloodshot, and he glared back defiantly.

"What are you staring at? I'm just teaching some youngsters a lesson; do you need to glare at me? Do you want a fight?"

"Master Niu, Master Niu, keep your temper in check, please!"

Wang Youhong was genuinely intimidated by Old Niu. While trying to appease the brute, he continuously bowed to those inside and outside the tavern, apologizing to the passing cultivators whose expressions had shifted after being offended.

"My apologies, my apologies. My friend here is a boorish countryman with a bad temper, unversed in scripture or etiquette. We will resolve any minor disagreements ourselves…"

After addressing the onlookers, Wang Youhong also made sure to speak with the tavern keeper.

"Regarding the damaged floor, I will compensate for its value shortly. Please rest assured, shopkeeper!"

Since a tavern could operate in Dingfengdu, its owner undoubtedly had ties to Moon Deer Mountain. Therefore, to be safe, Wang Youhong made sure not to overstep.

Only when the attention of onlookers finally shifted away, and the shopkeeper offered a smiling nod, did Wang Youhong finally breathe a small sigh of relief, loosening his tight grip on Old Niu's arm.

At this moment, Old Niu was uncharacteristically subdued. In Wang Youhong's estimation, it seemed the brute might have belatedly realized he had overstepped with his earlier actions.

"Uh, effeminate one, well, Old Niu was indeed a bit impulsive just now, hahahaha, but it seems to be fine."

"You, Master Niu, we are all fellow practitioners; we should respect one another. Even with your high cultivation, that was truly excessive, especially in this place…"

"Alright, alright, next time I'll hit a bit softer!"

Wang Youhong nearly swore aloud, but Old Niu had already settled into his seat nonchalantly, casting a cold glance at Wang Youhong.

*Mutual respect, my foot! If Old Niu hadn't heard from Mister Ji about your despicable tricks to save your own skin, I might actually have fallen for your deception!*

Just then, the trio returned. The tall, slender man, who had been struck by Niu Batian, had a flushed face—not from embarrassment, but from the lingering effects of a significant blow that had caused some injury.

"Ma-Master Niu, we've ordered a dozen more vegetarian dishes, including fruits and vegetables…"

"Alright, alright, Old Niu overreacted a bit just now. Please, sit down!"

Old Niu gestured for them to sit. Although the three men harbored resentment, their fear outweighed it. The alliance was filled with many eccentrics, and this one was clearly among them; provoking him would undoubtedly lead to disregard for any allied camaraderie. It was certainly wiser to be more compliant.

Niu Batian grinned, and without a word, he picked up his chopsticks and began eating the available vegetables on the table.

Old Niu was not, of course, a strict vegetarian. However, he knew their current location was far from a pure and tranquil place. His declaration of being a vegetarian served as a safeguard; it would prevent him from seeming peculiar if a "human banquet" were to be announced later and he refused to partake. And if he did eat, he would invariably feel a sense of unease when encountering Mister Ji again.

Lu Shan Jun, on this matter, lacked Old Niu's convenient excuse. Yet, Lu Shan Jun possessed a pure heart; in times of necessity, should he be compelled to act against his conscience, he could thoroughly comprehend his inner nature, leaving no lasting psychological burden.

As Old Niu ate his clear stewed cabbage, he recalled Lu Shan Jun's earlier words: "Our current predicament is akin to being submerged in a murky pond. Though we may be stained by the mire on the surface, we will emerge from the water still pure white lotus roots."

Old Niu could both perceive and understand that Lu Shan Jun's words and intentions were perfectly aligned at that moment. He couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration, acknowledging that he was inferior to the other in this specific aspect.

During the meal, seeing that Old Niu finally ceased causing trouble, Wang Youhong's taut nerves relaxed somewhat, and he began to discuss more serious matters.

"Our duration of stay in Dingfengdu is currently undecided. After a period, more individuals will gradually assemble, and then we will all proceed to Lingzhou. In the interim, we must also spend time exploring the Dingfengdu market. If we come across any 'ancient blood or ancient artifacts,' we should endeavor to acquire them. Should we encounter individuals with promising potential, we must carefully observe and evaluate them with the aim of recruiting them! Remember, the people of Moon Deer Mountain are much stricter now, so do not take anything lightly!"

"Understood, Master Hong!" "We will certainly be cautious!"

Wang Youhong's gaze shifted to Old Niu, who, resembling an honest farmer, was continuously picking up food with his chopsticks and stuffing it into his mouth. Noticing Wang Youhong's stare, Old Niu pursed his lips.

"Alright, alright, I'll focus on the mission."

"You don't need to. Simply not losing your temper would be a great help, especially when it comes to cultivators of the righteous path. Do not provoke them casually; you must remember there are always greater mountains beyond mountains, and heavens beyond heavens!"

"Alright, alright, you're always lecturing, just like an immortal cultivator…"

As he spoke, Old Niu suddenly froze. After a quick glance at the three men beside him, his gaze settled intently on Wang Youhong, making the latter feel utterly uncomfortable and even giving him goosebumps.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Tell me, effeminate one, Old Niu can't discern your true form. Or rather, could it be that you're an immortal cultivator covertly operating within our Tianqi Alliance?"

As he spoke, Old Niu adopted a rare serious demeanor, his ox eyes narrowing slightly. The three demons beside them all lowered their heads, silently picking at their food.

Wang Youhong remained expressionless, letting out a few cold sneers without offering a direct reply. Such an absurd question only confirmed the brute's abnormal way of thinking.

Old Niu didn't press the matter further. Seeing that he received no response, he immediately adopted a bored expression and began to focus on his food and drink.

Yet, in the depths of Old Niu's eyes, a cold, mocking glint flickered for a moment.

As Lu Shan Jun had previously told Old Niu, Old Niu possessed a natural advantage in feigning simple-mindedness, which was distinct from feigning stupidity and had a lower technical difficulty.

Within Dingfengdu, Huli and the other foxes wandered aimlessly, bewildered. Whenever they encountered someone who appeared approachable, they would gather their courage to inquire about Lanzhou in the Western Regions and the Jade Fox Cave Heaven. Unfortunately, very few seemed to have any knowledge.

Just then, Wang Youhong, Old Niu, and their companions emerged from the tavern, having finished their meal. On their table, all the vegetarian dishes had been consumed, while the meat dishes remained untouched.

This was an unintended consequence of Old Niu's presence; even Wang Youhong hadn't touched the meat dishes. It wasn't that they genuinely preferred "eating grass," but rather they were somewhat intimidated by the simple-minded ox and decided to "eat grass" in front of him as well.

"Sirs, do any of you know about the Jade Fox Cave Heaven in Lanzhou, within the Western Regions? If we wish to go there, which way should we take?"

By coincidence, Huli stumbled upon Old Niu and his group, and thus directly asked the seemingly honest Old Niu for directions.

To Huli, this felt like a stroke of providence. After wandering for a while, he had naturally found this spot and encountered this farmer, who appeared both honest and approachable.

"The Jade Fox Cave Heaven?"

Old Niu glanced at Wang Youhong, who immediately interjected.

"Why are you asking about the Jade Fox Cave Heaven? And why are you asking us?"

"Uh, well… we just, we just want to visit, to see it. Everyone here has such a terrifying aura, but this elder brother looks so honest and kind, we thought he'd be easy to talk to, so we wanted to ask him."

Huli's words left Wang Youhong and the three other demons speechless. That brute, honest and easy to talk to?

"For such matters, you'd be better off inquiring with the relevant officials of Dingfengdu at Moon Deer Mountain. Just go into the hall over there and ask."

"But… there are so many restrictions and talismans there. We… we don't dare approach."

Indeed, they were inexperienced fox demons. However, their demonic aura was remarkably pure and clear, which explained why so many cultivators nearby harbored no excessive ill will towards them. Wang Youhong thought this, his eyes narrowing in a smile.

"Go ahead; they won't harm you. For little fox demons like yourselves, even the boat fare might be waived."

"Huh? How… how did you know we're fox demons?"

Huli gasped in astonishment, and the fourteen foxes around him all blanched, retreating a few steps to huddle together.

"Hahahahaha…"

"Heh heh heh heh…" "These little ones, hahahaha…"

"How amusing, how amusing, hahaha…"

It wasn't just Old Niu and Wang Youhong; even passing cultivators couldn't help but burst into laughter at the foxes' startled and innocent reactions. This unwittingly earned the foxes a considerable amount of natural goodwill.