Chapter 4522 — An Unreasonable Demand

"Ah? N-no, I wouldn't dare... every word I've spoken is the truth..." Long Kuiba was startled on the spot. In his eagerness to borrow another's blade to do his killing, he had forgotten that the Xishan Old Sect was a man grown cunning with age—a petty scheme so crude as this could never be hidden from him.

"The truth? Is Qi Mingyuan a fool, such an idiot as to come courting trouble with this sect of his own accord?" The Xishan Old Sect eyed Long Kuiba askance and said contemptuously, "This sect bears no grudge against his Qingtian Escort Agency. To kill these people out of hand—do you take this sect's days for too easy, that you wish to draw the great heads of those famed orthodox sects down upon this sect's head?"

"Th-this... Senior, calm yourself. It was this junior's careless thinking." Long Kuiba dared not talk back to the Xishan Old Sect and could only honestly admit his fault—though inwardly he kept up a silent litany of curses: and this was supposed to be a mighty devil-cultivator titan of the Mountain-Opening stage? He didn't even dare wipe out a single Qingtian Escort Agency, so timid he was—if word of this got out, wouldn't people laugh their teeth loose?

"A cautious ship sails ten thousand years. This sect is a name on the rolls of every orthodox power on Cloud Terrace Island. Every move and every step must be taken with redoubled care—once a handle is found on this sect, the consequences are unthinkable." The Xishan Old Sect spoke in a low voice.

Having reached his level of strength, he had long since passed the stage of reckless swagger. The tall tree catches the wind: back in the Western Mountains he could act without restraint, but now that he had left the Western Mountains—even here in the lawless South Continent seas—he too must keep a low profile. After all, the saying that orthodoxy and heterodoxy cannot stand together was no mere idle talk.

Killing was unavoidable, but it must be done under a righteous name. The Xishan Old Sect's pursuit and killing of Wei Zhao was vengeance for his two disciples—a matter of natural justice. No one would find anything amiss in it; even the famed orthodox sects could not pick a fault.

But a wrong has its head and a debt its master. If the Xishan Old Sect were to slaughter the innocent and, beyond Wei Zhao himself, wipe out the whole of the Qingtian Escort Agency along with him, then the nature of the thing would be altogether different.

Even if he was a devil-cultivator titan of the Mountain-Opening stage and seemed an invincible presence, one must not forget that the famed orthodox sects had Mountain-Opening titans of their own—even if the South Continent seas had none locally, other places always would.

What was more, the Qingtian Escort Agency was now the acknowledged leader of the orthodox path throughout the South Continent seas. Should the Xishan Old Sect dare to destroy it, that would be tantamount to declaring challenge to the entire orthodox path of Cloud Terrace Island. When that day truly came, it might well be another "Six Great Sects Besiege Light Summit."

How could the crafty old Xishan Old Sect possibly do such a foolish thing as to invite trouble on himself? Not to mention that there was no grudge between the Qingtian Escort Agency and himself—even if there truly had been old scores, given the other's present standing he would not dare to rashly raise his hand.

"Yes, yes—Senior is indeed farsighted. Compared with you, this junior is still far too childish and impulsive." Long Kuiba could only smile obsequiously and curry favor, then, hope kindling in his heart, he probed, "Senior surely has no other business this time, I trust. You must stay a good while at our agency, and let this junior and the other juniors have the chance to show our filial devotion."

"Very well. Since it has already been said, this sect may as well hold the fort at your Dragon Boat Escort Agency for a time." The Xishan Old Sect nodded. This had been his meaning in coming all along—otherwise he would not have come.

"Many thanks, Senior!" Long Kuiba was overjoyed on the spot, and the stone in his heart finally dropped. He hastened to order, "Well, what are you waiting for? Go prepare a room for the Senior—and mind you, it must be the very best. If there is the slightest negligence in this, this chief escort will skin you alive!"

"Yes!" The others hurried to obey. This was preparing a room for a devil-cultivator titan of the Mountain-Opening stage—lend them a hundred guts and they would not dare slack in the least.

"There is one thing to be said first. This sect has agreed to hold the fort here for you, but not for nothing." The Xishan Old Sect suddenly spoke: "This sect's cultivation requires the dual cultivation of women at the Nascent Soul stage. So you must find some Nascent Soul stage women for this sect and bring them here—that is the minimum condition."

"Hah? Nascent Soul stage women? Where am I supposed to find those?" Long Kuiba was dumbstruck on the spot. Among cultivators, women were few to begin with, and the higher the grade, the rarer they were seen; and the great majority were concentrated on the Western Island. Here in the notoriously chaotic South Continent seas, one might go a whole year without seeing even a few Golden Core stage women, let alone any Nascent Soul stage ones.

"Hmph. If they were so easy to find, would this sect still need you?" The Xishan Old Sect glanced at Long Kuiba and curled his lip: "Do you think you can truly do nothing at all and have this sect hold the fort at your Dragon Boat Escort Agency for free? Where in this world is there such a bargain to be picked up for nothing? You are a chief escort after all—you are not so childish and naive as that, surely?"

"Uh... what Senior says is right. This junior will surely do his utmost and not disappoint you, Senior." Long Kuiba was on the verge of tears. Nascent Soul stage women—where was he supposed to find them? Was he to travel ten thousand li to the Western Island and snatch people?

Even if he truly had the gall of a leopard and dared go to the Western Island, he still could not take a Nascent Soul stage woman alive. After all, he himself was only a Nascent Soul stage expert—if he were lucky enough to meet one, it was not even certain he could beat her, let alone take her alive! What nonsense.

But now that matters had come to this pass, how could Long Kuiba dare utter half a word of refusal? He had gone to such trouble hoping the Xishan Old Sect would hold the fort at his agency, and now that the moment had come, to say no—would that not be making a fool of the Xishan Old Sect? How many lives did Long Kuiba have, that he would dare make a fool of a devil-cultivator titan of the Mountain-Opening stage?

"Then this sect shall await your good news." Only then did the Xishan Old Sect smile in satisfaction. If Nascent Soul stage women could truly be found, with his strength they would of course be his for the taking—but the tall tree catches the wind, and he had too many scruples. Letting Long Kuiba act on his behalf to gather them would make the risk far smaller; and should trouble arise then, Long Kuiba could be made to carry the blame.

Poor Long Kuiba knew nothing of this. In truth, even had he guessed the Xishan Old Sect's sinister design, he would have had no other choice. Having decided to cooperate with a devil-cultivator titan of the Mountain-Opening stage like the Xishan Old Sect, then while gaining enormous benefits, he was destined to pay a corresponding price—and carrying the blame was only one of them.

While Long Kuiba waited on the Xishan Old Sect with every possible flattery, and at his orders, the news that the Xishan Old Sect was holding the fort at the Dragon Boat Escort Agency spread like wildfire, and soon filled the streets and alleys. Within a mere half shichen, all of Weihu City knew of it.