Chapter 438: Entering Bright Jade City
Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT, Rock
Ling Tian let out a sigh and said, "We better not place our hopes in that item. Since you have already consumed a spiritual herb and had a large improvement in your cultivation, this Great Cyclic Pellet is a useless item to you and there isn't a need for you to think about it."
Li Xue responded with an 'Mmm' as she tied a final knot on Ling Tian's bandages, "All done!"
Ling Tian looked at his own body and almost burst out laughing. With his attention being distracted by his conversation with Li Xue, he never noticed that his wounds were fully bandaged already. However, the way it was bandaged was just too…
Ling Tian let out a bitter laughter as he looked at Li Xue, "Li Xue, the Dragon Boat Festival is over already and you haven't had enough dumplings?"
As Li Xue scanned Ling Tian's current appearance, she couldn't help but burst out into laughter at the uncanny resemblance Ling Tian had to a dumpling!
Seeing Ling Tian's depressed look, Li Xue chuckled and kissed Ling Tian on the cheek as she consoled, "Alright, alright, even if I haven't had enough dumplings, I wouldn't swallow young noble Ling. Be good, don't be angry. Hehe…"
Bright Jade City.
After Yu ManTang and Yu ManTian had bid farewell to their brother, they took a hundred-plus followers out from the western gate!
Along the way, Yu ManTang was obviously extremely troubled and even the usually boorish and optimistic Yu ManTian was silent and depressed.
"Big brother has really changed a lot recently." Yu ManTang looked at the red clouds on the horizon and let out a sigh, "He has changed to the point I can no longer recognize him. Is he still our big brother, Yu ManLou?!"
"Huh?" Yu ManTian asked in confusion, "Second brother, what nonsense are you spouting? Do you think that big brother is actually someone else in disguise? How can that be possible? How can there be such an amazing face changing technique in the world? While big brother has made many vexing decisions recently, he is still big brother!"
"You! You are truly clueless about everything! I am obviously not talking about someone disguising himself as big brother but how he has become overly ambitious and impatient recently. If it was in the past, it wouldn't be of any concern to me. But now, this may not be a good thing for our Yu Family." Yu ManTang glared at Yu ManTian as he thought to himself, Talking to this fellow is no different from a chicken talking to a duck. I wonder if I will go crazy from anger in this trip!
"I don't really think so. As that fellow grows older, his temper has become much better. He is much better towards you because you both like to scheme against others. In the past, it has always been both of you scheming against others together. If not for BingYan being involved this round, you would probably be on his side also!" Yu ManTian pursed his lips in dissatisfaction, "Towards me, I think he only knows how to beat me up! However, this daddy here can't fight back!"
"Who are you calling this daddy? You dare to call yourself daddy when talking to your second brother?!" Yu ManTang flew into a rage. However, because he understood his third brother's character and didn't know how to reprimand Yu ManTian, he could only let things slide, "Third brother, when are you going to change the way you speak? Big brother has scolded you about it countless of times already and you now dare to call yourself daddy in front of me? Do you believe that I will send you back right now? Isn't your daddy the same as my daddy?"
Yu ManTian chuckled with a 'what can you do to me' expression. But the next moment, he also let out a long sigh.
This fellow also knows how to sigh? Yu ManTang looked at his third brother curiously. Ever since his third brother was born, Yu ManTang had almost never seen him sighing before. Just what had happened to his third brother today? Even this boorish fellow knows how to feel depressed?
Seeing his second brother's doubtful gaze, Yu ManTian urged his horse to move up faster but didn't say another word. In the past few days, he had been thinking of the six little brothers of his in Sky Bearing. Those days were truly wonderful… However, could they be the assassins of the First Pavilion? Their swordplay was truly made for killing. Especially that Ling Jian, capable of killing an individual without blinking his eyes!
If those few brats are the assassins of the First Pavilion, just what should I do? Should I tell big brother about it? If I tell him, big brother will definitely kill them without a second word. He would rather kill the wrong person than risk letting the culprit go! However, what if they weren't from the First Pavilion? Wouldn't I be harming them? What good seedlings… Without them around, who would spar with me in future?
Thus, Third Master Yu had been feeling extremely troubled for the past few days. While one of the reasons for him to volunteer to go to the Lei Family was to protect his second brother, it was also a way for him to escape from his frustrations. At the very least, it was better than him acting like a thief with a guilty conscience.
With regards to the matter between the Ling and Yu Family, Third Master Yu felt that whether from the perspective of morals or reason, his family was the one in the wrong. However, he was trapped in the middle and felt extremely miserable about it. He definitely couldn't face his conscience if he were to help his own family and it would be impossible for him to help the Ling Family. If he chose not to help either party, he also felt extremely horrible. Thus, he decided to escape from everything for a period of time!
With big brother's martial arts, as long as he doesn't meet that Martial Order Medallion owner, he will definitely be fine. With Ling Tian's martial arts, he would definitely be able to make it out alive. Just let them do whatever they want! Third Master Yu thought to himself.
If Yu ManLou knew of his third brother's thoughts, he would definitely regret sending Yu ManTian away at such a critical moment. If there was someone in the world who would be able to make a full retreat from the elites of the First Pavilion, it would definitely be Third Master Yu! Furthermore, Third Master Yu was also the only person who could expose the relationship Ling Tian had with the First Pavilion!
Was this the so-called, 'a thousand considerations by a foolish individual would definitely hit the spot somewhere'?!
"... when the Lei Family wanted to enter Heavenly Star back then, they were stopped by our Yu Family. The Lei Family Head, Lei ZhenTian personally came to negotiate the matter with big brother but both you and I were not present. After that, the Lei Family retreated for some reason and never mentioned the matter of entering Heavenly Star again. However, the strength of the Lei Family was already not to be underestimated back then and after developing over the past few years, who knows how well developed they are now. Furthermore, they have close ties with the Moon Deity Empire and can be said to be a single entity. For us to invite their entry this time and being on the passive side, I really don't know if this is a blessing or misfortune…"
"Who cares about that?" With his attention being shifted, Yu ManTian returned to his usual boorish self, "If they dare to act unbridled, we just have to beat them back again!"
"Idiot! Our Yu Family blocked them from entering back then and has already lost a great deal of face by inviting them in now! At that time, do you expect us to chase them out again?" Yu ManTang felt his blood boiling. "Furthermore, the present situation is extremely odd. With so many things happening in our family currently, why would big brother want to send the both of us out? If it was only for this matter, I wouldn't believe it for sure!"
Yu ManTian held onto the reins with a single hand as his head drooped down sleepily.
"I think big brother's arrangement is to avoid us, so he can deal with Ling Tian without any obstructions." Yu ManTang let out a long sigh with his brows furrowed, "We can only hope for that child to have good fortune and deal with the matter himself. Even if we stay behind, we wouldn't be able to change anything and would be stuck in a dilemma. Big brother's actions can also be considered kind."
After letting out a self-depreciating chuckle, he looked towards Yu ManTian.
A loud roar sounded.
"Yu ManTian! You b*st*rd! This daddy is talking to you, and you dare to doze off!"
"Ah… who hit this daddy? Ah…" Amid Yu ManTian's goans, two horses sped up suddenly and a loud roar could be heard, "You little brat had better not run away! When I catch up to you, I will beat you to death! You darn b*st*rd!"
At a position not too far away, a male and female were hidden in the bushes, witnessing the troops gradually leaving their sights. The white-dressed male then muttered, "Strange, with the storms stirring in the Yu Family, why would Yu ManLou send both of his brothers out? If he was afraid that Yu ManTian would ruin his affairs, that would still be an acceptable explanation. However, that Yu ManTang is a wise individual and can be considered as one of the few strategists in the continent currently. Why would Yu ManLou send him out at such a time and further thin out the strength of his Yu Family? Could it be that Yu ManLou has something else to rely on? Could it be that he has other trump cards?"
By his side, the blue-dressed lady twitched her lips, "Why bother thinking so much about it? You just need to go in and ask. Furthermore, this can be considered something good for you, right?"
The white-dressed man nodded and a smile surfaced on his lips, "Li Xue, we are about to enter Bright Jade City and we definitely can't enter with our original appearance. What should we do? Do you want to dress up as my maid or study attendant?"
"Why are both of my character choices your servant?" Li Xue snorted, "Aren't you a little too good at taking advantage of me? I won't choose either one."
"Then how do you want to go in?" the white-dressed man was naturally Ling Tian. With their speed, they had arrived at Bright Jade City in a short half a day. After a night of rest, they were brimming with energy, and Ling Tian had finally tidied up his meridians up to the ninth stage with the correct Divine Shocking Dragon Formula.
"How do I want to go in?" Li Xue thought for a moment before giggling, "Why don't you dress up as my maid?! With your elegant appearance and fair skin, I would definitely take pity on you! If not we can dress up as a husband and wife pair and sneak into the city. Wouldn't our disguise be even more perfect? There definitely isn't a better idea than these two! You can choose one of them!"
"Cough cough cough…" Ling Tian began coughing incessantly…
Chapter 439: Getting Ready for Action
Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT, Rock
It was a deserted hut.
A black-dressed Ling Jian held onto a small slip of paper in his hands and had a bitter smile on his face. "Lass Chen really knows me so well. She knows what I am afraid of the most. However… even if this is the case, I will…"
Ling Feng and Ling Yun gathered closer to take a look at the note and after reading it, Ling Feng persuaded, "Brother Jian, I know what your plans are but I think that you should think through it carefully. The Yu Family can't be compared to the interior of an imperial palace, and even the security of Beyond Heavens probably can't be compared to the Yu Family! Since sister Chen gave you such a condition, she obviously doesn't want you to take the risk. If you were to insist on going, I'm afraid…"
"No! It is the opposite." Ling Jian shook his head confidently, "If she doesn't want me to go, the message in my hands would be for my swift return. Chen'er also can't make up her mind right now. She doesn't want anything to happen to me but isn't willing to give up such a good opportunity. Thus, she would give me such a condition. On one hand, she is giving me approval but on the other hand, giving me pressure and asking me to be careful."
Ling Jian's gaze then swept past Ling Feng and he said with a smile, "All of you can also tell but purposefully misinterpreted her meaning right?"
"Besides, things have already developed to a critical stage. If we can't be decisive at such a moment, we will only suffer in the future. The Yu Family has continuously revealed an unknown source of strength and no one knows how much more strength they have hidden. While it doesn't matter now, the battle will definitely begin when young noble returns. At that time, we will be stationed by his side and will no longer be able to bother about these things. However, these hidden strengths of the Yu Family will be a destructive force towards our Ling Family and will definitely be a wild card. We can't afford such a loss!"
Ling Jian said with a solemn expression, "Young noble always says that we have to look at everything with a pair of strategic eyes and look towards our final goal. Every single step we take is for our final victory! The hidden strength of the Yu Family will definitely be a hindrance to our plans, and we won't be able to sleep peacefully if we don't get to the bottom of this! Furthermore, Ye BaiFei was able to retreat fully after attempting to assassinate Yu ManLou, and my present martial arts are far superior to Ye BaiFei's! Nothing will happen to me for sure! Even the thousand-year-old Yu Family may not be able to keep me from leaving!"
"If that's the case, brother Jian must be careful. This little brother will not say anything else." Knowing that it was impossible for him to persuade Ling Jian, Ling Feng let out a sigh and left.
"So what if it is the Yu Family. Even if I have to enter the dragon's nest or tiger's lair, would I, Ling Jian, be trapped?" Ling Jian let out a chilly smile, "If I don't go, do I expect young noble to take action personally? Is young noble feeding us for nothing?"
"At night, the six of us will be your lookout, and we must fully investigate the Yu Family! We just don't have to tell sister Chen!" Ling Yun proclaimed. As Ling Yun said that, the five others brimmed with battle intent as they looked at Ling Jian.
"Definitely not!" Ling Jian rejected, "Lass Chen had said clearly that none of you are to go! Are all of you going to defy her orders? Do you know why she would give such an order?" Ling Jian's cold gaze swept past the six of them, "It is because all of you are still unable to aid me! Even if the Yu Family can't keep me from leaving, the Yu Family may be able to keep the rest of you! You have to remember, when young noble isn't around, Lass Chen's words are equivalent to young noble's words! I don't want to hear any of you defying her orders! I don't want such a thing to happen again!"
The six of them lowered their heads in guilt. Especially Ling Yun, whose face turned completely pale and whose clothes were drenched in sweat.
"Talking about laying an ambush and assassinations, all of you are undoubtedly top-notch experts! In the field of assassinations, young noble has personally mentored all of you, and all of you are definitely far superior to the assassins in the continent. If the six of you were to catch Yu ManLou off guard, it wouldn't be impossible to assassinate him!" Ling Jian said coldly, "However, when we talk about an upfront battle, the six of you are still greatly lacking! It would be an achievement if the six of you can even beat Yu ManTian. There are far too many capable individuals in the world, and after we return to the Courtyard, all of you will be receiving special training!"
The six of them lowered their heads and didn't dare to say anything.
Ling Jian then turned around and said in a low voice, "I will enter the Yu Family at midnight tonight! If I don't return in two hours, all of you are to leave immediately and return to Sky Bearing! You must not delay for even a moment! There isn't a need to bother about my life or death!"
"Brother Jian!" The six of them lifted their heads up with their eyes turning red!
"My mind is set. There isn't a need for words!" Ling Jian hollered, "Did all of you hear what I said?! Are all of you going to defy orders again?!"
The six of their eyes were reddened and fixed on Ling Jian but none of them said a word.
Ling Jian said coldly, "If I don't return, this will be my final order. Are all of you going to defy it?!"
Ling Feng took a step forward and said in a hoarse voice, "Rest assured brother Jian, us brothers will definitely obey your orders. Brother Jian is blessed by the heavens and will definitely return victorious!"
"Blessed by the heavens?" Ling Jian said with an odd smile, "Ever since I was nine, my hands were stained with blood. I became the Pavilion Head of the First Pavilion and held the lives of others in my hands for a full six years! In the past six years, more than a thousand individuals have died under my sword! Young noble had once said, 'killing one is a crime, killing ten thousand is a hero and killing a million makes one a hero amongst heroes'! I have lived my life according to that code and I have no regrets!"
Ling Jian let out a maniacal laugh and his black figure disappeared from the hut leaving a sentence behind, "If any of you dare to follow me secretly, I will kill you personally! I will not permit my subordinates to defy my orders!"
As the sky was about to turn dark, a man and woman walked into Bright Jade City. Their ages weren't too old but upon close inspection, they looked extremely mature as though they had been through lots of hardships. Especially the young man, his skin tone was extremely dark as though it was a piece of charcoal. On top of that, his appearance was a sight too ugly to witness, with a pair of triangular eyes and his messy hair drooping down covering half his face.
From head to toe, the only slightly more pleasant thing about this young man would probably be his figure.
The figure of the woman wasn't too bad. If one were to look at her from the back, he would definitely have the urge to commit a crime. But if one were to look at her from the front, he would probably have the need to defend himself. Apart from her tan skin tone, her face was yellowish and skinny as though she had been deprived of a good meal for a few years. Furthermore, her face was covered with pimples with pus oozing out from some of them. Both the man and woman were dressed in ordinary coarse cloth which had been washed repeatedly to the point that it was turning white. In some places, there were even patches of cloth stitched on to mend their clothes.
A pair of poor broke people! A pair of poor broke people without a single cent on them! The guards by the city gates couldn't even be bothered to question them as they let out a sneer and quickly waved them in, lest the two individuals stay at the city gates for too long and smear them with bad luck. They didn't even have the mood to search these two individuals and elicit bribes. After all, could a pair of poor people like the two of them possibly produce anything of value?
By the side, a few purple-dressed characters studied the two of them carefully. While the purple-dressed characters didn't find anything wrong about them, they could vaguely feel that something was amiss. They could feel a strong sense of danger... Could they be enemies?!
The man and woman walked into the city under the gazes of everyone as they chatted merrily with each other.
"Big brother, this city is huge! It's so beautiful! There are so many people!"
"That's right. This is your first time in the city, and everything is naturally extremely fresh to you. Your big brother is someone who has seen the world before and a city like this can be considered not too bad. Little lass, you must perform well when we see uncle later. Maybe uncle can find a good family for you to marry. Like the Yu Family that everyone talks about, it definitely wouldn't be a bad choice. You should definitely consider them."
"En en en, that's right, that's right. Big brother, if I can become the young miss of the Yu Family, I will definitely make sure that you can have a fresh bowl of porridge every day."
"Hehe, it would be my fortune if that's the case. My dear sister, you have to remember that I want two bowls of porridge at that time. We can also put on airs to anger that Er Gou. I can rely on my little sister's fortune to disgust all of my brothers."
....
"Cheh! The both of them have become crazy from being poor! They truly know how to dream, thinking of being the young miss of the Yu Family! With the way she looks, even if someone paid me money to take her as a maid, I wouldn't want to take her in." The guards by the city gates began cursing with disdain.
A mistake. It must definitely be a misperception. How could the both of them give me such a dangerous feeling? It seems that we are overly worried thanks to that darn Ling Tian. Why isn't he dead yet?!
By the side, the doubt in the few Yu Family's experts also disappeared as they focused their attention on the others entering the city. Very quickly, the pair of poor siblings were forgotten.
There were just far too many people in the world who had such unrealistic dreams and there wasn't a need to make a big fuss out of it.
"The Yu Family has tightened the security indeed. Thankfully we changed our appearance meticulously, otherwise we may not have been able to enter the city." The poor little sister stuck out her tongue and said mischievously.
"Since when did this young noble make a mistake?" The triangular eyes brother said proudly, "Furthermore, we have just killed sixteen assassins near Bright Jade City and even intentionally sent people back to spread the news. If Yu ManLou does not put up his guard, wouldn't he be thinking less of you?"
"You… irritating!" That little sister stomped her feet and wanted to pinch her older brother in the waist, "However, isn't your clothing a little too exaggerated? How ugly! It doesn't matter if you want to doll yourself up like a clown. Why do you have to force me to do so also?!"
"Alright, alright, you still dare to push the blame to me? How unreasonable! My appearance was all a result of your makeover, and you dare to say that I am ugly? Furthermore, since when did I force you to disguise yourself as such? You obviously performed the makeover yourself!" That older brother said helplessly, "I am innocent…"
"Hmph, who asked you to force me to become your younger sister? With such a horrendous looking brother like you, how can I as the sister be any much better?! How dare you say that you didn't force it upon me?!" That young lady kicked a pebble on the ground angrily.
Chapter 440: Deep Dark Night
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT, Rock
"What choice do you have? You didn't agree when I asked you to be my maid!" The brother wrung his hands with a face of helplessness. Seeing the sister ready to flip out once more, he immediately placated her, "Alright, alright. We only got in with much difficulty, let's first find an inn to stay. I've worked myself out the last few days and finally got back in touch with society. Tonight, I'll definitely have a good sleep! My poor old bones are already tired stiff."
A 'puchi' sound of laughter escaped from the sister's mouth as she replied, "Then just find any random inn that will take us in and allow you, this old man, to have a good rest. The moment someone advances in age, their movements are no longer as nimble. This point, you don't need to explain, I understand it completely! Let's go!"
"No rush, let's walk in front for a little longer. Not much farther in front will be the Yu Family's residence. We have to stay closer to the Yu Family, after all, we're considered relatives of some sorts, aren't we? Like this, there'll be more of a sense of security!"
"Is this sense of security only obtained after you annihilate the entire family?" The sister took a water skin out from her waist in an exaggerated fashion, and guzzled the water in a very unwomanly way as she continued walking down the street.
"Nonsense, this old man is the kind that would sweep the floor carefully for fear of harming the lives of ants and would cover the lamps for fear of burning up moths. Saving a life beats building a seven floored pagoda! Amitabha." The brother put on a benign expression as he put his palms to face each other. However, his unibrow and triangular shaped eyes completely spoiled this image, making him look disgusting!
"Pu!" The brother's face was immediately splashed with water and could only angrily use his sleeve to wipe it off.
"Cough cough cough…" The sister choked so hard on her water that she kept coughing, almost unable to breathe.
"Let's take this one." As the two of them raised their heads, they were greeted with the sight of the words 'Welcome Home Tavern' on a signboard. The siblings shared a glance and a laugh, before walking in together.
Just one street away was the vast and expansive number one aristocratic family in Heavenly Star, whose pavilions and lakes looked as though they originated from a painting, the Yu Family!
At this time, the lanterns were just being lit, and every household had a flickering light coming from their windows, giving the impression of a dreamy and illusory feel to Bright Jade City.
As the night deepened.
Ling Jian sat alone in his room, an extremely thorough and detailed map placed in front of him. Though his face remained deadpan, his eyes were burning with a bright light. This was a sort of look a crazed believer would have when he sacrificed himself for a just cause, and his gaze shifted around the map, taking in every single little detail.
The guest room, living hall, garden, backyard, martial hall followed by the Martial Pointer Pavilion, the Moon Climbing Star Picking Tower, the Elder Courtyard, the Unreturnable Pavilion, Traceless Pavilion, Colliding Heaven Pavilion, Ruler Tower, and Illusory Roaming Soul Pavilion. Even the various Jade Pavilions were not spared, clearly stated on the map. In addition, the various living quarters, along with the courtyards of the three Yu Family brothers, as well as their construction structures, was obvious in a glance.
The chilling light in Ling Jian's eyes flashed as he sat in deep thought. He could forego any sort of planning for the living hall and the guest room, but he heard that Yu ManLou typically dealt with his official matters at his private office, the Moon Climbing Star Picking Tower, and the important, secretive matters at the Martial Pointer Pavilion. These two places were definitely on Ling Jian's list of objectives. As for the rest of the Pavilions, nobody knew what they were for. Even for those inside the Yu Family, their knowledge was limited, and only the three Yu Family brothers could come into contact with the inner core. However, even the slightly dimwitted Yu ManTian wasn't too clear on the details as well, thus one could see how tightly guarded it was.
The Elder Pavilion was obvious from its name that it was the place for the elders of the Yu Family. This sort of place was not one that you could come into contact with easily. It was better to leave it alone! But what about the rest? Ling Jian was clear that while he did not understand their usage, every single pavilion definitely contained something that the Yu Family deemed important. Since they were in the same area, it could be inferred that their levels were the same. The moment he understood one of them, he would naturally understand the rough purpose for all of them.
However, the horizontal distance between these pavilions was a little wider, as well as more spaced apart from each other. Based on the two-hour mark which Ling Chen gave him, Ling Jian could only laugh bitterly. Isn't she thinking too highly of me? Even if there are no obstacles, to finish exploring all of them within two hours was not something I could pull off! The Yu Family's residence spans over 100,000 squared meters, and even if one used a carriage to trace the circumference, they would still need a whole afternoon!
Let me start from the neighboring areas first! Ling Jian made his choice. The Yu Family had made him into an undignified mess six years ago. This time, would it still be they who triumph, or the number one assassin under heavens now?
In Ling Jian's eye, an intense fire lit up!
Outside, on the quiet streets, the banging of a gong sounded, followed by a weak and hoarse voice shouting with all its might, "Winds are strong and humidity low, careful of candles and lamps..." The voice dragged on, followed by another two gongs, repeating itself as it passed into the distance.
12 a.m.!
Ling Jian slowly let out a breath, before silently standing up from his spot. He stretched out his hand, feeling the sword at his waist, before letting out a confident and cruel smile as he donned on a black mask, before pushing the door and exiting.
Standing in front of the door, Ling Jian hesitated for a while, as though he wanted to go and see his brothers for the last time. After all, if he was careless in this mission, he would leave this human realm forever! The Yu Family might not be a tiger's den or a dragon's lair, but it was far more dangerous when compared to those!
In the end, he sighed, choosing not to go. If he went over, wouldn't that mean that he wasn't confident of himself? He would definitely come back. His young noble could not do without him, Ling Jian!
The sky was cloudy tonight, without light from the stars or moon. It was the best time for a night operation! A light breeze was blowing, much like the caress of a lover.
His black robes billowed out from behind him as Ling Jian glided like a bat towards a roof with nary a sound. His slim body blended into the darkness, and only a pair of icy cold eyes could be seen, shining like stars as it indifferently took in the scene of the little courtyard, as though he had some lingering feelings.
Ling Jian finally took off, rushing towards the sky. His skinny figure flashed once in the sky, then disappeared.
After he left, the doors on the other two rooms opened, and six youths walked out in single file. The six of them were cold-blooded, heartless killers, but right now, all of them had tears in their eyes without exception, with complex expressions on their faces! Looking at the original residence where Ling Jian used to stay, all of them had eyes full of emotion, coming from the respect deep within their hearts! It was as though that ramrod straight figure of Ling Jian was still present!
Brother Jian!
You must come back alive!
These brothers are waiting for you!
...
Yu ManLou had a face as calm as a deep lake, with nary an expression. His fingers drummed against the tabletop, letting out a clear rapping sound, slowly and with a rhythm. Behind him stood two black-robed men, and under the light cast on them, their shadows seemed to blend into nihility. They seemed like they were right in front of everyone, but at the same time they seemed as though they did not exist. This sort of feeling was shocking and extremely weird!
In front of him was a burly man kneeling on the floor, his forehead dripping sweat, already forming a puddle below him.
"The Blood Slaughter Pavilion's sixteen first-class experts were all annihilated? Without a single one left alive? They could not even deal damage to Ling Tian?!" Yu ManLou's brows furrowed lightly as he murmured, as though whispering to himself, but also as though he was asking a question. The burly man had already lost himself and did not know whether he should or should not reply, and thus resorted to kowtowing on the floor.
"Besides Ling Tian, another mysterious young lass appeared? With extreme strength? Killing six of the experts just by herself, and not being injured?! And her age could be even younger than Ling Tian?!!" Yu ManLou mused. "Her attacks are full of ice and frost? As though plunging one into a winter solstice? Such a strange Yin-based martial art, to what family does this set of arts belong to?" As he spoke, he frowned again, sinking deep into thought.
"Reporting to the Family Head, in this present age, there is no family that possesses such a pure Yin-based martial skill." Behind Yu ManLou, a black-robed man finally opened his mouth to speak. "Comprehensively speaking, in the past millennium, there have not been any records of such a skill being seen, and even the self-proclaimed number one sect, the Beyond Heavens, does not have such a skill!"
"Are you sure?" Yu ManLou stood up slowly, turning his head over to ask. A cold gleam appeared in his eyes.
"Definite!"
"Is this accurate?!"
"Definitely!"
"Then you're saying that they're lying, but how do you explain these bodies?! Are those caused by these useless trash sabotaging the situation? Or are you saying, that they actually dared to lie to me?!" Yu ManLou's face grew grave at this!
"Those that you mentioned are not possible, and this subordinate also does not suspect their words. It is just that for the past millennium, there has really not even been a sighting of such a skill. Especially for someone at Ling Tian's age, to have a sixteen or seventeen-year-old lass able to use such a strong martial skill, this means that she could very well be someone whom miraculously surpasses Ling Tian in strength!" The black robed man gravely replied.
"It could indeed only be a miracle." Yu ManLou began to pace, and while his face remained impassive, his heart was a huge mess. How did such an extreme character appear beside Ling Tian? It was even similar to Ling Tian's own martial skill, crafty and strange, poles apart from all the various martial skills that he himself was familiar with.
Could it be that in this world, there was still a hidden force? Or was it some sort of ancient long-lost formula, one left by the ancestors from millennia ago? Other than these, there could be no other reason that could explain this matter!
"Since Ling Tian had the capability to annihilate all the first-class experts, and not suffer any injury, then how did you guys come back? Could it be that you're all stronger than those first-class experts, and could escape from that grim reaper without any injuries?!" Yu ManLou coldly spoke.
They were most afraid of him asking this question, but the inevitable finally happened.
With sweat pouring down his face, the person in question replied in a trembling voice, "I dare not hide it from Family Head, but at that point, this subordinate's skills were too lacking and I could not get into the battle at all. That Ling Tian… after he killed those people, he actually let us go and told… told us to convey a message to you, Family Head…"
"What message?"
Chapter 441: Cautious and Solemn
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT, Rock
"He… he… he said, that if Family Head still has any more schemes in stock, to… to better go back to the drawing board… and put in more effort…." The guy slammed his head back on the floor, not even daring to raise it right now. He did not dare to hide the truth from the Head, yet he did not know what would happen now that he had said these things.
"Just these words? Hahaha…" Out of his expectations, Yu ManLou suddenly guffawed, and within his laughter, one could sense a sort of satisfaction from meeting a worthy opponent.
"What a good Ling Tian! You indeed lived up to my effort of treating you favorably!" Yu ManLou laughed out loud, before indifferently addressing the person behind him without even turning his head, "Go back and have a rest."
"Thank you Family Head for your grace!" The man acted as if he had received an amnesty, immediately retreating out. Where he previously kneeled on the ground was an obvious pool of water, formed by his cold sweat.
Yu ManLou only shook his head, as though his mood was suddenly all better as he dryly laughed, "Ling Tian has been pressuring his way into Bright Jade City all this way, and even killed sixteen of the best assassins from Blood Slaughter Pavilion in one go, but allowed so many of the men to come back and report. Haha, this little fellow is definitely interesting, an interesting opponent. I've never met such an interesting person in such a long time!"
To have Yu ManLou chain three 'interesting' labels to a person, this was something too rarely seen!
As for the black-robed men standing behind him, they acted as though they did not hear a single word. After following behind Yu ManLou for such a long time, they naturally knew that this was just his method of expressing his own opinion, and not looking to make conversation. However, they who understood Yu ManLou's character the most knew that he was indeed very interested in this character called Ling Tian!
"This kid Ling Tian is clearly waging war against me! And he actually has already chosen the battleground for our fight, which is Bright Jade City! Right now, he's just waiting for me to accept the challenge! Using favorable geographical and social conditions to allow the enemy to be fully prepared! What an arrogant kid! And what courage!" While his words sounded insulting, there was a hint of praise in his tone.
"To actually dare to challenge me within the Yu Family's base of operations, Bright Jade City, one must require a lot of courage to do so! At least, the Xiao and Shui Families would never dare to perform such an insane move!" Yu ManLou continued to hoot in laughter, "But Ling Tian actually dares! Not only does he dare, he has already done it! His only advantage lies in the fact that I cannot face him openly! While this time he puts it as a war challenge, it is actually more like Ling Tian giving me a demonstration of his might! Hmph hmph… he thinks to let me, Yu ManLou, suffer willingly here at Bright Jade City? Let's not talk about whether you can, in this world the people able to do so are even less than what can be counted on one hand! Do you think that you're Justice?"
"Even if it's Justice himself, he would still need to weigh his options carefully!"
Yu ManLou grinned broadly, before taking quick steps out as he spoke, "Go, go over to the Martial Pointer Pavilion. Gather all the various Pavilion and Hall Heads and tell them that I'll be discussing something important. No one is to be absent!"
"Now?"
"Yes, right away!"
Minute spasms appeared on the faces of the black-robed men as their expressions contorted slightly. It was in the middle of the night!
Ling Tian was in the end still too young and has experienced too smooth a road of success, hence making him hot-headed! Yu ManLou smiled coldly to himself. You might have avoided the pursuit of Justice temporarily, but you should have focused on hiding yourself, instead of appearing before anyone! Even if you wanted to appear, you shouldn't have provoked my Yu Family, and even worse, come running over to Bright Jade City! If you had secretly infiltrated, so long as you didn't speak, I would still be unaware, but you actually chose to rush in and openly set yourself against my Yu Family's authority! Don't blame me for killing you then!
Ling Tian, this might be the matter you will regret doing most in your entire life! Or even worse, you might not even get the chance to regret! Don't think that just because you've escaped from the grasp of Justice that you're number one under the heavens! I'll have you know that the foundation of a millennium-old family like the Yu Family is not something a grassroots family like you can uproot!
This old man here is not that Justice, who is solitary and lacks manpower. This old man here has the full authority and influence of Bright Jade City. Since you've come here, then stay here forever!
As Yu ManLou took large strides towards the Martial Pointer Pavilion, he felt the blood that had long cooled down in his body beginning to bubble and boil up again. While Ling Tian's actions might have been mad, but he, Yu ManLou, was definitely not going to slight him, or it should be that he did not dare to! Such a young opponent, but every step of his was bold and imaginative, unconstrained and untrackable, yet so clever and wonderful!
Yu ManLou had all along believed that Ling Tian was the first formidable opponent that he had faced in his entire life! Even the Shui Family with their millennium of hatred against them, or the number one financial magnate the Xiao Family, did not give Yu ManLou as much pressure as Ling Tian!
All of this was because Ling Tian was too young!
Age could also be considered a form of capital! Because age represented limitless potential! There were some matters that Yu ManLou himself, the Shui Family Head Shui LianTian, as well as the Xiao Family Head Xiao FengHan could not afford to wait for but Ling Tian had the capital to be extravagant! If one were to ask what Yu ManLou was afraid of, it would be that of Ling Tian choosing to hole up and bide his time, waiting for another decade or so. If that really happened, then Yu ManLou would probably lose his appetite and sleep in fear! As such, Ling Tian coming to Bright Jade City this time was a god-sent opportunity. He could not allow him to leave the place alive no matter what!
This could be the last chance he would have before they met on the battlefield where their armies would clash, and also the best chance he had of succeeding!
Thus, he couldn't let it go! He definitely couldn't let it pass just like that!
...
Ling Jian's skinny figure was tightly plastered on a magnolia tree within the Yu family's inner courtyard. Around him were a few more magnolia trees as well as pear trees.
This magnolia tree was not very big, with a width of one person at most, but its lush leaves were clustered together densely, making it an optimal place for a night ranger. Furthermore, the growth of its leaves was exceptionally good, with every leaf possessing a deep dark green color, wide and thick. With Ling Jian's night clothes, it seemed as though he had truly melted to become part of the tree, inseparable. Even if someone were to stand below the tree with their eyes wide open, chances were that under the lush blanket of leaves, they would not be able to see him.
In the end, Ling Jian did not adhere to the time limit of two hours. Indeed, the time limit given was in the first place insufficient for him to use. Ling Jian had set his own time limit of three hours, from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m.. Even before 12 a.m., he had already successfully infiltrated into his current location. It was just that his sneaking in this time frightened his hardened self to no end!
Just merely vaulting over the wall into the compound, he had already met four different groups of patrolling guards, crisscrossing over each other. This arrangement ensured that at every hour, in every place, that there would be people in constant surveillance!
If it was just these guards, Ling Jian would naturally not place them within his eyes, as he had countless methods to avoid them. What gave him a headache was actually the path he was walking on!
At random distances, there would be the existence of a few slim and nearly transparent lines stretching out. They were not placed high, around sixty centimeters off the ground, but this height was a boundary! Even for a martial expert, they were in the end still human, and would not be able to continuously keep their bodies levitating off the ground. This was especially true for any night rangers, as using any movement techniques would create the sound of clothes rustling against the wind. Wasn't that as good as telling the enemy your location? The Yu Family might not have many things, but they sure didn't lack experts!
And since you can't pass through the entire pathway in one move, then you could not avoid these tripwires! The most frustrating part about this was the tiny bells placed on every single tripwire. So long as something even gently brushed the wire, these bells would sound, and alarm the entire Yu Family!
The Yu Family's guards were surprisingly almost virtually the same as the ones in the Ling Family Courtyard, each with their own merits! The moment Ling Jian discovered this, he almost felt like committing suicide! As the Pavilion Head of the First Pavilion, he naturally knew how strict the security in the Ling Family Courtyard was. It was to the point that even if Justice wanted to secretly infiltrate and attempt to search every place without being spotted, it was virtually impossible. Even someone of Justice's caliber might not be able to escape from the almost limitless number of ambushes set up!
And Ling Jian's worst experience in infiltration so far was him being sent into the Golden Bell Formation. Ling Tian had set the rule that starting from midnight he was to enter the formation, and if he touched a bell, then he would be punished by having to practice his sword for 1,000 times. If he touched two bells, then the punishment would be 3,000 times, and so on! God knows how he survived that period of training, even a whole day of brandishing his sword he couldn't complete his punishment! During that time, his forearms were so swollen they could be compared to his thighs!
However, when Ling Jian discovered the presence of the bell traps in the Yu Family, he began to secretly thank the many sleepless nights he spent in the Golden Bell Formation! While splitting one's attention to watch for any arriving guards and to watch his footing was a nightmare, he still managed to pass the zone without a hitch, arriving at his current location on the magnolia tree!
Not far ahead of him was the Moon Climbing Star Picking Tower. Ling Jian lightly closed his eyes, revolving his body's internal energy to the limit, pulling himself into his best condition. He had already calculated that in another ten breaths of time, there would be a group of guards that would pass by underneath the tree he was currently at. That would be the best chance, but he only had thirty breaths of time! This time wasn't considered short, but neither was it long. If he were to display his movement techniques to the limit, he would only require three breaths of time to reach the Moon Climbing Star Picking Tower from his current position. He could make it!
But at this moment, a light, almost imperceptible sound of footsteps sounded from afar.
Expert! Ling Jian immediately realized. There were three of them, and judging by the minute sounds made when they walked, their martial arts had to be of a top-tier expert! These people definitely couldn't be compared with the heavy patrolling footsteps of the guards!
It is already so late, so why would there be three experts passing by this area? There are no residences around here! A hint of suspicion surfaced in Ling Jian's heart, as his breathing quickened by a notch.
Scattered fragments of conversation could be heard as they drew closer.
"... Da Hun, the family head summoned us even though it is already so late in the night. What do you think he wants to talk about? Are there any important matters that happened?" The voice sounded curious, even excited, not at all sounding like someone who had grudgingly got out of bed.
This person is not simple! Ling Jian immediately evaluated.
Chapter 442: Dangerous Grounds
Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT, Rock
A chilly reply could be heard, "When we reach the Martial Pointer Pavilion and see the Family Head, everything will be clear."
Another dissatisfied voice sounded, "We obviously know that we will find out when we see the Family Head. We are only asking you so that we can have some mental preparation, lest we end up being reprimanded by the Family Head again. You darn killing maniac, it is as though saying something will make you lose a piece of flesh."
That cold voice turned even colder, "It has been more than ten years already. Since when were you able to get anything out from me? Why can't you just learn to accept that?…"
"Dammit!" A low frustrated curse sounded. As the three of them walked past a small tree, none of them looked up and none of them realized that the legendary number one assassin was right above their heads!
Seeing the three of them leave, Ling Jian began to worry. For Yu ManLou to call for a meeting at such a time, there must definitely be something important! What can it be? Could it be that the Yu Family has found our hiding place? Or could the Yu Family have found out news about young noble? Apart from that, I can't think of another reason for Yu ManLou to gather men so late in the night! Ling Jian thought to himself anxiously. Of these two possibilities, Ling Jian felt that it was necessary for him to find out more!
However, how would it be easy for him to spy on the conversation of the Family Head?
While Ling Jian was confident that his inner qi, movement techniques, and swordplay were exceptional, he was not overconfident to think that there wouldn't be a single person in the huge Yu Residence who had inner qi above his own. Just the Family Head, Yu ManLou, was already an extremely frightening character. Who knew just how powerful the Yu Family Head was? While Yu ManLou had never taken action personally in the past few years, there weren't many in the world who dared to look down on him! Perhaps only the Martial Order Medallion owner would dare to do so!
Apart from being the number one assassin in the world, Ling Jian felt that he wasn't exceptional in all other areas. He originally only intended to spy on the general situation of the Yu Family to make a prediction of their strength. However, he was currently in a pinch! Should he go or not?
If he went, there was more than a 90% chance for him to be spotted! In the face of the Yu Family's elites, there would be less than a 30% chance for him to escape!
Just what should he do?!
The sound of footsteps could be heard and the final patrol squad of the Yu Family was about to arrive!
He didn't have much time left! Ling Jian clenched his teeth. How can I gain rewards without taking any risks? So what if I die for the young noble?
The trees were silent and awaiting the rain!
Seeing the patrol squad leave, Ling Jian no longer hesitated and darted into the air. Just a hair's breadth away from the flowers and branches, Ling Jian nimbly traversed the Yu Residence and landed stealthily on the Moon Climbing Star Picking Tower. In the world today, there would definitely be less than five people capable of achieving what he had just done!
While Ling Jian had brushed past the flowers and branches, not a single leaf or petal moved an inch! Not a single blade of grass or leaf was stuck to his clothes!
Ling Jian carefully revealed half of his head as he peered into the Martial Pointer Pavilion, which was covered by vegetation, 500 feet away.
The three figures from before had already entered the Martial Pointer Pavilion and Ling Jian only had the chance to catch their back view. From afar, there were many more rushing over from all the different directions. As Ling Jian spread his spiritual sense out, he was shocked to realize that the individuals approaching were all top-notch experts! Judging from the way they walked, all of their movement techniques were not weaker than Yu ManTian! If Ling Jian were to judge their cultivation from their movement technique, then the strength of the Yu Family was far too frightening!
Was the foundation of the thousand-year-old Yu Family really that frightening?!
Just like when Ling Tian held a meeting, he would only invite the upper echelons of his organization. If that's the case, this meant that each of these experts would probably have a force under their command! These men were probably Yu ManLou's final trump card! The biggest trump card of the Yu Family!
Even if this was the only piece of news Ling Jian received tonight, it wouldn't be a waste of his trip here! However, Ling Jian wasn't satisfied with this result! Just because his trip wasn't a waste didn't mean that it was a success!
Why did Yu ManLou gather all of these people? What did he want to discuss? What are the details of the discussion? These were the questions that Ling Jian was the most concerned about! It was very likely that Yu ManLou was devising a trap to be used on his young noble! Ling Jian would never escape at this moment. Knowing that Yu ManLou might be plotting against his young noble, it would be impossible for Ling Jian to leave before finding out the details of the operation!
Humans are always like that, never satisfied with what they have and always desiring more. However, greed will always bring about misfortune. Will Ling Jian be an exception this time?!
Ling Jian was extremely clear that he only had a single chance to land on the roof of the Martial Pointer Pavilion without the experts finding out about him. That was the moment everyone entered the Martial Pointer Pavilion! Everyone's attention would be scattered, and this included the Yu Family Head, Yu ManLou, the most powerful and deeply hidden enemy! If Ling Jian were to miss that opportunity, he would have to go back empty handed today and his life might even be in danger!
However, the biggest problem was that Ling Jian was just too far away from the position he wanted to go. It was a full 500 feet away from him! To any movement technique expert in the world, that was an unbreachable gap! Furthermore, there were definitely numerous bells laid between both the buildings. Even Ling Tian and Justice's chances of breaching that gap wasn't too optimistic!
However, Ling Jian decided to still give it a try! To perform this action that no one else would dare to try! Ling Jian took a deep breath, and his body slid out from the pavilion like a thin piece of paper gliding smoothly in the wind…
The two people at the north of him obviously didn't have their guard up at all. Perhaps they felt that the interior of the Yu Family's residence was definitely the safest place they could be. If Ling Jian were to take action now, he had complete confidence of turning these two experts, who were no weaker than Yu ManTian, into corpses in just an instant!
It was a pity…
Leaning on a tree silently, Ling Jian hid his silhouette and suppressed his racing heartbeat. He tried his best to remember the route and speed of these two experts. After the two of them had walked another 300 feet and were about to enter the Martial Pointer Pavilion, Ling Jian made his move!
Right at this moment, Ling Jian unleashed his movement technique to a never before height! Like a formless shadow, his figure blurred for a moment before disappearing completely. Even if someone were to witness that sight, he would definitely think that he was seeing things.
When Ling Jian unleashed his movement technique this time, the hem of his robes didn't even move and not even a strand of his hair shifted out of place! This top-notch movement technique that combined both extreme silence and movement could definitely be considered earth shattering!
The movement technique that Ling Jian exploded forth with was definitely on par with Ling Tian or even on a slightly higher level! In just an instant, Ling Jian had shortened the distance by 100 feet!
His back was already drenched in sweat! Even if he was the number one cold-blooded assassin in the world, his heart was still thumping from that risky action of his.
It was far too dangerous! A slight mistake would mean his death!
Gauging the distance in front of him, Ling Jian paused after traveling for another 50 feet and observed his surroundings carefully. By circulating his inner qi, Ling Jian silently ascended to the branch of a tall tree and let out a small breath. A pure wave of inner qi then spread out to all of his limbs. The moment the last two individuals entered the Martial Pointer Pavilion was also the moment Ling Jian took action!
A slight mistake would ensure his death. However, Ling Jian was able to flawlessly arrive where he was up until now!
The last two individuals had taken a step into the Martial Pointer Pavilion! A soft wave of laughter could be heard. The people inside must have been laughing at the two for being late.
The best and only opportunity!
Ling Jian's figure drifted up and rose 20 feet into the air. He then made a flip in the air and flew towards the Martial Pointer Pavilion. The whole process was extremely slow and without any sound.
In general, speed and variation would determine the level of success one's movement technique was at. But when one's movement technique progressed to a certain level, the next step would be to perfectly control their speed. 'Silent like a virgin and active like an escaping rabbit' followed such a logic! However, while it was easy to be fast, it was extremely difficult to be slow. Especially when one was suspended in mid-air. Everyone knows that suspending one's body in mid-air was something that defied gravity and was an impossible task. But once one's movement technique advanced to a certain stage, while he wouldn't be able to pause in mid-air, he could prolong the duration of being in the air.
Ling Jian's technique of floating in mid-air was something that belonged only to Ling Tian in this world!
Ling Jian actually spent a full two breaths covering a distance that ordinary experts would cover in an instant! His body landed gently on the Martial Pointer Pavilion's roof like a snowflake on a snowy night.
A complete success!
Chapter 443: Eavesdropping
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT, Rock
The next course of action for Ling Jian was not to begin listening to what they were talking about below, but to remain motionless where he was, immediately working on recuperation! Having pushed his movement techniques to such an extreme, his face was already a pale white as a result of overexertion. If he didn't recuperate immediately, not only might he fail to obtain any information, but he would even risk being found out because of his heavy breathing!
It was only after silently revolving his energy through a major cycle that Ling Jian then gently placed his ear on the roof tile below him!
A soft voice sounded from below him.
"... Today, the reason for gathering all of you here is because I have a matter I wish to discuss." A cultured and refined voice sounded, "Ling Tian has traveled north all the way from Western Han. Yesterday, about thirty kilometers from our city, he butchered sixteen first-rate experts from the Blood Slaughter Pavilion, causing them to all retreat. He is likely to be within Bright Jade City at this time, so I have called all of you here to come out with an idea or strategy to deal with him!"
From below came the collective sound of deep breaths. A first-rate assassin from the Blood Slaughter Pavilion! All of them knew what that meant and what they represented, but to think that they were annihilated in one fell swoop by him, and probably without even leaving a scratch on him! Didn't that mean that Ling Tian's martial arts had already reached an unfathomable stage? How could they deal with such a character? Who had the ability?!
"However, Ling Tian might not dare to openly show his face in Bright Jade City and would likely be disguised." After a moment of silence, a more aged voice sounded, "If we can find Ling Tian before he discovers us spying on him, then we have absolute confidence that we can behead and kill him in Bright Jade City. Once he dies, then it will be a cause for celebration!"
Once the words were spoken, the rest of them rolled their eyes. This old fogey's words made sense, but were also 100% bullsh*t! Right now, weren't the most headache-inducing parts about what disguise Ling Tian had used to enter Bright Jade City, and where he was at? If they already knew that, then why did the Family Head need them to come here and discuss this? He would just need to go out and kill him!
"Family Head, this old one has a dumb idea, but who knows? It might actually be able to lure Ling Tian out." That aged voice continued on at the same speed and tone. "Starting from tomorrow, we can shut the four doors of the city and immediately send out our troops to search every house. First, this will ease the anxiety that the citizens feel regarding the recent assassinations from the First Pavilion, and second, the Shui Family is sure to have sent a group of people over here to Bright Jade City in order to take advantage of the chaos to scheme. We can use this chance to capture the lot of them. Lastly, and also the most important, we can use the excuse of capturing the rebel party to search for Ling Tian." He paused to cough, before continuing, "In name, we're still considered as in-laws to the Ling Family, and thus even if we want to make a move against Ling Tian, we still have to find an excuse to arrest him."
"I'm afraid that the effectiveness is not too high with this plan…"
"Family Head, a dumb idea has its benefits. We can use this chance to place all of the foreigners with unknown statuses under our control! Or, to ensnare everyone! If Ling Tian is within this group of people, he naturally will retaliate. Then we can take this chance to simply finish him off!"
"Isn't that inappropriate? If we do it that way, wouldn't it attract hatred from everyone? Even if we do it under the pretext of settling the citizen's hearts, the gains don't justify our losses. Slaughtering innocents, is that what a person who aims to reach the top should do?" another leader countered.
"This is not so, let's not talk about achieving the top, unbothered about the little trifles. We definitely can't allow ourselves to be soft-hearted. Furthermore, ever since a few days ago, the First Pavilion has already begun their series of assassinations, causing the entire Bright Jade City to be on edge. Even now, we're suffering from the repercussions, and our internal problems are becoming more and more critical. As for the officials that we put in as replacements, they've all been exposed to be lackeys under the Shui Family. While our own cleansing has not begun, the effects are actually similar to my plan. Thus, our priority now is to immediately draw up the plan for our own cleansing! Clear out all the spies, causing Bright Jade to plunge into chaos once again! When that time comes, then we deploy our troops, locking down the place under the name of preserving order, and capture all those 'murderers'. Even if we overdo it a little, it does not matter by then. Does everyone present understand this logic?"
The old man's voice was unbearably grating, bringing about a sense of irritation to those who heard it. His voice also carried a tone of treating human lives like grass, making those around him tremble even without it being cold. The old man followed up with two eerie chuckles before continuing, "If one wishes to rule at the top, they must use the hearts of the citizens. The hearts of the citizens can be used and should be used. If the citizens' hearts can't be used, then they must be incited. If neither method works, then they should be destroyed!"
A look of praise appeared on Yu ManLou's face. The hearts of the citizens should be used if available, incited and provoked if unavailable, and destroyed if unable to be used! This phrase coincided with his exact beliefs.
The rest remained silent, and only the person who voiced his opinions earlier argued once again, "Isn't it too overbearing to simply sacrifice everybody just like that? Even if it's for Ling Tian, it's not worth getting thousands to accompany him in death! If that's the case, then how different are we compared to those who willfully slaughter the innocent?"
The eerie voice rebutted at this point, "Pavilion Head Huang, you should know that so long as that punk Ling Tian doesn't die, he will become the biggest opponent fighting against our family for hegemony! When the time comes and we meet on the battlefield, even if we were to claim the victory in the end, how many lives would we have to pay for it? Yours might even be included in that number! During the battle between Northern Wei and Sky Bearing, Ling Tian charged alone on horseback into a 400,000 strong army, and in just a few seconds, he took up to 10,000 lives! How could we leave such a character alone? To have a few thousand people accompanying him to death would be an honor! Would you rather Ling Tian die or our entire Yu Family be sacrificed?!"
"I didn't say anything about going against Ling Tian, but those innocent citizens…"
"Innocent people who die for no reason at all are found everywhere! How could you lump such different matters together? Why do you not question the endless chaos and battles that happen continuously day after day, causing countless innocent citizens to be killed every year? Which of them aren't innocent? If one has to care about any and every random innocent, then why talk about establishing hegemony, unifying all? If those ignorant masses die for the sake of protecting my Yu Family, isn't that a good thing?"
"Head Deacon's words have meaning in them!" Yu ManLou made the final decision at this point. "If one wishes to achieve something great, sacrificing a few ignorant peasants is acceptable, more so as compared to sacrificing my people. This matter is decided as such, there's no need to debate anymore. Come tomorrow, we'll begin the cleansing operation, and seal up the city in the night. We'll search the city and capture all suspicious targets. I would rather have killed the wrong person than to let a suspect go!"
After pausing a moment, he continued, "This time, Ling Tian didn't come alone to Bright City. Accompanying him is a mysterious young lady."
"Mysterious young lady?" Everyone started having their speculations, for no one knew what sort of lady would then be able to live up to the tag of 'mysterious' in their Family Head's eyes.
"Ling Tian left Sky Bearing alone, but during this period of time, another lass suddenly appeared alongside him. She isn't too old, seeming around seventeen or eighteen, and her looks are exquisite, but her moves are ruthless. Out of the sixteen assassins from the Blood Slaughter Pavilion, this lass eliminated six of them on her own, and also without a single injury. Her strength is incomparably strong, and even if she is not at Ling Tian's level, there shouldn't be much of a difference. Both are first tier experts!" Yu ManLou indifferently spoke.
The crowd was tongue-tied yet again. While all of them could be considered supreme experts on the continent, not many would be confident of having the ability to deal with six first-tier experts, and even fewer being able to remain unscathed. To hear of a mere sixteen-year-old lass that could pull this off, everyone couldn't help but look shocked.
Could it be that lass Chen is also here? On the rooftop, Ling Jian sunk into deep thought. However, having ruthless moves like what the Yu Family Head described does not fit her at all. But if that's not her, then what other lady could have such a strength? Even if it's lass Chen herself, she wouldn't be that strong, right?
He suddenly heard Yu ManLou casually remarking, "From the intelligence I've received, her martial skills are extremely unique and strange. Every palm strike of hers was followed by chilling winds and snow, as though one was plunged in the middle of a winter solstice…"
It's indeed lass Chen, could her martial arts have taken a step forward once again?! Upon hearing the 'as though one was plunged in the middle of a winter solstice', Ling Jian immediately threw away all his doubts. However, due to the shock in his heart, he involuntarily shifted, pressing too hard on a piece of tile and causing it to slightly shift.
Ling Jian groaned in despair immediately. With so many experts present below, especially with Yu ManLou's unfathomable cultivation, how could it escape their acute senses? Ling Jian made his decision in a split second, shooting out from his current position as he escaped. Right now, he didn't even care to be discreet, and immediately burst out with his full strength, his speed accelerating to his limits!
Indeed!
"Who is it?!"
"Get down!"
Hong!
"Chase after him!"
Loud and angry bellows sounded at the very instant that Ling Jian shot off, and the place he was originally lying down on was blasted apart by a palm strike from someone. This was followed by the sounds of robes lashing against the wind as dozens of shadows shot up from below, and begin to chase after Ling Jian!
Yu ManLou's face sank, and on his chin, the three tufts of beard on his lower jaw trembled fiercely. He was already angered beyond belief!
To think that all the elites of the Yu Family were discussing matters in the same place, but had an eavesdropper hiding above them! This was as good as slapping Yu ManLou on the face, an extreme humiliation!
This person must not be allowed to leave the Yu Family!
However, what sort of person would possess such insane movement techniques such that even under all the wary senses of the experts present, they managed to secretly and stealthily eavesdrop on them?! If not for his minute movement previously, the ambush could be said to have been perfect! Even in his anger, Yu ManLou was filled with a certain interest towards this person!
Ling Jian resembled a black colored lightning bolt as he plowed straight towards the outer wall of the Yu Residence, 300 feet away!
Behind him were at least ten others, hot on his heels!
The bells in the entire Yu Family started to ring, and countless guards surged from all directions.
A low voice resounded like the rumbling of thunder, "Raise the Heaven Encompassing Net! All of the guards are to stand at the wall to intercept!"
Ling Jian's heart sank!
Yu ManLou's move immediately checkmated him!
Chapter 444: No Road to the Heavens
Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT, Rock
Or perhaps, it would be more appropriate to call it the nemesis of all nightwalkers.
If not for Yu ManLou's commands, Ling Jian would have already activated his movement technique to the fullest. While it wouldn't be easy to shake off all his pursuers, there was still much hope for him to do so. As long as Ling Jian could escape from the Yu Residence, he would be able to find a random alley to change his appearance. At that time, there was a 90% chance for him to escape alive! However, Yu ManLou's orders had made the situation very different!
The so-called 'Heaven Encompassing Net' was no more than ordinary guards positioning themselves on top of the walls to block Ling Jian's escape. Without the few shadows chasing after him from behind, Ling Jian could easily slaughter the guards and take his leave.
However, there were more than a dozen top-notch experts chasing him right now! While the guards could only hold Ling Jian back for a short instant, this short instant was all that the experts behind him needed!
With just a short instant, the experts chasing after Ling Jian would arrive! At that time, it would be impossible for Ling Jian to escape even if he had wings!
There were another 40 feet to the high walls!
There were only 40 feet to the line separating life and death!
Forty feet was a distance that Ling Jian could easily cross in a single step. However, it was a huge barrier today!
Ten gigantic nets that were almost twenty feet wide shot towards Ling Jian from all directions, sealing every possible path that Ling Jian could take!
The net was covered all over with sharp barbs that were obviously as sharp as the teeth of vicious beasts.
There was a sharp shrill sound of Ling Jian's sword being drawn, and a brilliant sword light broke through the darkness like fireworks in the sky! The Black Iron Sword!
Three nets which were layered together were shredded in an instant and Ling Jian's skinny figure charged past the net.
The wall was right in front!
As long as Ling Jian could flip across the wall, his freedom would be ensured!
While he only spent a short moment to slice the net apart, the experts chasing behind him were less than 30 feet away! Ling Jian could clearly feel that there were a few experts taking a deep breath to prepare for their attacks!
Ling Jian did not turn around and his body shot towards the wall. As long as he could charge past the wall, even at the expense of light injuries, Ling Jian had the confidence to enter the forest before being caught by the experts behind him. At that time, he would be like a bird in the air and a fish in the water. No one would be able to stop him!
Young noble is fine and in Bright Jade City!
I have to see young noble! I have to stay alive to see young noble!
A colorful light shone forth from Ling Jian's eyes as he shot towards the sky like an arrow!
Right at this moment, seven to eight figures suddenly emerged at the top of the wall. They were the guards who guarded the periphery of the Yu Residence. Right at this crucial moment, they had actually ascended the wall first! They were originally below the wall and everything happened too suddenly. Ling Jian's appearance was also too sudden. From the moment they heard Yu ManLou's orders until now, only a mere two breaths had past and the enemy was already at the wall! With their strength, it was extremely difficult for them to ascend the wall before their enemy!
Seeing Ling Jian shooting towards them like an arrow, all of them were clear that it was impossible to stop him with their feeble strength. The six of them let out a battle cry and formed a human wall before jumping down from the wall and receiving that shining sword light!
The eyes of the six men shone with a crazed determination to die!
With the Yu Family's strict discipline, none of them would dare to go against an order!
If they were to let Ling Jian go, their Family Head would surely pursue the matter and they wouldn't be able to survive either. If that's the case, they might as well risk their lives! Even if they were to die, their wives and children would be taken care of by the Yu Family for the rest of their lives!
Three swooshing sounds could be heard from behind Ling Jian's back. The three experts behind him had finally gathered their inner qi and unleashed their attack.
Lunatics! A bunch of lunatics! While Ling Jian was certain that he could kill the six men in front of him with a single blow and continue his advance, he knew that it was impossible for him to not slow down in the slightest. The mass of the six men together with the force of their descent probably exceeded a thousand catties! If Ling Jian were to charge at them from the front, it was impossible for his speed to remain the same!
Furthermore, the enemies behind him weren't too far away and they would surely catch up if he were to be delayed for even an instant. If he were to slow down for just the slightest bit, the dozen of Yu Family experts would surely catch up and surround him! Furthermore, the obstruction of the six men in front of him could not be taken care of in just a blink of an eye!
Besides that, there were three palm strikes behind him!
The moment he was surrounded, his death would be certain!
Ling Jian was charging forward at full speed and with the sudden appearance of the six men in front of him, it was far too late for him to change his direction. Both parties clashed in mid-air like heavenly lightning clashing with earth fire!
Behind him, three powerful palm strikes arrived!
Ling Jian retracted his sword and stabbed it out swiftly at one of the men who jumped from the wall. That man then closed his eyes with a trace of hopelessness.
He felt a sharp pain by his chest and thought to himself that it would be the end of his life, with the two protective talismans that he bought being completely useless. After realizing that he was still able to think, he could not help but open his eyes to find that the enemy had already disappeared from his sight.
Ling Jian's sword stabbed right at where this man's heart was and the very next moment, Ling Jian realized that there was a jade protective talisman hanging by the man's chest!
Seeing the protective talisman on the man's chest, Ling Jian quickly changed his mind and softened his inner qi. His sword then bent slightly and with the springing force of the sword, Ling Jian's body shot out twenty feet backward. Following which, a low grunt could be heard, and Ling Jian landed in the Yu Residence's garden.
None of them realized the crazed killing intent Ling Jian had in his eyes when he landed in the garden! Yu Family, since I cannot leave this place, let us perish together! I want to see how many lives you are willing to exchange for mine! I, Ling Jian, may still have a chance!
With two loud bangs, two powerful palm strikes smashed onto the six men descending from the wall. With the sudden change in the situation, the experts did not have a chance to retract their attacks. All six figures were then sent flying into the air with a fountain of blood spraying out from their mouths.
The third palm strike collided with Ling Jian's retreating sword. The force of the palm strike had been built up while Ling Jian's sword strike was hastily executed. Furthermore, Ling Jian's specialty wasn't the depth of his inner qi either. After their attacks connected, Ling Jian felt half his body turn numb and his inner qi unable to be circulated. Only after taking in a deep breath did Ling Jian manage to circulate a wave of his inner qi one cycle around his body to dispel the numbness of his body. Ling Jian's skinny figure then landed amongst the bushes and with a flash of his sword light, countless bells were set off and the ringing sounds filled the Yu Residence.
By the time the first three experts arrived in the garden, the mysterious black shadow had already disappeared! It was as though he had evaporated!
Everyone knew that the black figure was definitely hiding inside the garden and it was impossible for him to escape. However, not a single one of them was able to find where the figure was hiding!
The dozen of experts who arrived looked at each other with incredulity! Despite the entrapment of the Heaven Encompassing Net, twelve XianTian experts chasing after Ling Jian, and the fact that this happened in their own Yu Residence, Ling Jian was still able to conceal his own tracks in the garden!
Especially the elder who exchanged a single blow with Ling Jian in mid-air, his was completely pale. A thin white cut could be seen on his palm with traces of blood on the edge! To think that the palm strike that he trained for a full forty years had been sliced through by Ling Jian's sharp sword qi! If not for his cultivation being deeper than Ling Jian's he would have lost his palm today!
While the opponent's sword was indeed a special divine treasure, his opponent had only hastily defended against his own attack. What if his opponent were to attack him at full force? Thinking about that, a chill ran down the elder's spine as the cut on his palm began to burn painfully.
Who is he? How powerful!
Could it be that Ling Tian had personally descended?!
From afar, the lanterns formed a huge dragon and hundreds of men surrounded the garden! Even a fly would find it impossible to leave! The twelve XianTian experts spread themselves out in six different directions with two in each direction, monitoring any possible route Ling Jian could escape from. Just when they were about to enter the garden to search the place, all of them looked towards a direction solemnly.
Yu ManLou walked over calmly as though a petty thief had just entered his house and stole something insignificant.
Chapter 445: Negotiation
Translator: DavidT Editor: DavidT, Rock
Previously, Yu ManLou was watching the battle from a high point and could naturally see that the black figure had not exited the garden after entering it.
The ability, movement technique, and timing displayed by this black figure were astounding. Even Yu ManLou himself didn't think that he would be able to perform any better than what Ling Jian did!
What a sharp assassin. There definitely aren't many in the world capable of being a match for him!
Such a character was a natural born assassin!
Thinking about that, Yu ManLou could already guess the other party's identity.
Apart from the hidden Pavilion Head of the First Pavilion, there wouldn't be a second assassin in the world capable of performing such a feat! At the very least, the former number one assassin, Ye BaiFei, wouldn't be capable of doing so! Thus, he could only be considered the former number one assassin!
However, this black dressed figure did it! Thus, he would be the number one assassin in the world!
As such, Yu ManLou quickly made his way out and his displeasure from before was gone after knowing the identity of the black-robed man. He knew that if he did not make his appearance, his subordinates would definitely rush into the garden. With the strength of the First Pavilion's Head, at least four experts would perish if he were to launch a desperate all-out attack before dying!
This loss was something which Yu ManLou wouldn't be able to bear. Especially when the black-robed man was already within his grasp. If he would still need to sacrifice the experts from his family, wouldn't it become a joke?
Thus, Yu ManLou decided to settle the matter on his own!
When Yu ManLou was 50 feet away from the garden, he said with a calm smile, "I never imagined that the world famous First Pavilion Head would make a personal appearance in my Yu Residence. Yu ManLou is overwhelmed by favor and your presence truly brings light to our humble dwellings. If Pavilion Head is willing, ManLou is interested to have a good conversation with you."
The First Pavilion Head!
No wonder!
A commotion broke out and the twelve experts of the Yu Family revealed a look of enlightenment. No wonder his swordplay and movement technique were at such an unimaginable level.
It turns out that he was the legendary number one assassin, the First Pavilion Head!
The garden remained silent, and the First Pavilion Head seemed to have disappeared completely, ignoring Yu ManLou completely.
Yu ManLou chuckled lightly and muttered to himself, "Pavilion Head's martial arts are exceptional and your movement technique is shocking. 'The lives of all humans are in my hands, the winds and rains heed the First Pavilion'. The First Pavilion has remained mysterious for the past few years and had single-handedly controlled the winds and heavens in the world. ManLou truly admires you greatly." Yu ManLou said while sending a concealed hand signal behind his back.
"It is truly a regret for Pavilion Head to visit my Yu Residence today. Pavilion Head's life is currently hanging by a thread in the garden and even if Pavilion Head has heaven-defying abilities, it will be impossible for you to retreat in such a situation! I believe that Pavilion Head is a smart individual and will understand that. Even though Pavilion Head is the number one assassin in the world, you are not the number one expert. As long as Pavilion Head can answer my one question and promise me something, all of our debts from before can be wiped clean!"
"First, Pavilion Head has to honestly tell me which party hired the First Pavilion? The Ling Family? Shui Family? Xiao Family? As long as you answer that, Pavilion Head can make a full retreat. Second, this Yu truly hopes that I can work together with the world famous First Pavilion to fulfill our ambitions! What does Pavilion Head think of that? If Pavilion Head wishes to, any condition can be fulfilled!"
To Yu ManLou, it was far more worthwhile to subdue this mysterious assassin and the organization behind him. As for the fact that the First Pavilion killed many members of Northern Wei and their Yu Family, that was something that he couldn't be bothered with. One must not bother about the trifles to achieve something great. If the First Pavilion Head was willing to submit to him, even if his own son was killed by the First Pavilion, Yu ManLou was able to wipe off that grudge!
Taking a step back, even if the First Pavilion Head wasn't willing to submit to him but was willing to say who hired him, even if Yu ManLou let the First Pavilion Head off today, he would be indebted to the Yu Family and definitely not take any missions related to the Yu Family anymore. It was more worth it to let off an assassin than face the revenge of multiple assassins!
This was the heart of an ambitious individual!
Yu ManLou's conditions were extremely generous and Yu ManLou was certain that even he would be tempted if he was in the First Pavilion Head's shoes!
But…
The garden remained silent.
A smile could be seen on Yu ManLou's face. Under the warm glow of the lanterns, this originally warm and cordial smile suddenly seemed so sinister, "If Pavilion Head wants to stay in the garden of my Yu Residence for long, ManLou will definitely welcome you and make you feel like you're home. But if Pavilion Head only wants to hide in the garden temporarily, ManLou has many means to force Pavilion Head to reveal yourself."
At this moment, the black dressed guards had already retreated silently and almost 300 white-robed individuals took their place. Very obviously, as Yu ManLou was talking, he secretly commanded White Jade experts to replace the ordinary guards.
Yu ManLou was not frustrated in the slightest that the other party did not reply him, "Pavilion Head can also see for yourself that 300 White Jade experts of my Yu Family have surrounded you. I believe that Pavilion Head should be familiar with these White Jade experts. Previously Pavilion Head has fought the twelve subdivision heads of my Yu Family and should have personally felt the strength of their martial arts. I believe that Pavilion Head should understand that there won't be any room for you to escape under such an encirclement. ManLou will also be open with Pavilion Head; the strength that you see now is far from the true strength of my Yu Family. If Pavilion Head chooses to work together with my Yu Family, you will number one, be able to escape with your life and number two, the world will belong to us in the future. At that time, riches and glory will be within your grasp, and your name would be recorded in the annals of history. As men, how can we not vie for hegemony?!"
It was undeniable that Yu ManLou was truly extremely persuasive. His conditions were extremely alluring and tone extremely sincere. If the First Pavilion Head was not Ling Jian and just a standalone organization, it would be impossible for him to resist Yu ManLou's temptations in the face of life and death! Even if he wasn't willing to submit to Yu ManLou and chose to admit that the Shui or Xiao Family hired him, Yu ManLou would definitely not go back on his words!
A pity…
The garden was still filled with silence, and only the sounds of the crackling flames could be heard. Yu ManLou seemed to have grown impatient as he shouted, "For Pavilion Head to not say a single word, do you really think that you will be able to escape with your life? As long as I command my subordinates to form a tight circle and search the garden inch by inch, I believe that Pavilion Head's whereabouts will definitely be revealed. Alternatively, I can choose to bring some firewood over and burn the whole garden down. At that time, where can Pavilion Head hide? Finally, even if I do not want to make a move, the sun will be out in a mere four hours. The moment the sun is up, does Pavilion Head think that you will be able to fly into the sky or hide underground? The only reason why I have not taken any action is that first, I do not want to sacrifice the lives of my subordinates and second, this old man cannot bear to kill a talent like Pavilion Head."
As Yu ManLou said those words, the Yu Family members in the surrounding were visibly moved.
Even at such a moment, this wily old fox did not forget to raise the morale of his subordinates. In the garden, Ling Jian had already cursed Yu ManLou under his breath countless of times. However, his body remained close to the ground as he remained silent. Regardless of how many brilliant plans you have and even if you talk until you are dehydrated, this daddy here just will not come out!
As long as there is a small gap, this daddy here will be able to charge out. Regardless of who wants to stop me, he will definitely have to pay a huge price!
After waiting for a moment and seeing that the other party had no intention of responding to him, Yu ManLou's voice began to turn chilly, "Pavilion Head has not said a single word up until now. It seems that Pavilion Head really wants to become an enemy with my Yu Family? I hope that Pavilion Head will consider carefully!"
"Family Head, why do you have to waste time talking to him. The First Pavilion killed many of our family's disciples and this Pavilion Head is the mastermind of it all. Such a vicious character will not shed tears until he sees the coffin. May Family Head issue the order for us to capture this vicious beast!"
"Family Head, issue the order!" Everyone began to echo.
Yu ManLou let out a long sigh. He truly felt a great deal of regret. The First Pavilion and Blood Slaughter Pavilion are the two largest assassination organizations on the continent. However, be it reputation, martial arts or success rates, the First Pavilion that had risen to prominence later was far superior to the Blood Slaughter Pavilion! If he could work together with the First Pavilion, Yu ManLou was confident that he would be able to gather all the necessary information for the First Pavilion so that they could get rid of all his enemies! Including Ling Tian and the Family Head of the Shui Family!
Furthermore, Yu ManLou truly did not wish to drop all cordiality with the First Pavilion. While the martial arts of this black-robed figure tonight were exceptional, more than half of his twelve subdivision commanders would be able to beat this black-robed figure. However, assassination was not something that relied solely on martial arts. With just the reputation of being the number one assassin in the world, Yu ManLou did not dare to say that he would definitely be able to avoid an assassination attempt if he were caught off guard!
However, an assassin was no more than an assassin! An assassin would only kill for money, and the price was something that his Yu Family could definitely afford! Since you can be hired by others to kill me, why can't you be hired by me?
If I can make them submit to me, they would definitely be a sharp sword by my side! This was Yu ManLou's wishful thinking!