Chapter 636: Song Family: Song Kuang
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Hearing the rapid galloping sound, you could imagine just how arrogant these people were! Furthermore, such an event seemed to be extremely common.
Ling Tian let out a sigh and a strange smile could be seen on his face. "These people are far worse than me when I was a profligate young noble in Sky Bearing. While I was incorrigible, I never harmed anyone's life." Ling Jian and the others immediately revealed a knowing smile and obviously understood what their young noble was thinking of.
Right at this moment, the rapid galloping sound stopped and it actually stopped outside the Leisure Jade River Restaurant. Following that, a commotion could be heard and an arrogant voice drifted up, "…WHAT? You are not receiving customers today? What kind of bullsh*t is that?! Opening a restaurant and not receiving customers? You are only telling this daddy when I am at your doorstep?! B*st*rds, are all of you tired of living?"
Following that, the pleading voice of the boss could be heard but it was completely useless. A loud crashing sound could be heard as though something was smashed and the scolding sound became louder, "D*mmit, there obviously isn't anyone inside. You actually dare to lie to this daddy? You really don't know what's good for you! What? A single table of customers? They actually booked the entire restaurant? Who are those damned idiots who are so arrogant? Little ones, bring them out for me! This young master will teach these nouveau riche country bumpkins a lesson!"
Ling Tian looked at Ling One and the others with a strange smile, "Number one, are the three of you the nouveau riche country bumpkins in their words?"
Ling Jian immediately added fuel to the fire, "The three of you can actually create so much trouble just because of booking an entire restaurant. To think that the three of you boasted that you guys were invincible in Heavenly Wind. Tsk tsk…" Ling Jian shook his head with a sigh, "You guys are really throwing the faces of young noble and me. Wait for me to teach you guys a good lesson."
The faces of the three turned red before turning white, green, and finally purple…
The three of them did not want to reveal their identities as the Sky Alliance heads and were using the identity which they took on on a day to day basis. While those identities of theirs weren't as famous as that of the Sky Alliance, they weren't to be underestimated either. With the five experts gathered together, how would they be afraid of trouble? Thus, Ling One was certain that there wouldn't be trouble today. Besides that, the Leisure Jade River Restaurant also had a huge backing and was one of the safest places in the Jade River City. With the backing of the City Head of Jade River City, how many would dare to create trouble here?
Ling One had booked the entire restaurant to receive guests multiple times but had never met any problems before. However, they just had to meet with trouble when their most respected young noble and most feared brother Jian was here!
Hearing Ling Jian's sarcasm, the three of them did not know where to hide their faces.
Too embarrassing! It was far too embarrassing! The three of them hated the fact that they could not dig a hole to hide their heads! Especially when they heard that their brother Jian was about to teach them a lesson because of this incident, they even had thoughts to slaughter the person who was here to create trouble!
The three of them stood up angrily and were about to charge out. This was also caused because they had not revealed their true identities. If it was a Hall Master of the Sky Alliance dining here today, there wouldn't be anyone who would dare to provoke them in the city. However, now that the three heads of the Sky Alliance were here, there was actually someone who wanted to bully them!
Was there still any justice in the world?! This was completely unbearable!
The three of them immediately came to a conclusion in their hearts: Not only must this troublemaker be sentenced to death, even the family behind him must not be spared! Even if they were to kill everyone related to this troublemaker, they still felt that this punishment wasn't severe enough!
"Since we have nothing else to do, why don't we accompany them to play? What are you so anxious for?" Ling Tian's words immediately settled the three who were about to fly into a rage. "Am I really going to wipe away all of your accomplishments and hard work over the years just because of a scum like him? All of you are grown-ups already. Can't you use some of your brains? Hmm?"
"You guys are still making a fuss out of such a small matter? You guys really lack training!" Ling Jian's sharp gaze landed on the three of them, "Sit down! Eat your meal!"
Ling Tian and his subordinates were currently in the biggest dining hall of the city and a hundred people could dine at the same time! Currently, in this huge restaurant, there was only a single table in the middle with five chairs around it! All of the seats were filled!
The commotion from the outside grew louder and louder. A burly man seemed to be forcing his way through the door violently but there were a few others who were trying to push him back. As a restaurant with backing behind them, if they weren't able to ensure the safety of their customers, their business and reputation would definitely take a huge hit! However, they knew that the five people inside wouldn't need their protection. After all, those who were capable of booking the entire restaurants wouldn't be a nobody.
Miserable sounds were heard one after another and the sounds of people being thrown out could be heard. Obviously, the people who were trying to barge in weren't weaklings and there definitely wasn't only one or two of them.
An extremely arrogant voice then sounded, "I do not believe that there is a restaurant in Jade River City that I, Song Kuang, cannot enter!" As these words were said, the fighting on the outside stopped and the staff of the restaurant also gave up their resistance. In truth, if they knew that the young master of the Song Family was in front of them, they would not even think of putting up a resistance.
Song Kuang was definitely not someone who they could provoke.
The Song Family was ranked third in the Heavenly Wind Continent and was only weaker than the Shui and HuangFu Family. In truth, these three families were powerful enough to rule over the Heavenly Wind Continent and there wasn't another family capable of being a match for these three families! Even if such a family existed in the past, it didn't exist any longer!
As for Song Kuang, he was the eldest son of the Song Family and also the future master of the family!
It was no wonder that such a character would be so arrogant and he did indeed have the ability to be so arrogant! Even if the City Head of the Jade River City was here today, he wouldn't be able to do anything.
As for the HuangFu Family who had their roots in the Jade River City, they wouldn't make things difficult for the Song Family because of a mere restaurant. As for the forces of the Shui Family, they were located in Mount Vacant Sky a hundred miles away from here.
"Song Family? Song Kuang?" Ling Tian twiddled with the wine glass in his hands and said, "What a coincidence. Just when I wanted to take a nap, someone sent a pillow over. The Heavenly Wind Continent is truly a land of treasures!"
Ling Jian, who understood his young noble the most lit up with a smile on his face, "Young noble has your eyes on the Song Family?"
Ling Tian gave a profound smile, "It would depend on whether or not the Song Family can live up to my expectations."
A flurry of footsteps stopped outside the dining hall and in the midst of the silence, the sound of a door being smashed could be heard.
"I would like to see who dares to be so bold!" A burly man who was two meters tall walked in with twenty plus people behind him.
However, the five people who were seated inside were unexpectedly calm. Their normal reaction should be that of being scared witless but these five people looked as though they didn't even notice what was going on. They carried on with their meal as they chatted merrily with each other. It was as though they treated the twenty plus people who barged in as air!
"Aiyah, these fellows really do have some composure. Hahaha…" That tall and burly young master Song was stunned for a moment before bursting out into laughter. He then turned around and looked at a black-robed old man as he joked, "Old Ding, I was originally surprised that someone would actually book the whole restaurant. However, I am now shocked to the point my face turned pale. There is actually someone in Heavenly Wind who dares to act cool in front of us. Don't you think that this scene is extremely amusing?"
The few burly men behind him burst out laughing as though they heard a huge joke.
The black-robed old man looked at the five calm individuals in the middle of the room and felt that something was amiss. For them to remain so calm in such a situation, they were either scared silly or extremely confident in themselves! Looking at the five in front of them, he was sure that they weren't scared silly!
Could it be that they met an iron board today? The black-robed old man had a bad feeling in his heart.
Just as the saying goes, "The older one is in the pugilistic world, the smaller his guts become". These words were not to mock the experienced for being gutless but to describe the astute senses of the experienced. When they took action, they would be more ruthless than anyone else but at the first wisp of danger, they would run as far as possible. After all, their lives were more important.
Thus, those who would fight each other because of verbal disagreements were usually the young and inexperienced and not the old and experienced. The experienced knew that while it was extremely thrilling to act in such an arrogant manner, the moment they kicked an iron board, they would have to pay the price of their life! For an arrogant young man like Song Kuang to die an unknown death on the outside, these experienced old fellows had seen far too many of such events.
"Young noble, something seems to be wrong. This old man thinks that we should not create trouble." The black-robed old man looked at the five individuals in front of him and felt the atmosphere in the room becoming more and more tense.
"Don't create trouble? Hahaha… what a joke!" Song Kuang stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. He then grabbed the manager of the restaurant and with a few kicks, the manager knelt on the floor before Song Kuang. Song Kuang lifted up his leg and arrogantly stepped on the head of the manager. "With things developing to such an extent you are asking me to not create trouble? Old Ding, are you alright? Are you sure you haven't been possessed?"
Lowering his head, Song Kuang said viciously, "Brat, straighten your waist for this daddy. If you dare to sway again, this daddy will take your life!"
The manager knelt on the floor obediently and allowed the dirty feet to step on his head. Despite being filled with humiliation, he did not dare to even tremble.
"Men, catch these five idiots who like to act cool. Let them kneel in front of this daddy. Their ten knee caps must touch the ground and form a straight line!" Song Kuang pointed at the five people in the middle of the hall and ordered viciously.
"Roger!" Five burly men pounced forward immediately like tigers. While Old Ding had the heart to stop them, he did not open his mouth.
Chapter 637: Beating the Dogs
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ling Tian lifted up his wine glass and slowly enjoyed the wine within it. He then took out a white cloth to wipe his hands before laughing and saying, "The first meal in Heavenly Wind is truly delightful. The food is truly delectable and the wine is sufficiently strong. Furthermore, there is still an entertainment program after our meal. I wonder if there will be anything more exciting than this?"
Ling One smiled malevolently and revealed a grin. "As long as young noble likes it, we can come here every day. Something more exciting is about to come."
Ling Tian smiled and leaned back with a smile, "Good! Now that our meal is completed, it is time for us to watch a show. The show can begin."
Ling One chuckled, "This subordinate will ensure that Young Noble will enjoy the show."
Ling Tian responded with an 'Mmm' and suddenly lifted up his head.
At that moment the whole hall, the heavens and earth, seemed to have darkened. Ling Tian's gaze was like a bolt of lightning breaking through the heavens and landing on the earth. His gaze was extremely sharp and resplendent!
Song Kuang who was opposite him, including Old Ding and the 24 burly men behind, felt the world before them darken before being lit up again. The hair all over their bodies also stood up on end!
This was the pressure of a ruler from above capable of completely controlling their life and death!
Indeed so! The black-robed old man was filled with boundless helplessness. With just the pressure the young man before him had displayed, the old man had never witnessed such an expert in his past 60 years of roaming the continent! Just what kind of a cultivation would this require?!
It seems like they kicked a steel board today! Furthermore, it was an extremely thick one! They could only pray to the heavens that they would be able to leave with their life today!
All of a sudden, a figure flashed past their eyes and one of the five individuals disappeared before their eyes! Before the old man could even turn behind to take a look, a white-robed teen stood in front of the door of the restaurant and the doors of the restaurant slowly closed! There were more than twenty people gathering around the door but not a single one of them were able to witness how the white-robed teen weaved past them!
Closing the door to beat the dogs?!
A wave of cold air blew from the tip of the old man's head all the way to his toes! At this moment, this old man who had roamed the pugilistic world for a couple of decades felt his legs cramping up! This was not because of him being a timid character but because the white-robed teen was far too unfathomable. The old man even had the feeling that he had already taken a step onto the Yellow Springs Road! How could he not be frightened?!
The white-robed teen who floated past him did not make a single move but only stood in front of the door silently. However, the gigantic door behind him actually began slowly closing as though there was a ghost in the room.
The meaning behind those actions was obvious! They did not want to let a single one of them escape! In other words, all of them would have to die today!
The eyesight and experience of this old man who had roamed the world for decades had come into use again. However, he would rather be blind and completely inexperienced! At the very least, he would still have the courage to fight for his life! That white-robed teen was definitely a peak XianTian expert! As for the person in the hall, he was definitely stronger!
The black-robed man was on the verge of tears. Was there even a meaning to fight for his life?!
What kind of luck did they have?! Such an expert belonged to the legends and it would be amazing if they could find three of them in the world today! An ordinary individual would only be able to dream of such a character or hear about him from legends. However, he actually met two of them when coming out for a meal with his young noble. Furthermore, they had still taken the initiative to provoke these experts!
In front of such an expert, not to mention himself, even his young noble and the whole Song Family would only be faced with a single outcome: complete destruction! However, they had actually thoroughly provoked these experts today!
The black-robed old man turned around and fell into a daze again. It turns out that the matter was worsening further.
Apart from the suave young man remaining seated, the three others beside him stood up with a sneer on their faces. Three powerful auras exploded forth and a cyclone seemed to have been formed in the hall. The twenty plus burly men felt as though they had descended into a freezer and all of their limbs froze up without daring to make a single move.
Song Kuang was also not completely retarded and finally realized that something was wrong. He immediately took his leg off from the manager's head and let out a dry cough before forcing a chuckle, "I wonder where this brother is from? I am Song Kuang from the Song Family." Noticing that he wouldn't be able to win against the other party in a fight, he could only hope that the other party would give his Song Family some face.
"Song Kuang of the Song Family?" One of the three men looked at Song Kuang as though he was staring at a corpse, "Even if Song TianQiao was here today, he would have to act obediently in front of me! Is Song Kuang even a thing? Do you even have the right to call me your brother?"
"Who are you?" The black-robed man's expression transformed. Song TianQiao was the Family Head of the Song Family, Song Kuang's father! These people in front of him dared to speak in such a bold manner? According to the old man's knowledge, there were only three people in the world today who were qualified to say such words! The prestige of the Song Family Head was not one that any Tom, Dick, or Harry would dare to challenge! Even if someone had the guts to say such words, they would only be dreaming!
These three people were: The number one expert of the Shui Family, Shui WuBo. The Shui Family Head, Shui ManKong. The alliance head of the Sky Alliance, Tian ZhiYi! Of the three individuals, this old man had only not met with the last of the three! If the person in front of them was the legendary…
Could it be…
Could they truly be so unlucky? However, how should they explain everything before them?
At this moment, the whole restaurant fell into a delicate stalemate!
All of a sudden, the sound of galloping horses could be heard and a robust voice with a tinge of anxiousness sounded, "If young noble Song Kuang inside? City Head of the Jade River City, Jiang XiaoFeng, seeks an audience!"
This voice had unknowingly broken the stalemate!
The legs of the unbelievably arrogant Song Kuang had turned into jelly. The powerful aura given out by Ling Tian and his subordinates had completely scared his soul out of his body! He had never seen anyone capable of suppressing the actions of twenty men without making a single move but using his aura alone. Even his father, Song TianQiao, would not be able to give out such a powerful pressure! Not to mention seeing, Song Kuang had not even heard of such strength before!
Song Kuang was already full of regrets in his heart. He wasn't a fool either and could be considered to be pretty wise in fact. While he still didn't know the status of the people in front of him, he knew that they were not people that he could afford to provoke! Seeing the dense killing intent in the eyes of the people in front of him, he was frightened out of his wits! However, at this critical moment, the voice of the Jade River City Head had actually sounded. It was as though a lifesaver had suddenly arrived and Song Kuang was naturally overjoyed.
Currently, no one would have the confidence or rights to resolve this conflict with the master of this restaurant being the only exception!
If this matter was handled by Jiang XiaoFeng, Song Kuang would be able to keep his life for sure.
This was a matter of complete irony; Song Kuang and his followers were here to seek trouble with Jiang XiaoFeng but he had currently transformed into the savior of all of them!
Song Kuang's eyes spun around and wanted to take the initiative to speak. As long as he could allow Jiang XiaoFeng into the restaurant, he would have some hope of keeping his life. However, before he could even open his mouth, Ling Tian let out a cold grunt. A dense killing intent enveloped the entire restaurant and despite Song Kuang and his followers trying their best to resist Ling Tian's aura, they were like little boats in the midst of a thunderstorm. How would they be able to even say a single word? The only sound coming out from their mouth was the clattering of their teeth.
Ling One took a few steps forward and shouted, "Tian ZhiYi from the Sky Alliance is borrowing this place to settle some of my personal affairs. May City Head Jiang do me a favor and I will pay a visit to City Head Jiang another day." His voice sounded like rumbling thunder, being emanated powerfully and fully displaying the depth of his cultivation.
The moment these words were said, the whole hall fell silent. Song Kuang did not dare to believe what he had just heard! It was one thing to make a guess but another to have his guess verified! Sometimes, ignorance was bliss!
My goodness, please let me die! I actually dared to point at the nose of the Sky Alliance Head and curse him to his face. I even intended to make him kneel before me… At this moment, Song Kuang even had the heart to commit suicide.
The black-robed man felt his whole body trembling as he let out a desolate sigh. It was indeed him! It would be impossible for them to turn things around today. The Sky Alliance Head had already proclaimed that he was borrowing this place to settle his personal affairs and it wouldn't be good for even the owner of this place to intervene. This single phrase of his had sealed all of their destinies! As for whether or not their Song Family would be entangled in this mess, that would be another issue altogether!
Silence filled the place for a moment, before City Head Jiang's trembling voice could be heard, "It was actually Head Tian settling your affairs. How would I dare to disturb you? I shall be taking my leave now. I have long admired Head Tian's heroic name and if Head Tian is free, I invite Head Tian to pay a visit to my humble abode."
Following that, the sound of the soldiers leaving could be heard. All of the soldiers moved nimbly and quietly as though they were afraid of making a loud noise. A short while later, silence filled the entire place.
Beads of sweat dripped down onto the ground from Song Kuang with his face completely ashen. All of them present were experienced individuals and they knew that their death was certain!
Ling Tian's eyes were narrowed as he lazily leaned back on the chair. His aura was already retracted and his finger tapped on the table lightly. In the ears of Song Kuang and the rest, that rhythmic tempo seemed to be the melody of their death!
Chapter 638: Vicious Stratagem
Ling One started to snigger as he put his hands behind his back, facing the twenty or so people in front of him much like how a tiger would face twenty odd rabbits, "The feeling of being domineering and above all is indeed amazing, right? Oh great noble Song, your luck is indeed fantastic, so is your courage. In the whole of Heavenly Wind Continent, the number of people who have seen my, Tian ZhiYi's true face, can be counted on one hand. Even your father Song TianQiao did not have this privilege! But to think that you just needed to shout twice and you would get to see all our faces! Just this point should be enough to make you feel proud, do you want us to kneel down in front of you in one line as well?!"
"I… I…" To think that the three mysterious heads of the Sky Alliance would be here! Song Kuang's eyes rolled as he was beside himself with panic. On his forehead, beads of perspiration the size of yellow beans formed, slowly rolling down. He looked as if he was about to cry at this juncture. Oh my mother, what sort of luck is this that I have to be proud of? I might have good luck, but that's if you count walking towards misfortune luck! He could practically be considered the number one unluckiest person in the whole of Heavenly Wind Continent!
"Great leader, we know you're an esteemed and impartial senior. This matter was indeed the fault of our house's young noble, and we hope that Sire could be magnanimous and forgive this matter. Treat it as our house's young noble is still young and ignorant, as well as giving the Song Family some face. We will definitely return this favor!" The black-robed elder had no choice but to be thick-skinned and beg for forgiveness. While he knew that the other party would likely not listen to him, he still had to put in the effort.
"Young and impetuous? It can't be that you're trying to tell me this kid never tried something like this before?! The Song Family? What a great family, what great face you guys have, tsk tsk, I nearly died from fear." The person who spoke such sarcastic remarks was naturally Ling Two. Everyone saw him put on a dark expression as he took a step forward and stuck out his chin towards the elder, contemptuously replying, "Old fellow, how about you report your name, so this second master can write it deep in my heart!"
The black-robed elder's face spasmed in response. He cupped his hands before replying in a low voice, "This one is Dong HongGuo. I greet the Second Head."
"Graceful Sword, Ding HongGuo. So you're that brat!" Ling Two let out an indifferent smile, before suddenly raising his voice, "All of you, kneel for this daddy here! Line up in a line and get on your knees, do you understand! Don't you guys love kneeling in a line? Today, your daddy here will grant you your wish!"
"You!… Second Head, killing people just requires a nod, don't push us too far!" Ding HongGuo's wizened face turned bright red, and even his eyes turned bloodshot as he glared at Ling Two, his hand already placed on the hilt of his sword.
If he had a choice, he would definitely have chosen to avoid them at all costs. However, now that his identity was that of Song Kuang's bodyguard, to listen to the other party and kneel down in front of them would make his life a living hell even if he managed to keep his life to return to the Song Family!
"Why is it that only now do you recall the saying that killing only requires a nod and that there is gold under a man's knees? When your young noble called us to kneel in one straight line previously, why didn't you speak out?! Aren't you obviously bullying the weak? The real act of bullying has yet to begin. This daddy here will open up your eyes today, allowing you to understand what it really means by going too far!" Ling Two coldly snorted in response, before his feet moved. With a 'ka ka' sound, his right arm suddenly explosively grew out by two feet with no base, clawing straight towards the head of Ding HongGuo. Even while the palm was midway, strong gales caused by the force were already bearing down on them.
Ding HongGuo only shouted out in response, his hair and beard bristling as his sword flew out of his sheath, soaring up to meet the palm. The figures of the two collided repeatedly in a dazzling spectrum of colors, constantly producing loud explosive sounds. It was broken when Ling Two suddenly let out a clear shout, before his body flipped in midair, landing beside Ling One.
Ding HongGuo let out a stuffy groan as he staggered, his arms sagging down powerlessly. His sword slipped out of his grasp and landed on the ground, and a trail of blood slowly seeped out from the corner of his mouth. His face slowly turned pale.
A gleam flashed through Ling Tian's eyes as he glanced at Ling Two. The latter grinned in return, with a hint of embarrassment on his face.
Ling Tian thought to himself, This old fox really knows how to act. With the experience of Ding HongGuo over his years of interacting with people, he naturally knew that Song Kuang was as good as dead, without a single bit of hope remaining. However, he did not wish to tear apart all pretenses and offend Song Kuang. He also did not wish to die here and even more so be blacklisted with the label of a bodyguard who had failed to protect his owner. As such, he took the initiative to speak before Song Kuang did, allowing Ling Two to take action and injure him so that he could at least control the degree of injuries suffered.
Through his actions, not only would he answer to Ling Two, but would also have completely fulfilled his duty as a bodyguard. Even if Song Kuang died here today, the Song Family could not push any blame to him. If this wasn't the case, how could he, with his current strength and fame, actually lose to Ling Two in just one exchange even if Ling Two had a higher cultivation? To be able to come to this conclusion after mere seconds, he was indeed someone well-versed in building social relations.
This thinking and mindset would obviously not be picked up by that profligate young noble Song Kuang, but how could he hide from the eyes of Ling Tian?
"Let's do it based on what you said. A total of 26 people, 52 knees." Standing at the back, Ling Tian coldly spoke at this time. "I want to see a straight line!"
This was exactly what Song Kuang had said previously! Ling Tian did not change a single word and returned it to him word for word. Hearing the same sentence in his ears, Song Kuang felt as though it was worse than death!
Ling One now opened his eyes, angrily hollering, "Did you not hear that?! All of you come and form up in front of this daddy now! If there's even a slight crookedness in the line, I'll cripple all of your legs!"
Ding HongGuo continued to sway on the spot, the blood from his mouth increasing. Suddenly, his body softened, and he crumpled onto the ground. He had clearly fainted.
"Old Fox!" Ling One lowly cursed.
With a few dull thuds, the five guards closest to Ling One could not long withstand the pressure that Ling One brought, and with all their intentions to resist annihilated, their knees buckled and they began to kneel down.
Ling One arrogantly gazed at Song Kuang as he barked, "You! Kneel down!"
"Tian ZhiYi, you might be the head of the Sky Alliance, but my Song Family is not the least bit inferior to your Sky Alliance. You want me to kneel before you? Are you worthy?" Song Kuang angrily spat before he suddenly struck out with his legs, kicking the two guards on his sides towards Ling One. As for himself, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as he broke free from the encirclement of pressure created by Ling One and company at the expense of internal injuries, rushing straight towards the courtyard.
Since matters had turned nasty, he could only escape. Song Kuang knew that the other party would never let him go off scot-free, and this spurred his courage to make a prison break.
"Hmph!" A dull snort filled with immense killing intent suddenly sounded within Song Kuang's ears. At that same instant, Song Kuang bled from all seven orifices on his face. From mid-air, he froze before dropping downwards. However, his body strangely contorted such that he formed a kneeling position, and landed directly in front of all the Song Family warriors, facing Ling Tian directly.
Originally, Song Kuang had already lost consciousness due to the impact to his psyche caused by the snort. However, the moment he landed he woke up again, screaming in misery before he once again fell unconscious. This was due to the fact that he landed on his knees, which caused them to directly shatter into fragments. However, the mysterious force continued to restrict him, preventing him from falling over.
With this mistake from a predecessor to follow, the rest of the warriors did not dare to resist any longer, immediately kneeling beside Song Kuang in a fearful manner. They carefully arranged themselves into a long line, not daring to even disobey the slightest bit, for fear of angering this malignant star.
"How orderly." Ling Tian sighed in praise. "Why did this bunch not bother to sign up to be ceremonial troops? This is such a waste."
"The people from the Song Family have all been captured. May I ask Young Noble as to the plans on how to deal with them?" The three Sky Alliance heads glanced at Song Kuang with unfriendly eyes, as though wishing for nothing more than to chop him up into a million pieces right away. This was because such a trash had actually embarrassed the trio so badly in front of their young noble, and this anger was something which they did not wish to swallow.
"Deal with them?" Ling Tian slightly smiled. He gestured with a finger, sealing up the nostrils of Ding HongGuo so that he actually fainted, before snapping his fingers delightedly at his control. He then continued, "Just slaughter all the guards, and leave our young noble Song alive."
Ling One jumped in shock, before replying in a low voice, "Yes!"
The trio jumped into action, and soon, 24 of the guards turned into 24 cold corpses.
Ling Tian pinched his nose, as though unsatisfied about the bloody scent wafting through the air. He frowned, "How many sons does Song TianQiao have? Any grandchildren?"
Ling Four replied this time, "Song TianQiao is a treacherous and sinister person, and his sons Song Kuang and Song Ao are cruel and arrogant people. But both of them are still unwed, so I don't think he has any grandchildren." He did not understand Ling Tian's intentions, but as a key figure of Sky Alliance, he would of course have all this information at his fingertips.
"That makes things easier." A cold and sinister smile surfaced on Ling Tian's face. "I have two choices for you. The first is to set up a play, allowing the Song Family to think that Song Kuang and his guards were killed by the HuangFu Family. We will allow them to battle it out, and be the fisherman by the side that reaps the profits, swallowing both families later. However, the difficulty in doing this is quite great, and this is only for consideration at the moment."
"The second method is to also go and capture his second son, and string them up like lambs. Then we will boldly send out the news, telling Song TianQiao that if he wishes to get back his children, he has to pay a ransom, and that is to destroy the entire HuangFu Family. Hmm, the second son is called Song Ao, right? I heard that this guy is my love rival as well. In that case, I lean more towards the second option. I believe there are no questions, right?"
The trio nodded their heads mutely in reply, shivering in fear. Their young noble's plan… was too evil.
Ling Four replied, "Young noble, should we also give the HuangFu house a beating? The HuangFu Family's HuangFu YanHan is a two-faced, double-dealing fellow. Just inside Jade River City they have already humiliated and bullied an uncountable number of people. Last year they forcibly occupied a piece of land, even excavating the family's tombstones. When the village showed minor resistance, they actually killed off the entire population of over 400 people! Even the heavens cannot tolerate them. Because they have had a few dealings with the Sky Alliance, they do not dare to provoke us, but they have also given us quite a bit of trouble…
"Oh, that's right. There's still the HuangFu Family." Ling Tian rubbed his forehead, looking extremely vexed as he replied, "Since that's the case, then why don't we just capture the b*st*rds from the HuangFu family too. We will draw a tiger using a cat as a model [1], telling HuangFu YanHan that if he does not wish to be without descendants, then he had better destroy the Song Family. Hmm, that settles it, we'll let the number two and three places of the Heavenly Wind Continent duke it out while we watch on the sidelines."
[1] It means to do something purely by imitating, without any originality. In this case, Ling Tian is talking about using the same plans for both families.
Chapter 639: All Hope Turns to Dust
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"What a headache. How about this, catch all of them and cut off one of their arms. Use their arms as a token of identity to negotiate with those two old b*st*rds. As long as one of them takes action, the development of the matter won't be within their control anymore. Pick a few people from the Sky Alliance to fan the flames and ignite this inferno. After that, we can all grab a seat and watch a good show. The existence of such an aristocratic family is akin to a tumor in the continent. We might as well get rid of them early. Song Kuang's coincidental visit gave me good inspiration. Thinking about it, I should really thank him for this. As a reward, I will let him have a peaceful death."
Ling Tian stroked his chin and frowned slightly like he was a depressed young man trapped in the webs of love. His charisma shot out in all directions and if an ignorant young lass were to see him right now, she would definitely fall in love with him. However, the words that came out from his mouth were extremely bloody and devious.
Ling One and the others were dumbfounded! If everything really went according to what Ling Tian had planned, these two large aristocratic families second only to the Shui Family would probably be wiped out in a short amount of time. However, the mastermind behind this event, the Sky Alliance, would not suffer much of a loss.
"What are you looking at?" Ling Tian looked at the three of them with a strange look, "You guys are not going to carry out your tasks but are staring at me intently instead. Is there something on my face? The three of you couldn't have learned some bad habits right?!"
The three of them laughed bitterly at the same time and Ling Two said, "While Young Noble's plan is brilliant, the two families aren't idiots either. I am afraid that they would not fall for the trap despite their anger. After all, the strength of both families isn't too far apart. If any one of the two families attempted to wipe out the other family, the outcome would probably be the mutual destruction of both families. If we are able to forecast such an outcome, I believe that they would be able to do so as well. I am afraid that the Song and HuangFu families would not make such a rash move."
"Idiot! You guys are truly fools! Are you guys pig-headed? You guys still dare to praise yourselves for being the brains of the Sky Alliance?!" Ling Tian cursed with disappointment, "While both the Song and HuangFu Family would not dare to make a rash move, can't you spread the news out and arrange for some opportunities for the matter to blow up? For example, after news of their young noble being kidnapped spreads, one family would suddenly suffer a huge amount of casualties for no reason. The same thing would then happen to the other family. It wouldn't be difficult for you guys to disguise yourselves as members of the Song and HuangFu Family right? Why do you guys need me to spell everything out so clearly?!"
"If once isn't sufficient, you guys can do it twice. Even three or four times wouldn't be too much!" Ling Tian reprimanded, "All of you must try to look at things from a different direction and come out with new ideas. Do you understand? If not, what is the point of me teaching you guys the art of assassination?! As more and more people from their families die, they would understand that their destruction is imminent if they do not take action. If they go all out and fight, perhaps they can luck it out and survive for a longer period of time. With such a thought, I don't believe that either of the families would still have any thoughts of playing it safe. You guys are truly idiots!"
The three of them felt sweat rolling down their forehead. If things really turned out in such a way, an intense confrontation would certainly be the only way out. At the same time, their Sky Alliance would definitely be able to pick up a huge bargain. The most vicious part of this plan is the fact that even if both the families do not wish to fight, they would have no choice but to fight each other in the end! Even if they knew that their destruction would be the only outcome and that someone was pulling strings behind the scene, they would have no choice but to fall into the trap!
The decision did not lie in their hands!
The three of them immediately began their discussions.
Ling Tian said with a cold laugh, "This matter must be accomplished before we leave Heavenly Wind! As for the Shui Family…" Ling Tian paused for a moment before revealing a mysterious smile, "leave them to me!"
The three of them agreed in unison while thinking to themselves. The Shui Family is going to be your future in-laws. Who would dare to touch them?
In the depth of the night, Shui Family.
The dim candlelight illuminated two faces.
"Rou'er, just what exactly happened in your trip to Heavenly Star? When we were in the main hall previously, there were too many people around and I did not want to go into details. However, I could feel that there must definitely be many hidden intricacies in your trip to Heavenly Star. You had better come clean with what happened in Heavenly Star, especially with regards to QianHuan's whereabouts. I do not believe that Beyond Heavens would take Huan'er away." The Shui Family Head, Shui ManKong fixed his gaze on his daughter's face, "I do not believe what you said in your messenger pigeon. There are far too many things that don't make sense! I only believe my daughter's words!"
Shui QianRou's eyes were red and puffy, obviously crying a while ago. Looking at her father's stern gaze, she felt a wave of anxiousness before a wave of grief. Speak the truth? Just what should she say? Would her father be able to take the blow?
Seeing the grief in his daughter's eyes, Shui ManKong had a bad premonition in his heart as he urged, "Hurry up! Say everything you know! You are not allowed to hide anything from me!"
"In my trip to Heavenly Star, we first borrowed Northern Wei's strength to break the military forces of Sky Bearing before controlling Northern Wei. After all, we have the most seeds planted in Northern Wei and our foundation is the thickest there. Our original plan was to make use of Wei ChengPing to control Northern Wei before giving the Yu Family a huge blow. When we set off to battle, we flushed out all of the officers that were related to the Yu Family and my brother personally led the army. I went to Sky Bearing to mess up all of the arrangements that Sky Bearing had…"
"What were you guys thinking?! Do you think that Yu ManLou is someone so easily fooled? You guys were truly too bold!" As he heard Shui QianRou's recount, Shui ManKong's face turned dark, "You are trying to say that all of your plans were foiled by a single person? Ling Tian? After that, the reason why the Shui Family was able to set up the Shui Family Courtyard was also because of Ling Tian?"
"That's right!" Shui QianRou's face flushed red in an adorable manner.
Shui ManKong who was deep in thought did not notice his daughter's expression and was trying to organize all of the information which he had learned over the past few days. After a long while, he said with a heavy tone, "If that's the case, all of your plans were disrupted by a single person and Ling Tian stirred the clouds and the winds with just a flip of his palm. He is truly a heaven-defying talent!"
Shui QianRou did not let out a single sound. Hiding within her father's praise was a deep sense of wariness. However, Shui QianRou did not place all of these in her heart. Despite giving a brief outline of everything that had happened in Heavenly Star, Shui QianRou still had not told her father about her brother's death. She just did not know how she should open her mouth about this.
Shui ManKong looked at the oil lamp on the desk with loneliness on his face. The wrinkles on his face were clearly highlighted under the warm orange glow and his white beard glimmered slightly. He suddenly said in a cold voice, "If that's the case, can you tell me just how did QianHuan die?"
"Father!" Shui QianRou was caught off guard and let out a gasp.
Shui ManKong looked away as he did not want to let his daughter see the tears in his eyes. However, his tone was still calm, "You described everything that happened in Heavenly Star but did not mention your brother from start to end. You are trying to avoid the topic in front of me. What does this mean? I am not that foolish! If not for the fact that QianHuan met his demise, why would you be acting in such a manner? Don't tell me that the Martial Order Medallion owner brought him away. I do not believe that nonsense! If QianHuan was truly brought away by the Martial Order Medallion owner, why would you be avoiding the topic? It would be a huge matter instead and that would definitely be the first thing you said!"
"Speak. I could already guess that QianHuan is no longer with us. But I wanted to hear it from you personally. What exactly happened!" Shui ManKong's words were desolation. From the start to the end, his face remained turned away from Shui QianRou.
"Big brother… big brother was…" Shui QianRou could no longer hold her tears in a burst out crying.
Shui ManKong trembled as he grit his teeth, "What happened to him?! Speak!"
"While big brother was ambushed in Northern Wei and suffered severe injuries, his injuries weren't sufficient to threaten his life. He managed to escape to Sky Bearing and met up with me. After taking care of him, his injuries were already recovering! However, that hateful Shui QianJiang and Shui QianHu actually…" Shui QianRou's words were filled with bone-deep hatred, "He actually further injured big brother and caused big brother's injuries to turn fatal. Despite trying every means at my disposal, I was completely helpless and could only request for elder sister Ling Chen to seal big brother's injuries with her Divine Ice Formula to preserve his life for seven days. During those seven days, we caught that darn Shui QianJiang and… with his last breath, big brother personally took his revenge before…"
"QianHuan! Huan'er! My son!!!!" Shui ManKong's figure trembled and his teeth clattered. Two drops of tears fell onto the ground and his back slouched forward as though it could never be straightened again…
While Shui ManKong had already guessed it and prepared himself mentally, he still held onto the last flicker of hope in his heart. Although he pressed Shui QianRou to tell him the truth, he was hoping that his daughter would light up that last flicker of hope. Now that he personally heard of the news from his daughter's mouth, Shui ManKong had completely despaired!
He finally could not hold back his tears as he recalled the very first time his son cried out for 'daddy', the very first time he taught his son to write, the very first time he taught his son to…
His only son would never return, would never cry out for 'daddy'… His only son was already resting in a different place…
Amidst his tears, it was as though Shui ManKong could see how his son struggled to kill Shui QianJiang with his final breath…
"HELP ME TAKE REVENGE! FATHER!!!" His son was crying out to take revenge for him!
"HUAN'ER!!!! AHHHH…." Shui ManKong raised his head and let out a heart-wrenching roar…
This ambitious figure who was equal in status to Yu ManLou had broken down completely! His only son had left him! That was his only chance to pass down his bloodline and also his only hope! How devastating was it for the old to send the young off? Just what could he possibly look forward to in the future?
Shui QianRou's wept bitterly as her body trembled from her grief.
A long while later, Shui ManKong finally came back to his senses. However, his gaze was vacant as he fell into a long daze. It was as though he could not see anything in front of him and he aged a decade in that instant…
Chapter 640: Huge Change in Heavenly Wind
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Father! How… how are you?" Shui QianRou was startled and she grabbed onto her father's arm, shaking it as she wept.
Shui ManKong's maniacal laughter stopped abruptly and he panted heavily for a long while before regaining his cool. He then turned to look at his daughter. "Rou'er, you must not let your mother know about this! You have to hide it from her forever! She will not be able to endure such a blow and would definitely go crazy. Do you understand? Your brother is still alive and was taken away by Justice for treatment!"
"I know what I should say, but Father, what should we do? It seems like it still isn't the right time…" Shui QianRou nodded her head in agreement. She originally intended to hide it from her father as well but she was unable to do so. Although she truly wanted to take revenge for her brother as well, she knew that…
"I… have my own plans!" Shui ManKong looked at his daughter before stroking her on the head indulgently, "Good daughter, don't cry."
Shui QianRou's tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I originally intended to engage you to HuangFu Jun after your return," Shui ManKong said with a self-mocking laugh, "but it seems like there isn't a need to do so any longer. Rou'er, you are in love with Ling Tian, right?"
Shui QianRou's face flushed red and she was awkwardly silent.
Shui ManKong smiled at her indulgently. "I also know that that darn HuangFu Jun would never be a match for my Rou'er with his horrendous character. However, I only wanted to gather some support to deal with your two uncles. Now that our family has completely fractured from within, why would I still sacrifice the happiness of my only daughter? Don't worry, I will certainly not stop the two of you. After the generational battle, it can be considered that you have given your all for the family and you can go back to Heavenly Star to find Ling Tian. No matter where you go, you must always remember to be happy. Alright?"
"FATHER!" Shui QianRou cried out and dove into her father's embrace.
Shui ManKong patted his daughter on the head and wanted to let out a sigh. But after a long while, he did not let out the sigh and swallowed it down instead. Looking at a direction where Shui QianRou wouldn't be able to see his face, Shui ManKong's eyes glowed with a thick killing intent…
This night which was supposed to be a silent one was destined to be thrown into chaos. With Heavenly Star's lord of massacre arriving at Heavenly Wind, he would definitely carry a storm of blood with him.
While the members of the Yu Family and Beyond Heavens were probably drifting in the sea and would only reach Heavenly Wind a couple of days later, it was destined to be a sleepless night for the Shui Family today. After Shui ManKong sent Shui QianRou back to rest, he walked out of the secret chamber and stood in the pavilion alone. He looked at the starry night and basked under the stars for a whole night without moving a single inch. It was as though he was thinking about something or he was trying to accompany someone. The dew drenched his shirt and hair as this family head of the number one family stood silently in the night…
There were plenty of others who had a sleepless night like him as well, including Shui ManCheng. Shui ManCheng also sat in a daze for a full night with the grief of losing his son. As for Shui ManShu and Shui ManPing, they gathered those who had just returned from Heavenly Star and analyzed every single event in detail. They hoped that they would be able to come to the conclusion that things weren't the worst that they could be…
As for Elder Shui WuBo of the Shui Family, he had a nice and cozy sleep.
The sun was up and the continent became busy again.
The hottest topic of discussion was undoubtedly the sudden appearance of the three Sky Alliance Heads. Their sudden arrival to Jade River City and current disappearance scared all the aristocratic families in the city to the point they did not dare to even leave their houses.
The second hottest topic of discussion was the conflict between Song Kuang and Tian ZhiYi from the Sky Alliance. Song Kuang and his 25 followers had disappeared mysteriously with their life or death unknown…
Another strange matter was the fact that both the members of the HuangFu and Song Families were weaving around Jade River City with their faces solemn as though they were about to have a huge clash! The atmosphere in the Jade River City was immediately in a state of tension.
Thankfully, both families were able to restrain themselves.
When it was noon, news began to spread from some unknown source that it wasn't only young noble Song Kuang from the Song Family who disappeared. There were plenty of others who disappeared along with him. For example, the second young noble of the Song Family, the illegitimate son of Song TianQiao, and the concubine who Song TianQiao doted on the most.
However, what the Song Family faced could still be considered alright and there was someone who faced an outcome far worse than that!
The plight of the HuangFu Family was far worse than that! Their three young nobles disappeared without a trace before the two daughters of the family disappeared shortly after. In the end, even the wife of the HuangFu Family Head was also gone without a trace! Besides that, the treasured sword passed down over generations, the Heavenly Life Treasured Sword, was also stolen by a thief…
The most unlucky person was undoubtedly the second young noble of the HuangFu Family, HuangFu Jun. He went to receive his beloved lady after her return to Heavenly Wind but was greeted with sarcasm and mockery before being heartlessly chased away. With a belly full of frustration, he could not even enter the door of his house and was knocked unconscious with a wooden pole…
According to a few eyewitnesses, these blacked robed masked men were all martial arts experts. Especially the masked man who knocked HuangFu Jun unconscious was definitely a top-notch expert…
With a series of such events happening, the two family heads were naturally furious. They sent out news at almost the same time that regardless of who the culprit was, the culprit would definitely pay a huge price! Even if they had to dig three feet underground to find the culprit, they would definitely dig the culprit up! They would catch the mastermind behind this whole affair and rip him into shreds! As such, the whole city was filled with a bunch of burly men charging around the city as though they were starving beasts.
Both the families swept through the whole city without letting go of even a single corner. They had even searched the residence of the City Head but weren't able to find even a trace left behind by the culprits! Despite mobilizing such a large number of troops, they weren't able to find a single clue!
Such an outcome was far too shocking!
These two families were considered to be powerhouses in the Heavenly Wind Continent and Jade River City was the territory of the HuangFu Family! However, the enemy was actually able to capture their young and old right under their very noses without leaving behind a single clue for them to follow! This was akin to giving the HuangFu Family a tight slap on the face!
The Family Head of the HuangFu Family, HuangFu YanHan was thoroughly enraged as he cursed vehemently at the top of his lungs for a few hours straight. His voice could be heard from a few streets away and those staying near the HuangFu Residence could clearly hear every single word that HuangFu YanHan said. It turns out that this Sir HuangFu actually had such a hobby. Despite cursing someone, his cursing was like a melody without a single phrase being repeated over the past few hours. What a talent!
Whenever the HuangFu Family Head left his residence, the passersby would look at him with worship in their eyes. This couldn't be helped as his cursing was far too classic! If those words came out from the mouth of a delinquent, everyone would only treat it as the delinquent letting out a fart. But when these words came out from the famous HuangFu YanHan, they had a completely different flavor! Thus, the HuangFu Family Head had an explosion in popularity despite his graying hair…
After news of the chaos spread out for a day, the HuangFu Family noticed a delicately made box outside their door on the morning of the next day.
All of the HuangFu Family experts surrounded the little box as though they were facing a powerful opponent as they opened the box warily. However, the box only contained a letter and some item which was wrapped up thickly in white cloth.
"HuangFu Family Head: Sir HuangFu YanHan. The world is in admiration of Family Head's majesty and prestige and the prosperous rise of the HuangFu Family truly makes one envious. With the talent of Family Head HuangFu, Family Head HuangFu must not be willing to bow your head under others and would definitely want to have an empire of your own. Just as the saying goes, how would one allow an enemy to lie beside you when you are asleep. This untalented one is here to help Family Head share your burdens.
The three young nobles and Madam have been invited by me to be an honored guest and I will definitely serve them carefully. I think that the chance for Family Head HuangFu to rule over the entire continent is right before your eyes and ruling over Heavenly Wind is only a matter of time! The Song Family is too arrogant and unbridled, daring to create trouble in Jade River City! While I am an outsider, I am thoroughly enraged by such an action and cry out in grievance on behalf of Family Head HuangFu!
Who does the Song Family think they are? They are no more than a nouveau riche family! To think that they dare to be so bold and challenge the City Head of Jade River City in public! If we do not teach them a good lesson, these little b*st*rds would look down on the prestige of the HuangFu Family. Just as the saying goes, we should not bear with the unbearable!
Thus, in order to accomplish the ambitions of the HuangFu Family, this little one boldly invited the HuangFu young nobles, young madams, and Madam HuangFu to rest at my place. If Family Head sends out your forces immediately to wipe out the Song Family, half the continent will belong to the HuangFu Family. The opportunity is right before your very eyes and should not be missed! The day when Family Head HuangFu returns victorious will also be the day when your loved ones return to your family!
In order to prevent Family Head from being suspicious, I specially prepared a gift for Family Head and hope that Family Head will come to a decision soon. One will only be able to become a hero in times of disaster and one will only be able to build his legacy in chaotic times! Despite the letter being short, my emotions flow deep and it is my deepest regret that I am unable to enjoy a glass of wine together with Family Head HuangFu! Family Head HuangFu is a refined individual and I hope that you will forgive this boorish individual.
I need to remind Family Head HuangFu to take note of something. If Family Head HuangFu does not make a move within three days, we will have another small gift for Family Head. May Family Head accept this little insignificant gift of ours."
The name which was signed off was a strange one: A warm-hearted individual!
The members of the HuangFu Family stared at each other with disbelief and HuangFu YanHan snatched the letter in a fit of rage and ripped it to shreds. He took a few heavy breaths and a thick killing intent was emanating from his face.
Chapter 641: Rational Conjecture
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
HuangFu YanHan exploded in anger.
Kidnapping my son and wife, stealing my treasured sword, and he expects my HuangFu Family to be an angel with a shotgun, destroying the Song Family for him? Is the Song Family so easily annihilated? And is my HuangFu family so easy to order around?
Lunatic ravings!
As everyone's gazes slowly drifted to the white cloth bundle on the table, their faces revealed anger, as well as some trepidation. All of them were people who had some experience in the real world. While the white cloth perfectly wrapped the contents, there was a hint of a bloody stench wafting from within. How could it be hidden from the senses of those present?
Could it be?!
Staring at the white cloth bundle, HuangFu YanHan grit his teeth before commanding, "Open it up!"
The white cloth was unraveled layer by layer, and the stench grew stronger. Finally, with a flourish, the last layer was peeled off, and the contents were revealed to be a pale arm. There was even a ring on one of its slender fingers!
HuangFu YanHan yelled out wildly, even as his body began to tremble. "Jun'er!!!!"
That white jade ring was a rare and precious object. Other than its immense price tag, it was also something that HuangFu YanHan had personally given his second son for his sixteenth birthday! With the presence of this ring, the owner was the arm was without question!
"Who did it?! Who was the one?!!" HuangFu YanHan was like a deranged lion, as he screamed his fury towards the heavens. "I, HuangFu YanHan, swear to the heavens, that no matter who you are, I'll shatter your corpse to pieces! I vow to take this revenge of blood!"
"Family Head, it seems like the other party is not kidding at all about the contents of their letter…." An elder with a goatee, as well as two long hanging brows worriedly spoke, "Right now, the three young nobles and the Madam are in their hands, and their lives are hanging by a thread. If we do not acquiesce to their demands, then the consequences…."
The corners of HuangFu YanHan's eyes twitched, and he sighed as he replied, "How could I not be aware? Even if we could gather all our strength and finally manage to annihilate the Song Family, what could we do if they do not wish to let them go? Furthermore, we would be a dying lamp by then, with huge injuries to our vitality. How could we still be able to deal with this mysterious organization with our strength then? If the opponent chose to strike us at that time, then how are we to react? This person has the ability to hatch such a venomous plan, so how could he let us go?"
Another old man over forty years old said, "Family Head, maybe the party has some grudge with the Song family, and he is unable to achieve his objectives with his current strength, thus he wishes to borrow our strength to take his revenge!".
HuangFu YanHan laughed bitterly, even as his brows furrowed together. "This might be possible, but if the party has the ability to make my HuangFu family members soundlessly disappear, then their skills would be far above ordinary people. The person has to be a peerless expert! If that was the case, then how could he have his hands tied regarding the Song Family? While he could be a recluse, unable to handle the entire Song Family, killing them off one by one would be an easy matter! Furthermore, since he has the power to steal my HuangFu family's people, then he could easily do the same to Song TianQiao's people. In the end, wouldn't it be better than having us make a move?! And it would save him so much more strength!"
"As such, this person definitely doesn't have a grudge with the Song Family, and neither does he have a grudge with us! This person is simply being two-faced!" HuangFu YanHan barked out coldly, "This sort of strategy to use a stone and kill two birds, how dare they have the guts to use it on me?! Furthermore, they're not afraid of the disdain of others! Why don't you all think about it for a bit? That day when the Song Family was in an uproar, most likely it was because they also had people who were kidnapped!"
"Family Head really has a unique view!" the elder with a white goatee hurriedly said. "However, if we do not deploy our troops, then how do we deal with the matter of the three young nobles as well as the Madam? That group has such vicious methods, if second young noble's arm can be delivered today, I'm afraid in the future….."
HuangFu YanHan also frowned in anxiety, pacing around repeatedly. How could he not understand the meaning within the elder's words? But he had no countermeasure against this situation, only a feeling of an increasing sense of urgency within his heart. He definitely could not adhere to the instructions of the other party, but if he did not listen, then his sons and wife would vanish from the face of this world! Since the other party was decisive enough to chop off his son's arm, that meant they had the courage to see things through. If he did not follow their instructions, then none of his sons would live on! In that manner, the HuangFu Family would also be finished!
This was really being trapped in between a rock and a hard spot!
Even after pondering for a whole day, HuangFu YanHan could not come out with a good idea. He could not help but sigh out loudly, at his wit's end!
A scholarly-dressed man was deep in thought as he spoke out, "Family Head, you mentioned that the Song Family also had some great movements today, and I heard that the two young nobles of the Song Family have also mysteriously disappeared! Along with them was the ninth concubine which was the most favored of Song TianQiao, along with an illegitimate son. The time that they vanished was almost simultaneous, also yesterday night. Could these two matters be linked?"
HuangFu YanHan's eyes lit up, as he started to consider the scenario. It was only after a long time that he finally sighed at the heavens, "This matter should be orchestrated by the same group of people. Their objective is probably for us to fight among each other, while they sit by the side and play fisherman, waiting to collect the benefits. If my assumptions are correct, I'm afraid Song TianQiao would have also received a similar package to ours. The conditions would be to destroy our HuangFu family! If that's the case, then the battle between our two houses can't be avoided any longer. What an effective method, to swoop in when two tigers fight to annihilate both households!"
Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. "Who would be so bold as to offend both our families in one go? Could it be that they aren't afraid of bringing disaster upon themselves?!"
After taking in a deep breath, HuangFu YanHan's face was unnaturally solemn as he revealed an expression of unwillingness and fury, as he snarled, "Song Kuang offended Tian ZhiYi this afternoon in Jade River City, and subsequently disappeared soon after. With all these matters happening in a row after that incident, I can predict that this must have been done by the Sky Alliance!"
"The Sky Alliance!" everyone gasped.
"Five years ago, this Sky Alliance suddenly appeared as though it had dropped down from the sky. Not even a year's worth of time has passed, but they seem to be akin to spring bamboo shoots after a downpour, with their influence inching upwards day after day. Furthermore, they even tried all sorts of ways to get into a good relationship with the Shui Family. I'm not sure if Shui ManKong had his brains fried in lard, but he actually agreed! With the Shui Family backing them, we could not shoot at the rat for fear of breaking the vases. Three years later, the power of the Sky Alliance was akin to a tsunami, enveloping the entire continent, to the point that even the Shui Family could not do anything to them any longer. From then on, the Sky Alliance officially cut the relationship between them and the Shui Family, all the while growing bigger. After developing to this point, they're now the biggest blight on this continent!"
"While the influence of the Sky Alliance is huge, they do not run any specific businesses. They are only relying on looting to survive, so how can they maintain such huge expenditures? Clothes, weapons, armor… where did all these things come from? Even now, no one knows. It was only that day when they revealed their fangs that we had a vague idea.
"What did Family Head find?" Everyone chorused.
HuangFu YanHan ruthlessly snorted before saying, "As everyone knows, in another month or so there will be the generational battle between the Shui and Yu Families. The last battle sixty years ago was held in Heavenly Star, and this time, it will naturally be hosted on the Heavenly Wind continent! The Yu Family will definitely be coming over in a few days, and for the Sky Alliance to suddenly attempt such a thing without concealing themselves, is that not obvious enough?!"
"Family head, your meaning is… the Sky Alliance belongs to the Yu Family?" Everyone was struck dumb by this revelation.
"Even if they do not belong to the Yu Family, they should have received some instructions from them." HuangFu YanHan had on a frosty expression, "The head of Yu Family, Yu ManLou, is a dragon among men, with deep plans and distant thought. He would have long had the thought to vie for supremacy. If this plan was put down five to six years ago, I wouldn't even be surprised. Indeed, only the Yu Family would have the resources needed for world domination, and only they would be able to allow the Sky Alliance to continuously expand without worrying about resources. If they are able to fully throw the Heavenly Wind continent into chaos this time around, this would be a checkmate from their side. The moment our two families turn chaotic, then wouldn't the Shui Family also suffer? This would be the best time for the Yu Family to reap the benefits!"
"Family Head has profound sight. If we follow this method to its logical conclusion, it is indeed so." Everyone thought about his words and realized the more they pondered, the more it made sense. Everyone was left in awe with the family head's acute foresight. Right now, everyone felt as though they had been enlightened.
"So it's like this. The mysterious nature, as well as the strength of the Sky Alliance, are not too surprising now that Family Head has ripped the mask off them." The elder with a goatee narrowed his eyes as he nodded. "Since that's the case, then how about we ally with the Shui Family, suppressing the Yu Family as well as saving our own clansmen? Wouldn't that be great?"
"How could we let them off so easily? If Yu ManLou does not give me a satisfactory answer, how could this old man rest?! No matter how strong his Yu Family is, he belongs to the Heavenly Star continent and should have no part to play in the politics of the Heavenly Wind continent! The Sky Alliance might be a ferocious dragon that has crossed the seas, but how could it beat the three of us local tyrant snakes joining hands?!" HuangFu YanHan grit his teeth as he viciously spoke, his eyes shining with a frosty light!
"That's right! This should be the case! We are going to see just how unbridled the Yu Family can be!" The chorus of everyone present was filled with battle intent!
"Come early tomorrow morning, this old man will personally go and visit the head of the Shui Family, Shui ManKong. Grand Elder, please go and look for Song TianQiao right now, and negotiate a countermeasure with them. Remember to exercise restraint! Of course, Song TianQiao is someone who is steady and solid, and what I have concluded should not be something that eludes his grasp. To make the two of our families fight with each other just like that, their thinking is too simple!" HuangFu YanHan spoke in a confident tone. "If the Yu Family was being discreet, then we couldn't have done anything either, but now that they dare to do it so openly, then don't blame us for being impolite! Our century-long foundation for the HuangFu aristocratic family can't be uprooted just because Yu ManLou says he wants to do so! What a nice fantasy he has! Could it be that Yu ManLou thinks he's the only genius in this world?!"
At this moment, Yu ManLou was far away on the ocean looking at the scenery. He never would have thought that before he even managed to reach the Heavenly Wind continent he had already been burdened with the black label of a villain by someone else! If he were to find out right now, he would likely vomit blood in anger!
The development of this matter was indeed too bizarre! Even if it was Ling Tian who had orchestrated this incident, he would never have thought this sort of strange scenario would occur. One had to mention that HuangFu YanHan's imagination was indeed bold and imaginative, to the point that no one could follow his thoughts, but he still could somehow frame this hypothesis in such a reasonable manner!
What sort of matter was going on?!!
However, if one were to pin the blame on Yu ManLou, it could still be considered plausible at this exact point in time! After all, the timing of this kidnapping was just too coincidental. Even if one were just to look at it from the surface, the greatest beneficiary of this would be the Sky Alliance, followed by the Yu Family. As such, thinking that the mastermind was Yu ManLou was actually something unavoidable! After all, the greatest winner of this sort of thing was usually the one orchestrating it!
If Ling Tian were to hear of all these conjectures, he would also be dumbfounded. When he first thought of this plan, he only had the intention to stir up and muddy the waters. Not only would he throw the two families into chaos, forcing the Shui Family to step in, he would also allow Shui QianRou to benefit much more from this. Secondly, he would also reduce the influence behind the other faction in the Shui Family, and lastly, Ling Tian would use this opportunity to gain a chance to enter Mount Vacant to seek for treasure!
This could be summed up into a single saying: When one has the intention to grow flowers, the plants do not bloom, but when one inadvertently plants a willow, it grows into a mighty tree to provide shade!
HuangFu YanHan's guesses were actually not wrong for some parts. The head of the Song Family actually did receive a mysterious package, a tiny box. And as for the Song Family, they were actually behaving in the same manner as what HuangFu YanHan thought, running around in chaos. All of them racked their brains for the answer, and the family Head Song TianQiao flew into a rage totally unbefitting of the steady image that HuangFu YanHan had praised him for.
Song TianQiao's wife, which was the birth mother of Song Kuang and Song Ao, after realizing that the life and death of her two sons were unknown along with the lack of attention from her husband for the past few years, had her heart immediately refueled with hatred. She put out a huge scene fully displaying the ability of a woman. She cried, blustered, and threatened to kill herself, torturing Song TianQiao to the point his seven orifices were literally emitting smoke.
While the group discussed for a long time, they could not come to any conclusion. When they were at their wit's end, someone brought the message that the HuangFu Family's Grand Elder was here for a visit. While Song TianQiao was extremely impatient in his heart, he endured the burning desire and invited the guest in.
"Yu ManLou! I f**k your grandmother!" After hearing the summary from Grand Elder HuangFu, Song TianQiao was struck with a revelation. He stamped his feet on the ground, loudly cursing and swearing until his face was red, apoplectic with rage. Compared to how HuangFu YanHan had described him to be, Song TianQiao seemed to be poles apart in real life. With his sons and concubine missing, he was already suffering from a surplus of anxiety. Having to deal with the incessant grumbling from his wife without being able to vent his frustrations, he could only endure blindly. He was almost driven mad by this fiasco.
Originally, he would put on airs whenever the HuangFu Family sent someone over, but right now, they could be considered his savior, giving him a solution out of his dilemma. Upon hearing that this entire matter was actually orchestrated by Yu ManLou, Song TianQiao could not help but seethe in rage. If Yu ManLou was present in the city right now in front of him, Song TianQiao would not hesitate to spit at him!
The two men hurriedly discussed for a while, firming up a countermeasure before the HuangFu Grand Elder took his leave. Song TianQiao rearranged his bearings, before bringing a group of experts and headed towards the Shui Family with a majestic entourage of experts.
In the blink of an eye, three days had already passed.
In these three days, Ling Tian had worked in the night while resting during the day, recording every single nook and cranny of Mount Vacant Sky by going round and round the area. He had scoured every area that was in accordance with his plan, which was an extremely tedious matter. Just the three peaks of Mount Vacant Sky lay among hundreds of feet of undulating ranges, and just scouting out the Eastern peak already made him perspire profusely. This had nothing to do with one's internal cultivation, but rather it was a matter of labor. Such a scouting job like this was purely reliant on one's body rather than energy.
Lush forests, rugged outcroppings, steep precipice, flowing valleys… Ling Tian had expended a Herculean effort in the search for this treasure and yet came out with nothing to show for it. That saying of "East of Vacant Sky" had tired him so much he was cramping everywhere.
The early rays of dawn rose again, and Ling Tian could only helplessly stare at the Eastern peak of Mount Vacant Sky, viciously spitting on the ground in disgust before turning around to leave.
Ling Jian, who had accompanied him for three straight nights on this fruitless search, was also drawn to the limits of his patience even though he was well known for his tempered patience. He requested permission from the Young noble to survey the task that Ling Nineteen and the rest were doing and immediately took his leave, not willing to accompany his young noble to go on this insane search.
Today was also the day that Yu ManLou's ships would arrive. Ling Tian decided to let this matter drop for the moment. After the Yu Family arrived, in order to prevent them from playing any dirty tricks, the defense around the central peak of Mount Vacant Sky would also become even more guarded. This would be beneficial for Ling Tian to travel to and from the Eastern Peak.
As such, Ling Tian was now extremely eager for Yu ManLou to reach the area. He was completely unaware that awaiting Yu ManLou would be a heaven-borne disaster, and this entire matter was actually orchestrated by him, as well as totally unintentionally created against Yu ManLou…
****** ****** ******
Yu ManLou finally arrived.
The Yu Family delegate could be said to have arrived with the same timing as the people from Beyond Heavens. Separated by just a distance of ten feet or so was the small boat that held four people from the Beyond Heavens Sect. While the boat that they took was not considered tiny by any standards, with cabins and a helm, it was incomparably tiny when compared to the hegemon of a boat that the Yu Family wielded.
When Yu ManLou arrived, he never would have thought in his dreams, no, everybody included would never have thought in their dreams that the Yu Family's arrival at the Heavenly Wind continent would cause such a stir!
The sun rose high into the sky, letting out unlimited rays of light which shone on all objects over the world. Only that the sunshine at this period was considered the most harmonious!
Yu ManLou stood with his back facing the rising sun, standing with his hands behind his back at the helm of the ship. The salty and humid air of the ocean seemed to give him a feeling of meeting with a long lost friend! His entire bearing started to emit a congealed area, giving people who saw him a sense of respect. If Ling Tian were present, he would have noticed that the frosty air that was present in Yu ManLou's body had already completely vanished, melding together to become part of his body! Right now, Yu ManLou's skill could no longer be compared to when he was in Northern Wei. He naturally had undergone a tremendous breakthrough!
The Soul brothers stood directly behind him, not even an inch away from their designated positions, standing stock still like two honored statues.
It's been a long time, Heavenly Wind continent!