Chapter 667: Gathering of Bandits
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Even the few fellows from Sky Alliance began an internal argument because of this issue. This was also because Ling Jian was unwilling to consider them as groups but only as individuals. For example, the letter of notice that Ling Jian sent to them was: 'Ling One: ** taels of silver; Ling Two: ** taels of silver…'
The most outrageous thing was the fact that Ling Chi had added on another two phrases at the end: 'The top ten shall not have a price, the last ten shall be punished!'
If they were not grouped together, how many taels of silver would each of them be able to take out? In order to not fall behind, they would naturally try to fight for more silver! Every one of them was afraid that they would fall into the last ten positions! They were all extremely clear that the prize of the top ten places was negligible. However, the punishment of the last ten places was definitely something that could take their lives. Even if it doesn't take their lives, a layer of skin would probably be shed…
Especially when they found out that this notice was sent by Ling Jian personally. The eyes of all the more than forty people who saw this notice turned red immediately.
In just a short few days, any of the various aristocratic families on the three continents that had the slightest bit of a bad record were wiped out!
At the same time, auctions could be seen all around and treasures were being sold for silver. There were even two bolder individuals who joined hands to rob the grain for the troops of the Yu Family in broad daylight. With the aid of the insider, XiMen Sa, they easily robbed the Yu Family and sold the grain meant for the 200,000 men of the Yu Family army to the poor commoners at a tenth of the original price. They then took the funds they earned and escaped without a trace. The 200,000 men of the Yu Family army were forced to starve for a few days and Yu ManLou was enraged to the point he almost puked blood!
On the Heavenly Wind Continent, the Shui Family was the only one that was spared. The various heads of the Sky Alliance were all too embarrassed to rob their new alliance partner. But despite that, an extremely odd scene took place. Over the past few days, the Shui Family experienced a theft every night. Shui ManKong, who guessed the reason behind this, let out a long sigh. He ordered all of his guards to go to sleep and opened up three silver vaults. When he took a look at the vaults the next day, the three vaults were cleaned out completely and even the rats would come out with a face full of tears…
After the ceremony, the entire Divine Prefecture Empire became extremely peaceful and the wealth of the entire world became extremely balanced. In many places, even if someone wanted to be corrupt, there was nothing for them embezzle! This also resulted in the entire society being extremely stable.
Apart from that, the other effect was the bountiful wealth of the Divine Prefecture Empire. As such, Ling Tian announced that he would not collect taxes of any form for the next ten years. As such, the entire world was able to progress prosperously and the wheels of history began moving forward.
It could be said that those so-called bandits had made a huge contribution towards the stability of Ling Tian's empire!
Such a weird occurrence was one that even Ling Tian had never seen before in his two lifetimes!
Such an odd occurrence wasn't only the first of its kind but would probably be the last of its kind as well!
The current Sky Bearing City had become busy once again after the previous gathering. The bustle in Sky Bearing was more than ten times more lively than the previous time!
In the midst of all the bustle and excitement, the Ling Family officials in charge of receiving guests were extremely bitter. They originally thought that this job of receiving guests would definitely be an easy one but never imagined that it would be an extremely hectic job! All the officials in the Ling Family in charge of receiving guests ran around until their legs were about to break, regardless of how high their rank was.
In truth, the various envoys from the different aristocratic families were extremely polite. They would be full of pleasantries, consoling words, and rewards. They would be extremely polite whenever they met the officials of the Ling Family and even if the officials were tired, they carried on joyfully. However, the problem was the sudden appearance of a couple of young teens that were like bandits. While they weren't old, their tempers weren't small and they didn't treat themselves as outsiders at all. All of them were either filled with the valor of youth, a face full of frustration, or arrogance as high as the heavens. Whenever they met the officials in charge of receiving them, they would order the officials around without standing on ceremony. As for the 'consoling words' and rewards, as long as these young teens spotted such behavior, they would confiscate all the rewards. The moment they spotted behaviors that went too far, these officials would immediately be beaten up and sent into jail.
It wasn't that these officials did not think about fighting back. However, none of these teens were pushovers. They were all highly skilled in martial arts and had a high-ranking individual backing them. Anyone who complained about these teens was either executed, fired, or firmly reprimanded by their higher-ups. In the end, none of the officials dared to let out a single word of complaint. Who knows where these young teens came from?
The happiest people in Sky Bearing City would be the inn owners in the city. With the overwhelming crowd entering the city, the Ling Family could only host less than 1% of the crowd and could only neglect the rest. As such, this became a golden opportunity for the bosses of the various inns. All of the guests were extremely wealthy individuals and a casual tip of theirs would be equivalent to a couple of days of earnings…
The biggest winner would naturally be the Smoky Thea Tower. Gu XiYan counted silver to the point her fingers ached…
If one stood at the city gates and looked afar, one would be able to see the never-ending crowd of people approaching the city. They were like bees who had seen a pot of honey.
The envoy of the DongFang Family had arrived…
The Xiao Family had arrived…
The envoy of the Moon Deity Empire had arrived…
Even the envoy from Water of Heavenly Wind had arrived…
…
The most eye-catching group was a bunch of fellows who traveled together with carriages of metal chests as though they were moving their residence…
Furthermore, all of these individuals seem to know each other and their conversation could be heard.
"Ah, isn't this older brother pomegranate (sixteen)? How much did brother pomegranate prepare?" A tanned young man greeted.
"Ah, it's younger brother 'third uncle' (thirty-nine). Ah ah, not much, just a little bit. I truly wasn't able to take much out. What about you? It should definitely be more than be right?" A burly man with a curly beard chuckled in response.
"Err… hehehe, I am just a poor broke man. Even with all of my strength, I was only able to get a small bit of silver. How would I be a match for brother pomegranate's wealth? I will probably end up in the ten last places," the tanned young man replied.
When the others heard the conversation between the two, they were immediately bewildered. There was actually someone with the name of pomegranate? Furthermore, the way this 'brother pomegranate' addressed the other teen was even stranger. Little brother third uncle? What kind of an address was this? So was he your little brother or third uncle? Was he your cousin from your third uncle's house? If that's the case, why don't you just call him your cousin? What's the point of going such a big round?!
This was not the strangest.
"Aiyah, big brother dead already (forty-six), you are here. This little brother has missed you."
"Haha… little brother go and die (forty-eight). It has truly been a long time, how much did you gather this time?"
"Cough cough cough… just a little bit, just a little bit…. what about big brother dead already?"
"Little brother go and die still has the same temper. Hahaha, this older brother is definitely going end up at the end for sure."
"No no no…"
"Ah, is it big brother dead already and big brother go and die, hehehe, this little brother has truly missed all of you."
"Hahaha, little brother fourth uncle (forty-nine) is here. Looking at this little brat's delightful appearance, he must definitely be rich."
...
All the officials in charge of receiving them were completely confused by the names of these individuals. Big brother dead already? Big brother go and die? Little brother fourth uncle? What kind of strange names are these? Would anyone have such a name full of bad luck?
However, all of these people seem to know each other. If they were together… not good! The officials immediately wrote a note and submitted it with a solemn expression, "Quickly submit this to young noble. This is an urgent note and there may be changes if we are late!"
Such news was definitely one of great importance and it was swiftly placed on Ling Tian's desk.
Ling Tian was currently drinking the love porridge that Yu BingYan made for him. The moment he saw the note, he spat a mouthful of porridge right on Ling Jian's face. Ling Jian's face was full of black lines. Just what was with his young noble today?!
If the one spitting porridge in his face wasn't Ling Tian but someone else, Ling Jian would probably be unsheathing his sword and shouting out in anger!
They were obviously discussing something serious but was suddenly sprayed with a face full of porridge.
He then looked at Ling Tian who was coughing incessantly as he burst out laughing. One of his hands slapped the table while the other slapped his thighs and laughed till his sides ache.
Wiping his face full of porridge, Ling Jian asked, "Young noble, what exactly happened? What is so funny? I just took a bath yesterday and bathing would harm my vitality the most. Look at my whole body and face!"
Ling Tian laughed without stopping and pointed at the piece of paper, "Take a look yourself!"
Ling Jian grabbed a piece of paper over with the words 'brother pomegranate', 'little brother third uncle', 'little brother go and die', 'big brother dead already', 'little brother fourth uncle'… when he saw all of these weird names, Ling Jian's eyes widened. A short while later, he burst out into laughter as well, laughing to the point his body trembled.
Li Xue who was by Ling Tian's side saw the note and could not help but chuckle before lamenting, "This official is truly too…"
"The envoy from the Xiao Family was actually second master Xiao FengYang. He just escaped from here and actually returned on his own accord again. But with his personality, he shouldn't have made such a choice. Aren't his actions no different from provocation?" As Ling Tian smiled, he looked at another slip of paper, "Apart from his guards and followers, another six top-notch experts followed him. They are probably from Above Heavens."
"Members from Above Heavens…" Ling Jian stopped laughing and a powerful battle intent shot out from his eyes.
Li Xue and Ling Tian looked at each other with an 'it is indeed so' smile.
"Ah Xue, go and take a look at Chen'er. Does this lass really need to personally weave out a large flag for the Divine Prefecture Empire? She is truly a stubborn one. Why can't she hand this over to the servants?!" Ling Tian shook his head with satisfaction.
"In truth, I also think. However…" Li Xue looked at Ling Tian, "I will never fight with Ling Chen for anything. As a lady, being able to love someone with all of her heart without any reservation! This is something that only Ling Chen is able to accomplish. I cannot be compared to her." Her final few words were said in an extremely low voice and Ling Tian could only barely hear it.
When Ling Tian lifted his head up, Li Xue had already left hurriedly.
Ling Tian could not help but fall into a daze.
Yu BingYan has her father, Shui QianRou has her parents, Xiao YanXue has her kin and Princess JiaoYue has her mother and kin. Even if Li Xue didn't have any kin in this life of hers, she still had her kin from her previous life in her heart and Ling Tian from her previous life! Only Ling Chen had only Ling Tian in her entire world! This lonely lady, Ling Chen, only had Ling Tian in her entire life and world!
Ling Tian suddenly felt a warm feeling in his heart together with a tinge of sourness. After staring out into space for a long while, Ling Tian let out a long breath before looking at Ling Jian, "Ah Jian, our brothers are back. Let us see what kind of a surprise these bandits have brought for us."
Ling Jian's eyes lit up, "Alright!"
In the Smoky Thea Tower.
The Smoky Thea Tower today was still arranged as per Ling Tian's arrangement back then. But in the present world, the original XiMen Family, NanGong Family, and Yang Family had already become a part of history. Appearing at Smoky Thea Tower again, Ling Tian had a sudden feeling as though the entire world was different from before.
It was currently noon.
The various important guests from all around had their own personal dining area but a couple of them would still dine in the main hall to join in the crowd. Naturally, there were many of them who had other intentions.
For example…
On a table at the east of the hall, there were a couple of young teens dressed in luxurious robes as they chattered excitedly. When Ling Tian and Ling Jian saw these young teens, they could not help but have a bright smile on their faces!
On the table far to the west of the hall, seven individuals were seated together. Six of them were had a stern expression on their faces and the seventh was a blue-robed young lady. While this lady was beautiful, her face was cold and there was a thick layer of frost on her face. Even when the people by her table was talking to her, she would ignore them coldly as though she was an extremely frosty piece of jade.
Ling Tian looked at Ling Jian who was like a blob of ice beside him and laughed in his heart. It seems like the two of them are truly alike. A blob of ice and a piece of jade, they are truly a match made in heaven!
Apart from these two tables, there were another five or six tables who were eating silently. Looking at their dressing, these individuals came from all over the continent. But for them to be capable of dining in the Smoky Thea Tower, they must definitely be wealthy individuals.
Ling Tian and Ling Jian looked at each other and walked into the hall.
In that instant, twenty or more gazes were directed to the two of them. However, they ignored all the stares and found somewhere to sit down calmly.
The looks of the few teens at the east table burned with excitement and one of the teens could not help but stand up. He looked as though he was about to open his mouth to say something but was immediately kicked by his companion under the table. The words that were about to leave his mouth were forced back and he sat down obediently.
The six from the west table looked at Ling Tian and Ling Jian with enmity in their eyes. It was as though they had guessed the identities of the two individuals. One of the elders in the group muttered under his breath, "Could one of them be Ling Tian? Did we meet him despite just arriving at Sky Bearing? Isn't this far too coincidental?"
The elder frowned and immediately transmitted to his companions, "Test him!" The other six did not open their mouths and nodded their heads slowly.
The waiter of the Smoky Thea Tower hurried over to Ling Tian's table and asked respectfully, "What do Sirs want to eat?"
Ling Jian replied coldly, "Bring up a few specialties and two jars of wine." The waiter acknowledged the order respectfully and left.
All of a sudden, a slapping sound could be heard and someone let out a groan in the hall. With both his hands covering his mouth, blood could be seen flowing out from the gaps of his fingers. Lowering his head, he spat out a few teeth and even half a segment of the chopstick was spat out.
Of the six people on that table, a round middle-aged man stood up angrily and scolded, "Dammit, why can't you just eat your meal peacefully? Why do your eyes have to dart around like a thief? Despicable scum!" While he scolded, he snuck a glance at Ling Tian and Ling Jian with wariness.
With faces full of anger, those at his table also stood up and glared at the fat middle-aged man, "We do not know each other and there is no enmity between us. For Sir to be so callous in your means, what is the meaning of this?!"
The fat middle-aged man scolded in response, "No enmity between us? Why is that fellow staring at my little sister? His thieving eyes obviously shows that he doesn't mean well! Isn't he thinking about something despicable? Is this daddy here wrong to teach him a lesson?!"
Those with keen eyes would be able to easily tell that the fat middle-aged man was intentionally seeking trouble. Was it a crime to sneak a glance at someone when dining? Everyone in the world would have eyes for beauties and making use of such a reason to start trouble was no different from intentionally stirring trouble!
Ling Tian looked over expressionlessly and said softly, "That fellow did not even sneak a single glance and the fatty's intention is probably us." Ling Jian could also notice this. While the two tables were at odds with each other, the attention of those at the west table was on themselves.
"It seems like they are suspecting young noble's identity." Ling Jian asked softly.
"I came here with my true appearance and did not think about hiding anything. There's no need to suspect me at all." Ling Tian clicked his tongue and laughed, "They probably want to make use of this opportunity to understand my strength better. It seems like these few are probably the Above Heavens so-called experts."
Ling Jian's eyes flashed and he said, "Only that old man in the middle has some strength and would be able to fight me. As for the rest, they aren't worth mentioning."
Ling Tian nodded his head and did not say anything.
The injured individual was full of pent up anger as he hollered, "Why are you so unreasonable? I am eating my meal in peace. Since when did I even look at her? Besides that, while this lady is pretty, but…" As he said that, he paused without continuing. He obviously wanted to say that while that lady is pretty, she is truly too cold. Looking at her will make me tremble, why would I have the interest to continue looking?
The fat middle-aged man frowned and said with a malevolent aura, "What do you mean by that? You actually dare to say that my little sister isn't good looking? Are you looking for death?"
As the few teens at the east table saw the scene, a teen with a full beard stood up with a gruff voice, "I have seen unreasonable people before, but I have never seen someone so unreasonable! He first maligned the other party for staring at his little sister. When the other party felt that his sister was ugly and like a block of ice, he decided to blame the other party for not having any taste. Tsk tsk. This big brother is truly too shameless. It is probably because his little sister can't be married out. He probably wants to even extort a betrothal gift from the other party, otherwise he wouldn't be so tyrannical."
"That's right, that's right." The other teens echoed. They were originally lawless individuals and had always been the boss when they were on the outside. With Ling Tian and Ling Jian being around and them being in Sky Bearing's Smoky Thea Tower, they were naturally extremely confident. Not to mention the fact that they weren't aware that the other party was from Above Heavens. If they had known, their words would probably have been even more vicious.
Chapter 668: Ling Jian's Springtime
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The face of the fat man sank. "Whom might you be? This matter has no business with you, so why must you look for trouble?" He could already feel that the youths in front of him were not people he could provoke, and started to soften the warning tone he had in his voice originally. If not, based on his original habit, he would have long ago drawn his blade and attacked!
As for the person who had been beaten by the fat man till he looked like a chopstick, he also felt that this bunch were not people that he could provoke, and immediately shrank his head in, not daring to make another sound.
"Who am I? Are you even qualified to know?" The youth with a dragon whisker beard laughed, his righteous aura spreading out as he spat, "What I want to know is how is it that a bunch of riffraff like you, who don't know martial arts at all, can be so impressive as to go around bullying people?!" His face darkened suddenly, "I also want to know, just who are you guys? To actually dare to cause trouble in Sky Bearing? To create problems right before the Ling Family establishes their kingdom? Do you guys even have brains?!"
The fat man was startled, before suddenly flaring up and cursing, "Where did this little bastard come from, to actually be so lawless towards my Xiao Family?! Are you seeking death? Report your name to this daddy now!"
The youth, however, gave a disdainful smile instead. "Xiao Family? Is it the same Xiao Family that is now trapped behind that mountain? You don't even dare to walk out of your house's front door, so why are you mentioning your family name? Other than flaunting your authority to the poor commoners who do not have the strength to truss up a chicken, what else can you do? Other than being overbearing and arrogant, rascally from head to toe, just like your group, just like your family, what else can you do?!"
The fat man let out a bellow, "You little b*stard, this daddy here will rip you apart!"
The two elders that were positioned between them suddenly raised their voices, "Stop!" They turned to face the youth with the dragon whisker beard, a dangerous gaze flashing in their eyes. "Might I inquire as to whom you are? Why would you come out with such slanderous remarks towards my Xiao Family?"
The youth in question laughed out again, before replying, "Slander? All the facts are placed in front of our eyes, how is that a slander?! Unlike a certain family, which had traversed unhindered from the East to the South, crossing blades so many times with the Xiao Family. This one here is Tian Sixteen from the Heavenly Stem Mountain, you may address me as Brother Sixteen."
Behind him, a few of the youths could not help but let out 'puchi' sounds of laughter. Even Ling Jian and Ling Tian were smiling so hard their eyes couldn't be seen.
Tian Sixteen, Sweet Pomegranate [1], this person was precisely Brother Pomegranate!
However, the facial expressions of the two older men sank, as they slowly replied, "So it turns out, that the famous Tian Sixteen is actually this noble! However, why have you, King Tian, come all the way to Sky Bearing this time?"
Tian Sixteen chuckled, "Since you people from the Above Heavens Sect have come, why can't I be here as well?! If you guys can come over, why can't I?"
"You're here to congratulate the Ling Family on founding their kingdom? Could it be that the Ling Family has had contacts with you, King Tian?" The eyes of the elderly men were like steel needles.
Tian Sixteen smirked, before suddenly turning around to sit down as he replied, "Who are you? You're not worthy for me to explain!"
The expression of the elder grew more solemn at this point. He sinisterly said, "Heralding from the South East, just like us, King Tian should turn towards our Xiao Family to mutually support and reinforce each other. Having met you for the first time today, this Meng would like to forge a relationship with King Tian." As he spoke, he stretched out a hand, as though wanting to invite him for a chat.
Tian Sixteen's face sank as he responded, "That goes without saying!" He too stretched out a hand. Since this old fogey had requested a challenge in such an open manner, he could not display any signs of weakness and retreat. Furthermore, he had his brothers behind him, and there was even his House's young master and the Big Brother present! The moment Tian Sixteen were to display even the slightest bit of weakness, he would not be able to raise his head in front of others in the future! That being said, he did not put this old man in his eyes at all.
The duo grasped each other's hands, and in that instant, their bodies shook. As the saying goes, 'The truth will appear when a professional puts his hand into it'. Tian Sixteen's face darkened at the same time the old man's face turned red. With a shattering sound, the chair Tian Sixteen was sitting on blew up into powder, while he remained in the same seated position.
Peng! The green tiles below the feet of the old man shattered, flying off in all directions.
The two people, four eyes in total, stared calmly at each other without even blinking. To think they were completely evenly matched, and on the surface, no one seemed to have the upper hand.
However, within the old man's heart, he was astonished beyond belief! His entire lifetime's worth of cultivation was actually only evenly matched with this youth that had only passed a decade in age!
After a long time, the old man finally released his hand, and indifferently spoke, "Much obliged, you're indeed extraordinary!"
Tian Sixteen smiled a little, but quickly returned to his passive look as he replied in a hoarse voice, "Above Heavens, indeed worthy of the name!"
"Sky Bearing isn't the South East, you should take note of your words and actions!" Looking deeply at Tian Sixteen, the old man gravely spoke before retreating and waving his hand. "We'll make a move first!" They intended to leave right away! The youth before him was already so strong, so those people that were around him could definitely be said to be about the same level! Furthermore, one of the two standing at the side looked suspiciously like Ling Tian, so if they were to really clash, they would definitely lose miserably!
The moment his words came out, he turned to leave, unwilling to stay a second longer.
"Bullsh*t!" Tian Sixteen's face changed, as he slapped and table and stood up. However, someone had already beaten him to it!
A flash of white was seen, and Ling Jian, with an icy expression not unlike that of a ten-thousand-year-old glacier, stood at the door entrance, his entire body exuded ice cold strands. "Want to go just like that? To cause trouble in Sky Bearing, did you ask me before doing so?!"
When the two parties had collided with their inner qi previous, Tian Sixteen, which was also Ling Sixteen, had eaten a small disadvantage and suffered from slight internal injuries. With Ling Jian's current accomplishments, how could he not be able to notice it? His heart was currently filled with the flames of anger. Given his personality as someone who was overprotective of his family and brotherhood, how could he take this lying down? Furthermore, the old man had originally aimed towards him and the young noble, and only after Ling Sixteen appeared did the old man's plan go down the drain.
While they were now considered outsiders, and could not acknowledge each other, Ling Jian would still let his brother see, that he would always have their back!
"What is the meaning of this, sir?" The old man gazed at Ling Jian as he coldly snapped.
"If it wasn't for your identity as the ambassador from the Xiao Family, I would have long ago put you to death under my blade! You might be the ambassador of the Xiao Family, but to be so unbridled here, I'll have you remember for life what it means to create trouble here in the Smoky Thea Tower!" Ling Jian's expression was icy, an uncontrollable killing intent flashing within his eyes!
The group of seven from the Xiao Family immediately felt a chill go through their hearts.
The icy young girl immediately took a step forward, demanding, "Step aside!"
Ling Jian's face twitched as he stared at the girl. A weird expression appeared on his face before he suddenly made a move. He crossed past the girl to appear in front of the old man, and in that instant, grabbed onto his hand. The old man could not even dodge. Ling Jian stared at him, slowly saying, "Sky Bearing isn't the South East, you should take note of your words and actions!" The hint of threat was thinly veiled within. Ling Jian actually returned the words the old man had just spoken back towards him, word for word! The meaning behind this was thought-provoking.
The old man's face turned scarlet, before turning pale as a hint of fear appeared in his eyes.
Ling Jian let go of his hand, deeply staring at the girl before he turned back to his seat, no longer looking at them.
The old man stopped the rest of his entourage from rashly moving, and hoarsely commanded, "Let's go!" The seven of them proceeded along in a single file. The young lady took the rear, and before she stepped down, she suddenly turned to face Ling Jian, a murderous spirit in her eyes as she questioned, "Your name?"
Ling Jian did not even turn to face her, coldly spitting, "Scram!"
A hint of coldness appeared in the young lady's eyes, and she replied, "The next time, I'll definitely kill you!" before walking away.
Tian Sixteen's face turned white at this time, and he heaved, spitting out a blob of blood.
Outside the Smoky Thea Tower, the old man walked for more than twenty feet before suddenly staggering and vomiting out a mouthful of blood. He replied with some lingering fear, "What a close shave! Such exquisite and pure strength!"
Looking at this startling change, the expressions of those around were all overwhelmed with shock.
Having spat out that mouthful of blood earlier, the dejected expression on the old man's face increased, and he coughed and sighed as he spoke, "That person's martial arts are deep and profound, probably even on par with that of our Sect Master! Not only is he fierce and overbearing, but yet experienced. I believe he should be, without question, the top hidden expert under Ling Tian! The reason why our Above Heavens experts that were sent over to Ling Family Courtyard never returned would likely be because of him!"
The fatty sucked in a cold breath of air. To think that he actually wanted to show off his mediocre skills in front of this person who had the ability to cover the skies with one hand! He felt his back slick with cold sweat over the lingering fear.
"However, there's a point that we can confirm. For someone that deserves such a powerful expert to accompany him, that means the white-robed youth that was beside the expert could only be Ling Tian!" The old man's face seemed to have aged as he continued, "This time, my injuries are not light, but we definitely had some harvest. However, we have to pause the scheme that the Sect Master has planned for the time being. With just us six, it will not be so easily accomplished."
They were a group of seven, yet he only mentioned six. Meanwhile, the young girl, Xiao YouHan remained cold and aloof, as though she did not care, but there were minute fluctuations within her eyes.
The old man gazed at Xiao YouHan, saying in a bland tone, "YouHan, go take care of Second Master properly. Stick close to him on normal days, to ensure his overall safety. If anything untoward happens to Second Master, you have to communicate with us immediately, so we can take the necessary precautions. After all, we're in Sky Bearing, and if there are any problems, it is not something we can take responsibility for."
Xiao YouHan made a soft sound of assent and did not speak further. Those around her were aware of this little lady's attitude due to the prolonged period of socializing, and none of them took it to heart.
"Since that's the case, let's go back for now." A trace of worry appeared on the old man's face as he turned to gaze at the Smoky Thea Tower once again. He thought to himself, With such an expert present, will the assassin employed by our Sect Master be able to succeed? If it fails, and the plot falls through, then all of us will probably have to be buried here.
He sighed deeply.
Within the Chamber of Elegance inside the Smoky Thea Tower.
Ling Tian was positioned between those seating, and he finally put his right hand down from Ling Sixteen's back, warmly smiling as he said, "It should be fine now."
Ling Sixteen only felt a wave of comfort surge through his body, the internal injury from before already gone without a trace. He exclaimed in joy, "Many thanks to the young noble. It's because of me that you have to waste your strength for nothing. I feel really terrified at that thought!"
Ling Jian snorted when he heard that. "Terror? Do you even know how to feel terror?! Those people were obviously aiming at young noble and I to probe us, nothing to do with you at all! Young noble also did not command you to step in, so why did you leap up so forthrightly? Did you think that the two of us would not be able to handle it? To think that you're still here blasting your mouth off!"
Ling Sixteen's tanned face immediately paled, and he started to stutter, "I… I… that's because I… actually I…"
Ling Tian could not help but burst out laughing, shaking his head as he teased, "You still have your old habits, always stuttering with you're nervous. Ling Jian, stop bullying him, his internal injuries have just healed. If he really turns into a stutter, then that would be a problem." Ling Jian continued to stare at Ling Sixteen with an unfriendly look, as he warned, "If there's a next time, I'll pluck out your tongue, not even allowing you to be a stutterer." Then he laughed, "Young noble, what relation is there with internal injuries and stuttering?!"
Ling Tian smiled in return. "I'm not aware if there's any relation, but I do know that the moment you revealed your fierce side, Sixteen will immediately stutter. His stuttering means that he is in a nervous state, and being nervous will affect his internal injuries. If his internal injuries are affected, then…"
Ling Jian immediately started to sweat. "Young noble, is this a joke?! But since young noble is willing to speak up for this kid, then we'll let bygones be bygones! Speaking of which, everybody has some blame to take. Since this is in line with the young noble's intentions, then we'll not blame anyone."
Ling Sixteen looked as though he had just received a great pardon, immediately agreeing. The rest of the youths present laughed out loud, all crowding around Ling Tian and Ling Jian, unspeakable joy on their faces.
"Why are there only a few of you here? Where are the rest?" Ling Jian asked.
"The majority should be still rushing, but big brother Ling One, who's the furthest has already arrived. I believe they should be preparing some sort of gift, which is why they are late. Right now, getting hands on a congratulatory gift is not easy, the moment you lag behind, there will be nothing left!" A youth laughed out as he commented.
The moment they started speaking about the congratulatory gifts, everyone let out smiles of exultation. Their words came out to be humble and modest, and no one dared to spill the beans. Obviously, all of them thought that they were well prepared, with all of them appearing extremely confident.
"Not bad, I just hope that all of you don't embarrass me, that would be enough." Ling Jian nodded his head in satisfaction.
Ling Sixteen started sniggering at this point as he remarked, "Brother Jian, on my way here, I met with the little kid Ling Fifty, and I almost died laughing. That kid actually brought a whole twenty wagons, and his pace was like a tortoise crawling. When I commented on whether he could share a wagon with me, his face turned pale with fright, hahahaha…."
Ling Tian also smiled as he commented, "That kid is a well-known hoarder. Before he came to the Outer Courtyard, he would even save a small meat bun, tucking it in his bosom until it turned moldy. To think that he actually brought so many wagons this time? Looks like he's going to be in a world of pain for a long time."
"However much his heart hurts, it beats being at the last 10 places. After all, he's the one who experienced Brother Jian's methods the most." Ling Sixteen was still smirking, "When I mentioned about traveling together with him, he actually was unwilling, as though afraid that I was going to steal his stuff. That look of anxiety on his face, really, tsk tsk…."
Ling Jian burst into laughter. "Who told you to be so extravagant in the past? The allowance that young noble gives all of you every month, you would always be the first to finish spending it, then you would resort to either stealing or snatching, even cajoling. And it was always Fifty who would save every single penny of his allowance as though it was a gold mountain, not willing to spend, only to have a portion taken by you. If we were to rank who he's most afraid of, it might not be me, but rather you, Sixteen!"
Everyone burst into a round of laughter, reminiscing about the good times in the past. The way the youths looked at Ling Tian and Ling Jian went up by a few notches in respect.
"That's right, Ah'Jian, I realized that you were giving that icy beauty some strange looks earlier on," Ling Tian commented with a smile that was not a smile after sipping a mouthful of tea. A few of them immediately put on an ambiguous expression, while everyone suddenly sat up straight, their gossipy nature raging in full blast.
Out of everyone's expectations, Ling Jian actually frowned, as though pondering this question before he replied, "Even if young noble doesn't talk about it, I would also seek advice from you sooner or later. Your judgment was right; that lady was giving me a very subtle feeling. In addition, the weirdest part about it was that her martial arts were only mediocre, but the moment she spoke about wanting to kill me, I actually felt a palpitation in my heart, and my mirror state of self was even broken. This is something that should not have happened! Just based on her strength, how could she give me a sense of danger? Could it be, that this is the heart demon young noble mentioned before, that I have to cross? I initially thought that Miss Li Xue was the mental demon i had to overcome, but after seeing this scene, I'm certain that this lady is the one!" Ling Jian furrowed his brow as though unable to understand it.
Ling Tian's mouth hung agape, he did not expect this legendary King of Assassins to reply with such an incongruous answer! Wasn't this making a mountain out of a molehill?! To actually take a lady who locked eyes with him as a danger?! This could probably go down in history as the weirdest conversation, completely nonsensical! To think that he was acclaimed as the master of cold jokes, just look at Ling Jian, now that was a true master!
"Pfft, pfft…" came the stifled laughter from the side. A few of the youths wanted to laugh, but did not dare, and were suffering from trying to hold it in. All of them present had gone through countless tribulations, with much experience to their names, and they naturally understood the theory behind mental demons. To think that the Ling Jian that they dreaded so much could actually display such an adorable side, they could not help but secretly laugh to themselves!
Throughout the years of his life, Ling Jian was solely focused on the art of killing, researching the way of the sword, never paying attention to anything else. Other than the social activities organized by Ling Tian, he never deigned to take part in any of them. For him, be it a beauty or a hag, they were all just skins covering their skeletons. The moment his sword landed, no matter who they were, all would turn into a corpse. Towards matters of the heart, he never bothered about it.
"Eh… I say, Ah'Jian, since you feel danger, then how are you going to take care of this problem?" Ling Tian asked with a straight face, as though interested in his response.
Ling Jian frowned in response, muttering, "How strange." He shook his head before continuing, "I find it incomprehensible!" And he put on an astringent expression.
Ling Tian was astonished, and pressed on, "Why so?"
Ling Jian seemed to still be deep in thought, replying absentmindedly, "Since I feel danger, then I should definitely remove the problem at the root! However, the moment I roused my own killing intent, in my heart I felt the unwillingness to extinguish this bud! This feeling is extremely strange! Never have I felt this before!" Ling Jian sat there in bitter thought, muttering, "Could it be that this girl has practiced some unfathomable charm technique? To have ensnared me while I was caught unawares? It must be so, else, I would not have felt such danger! Young noble, you're indeed knowledgeable, this should be the source of my mental demons!"
Ling Tian woodenly fell back into his seat, completely rendered speechless by Ling Jian's words.
Ling Jian began to sweat, sweat buckets, sweat out a waterfall…
"HAHAHAH…." Laughter suddenly burst out as though it had been restrained until it could no longer be controlled. Ling Sixteen held onto his stomach with one hand, his tears streaming down his face, while the other smacked the table, smacked his thigh, as he laughed the life out of himself.
Ling Jian was stunned, "What's so funny! I just fell into someone's sinister scheme by accident! The next time I see her, I'll run her through with a single sword move!"
Ling Tian had just come back to his senses and almost suffered from a cultivation deviation from the nonsense that came out of Ling Jian's mouth. He did not know whether to laugh or cry as he commented, "Ah'Jian, that's not your mental demon! It merely means that your springtime is here! You dumb*ss!"
Ling Jian sniggered in reply as he pointed with a finger outside, saying, "You don't need to state the obvious, Young noble, I can feel it, as can everyone! Springtime is here! As a matter of fact, the willow tree here is already sprouting leaves."
[1]: Tian Sixteen (天十六) has the same pronunciation as Sweet Pomegranate (甜石榴).
Chapter 669: Seeking Trouble
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ling Jian chuckled and pointed to the outside, "I will be able to tell even without young noble saying it. Everyone's spring is coming! Take a look, aren't the willow trees all about to bud?"
Ling Tian retreated in complete defeat. For the first time in his life, he truly felt helpless.
"Boss Ling Jian, I am talking about you. YOUR spring is here. You obviously fell in love at first sight! You fool!" Ling Tian could not help but pull Ling Jian's ears, "You want her to be your wife! You… haiz, I don't know what to say about you."
"Who wants to be his wife?" As the voice sounded, Gu XiYan walked over with a smile on her face and a look of curiosity.
The moment these words were said, everyone in the room burst out laughing.
Gu XiYan looked around at the young teens and her face suddenly flushed red. Could it be that they are talking about me?
Ling Jian fell into a daze as he muttered, "…wife?"
Gu XiYan squealed and escaped as she scolded with embarrassment, "Sir Ling Jian should respect yourself. Who is your wife?"
Everyone burst out laughing again.
…
In the Ling Family's guest hall.
The piping glasses of hot tea were placed on the table with three people seated with solemn expressions. They were Old Master Ling, Old Madam Ling, and Xiao FengYang.
A long while later, Old Master Ling said with a heavy voice, "This is a big matter and we have to inform Tian'er immediately."
Xiao FengYang said with worry on his face, "Currently, Above Heavens is watching us carefully and the moment news gets leaked out, we will be facing destruction."
Old Madam Ling nodded her head in agreement, "This matter is truly grave and we do not have a way to solve this matter. However, Tian'er has a stomach full of naughty ideas and this may not be a big problem for him."
Xiao FengYang nodded his head with depression and said, "Sister-in-law, what do you think about Xue'er…"
Old Madam Ling frowned and said, "This matter is a no-go! Even if we want to forcefully interfere, Tian'er may not agree and things may take a turn for the worst instead." She then shook her head and let out a sigh, "Since you knew that things might turn out in such a manner, why did you perform those acts in the past?"
Xiao FengYang let out a sigh and did not say anything else.
Old Master Ling asked doubtfully, "Since the Xiao Family is already in such a state, why are you only talking about this now? Wouldn't things be much simpler if you had said so earlier and both of our families joined hands together?"
Xiao FengYang coughed awkwardly and his old face turned red. He wasn't willing to say that he was blinded by the allure of authority. After all, who wouldn't be willing to be the ruler of the entire world? Even if they were only a puppet on the throne, the throne would still belong to their Xiao Family! If not for the strength of Above Heavens being heavily affected and the Xiao Family's army dwindling, how would they be willing to seek aid from the Ling Family?
While they were all extremely clear about this in their hearts, not a single one of them would say it.
In the courtyard where the Xiao Family envoys were staying.
The grey-faced elder said with a solemn expression, "Where is Second Master Xiao?"
"Second Master just went out." A Xiao Family teen replied, "Before he left, he said that he was going to make a trip to the Ling Family. The two families have close ties after all and Family Head is sworn brothers with Old Master Ling. It would be rude of him to not visit if he is in Sky Bearing."
"I understand all of this and I do not have the energy to listen to all of your explanations." The grey-robed elder waved his hands with impatience before patting his chest and coughing. His internal injury was still extremely severe. The reply of this teen diminished half of his doubt. If Xiao FengYang left sneakily without anyone knowing, he would suspect that Xiao FengYang was up to no good and may harm his Above Heavens. But since Xiao FengYang went to the Ling Family openly, he did not have anything else to say.
Waving his hands, he instructed, "YouHan, inform me when Second Master is back." He then gave an eye signal to the others. The others immediately understood what he meant and followed him into the room.
Xiao YouHan nodded her head with a slight frown but her cold appearance remained emotionless. It was as though she was completely indifferent towards her companion's distrust.
"Before coming to Sky Bearing, I knew that this mission would definitely be a challenging one. However, I never imagined it to be so challenging. This old man no longer understands what the sect master is thinking about," the grey-robed elder said with a frown.
"What does Second Martial Uncle mean?" a skinny middle-aged man asked.
"The sect sent a total of seven individuals out this time. But apart from this old man, the martial arts of you five are only passable. However, in a battle against experts, the aid that the five of you can provide is negligible. This is the number one puzzle. Furthermore, it is even more absurd to send Xiao YouHan to monitor Xiao FengHan!" The grey-robed elder said with worry, "While Xiao YouHan is a member of our sect, she is still a member of the Xiao Family after all. Regardless of how the sect brainwashes her, it is difficult to change this fact. If our sect ends up in a war against the Xiao Family, regardless of how loyal Xiao YouHan is to our family, it would be impossible for her to stand on our side. This is the second puzzle."
"Third, what use would it do to send out such a weak force? However, the sect master still chose to assign us such an important mission. This is truly baffling!"
"Could it be…" The grey-robed elder suddenly stood up with his hands trembling and blood seeping down from the corner of his lips again. He was thoroughly frightened by a sudden thought of his, "Xiao FengYang is our decoy and Xiao YouHan is Xiao FengYang's decoy. Could it be that we are a decoy as well?"
The other five looked at each other with their expressions ugly.
The north gate of Sky Bearing.
Yu ManTian rode on a large horse and his large body like a bear seemed to be crushing the horse underneath him, making it difficult for the horse to even take a step. Behind him was a long trail of carriages.
Three white-robed elders were riding on top of horses as though they were Buddhist monks. Beside those three elders were seven black-robed individuals. They had chilly expressions on their faces with their appearance withered as though they were dead. Even though they were only riding the horses, they looked like formless and shapeless spirits in the eyes of others and were extremely eerie.
Above the city walls, Ling Chi stood up straight as he watched the Yu Family envoy party and muttered to himself, "Could this be the mysterious force of the Yu Family, the three souls and seven bodies? Why do I feel that something is extremely wrong?"
Waving his hand, Ling Feng and Ling Yun rushed over in response. Ling Chi pointed at the Yu Family envoy and instructed, "Arrange for some manpower to keep a close watch on these ten individuals. Not a single person can be left out." The two of them disappeared into the city walls the moment they received their orders.
Ling Chi took another two steps forward and was still feeling uneasy. Calling Ling Lei over, he instructed, "Find a few bandit kings who are here to test these three old men and those seven black-robed individuals. If necessary, they can start a fight to understand the strength of the other party. Let Feng and Yun take note if there are any other experts other than Third Master Yu and these ten individuals. If there are other hidden experts, report it to young noble at the very first notice."
If the Yu Family was only using the three souls and seven bodies to hide something, then the hidden individual would not be someone that Ling Feng or Ling Yun would be able to deal with!
Ling Lei left with his orders.
Outside the city gates, another large troop arrived. Ling Chi's eyes lit up and he quickly descended from the city gates. Blocking the way, he ordered coldly, "Stop! Check!"
The three individuals at the front were Ling One, Ling Two and Ling Four. Ling Nineteen and the others were hidden among the troops. Hearing Ling Chi's voice, they immediately stopped their horses.
Ling Chi's face remained cold as he checked the troops carefully. While he was performing his checks, he discreetly handed over a strip of paper into Ling One's hands.
Ling One received the strip over without a change in his expression. He then said with feigned impatience, "This daddy has not been checked a single time after passing through so many cities. How outrageous! We are guests here to offer our blessings after all!"
Ling Chi did not respond and continued his checks. After finishing his checks, he retreated to the side and said, "Since there aren't any prohibited items, we will naturally let all of you in. Please!" He then moved aside to make way.
Ling One snorted coldly and entered the city.
The Yu Family's imperial palace.
Yu ManLou held onto a piece of paper in his hands with a cunning smile on his face. As long as Above Heavens sends out all of their forces and joins hands together with my Yu Family, we will definitely be able to create a huge mess at the Ling Family's ceremony. While it will be insufficient to damage the Ling Family, it is enough to make the Ling Family's ceremony become a huge joke!
For Meng FanYun to suggest working with me, he has obviously given up on the Xiao Family. If I can make use of this opportunity to recruit Above Heavens under me… even if I won't be able to prevent the Ling Family from setting up their empire, it would be worth it.
I believe that Ling Tian will probably be extremely anxious this time, right?
In Sky Bearing City, the dragons were mixed together with the fishes and there were still many more entering the city.
Ling Tian gave strict orders for all of his information organizations to start a full-scale operation! They must not allow any oddities to happen during the ceremony! He also proclaimed that the responsibility for any oddity would fall upon every individual in the intelligence organizations!
The four intelligence organizations together with the Violent Wind Gang sprang into action. Ling Jian coldly added another bit of instruction. Any stranger from outside of Sky Bearing needs to have at least three spies following them! Furthermore, all of their identities must be dug up and it would be best if they can check up to eight generations!
At the same time, Ling Jian ordered, "Let the little brats also get moving!"
In the city, the relaxed atmosphere gradually became more and more tense!
Within three days, without alerting anyone, the Ling Family Courtyard had caught hundreds of captives. In the Courtyard, Feng Mo led a few hundred malevolent looking Blood Iron Warriors to interrogate the captives.
Ling Tian's present concern was naturally the Yu and Xiao Families. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say the Yu Family and Above Heavens.
Among the people caught, there were fugitives, thieves, bandits… but not a single person from the Yu Family or those from the south-east.
Ling Tian ordered calmly, "Investigate again!"
A while later, "Investigate carefully!"
After taking two steps, he looked at Ling Jian and ordered, "Investigate thoroughly!"
Ling Jian was visibly moved and hurriedly issued the order.
In the past few years, Ling Tian had never used the words 'investigate thoroughly' and finally used these words today! These words had a completely different meaning!
Even when he ordered the investigation of the person who harmed Consort Ling, Ling Tian had never used the words 'investigate thoroughly'. Even when he was dealing with the Yu Family previously or Justice, Ling Tian had never said these two words!
Investigate thoroughly! To Ling Tian's intelligence organizations, these two words were akin to an army's alert red! These two words signified that the enemy was close and they were about to engage in a brutal head to head slaughter.
In the upcoming ceremony, Ling Tian was about to officially imprint his name into the history of this foreign world, the Divine Prefecture Empire! From today onward, the entire world would be ruled by the descendants of the yellow people!
Ling Tian wanted to overwhelm all of his guests with the majesty of the ceremony! Since he was about to set up an empire, he wanted to rule over the entire world!
Ling Tian would never allow anyone to create trouble at such an event!
Regardless of whether it was a powerful organization or peerless expert!
Not a single person or organization will be an exception!
Those that attempted to create chaos shall be destroyed!
When this order was given, even Ling Jian who killed to the point he turned numb felt nervous!
At this moment, Yu ManTian and the Yu Family envoy encountered trouble.
To Yu ManTian, coming to Sky Bearing City was the most enjoyable place to be in. He would naturally have to find Ling Tian, Ling Jian, and the other five little ones to have a good fight. Of course, the most important thing for him to do would be to drink Ling Tian's fine wine. Apart from Sky Bearing City, he would not be able to find such enjoyment anywhere else!
However, Ling Tian, Ling Jian, and the five little ones were extremely busy recently and Third Master Yu was naturally an understanding individual. He would definitely not visit at this moment just to be neglected by the other party. Even if they didn't say it out in the open, they definitely wouldn't be too glad. There would always be another time for him to visit Ling Tian and the others. Since it wasn't convenient for him to visit the Ling Residence, Third Master Yu naturally thought about the other place which gave him an extremely deep impression, the Smoky Thea Tower.
Third Master Yu could still clearly remember composing a poem in front of all the scholars in the world and creating a commotion. Ever since that day, he no longer had the inspiration and could naturally not compose any other poems. Without the appropriate stimulus, it was impossible for him to compose another poem. This time, Third Master Yu was naturally going with the intention of seeking a stimulus to compose another poem.
"This daddy has a sword in my hands…" He recited the very first poem which he created and brought the Yu Family envoy into the Smoky Thea Tower.
After asking, he found out that someone had already reserved a room for him before his arrival. Furthermore, it was the same room which he stayed at the previous time. Even the accommodations of his followers were all prepared nicely. Yu ManTian was overjoyed. He knew that this must definitely be Ling Tian's arrangements as only Ling Tian would be so meticulous!
He also did not bother about why Ling Tian was so sure beforehand that he would definitely be the one visiting! He also did not bother about how Ling Tian got the numbers right without missing a single one of his followers. What Third Master Yu cared about was Ling Tian's effort and thoughts.
"Take a good look! This Third Master isn't only a third master at home. I am also well taken care of when I am out! Even before this Third Master's arrival, everything had already been prepared. When you little brats can attain my level, it would be a life worth living!" Yu ManTian walked out of the room with his followers and demanded alcohol and food.
Just as he was eating, a commotion could be heard from the outside. Ten or more people then walked into the hall and filled up two tables. They all had the aura of bandits and were probably a bunch of head bandits. While they weren't too old, their aura was imposing.
A white-robed teen then walked forward the Yu ManTian's table, "How have you been, Third Master? An old friend is looking for you." This white-robed teen was Ling Feng.
Yu ManTian's eyes lit up and he stood up, "Old friend? What bullsh*t old friend? You are this Third Master's old friend! Eat slowly little brats, this daddy is going out for a moment." He then left without waiting for a reply.
Behind him, the ten individuals looked at each other and could not be bothered by Yu ManTian's actions. While this Third Master was nominally the leader of the group, he was no different from a figurehead. The secret plans that they had would be accomplished by the others and Third Master Yu did not have the slightest inkling of those plans. If not, why would they send someone who had extremely close ties with Ling Tian to lead the envoy?
Everyone knew that if Yu ManTian found out about their plans, it would be great if Yu ManTian did not hand them over to Ling Tian. Furthermore, even if Yu ManTian could keep from spilling the beans, Ling Tian would probably be able to easily tell from Yu ManTian's expression. The only way to keep the secret would be to keep everything hidden from him right from the very start.
The wine and dishes were served and without Third Master Yu around, the ten 'followers' ate merrily.
"…Yu Family? What Yu Family?" A loud voice sounded. Even in this noisy hall, this voice could still be heard clearly. The ten individuals of the Yu Family immediately turned around to take a look at the person who was talking. One of the youths in the bandit gang continued excitedly, "…hahaha, what thousand-year-old family. They are no more than dog sh*t! Do you understand? Half a year ago, this daddy here entered Bright Jade City openly and did a few 'business transactions' there before leaving easily. Even if it was the main camp of the Yu Family, this daddy here was still able to come and go as I wished! Calling them dog sh*t is already flattering them! I think that they are less than dog sh*t!"
Looking at his appearance, it was obvious that these business transactions required no capital at all.
"Hmph!" One of the black-robed men was about to stand up but the bearded elder in the lead shook his head.
"You dare to brag with just your little abilities?! Coming and going from Bright Jade City is a big accomplishment? You are truly a frog in a well!" The other bandit stood up without any signs of weakness and began describing vividly, "Just seven days ago, this daddy couldn't see eye to eye with those Yu Family brats and in a single night, I stole the grain that was supposed to be for their 200,000 man army! I sold it all at a copper coin for thirty kilograms and made a fortune out of it. I heard that the Yu Family issued a bounty for me but this daddy does not give a damn about that bounty! It would be a great big joke if those cowardly scum would be able to catch this daddy!"
As these words were said, flattery could be heard from all around.
The faces of the ten individuals at the Yu Family's table changed completely.
Chapter 670: Successful Plan
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The grain of the Yu Family was stolen and their 200,000 man army had to starve for a few days. If not for the commander of the army having an extremely high prestige among the soldiers, a mutiny probably would have broken out. Yu ManLou was furious because of this robbery and all of his subordinates had run around till their legs were almost broken but could not find the culprit of the robbery. As disciples of the Yu Family, how could they be unaware of this robbery? However, they never expected the mastermind to appear in front of them and boast about his deeds so openly. It was as though he was afraid that others did not know of his deeds and that he had completed an extremely glorious deed. This was something unforgivable!
"Brat, you actually dare to slander our Yu Family? How bold! Report your name if you really have the guts!" A black-robed individual remained seated and roared. His voice was extremely loud but it was filled with dense killing intent. When his voice traveled into the ears of those present, they could immediately feel an extremely oppressive aura in the hall.
"Yu Family?! There is actually someone from the Yu Family here?!" The group of people at the two tables quietened down immediately and their gazes shot over.
One of the Yu Family then burst out laughing, "How interesting. How coincidental. HAHAHA, let's see all of you continue bragging. Look at how all of you bragged until the point the main character appeared. Didn't you say that the Yu Family was worthless? Hurry up and go settle them!"
The moment these words were said, many people from the two tables could not help but laugh at their misfortune. However, there was something extremely clear. Even when the Yu Family members were in front of them, these individuals were not bothered at all!
The ten members from the Yu Family immediately had their doubts diminished. They originally thought that these bandits were provoking them intentionally after noticing their presence. However, it seemed like that wasn't the case. However, they would definitely not let the person who proclaimed that he robbed the Yu Family escape. They would rather kill an innocent party than risk letting him go.
The entire Yu Family was thrown into chaos because of this. Now that they had a clue, how could they let him escape?
"Brat, you were the one who said that you robbed our Yu Family's grain? Yes or no?" The black-robed individual asked coldly.
"Not bad, it indeed was this daddy! Military grain? Hahaha, it has already entered the cycle of Samara! What about it? You want to take me in?" That boorish teen laughed maniacally, "I am afraid that you don't have that ability!"
The ten Yu Family individuals stood up at the same time. In their trip to Sky Bearing, while Yu ManLou had instructed them to be extremely careful and not stir trouble before they could contact the members of Above Heavens, they were unable to keep their cool in front of the robber who had stolen their military grain!
Seeing that both parties were about to break out into a fight, a gentle voice suddenly sounded, "May all our honored guests quell your anger. The Ling Family is about to set up their empire and has given strict orders to prevent any mess in Sky Bearing. If any fatalities were to occur in either party, this Smoky Thea Tower will probably have to be shut down. Regardless of the enmity between both parties, it would be best if both parties can take a step back and find another place to settle your scores! I shall thank all of you here!"
The person who spoke up was the owner of the Smoky Thea Tower, Gu XiYan. While she sounded like she was trying to stop both parties from fighting, there was another hidden layer to her words. Rather than say that she was trying to stop the fight, she was giving advice to the various individuals present. As long as there were no fatalities, it wouldn't be considered a mess. As for finding another place to settle scores, both the Yu Family members and the youth would probably be unwilling…
Indeed, one off the youths burst out into laughter, "Rest assured beauty, this king here will only teach these Yu Family scum a lesson and will definitely not kill. While we do not place the Yu Family in our sights, we will not dare to provoke young noble Ling. In Sky Bearing, who would dare to not give young noble Ling some face?"
These words had enraged the ten members from the Yu Family further! These words seem to imply that Ling Tian was far more powerful that Yu ManLou! Outrageous!
Gu XiYan smiled without saying another word. After saying the previous words, her mission was already accomplished and she would naturally take her leave.
"Dammit! The Yu Family actually dares to come to Sky Bearing to catch my brother! Brothers, fight it out with them!" A youth shouted.
"Cripple them all! Look at their ghastly appearances! Looking at them makes me sick! So it turns out that they were from the Yu Family. No wonder they have such an evil appearance!" Another individual added on.
"Fight! Beat them all up! Beat them up from north to south to…" The more than ten bandit leaders cried out and charged forward with stools in their hands.
The members of the Yu Family flew into a rage! These bandits had actually charged forward before they had even taken action! They obviously didn't place our Yu Family in their eyes! Unwilling to back down, they charged forward as well and the place fell into a mess.
The three souls and seven bodies of the Yu Family were all famous experts and any one of their martial arts wasn't to be underestimated. When they were fighting together, they even had a formation that they had learned. With the aid of the formation, their collective strength was far greater than the sum of their individual strengths! However, they never expected the more than ten bandit kings to work together flawlessly with a great deal of chemistry between them. Their defenses and attacks were well coordinated and the chemistry between them wasn't lesser than the chemistry between the three souls and seven bodies!
In just a short instant, both parties had injuries all over but none of them were willing to back down.
Of the three souls and seven bodies, the bearded elder in the middle of the formation felt depression in his heart. While the ten of them were not considered top-notch experts in the Yu Family, their combination attack was something that even Yu ManLou would not dare attempt.
Furthermore, if their strength were to be ranked in the entire world, they would definitely be able to rank in the top 100! Now that the ten of them were working together, not only were they unable to gain the upper hand, they actually felt as though their hands were tied up and restrained! This was an extremely puzzling matter!
As the bandit kings took action, while their actions seemed like a complete mess, their actions actually followed an orderly pattern that came from strict training. For example, when the pale-faced teen charged forward, looking as though he was launching an attack and revealing large openings, his flanks were actually covered by the two companions beside him who were unleashing their own attacks. Each of their attacks had covered the opening of the other and formed an extremely well-hidden trap. If anyone attacked the place where the opening was, he would definitely face the combined attack of the three!
If these bandits had only met each other in passing, how would they be able to work together with such chemistry? But if they were intentionally stirring trouble to fight them, what was their motive?
Just when he was in thought, a youth shouted loudly, "These fellows from the Yu Family are too powerful. This daddy can't beat them and my nose is already red. Shall we escape?"
Another one laughed out loud, "It doesn't matter if your nose is red. As long as your little bird does not see red."
A furious roar sounded, "Nonsense! Even if we can't win, you can't say escape. You should say retreat!"
"What retreat? It is obviously a strategic repositioning. Tsk, don't you even have the slightest bit of culture?!" another person corrected.
"Then… shall we make a strategic repositioning?" A few cried out together. "I can't take it anymore. This battle is too intense and I am already severely injured. Look at how big my bruise is!"
"Alright! Since the fight is so tough, listen to my orders. One, two, three. Brothers, let us scram!" All of a sudden, the sound of retreating footsteps could be heard and the benches came flying towards the Yu Family's three souls and seven bodies like rain. When they had blocked the incoming benches, there was no one left in front of them.
All of a sudden, a voice sounded from afar, "Dammit, don't you know how to give a proper order? It should be strategic repositioning! Do you understand? What do you mean by scram? Do you think that we are a gang?"
…
The ten individuals from the Yu Family looked at each other pathetically. Apart from their clothes being tattered, every one of them had injuries on them. While their injuries weren't severe, a few of them could see red.
"This doesn't make sense!" The ten of them did not understand what was going on. Why did they fight such a strange battle? Furthermore, the other party did not show any signs of losing before disappearing without a trace."
The ten of them were completely puzzled. One of them asked, "Should we tell Third Master when he returns?"
"What's the point of letting him know? Talking to a piece of wood is better than talking to him," another individual replied. After discussing the matter for a long while, they still weren't able to come to a conclusion. However, all of them felt that this matter was truly a strange one.
On a street outside the Smoky Thea Tower, more than ten figures were sneakily gathered in a concealed corner.
"How about it? Did you guys do it?" someone asked.
"Of course. Hehehe, can this be faked?" someone replied delightfully.
"What about all of you? Did you miss anything?"
"Nope, I checked carefully and every one of them was seeing red. This is definitely true!"
"I don't care whether or not they saw red! I am asking you guys if all of you applied the medicine. Are you sure that not a single one of you are missing?"
"No one is missing for sure! From now on, only a single person will be needed to follow them," all of them replied together.
"Young noble, the plan today was extremely successful and everything has been arranged appropriately." In the Ling Family Courtyard's secret chamber, Ling Jian appeared with a strip of paper.
"Mmm, very good. Did you investigate the others in the Yu Family's envoy?" Ling Tian threw a ledger on the desk and asked lazily, "Is there anyone else to take note of? This is an important matter and you must not be careless!"
"Apart from Yu ManTian and the ten top-notch experts, there are 500 members in the envoy party. Adding together the thirty carriage drivers, two doctors, and one flag bearer, there are a total of 544 individuals. Apart from the ten experts, the others definitely wouldn't have any problems. None of them has profound martial arts and even the flag bearer only has peak purple jade cultivation!" Ling Jian said with confidence.
"Mmm, that's good!" Ling Tian frowned, "Do you understand what to do next?"
Ling Jian stood up straight, "There won't be a problem! We can carry on as planned! I believe that we will be very successful!"
Ling Tian smiled and said, "Then I shall hand everything over to you. I need to go and pacify the fortune deity now. The fortune deity is about to blow her top and she had already thrown the ledger on my table!"
"We ran out of money? That can't be right?" Ling Jian was surprised.
"Only the head of the household will know how expensive rice is. Our expenditure is truly too large this time." Ling Tian sighed, "From repairing the entire palace to purchasing of the materials to the decorations of the ceremony, we will spend a total of 30,000,000 taels of silver! This doesn't include the officials and the military's salary. If we consider our normal expenditure as well, it would be a full 50,000,000 tales of silver! Old Master Ling won't do anything and is only waiting to sit on that throne. While my dad has returned, he goes drinking with his old subordinates and returns home dead drunk every day. Even if he isn't drunk, he acts as though he is! Besides, even if he has the heart to help, I wouldn't dare to allow him to touch something that requires meticulous effort. Everything is naturally being directed to the Ling Family Courtyard. Even if this place of mine is a courtyard, there isn't a treasure gathering pail, money tree or money printer! Haiz, why is my life so miserable?!"
Ling Jian stood up straight and wondered to himself without saying a thing. While the treasure gathering pail and money tree can be related to money, what is this money printer? Is it even more amazing than the previous two?!
"In the past, it would be rare for us to even spend 10,000 taels of silver and even 100,000 would be considered extravagant. As for anything in the millions, it would be practically non-existent! But now, we are actually spending in the tens of millions! Ah'Jian, do you think that this is extremely frightening? May the heavens rain down gold coins!" Ling Tian lamented.
Ling Jian's face remained cold as though he was listening to his young noble's rant. However, the corner of his gaze was looking towards the door and the frosty figure of his 'heart demon' floated in his brain. Who knows why that lass was appearing in his head at this moment. I shall go and see her later. Hehe, yes. I shall do just that.
"Ah Jian, managing a courtyard, a family, and an empire are completely different things." Ling Tian grumbled and ranted about all of his grievances in his heart, "I have not even sat on that seat! The old saying goes: Only the individual on the throne would need to consider about politics! Now, the one on the throne has gone fishing and the other one about to ascend to the throne has gone drinking. As for me who is not even on the throne to have to work my ass off, is there still justice in the world?"
Ling Tian's voice paused. Just as he was describing his troubles vividly, he raised his head up and noticed Ling Jian being trapped in his fantasies with a slight smirk on his face…
If Ling Jian did not say a single word in response and listened silently, it was extremely normal for this expressionless First Pavilion Head. However, to think that there was actually a slight smile on his face. Furthermore, it was extremely gentle and amiable…
This young noble is extremely frustrated over here and it would be one thing for you to not empathize with me. To think that you are actually daydreaming over here? Fantasizing about your fantasies? What are you thinking about that would give you such a perverted smile?
Young noble flew into a rage in that instant! His eyes were fixed on Ling Jian as though he wanted to eat Ling Jian up alive. Two words were then forced out of his mouth, "LING JIAN!" His voice sounded like thunder and the entire Ling Family Courtyard shook. Ling Tian was a peerless expert indeed and his inner qi wasn't ordinary!
Ling Jian stood up straight as though he was an old monk in seclusion. Apart from the slight smile on his face, his appearance wasn't any different from before. However, his inner thoughts were a world of difference. He was currently trapped in his endless fantasies and was currently thinking to himself, "If she wants to talk to me, how should I respond to her? If she wants to kill me, how should I react…" All of a sudden, Ling Tian's loud roar shook his soul and Ling Jian snapped out of his fantasies. He lifted his head up in a flustered manner only to see Ling Tian glaring at him furiously. With a chill in his voice like the winds which blew out from hell, Ling Tian said slowly, "What are you thinking about? Why are you so focused? Do you think that I am right? Does what I say make sense?!"
"Err… yes yes yes, young noble's foresight is amazing and your words make plenty of sense. Your plans are extremely detailed and Ling Jian is thoroughly convinced." Ling Jian burst out in a sweat and tried to reply appropriately.
"Amazing foresight?! Detailed planning?! You! You are going to anger me to death!" Ling Tian blew up in anger. The moment Ling Tian blew up, it wasn't something ordinary.
Peng peng peng…
Following that, the busy Ling Family Courtyard saw an extremely strange scene. Ling Jian, who everyone feared as though he was the living King of Hades, was now being kicked around like a ball. He rolled along the road and the moment he got up and wanted to escape, a faint figure appeared behind him. With a few kicks and punches, Ling Jian rolled out again like a ball…
Ling Jian used his arms to guard his face and curled himself up like a ball. He was like a small blade of grass being kicked around in a category 5 typhoon.
The storm was over and Ling Jian who was in the middle of the storm was covered in bruises with his clothes tattered all over. His entire head swelled up like he was the Sakyamuni Buddha.
Ling Tian's anger had not subsided and he grabbed onto Ling Jian, "In three days time, you had better investigate the plot of the two families. You had better find eighteen beauties like elder sister FuRong! This daddy here will let them take turns to have their go at you! I will make you die from over-exhaustion!"
Ling Jian was immediately flustered. While he did not know who elder sister FuRong was, he could guess that she wasn't a good character. He wanted to cry but no tears could come out, "Young noble, you said five days yesterday…"
"Yesterday is yesterday! Today is today! It seems like you think that three days is too long. Two days then! Things shall be settled as such!" Ling Tian said fiercely before leaving.
Ling Jian stood up with a stomach full of regret. Looking around at the crowd watching which included Meng LiGe and FengMo, Ling Jian flew into a rage, "What are all of you looking at? What's there to see?! Is this a good show? Do you want me to re-enact the scene?!"
If the scene was re-enacted, they would definitely become the parties being kicked around. None of them were fools and immediately escaped in all directions!
Chapter 671: Three Souls Seven Bodies
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Ling Jian lowered his head and walked back to the courtyard for the assassins dejectedly. In two days?! How would he be able to accomplish that?!
"Brother Jian, just what is going on? Why did young noble shorten our deadline from five days to two?" Ling Chi jumped up and asked with disbelief, "Isn't young noble forcing us to our death? Can you plead to young noble to give us a few more days?"
Ling Jian's face darkened and he did not say a thing.
"That's right, that's right. Five days is already very little. Now that he is only going to give us two days. Haiz…" Ling Feng said bitterly.
"I think young noble must have been agitated by something." Ling Yun who was by the side remarked.
"It is probably brother Jian who agitated young noble." Ling Lei added on without reservation, "Look at our brother Jian's pitiful appearance. Apart from our young noble, probably no one else would be able to reduce him to such a pathetic state!"
The other four nodded their heads in agreement like chickens pecking on rice. Their eyes were then fixed onto Ling Jian as they asked, "Brother Jian, just how did you agitate young noble?"
Ling Jian stood up in exasperation and hollered in rage, "All of you scram and do what all of you have to! If all of you aren't able to find anything in two days and young noble bestows me with eighteen concubines, I will definitely give five of them to each of you! If eighteen isn't enough to go around, I will personally add a couple more to ensure that there are sufficient ladies to go around!"
Swoosh!
The five immediately disappeared.
How unlucky, of all times to daydream I actually chose to daydream when young noble was venting his frustrations… Isn't this no different from seeking trouble?! Ling Jian touched the injuries on his face and let out a long sigh. In the end, he also disappeared with a flash.
Outside the window, the entire sky was filled with stars.
Ling Tian smiled with delight as he jumped out from the window of the assassin's courtyard while muttering to himself, "I shall let you smile! I shall let you smile at this young noble. Hehehe, after venting my anger, my mood is finally much better…" Young noble Ling Tian laughed sneakily.
After teasing Ling Jian and the others, Ling Tian was in an exceptionally good mood and he sang all the way back to his room. But the moment he opened his room door, his face turned dark.
The entire room was actually empty!
Ling Tian was a little depressed. He had already made eye signals to Yu BingYan and Ling Chen in the afternoon and after a long discussion with the two, the faces of the two ladies flushed red. They had obviously agreed to me already! Why have they disappeared now? Ling Tian who was anticipating the two beauties in his arms the moment he enters the room was puzzled.
My goodness! If even these two gentle ladies dare to go against my happiness, how will I spend my future days? Little young noble Ling hasn't had a good workout for such a long time already! Ling Tian stormed out of the room angrily and went to search for the two ladies.
He first went to Yu BingYan's room but there wasn't anybody there. Ling Tian did not stay for the slightest bit of time and went for his next target. Could it be that they are waiting in Ling Chen's room? Ling Tian smiled to himself happily. If that's the case, it doesn't seem too bad either.
Ling Tian's guess wasn't wrong and the two ladies were waiting in Ling Chen's room indeed. Furthermore, not only Ling Chen and Yu BingYan were there. Even Li Xue, Xiao YanXue, Shui QianRou, and Princess JiaoYue were around. The six beauties gathered together as though they were prepared to talk through the night…
Ling Tian was immediately filled with anxiousness.
Looking at the scene before him, it was obvious to him that Li Xue had definitely heard what he said to Ling Chen and Yu BingYan. It was no wonder that lass left the room with a teasing look in her eyes.
In the room, the other four ladies were chatting merrily but Ling Chen and Yu BingYan both looked at each other with anxiousness in their eyes. However, they were helpless in the face of their four sisters. Thus, they could only accompany them helplessly.
"Eh? Little sister Chen and BingYan seem pretty distracted? Do the two of you have something else to attend to?" Li Xue chuckled and asked, "If the two of you really have something else, I wonder what it is?"
The faces of Ling Chen and Yu BingYan turned red and they shook their heads, "No no no, we don't have anything to attend to." They couldn't possibly say that they had to warm their young noble's bed right? How would they be able to say such words?
"Oh, since the two of you do not have anything on, let us continue chatting for a while more. Where were we?" Li Xue said with a serious expression on her face, "Of course, if the two of you have anything urgent to attend do, the two of you may take your leave." All the other ladies echoed, "We are all sisters after all, there isn't a need to stand on ceremony."
Yu BingYan and Ling Chen began coughing dryly and stuttered, "Nothing, nothing. We really have nothing. Everyone can carry on chatting."
Li Xue had a cunning smile. "It is rare for us sisters to have such a good conversation. If that's the case, why don't we talk through the night? When we are tired later on, we can just sleep together to improve our sisterly ties." Shui QianRou and Xiao YanXue cried out in agreement.
Ling Chen and Yu BingYan's faces changed color as they looked at each other.
The two ladies could only remain anxious but could not open their mouths to say a thing. Outside the window, Ling Tian could only stomp his feet in frustration but was entirely helpless.
Ling Tian gnashed his teeth in anger. He had never wished to take Li Xue as badly as he did now! Leaving this lass to do as she wished would be like placing a ticking bomb in his harem. If they would 'improve their relationship' a few times a month, Ling Tian would probably be angered to the point he turned impotent!
The plan to take Li Xue in must definitely be expedited! Ling Tian clenched his teeth. I must definitely let this lass get a taste of little young noble Ling's prowess! At that time, I will definitely make sure to keep her in bed for three days! Hehehe…
Just when he was fantasizing in his heart, a shriek could be heard from within, "Assassin!" Following that, the window was opened and a large bucket of water came splashing over.
The moment Ling Tian heard the word 'assassin', he immediately became alert and sent out his divine sense to scan the surroundings. If any one of the six ladies in the room were to be injured, Ling Tian would definitely die from heartache. How would he dare to be careless?
However, he never expected a bucket of water to greet him just when he was scanning the surroundings. Being caught off guard, Ling Tian was drenched from head to toe. All their ladies made their arrival and Li Xue held an iron basin in her hands. With an agile figure, she jumped out and smashed the basin down on Ling Tian!
Dang! A resounding gong sounded.
What a powerful iron basin! It was definitely capable of being listed as one of the seven divine weapons! With its ability to launch a successful ambush on the peerless expert Ling Tian, it was definitely sufficient to have a place in the pugilistic world!
Ling Tian's face was full of black lines with water dripping down from his clothes.
It better not be leg washing water…
All the ladies burst out in laughter and hurriedly helped Ling Tian to clean up. Some of them rushed to take a clean towel and the others rushed to find some clean clothes for him.
Li Xue had a shocked look on her face (It was definitely feigned without a doubt) as she grumbled, "I say young noble Ling, what are you doing? Why are you acting so sneakily in your own courtyard? Even if you want to eavesdrop on us, shouldn't you be a little more careful? I thought that you were an assassin and attacked without thinking."
Ling Tian was angered to the point he was rendered speechless. Would you grab a metal basin if I was an assassin? Would you spray a bucket full of water on an assassin before smashing him on the head? I am afraid that you would greet me with a knife if I was an assassin.
Looking at the feigned expression of shock on Li Xue's face together with the concealed look of delight in her eyes, Ling Tian dove into bed and hid under the blanket.
Too embarrassing! This is truly too embarrassing!
All the ladies burst out into laughter.
A doubtful voice suddenly sounded, "Eh? Why would young noble Ling be eavesdropping at little sister Chen's room instead of attending to his other matters? Little sister Chen looked extremely distracted from just now. Could it be that we disturbed little sister Chen's plans?" These words were said by Li Xue.
"That's right, that's right. Elder sister Chen looked extremely anxious to leave previously. No wonder! Right, it wouldn't be surprising for elder sister Chen to be anxious, but why would little sister Yan…" This voice belonged to Shui QianRou.
"Hmph! That big lecher and bad person!" This voice was filled with a tinge of jealousy. It belonged to Xiao YanXue.
"Ah, it's best for you to change out of your wet clothes first, lest you catch a cold." This voice belonged to Princess JiaoYue.
Ling Chen and Yu BingYan lowered their heads with their necks completely red. They were too embarrassed to even say a single word.
"Alright, let us leave quickly and not spoil some individual's plans. This fellow is truly a vengeful individual and may remember it for his entire life." Someone stuck out her tongue mischievously and all the ladies scattered.
A series of laughter could be heard going further and further away. Only Ling Chen and Yu BingYan were left behind in the room. Both the two ladies were embarrassed to the point they did not even know where to put their hands.
Ling Tian stuck his tongue out and grunted, "Hmph, don't be happy too quickly. I will let all of you know this young noble's prowess someday." He then looked at Ling Chen and Yu BingYan while chuckling, "My two beauties, hehehe, it is now our turn. My clothes are completely drenched and I have to take them all off so I don't catch a cold."
Ling Tian truly started taking off his clothes the moment he said those words!
The two ladies were exasperated.
Ling Tian's thick skin was truly unparalleled. Even after meeting with such an embarrassing event, his lust still wasn't quenched…
The two ladies clicked their tongues together and turned around. As though they suddenly thought of something, their faces began to burn.
Ling Tian burst out laughing and stood up. All of a sudden, the room turned dark and the candles were blown out. Following that, a soft squeal could be heard from the two ladies. As for what happened after…
Ling Jian's figure landed lightly on the tiles like a drifting leaf. Despite the night wind blowing, his black robes did not flutter the slightest bit in the wind.
At this moment, Ling Jian's figure seemed to have been melded together with the darkness. Even if someone walked past him, they may not notice that someone was hiding in the midst of this silent darkness.
Of course, it wouldn't be easy to walk past Ling Jian coincidentally because…
At this moment, Ling Jian was at the peak of the Smoky Thea Tower and it was the second highest point in Sky Bearing apart from the imperial palace. At the same time, the various envoys of the different places were also situated near the Smoky Thea Tower. Ling Jian's senses spread out like a huge net and nothing could escape his senses! This was the evidence that Ling Jian's cultivation had reached the peak of XianTian! At this moment, Ling Jian's cultivation wouldn't be too far away from Yu ManLou or the late Shui WuBo!
With young noble Ling purposely venting his anger on his subordinates, his subordinates could only try their best to gather evidence! It was a pity that they did not have any rewards! In truth, Ling Jian knew that even if they returned without finding anything when the deadline was up, young noble Ling would not do anything to them. However, they were not in the habit of disappointing Ling Tian and even if there wasn't any hope, they would work hard to the very end!
Since they did not have any hope, their best choice would be for them lay in wait! That was the best choice they had in their helplessness!
The moment the Yu or Xiao Family made any strange movements, Ling Jian would be able to arrange for men to follow them from the very first moment! With the special tracing medicine that they previously spread during the chaotic battle in the Smoky Thea Tower, they definitely had the chance to accurately follow everyone!
It was midnight and Ling Jian had already been standing straight without moving for a full four hours. However, he still had no reward!
Not too far away, the tower head of the Smoky Thea Tower, Gu XiYan was making some arrangements. Further away, Xiao FengYang had just returned and the sound of dissatisfaction from the Above Heavens elder could be heard.
There was also the sound of Yu ManTian bellowing with rage as he returned and the ten experts cursing under their breaths. All of these had entered Ling Jian's ears as he carefully scrutinized what he heard.
While he was too far away and couldn't hear the words clearly, this mysterious feeling made Ling Jian feel as though he held the entire world in his hands.
Is this the realm of minute subtleties which young noble mentioned? I have actually entered into such a mysterious realm?
It was deep in the night.
Yu ManTian's deafening snores could be heard.
Ling Jian could not help but chuckle to himself. This old friend of theirs was truly free of worries. To think that he is actually able to sleep so soundly in the territory of the Yu Family's biggest enemy. Ling Jian was truly in admiration! Even if a volcano were to erupt, this Third Master Yu will probably be still sleeping soundly.
All of a sudden, alarm bells rang in Ling Jian's mind. Gathering his attention, he cleared his head to focus.
Two ghostly like figures shot out from the Yu Family's courtyard. After exchanging a glance in the darkness, their figures disappeared into the darkness.
Ling Jian's senses were immediately locked onto the two and he used his divine sense to 'see' the two of them suspiciously going once around the Smoky Thea Tower before returning to their courtyard. Following that, a long period of silence followed.
However, Ling Jian could clearly sense that there were no less than ten powerful divine senses spreading out and performing a carpet search of the surrounding hundred feet. The three souls and seven bodies of the Yu Family were obviously attempting to test the defenses of the surroundings.
Ling Jian sneered in his heart. Before he came out, Ling Jian had already made the arrangements to withdraw all the spies in the surroundings and replaced them with members from his First Pavilion. Any ordinary spy would not have any use in the face of a XianTian expert and their only use would be to alert the enemies.
In a flash, the ten figures appeared on the top of the roof before splitting apart into ten directions and disappearing into the darkness.
Ling Jian remained rooted to his spot and did not make a single move while he praised in his heart, The three souls and seven bodies are truly wily old foxes. After sending out two individuals to put up an act and scout out the place, they still used a deception tactic before leaving for their true objective! They are truly extremely cautious!
However, the more careful they were, the larger their ambitions and target!
Just when Ling Jian was about to give chase, he felt that something was amiss again!
It turned out that a black figure suddenly returned like a shooting star and landed on the peak of the Smoky Thea Tower. He was only a mere ten feet away from Ling Jian's hiding place! This black figure was one of the ten who had just left!
This black figure stood atop the tower and looked around without making a move!
To think that he was actually careful to such an extent!
However, if he was standing there, how could Ling Jian make a move? Even with Ling Jian's martial arts, it was impossible for him to make a move without being detected at this distance!
Now what?!
Ling Jian cursed in his heart. While he would definitely be able to take the figure in front of him down in a single move, that would inevitably alert his enemies. But if he did not get rid of the figure before him and give chase, wouldn't it ruin his plans?
Of the ten who went out, one returned and there were another nine who needed to be chased! If they ended up missing the true target because of this, Ling Jian would definitely regret it greatly!
Just as he was feeling anxious, he heard a soft 'kacha' sound from about a hundred feet away. That was the direction where Ling Chi was at!
The black robed figure at the top of the roof also heard the sound and charged over immediately. Before that black figure even landed on the ground, he had already unsheathed his sword as though he was facing a powerful enemy!
A soft meow could be heard and a black cat jumped out from the corner of the alley. That black figure spat out a mouthful of spit and cursed under his breath.
At this moment, Ling Jian was already 200 feet away! In the world today, Ling Jian's movement techniques were definitely ranked among the top five!
This black cat that jumped out from the alley was naturally thrown out by Ling Chi.
Ling Chi, Ling Feng, Ling Yun and the rest stood silently as Ling Jian's figure flashed past them. Without stopping, Ling Jian gave a few hand signals to them. The few of them immediately understood what Ling Jian meant and melded into the darkness.
On top of the Smoky Thea Tower, the black figure was still looking around carefully with his sword gleaming in the moonlight. However, he did not know that he had already brushed past the most frightening asura. Had Ling Chi's black cat appeared a moment later, Ling Jian would have definitely taken his life in an instant.
A single move was sufficient!