Wind and Cloud Arrived; Door Opened! . . .
Liu Changjun's head inclined slightly as he finally responded, though his words remained starkly succinct. "So what?"
Upon hearing this retort, Wan Zhenghao found himself momentarily dumbfounded. The realization of the stark simplicity in Liu Changjun's response kindled a tempest of anger within him. Pointing vehemently at Liu Changjun, he erupted in fury. "You... You are an utter imbecile... What words can I possibly employ to convey the gravity of this situation to you? You, with your 'So what?' and 'Not important this, not important that.' What, in your estimation, holds significance?"
In a boiling rage, he continued, "Are you so naive as to believe that we can cavalierly trifle with the two great sects? Have you any inkling of their significance?"
"No, they are not significant. So what?" Liu Changjun impatiently returned Wan Zhenghao's gaze. "Why the fear?"
"What am I afraid of?!" Wan Zhenghao finally exploded in exasperation. "Should we provoke the ire of the two great sects, do you comprehend the dire consequences awaiting us? It would be akin to entering a realm of unending peril, a peril that could claim lives at any instant! Do you grasp the magnitude of this situation? Is that not significant?"
Liu Changjun's patience finally waned as he snapped back, "You're speaking nothing but nonsense! What other outcome do you anticipate? Do you genuinely believe that the obvious warrants acknowledgment?"
Wan Zhenghao's eyes bulged with disbelief, resembling those of a startled whale. He regarded Liu Changjun incredulously, struggling to formulate a response. He held his breath for a moment, eventually exhaling it. Anger surged within him as he declared, "Is it significant? Why, yes, it is! Can you defeat them? Can we? It's not merely significant; it's exceedingly crucial!"
"No, we can't," Liu Changjun finally conceded, introducing a glimmer of reason into his stance.
Wan Zhenghao breathed a sigh of relief, his inner monologue reflecting a measure of triumph. [This obstinate fellow has finally yielded to reason. There's hope yet for conveying the gravity of the situation to him. My lengthy discourse has finally yielded results.] He wiped away beads of sweat and began, "Since you acknowledge that we cannot..."
However, before he could conclude his statement, Liu Changjun nonchalantly interjected, "We cannot, so what?"
"We will die! Many lives will be forfeit!" Wan Zhenghao could no longer contain his frustration, jabbing an accusatory finger at Liu Changjun as he erupted in a shout.
Liu Changjun maintained a stoic composure as he lifted his gaze, fixing his cold stare on the pudgy finger that pointed accusingly at him.
He offered no verbal response, simply continuing to gaze unwaveringly at Wan Zhenghao.
Wan Zhenghao, however, felt an unsettling sensation crawl up his spine, a chill of trepidation gnawing at him. Hastily retracting his accusatory finger, he spoke with a sullen tone, his once-booming confidence now diminished. "Real lives will be lost in abundance! Do you comprehend?"
This time, his voice carried a notably softer timbre. The vigorous demeanor he once projected had all but dissipated, leaving him looking uncertain.
Liu Changjun, still fixated on Wan Zhenghao's chubby finger, responded with characteristic nonchalance. "Certainly. So what?"
Wan Zhenghao was left utterly bewildered, unable to formulate a coherent reply.
[What on earth? "Not important" and "so what"? Is he deliberately trying to provoke my ire? Speaking rationally to this obstinate fool seems futile. How can we possibly communicate now?]
In a fit of frustration, Wan Zhenghao cursed inwardly, "[I'm essentially conversing with a living corpse...]"
"You needn't fear death!" Liu Changjun remarked disdainfully, finally avertting his gaze from Wan Zhenghao's finger. He rose casually from his seat and added, "There's one more matter I should convey."
"What?" Wan Zhenghao inquired, his fury unabated.
"Never again point that swine-like finger at me," Liu Changjun warned casually as he headed for the exit. While walking away, he issued a stern ultimatum. "It sickens me. Are you aware of that? If you dare repeat it, I'll sever it without hesitation. Understand?"
Even as Liu Changjun vanished through the doorway, his voice lingered. "Wan, the corpulent swine! Comprehend?"
Wan Zhenghao watched Liu Changjun depart, his eyes wide and mouth agape. He seethed with anger, rendered temporarily speechless by the encounter.
It wasn't until some moments had passed that he regained his composure.
—Bang!—
—Crack!—
Boss Wan flung the chair from which Liu Changjun had risen to the floor, shattering it upon impact. He vented his frustration with a thunderous curse. "What a... what an emotionless corpse! Damn it! Why don't you just drop dead..."
In a hushed murmur, his tirade continued. "You're not afraid of death, fine. But you're dragging others down with you... Damn it! What manner of being are you? What kind of philosophy is that? What's going on in that head of yours... Bastard, bastard, bastard! And you had the gall to call me 'fat pig Wan'... Wan, my foot! I'm not fat! I've shed quite a bit of weight..."
Abruptly, a familiar figure reappeared, and it was none other than Liu Changjun. He fixed Wan Zhenghao with a penetrating, cold stare and delivered a stern warning, his voice laced with an unmistakable seriousness. "If the need arises to confront the two sects, and you betray us, I will eliminate you without hesitation. Your chances of survival will be nonexistent. Do you grasp the gravity of this?"
In the blink of an eye, Liu Changjun vanished once more.
"Traitor? Traitor?" Enraged, Wan Zhenghao seized a nearby chair and hurled it across the room. "Damn your treacherous lineage!"
He panted heavily, the surge of anger coursing through him.
In reality, Liu Changjun had truly disappeared this time, leaving Wan Zhenghao to fume in solitude. Despite Liu Changjun's previous lack of helpful counsel, his mere presence had provided a listening ear. Now, that silent company was gone.
Wan Zhenghao grappled with his emotions, his frustration palpable. With a heart filled with indignation, he muttered vehemently, "Bloody hell! If an assassin like him can defy them, why should a wealthy man like me fear? I am the god of wealth, and wealth has the power to command spirits or even gods. Anyone who dares to cross me, I'll crush them with my wealth. I'll treat the millennia of my god of wealth status as mere dust. I desire no conflicts, but if they seek me out, I'll not yield... Damn it!"
He cursed and then shouted, "Open it when the time is right! Let's see if the heavens will fall upon me or not! To hell with it!"
Clearly, the boss was genuinely irate.
Several rooms away, Liu Changjun sat with crossed legs. A rare, faint smile graced his otherwise icy countenance. However, a subtle trace of concern lingered in his eyes.
Evidently, this cold-blooded assassin harbored emotions beneath his stoic exterior; he, too, was human.
The sun bathed the land in a radiant golden glow.
Finally, the doors of the Ling-Bao Hall commenced their slow opening...
The members of the two great sects were poised to enter first.
Then, a voice rang out, halting them in their tracks. "Wait!"
The crowd turned in astonishment, spotting two groups of people approaching in silence.
On the left, a contingent dressed entirely in white attire—white robes, white shoes, white hats, white belts, and wielding white swords and shields—advanced in formation.