XuanHuan 5
Ba Wuli was standing where he was, trembling and gasping. He acted like an angry beast, yet confining himself to his own cage.
He had interpreted the situation that favored the Nies with Mo Tai on their side. Mo Tai could definitely not agree with the bilateral bloodshed with the Nies and might even offer a helping hand to them.
After a long while, Ba Wuli raised his head abruptly and fixated on Nie Tian coldly, saying to himself, "Little bastard, you really don't know who I am and what I do. You are messing with the wrong person. Three years ago, I was able to murder [这个是不是要用ability好一些？]your father; and three years later, I can wipe you out. Your family just comes to an end when you get under the skin of Bloody Bats."
Bloody Bats.
The name would send Nie Tian into fury.
He must have guessed it out that the Bloody Bats referred to a behind-the-scene organization of those men in black with a bloody bat tattoo in their wrists.
But Nie Tian could not possibly know, by any chance, that Ba Wuli was family of the Bas and the member of Bloody Bats.
Out of question, Ba Wuli was to blame for the misery of the Nies three years ago.
"Mr. Ba, are you not gonna leave. You' re kind of forcing me to make that happen." Nie Tian glimpsed at Ba Wuli and said coldly.
At the sight of Ba Ziliang who was catching his breath and glimpse of Mo Tai and Nie Wenyuan, he was most annoyed but it was not the proper time for him to make even with Nie Tian.
"We'll go." Ba Wuli roared as he turned around with a start.
"Seeing you off." Nie Tian put on a faint smile.
"Wait," Ba Ziliang stood out, glared at Nie Tian with that pair of vicious eyes and squeezed words through the teeth, "Nie Tian, I'll fight you in fifteen days on the Kung Fu Competition of Moyang City. It will then be you or me."
"As you please, Young Master Biatch." Nie Tian stressed the vowel with clear contempt.
Nie Tian did not take his threat into the heart.
During the following fifteen days, Nie Tian had the absolute confidence in awakening his vital spirits as well as the Star Power.
Therefore, Ba Ziliang could not count as a threat unless he made it to Phenomenality in fifteen days.
It was a shame that Ba Ziliang was merely a Vital Spirits at his fourth level. A breakthrough to Phenomenality in fifteen days was something beyond Nie Tian's capacity.
The Bas came and go quickly. With a blink of an eye, they were gone already.
In contrast, the Nies were, like boiling bubbles, jumping with overwhelming joys and basically esteeming Nie Tian as the Saviour.
Barely did Nie Tian respond to that; instead, he cast eyes onto Mo Tai.
And Mo Tai was looking at Nie Tian and with a bright smile, "Young man, you are really blowing me away tonight. You've been hiding your capacities and biding your time for the past three years. It never rains but pours. You do earn my admiration."
"Do I?" Nie Tian put on an interesting smile. Then he shifted his eyes to over his head and complained about the broken plaque above the door of the Nie's Mansion, "Hey, why's our plaque gone?"
Nie Tian's words made Nie Wenyuan freak out who hurried to pulled his clothes, whispering, "Family Master, the plaque was totally an accident that happened to involve Mr. Magistrate. It won't be much trouble to have our men replace that one."
Given that Mo Tai helped the Nies drive away the Bas, it was absolutely rude of Nie Tian to seek fault with Mo Tai for the plaque.
"Mr. Magistrate broke the plaque?" Nie Tian cared little, asked loudly and stared at Mo Tai sharply.
Nie Wenyuan was paled as he sensed another tension. He complained deeply within himself, "Nie Tian, for God's sake, are you gonna poke a tiger after you prodded a wolf? What the heck are you planning?"
The Nies were having their hearts at the mouths when they perceived Nie Tian's pursuit of Mo Tai's fault.
Mo Tai, Master of Moyang City, was a dominating power in Moyang City.
Even if he destroyed the plaque of the Nies, they could not demand compensation or even an apology.
However, Nie Tian was the family head of the Nies who would not keep quiet when he got slapped in the face.
The plaque was, in a sense, the face and dignity of a family.
How could one remain silent when his dignity was invaded.
Mo Tai darkened his face as Nie Tian was making a scene of him.
He looked at Nie Tian, as if searching for a trace of timidity in the eyes of Nie Tian. Too bad was that there was no terror but determination.
Mo Tai's face was like a dark cloud that signified a storm.
He was deeply shocked within, "How could Nie Tian be so resolute with his cultivation of Vital Veins at the ninth level? I see not a trace of yielding but an abundance of pride under my pressure. The lofty character he just displayed in such a situation was unique to a man of will. Well-tempered, the kid should be able to attain every possible achievement. "
Mo Tai said nothing, like a beast trying to contain the anger yet bursting into frenzy next moment.
And Nie Wenyuan was so upset by the scene that he wished Nie Tian dead by now.
To offend the Bas was not fatal; while to offend Mr. Magistrate was a denial of future prospect of the Nies in Moyang city.
Mo Ruxi was also paled. She would like to say something but she could not.
"Well, hha." When Mo Tai was believed to burst into anger, he laughed abruptly, basically, reluctantly and unpleasantly. He was laughing.
"Family Master Nie, I was the one to blame for your broken plaque. The mistake was just a moment of impulse, for I was too worried about the safety of my daughter. Please understand and forgive. Mo Tai cupped one hand in another as he apologized.
The scene found everyone stunned, as if the time and space had gone still.
Mo Tai, Master of Moyang City and the most powerful Kung Fu master, should make an apology to Nie Tian.
OMG.
Say it was a joke, please?
Nie Tian was smiling at the submissive Mo Tai, and said faintly, "Mr. Magistrate, now that you have made a mistake, you have to correct it. I am not a guy without reason. What if Mr. Magistrate put up the new plaque for the Nies yourself tomorrow morning? Is that going too far?"
Nie Tian stressed the word "yourself" which meant Mo Tai had to hang up the plaque all by himself.
Still, the added question was the greatest amazement.
And by any measure, the answer is affirmative.
Hanging up a plaque was a duty of a servant.
It could not be proper for a decent magistrate to do the petty work.
Nie Tian's words stiffed the face of Nie Wenyuan once again.
Nie Wenyuan thought it was all about earning a face for the family when Nie Tian was acting upon the enthusiasm and cynicism of his young age.
Still, Mo Tai's apology made was already a decent face earned.
Who could ever think of that Nie Tian was not only demanding an apology, but a plaque which Mo Tai had to hang up personally.
It was a counter-slap of Mo Tai's face.
Indeed, Nie Tian would counter-slap Mo Tai in the face.
That Mo Tai destroyed the plaque of the Nies was utter defiance of the Nies. The counter-slap could not be counted as going too far.
As a matter of fact, Nie Tian was showing his mercy already.
Mo Tai would have died a hundred times on the grounds of breaking the plaque of the Nies, but for Mo Ruxi.
The situation was reduced into extreme depression.
The vessels on the forehead of Mo Tai became visible and the breaths heavy, which finely displayed his refraining from anger.
It never occurred to Mo Tai that Nie Tian would have such an imposing manner.
He would have come up forward and torn Nie Tian apart but for Mo Ruxi.
He felt the flame clustering in his chest, almost lighting his entire body.
Mo Tai would resign himself to the frenzy if he lost the last trace of reason.
"Well," Nie Wenyuan hurried to come to Mo Tai who was anguished by the containment of fury, smiling, "Mr. Magistrate, our family head was only joking. We'll make another plaque and put it up. Please rest be assured."
"No way." Nie Tian interrupted before Nie Wenyuan went any further, "Mr. Magistrate, now that you have admitted your mistake, why wouldn't you stand corrected? Above all, your daughter is here. And will you, as a kind father, set a good example to her?"
"Nie Tian, you..." he was talking to Mo Tai like a politician in power, which was difficult for Mo Tai to put up with.
"Oh, right. Mo Ruxi's vital spirit is still a menacing danger. And we're running out of time. If Mr. Magistrate would not correct the mistake, then just forget it. I won't take it too personally. You can leave now. But do excuse me for not escorting you, for I was too tired." Mo Tai's face and throat seemed to be congested, while Nie Tian looked quite at ease, who stretched his body lazily as he suggested.
Nie Tian pretended he was turning around and going inside to the Mansion.
"Wait." There was some complexity in the eyes of Mo Tai who raised his head and said when Nie Tian was turning around, "I stand corrected. The plaque is on me. I will hang it up for you."
As expected by Nie Tian, he turned around slowly and smiled joyfully, "Mr. Magistrate was indeed a clever man. Still, we should not have wasted too much time and effort here."
Mo Ruxi was the soft spot of Mo Tai. The control of Mo Ruxi was the same of Mo Tai.
Mo Tai felt blushing and said, "What about Ruxi?"
"Rest assured. Leave Mo Ruxi to me." Nie Tian said so as he raised his head for the round moon in the night sky.
After a while, Nie Tian curled his mouth corner, murmuring, "Luna has reached the middle-air. That's a good timing."
Nie Tian was killing time by joking with Mo Tai.
Mo Ruxi's vital spirit was the Phoenix in the Ninth Heaven, which had all the properties of violence and embodiment of Yang. The best time for its awakening was the midnight when the luna was at its fullest power.
When the luna was at its fullest power, the Phoenix Seal could be contained, which made it much more possible to awaken the vital spirit.
"Family Master Nie, I wonder when you..." Moments later, Mo Tai calmed himself down. And there was a quick turn in his attitude towards Nie Tian as he thought of the awakening of Mo Ruxi's vital spirit.
"Now," before Mo Tai even finished the sentence, Nie Tian ordered to Nie Wenyuan, "Grand Patriarch, I have some business in the Magistrate's Mansion to attend to. You may go back and have a rest."
Nie Wenyuan glimpsed at Mo Tai subconsciously, "But master, your wounds..."
Apparently, he was worried about the wounds of Nie Tian; yet he was anxious that Mo Tai might take advantage of Nie Tian.
Nie Wenyuan would cost his life to preserve Nie Tian, even he had to confront the Magistrate.
"Worry not, I'm just fine. Mr. Magistrate would guarantee my safety. Am I right, Mr. Magistrate?" Nie Tian wore a faint smile and displayed an interesting look.
"You can rest be assured, Mr. Nie. I will escort your family master intact." Mo Tai was too clever to misinterpret Nie Wenyuan and therefore made the promise.
"Take the best care of yourself, master." Nie Wenyuan nodded and did not raise any objections.
So Nie Tian left with the father and daughter in the eyes of the Nies.