Chapter 272 - Loneliness
He Hanqing’s dead body was a macabre mess.
His head was gone, so was one of his arms; his lower abdomen was pierced straight through while both of his legs were broken; a stab wound ran through his chest and a hundred other wounds tore other parts of his body.
All ten Court of Yama Kings were dumbfounded.
The Concourse of the Underworld had dispatched all of its forces, yet this was a tough character they had failed to kill. How could he have just died here, with his head apart from his body?
They did not even know who's doing it was, and Venerable Lord Saber was nowhere to be seen.
The ten Yama Kings were stupefied.
Nine of the brothers breathed deeply in shock as they exchanged stares before glancing at their eldest, Emperor Song.
"So long as it’s He Hanqing, I have no further questions. With the body here, it will suffice as the mission’s answer. Return immediately!"
Emperor Song’s face was grim when he said, "This case ends here but the grudge between the Concourse of the Underworld and the Four Seasons Tower begins here as well. Prepare yourselves well once we get back! From this moment onwards, we have become prey instead of predators. Be careful in whatever you do after this, it's better to be safe than sorry!"
The nine brothers and both Gold-ranked assassins Ox-Head and Horse-Face kept quiet as they stared at He Hanqing’s corpse on the ground as if they had seen the forthcoming mayhem.
The Concourse of the Underworld would undoubtedly be right at the center of this pandemonium.
"How many years has it been for the martial arts world to experience such an upheaval… This time, I’m afraid…" King Chujiang frowned and chuckled bitterly. "Think of today as the warmup for the martial arts world’s upheaval that will soon come, everyone. The merrier moments will begin tomorrow, my brothers."
However, the brothers felt like they had swallowed bitter pills; the tart taste better to be left forgotten. In spite of that, they could only acknowledge what had happened since all that had transpired.
What could they do if not so? Could they resurrect He Hanqing so that the brothers could kill him again? It was simply impossible, even when one thought with their buttocks.
The ghastly fog dissipated – clarity once again greeted heaven and earth.
Venerable Lord Saber was moving with the wind, feeling many degrees of fury and disservice.
It was merely the Concourse of the Underworld and merely the School of Spring and Autumn; how dare they make their move against the Four Seasons Tower? How could they even dream of kill Supreme Lord Spring Frost of the four Supreme Lords?
Ever since the birth of Four Seasons Tower, they had never suffered such a loss.
How could the Four Seasons Tower still speak about domineering the martial arts world if they did not seek revenge?
He was going back to report it to the boss – this would require his personal attention!
The wound on his body was burning with pain. His severe injury that almost took most of his life paled in comparison to the pain in Venerable Lord Saber’s heart.
How many years had it been since he had fled like a coward?
This was absurd! Something that would never occur even in his dreams.
He had to avenge his slight.
Venerable Lord Saber vanished into the sky like a glimmer of light.
He was resentful about this siege, revenge sworn as he sped back to report it to the Four Seasons Tower and begin to plot retaliatory plans.
After all, they would be facing the Concourse of the Underworld and the School of Spring and Autumn, two strong forces, at the same time. If they were to only tackle any one of them, the Four Seasons Tower was confident of their easy victory. However, facing both forces simultaneously, it was still a tricky business.
Despite dueling with Yun Yang directly and intimidated by Yun Yang’s impressive saber skill, Venerable Lord Saber had not assumed him to be a third party.
One of the reasons was Fang Mofei. Although his ability was insignificant, his assassination tactics and resilience to give him all had all reflected his identity as a Gold-ranked assassin in the Concourse of the Underworld.
Therefore, Venerable Lord Saber had instinctively assumed that the last person to appear using a saber was also from the Concourse of the Underworld.
Another reason was due to Bai Yixue. Bai Yixue’s official identity previously was Han Sanhe’s guard; he had made an undeniable act against He Hanqing too. Repeating his objective this time was more or less within prediction. To Venerable Lord Saber, Bei Yixue would at least be related to the School of Spring and Autumn even if he no longer belonged to the Empire of Dongxuan!
Until Yun Yang and the other two men had returned to Residence of Yun, all that had happened today still felt like a dream to them – unreal and unexpected.
Supreme Lord Spring Frost.
He was such a massive role in the martial arts world, one of the Four Seasons Tower’s pillars. Such a tough character that could survive despite meeting Ling Xiaozui back in the day, yet he had succumbed to Yun Yang’s plot!
To kill He Hanqing was something major that Yun Yang had been dreaming of for so long.
From the moment he knew of He Hanqing’s identity, Yun Yang had been planning – from entertaining Han Sanhe to setting up the events that followed.
First, it was Bai Yixue whom Yun Yang had unintentionally laid his eyes on; then, it was the Concourse of the Underworld’s First Court King Qinguang who accepted his assignment; afterward, it was Wei Xinglu whom Yun Yang spent some arduous effort to trick him into his scheme.
He did not think much about everything then, he only wanted to resolve the critical situation he was in. Yet it was one coincidence after another that the Concourse of the Underworld had to face right now.
Yun Yang had noticed it right away and notified Wei Xinglu, sending the noise over with a gust of conjured wind.
Everything seemed to look like coincidences from each aspect but they would never have happened if not for Yun Yang’s meticulous arrangements.
When the Divine Edge had beheaded He Hanqing in one slash, Yun Yang clearly felt his brothers watching him with smiles on their faces.
"Ol’ninth, good job!"
Whether the feeling at that moment was real or his imagination, it was genuine enough to Yun Yang. It was just that there was not much happiness within him then, it was more of an indescribable sense of sorrow bitterness.
Brothers, I’ve finally executed a formidable enemy!!
Our enemy!
Today was just a start– a prequel. I shall go on finding those involved in ambushing us that day and hold them accountable for the debt they owe us!
The debt of lives was to be filled with lives!
Although Yun Yang and gang had successfully assassinated He Hanqing in this battle, Fang Mofei and Bai Yixue had sustained different degrees of injuries albeit light ones. Returning to Residence of Yun, both of them went into closed-door recuperation individually; it was only a matter of days for them to fully recover.
Yun Yang tossed He Hanqing’s head and things he had pilfered from his body into the secret chamber and hurried back out.
The moon was bright tonight as it hung low in the sky.
There were already glimpses of luminosity at the east, casting a blurry filter over the world. It was already near sunrise.
Yun Yang sat under the tree as he boiled a pot of water quietly.
Vapor rose from the simmering liquid but there was a cup of leftover tea beside his hand.
Yun Yang was still clad in his purple robe that was spotless; a sense of sorrow seemed to veiled his handsome eyes as he sat in silence.
The lid of the teapot was dancing from the boiling water, but he did not seem to hear it.
He looked weighed down by matters of the heart like he was very miserable.
Of course, such a front was put up as a show for interested parties. It was undeniable that if Yun Yang were to time travel to the present, he would be a close contest for an Oscar actor!
After a while, the breeze turned stronger. A large shadow loomed over the Residence of Yun as it descended.
Yun Yang did not pick himself up, merely turning his head towards the noise.
The black hawk was surrounded by the wind breaking the air as it landed in the yard, flapping and fluttering the dust off the ground.
Wei Xinglu and Gugu hopped off the back of the black hawk.
Seeing that it was them, Yun Yang did not make further move. He turned back to face the dancing teapot lid in a trance, as if not knowing it was them. It was just that his gaze seemed a little more frozen…
Wei Xinglu scanned the perimeter with his deific consciousness and realized that Yun Yang had not slept for the entire night. It seemed that he had been sitting under the tree.
Had he been sitting there for the entire night?
Casting his gaze further, he saw the youth underneath the tree whom melancholy found a home in his eyes. He seemed so weighed down that he looked lonesome, as if isolated from the world. The scene made one feel like protecting him…
Even Gugu, who had always been at odd ends with Yun Yang, could not help the slight quiver in her heart when she saw him.
He was actually awake at this time, waiting here. What was he waiting for?
Everyone was at home except for the two of them; could it be that he was waiting for them?
Of course Wei Xinglu thought so. Observing such devotion right before himself, he could not help sighing softly.
He moved gently, entering where the youth was seated.
Yun Yang was still void of reaction, his eyes boring holes at the teapot as if the simmering water had attracted all of his attention.
"Brother Yun." Wei Xinglu’s voice was laced with a sigh. "Looks like you haven’t slept at all? Has something happened that kept you up the entire night?!"
Yun Yang jolted like he was shocked – most of it, surprise. Upon turning his head, a relieved smile etched on his face at once. "Eldest senior brother, you guys are back."
It was a strange feeling being relieved – especially distinct.
Fatigue from staying up and out all night was apparent on Yun Yang’s face; even his sideburns were damp from the dew. He looked indescribably drained.
"What urgency was it that kept you up all night!" Wei Xinglu frowned, distressed due to the fondness he had for Yun Yang as an eldest senior brother.
Although Yun Yang was smart and astute, resilient and quick-witted, he was but a child no more than twenty years old. His childlikeness had still spilled unintentionally when he dealt with ways of the world but it was such innocence that deepened Wei Xinglu’s penchant for him. Cultivators who had yet to lose their innocent naivety were the rarest, the most precious!
Yun Yang smiled. "Eldest senior brother is funny. I’ve had a good sleep, I’m full of energy now. I've just woke up and was just about to set the boiling water to make tea out of boredom…"
Gugu took advantage of the situation, not missing the chance to insult Yun Yang as she mocked, "Just woke up? Your big pot of water has dried from boiling, did you boil it from sleep-walking? Did you make tea in your dream?"
"Uh…" Yun Yang was taken aback as he lifted the teapot and replied abashed, "Maybe I’ve drunk too quickly just now and emptied it without knowing. I like drinking hot tea…"
Wei Xinglu smiled, he could see it clearer than Gugu. There was no way he did not notice the tealeaves in Yun Yang’s cup that was drained of color from dilution. The tea must have been seeped for at least ten times for it to be so void of color and aroma. That pot of water too, is was obviously dried from over boiling…
Inferring the time that passed from this, Young Master Yun must have sat here since last night. Waiting while drinking tea – until color had left the tea and darkness had left the sky.
He must have been out in the night breeze and windy frost in lonemouir s, sitting without a company and his heart – without a companion.
Just thinking of the scene brought about waves of misery in the heart.