This had always been Mr. Nian's style of handling affairs; to let go and allow the subordinate to manage it.
Only when sufficient opportunity was given to them to work independently could they garner the ability to handle things themselves. The cultivation base was never equivalent to one’s ability! Mr. Nian had always known this truth! Hence, for so many years, he had always acted as such.
The indisputable fact that a large number of talents were being produced by the Four Seasons Tower would have some relation to Mr. Nian's management style.
However, as he watched the developments of the incident underneath him, Mr. Nian could not help but feel a sense of worry, if he continued without doing anything.
He could hardly even understand the situation.
Things had initially gone well; how had it developed to such an extent?
Initially, it was a great circumstance, with the winning opportunity at hand while the enemy had little to no defensive power at all. That was why he didn't hesitate to leave, allowing the four Venerable Lords to clean up the aftermath.
However, how could it have turned into such a debacle?
In the end, they were being controlled by others and had even signed an unequal covenant!
Mr. Nian watched helplessly, wide-eyed, but still, he could not fathom where the problem originated from.
Could it really be a mere claw of a mystical cub that causes the trajectory of the situation to change tremendously, to an extent that it was beyond recognition?
Was this luck? Coincidence? Fate? Or was it something else altogether?
It was impossible to decipher!
The ideal situation had turned into desperation.
Comparing the martial strength and prowess that was the main weapons of a cultivator, his side had apparently held the superior position. Obviously, they should have the absolute right to speak, even if they were within the enemy’s country’s capital city and even if the other had utilized the masses as a method of confrontation. All these tactics were no cause for concern.
However, they could not utilize any of their martial powers right now.
High in the sky, a black shadow flashed by in an instant and then disappeared.
Until its reappearance, no one knew how far it had gone forward; Mr. Nian could no longer stand seeing it!
They had been defeated, what was left was simply gloom and doom!
However, the disappointment within his heart was difficult to express.
I allowed you fellows to work on the matter. However, you fools were compromised from the very beginning, unstable and ready to fail at any time.
I had no choice but to intervene personally, directly striking those who were capable yet currently disabled, leaving three to five ant-like characters for you fellows to deal with as an aftermath.
As a result, in the process of dealing with it, you fools did not even manage to kill the most deserving person. Somehow war had turned into peace instead.
The worry was that Mr. Nian would be angered to the extent of falling from the sky if he were to continue observing!
"The poison had been removed, it then marks the end of the transaction. Both the goods and money have been exchanged."
Yun Yang urged, "In other words, go and do whatever you are supposed to do! Everyone, although it is true that we are familiar with each other, the myriad leads to heaven; it's better that we part ways!"
Yun Yang had actually started to chase the people away.
Yun Yang was the owner of this residence. To make such an order, to expel unwanted guests, was logical, reasonable and appropriate!
Venerable Lord Snow grunted, "Young Master Yun, although the fact remains that we are enemies, I believe that there’s no need to be so anxious. My eldest brother is still in critical condition and in need of recuperation. Would it be inhumane to just leave him here? Don’t tell me that your words of turning the war into peace are merely a joke?"
Yun Yang smiled wryly, "I have no objections if you fellows don't either. However, if Venerable Lord Sword were to somehow be poisoned again, it will then have nothing to do with the others... at least I can’t be responsible for it! "
Upon hearing that, Venerable Lord Snow and Venerable Lord Frost were momentarily stunned.
This child's words did make sense. Regardless of how nicely they prepared their case, the idea was to turn war into peace; the knot was, after all, still present, the debt of hatred would still need to be paid. This place had now become ruins. Everywhere one looked, there was only devastatingly damaged debris. Who would know if some kind of mystical poison might seep out of the corner at any time? What if Venerable Lord Sword was poisoned again?
Through the actual exemplary incident where Venerable Lord Sword had been poisoned, Venerable Lord Snow and the others had a better understanding of the virulence of Yun Yang’s malicious poison. It was extremely lethal. Even the so-called detoxification spiritual medicine, equipped by the high-leveled people of the Four Seasons Tower that could detoxify a hundred types of poisons could do nothing against it. Hence, it was better not to insist on staying in such a place that had such potential for future quarrels.
"Damn you, you ruthless bastard! We will meet again in the future!" uttered Venerable Lord Ice with hatred. "Well, the Four Seasons Tower has just sworn that we were not supposed to interrupt and mingle with each other again!" Yun Yang said, "I guess it is only right that we can look forward to never seeing each other again."
Just as Venerable Lord Snow was about to stand up, he suddenly recalled something, "Young Master Yun, before we leave, there’s still one more thing about which I wish to seek your advice. I hope that Young Master Yun will not be selfish in rendering your thoughts on this."
Yun Yang asked, "I wonder what kind of matter is that? If it’s something that can be told, I will not keep it to myself!"
Of course, if it could not be told, he would definitely be stingy about it.
Venerable Lord Snow asked, "I am somewhat puzzled about the four Eclipse Panthers…where did they go?"
Yun Yang's expression grew slightly puzzled as he uttered, "Eclipse Panthers? What Eclipse Panther?"
Looking irritably at Yun Yang, Venerable Lord Snow bit off each word slowly, " Eclipse Panther! Eclipse Panthers, the top-leveled mystical beast, Eclipse Panther!"
Yun Yang frowned deeply as he pondered upon the question. He suddenly snapped his fingers, "You mean the four colorful little panthers? Aren’t they Clouded Panthers? How could they be Eclipse Panthers? You said yourself that Eclipse Panthers are top-leveled mystical beasts. How could all four of them appear at the same place together?"
"Clouded Panther? Colorful?" Venerable Lord Snow could not help scratching his head. He was baffled by Yun Yang's explanation.
He had mentally prepared himself for Yun Yang's denial and utter ignorance of the existence of the mystical beasts. However, since when had the Eclipse Panther turned colorful? Was it not meant to be a pure, natural white?
"They were white Eclipse Panthers! The type that is without any trace of impure hairs!" Venerable Lord Snow stressed it once again, indicating clearly that this point was beyond doubt, insisting that Yun Yang affirm it.
"White in color? If that’s the case, I have truly never seen it before." Yun Yang shook his head apologetically. "Now we have turned war into peace, the next time when we meet each other, we can still be friends. There is nothing that I can’t tell you…However, about the four white panthers, I have, indeed, never seen them before!"
Venerable Lord Snow whispered incredulously, "Is Young Master Yun treating us as fools?"
Venerable Lord Sword was injured and poisoned by the paw of an Eclipse Panther. You, Yun Yang, had the antidote in your hand. If it wasn’t yours, then whose could it be?
Are you still denying such an obvious fact?
Yun Yang could feel the aggressive stares being trained upon him. Taking a pause, he suddenly looked startled. He then hurriedly uttered, "Could it be that ..."
"Could it be what?" Venerable Lord Snow's expression betrayed a hint of curiosity.
"Yes ... when Young Master Lei had just arrived, he brought a few pets along; all of them were colorful and extremely good-looking. They still seemed rather young... but they were definitely not pure white in color. Not at all."
Venerable Lord Snow, Venerable Lord Ice, and the others looked at each other.
Colored panthers?
The original color of the entire panther's fur was colorful…could Lei Dongtian have dyed their fur?
Venerable Lord Frost asked, "Did Lei Dongtian turn the panthers white after having witnessed the snow? Trying to utilize the weather to add the concealing color, increasing the chances of winning? By using this method to augment his tactics, he would certainly be able to turn the tides of success!"
Venerable Lord Snow creased his brows and secretly nodded to himself; yes, that had to be it.
"Where are the panthers now?" asked Venerable Lord Snow.
Where were the panthers? Of course, I know where they are, but I would definitely not tell you.
Yun Yang felt a tinge of joy in his heart. While stroking the fist-sized kitten in his embrace, he uttered, "I was focusing on escaping then, how could I pay attention to them? You are looking too highly upon me, respected one!"
"Then where does your antidote come from?"
"It was Brother Lei that had the mighty foresight to provide this. Upon saying this, I can’t help but admire Brother Lei, who had everything planned ahead. He could even think of this..."
Even as he spoke, Yun Yang knew that he had made a mistake.
He could only try and hope that he could gloss it over.
Anyhow, you fellows have agreed to turn the war into peace… Believe it or not, it was up to you!
...
However, it was unclear whether the three of them believed in it or not. Still, they did not linger upon this seemingly inconsequential problem.
"Pass the word to Lei Dongtian!" Venerable Lord Snow fiercely ordered, "Do not die too early, the Four Seasons Tower will definitely resolve the matter with him!"
"Let's go!"
Venerable Lord Snow could be seen carrying Venerable Lord Sword, walking away with the other two, their heads raised upwards.
Despite the besieged barrier and the thousands of army personnel flanking them, the three did not falter at all but walked directly past the staring audience. With a flash, they reached the roof of the opposite building and disappeared.
With the heavy snow filling the sky, there was no one who could clearly witness which direction they had actually taken.
"Are they gone?" old marshal Qiu snorted coldly.
It was only at this point that his heartfelt a sense of relief.
If there had been a choice, the old marshal Qiu would be unwilling to go against such warriors of high prestige in the Four Seasons Tower. If they were to reveal their true powers, it would have spelled the doom of countless high-spirited men. Things would have turned out badly for the army.
After a while, Yun Yang could be seen walking out.
"Settled?"
"Settled."
Qiu Jianhan coldly grunted, "How did this blow up into a problem of such epic proportions? Now that it is over, you have to explain the whole thing thoroughly and clearly to me!"
"With regards to the details of this matter, I actually have no idea what had happened. I was seated at home and disaster fell upon me from the sky. The way the Four Seasons Tower acted has always been despotic. Weren't they the ones preaching the way of ‘subduing the world by force and bloodshed in the martial world’? Perhaps they have treated us as one of the stops in the bloodshed that they proposed. Well, at least everything has been settled now, why look into all of the minute details…" Yun Yang's eyes were rolling about as he managed to talk his usual brand of nonsense in a serious note, convincingly and full of conviction.
Qiu Jianhan then hurriedly waved his hand and said in a gruff tone, "Please, don't lie to me anymore. The way you weave your lies makes me think that falsehood is an ordinary affair to you. However, I am too tired and did not plan to even listen to it in the first place. Men, let’s withdraw!"
With that order, he then turned the head of his horse around and did not even bother to look back at Yun Yang.
Leng Daoyin chuckled softly and nodded at Yun Yang before he trotted away as well.
Yun Yang could vaguely see that a seemingly valiant and graceful shadow had just flashed across the heavy snow. However, there was nothing to be seen in the cold, white, snow.
Yun Yang was momentarily startled.
The bulk of the people had gone far and were barely within earshot. However, that brief glimpse of elegance had caused an inexplicable feeling of despondency in Yun Yang’s heart.
...
"You, you, and you, you fellows... who called you fellows back?" Yun Yang spun around and faced the four young lords.
Dong Tianleng and the others laughed dryly together, "We were reluctant to part with our boss, and intended to come back and have a look. We would then be immediately on the road again, without further delay."
It was unknown whether it was them who was imitating Yun Yang, or that Yun Yang had picked up a thing or two from them. Anyway, the manner in which Dong Tianleng had acted was impressively similar to Yun Yang's mannerisms. All of them were adept at lying in a serious tone. The stories and falsehoods could be handily whipped up to serve them in any situation.
However, Yun Yang was an expert in telling the wildest stories with an absolutely straight face. How could he possibly be deceived? Under his cold glare, the four popinjays turned as quiet as the cicada in winter.