Chapter 181: Chapter 40: Quarrel
Feng Zhaoting doted on his younger brother to an excessive extent. Anyone who had stayed in the Heaven Mandate Hall knew this very well. Not to mention killing him, even a single curse could lead to the extermination of an entire family, followed by immediate execution…
In an instant, Xie Feng’s scalp was covered with a dense layer of cold sweat, and he gave an awkward smile, “Elder Ling is joking…”
Zhang Xuan shook his head, “Don’t be nervous, this matter has nothing to do with you. Just lead the way!”
Seeing the other party’s serious demeanor, which didn’t seem like a joke, Xie Feng knew this affair was beyond what an apprentice like him could meddle in. Without daring to speak further, he walked ahead.
Competing for the position of Vice Hall Master was just a struggle for power, and there was still room for relaxation, but killing Feng Yizhou had already created an irreconcilable enmity. There was no turning back now. It was foreseeable that the Heaven Mandate Hall would be in turmoil due to the conflict between the two, and it would be difficult to calm down in a short time.
Following behind, Zhang Xuan was not tense but instead vigorously rubbed his face to relax his somewhat stiff expression.
In the room where the Hall Master resided, Feng Zhaoting clenched his teeth with an unwavering gaze.
“Hall Master, that is my own younger brother, my blood kin. Now, he has been publicly executed by Ling Buyang, you must give me an explanation! Otherwise, it will be an eternal conflict between him and me!”
Han Xiao frowned deeply, “Elder Feng, don’t be anxious. With this incident occurring, it could be a misunderstanding. Let’s wait for him and understand the matter clearly once he arrives…”
“Misunderstanding? Yizhou has already died, and thousands of people were watching. How could it possibly be a misunderstanding!”
Feng Zhaoting, unable to contain his anger, was at this very moment, when Xie Feng rushed in, bowing with clasped hands, “Hall Master, Elder Ling has arrived…”
“Let him in!”
Han Xiao’s expression was displeased as she thought about how to scold the other party when he walked in. Then, she saw Ling Buyang with tears all over his face, rushing into the room in extreme sorrow.
“Hall Master, Hall Master, you must stand up for me…”
“???”
Not only was Han Xiao stunned, but Xie Feng, who was leading the way, was also totally confused.
Just a moment ago, everything was fine; how had it suddenly turned into such grief?
“Ling Buyang, you finally dare to show yourself?” Feng Zhaoting coldly shouted.
“Is it you? I will kill you…”
His eyes filled with fierceness, Zhang Xuan flipped his hand, and a fierce saber qi slashed straight down.
Yu Qingyu and Xu Xin remembered his appearance, and they recognized him at first glance!
“You…”
Not expecting the other party to make his move right in front of the Hall Master, Feng Zhaoting was stunned for a moment and quickly raised his hands to meet the attack.
As the saber qi and zhenqi collided, Feng Zhaoting immediately felt an overwhelming force rushing against him, and he could not afford to say more as his Source Pool’s strength madly surged out.
Boom!
Feng Zhaoting involuntarily stepped back seven or eight steps, his breath growing unstable and his internal organs trembled.
“Your strength…”
Feng Zhaoting’s fists tightened involuntarily.
No wonder this man dared to publicly kill his brother; his strength had progressed so much. The exchange just now, if not careful, could have put him at a slight disadvantage.
Feeling shocked, Ling Buyang advanced again—his left hand forming a blade, his right hand turning into a palm, his zhenqi swirling, his strength booming. Even before reaching him, it made one feel a piercing chill.
“Are you insane?”
Feng Zhaoting felt on the verge of exploding.
Shouldn’t I have seen him and charged at him? Shouldn’t I be the one overwhelmed with grief and unstoppable anger? How come after all this time, being the victim, he had said nothing while the other party was furiously about to explode?
Without responding, Zhang Xuan focused his power and continued the attack.
“Enough!”
Just then, both the saber qi and the massive strength dissipated in the air, and Zhang Xuan immediately felt an invisible force completely enveloping him.
Knowing that his current strength was insufficient to contend without using the Pathos of Heaven sword art, Zhang Xuan turned his head, “Hall Master…”
Han Xiao’s face showed displeasure, “To start fighting as soon as you arrive, what kind of behavior is this…”
Zhang Xuan’s tears flowed once more, “Hall Master, you must not cover up for this murderer!”
Feng Zhaoting was utterly confused, “Me? The murderer?”
I’m the victim here, why does it seem like you have every right to accuse?
Han Xiao likewise frowned, “Covering up?”
Zhang Xuan nodded, his grief intense, “Yes, not only did Feng Zhaoting send people to steal my herbs, but he also completely slaughtered the Unnecessary Hall. All my disciples, all my successors, they are all dead…”
“The Unnecessary Hall is destroyed?”
Everyone in the room was shocked.
Destroying one’s lineage and tradition, this counts as an irreconcilable vendetta!
Han Xiao looked at Feng Zhaoting, “What’s going on?”
“I, I don’t know!” Elder Feng was completely baffled.
He had indeed sent people over, but his intention was only to intimidate, to show the man before him who was in charge; he had not expected total annihilation…
Were his subordinates typically so unhinged, or had they become that fierce now?
Zhang Xuan clenched his teeth, “Elder Feng, the position of Vice Hall Master is nothing to me. You can have it if you want, but to send people to do this, cutting off the Mo Dao lineage in Han Yuan City, do you truly disregard my lineage so completely?”
“Are you mistaken…” Feng Zhaoting hurriedly gestured.
“Mistaken? If not you, then who!”
Zhang Xuan, not giving him a chance to explain, bowed with clasped hands, “Hall Master, please stand up for me!”
“I will send someone to investigate right now, to see what exactly is going on!”
Han Xiao did not rush to make a judgment, but instead turned to Xie Feng standing in front of him, “You go to Unnecessary Hall and see what happened!”
“Yes!” Xie Feng hurried off.
A short hour later, he returned to the room: “Reporting to the Hall Master, Unnecessary Hall has indeed been destroyed, and Manager Yu Qingyu was killed on the spot… I inquired the nearby residents, who said they saw a group of people in black rush into the courtyard. Based on their descriptions, after searching for a long time, these people disappeared after entering Yunshan Hall.”
After hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan was somewhat stupefied.
When he left, those people had not yet arrived; he had not expected them to actually appear.
Han Xiao’s face turned livid: “Elder Feng, do you have anything else to say?”
“I…”
His eyelids twitching, Feng Zhaoting felt something was amiss but couldn’t articulate it.
“Hall Master, there’s no need to listen to his explanation. They destroyed my sect’s legacy; this enmity is irreconcilable. I must fight him to the death!”
Zhang Xuan spoke out.
“Ahem!”
With a pained expression, Han Xiao interrupted: “Bu Yang, I understand you’re anxious since Unnecessary Hall has been destroyed, but this matter… needs to be thoroughly investigated first. Let’s consider this long term and not act rashly… How about this, Elder Feng, didn’t you just receive a Purple Bamboo Spirit Pill that can help enhance the soul and aid in your breakthrough?”
“Hall Master…”
Seeing him trying to placate the situation, Feng Zhaoting became anxious.
Han Xiao shook his head: “Don’t worry, let me finish. You split this pill in two, give one half to Elder Ling, and then offer some compensation. How does that sound?”
“This…”
Feng Zhaoting frowned.
When the Hall Master spoke, he thought he would have to hand over the entire pill and was surprised when only half was requested. He eventually nodded his head: “Alright!”
He took out a jade bottle from his pocket, poured out the pill, and with a gentle swipe of his finger, the precious medicine was divided into two parts.
Individually taking one could definitely lead to a breakthrough, but the effects of half a pill were much less. However, with some luck, he might still succeed.
“Half a pill is not enough to compensate for so many lives of my subordinates!”
Zhang Xuan reached out and grabbed it from Feng Zhaoting.
“What are you doing?”
Just as Feng Zhaoting was about to pull back the pill, he felt a pain in his arm as if struck by an invisible sword qi, causing his fingers to involuntarily loosen.
The pill immediately fell from his palm.
With a mid-air grab, the Purple Bamboo Spirit Pill landed in Zhang Xuan’s palm and disappeared the next moment, having entered the New World.
Whether it was useful or not, since it was precious, he took it anyway.
“Ling Buyang, you’re seeking death! Give it back to me…”
Feng Zhaoting was almost bursting with anger; his fingers curled like hooks, reaching out again.
Zhang Xuan did not retreat, his whole body’s bones making creaking noises as he roared with all his strength, abruptly coming down.
Boom!
As their fists and palms collided, a wave of qi spread around the room, shaking the furniture. Feng Zhaoting remained unmoved while Zhang Xuan let out a muffled grunt, stumbled back, and his mouth oozed fresh blood.
The difference in skill was immediately clear from just one move; it was obvious that Zhang Xuan was still slightly inferior.
Seeing the strength of the man before him had not increased much, a murderous intent flickered in Feng Zhaoting’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it and advanced once more. His boiling zhenqi formed a thin line in the air, weaving into a net. Just then, Hall Master Han Xiao gave a cold snort.
Whoosh!
Without any visible movement, all of Elder Feng’s attacks dissipated instantly, and Zhang Xuan was suppressed once again, unable to move.
“Hall Master…”
Feng Zhaoting also looked over.
“Enough, let’s end today’s matter here! Bu Yang, aren’t you going to take out that half a pill?” said Han Xiao.
“Yes…”
Seeing the expression of the other party and knowing that it would be difficult to leave without handing it over, he immediately reached deep into his pocket, and with a thought, half a pill appeared from the New World in his palm. He flicked it towards Feng Zhaoting.
Casually catching it, Feng Zhaoting bowed with clasped hands: “Hall Master, I have other matters to attend to, I’ll take my leave now…”
“To kill so many of my people and think half a pill can compensate? What a fantasy! Hall Master, you cannot let him leave…”
Zhang Xuan rebuked.
“If your strength can hold me back, then I will stay… if not, stop wasting words!”
With a flick of his sleeve, Feng Zhaoting turned and walked away.
“You…”
Zhang Xuan’s face turned red with anger; just as he was about to rush forward, he was held back by Han Xiao: “Enough, you are still not his match at your current strength!”
“But he just destroyed my hall, and there is no punishment whatsoever. Wouldn’t everyone follow suit in the future?” argued Zhang Xuan urgently.
“To contend for the position of Vice Hall Master, this manner of fighting is indeed not suitable! But he’s right, strength is indeed more important. How about this, I have a Warm God Pill here. Although its effects are not as good as the Nourishing God Pill, it can also make the soul more solid…”
Han Xiao turned and fetched a jade bottle from the room.
“A pill from the Hall Master for me?”
Zhang Xuan felt strange, wondering why the other party seemed to be helping both him and Feng Zhaoting, appearing impartial. Just then, the Eye of Insight suddenly flickered, and he saw Heavenly Mandate Vitality gathering around him, spreading through his acupoints.