“Huangpu Qingtian, why have you harmed my godsons?” Dugu Zhantian barely contained the beast raging inside.
Huangpu Qingtian was calm, “Because they were in my way!”
“And why were they in your way?”
“They carried out Marshal’s orders to prevent me from having a grudge fight.”
Tightening his fists, Dugu Zhantian’s eyes spat fire, “In other words, they aren’t at fault here!”
“No, they aren’t.” Dugu Zhantian was about to blow a gasket. Huangpu Qingtian said coldly, “I also said that they are not fit to enter a grudge fight with me, not when they’re so weak. Therefore it does not fall into defying Marshal’s order! As for my fight with Steward Zhuo, that was indeed a grudge fight. But your five sons were already downed by that point. So it can be said that they weren’t hurt from doing their duty.”
Huangpu Qingtian knew Marshal Dugu was a man of integrity so he used sophistry! Saying that the five tigers had voluntarily, and of their own volition, stepped in his way and he thus inadvertently harmed them while running through them!
Although pedantic, Dugu Zhantian was no moron to not notice the way he shifted blame. His eyes only grew colder as his knuckles popped, “What you’re saying is that my godsons were wounded without your intention?”
“Precisely so. They ran into me and wounded themselves!” Huangpu Qingtian jutted his chin and spoke righteously.
“And what of my fifth godson? What happened to his leg? And don’t go saying he broke his leg running into you!” Dugu Zhantian’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice rumbling and thick with bloodthirst.
Shaking his head, Huangpu Qingtian said, “That wasn’t me, it was Lin Xuanfeng. Out of respect for you, Marshal, I was extremely lenient on your godsons!”
“Where’s that Lin Xuanfeng then? I have a score to settle with him!” Dugu Zhantian’s eyes darted around.
With a slow stretch of the hand, a finger pointed out the gasping Lin Xuanfeng. Huangpu Qingtian said, “Marshal, there’s no need for that now! Steward Zhuo had, in front of everyone, taken matter into his own hands on behalf of his master. Is Marshal still going to continue?”
Ugh!
Dugu Zhantian spotted the pool of blood in which the pale face of the crippled Lin Xuanfeng lay.
His anger washed away in an instant!
The guy was on his last leg, quite literally, given the circumstances. And even if saved, he’d be left a waste. His fate was far worse than his godson’s!
He suddenly felt awkward, even in the wrong. As if he was the accuser in this case, especially when they were worse off than his side by a dozen times!
Zhuo Fan, of course, didn’t think so. Availing of Dugu Zhantian’s presence, he was giving his very best in blowing this sky high, “Ol’ Marshal, don’t listen to his lies. You have no idea of the cruelty and harassment he put us through! When I arrived, the four had ganged up on my young master, humiliating and trampling him!
“My loyalty to my master is unquestionable, coming to his rescue at once. But I was also a victim of their assault. It was impossible for me to fight the four alone, leaving me riddled with wounds. Out of carelessness and sheer coincidence, they made a mistake and lost a leg. But we are the victims here, we were the ones abused! Please give us justice, Marshal!” Zhuo Fan’s voice took a mournful and stuttering tone, filled with pain and agony, “They saw our clan small and weak and decided to harass us. They are low and despicable people!”
Pff!
Everyone there spurted blood. Even Huangpu Qingtian’s face twitched. Even he, with his upbringing, was finding it hard not to flip out.
[What’s with this guy? He twists everything!]
Although cunning, his speech was based on sophistry. Yet never had he seen someone of Zhuo Fan’s ilk, running his mouth and spouting such outrageous lies!
[You rotten bastard! Look around you! Look at the witnesses! How can you be so despicable?]
Despite his perfectly reasonable thinking, Luo Yunchang also picked this time to add oil to the fire, “Steward Zhuo downplayed it slightly, out of worry for the Luo clan, but this is indeed the situation. Please help us, Godfather!”
Pff!
With another round of blood from the crowd, all eyes were on Luo Yunchang, [The hell? What is young miss Luo doing copying Steward Zhuo?]
[Sigh, another one falls under Zhuo Fan’s bad influence!]
It was followed by a round of sighs and head shaking, [Oh, you poor poor thing. Coming from an upright clan yet unable to escape this man’s devious corruption!] Luo Yunchang and Zhuo Fan shared a sly grin!
Face twitching, Dugu Zhantian already had a taste of Zhuo Fan’s grandstanding and wasn’t buying it this time. [Then again, this is the perfect chance to get back at Regent Estate.]
So, Dugu Zhantian nodded, “I see, Huangpu Qingtian. I have banned grudge fights and yet you all started harassing the weak with numbers. A much viler act than a mere grudge fight. Is this what you thought of my orders? I will take this matter to each of your houses and get a thorough explanation from them!”
“Marshal, you only heard his side…” Huangpu Qingtian was flustered for the first time.
Raising an eyebrow, Dugu Zhantian’s eyes gleamed, “Oh, one-sided? Ha-ha-ha, alright then, let’s see what the witnesses say!”
Dugu Zhantian turned to the ones on the ground and asked, “What Zhuo Fan said, is it true?”
They looked at each other, clearly getting his drift. Since Dugu Zhantian was siding with Zhuo Fan, of course they nodded.
Especially the Five Tigers of Tianyu. These guys were quite frank and upright but not dumb. Of course they’d help their kin!
Face twitching, Huangpu Qingtian was swept by anger. [They’re clearly aiming for us!]
“Marshal, I thought you were a righteous man, but now I see…” Huangpu Qingtian clenched his fists and jaw.
With a bright smile, Dugu Zhantian mocked, “See what? You heard them. Is there anything you would like to add?”
“Humph, they are clearly siding with Zhuo Fan while on our side Lin Xuanfeng had his leg ripped out!” Huangpu Qingtian was finding it hard to restrain his towering anger, evident from his loud voice.
Dugu Zhantian roared back, “You have one victim while they are all down! So who’s side is the real victim here? Who was it that harassed others with their power? Are you so damn blind?”
Huangpu Qingtian’s eyes twitched. He had never been so furious in his life.
Most of all, never ever had he been taken advantage of!
Yet here, against Zhuo Fan, he could do nothing as the man had spun a trap around him. Even Dugu Zhantian was against him!
He, who had always seen himself as a king, an emperor, was now reaching the limits of his patience!
“Soaring Demonic Dragon, your title sure is apt in going after me, Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord. Humph, we’ll just have to see how you will end!” Huangpu Qingtian squinted then up and left.
He knew arguing any longer would be a waste of time.
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow and pointed at him, “Marshal Dugu, you’re just gonna let him go? He just threatened me! My poor little life is on the line here…”
Hum~
A sudden ripple spread and Dugu Zhantian jumped in front of Zhuo Fan, releasing a ripple of his own.
A boom reverberated as the space warped visibly.
Huangpu Qingtian snorted at Zhuo Fan in anger, “Soaring Demonic Dragon, you’re lucky this time. But when the Esoteric Debate starts, when the seven houses battle, hope you’ll have the same amount of luck then!”
And he took his two allies while dragging Lin Xuanfeng with them.
Dugu Zhantian looked at him in shock, “This kid, he is a peak Profound Heaven expert yet can use killing with intent that only a Radiant Stage expert can use. He truly is the number one talent in Tianyu. His future is limitless!”
The others jerked in fright. Huangpu Qingtian had long surpassed them. He was on a whole different level!
The next time they meet, they might not even come out alive. Against killing with intent, no amount of speed would help.
Zhuo Fan only chuckled, “A mere bluff!”
Dugu Zhantian towered behind him and cuffed him, “What damn bluff? That’s power! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? I know you’re a body cultivator and perhaps can win in a brawl against him, but that was a soul attack, killing with intent! You’d never even realize when your life was taken from you!
“I see no way for you to win against that monster!” Dugu Zhantian eyed them and sighed.
The others frowned and sighed as well. Zhuo Fan had given a thread of hope to all, but now it was all crushed to dust.
No one beneath a Radiant Stage could survive an intent attack.
Zhuo Fan had his freaky ability but not even that would save him.
Yet the man in question hardly cared, he had stopped caring for as long as five years ago…
