The fact that Zhuge Xiong met Niu You Dao on the way was merely a pretext. In truth, his original intention was to declare that the Supreme Purity Sect had sought the patronage of the Han Kingdom. And Niu You Dao, being a disciple of the Supreme Purity Sect, could then rely on his protection. That was the essence of his entire scheme.
However, Niu You Dao immediately rejected this idea. He firmly stated that he no longer had any ties to the Supreme Purity Sect. He demanded that it be declared he had been expelled from the sect and now shared nothing in common with it!
Song Lun glanced sideways at Zhuge Xiong:
“Zhuge Xiong, why bother concerning yourself with this? Isn’t that rather generous of you?”
Zhuge Xiong quickly waved a hand:
“There’s no need to misunderstand all this. We can simply talk. It won’t harm anyone. It’s better to resolve everything peacefully. The past is in the past, why hold onto such hatred now?”
Song Lun scoffed and said:
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Get to the point! There’s no need to involve those who aren’t concerned!”
Zhuge Xiong smiled bitterly and gestured to Niu You Dao with his hands, as if to say, “I am helpless here.”
The envoy of the Song Kingdom sitting nearby, Tu Huai You, calmly stated:
“This is a guest invited by the host. Where is it ever seen for one guest to drive away another? Is this how everyone in the Yan Kingdom is taught?”
Song Lun glared at him:
“Old man Chu, there’s no need to look for trouble!”
These people always exercised restraint in their internal state affairs. However, when it came to matters concerning other kingdoms, they were eager to argue and stir up commotion. And this was common practice.
Yet they could quarrel, then sit down and drink wine, and after drinking, they could quarrel again.
Though they called each other brothers, state interests always came first. If the kingdoms needed it, they would quarrel among themselves. If the kingdom needed it, they would immediately become the best of friends.
Tu Huai You paid him no mind. He looked at Niu You Dao and asked:
“Brother, Old man Chu is curious, what exactly happened between you and the Song family?”
The others also looked on curiously. Earlier, Zhu Shun had already piqued their interest in Niu You Dao.
The Qi envoy also said cheerfully:
“Speak. Nothing bad will come of it.”
The others nodded approvingly, while Song Lun’s face darkened. He wanted to drop everything and leave immediately, but he was curious what Zhuge Xiong intended to do next.
“I was originally a disciple of the Supreme Purity Sect. Only later was I expelled from the sect, and on the road, my fellow disciple Song Yang Qing tried to kill me...” Niu You Dao recounted everything at once. After speaking, he gazed intently at Song Lun and declared, “Near the Southern Mountain Monastery, you attempted to kill me the first time. In Cang Wu County, you tried to kill me a second time. Back then, I killed your household manager’s son. And today, encountering me in Qingzhou, you tried to kill me again. If not for the princess, I don’t know what would have happened now. Minister Song, I never wished to become an enemy of the Song family, nor do I wish to offend the Song family. Today, before all these sirs, I offer my sincere apologies and ask the Song family to release me!”
Song Lun inwardly sneered, “Who are you to negotiate with the Song family?” Outwardly, he calmly replied:
“What nonsense. I don’t understand what you’re talking about. This is no place for you to spout rubbish. Where is the proof of your words? Where have we tried to kill you?”
As if on cue, Huang Xiu Sheng and Xie Chun flashed into the room and took up positions, just in case Niu You Dao decided to flee.
Niu You Dao stood up, clasped his hands, and said:
“Minister Song, I sincerely ask you to release me. If you have conditions, speak them!”
He was truly speaking honestly about this. The Song family was powerful, and if there was a chance to resolve everything peacefully, it was better to do so.
Song Lun leaned back in his chair and calmly replied:
“Nothing happened. What is there to talk about?”
Niu You Dao did not respond to that. He understood the other party’s intention.
Everyone understood perfectly well. However, no one particularly sympathized with Niu You Dao.
Song Lun looked at Zhuge Xiong:
“Zhuge, there’s no need to make a fuss for no reason. Take away the superfluous people and get to the point!”
Zhuge Xiong stood up and, gesturing Niu You Dao away with a hand, said:
“Brother Niu, I truly apologize. You see how things are turning out. Perhaps you should return and rest for a while?”
Song Lun didn’t even look at Niu You Dao, and a cold smile could be seen on his face.
Suddenly, Tu Huai You, who was sitting nearby, spoke up:
“Some people, I don’t know what they’re thinking! They agreed to help and yet can’t do a thing. Useless nobodies!”
The previously smiling Zhuge Xiong turned his head and glared angrily at Tu Huai You:
“Old man, who are you talking about like that?”
Tu Huai You also stood up and, looking at him, replied:
“Son, who are you yelling at?”
Zhuge Xiong:
“Whoever yells at me, I yell back at them!”
“You ill-mannered scoundrel! I’ll teach you a lesson for your father!” Tu Huai You said furiously and swung his arm, slapping Zhuge Xiong.
“Whack!” A loud slap resonated, and a stinging red mark appeared on Zhuge Xiong’s face.
Everyone was stunned. It wasn’t the first time they had seen these two bicker, but it was the first time they had witnessed one raise a hand against the other.
Song Lun was also surprised and almost burst out laughing. Why were these two fighting over his affairs? He found it interesting to watch.
Zhuge Xiong, holding his cheek, was also startled. He hadn’t expected the old man to actually strike him. Though they had secretly agreed to put on a show, he never thought the old man would take the opportunity to hit him!
Niu You Dao was also dumbfounded. They were actually fighting? These two were really getting into their roles!
Zhuge Xiong immediately aimed his palm at his aggressor, intending to slap him back, but Tu Huai You had already taken precautions and blocked the blow. However, Zhuge Xiong instantly used his other hand to pull his aggressor’s mustache.
The guards from outside both men’s groups entered and pulled them apart.
At this moment, many cultivators also entered and began to guard their respective masters, just in case.
“Who goes there?” a loud voice suddenly boomed. One of Zhuge Xiong’s cultivators turned and grabbed the shoulder of Huang Xiu Sheng, who was guarding Song Lun.
He angrily demanded: “Why did you hit me?”
“It wasn’t me!” Huang Xiu Sheng retorted, shaking him off, and behind him, a table overturned.
From this action, chaos erupted inside. Zhuge Xiong’s men immediately rushed in, and Song Lun’s men also ran up, showing no weakness.
Tu Huai You, already separated, shouted:
“Stop them! There’s no need for bloodshed, everyone calm down!”
His men ran towards Zhuge Xiong’s men. Now, two of their men were facing one of Song Lun’s men. And Song Lun was now left alone.
“Stop! Everyone stop!” Song Lun cried.
Standing before the overturned table, Niu You Dao looked at Song Lun, who had been forced out of the pavilion. He raised a hand, and Yuan Fang, holding a sword outside, immediately handed it to him.
Grasping the sword, Niu You Dao flashed out of the crowd. Huang Xiu Sheng and the others looked up at their opponents, who were at that moment staring intently at them.
“What do you want to do?” Song Lun’s frightened voice rang out.
Everyone looked and saw Song Lun forced to his knees by Niu You Dao. A sword was pressed against his neck.
“Minister?” the Jin envoy’s cultivators asked.
They wondered whether to detain him or not.
Chu Xiang Yu waved a hand and said:
“Disorder in the Yan Kingdom is not bad for us!”
“What are you doing?!” A furious shout rang out in the middle of the night as several dozens of figures descended from the night sky. They immediately surrounded Niu You Dao. The Qingzhou Manor guards had arrived.
Zhuge Xiong and Tu Huai You exchanged glances. They didn’t understand why Niu You Dao was hesitating? Would he still be able to kill him now?
In such a situation, it was best to wash their hands of it. They immediately hinted to their men to release Song Lun’s people.
Huang Xiu Sheng and the others, immediately freed, moved towards Song Lun, but they were stopped by the manor guards:
“Halt!”
Huang Xiu Sheng could only shout to the surrounded Niu You Dao:
“Niu You Dao, quickly release Minister Song!”
Niu You Dao looked around and finally gazed at the trembling, kneeling Song Lun:
“Song Yang Qing tried to kill me. I killed him! Liu Zi You tried to kill me. I killed him! You tried to kill me. I will kill you! However many the Song family sends, I will kill however many! At any time!”
“Shk!” A cold gleam flashed, and fresh blood spurted onto the ground, as the musician-girls shrieked.
How could they not be shocked by such a horrific and cruel murder!
Song Lun didn’t even have time to cry out before Niu You Dao severed his head and kicked his trembling body.
Huang Xiu Sheng and the others were dumbfounded. What was this? How were they to return to the Yan Kingdom? How were they to report this to their masters!
“Hiss...” Every envoy felt a chill. Even Zhuge Xiong and Tu Huai You, though psychologically prepared, were surprised now.
“...Fan Zhe was at a loss for words. Why had the Prince sent this man?”
Yuan Fang secretly whispered to himself, “Lord Dao is truly ruthless!”
Cheng Gui Shuo’s eyes bulged. Even in such a situation, he still killed? Does he not fear death? He never imagined that the young man who had been under house arrest in Peach Blossom Spring would possess such a vicious heart!
Niu You Dao threw Song Lun’s head to Huang Xiu Sheng, then took the sword and handed it to the manor guards. He calmly submitted to arrest.
“You’ll pay with your life!” Huang Xiu Sheng roared furiously.
However, the man who had blocked his path immediately pressed a sword to his neck:
“We will handle this ourselves. You don’t need to lecture us. Qingzhou is not a place where you can act recklessly! Hear the order: No one move, or we will kill without mercy!”
Immediately, swords flashed, warning everyone.
Soon, a multitude of people arrived and arrested everyone.
No one dared to resist. It was unwise to trifle with government officials!
Someone carried away Song Lun’s body.
And in the pavilion, uneaten delicacies lay scattered on the floor...
Everyone was confined to a single courtyard, and the cultivators’ channels were sealed to prevent them from using magical power.
Zhuge Xiong opened the door, still holding his face where the mark of the slap was visible, and furiously yelled at the drinking Tu Huai You:
“Old rascal, who asked you to hit me?”
Tu Huai You cheerfully replied:
“Didn’t you ask me to act out this scene? Besides, you pulled my mustache too!”
Outside, the other envoys wandered, still reeling from the murder. They pondered what consequences would follow today’s events? They also considered how they could now contact the outside world.