None of his friends and families in Tiantang City could rival the opponent before him. If he could escape from this battle with the intention of seeking revenge afterward by a.s.sa.s.sinating everyone related to Yun Yang, there would be no lucky exceptions!
Furthermore, the whole Empire of Yutang could break apart and collapse from this man"s retaliatory wrath!
Yun Yang had never denied the intelligence and capability that Mr. Nian possessed. He was a brilliant talent, the crème of the crop! Perhaps, in comparison to Ling Xiaozui and Dugu Chou, the two generations of the Unrivaled Experts, Mr. Nian was a more qualified Unrivaled Expert.
"Since Lord Supreme Cloud"s initial plan is to uproot all things, why are you asking if I"m fighting? Isn"t this uncalled for?"
Intense hatred poured from Mr. Nian"s gaze. "To me, even if Lord Supreme Cloud relents and ceases to fight, even if you wish to forget everything and seek reconciliation, it"s impossible!"
His finger pointed, his teeth clenched. "The blood debt of Supreme Cloud"s brothers is always on your mind. Today, the remains of the Four Seasons Tower"s brothers still lie exposed in the open! Their blood has yet to dry, their eyes – they"re still staring at me!"
"If I don"t avenge their deaths, what dignity do I have to continue leading the Four Seasons Tower?"
Yun Yang replied in a distant tone, "What is your intention by coming over here now, then? To openly provoke me? Or perhaps you"re here just to tell me this?"
"The brawls of the martial world result in deaths. This is the case – this has always been the case. Being killed because one is weaker, all the more is a martial artist"s final destination. There"s no dispute about this."
Mr. Nian said, "However, the many years of comrades.h.i.+p…"
There was a pause and a hint of a sob in his voice but it was suppressed immediately. He looked up into the sky and recounted, "How many cycles of spring and autumn, how many cycles of peace and turbulence… In retrospect, the least time among these brothers spent with me sums up to one thousand and two hundred years…"
"Among them, when the bearers of the four seasons just got to know me… was three thousand years ago…"
"They"ve died fighting, but I"m still alive. Maybe I"ll die too not too long from now. However, as long as someone from the Four Seasons Tower still lives on, we"d never allow our brothers to die and be left out in the open so pitifully!"
"You"ve come to collect their corpses? So that they can rest in peace?" Yun Yang blurted in realization.
Mr. Nian answered darkly, "Exactly. We"re brothers. I must collect their corpses. In addition, I want to collect G.o.d"s Bones!"
"G.o.d"s Bones…" Yun Yang was deep in thought with a frown on his forehead, a thought suddenly bubbling in his mind.
"I"ll bury them as fast as I can so that they can rest in peace. Early morning tomorrow, you and I will fight the ultimate battle and end this war once and for all!" Mr. Nian said in a low tone and laughed forlornly, saying, "I think… Lord Supreme Cloud won"t be so heartless as to not allow this little window of time, will you?"
Yun Yang answered faintly, "You"re here today to bury them, but I wonder when you lie lifeless here soon, who"ll be present to bury you?"
"I believe Lord Supreme Cloud would not have my corpse exposed to the wilderness," replied Mr. Nian with a chuckle.
Yun Yang kept silent for a beat.
Rationally, his first instinct was to disallow Mr. Nian from collecting the dead bodies; it was a cultivator"s instinct that automatically reminded him that doing so would put him in utter danger. However, Mr. Nian"s request was justified; it was reasonable and logical. It could hardly be rejected.
Even if it were two armies at an irreconcilable war, there would be a period of time to allow each other"s soldiers to collect their troop"s bodies! Those who were dead were the most significant, their burials should be prioritized so that they could rest in peace. This was the way of life since the beginning of time – this was a basic principle recognized across the entire world!
Ji Lingxi, who was quietly confused, looked at Yun Yang.
To her, the matter posed no issue. Their enemy had asked to collect his late comrades" corpses before their final battle. It was completely reasonable, even more so when they had thousands of years of kins.h.i.+p.
Why was Yun Yang hesitating? He had never been a cold-blooded man…
Yun Yang then replied after a momentary silence, "Your request makes sense. I"m also impressed that you wish to complete your late brothers" funeral matters before the decisive battle. However, on your request, I shall have a term as well."
"What condition is that, if I may ask?" the light in Mr. Nian"s gaze flickered as he raised his question.
"I"d like to keep a few pieces of the G.o.d"s Bones from the deceased. I think Mr. Nian probably won"t mind," said Yun Yang slowly.
Mr. Nian raised his head abruptly. Staring at Yun Yang, his eyes made a dangerous squint. "Lord Supreme Cloud"s condition is logically fair. You killed them, all their remains should be your loot. It"s well grounded. However, to put G.o.d"s Bones into physical bodies is not a process of simply embedding them into the people. They merge with the flesh and blood. If Supreme Cloud is allowed to keep a few pieces, how would that be different from desecrating the dead?"
"Besides, the G.o.d"s Bones uniquely belong to the Four Seasons Tower. They should probably not have anything to do with you, Lord Supreme Cloud. Why are you making this more difficult than it should be?"
"I"m but a little curious. I"d just like to take a look at these bones, see what mystery and mystique they carry. We just fought earlier. The bodies have long been neglected over there and I actually forgot to collect them. I wonder if it"s a careless mistake of mine or destiny," said Yun Yang.
He was implying to Mr. Nian that if he had wanted to, he could have looted the G.o.d"s Bones before Mr. Nian even arrived.
Mr. Nian was quiet for a moment before he answered, "If Lord Supreme Cloud insists, please collect several of them on your own. They"ll be under your care for now. When tomorrow"s battle ends and I have the misfortune to lose, all the tower"s G.o.d"s Bones will go to you."
"Otherwise, if the one who falls tomorrow is Lord Supreme Cloud, the items of my tower shall be returned to their rightful owner."
Yun Yang replied with a smile, "Mr. Nian is very open-minded. I"m further impressed."
Yun Yang had made his condition and Mr. Nian had agreed to it. Basically, although Yun Yang had no idea of Mr. Nian"s true intention behind collecting the bones, he had successfully interrupted the process. Mr. Nian was hard-pressed to complete his plan now.
In spite of this, Yun Yang felt disconcerted when he thought of himself having to retrieve the G.o.d"s Bones from the corpses. It was a nauseating idea.
Like Mr. Nian had said, what difference did it make from the desecration of the dead? It was possible to say that they were opposing parties and those pieces were loot!
The Four Seasons Tower could, perhaps, do such a thing without guilt, but when it came to Yun Yang, he was not able to do it. This was probably the contrast between a hero and a villain.
Mr. Nian was not idle as he began gathering the corpses and putting them into his spatial ring respectively. Obviously, burying them so that they could rest in peace was not meant to be done here, but another location would be sought out and the process carried out meticulously.
Of course, G.o.d"s Bones in these dead bodies had to be collected before their last offices were arranged. This was one of the cruxes that were apparent to both Mr. Nian and Yun Yang.
Tianxuan Cliff was still thickly blanketed in fog that the task ought to be a challenge despite the search being conducted using divine senses. Yun Yang had thought that it would be time-consuming for Mr. Nian to a.s.semble the remains of his men but surprisingly, the latter had found all the corpses quite swiftly.