133 Long-Drawn Grudges. Mercy for Four (1/2)

”These so-called experts of the martial arts world, they need not be mysterious and elusive, or even look and sound exactly like were, or even act the part, once they have found a little fame.”

Ling Xiaozui looked at Yun Yang as he said, ”Always remember, if a person can’t be himself, then there isn’t much meaning even if he has any higher achievement. At least, it rings true to this person’s being!”

Yun Yang repeated his words several times in his heart, immediately won over by their wisdom.

If a person can’t be himself, then there isn’t much meaning even if he has any higher achievement.

Sweat seeped profusely and drenched Lao Mei and Fang Mofei’s clothes as they listened, feeling Ling Xiaozui’s words being etched into the deepest part of their soul like the resonating ringing of early morning bells.

After the meal, Ling Xiaozui finally asked, ”No need to hold back and be hesitant now. I have lost our bet. Seeing as to how I've lost, I should fulfill what has been wagered. You can tell me what it is now.”

Yun Yang took a deep breath and said, ”I would like to ask you to kill someone for me.”

”Kill someone?” Ling Xiaozui smiled bitterly. ”I knew the request would be illicit, but I have to inform you about a disclaimer first. Although I’ve killed plenty of people in this lifetime, there are four types of people I shall never kill.”

”Mercy for loyal officials, mercy for men of justice, mercy for naïve women.” Ling Xiaozui said smugly.

”That's three. What’s the other type?” Yun Yang questioned inquisitively.

”I don’t kill people from the Four Seasons Tower either!” Ling Xiaozui answered with a slightly guilty look in his eyes.

Yun Yang sat up abruptly. ”You won’t kill people from the Four Seasons Tower?”

It had been said that Ling Xiaozui and the Four Seasons Tower were at each other’s throat back in the day, killing legions of people yet there was never news of the grudges ceasing; both sides stood irreconcilable. Yun Yang had even thought of joining efforts with Ling Xiaozui to tackle the Four Seasons Tower; the job would definitely be easier with the help of the latter’s martial skills!

How could he have expected Ling Xiaozui to reveal that he was not about to start killing anyone from the Four Seasons Tower?

Yun Yang was disconcerted then, his plans thwarted.

It's fine if you can't bring yourself to kill anyone else, but are you saying that you don’t kill members of the Four Seasons Tower? Then why did I go to so much trouble to locate you?

I should have just saved myself the trouble!

Did you have to kill the opportunity for our cooperation so quickly?

Is that really acceptable?

”I went head-to-head against the Four Seasons Tower due to an incident back in the day and it has gone on for a hundred and thirteen years. It was only then that I really killed anyone from the Four Seasons Tower and only because I was either ambushed, attacked, or someone had tried to assassinate me, almost everywhere I went.”

Ling Xiaozui began to reminisce about the old days. ”No, not almost. It was every day. At any point in a day, I was trying to slip the layers upon layers of intricate traps set by the Four Seasons Tower.”

”I depended only on my skills and enthusiasm then. Despite the delight of revenge, despite the triumph of overcoming each battle, despite the gratification of killing so many enemies, I knew myself better. The days were spent in moments of life and death, each step was arduous and cautious. Even with a high cultivation base and the ability to maintain an endless flow of mystical Qi, the heart grew tired. There’s always a limit to a person’s heart.”

Ling Xiaozui continued, ”Those days were spent on slaughtering and not much else. I killed more than a dozen people on asingle day in those times. When it came to killing the last few people, I grew hesitant. Not because I got soft-hearted but because I got tired of it…”

”Of course, this is not the main reason I’ve given up chasing after the Four Seasons Tower. Perhaps I should say that I was set on exterminating the Four Seasons Tower since the very beginning but never have I thought that the Four Seasons Tower’s scale was this grand. The reach of its power was unprecedented and the secrecy of its organization unimaginable. Much later, I found two of the four supreme lords of Four Seasons Tower by chance and managed to heavily wound them. I was irritated enough to provoke the mastermind of the Four Seasons Tower to appear, just over a hundred years after I began to oppose them.”

”Mr. Nian suggested a single, final battle,after meeting me. Both of us battled for a full day and an entire night but there was no sign of who would win or lose. If it had gone on, there was only death for both sides – we wouldn't have left with just injuries. We ceased our struggle, and Mr. Nian spoke to me.”

Ling Xiaozui sighed as he recalled the memories.

”What did he say?” Yun Yang asked excitedly.

If all he knew was true, this was the moment that called for the cessation of the titanic war between Ling Xiaozui and Four Seasons Tower.