Chapter 4164 — A Pillow for a Sleepy Man
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
It was no secret that the Snow Sword Sect had abandoned its pursuit of the martial artist Ling Yi and turned instead to courting the Heavenly Elixir Pavilion. A few discreet inquiries were all it took to make the whole business plain, and most who knew of it merely looked on and gossiped over their tea. But when the news reached Nan Tian Liuguang and his companions, they very nearly exploded on the spot.
"What the hell is the Snow Sword Sect playing at? We stooped to offer them intelligence of our own accord, and not only do they refuse to move against Wei Zhao—they turn around and cozy up to him! A pack of petty knaves, the lot of them. Every last bit of our scheming has gone to waste!" Si Haitao fumed.
"Exactly. Dean Nan Tian, this conduct of theirs plainly means they don't hold you in the slightest regard. Di Xingdao behind Wei Zhao is not to be trifled with—but are we, then? The sheer insolence of it!" Ancestor Xuanchen was equally incensed, and even while venting his fury he did not neglect to stir the pot.
"Those damned blackguards!" Nan Tian Liuguang's face was as dark as deep water. That Di Xingdao had struck him down in a single move last time was humiliation enough to make him hang his head, though he had deliberately put it from his mind. But the Snow Sword Sect's actions now were nothing short of a slap in the face.
Had he, and not Di Xingdao, been the Vice Island Master of Central Island at this moment, the Snow Sword Sect would not have dared do any such thing even if they were lent a hundred spines!
"Old friend Nan Tian, what do we do now? Shall we go trample the Snow Sword Sect and see whether they dare look down their noses at us again?" Si Haitao suggested.
Nan Tian Liuguang was tempted. This bitter insult truly would not go down. Yet after a moment's hesitation, the last shred of his reason stilled his hand.
With both the Cultivators' Academy and the Central Merchants' Association behind him, and being himself one of the few early Xuan Ascension experts on Central Island, he had certainly enough backing to face down a mere Snow Sword Sect. But he had joined the Center under a secret identity; even if matters blew up, the Center would hardly step forward on his behalf—it might even turn around and punish him. That would be a loss not worth the gain.
"Never mind. Making an enemy of the entire Snow Sword Sect would cause too great a stir; it might even spoil our superiors' plans. We must not act rashly. What troubles me most right now is not even that—it's Wei Zhao!" Nan Tian Liuguang said, rubbing his temples in vexation.
At these words Si Haitao and Ancestor Xuanchen could not help falling silent. Wei Zhao might return to North Island at any time, and they had not yet laid hands on so much as the shadow of a blade. The scheme they had discussed of borrowing another's knife to do the killing was simply laughable.
"Since the Snow Sword Sect won't do, shall we find someone else?" Ancestor Xuanchen proposed.
"Who else? Wei Zhao has been on Central Island only a short while; few even know his name, and fewer still have quarreled with him—and behind him stands Di Xingdao. Unless it were a blood feud of life and death, who would provoke him?" Si Haitao said helplessly.
"Then what? We can't just let that brat Wei Zhao off scot-free?" Ancestor Xuanchen was equally at a loss, yet unwilling to accept it.
"It seems there's nothing for it but to seek instructions from our superiors. If they give their consent, then even if we kill Wei Zhao with our own hands, we need no longer fear Di Xingdao's threat," Nan Tian Liuguang decided.
Si Haitao and Ancestor Xuanchen exchanged a glance and nodded one after the other in agreement. After all, apart from this, no better plan could be devised at present.