Chapter 4980 — Wei Zhao Has Returned

Wei Shenjin, too, had rushed over upon hearing the news, but he likewise wore a helpless look. Detestable as Diao Huanshan was, the man had not actually done anything to harm Tiandan Pavilion in any substantive way—he was merely planted at the entrance, bellowing at the top of his lungs in promotion of his own Mingyao Sect. Under such circumstances, there was really nothing to be done about him.

Tianchan and her two companions could only glare in frustration, swallowing the bitter pill of their anger even if it choked them. And truth be told, in terms of strength and foundation, Tiandan Pavilion was indeed no match for Mingyao Sect—they were utterly without recourse.

Tianchan and Xueli exchanged a glance and shook their heads in helplessness. Now that their greatest patron in Middle Island had departed, they had no way out even if grievances gnawed at them; they could only let Diao Huanshan, that posturing clown, caper about as he pleased.

"Diao Huanshan, leave a man a shred of dignity. Don't you think you have gone too far?" Wei Shenjin could bear it no longer. He stepped forward and cut off Diao Huanshan's endless prattling with a cold shout.

"Too far? How have I gone too far? I, Diao, have stolen nothing and robbed nothing—I merely stand here and speak a few words of fair judgment. How is that too far?" Diao Huanshan cast Wei Shenjin a cold, sidelong glance and pressed on with ill intent: "I recall that Tiandan Pavilion has been open for a mere two years, no? When did it grow such airs that others may not even speak a few words at its door?"

"You call this fair judgment? Diao Huanshan, what is that face of yours made of? To engage in such brazen, malicious competition, to poach Tiandan Pavilion's customers in such a despicable manner, and still declare yourself fair and square without blushing or skipping a beat?" Wei Shenjin suppressed his fury and snorted.

"Fair judgment it is. If you wish to talk of malicious competition, then by all means, sir—point out to me which of my words just now was not the plain truth, which one was deliberately slandering Tiandan Pavilion. If there is such a one, single it out for me, and I shall apologize on the spot!" Diao Huanshan said, secure in his impunity.

"You..." Wei Shenjin was instantly struck dumb. He was not, after all, a creature who had spent his life wrangling in the world of business like Diao Huanshan, and he could not match the man's glib, slippery tongue. Besides, Diao Huanshan's words just now had indeed left no hold by which to seize him—he had simply been promoting his own Mingyao Sect, and it was hard to pick any fault at all.

In truth, Wei Shenjin knew well that reasoning with such a contemptible clown with words alone was useless. The best solution was to overwhelm him by sheer force, just as on the day Tiandan Pavilion opened, when Tianxingdao had sent the fellow flying with a casual slap of his palm—had the man dared to squeak a single word then?

Unfortunately, Wei Shenjin was not Tianxingdao. He was, in the end, merely a disciple of the Snow Sword Sect, and whether he was stronger or weaker than Diao Huanshan was anyone's guess. Were they truly to fight, who would send whom flying was hardly certain.

Seeing Wei Shenjin choked into silence, Diao Huanshan cast a smug glance at Tianchan and Xueli and said with lofty contempt: "Boy, you few small fry think you can contend with me? Don't you feel a bit too green? Hmph—you are no good with words, and even less good with fists. If you have the ability, go fetch Tianxingdao and have him come deal with me!"

At these words, an uproar swept the crowd. Tianxingdao was a household legend in Middle Island, and few dared to name him outright in public. This Deputy Steward Diao of Mingyao Sect was truly a character!

Wei Shenjin was so furious he nearly rolled up his sleeves to strike, but in the end Tianchan and Xueli stopped him with a look. There was no expert present capable of holding the situation down; with only the three of them, it would be hard to gain any advantage—indeed, they might well suffer badly. And if Diao Huanshan used it as a pretext to tear down Tiandan Pavilion's signboard, then two years of labor would have been wasted for nothing.

Seeing that Wei Shenjin had not lost his head, Diao Huanshan could not help but feel a little disappointed. The guess of Tianchan and the others had been right: he had indeed harbored the intent to make an issue of it. After all, Tiandan Pavilion's very existence was bound to steal a great deal of Mingyao Sect's business. If he could seize this chance to smash Tiandan Pavilion, that would settle the matter once and for all—and even if he had to pay some price for it, it would be worth it.

"Heh heh, I do not mind telling you—this old man is an expert of the late Nascent Soul stage! Were Tianxingdao here, that would be one thing, but he is not. Now let this old man see who dares contend with me!" As he spoke, Diao Huanshan unleashed his aura, and the crowd around him was given a start.

No wonder the crowd reacted so. Had this been the Eastern Continent, where experts gathered in throngs, a mere late Nascent Soul cultivator would have counted for nothing—after all, any passerby might well be an expert of the Xuan Sheng stage, or even a titan of the Kaishan stage. Who would fear a late Nascent Soul expert?

But this was Middle Island, where a Nascent Soul expert was already a rare and formidable figure, and not one to be trifled with. As for the stronger Xuan Sheng experts, they by and large kept to their doors—one might go ten days or half a month without laying eyes on a single one. Here and now, Diao Huanshan, a late Nascent Soul cultivator, was all but an invincible presence.

Tianchan and Xueli could not help but knit their brows, and Wei Shenjin had no choice but to fall back. There was no help for it—he was no match for Diao Huanshan at all, and charging in on a surge of hot blood would only make matters worse.

At the sight, Diao Huanshan laughed heartily in his triumph. Yet amid the crowd, Wei Zhao was rather puzzled. Tianxingdao had always been a figure of immense deterrence on Cloud Terrace Island—why did it seem his name no longer carried weight? That Diao Huanshan should not fear Tianxingdao coming to settle accounts with him—what was going on here?

Wei Zhao did not dwell on it, however. Even if Diao Huanshan was a late Nascent Soul expert, such a one could no longer enter his present field of vision.

These days, even Zhuang Yifan, chairman of the Yellow Rank Academy Alliance and a late Pidi cultivator, addressed him as a brother, and even in conversation carried a measure of deference. Academy heads like Ling Yuanqing treated him with even greater respect. At Wei Zhao's present station, there were truly few left on Middle Island whom he would deem worthy of notice.

Wei Zhao had refrained from acting just now in order to first understand the situation clearly. But now that he had heard enough to grasp the gist, there was naturally no need to keep listening to the rest of the nonsense.

"You may get lost now." Wei Zhao stepped out from the crowd, not even granting Diao Huanshan a proper look, and smiled faintly at Tianchan and the others, who had been cornered into speechlessness: "I am back."

"Ah!" Tianchan and Xueli were instantly overjoyed. They had counted the stars and watched for the moon, waiting here for Wei Zhao a full two years, yet never a word of certain news had come—and now, in this most humiliating of moments, Wei Zhao had appeared!

Wei Shenjin was overjoyed as well. He had just been frantic with worry over what to do. Wei Zhao had entrusted Tiandan Pavilion to his care, and if its signboard were smashed by a contemptible clown like Diao Huanshan, how could he ever face Wei Zhao again?

But now all was well—Wei Zhao had returned!