The Path of the Martial Arts BOSS
Chapter 337 - 149 I Want It All

Chapter 337: Chapter 149 I Want It All

"So, what did the Shadow King say?" Qing Yu maintained his casual posture and asked indifferently.

Though the trouble was caused by a Divine Origin Realm martial artist, it involved the ironclad laws set by the Shadow Pavilion. Even if Dragon Tiger Mountain was influential, the Shadow King could not possibly back down.

However, it was also unlikely that he would really let Zhang Yangping be killed. After all, Zhang Yangping was only one step away from the True Pill Realm, and Dragon Tiger Mountain would not give up such a seed of True Pill. In the future, Zhang might even breakthrough to the Divine Communication.

Most likely, Dragon Tiger Mountain would make some form of compensation, resolving the major issues and nullifying the minor.

"The Shadow King said it depends on what you say."

"It depends on me?" Qing Yu straightened up.

"Yes, it depends on you," Meng Yunfei nodded, "It is up to you, the aggrieved party, to decide whether to kill or negotiate. If you choose to negotiate, all compensation from Dragon Tiger Mountain will go to you. If you choose to kill, the Shadow King will dispatch a True Pill Realm expert to ensure that even if Zhang Yangping is protected by True Pill Realm martial artists, he’ll certainly be eliminated."

In other words, this decision is yours to make.

"This time, the Shadow King is really showing great favor," Qing Yu shook his head.

Despite the substantial conflicts between the worldly society and the court, those who play high stakes see this conflict as insignificant against the backdrop of occasional cooperation. By giving Qing Yu the decision, if Qing Yu chose to kill, it would mean not engaging in a life-or-death struggle with Dragon Tiger Mountain, let alone collaborating.

In the current power struggle with Emperor Daqian, offending a force like Dragon Tiger Mountain would be extremely disadvantageous for the Shadow King.

However, Qing Yu was unmoved by the Shadow King’s gesture. Those in power often had inscrutable minds, and Qing Yu was not about to naively assume that the Shadow King had made this decision solely on his behalf.

Furthermore, the feasibility of leaving this choice to him was uncertain. Perhaps it was a test. If Qing Yu insisted on killing Zhang Yangping, ignoring the broader implications for the Shadow King, he might well be abandoned.

Qing Yu tapped the beast-head carving on the throne’s armrest lightly with his index finger, his thoughts turning over and over. He was accustomed to assuming the worst about others’ intentions. The Shadow King had indeed assisted him significantly, but Qing Yu still needed to thoroughly consider all possibilities.

After a moment, as if finally having reached a decision, Qing Yu said softly with a smile, "I shall humbly accept the Shadow King’s generous proposal. Brother Meng, please report back that I have chosen to negotiate. I’m really looking forward to Dragon Tiger Mountain’s compensation."

"This..." Meng Yunfei was utterly taken aback, never expecting the usually ruthless Gong Ziyu to back down, "Dragon Chief, are you really going to swallow this?"

After Zhang Yangping’s raid on each location, annihilating members of the Azure Dragon Association and leaving behind the message, ’Gong Ziyu, how long will you keep hiding?,’ if the Azure Dragon Association continued to endure without retaliation, their hard-earned reputation would be destroyed.

The fear and respect the Azure Dragon Association commanded in the worldly society would plummet upon hearing of this incident. People would mock the association for bullying the weak and dreading the strong, eroding the fear and respect they previously commanded.

"Swallow the insult and endure the humiliation? Certainly not."

Even though his mouth was not visible, Meng Yunfei could see from his slightly squinted eyes that Gong Ziyu was smiling, and furthermore, it was a smile filled with utter disdain and arrogance.

"I want both, the compensation from Dragon Tiger Mountain and Zhang Yangping’s life."

"To kill Zhang Yangping, why would the Shadow King need to send someone? The Azure Dragon Association can take his life just as easily."

Actually, Qing Yu was more interested in the compensation from Dragon Tiger Mountain. The fault lay with Zhang Yangping, and outsiders didn’t know about the collusion between the Shadow Pavilion and the Azure Dragon Association. As long as the Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain wasn’t foolish, they would surely offer appropriate compensation.

Both the Shadow Pavilion and Dragon Tiger Mountain dreaded the fallout of openly turning against each other. For Dragon Tiger Mountain, establishing a formidable enemy for no reason was not a move a qualified leader would make.

If the Shadow Pavilion could get compensation, how could it compare to just one Zhang Yangping? Was a Divine Origin Realm individual worth it?

Moreover, Qing Yu had long included Zhang Yangping on his must-kill list, having planned it internally; killing Zhang Yangping didn’t even require action on the part of the Shadow Pavilion.

"This... Dragon Chief, you mustn’t be rash. Zhang Yangping now has strong guards with him, acting brazenly. Recently, he even nearly made a move on the Sword Palace, you mustn’t be impulsive," Meng Yunfei urgently advised.

"Attack the Sword Palace, him? Ha," Qing Yu scoffed.

During the last contest for the Heavenly Calculation Inheritance, it was agreed that once they entered the relics, their fates would be in the hands of heaven. Zhang Yangping might seek revenge against this assassin boss, but Dragon Tiger Mountain wouldn’t support him against the Sword Palace, which was also part of the righteous path.

If he really dared to attack the Sword Palace, would Zhang Yangping still be alive? Despite the Sword Palace’s master Qiu Jiling being a woman, when it came to toughness, she was much harder than many men.

Seeing Meng Yunfei’s still anxious expression, Qing Yu reassured, "Don’t worry, I won’t go after Zhang Yangping now. Let’s not even discuss whether it’s possible to kill Zhang Yangping with his protectors. Even if we really could kill him, once he’s dead, there’d be no need for Dragon Tiger Mountain to offer any compensation."

"But," Qing Yu continued, "although we won’t kill Zhang Yangping now, we can’t let others think that the Azure Dragon Association is just going to take this lying down. We need to collect some interest first."

"What does the Dragon Chief mean..." Meng Yunfei asked cooperatively.

’Really on point,’ Qing Yu appreciated with a glance.

No wonder Meng Yunfei had achieved his current position. With such an ability to read expressions and gauge situations, how could he not rise to the top?

"Not being able to kill Zhang Yangping doesn’t mean we can’t kill others, does it? The other disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Taoist temples under them, they don’t have the luxury of being guarded by True Pill Realm experts.

Let the lives of these people be the interest for what Zhang Yangping has done. After the conflict with Zen and Esoteric, we’ll collect Zhang Yangping’s life."

His words, casual and light, nevertheless foreshadowed a future filled with countless beheadings and a blooming of bloodshed.

Zhang Yangping wants to kill one by one? Let him kill. After all, those subordinates are just cannon fodder — countless and cheap; the Azure Dragon Association is never short of people.

The same task, the same killing, the assassin organization of the Azure Dragon Association would only do it more ruthlessly, more decisively. The Azure Dragon Association can also go from one Taoist temple to another killing.

"Let the world see which side will be the first to falter. Will it be my Azure Dragon Association, or will it be Dragon Tiger Mountain?"

Qing Yu’s index finger still lightly tapped on the beast-head carving on the armrest, but each tap resonated in Meng Yunfei’s ears, heralding the future fall of a human head.