218 Lord of the King of Hell Pavilion

t Ye Li. "Look at your temper! Even an adopted son dares to bully you." Ye Li was unfazed, smiling calmly as she said to the overprotective aunt, "She is not only the head lady of our Ye family but al...218. Lord of King Yan's Pavilion

218. Lord of King Yan's Pavilion

The Sick Scholar was suddenly struck and flew across to the chair on the opposite side, spitting out a mouthful of blood, obviously sustaining serious injuries. However, everyone present knew that Mo Xiuyao had definitely held back with this palm strike; otherwise, given his prowess in those days when he could debilitate the Sick Scholar's half of martial arts and almost sever his heart meridian with just one palm strike, there wouldn't have been a chance for the Sick Scholar to even breathe if this palm had landed. Mo Xiuyao, who was now brimming with killing intent as he stepped into the flower hall with a stern demeanor, stared at the Sick Scholar with eyes like cold ice.

Mo Xiuyao's murderous aura towards the Sick Scholar did not move the latter to feel any gratitude for mercy shown. As the Sick Scholar struggled back up and glared daggers at Mo Xiuyao with his bloodshot eyes, he was so hateful that it seemed as if he wished to tear him apart right there and then. Although Ye Li could not understand such mentality, she had no choice but to admit that in this world, there were indeed people who would hate you enough to want to wipe out your entire family even for the slightest slight. The Sick Scholar was undoubtedly one of them. Thinking about it, Ye Li couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly; with the complete formula for the Bilyu Flower known only to the Sick Scholar, if he truly wished to take Mo Xiuyao down with him and die a mutual death, things would indeed become quite complicated.

Mo Xiuyao sat beside Ye Li, lifted her chin towards himself as she frowned in thought. His finger lightly brushed against her dark eyebrows and said softly, "Don't worry." Knowing that Mo Xiuyao didn't want to make her worried, Ye Li smiled gently and nodded. This tender interaction between the two of them deeply wounded the Sick Scholar's heart, who sneered and laughed shrilly: "Mo Xiuyao, your body can't withstand a few more months right Hahaha... My advice is for you to let your woman worry more about it; otherwise, when you're dead, their lives as orphans and widows won't be easy..."

"Third Brother, shut up!" Before Mo Xiuyao's anger could flare, a tall figure strode in with a regal gait. It was the first-time acquaintance Ye Li had made in Southern Yan from when she was there; the Lord of King Yan's Pavilion and one of the Four Great Masters of the World, Ling Tiehan.

Although the Sick Scholar was unruly, he held this adopted brother in great respect. If someone else were to tell him off like that, it would likely result in a barrage of poison sand. But since it was Ling Tiehan who had spoken up, the Sick Scholar reluctantly swallowed back the words on his tongue despite his gloomy expression. After nodding towards Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li, Ling Tiehan walked over to the Sick Scholar's side, took his wrist to feel for his pulse, and upon finding that he wasn't seriously injured, breathed a sigh of relief before bowing respectfully to Mo Xiuyao: "Thank you for holding back, Duke Ding."

Sitting beside Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li carefully observed this renowned Lord of King Yan's Pavilion. The last time they had met in Southern Yan was rushed and they exchanged only brief words; there hadn't been time to observe each other.

Ling Tiehan was no older than thirty-five or -six but his profound inner strength made him appear younger, though his demeanor was mature enough that he appeared to be a seasoned middle-aged man despite it. Up until now, Ye Li could say she had met the Four Great Masters of today's world; while Duke Zhennan was the eldest in age, he seemed more like a politician and general than an unparalleled martial artist, which might have been why his martial arts cultivation had stagnated for years. This is likely why despite being nearly a generation older than Mo Xiuyao and company, they were still mentioned alongside him as equals.

As for the other master, Mu Qingcang, he seems to be around the same age as Ling Tiehan. However, Mu Qingcang himself is trained more like a silent killing machine, hiding in the dark year after year and wasting his life away. Therefore, even though Mu Qingcang may not be older than Ling Tiehan, he looks particularly pale and weak. If they were standing side by side, it would be hard to believe that both of them once shared an aura of arrogance and vigor that dominated the江湖 (jianghu). Yet among the four masters, Ye Li is most familiar with Mo Xiuyao. Even now, Ye Li cannot gauge how high Mo Xiuyao’s martial arts level really is, but his reputation as a prodigious talent is undoubtedly well-deserved. Mo Xiuyao's brother, Mo Xiwen, lives up to his name and is a scholarly general. Although Mo Liufang was once versatile in both literature and martial arts, he was only of the standard master level; he defeated Prince Southern Command not through direct combat but by outmaneuvering him from afar. Ye Li even wonders if Prince Southern Command prepared for an assassination attempt on Mo Liufang when he reached such a high level of martial arts skills. However, Mo Xiuyao is different. When he gained the title of one of the four greatest masters in the land, he was merely fourteen years old. Although ranked last among the four, everyone understands that he has barely begun and can't be compared to the peak periods of Prince Southern Command, Ling Tiehan who is entering his prime, and Mu Qingcang. This prodigious talent has reportedly been acknowledged by Ling Tiehan as being unmatched in seven years at most. Unfortunately, after eighteen, Mo Xiuyao's life took a mysterious turn towards silence.

After comparing the four masters one by one, Ye Li finds that Ling Tiehan is more like an unparalleled martial arts master both in reality and in people’s minds. He is calm, bold, acts with propriety—more fitting as the leader of the righteous jianghu than as a head of assassins from the King of Hell Hall.

My younger brother isn’t feeling well; may I ask if it's possible to have a doctor examine him first Ling Tiehan glanced at his adoptive younger brother who had an icy and rebellious look but was silent due to Ling Tiehan’s presence. He felt that leaving the latter here wasn't a good idea, so he asked Mo Xiuyao. Mo Xiuyao lowered his head and looked at Ye Li for her opinion since she was the one who invited this person. Ye Li smiled: Of course it's possible. There are two divine doctors in Duke Ding’s Manor; if Lord Ling isn’t opposed, we can send Third Master there. Ling Tiehan thanked him and called out to someone outside; instantly, two young men walked in awaiting orders. “Take Third Master to see a doctor,” said Ling Tiehan. "If anyone tries to run away, you deal with it yourselves!" The two young men had serious expressions on their faces—they knew what the master meant. The King of Hell Hall’s punishment isn’t just for show.

They were about to ask the sick scholar to leave when he suddenly looked over and coldly said: “Get lost!”

"Third Brother," Ling Tiehan's face darkened as he glared at his adoptive younger brother’s pale, yellowish face. The sick scholar knew that his elder brother was truly angry. But after being hit by Mo Xiuyao and hurt, and then being suppressed by Ling Tiehan without allowing him to speak, all the anger and frustration he felt couldn’t be vented out. His naturally rebellious personality made him disregard even the elder brother whom he always respected before. He sneered at Ling Tiehan and shouted: “I don’t need you to care about my life or death! Isn’t it better if I die” Upon hearing this, Ling Tiehan's face darkened, but before he could react, a black figure swiftly rushed in from outside; the person hadn't even steadied himself when they heard a slap. A heavy and forceful slap was given to the sick scholar’s face, making his originally arrogant gaze instantly turn away.

"Impudence!" The intruder's clear yet slightly cold voice rang out. Her black attire emphasized her slender figure, making her seem graceful and elegant. She looked to be in her twenties with a beautiful but icy appearance—Cold Flowing Moon, the second master of King of Hell Hall who was once known as Jade Demoness in her early days. In those years, she distinguished herself among martial artists with her exceptional lightness kung fu and throwing weapons skills; seeing that she could enter the mansion alone, it’s clear how proficient she is. She waved her hand to dismiss the guards who had followed her.

After receiving a slap in public, the sick scholar's face showed a variety of expressions. The regret that had flashed across his face disappeared instantly; he clenched his teeth and didn’t look at Cold Flowing Moon, nor did he apologize to Ling Tiehan. Ling Tiehan wasn't bothered by this but was relieved with her arrival: "Flowing Moon, take Third Brother to see a doctor and don't let him wander around." Cold Flowing Moon nodded and turned towards Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li: “It’s an emergency; please forgive me.” Ye Li smiled faintly and said: “Second Master's lightness kung fu is excellent; I admire it. However, the next time you come, it would be better to use the front gate—Duke Ding Manor's arrows aren’t always idle.” Cold Flowing Moon was taken aback but nodded after looking at Ye Li who was smiling and chatting: "Thank you for reminding me." She then turned towards the sick scholar and said: “Follow me.”

The sick scholar is peculiar, but he cares deeply about his elder brothers. Although he had an argument with Ling Tiehan before, now after receiving a slap, he slowly calmed down. He glanced at Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao who were watching the scene silently and followed Cold Flowing Moon obediently.

Ye Li may not have shown it on her face, but she was quite irritated by the sick scholar’s behavior. If not for his background with King of Hell Hall and Ling Tiehan, Ye Li would probably punish him severely. Now seeing him being obedient after getting hit made her feel immensely pleased. She silently applauded Cold Flowing Moon: "Well done!"

With the sick scholar gone, the atmosphere in the flower hall improved significantly. Ling Tiehan bowed apologetically to Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao: “My younger brother is ignorant; he’s caused much offense. I hope you can forgive him.”

The Pavilion Lord doesn’t need to worry about it. We kept your brother around not just because of Pavilion Master Ling’s face,” Ye Li smiled and said. Ling Tiehan naturally understood what Ye Li was proud of. While the閻王閣 (King of Hell Pavilion)’s reputation had to be maintained, the mighty Ding王府 (Ding Prince's Manor) would never fear the King of Hell Pavilion either. The most important factor was still the complete ancient recipe for Bì Luò Huā (Blue Void Flower) that Scholar Scribe held in his hands. Ling Tiehan could only無奈地苦笑道 (smile bitterly and helplessly): to be honest, I came to Northwest China this time also for this matter. If Scholar Scribe can obtain the news that Ding Prince's Manor has Blue Void Flower, Pavilion Master Ling naturally can too. However, unlike Scholar Scribe, he doesn’t hate Mo Xiuyao; he bears no grudge against nor does he have any vested interest with Mo Xiuyao, so whether or not Mo Xiuyao is alive or dead makes no difference to him. If Mo Xiuyao really dies young, it might even be a pity that talent was envied by heaven. Given the situation where both parties need Blue Void Flower for survival, and since Ding Prince's Manor has medicinal herbs while King of Hell Pavilion holds the ancient recipe, why not each take one step back to achieve a win-win outcome Compared with his younger brother’s meaningless grudge, in Ling Tiehan’s eyes, it was even less worth mentioning.

Ye Li raised an eyebrow and asked: “Does Pavilion Master Ling also have that prescription” Ling Tiehan honestly shook his head and said solemnly: “Rest assured, Madam Prince Consort Ding. I will certainly hand over this prescription because after all, not only does it concern the safety of Prince Ding but it also concerns my third brother’s life. To put it bluntly, if Prince Ding really dies, even if he doesn’t die from illness, Prince Ding's Manor might still not let him off.” Ye Li looked at him with a smile and asked doubtfully: “There is only one Blue Void Flower. Has Pavilion Master Ling never thought about what to do if the medicine isn't enough”

Ling Tiehan smiled and said: “Although I don’t understand medical matters or poisons, my third brother plans on using half of the Blue Void Flower for medicine and the other half for poison, so it won’t be insufficient. Moreover… I don’t necessarily have to have the Blue Void Flower; I just hope that my brother’s body can improve a bit more. He suffered much more hardships from childhood than others did, which is why his personality is somewhat peculiar compared to others. Ever since he got injured, he has become even more reclusive. It was all due to me, as an elder brother, having no proper guidance, so I hope both of you can bear with it. Scholar Scribe’s problem isn’t like the poison Mo Xiuyao suffered from; his health issues are all due to severe injuries. Blue Void Flower might be the best solution but it is not necessarily the only way out. With the capabilities of Prince Ding's Manor, what medicinal herbs or famous doctors can't be found in this world Ling Tiehan once tried multiple times to personally go to Prince Ding's Manor and ask Shen Yang to treat Scholar Scribe for him, but was fiercely opposed by Scholar Scribe who even ran away from home. That’s why he could only give up.

Ye Li naturally understood Ling Tiehan’s meaning, so she couldn’t help but have a better opinion of this top assassin leader in the martial arts world. No matter what Ling Tiehan and King of Hell Pavilion do, at least Ling Tiehan is truly good to his brother who has no blood relation with him. With Scholar Scribe's personality, he certainly wasn't someone that people liked; for Ling Tiehan to still be so thoughtful towards him was indeed rare. Moreover, Scholar Scribe’s character and poisonous methods were such that if it weren’t for Ling Tiehan restraining him, over the years, he might have caused a lot of trouble in the martial arts world. Even though King of Hell Pavilion is powerful, there are dragons and tigers hidden among the bushes everywhere; who knows when Scholar Scribe would run into someone he couldn't deal with

Pavilion Master Ling really is an excellent elder brother. Since that’s the case, Pavilion Master might as well stay in Li City for a while with Second Pavilion Master and Third Pavilion Master. As for the matter of the ancient recipe, there's no need to rush it. It isn’t because this concubine doesn’t trust Pavilion Master but rather at this crucial time, it is still better if Third Pavilion Master willingly hands over the prescription. Ye Li nodded at Ling Tiehan and said.

Ling Tiehan thought for a moment before agreeing with Ye Li’s suggestion. He also understood why she would have such concerns; his third brother's temperament was just too extreme. Even with him intervening, it was possible that this stepbrother might stubbornly insist on dying together with Prince Ding to achieve mutual destruction. At that time, the price paid wouldn’t be just Prince Ding and Third Brother’s lives but also the lives of those in Prince Ding's Manor and King of Hell Pavilion. Ling Tiehan knew something about Mo Xiuyao’s situation as well; he couldn’t help looking at Ye Li differently now that she remained calm despite everything. So it was okay to bother Prince Consort.

After discussing Scholar Scribe’s matter and Ling Tiehan's future actions, Ye Li got up and left the place for Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan to talk alone, going instead to Shen Yang’s courtyard. Although she had only briefly seen Second Pavilion Master of King of Hell Pavilion earlier, Ye Li suddenly felt a bit curious about this icy woman.

In the flower hall, only Mo Xiuyao and Ling Tiehan were left, making it instantly quiet. Both men exuded extraordinary presence; Mo Xiuyao’s was more due to his noble birth carrying inherent nobility and authority while Ling Tiehan had a carefree and bold demeanor typical of those in the martial arts world. In terms of looks, Ling Tiehan might be slightly inferior to Mo Xiuyao by two points, but Ling Tiehan's stable yet grandiose personality made him seem much more approachable than Mo Xiuyao.

After drinking tea quietly for a while, Ling Tiehan finally raised his teacup and bowed politely at Mo Xiuyao with a smile: "I have long heard that Prince Consort Ding is one of the most extraordinary women of her time. I had a brief encounter in Southern Frontier but seeing her today confirms what they say about you. Your Highness has married a good wife, truly blessed."

Mos Yao didn't hesitate and nodded. "Agui is certainly a good wife. This time, weren’t you really here to deal with the sick scholar If that’s so, there's no need for it. Back then, I had agreed with you that if he doesn’t truly anger me, I won’t harm him." Ling Tihan looked at him with a smile and said suspiciously, "But how did I get the feeling just now that Your Highness wanted to kill him" Mos Yao snorted. "He wants to hurt Agui! If it weren’t for her, he would be dead already. As for how to spare his life, let’s leave that up to him. Even sparing his breath counts as leaving him alive."

Both of us know that he can't possibly harm the Defining Prince's Consort at all. Not only is the Defining Prince's Consort herself a formidable opponent, but also the guard standing behind her isn’t easy to deal with either. With my own brother’s abilities without his poison pills, it would be impossible for him to hurt the Defining Prince's Consort. However, Ling Tihan didn't plan on getting tangled up in this matter with Mos Yao. It was only natural that he wanted to avenge his wife; it wouldn’t do to obstruct him just because the Netherworld Pavilion was in the wrong. Otherwise, it would only anger Mos Yao and make things worse for my brother. Sighing inwardly at thinking of such a troublesome little brother, Ling Tihan said, "Didn't I tell you that there's a business deal that made me come to Li City"

Mos Yao frowned. Was it related to the Defining Prince’s Manor

Ling Tihan nodded. "Indeed, although the Netherworld Pavilion has already declared that they won't take on any business deals related to the Defining Prince's Manor, this time isn’t about assassinating someone from the Defining Prince's Manor and the price is also very tempting." Mos Yao raised his eyebrows as he looked at him calmly. The Netherworld Pavilion’s line of work was killing people; if they weren't going to kill anyone, why would they be involved If it were anything else, there would certainly be someone better suited for the job than them. Ling Tihan laughed and said, "I’ve already accepted."

Mos Yao looked at him calmly, leaving Ling Tihan no choice but to sigh helplessly. Speaking seriously, he said, "Didn't you have a fight with Lei Zhenting some days ago They want me to have another battle with you. If they hadn’t found Mu Qingcang, they would’ve invited him over for the duel."

Reasons Mos Yao asked.

Ling Tihan shook his head and frowned. "I thought about it a few times recently. Since neither of you used your full strength in that battle against Lei Zhenting, both of you were able to retreat unscathed. If I really fought with you this time, we would probably end up hurting each other. But... after more than ten years, being able to spar again with the Defining Prince is something I look forward to very much. More than ten years ago, Ling Tihan was only a young man in his early twenties; it was the peak of his career. Although the Southern Prince's fame had spread far and wide, he was still older than them by quite some time. In this world, there’s only Mu Qingcang who could compare with him. Who would have thought that at fourteen years old, Mo Shaojun rode into battle on horseback wearing a white robe with his sword in hand and astonished countless heroes that year Although Ling Tihan didn’t lose, drawing even with a boy of fourteen by just one move is not such a pleasant result for the young Ling Tihan. At that time, he had agreed to settle their conflict again after five years before heading back to the Netherworld Pavilion to cultivate in seclusion. Who would have thought that upon opening his doors five years later, the first piece of news he received was about his youngest brother recklessly going to trouble Mo Shaojun. He also learned of how badly injured and crippled Mos Yao had become at that time. Back then Ling Tihan felt even more complicated and subtle emotions than after his duel with Mos Yao.

Do you really want to fight Mos Yao asked.

Ling Tihan smiled. "Why not Is your body still not fully recovered yet Then we can wait until the Bi Luo Hua is done brewing and then have our fight." I just forgot to confirm with them about the date for our duel. He accepted because he wanted to spar with Mos Yao, so naturally, it was up to him and Mo Shaojun to decide on when and where.Feng didn’t show any reaction on his face, he was grateful for Ye Li’s trust. He then looked at Xu Qingfeng and said, “If that is so, Third Young Master should report outside the city tomorrow morning...