Chapter 136: Even Ten of You Are No Match for Him

Ye Wufeng's death concerning Yanluo Hall was a major incident. His death at the hands of the former judge was an even bigger one.

The people at the Yanluo Hall stronghold in Jing dared not delay. They quickly sent a message via talisman, and the news reached Miaoyin Mountain that very night.

Yanluo Hall was shaken.

Ye Wufeng was not a newcomer who appeared out of thin air; he also had a master. Yanluo Hall had five Ghost Emperors in the five directions, five powerhouses of the second grade or even higher, significant figures in Yanluo Hall. Among them, three were friends of Lu Xingzhou, with very close ties. However, two did not get along with him. The Western Ghost Emperor, Tan Xinhong, was precisely Ye Wufeng's master.

Tan Xinhong was instantly furious upon hearing the news. He summoned the other two Ghost Emperors who were currently in Miaoyin Mountain for a small meeting. "Lu Xingzhou betrayed Yanluo Hall. That day I said we should cut the grass by the roots; otherwise, this person knows too much about our internal affairs and will overturn our various branches and stations as if it were a game! You hesitated! Now what?!"

The Central Ghost Emperor, wearing a mask, remained silent.

The Eastern Ghost Emperor, Ji Wenchuan, sneered, "So, which of our stations has been sold? Did the message from the Capital branch say such a thing?"

Tan Xinhong was enraged. "Wufeng is dead!"

Ji Wenchuan said calmly, "This seat only knows that if Lu Xingzhou wanted to eradicate the Capital branch, it would indeed be like a game. But he hasn't even touched a single lackey. Up to now, outsiders haven't found the specific location of the branch. Ye Wufeng continuously assassinated Sheng Yuan's Yao Chuqingchen, acting arrogant and overbearing, not putting the Demon Suppression Department in his eyes. Do you really think the Demon Suppression Department wouldn't launch a fierce attack to eradicate the Capital branch? Since the branch is fine, I think we should instead credit Xingzhou."

The Central Ghost Emperor finally nodded. This was the only explanation.

In fact, they also didn't think Ye Wufeng would dare to be that arrogant. Even they, the five Ghost Emperors, wouldn't dare to be arrogant in the Capital. What kind of place was that?! Ye Wufeng was too much of a newborn calf not fearing the tiger. If he truly provoked a first-grade powerhouse, his meager stealth skills would be useless… It was nothing more than feeling too embarrassed to send a stronger person to deal with a fourth-grade newcomer, so no one was willing to humble themselves. But once it dragged on for more days, personal face wouldn't compare to the organization's face, and a powerhouse would definitely take action.

As for the location of the branch being flawless, that was even more impossible. At the very least, it wouldn't be difficult for the Demon Suppression Department to confirm a rough area. If they truly wanted to be fierce, they would dig three feet deep in the entire inner workshop area. How could it be hidden?

But up to now, the winds had been calm and the waves quiet. Only a Ye Wufeng died. To say it wasn't because Lu Xingzhou was showing face, no one would believe it.

Tan Xinhong was also temporarily stuck, not knowing how to respond. He then heard Ji Wenchuan sneer, "As for why Ye Wufeng died, others don't count, but you don't count either? What, you're only allowed to try and kill him, but he's not allowed to retaliate?"

"You!"

"You what you!" Ji Wenchuan's voice also rose. "Even when Xingzhou was still in Yanluo Hall, you tried to secretly attack him. At that time, Xingzhou advised us not to settle accounts with you for the sake of internal harmony. What, internal strife when he was still here doesn't count as a big deal? But him leaving and killing someone is an extremely evil crime?"

This was precisely what Lu Xingzhou had said about the double standards: if you truly report the information that someone once tried to kill me, my friends will kill you.

There might not only be enemies within Yanluo Hall.

Tan Xinhong angrily said, "He might not have died! Now Wufeng is dead! Even if we don't mention internal strife or not, just saying a Soul Detaining Envoy died at human hands, is Yanluo Hall just going to admit defeat like this? Where is our future dignity!"

Ji Wenchuan sneered, "Sorry, according to the message from the Capital branch, the He family found Ye Wufeng, meaning this was a task. Yanluo Hall's task failed and he died. What are the rules?"

An assassin organization has its own rules. If someone is killed in a conflict with other martial artists, or due to a vendetta, etc., then everyone naturally wants revenge to maintain the organization's dignity. But if they die from a failed task, it may not be counted as a grievance. They will only discuss giving up the task or sending someone else. If a failed task was counted as a grievance, an assassin organization would never finish seeking revenge — although Yanluo Hall itself rarely failed tasks, the rules were set from the beginning.

The Central Ghost Emperor finally spoke. "Task failed, the rule is to re-evaluate the difficulty of the task, or return the employer's deposit to show abandonment, or send a stronger person. Not counted as a grievance."

Ji Wenchuan laughed. "So, reply to the Capital branch, tell them to re-evaluate the task a bit. If they should return the money, just give it back to the He family."

Tan Xinhong was so angry he stood up. "Even if it's counted as a task, why not send someone else? When has Yanluo Hall ever had a precedent of giving up? Do we still want our dignity or not!"

Ji Wenchuan coldly sneered, "Assassinating a former judge who left peacefully and hadn't turned against us, disregarding past ties, is this the kind of task a normal person in Yanluo Hall should accept? It was already a wrong action; should we continue for a stupid guy's mistake? If you're not convinced, go find King Yan yourself and tell him. Why hold a useless small meeting with us first! Wasting my time."

The door suddenly opened by itself.

Yuan Muyu slowly walked in. "A major issue in the hall, not reporting to this seat, but holding a small meeting here first."

Tan Xinhong was a bit embarrassed. He truly didn't want to directly find Yuan Muyu to discuss this. He really couldn't guess what Yuan Muyu's attitude towards Lu Xingzhou was. If she directly blocked his request for revenge with a single sentence, there would be no room for maneuver. So, he decided to hold a small meeting first and try to reach a consensus. Then, discussing it with Yuan Muyu together might have a better effect.

As a result, Ji Wenchuan, that bastard, kept talking back, making it impossible to reach a consensus, and even provoked King Yan to appear.

Since things had reached this point, he simply spoke directly. "King Yan, Lu Xingzhou disregarded our past ties and killed Ye Wufeng. There must be an explanation."

Yuan Muyu said calmly, "What kind of explanation do you want?"

Tan Xinhong said, "He killed an important figure in this hall. Even if it's not counted as revenge, he must be listed as an enemy. If we don't hear or ask, it will indeed be detrimental to our dignity."

His words did have some reason. A Soul Detaining Envoy, the top newcomer, was considered one of Yanluo Hall's public faces. If people could kill them casually without any explanation, not even a public announcement of disownment, it would indeed damage Yanluo Hall's dignity. That's why Ye Wufeng said before his death that Lu Xingzhou's action had severed the last trace of past ties. Regardless of Ji Wenchuan and others' personal feelings towards him, from the organization's perspective, an explanation was indeed needed.

"Then give an explanation," Yuan Muyu said calmly. "Ye Wufeng was arrogant and arbitrarily assassinated the daughter of Sheng's Vice Chief Catcher and the direct disciple of Huanhua Sword Sect in the Capital, making enemies for Yanluo Hall everywhere, and disregarding the safety of the branch personnel. He is immediately dismissed."

Tan Xinhong was stunned. "King Yan…"

"What?" Yuan Muyu stared at him coldly. "Do you think Yanluo Hall can truly make enemies everywhere like this, disregarding the safety of the branch personnel, and treating the overall situation of Yanluo Hall as nothing, just to achieve his personal fame? Dignity, dignity. If everyone below is this kind of stupid guy, Yanluo Hall should have faced endless enemies across the world several years ago. How could it have its dignity today!"

Tan Xinhong: "…"

Compared to Ye Wufeng, you were perhaps much more arrogant outside. You never cared who your opponents were when you killed people. You did not a few things that offended the holy lands. Didn't everyone learn from you...

Yuan Muyu seemed to know what he was thinking and said calmly, "Every time this seat made an enemy, Lu Xingzhou would always have to clean up the mess afterward, either thinking about how to eliminate the roots or thinking about pulling in the enemy of an enemy to form a power balance. Did anyone help Ye Wufeng clean up the mess he made? You? Or did you never consider it?"

Ji Wenchuan finally sighed. "Old Tan… Lu Xingzhou spent so many years exhausting his mind, developing the organization internally and creating a peaceful environment externally, allowing Yanluo Hall to grow from just a few people to what it is today. In your heart, you never saw what kind of contribution these were, and this kind of messy, brainless enemy-making matter, you instead feel is very admirable… A summer insect cannot speak of ice."

Tan Xinhong was silent for a moment, finally saying, "Since that's the case, Tan someone will also be dismissed from today onwards. Let's part ways amicably."

How could he not know that what Yuan Muyu said made sense? But emotionally, he couldn't accept that his disciple died, and not only was no one going to avenge him, but he was even dismissed. If he remained here without saying a word, he truly couldn't stay.

Since Yanluo Hall was unwilling to seek revenge, he would leave personally to do so.

It was just a pity, Tan Xinhong didn't know that "parting ways amicably" was also an exclusive treatment.

When his words reached Yuan Muyu's ears, the air instantly turned cold. "Are you threatening this seat? Do you think this seat can't do without you?"

Tan Xinhong was startled. "I didn't mean that…"

"Is Yanluo Hall a place where you can just come and go as you please?" Yuan Muyu slowly stepped forward.

Tan Xinhong was horrified in his heart and immediately transformed into a dark shadow, trying to escape.

Yuan Muyu's slender hand made a grasping motion in the air.

The entire time and space seemed to be static. The shadows swaying reflected by the pearls around them all stopped moving, as if they were frozen.

Tan Xinhong seemed to be violently pulled out of the void, letting out a sharp, miserable cry. "Yuan Muyu! You are simply a madman!"

He saw it clearly. What "Yanluo Hall is a place where you can just come and go as you please"? Why could Lu Xingzhou do it, but others couldn't? Perhaps others couldn't either, but you couldn't let me go out and deal with Lu Xingzhou!

For this kind of reason, she didn't hesitate to self-destruct a great general of Yanluo Hall who was a second-grade upper level, harming her own power!

If this wasn't madness, what was?

You should have said earlier that you had this kind of feeling for Lu Xingzhou. In the past, when he was here, we provoked and suppressed him. Why did you have no reaction? You should have said it earlier, you!

"I am a madman?" Yuan Muyu's voice was flat, but the content she spoke was truly quite mad. "I am mad… Do you think you are very important… But losing ten of you is still not comparable to the year and a half without Lu Xingzhou. I was only mad because I angered him away…"

With a "bang," her slender hand struck Tan Xinhong's chest. Tan Xinhong, a second-grade upper-level powerhouse of Yanluo Hall, had no power to resist. His chest cavity shattered, and he died with his eyes wide open.

Master and disciple died in an accidental, yet connected, manner.

Ji Wenchuan and the Central Ghost Emperor exchanged a look, both daring not to speak, their eyes fixed on their noses and their hearts silent.

Yanluo Hall truly did not lack a second-grade upper level powerhouse, but it lacked Lu Xingzhou. Only the people within knew how difficult things had been in the past year and a half.

But since this was the case, King Yan, why didn't you just soften your stance and say a few good words? He would probably just come back casually… You killed with a bloody hand for him, but he doesn't even know. What use is it!