Sell Me Some Face

Cai Tanggu's face darkened like still water.

He looked at Du Yanruo.

Before Du Yanruo could speak, Du Heng had already stepped forward and said respectfully, "Mr. Cai, their words are nothing but slander. You must not believe them lightly."

Having witnessed Cai Tanggu's strength, Du Heng had formed a new idea.

"These people are not Hun City's garrison, but private soldiers of the Marquis Manor. You knew that I once intended to betroth my daughter to the Young Marquis. Now that my daughter has returned home and the Marquis Manor has fallen into such ruin, perhaps the Young Marquis's pride was wounded and he sought an opportunity for revenge. I beg Mr. Cai to uphold justice."

Pointing at his still-swollen face, Du Heng said indignantly, "Some days ago, because a murder case occurred in Hun City, they came to my home and beat me without distinguishing black from white. Now they have grown even more tyrannical, bullying their way right to Fish Abyss Academy's doorstep. Had Mr. Cai come one step later, I fear my Du Family would have been wiped out!"

With a tone that made listeners grieve and hearers weep, coupled with his tearful, snot-streaked appearance, he performed the scene with consummate skill.

He could barely stop himself from applauding his own performance.

Even Du Yanruo had nearly believed that was what truly happened.

But unfortunately, Cai Tanggu was no fool. Seeing Du Heng's affected act, he knew there had to be another reason behind this.

He did not say anything immediately.

Instead, he considered what exactly was going on with Hun City Marquis Manor.

There were very few Princes and Lords in the Sui Kingdom to begin with, much less a marquis in such a remote place.

Then he recalled that the Marquis Manor was supposedly destitute. Yet the Black Flame Army before him radiated soaring vigor, their equipment valuable and refined. No matter how he looked at them, they did not seem impoverished.

He had never held much interest in royal nobles and aristocrats. If he wanted to investigate Hun City Marquis Manor's background, he could only meet its marquis in person.

If it truly belonged to some Prince or Lord whose power reached the heavens, then he could only turn great matters into small ones and small matters into nothing.

With that in mind, he ignored Du Heng, who was still putting on his performance, and looked at Shan Qiyu. "Though the facts are laid out before us, I am not an unreasonable man. As for what truly happened, we can discuss it after I meet your marquis."

"If the Du Family truly was at fault, I naturally will not shield them. Conversely, however, I must also demand an explanation for the fact that you injured a student of Fish Abyss Academy."

Xunyang Marquis Manor.

Since sitting on the threshold was uncomfortable, Jiang Wang had Xiaoyu bring over a rattan chair, and he lay down directly at the entrance.

The fine drizzle all fell onto Zhao Si's drawing paper.

Xiaoyu swung her sword.

The blade cleaved through the rain.

Like jade beads falling onto a jade platter, it stirred ripples of music.

The wind suddenly sharpened, and the fine rain faintly congealed.

Jiang Wang's closed eyes abruptly opened.

He saw an elderly man in gray robes walking through the rain along Qixia Street, lightly landing before the Marquis Manor.

Urgent footsteps followed close behind.

A hundred Black Flame Knights lined up in neat ranks, taking their positions along both sides of the Marquis Manor's entrance.

Zhao Si silently lifted his table, retreated into the Marquis Manor, and pretended to continue painting in calm composure.

Shan Qiyu walked straight to Jiang Wang and whispered something into his ear.

Then he stood to one side in deep shame.

Jiang Wang fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "So it is Instructor Cai of Fish Abyss Academy. I have long admired your great name."

Cai Tanggu's gaze swept over Zhao Si and Xiaoyu before finally settling on Jiang Wang. He said blandly, "You are the Young Marquis?"

Jiang Wang smiled. "If there is no second Young Marquis in Hun City, then that would be me."

Cai Tanggu nodded. "Marquis..."

The moment he opened his mouth, Jiang Wang cut him off. "I am the biggest one in the manor now. If you are looking for my father, you definitely will not find him in Hun City. But if you can help me find him, I will be extremely grateful."

Cai Tanggu stood dumbstruck.

Had I come here to help you find your father?

He let out a soft breath and was about to speak when Jiang Wang interrupted him again. "The Du Family's crime of assassination is ironclad. Instructor Cai, what do you intend by coming here now? Are you trying to rely on Fish Abyss Academy to turn black into white and clear the Du Family's name? Or do you plan to silence me forever in your own name?"

Cai Tanggu was dumbstruck again.

But he quickly came back to himself.

This was blocking off his path.

After all, Xunyang Marquis Manor was so large, and the Black Flame Army was numerous and powerful. If he truly did such a thing, there was no way he could keep it completely concealed.

When that time came, he would be burying his own future.

He served as an instructor at Fish Abyss Academy in Kutan, but he still wanted to advance further.

Fish Abyss Academy in the Divine Capital of the Sui Kingdom was the true holy ground he yearned for.

Though he had spoken harshly at the Du Family residence, some things did not have to be carried through just because they had been said.

Cai Tanggu looked at Jiang Wang lying in the rattan chair. He appeared so weak and frail that saying he was on the verge of death would not have been an exaggeration.

Thinking back to Du Heng's affected display, he felt that perhaps the Du Family really had done something wrong.

In a short span of time, his thoughts had undergone earth-shaking changes.

Surveying the splendid and magnificent Marquis Manor before him, Cai Tanggu thought that although the marquis seemed absent, his attitude could not be too forceful unless necessary.

"Du Yanruo has, after all, already entered Fish Abyss Academy. Even if the Du Family truly did something, there is no need to implicate their entire household. If the Young Marquis is willing to sell me some face, then simply search the Du Family for the person who hired the Jianli."

Cai Tanggu tried his best to appear gentler. "Su Lingyi is already crippled. No matter what I do to the Young Marquis, it cannot change that fact. Let us each take a step back and let everyone remain well..."

But this time, he still did not finish speaking.

The ones who interrupted him were not Jiang Wang.

They were the Green-robed Cultivator and White-robed Cultivator of Moonlit West Tower.

They came tearing through the air.

The instant they arrived, they drew their swords and stood before Jiang Wang, glaring at Cai Tanggu like tigers watching prey.

"Mr. Jiang, our words naturally still stand. Perhaps you have no need of us, but at any time, the lives of us two brothers will be the first wall protecting Mr. Jiang."

They sensed an incomparably terrifying aura from Cai Tanggu, yet they still charged forward without hesitation.

Looking at the slightly trembling bodies of the two cultivators in green robes.

Jiang Wang was truly a little moved.

Cai Tanggu merely furrowed his brow.

Leaving everything else aside, being interrupted every time he spoke was inevitably infuriating.

He looked at Jiang Wang and asked softly, "Are these two cultivators the Young Marquis's men?"

The White-robed Cultivator said directly, "We are not yet qualified to serve beneath Mr. Jiang, but even if you are an instructor of Fish Abyss Academy, should you offend Mr. Jiang, we will fight you with our lives."

Cai Tanggu glanced at the White-robed Cultivator and said flatly, "Since you know my identity and are not people of the Marquis Manor, where did you get the nerve to draw your sword at me?"

The White-robed Cultivator, directly met by Cai Tanggu's sharp gaze, felt his heart suddenly tighten.

It was as though a great mountain had fallen from the sky, crushing him until he could not straighten his back.

His bones crackled loudly. The White-robed Cultivator let out a muffled groan, his sword dropping from his hand as his knees bent and slammed heavily onto the ground.

Though it was only the lingering force, the Green-robed Cultivator's face flushed red beneath the pressure, veins bulging across his forehead as the arm holding his sword fell helplessly.

Jiang Wang still lay steadily in the rattan chair, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He understood with perfect clarity.

Cai Tanggu was likely the strongest existence he had ever faced.

Shan Qiyu's whispers had already explained Cai Tanggu's terrifying qualities, so Jiang Wang had originally intended to avoid this confrontation for now.

But with the appearance of the two cultivators in green robes, and with neither side willing to yield, they would ultimately have to speak with their fists.

The facts also proved that Cai Tanggu's strength was likely even greater than that of the monster Ao Yin.

Though he did not possess absolute confidence, the two cultivators in green robes had come to help him regardless of life or death. Jiang Wang could not simply stand by and watch from the sidelines.

He reached out and picked up the Long Night Saber resting beside the rattan chair.

Without directly facing an enormous threat, he still could not find a way to control that power as he pleased.

But making that power appear was not difficult.

"Instructor Cai..."

Hearing him, Cai Tanggu looked at Jiang Wang. He merely glanced casually at the saber in Jiang Wang's hand and said, "What instruction does the Young Marquis have?"

The instant his words fell.

The aura before the Marquis Manor seemed to change.

The Green-robed Cultivator, who had still been holding on, collapsed directly to the ground.

"I have already given the Young Marquis more than enough face. But since these two cultivators are not the Young Marquis's men, however I deal with them has nothing to do with the Marquis Manor. Therefore, the Young Marquis ought to give me some face as well."

He could be amiable.

He could also be reasonable.

But as long as he did not directly kill the Young Marquis or destroy the Marquis Manor, even if he killed the servants within it, word spreading out would not ruin his future.

At most, after returning to Fish Abyss Academy, he would be barred from teaching for a period of time.

Thus, not touching the Marquis Manor did not mean there was truly nothing he could do.

Much less when it came to two cultivators outside the manor.

He believed the Young Marquis was an intelligent person, one who would not ruin the originally peaceful atmosphere over this.

Jiang Wang smiled faintly, found a more comfortable position in the rattan chair, and lay back. "Look at that withered face of yours, like the hide of a mangy dog. Even if I wanted to give you face, I could not find a suitable place for it."

Cai Tanggu's expression darkened.

His entire face wrinkled together.

He had always been ugly in appearance and was often looked upon strangely by others.

After succeeding in cultivation, he could restore the appearance he had possessed in his youth, but it held no meaning for him.

Only cultivators above the Cave Nether Realm could completely alter it.

But because he had become powerful, no one dared speak of it anymore, and he had gradually nearly forgotten the humiliation of those days.

Yet Jiang Wang's single sentence had stabbed directly into Cai Tanggu's greatest pain.

Even Jiang Wang had not expected this.

He had only spoken casually in order to provoke Cai Tanggu.

"It has been a long time since I heard anyone say such words before me. The last one is already in the Netherworld. Could it be that the Young Marquis wants me to send you there as well?"

Cai Tanggu laughed in extreme anger.

But as he spoke, the entire Qixia Street seemed to enter the depths of winter. The faint drizzle falling from the sky turned icy enough to pierce bone, and the cold wind brushing his face made even Jiang Wang shudder.

Xiaoyu immediately stood before Jiang Wang.

The Black Flame Army standing along both sides of the Marquis Manor entrance had already assumed attack formations, their bright silver spears radiating cold light as they pointed in unison at Cai Tanggu.

Jiang Wang hugged his small body tightly and took a deep breath. "You mangy dog!"