Chapter 40: Information, Training a Lion and Prepping for a Fight
Translator: Whatsyourissue Editor: ICheah
“The Four Seasons Tower is one of the most mysterious clans in the martial arts world. However, it doesn’t exactly belong entirely to martial arts.” Dong Tianleng began. “No one knows the origins of the Four Seasons Tower. Nonetheless, we know that they secretly exist within the martial arts world, the imperial courts of the various empires, in the powerful clans and family sects, in the backbones of the eight great families and even among the experts from the hidden families.”
Even the mere mention of this immutable force in Dong Tianleng’s opening words gave Yun Yang chills.
“But the Four Seasons Tower has never made its name known in the martial arts world. It has completely and utterly incognito in all of its operations. There are only a handful of people in this world who has even heard of their existence.”
“This organization is closer to being a religion than a clan..” Dong Tianleng lowered his voice. “I believe that there is the presence of the Four Seasons Tower in our Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter families, solely because the names make up the four seasons of a year,” Dong Tianleng said.
Yun Yang maintained an air of casual indifferently, “Are they so very mysterious? I have heard people mentioning it a few days ago and thought that everyone knew about it.”
“Everyone knows about it?” Dong Tianleng snorted, “This is the Four Seasons Tower we’re talking about! The most mysterious clan of all time in the Tianxuan Continent. Legend has it that Ling Xiaozui and the Four Seasons Tower were at war for an entire century yet Ling Xiaozui never managed to locate the Four Seasons Tower’s base and eventually had to give up his search.”
“As for the Four Seasons Tower, they were intelligent enough to avoid provoking such a peerless expert as Ling Xiaozui. Since Ling Xiaozui decided to let it go, the Four Seasons Tower wisely refrained from attempting to put an end to him. Ling Xiaozui’s skills were unparalleled after all.
Dong Tianleng then sighed, “All said and done, the Four Seasons Tower is a titan of colossal proportions.”
Yun Yang frowned. “Do you then know who heads the Four Seasons Tower?”
“Why, that would be Mr. Nian, of course.” The words slipped out of Dong Tianleng’s mouth, “Everyone who knows about the Four Seasons Tower knows this as well.”
“Who is Mr. Nian?” Yun Yang asked, intrigued by this little tidbit.
“Other than Mr. Nian himself, nobody else in the entire Tianxuan Continent can answer your question.” Dong Tiangleng smiled bitterly.
“Right. What else do you know?”
“Nothing else.”
“You know only this tiny bit of information?” Yun Yang stared wide-eyed. “You act as if it is some earth-shattering secret! Even a child on the street could have told me the same!”
Dong Tianleng began to bemoan his beleaguered fate, “My lord! The information I have just shared is of the highest sensitivity! Four Seasons Tower has a rule that says only death awaits whoever exposes their identity. Even if your enemy doesn’t kill you, the Four Seasons Tower itself will come after you!”
“There weren’t many individuals who had attempted to expose the Four Seasons Tower in the martial arts world. They were only minor characters, as significant as a normal day in a month, but with no exception, they are all dead! Even their corpses had been turned and a dagger stuck into them, to ensure the thoroughness of the job. Every monarch of the empires dreams of uprooting the Four Seasons Tower.” Dong Tianleng said humorlessly, ”But who could find them?”
“Anything else?” Yun Yang asked disinterestedly.
“Nothing else… Oh yes, there’s just one more thing. It is said that one could find the Four Seasons Tower by word of mouth.” Dong Tianleng continued, “Rumour has it that people have gone to Heaven’s Inquisition to buy information on the Four Seasons Tower’s.
“Heaven’s Inquisition?”
“Yes, Heaven’s Inquisition.”
“What price is exacted for this information?”
“Heaven’s Inquisition demanded a hundred thousand mystical crystals, seven flowers of wonder, three herbs of poison, and spiritual liquid of the Five Elements.” Dong Tianleng said, “This is the cost for information on the Four Seasons Tower.”
The corners of Yun Yang’s lips curled up in amusement.
That was an astronomical price, no two ways about it.
Just the hundred thousand mystical crystals was a number that could cause a pinnacle martial artist to breakdown, what more seven flowers of wonder, three herbs of poison, and spiritual liquid of the Five Elements! Each of them was a legendary item; each of them was priceless!
“Though the price is steep, all high-level martial artists in the world know that once Heaven’s Inquisition offers a price, the information is as good as truth.” Dong Tianleng said. “The only problem is that no one can afford the price.”
Yun Yang exhaled heavily.
“But in recent days, for the past fifty years or so, Heaven’s Inquisition has also mysteriously become increasingly obscure, and in danger of vanishing altogether. Heaven’s Inquisition goes by another moniker; The Know-It-All. Even if there are things heaven itself is not aware of, one would only need to go to Heaven’s Inquisition to obtain the answer!” Yun Yang mumbled, “Heaven’s Inquisition should carry the honor of being the most mysterious organization in this world.”
“All true. However, Heaven’s Inquisition isn’t an organization. It is a person.” Dong Tianleng repeated himself, “The fancy title is held by a single individual!”
An individual!
Yun Yang was curiously outraged and amazed all at once.
“With that, I’ve exhausted all the information I have on the Four Season’s Tower..”
“Alright then, one last question. Since the Four Seasons Tower has always kept a low profile and taken such great pains to remain nondescript, what then is the point of their existence?” Yun Yang asked, “In other words, what do they actually hope to achieve?”
“I really have no clue about that. However, I do believe that there is no one in this that can provide you the answer besides this mysterious Mr. Nian. Nonetheless, everyone knows that the Four Seasons Tower has its nefarious purposes, and these purposes are extremely horrifying. While the exact details of these facts are rather sketchy, we can only wait for the day when it will all be revealed..”
“Wait…” Yun Yang snorted in derision; he was clearly displeased by this.
Dong Tianleng’s ingratiating expression returned as he pleaded, “My lord, my lord… help me win…”
“Seeing as how you’ve told me all these...” Yun Yang huffed, “Although it’s all useless information, I won’t take it for granted. Consider yourself fortunate.”
“Yes, yes, my lord is benevolent and generous, with a heart bigger than the ocean and intelligence higher than the heavens…” Dong Tianleng chuckled. “So, how do we go about plotting their deaths?”
“Plot their deaths? Simple!” Yun Yang said, “Let your Double-headed Elysian Lion fight again and you’ll win.” He pointed at the beast with a confident smile on his face.
Dong Tianleng’s expression crumbled in dismay.
Had the beast not already fought? Wouldn’t fighting again be a total waste of time?
“Bring your Double-headed Elysian Lion over, I’ll help you train it.” Yun Yang smiled, “Although mystical beasts possess innate killing instincts, they actually need to learn as well.”
Dong Tianleng looked at Yun Yang, dumbfounded.
Does he want to take the Double-headed Elysian Lion as a disciple?
I- I- I-… Why am I a little confused?
To prove his point, Yun Yang immediately began the beast’s training right in front of Dong Tianleng.
Beckoning the lion over, he flowed into a set of martial forms, demonstrating the techniques in order for the Double-headed Elysian Lion to follow suit.
Dong Tianleng’s face was ominously expressionless; both the guards beside him were trying their level best not to guffaw out loud.
This is what this great sir meant by helping?
The Double-headed Elysian Lion was obviously startled as well. If it could speak, it would definitely be stuttering, “Prac- practice martial art forms? You want me, a lion, to practice martial form like a human?”
“I may be an eighth level mystical beast, intelligent beyond the norm, but there are limits of course.”
“Stupid!” Yun Yang scolded without mercy, ”You have to hold your fist like this.” Then he demonstrated as he spoke.
How could a lion’s paw be like a human’s fist? How could it even form a fist?
“Like this!” Yun Yang walked over and grabbed the lion’s front left paw, prying it open and closing it again. “You understand?”
Dong Tianleng and the guards broke down in irrepressible mirth.
The Double-headed Elysian Lion’s four eyes brightened as it howled excitedly, “Sss-awoo…”
At that moment, an unimaginable amount of refined air of vitality flowed into its body. The effect was so apparent that the Double-headed Elysian Lion immediately felt that its front paw had become stronger at once and was filled with endless energy and potential!
If the energy flow did not cease, it could even level up!
“What are you howling at?” Yun Yang slapped the lion’s head, delivering another refreshing flow of energy into the beast. The Double-headed Elysian Lion wagged its tail like an excited puppy, unable to stop howling. “Sss-awoo… sss-awoo…”
“Be still and keep silent!”
Yun Yang landed slap after slap on the beast’s body.
The more he struck the lion, the more excited and delighted it got.
“Now right punch! Like this!”
“No! Idiot, like this!”
Streams of the vibrant energy seeped into the exhilarated beast.
“Now we train the legs. Front kick, front stomp, turning kick, side kick, back kick… Goodness, they’re all wrong!”
“How slow can you be?”
“Let me correct this…”
“Sss-awoo… Sss-awoo sss-awoo…”
Dong Tianleng and his guards’ jaws were in danger of dropping straight to the floor.
This is the first f*cking time I’ve seen this in my entire life!
A Double-headed Elysian Lion standing upright on it’s hind legs, looking for all the world like a human as it delivered a powerful punch with it’s left paw. It then jumped up, spinning around as it delivered… a roundhouse kick?
“Oh, I must be losing my mind..” Dong Tianleng covered his face with one hand as he lowered his head speechlessly.
Had this fellow actually succeeded? Why was the Double-headed Elysian Lion behaving this way? How could it be so obedient? It was being pummelled mercilessly and it was reeling from side to side, yet it kept going back to him.
“Was it because of it’s cheap master that my lion has also followed suit?” Dong Tianleng was convinced that there was no other possible explanation.
You’re a f*cking lion, a Double-headed Elysian Lion. You’re innately blessed with the ability to manipulate Yin and yang as well as fire and water; where’s your innate ability now?
If those can’t be used, you can still f*cking bite, right? What’s the use of having two mouths?
Now, this madman is getting you to execute martial art forms!
Fang Mofei and Lao Mei were watching from the side as well, their stomachs cramped from attempting to rein in gales of laughter.
Fang Mofei appeared gentle and refined; a middle-aged scholar who was weak and powerless. It wasn’t far from the truth; his cultivation base had not fully recovered.
Dong Tianleng and his guards only awarded him a single glance before turning away.
The two guards from the Dong Family, however, eyed Lao Mei suspiciously as they could faintly feel the strong sense of threat arising from him.“This Young Master Yun actually keeps such a butler by his side.” Both guards were guardedly assessing the seemingly harmless man, “Looks like he isn’t just an ordinary person as well...”
Under everyone’s scrutinizing gaze, Yun Yang completed his efforts on the Double-headed Elysian Lion. Then the showcase began.
“Jump up and spin!”
“Walk with two hind legs!”
“Hug the ball with your front legs and walk with your hind legs straightened!”
“Go, pick the ball I’ve thrown back.”
“Come, see my hand? Jump over it.”
“Run to the gate and run back here within a single breath!”
…
Dong Tianleng was flabbergasted.
F*ck, are you training a lion or a dog?
Young Master Dong Tianleng could take it no longer and came to his feet. “My lord, you…”
“Done!”
Yun Yang clapped his hands, stopping the exhausted Double-headed Elysian Lion. “Go request for a battle. Have the Double-headed Elysian Lion fight the Silvertail Howler tonight, you have my word that you will definitely win!”
“I beg your pardon?”
Dong Tianleng’s eyes came close to popping out from their sockets.
You just taught my lion a martial form and made it run here and there like a dog. Now, you expect it to be able to fight?
“I’m sure that it isn’t ready just yet?” Dong Tianleng placed a hesitant hand on his head and felt the residual pain from being beaten up and said with a long face, “If it fights tonight, I’m afraid that I won’t be able to recover in half a year…”
“Go, go fight again tonight. Are you confident?” Yun Yang asked the lion.
“Sss-awoo!” the Double-headed Elysian Lion was in high spirits as it roared it’s approval.
“Go on, tell your young master that you’ll definitely win!” Yun Yang pointed at the dejected young master.
The Double-headed Elysian Lion walked in front of Dong Tianleng and held both of its heads high with pride, its tail wagging violently.
“Woof!”
As much as Dong Tianleng felt like breaking down in tears, he couldn’t find the energy to cry.
You- you… you’ve turned my Double-headed Elysian Lion into a dog!