Chapter 419: Attack one’s Mind First
Translator: chuchutrain Editor: DavidT, Rock
DongFang JingLei's eyes lit up as he spoke, "I understand!" Putting the pill into HuaHu's mouth, he stood up and continued with a smile yet not a smile on his face, "The lady inciting chaos outside is under you, am I right? Will there be any danger?"
Ling Tian let out a light smile, "Second Master DongFang is indeed astute! There might be danger, but the party in danger will definitely not be her!"
DongFang JingLei received a nasty shock and could only let out a bitter smile as he slowly walked to the entrance and loudly commanded, "The lady is an honored guest of mine, invite her in, and no one is to slight her!"
Looking back, he happened to see Ling Tian sitting in his original seat, feeling around at the bottom of the table for a vat of wine. He couldn't help but frown as he spoke, "Aren't you even the least bit afraid that I'll take the chance to escape and trap you in here?"
"Hehe…" Ling Tian broke the wine seal with a hand, glancing at DongFang JingLei as he blandly replied, "Firstly, you won't dare! And secondly, you can't! Brother DongFang is a smart person, thus you would never do such a brainless act!"
"That's right, I don't dare and neither can I!" DongFang JingLei heartily admitted. Having seen with his own eyes how HuaHu had bizarrely toppled onto the ground without even a challenge, forget about escaping, he wouldn't even dare to make a wrong move that would make Ling Tian suspicious. The rash move he had made previously was out of concern for the brother who had undergone life and death with him. However, he did not know that it was precisely this move that had actually given him the opportunity to live, as well as hope!
"Since that's the case, then why would I be afraid? Afraid that you would find someone to kill me?! If you really manage to find someone, the only party losing out would be yourself!" Ling Tian lifted up his cup and took a light sip. Smacking his lips, he placed the cup aside and continued, "This wine is too ordinary, aren't there any better ones around?" DongFang JingLei did not know whether to laugh or cry at this statement, the wine Ling Tian was holding was the sacred wine of the DongFang Imperial Palace!
At the moment, the twins He ChuLai and He ChuQu had already turned into identical 'snowmen', and beside them were tens of other ice statues, in various forms of movement, but all frozen stiff. All of them were obviously frozen by the lady's internal energies!
As for Li Xue, who was holding her sides and laughing where she stood, the hundreds of experts there could only reveal bitter expressions on their faces, not daring to make a move. Li Xue would naturally not pressure them, after all, her mission was to delay for time for as long as possible. Seeing how the surrounding circle of people was growing ever denser, she couldn't help but feel gleeful as she thought, Yes, yes, all come and take a look, then Tian'ge will not even be noticed!
Upon hearing the command passed by DongFang JingLei, the group of guards then let out a breath of relief, clearing a path over to the tent where JingLei resided without any delay.
Better send this little grandaunt off, she probably knows witchcraft, to actually knock the two twin experts down in just one round! She even froze their bodies, but left them alive, as evidenced by their rapidly swiveling eyeballs, but their actions remaining stiff and rigid!
What sort of weird sorcery was this? Could this lady be a human icicle or a reincarnation of a snow demon? Why was it that anyone she touched would become a 'snowman'? Wasn't that too horrifying?!
If Ling Tian was present, he would naturally be able to tell that these people were merely prodded on their acupoints by Li Xue. While they looked like they were frozen alive, they were in no mortal danger. However, because Li Xue was too stealthy with her actions and added to the fact that she activated her Divine Ice Formula carelessly, she unknowingly added a few extra layers to her victim's body, naturally freezing them solid...
As for He ChuLai and He ChuQu, they naturally couldn't be compared to Li Xue in terms of strength, but they should not have fallen so easily. It was only because of Li Xue's devious movements, coupled with the fact that the Divine Ice Formula was a cultivation technique unseen in the Heavenly Star Continent, that made them lose in just a single exchange!
Seeing Li Xue enter the tent, the group of guards immediately spread out, grabbing bunches of dried leaves to pile around the bodies of the victims. This was followed by smoke rising… yes, trying to thaw them.
However, it was currently the middle of summer! The ice on their bodies quickly thawed, but the resulting wave of heat made the two brothers He ChuLai and He ChuQu scream out, but due to their acupoints being restricted, they couldn't move at all, only staring at the group with sweat pouring down their faces…
And seeing that the group of them still remained unmoving, the guards thought they were frozen too badly, and a few of the 'kind-hearted' people actually braved the heat and danger to move the fire even closer to the 'frozen' people...
In a short moment, the smell of cooked flesh began to waft out…
As for the main perpetrator, the great Miss Li Xue, she had appeared leisurely within DongFang JingLei's tent as though nothing was happening, completely oblivious to what was happening outside.
After the great Miss Li had entered the tent, she obediently stood behind Ling Tian and even started to help him massage his shoulders, as though she did not know what was going to happen to the poor men frozen outside.
While DongFang JingLei did not say anything, Ling Tian was similarly rendered speechless. This lass really knew how to take advantage, did she not care about being seen as his servant girl now? If he had such a serving maid, then wouldn't he die of awkwardness? If Ling Chen were to see this, how would he ever be able to explain?!
"Young Noble Ling's luck with women… really leaves JingLei in envy." DongFang JingLei suddenly broke the silence.
"Brother JingLei, since things have already reached this state, then let us be frank." Ling Tian awkwardly shifted his neck before continuing, "Since the affairs in the DongFang family have already reached such a point, I would like to know, what are your plans for the future?"
DongFang JingLei laughed in a meaningful manner, but within it contained a little self-pity as he spoke, "I'm afraid that it's not about what I wish to do, but rather what Young Noble Ling wishes to let me do, right?"
"Brother JingLei's words are too serious. I dare to say that, if Brother JingLei does not wish to work with me then at most in a year the DongFang Family will follow in the tracks of Northern Wei and become the second power to collapse, without any way to prevent it! Does Brother DongFang wish to deny this?" A light could be seen at the back of Ling Tian's eyes, his killing intent turning on and off as he spoke, all the while rapping on the table with his finger.
Ling Tian's meaning was clear, that if DongFang JingLei did not go along his wishes, then while the latter might remain unscathed today, Ling Tian would still carry out the extermination of the DongFang Family! Based on the influence and might that Ling Tian had displayed, this was no exaggeration! He indeed possessed that ability to do so!
"I can't argue with your words." DongFang JingLei could only reply in a low voice.
"Brother DongFang could be considered to be talented, and furthermore, you would definitely not want to see your family decay to the path of no return. While you wish to change this situation, unless you can become the family head, there is no way for you to successfully resolve this burden! However, with your current capability, there's no way for you to replace your brother as the family head! Even if you somehow succeeded, the vitality of the family would also suffer to the point that it would fall behind all the other families!"
"Only by working with me can you reduce the casualties to the minimum and increase your influence. I can allow you to obtain the seat of Family Head, and realize your dreams of increasing the prestige and might of the DongFang Family, remaining sturdy for the next thousand years!" Ling Tian spoke slowly and deeply, allowing every single word to sink into DongFang JingLei's heart.
"If your objective is just to unify the DongFang family to allow for continued survival, then I can guarantee that your objective will definitely come true and would even surpass your dreams. However, the ambition of your elder brother is too huge, and with those surrounding you all being stronger than your family, the ambition of your family will only bring you to the depths of despair. On this point you're as clear as I am."
DongFang JingLei remained silent at this, but one could see that he was struggling with his inner thoughts, weighing the gains and losses.
"I can see that you're a person with a strong focus towards your family and clan, and you're also aware that if your DongFang Family does not rely on an outside force, no matter who takes the spot of head in the future, the strength of your family will not have much left after the cruel internal conflict. Right now, can you compare to the Yu Family? The Shui Family? Or the Xiao Family? Let alone in the future! You also saw right now that behind the Xiao Family there's the hidden Above Heavens supporting them, but for you? What does your family have? Even when comparing the strength of your entire family you can't even match up to my individual strength!" Ling Tian mercilessly shot more arrows.
"Ever since the ancient times, the concept of mercy has never been spoken together with hegemony, if you continue to only hold the dream of having everything going your way, and being able to slowly strengthen your forces, then you will definitely be the first to perish! I can clearly tell you now that in this world, everything is limited, except for idiots! However… do you think that Yu ManLou or Xiao FengHan are actually idiots? Or did you think that I, Ling Tian, am intellectually challenged? Allowing you to slowly recover after having your vitality sapped?"
DongFang JingLei's sturdy body, while appearing the same, seemed to have become slightly crooked in Li Xue's eyes. He violently coughed twice, speaking with apparent difficulty, "Maybe what you said is true, but on what basis do you have to talk about cooperating with me? You're still being pursued by the Martial Order Medallion owner. I've witnessed his strength personally and understand why there has never been a single person who has escaped from him! Even if I choose to work with you, what is the point?"
This was the first time DongFang JingLei chose to counter Ling Tian, but his tone was full of an incisive sharpness! If his tone could take shape, then it would be akin to an assassin whipping out their weapon, ready to draw blood!
Ling Tian couldn't help but admit that DongFang JingLei had a point. The strength of Justice was one that even Ling Tian couldn't deny!
"The safety of the Ling Family ultimately hinges on you alone, but if you fail to escape from the pursuit of Justice, let's not mention about me not working with you, even the Ling Family will also change owners! Whether the Yu or the Xiao Family wins in the end, your Ling Family will still collapse, and maybe even earlier than my DongFang family!" DongFang JingLei said sharply.