"Heh, you want to take me down with you?"
"What a joke, do you really think you're capable of that?"
Ye Cangtian chuckled, his smile filled with disdain. He knew what the other party was relying on, but he wasn't in a hurry to expose it.
"Hmph!"
The楼主 (Louzhu - Leader) snorted coldly, then slowly took out a jade pagoda. The jade pagoda wasn't large, only about thirty to fifty centimeters tall, but it was carved with many ancient talismans.
He looked at Ye Cangtian with a smug expression: "Curious, aren't you? I doubt you know what this is."
This jade pagoda was inscribed with various ancient talismans, connected to the island's protective formation, and served as its core. As long as he activated it slightly, he could easily control the island's protective formation.
Ye Cangtian couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at this. Ting Feng Lou (Wind Listening Tower) was indeed a force proficient in formations. They could even decipher and utilize ancient talismans, creating the jade pagoda to control the island's protective formation. This capability was truly impressive. At least in this regard, Ye Cangtian admitted he was inferior.
It was for this reason that he glanced at Elder He beside him. Although Elder He had made modifications to the island's protective formation, he didn't know who was superior now!
Sensing Ye Cangtian's gaze, Elder He smiled slightly and gave him a confident look.
Seeing this, Ye Cangtian felt more assured. He then glanced at the 楼主 and said, "楼主, are you perhaps being too optimistic? Since we dared to come here, do you think we came unprepared?"
The 楼主's expression changed, and he immediately understood Ye Cangtian's meaning. He glanced at Elder He, snorted, and said, "Then let's make a bet. We'll see if Elder He's mastery of formations is superior, or if I am!"
In his opinion, Elder He was strong in formations, but he wasn't lacking either. Since things had come to this point, he might as well compete.
"A bet it is. If you can truly control the island's protective formation today, you might be able to save your life."
As he spoke, Ye Cangtian glanced over and made a gesture of invitation, saying, "You can begin."
*Hmph!*
The 楼主 snorted and, without a word, channeled spiritual energy into the jade pagoda. The talismans on the pagoda lit up. However, only the talismans on the pagoda lit up, with no other phenomena occurring.
"This..."
The 楼主 couldn't help but glance at Elder He. Seeing Elder He's smile, he became furious and madly poured all his spiritual energy into the jade pagoda. He refused to believe that his decades of studying formations were inferior to Elder He's.
*Crack! Crack...*
As spiritual energy poured into the pagoda, crisp sounds echoed. The jade pagoda began to develop cracks, more and more, until it finally shattered into countless fragments in the 楼主's hands.
"No! No..."
Seeing this, the 楼主 sat slumped on his chair, his eyes filled with despair. The island's protective formation was his last trump card. Now that it was beyond his control, he had no other means to threaten them.
*Thump! Thump!*
Almost simultaneously, the First Elder and the Second Elder fell to their knees. They knew that the 楼主 had lost, and if they wanted to survive, this was their only option.
On the other side, witnessing this scene, Ye Cangtian smiled and said plainly, "楼主, you should know that no matter what, I will not let you go!"
"Now, I'll give you a choice: will you do it yourself, or will I?"
The 楼主, upon hearing this, glanced at Ye Cangtian and said in a deep voice, "Before you act, I have a few words I wish to say. May I?"
Ye Cangtian nodded upon hearing this.
Seeing this, the 楼主 stood up and said lightly, "Elders, you have followed me for decades and rendered me invaluable service. I am grateful to you, so I will not blame you for making this choice."
As he spoke, the 楼主 walked over to the First and Second Elders, placing his hands on their shoulders, and continued.
"However, after decades of close companionship, I cannot bear to part with you. Therefore, you shall accompany me!"
The 楼主's voice suddenly rose, and the hands on the elders' shoulders lightning-fastly gripped their necks. In the next instant, with two crisp 'crack' sounds, the 楼主 had snapped the necks of both elders.
"Heh, you are truly venomous!"
"You said they followed you for decades, and even if they had no merit, they had hard work. Why didn't you give them a way out?"
Watching the two elders slowly fall to the ground, Ye Cangtian sneered. He had to admit that the 楼主's act this time was very convincing, successfully deceiving him to the point where he had no chance to intervene.
"Hmph! They were just two traitors. They die, so be it."
"If they die, I won't be lonely in the underworld!"
"It's better than leaving them to Ting Feng Lou!"
The 楼主 glared at Ye Cangtian and said fiercely. After speaking, he let out a roar of unwillingness to the sky, a dagger suddenly appeared in his hand, and he fiercely stabbed himself in the chest.
As a splash of blood spurted from his chest, the 楼主 collapsed on the ground. He glanced at Elder He with a contemptuous smile.
"Elder He, you're really not much nobler than I am."
"I chose to be a dog for Guang Ming Hall, while you chose to be a dog for Yu Long Mountain Villa. We are both dogs, hahahaha..."
As he spoke, the 楼主 coughed up a mouthful of blood and suddenly fell to the ground.
*Hmph!*
Elder He merely snorted coldly at the 楼主's dying words. He then bowed respectfully three times to Ye Cangtian and said, "This subordinate thanks Young Manor Lord for saving my life, and thanks Young Manor Lord for your righteous intervention. From now on, this subordinate will definitely lead Ting Feng Lou to continue obeying the dispatch of Yu Long Mountain Villa..."
"It is what I should do."
Ye Cangtian helped Elder He up and continued, "This is all I can do for you. From now on, it will depend on you to stabilize the situation."
"Mm."
Elder He nodded, then remained silent for a moment before saying, "Young Manor Lord, I am old and may not be able to serve as 楼主. Perhaps before you depart, you could appoint a 楼主!"
"In principle, I will not interfere in Ting Feng Lou's internal affairs."
"As long as Ting Feng Lou continues to serve Yu Long Mountain Villa, the position of 楼主 shall be chosen by you, Elder He!"
Ye Cangtian glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, then spoke. He had many other matters to attend to, and coupled with his lack of understanding of Ting Feng Lou, he had no idea who was a promising candidate. In this regard, Elder He definitely had the right to speak. Therefore, instead of appointing someone arbitrarily, it was better to leave this matter to Elder He.
"Then I shall respectfully accept your offer!"
Seeing Ye Cangtian's firm attitude, Elder He did not insist further and agreed directly.
Seeing this, Ye Cangtian revealed a satisfied smile, then seemed to recall something and said, "Right, regarding Feng Ze, Elder He needs to be cautious in his use."
Ye Cangtian offered a reminder. Although Feng Ze had been obedient to him recently, it was due to succumbing to his strength and the prevailing circumstances, not genuine loyalty. Therefore, Ye Cangtian was not entirely at ease with Feng Ze. Moreover, if Feng Ze dared to scheme against him, he would certainly do the same against Elder He. Of course, people change, and if Feng Ze had no ulterior motives in the future, he might be useful.
*Bang! Bang! Bang...*
Before Ye Cangtian and the others could even clean up the mess, muffled sounds echoed, and the disciples outside the hall began to stir.