Chapter 584: I Am the Four Seasons Tower, I Carry the Surname Nian!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The man in black's gaze suddenly turned sharp like a blade as he said, "Oh, is that so? It is terribly unfortunate that I don't really believe your words now. A man is the master of his own fate, a man can overcome the forces of nature. This is a truism. I will accomplish it if I want to do it. Brother Gu, are you certain that you don't want to leave with me?"
Dugu Chou suddenly stood up at and hollered loudly, "Who are you? Don't you think that you're standing too high up, hovering there arrogantly?"
The person glanced at Dugu Chou with passing interest and replied, "I stand high so that I can see far. Dugu Chou, you've stayed hidden away from this world for too long. Sitting at such a low position after your reemergence, you are destined to be unable to see far away."
"Is that so? Truly?" Dugu Chou smiled faintly.
The man in black answered earnestly, "Yes. I have my reasons to stand up high; I have been placed at this height, to overlook the world. Dugu, you've kept your wife company for far too long, so long that you don't know the changes that have taken place in this world. Let me give you a word of advice. Since you've decided to be a recluse in the name of love, don't act recklessly and embroil yourself in the martial world's affairs. It's good to roam about but go back quickly afterward. Don't you already feel more lonesome after you left your wife alone in that valley?"
He looked at Dugu Chou with a smile. "If you don't heed my advice and insist on roaming around, I'm afraid that your wife… won't be lonely anymore."
"Are you implying that you'll send me down to keep her company?" Dugu Chou's pupils contracted dangerously.
The person dressed in black smiled but did not answer. Still, the implication rang clearly in his unspoken words.
"Great!" Dugu Chou scoffed, "I would have your name!"
"I am the Four Seasons Tower, I carry the surname Nian!" answered the man in black.
Boom! Yun Yang felt as if a bomb had exploded in his head.
'I am the Four Seasons Tower, I carry the surname Nian! – The Four Seasons Tower, Mr. Nian!'
'Today, at this moment, I've finally met this person, this nemesis, this eternal enemy!'
'Nian!'
'No wonder he can remain neither inferior nor aggressive when facing four masterly experts. No wonder he can still be as haughty and confident as he is now.'
'Of course, the mastermind of the Four Seasons Tower would possess such boldness!'
Beside him, Ling XIaozui looked at the person clothed in black in the sky oddly, asking, "Mr. Nian, why are you so aggressive? Do you not plan to come down and greet your old friend?"
Mr. Nian stood in the air with arms on his back, his gaze shifting to Ling Xiaozui. "No wonder Gu Chaliang is so resolute. There are two Unrivaled Experts here to support him. Tsk, not bad, not bad at all. Dugu Chou, Ling Xiaozui, the two of you can indeed fight anyone and any force in this world!"
His words were pointedly direct but he was inwardly hesitant. He was prepared to leave, to refrain from entering Tiantang City. However, he accidentally realized that Heaven's Inquisition, whom he had kept a prisoner for so long, had actually escaped from the seclusion and come to Tiantang City.
This was far too urgent for Mr. Nian and the Four Seasons Tower to ignore!
Now, he knew that there were four masterly experts on the other side, but he could not admit defeat. He had to retrieve this wayward fellow or the consequences would be grave indeed.
If he attacked, he would be going against Ling Xiaozui and Dugu Chou. However, it was already impossible to assume an inferior position now; he would have to stand tough to the end.
Dugu Chou said faintly, "You think our forces do not suffice, don't you?"
"I've never been self-depreciating, but I don't have the confidence to take on both of you at the same time. Both of you perfection experts cannot be overwhelmed by anyone or any force in this world. Why are both of you starting a conflict with the Four Seasons Tower? Even though the both of you are peerless, it isn't exactly wise to become enemies of the Four Seasons Tower!" Mr. Nian said.
Ling Xiaozui replied, "It's not like I've never tried it. I'm still living happily, am I not? Come to think of it, I have no qualms to go through it again. With Brother Dugu's assistance this time around, the one to feel the pain should be the Four Seasons Tower instead."
"You, Ling Xiaozui, are still the Ling Xiaozui of old. However, the Four Seasons Tower today isn't the same Four Seasons Tower it was in the past. If both of you have the interest, the Four Seasons Tower will keep you company for sure. We won't let the both of you down," said Mr. Nian with a grin.
His words were direct. The threat was without foreshadowing. It was terribly impolite, no different from waving a gauntlet right in the men's faces.
Ling Xiaozui's expression darkened; his hand crept towards the grip of his sword as his imposing manner surged threateningly.
Unexpectedly, Dugu Chou stood up before he could move any further. He sucked in a deep breath and said, "Ling Xiao, the Four Seasons Tower is your old opponent. There's nothing new or exciting about that. I, however, have just arrived. I shall be the one to head this one off!"
Ling Xiaozui sat down slowly and replied with a beam, "Well, there's no need for me since you're leading. Not only are there exquisite wine and dishes today, I get to watch the amazing dance of swords!"
Dugu Chou chuckled. His right hand extended slowly. When it was half stretched, the long sword on his back suddenly cried out. Gleaming, it seemed to flow into his hand almost on its own volition.
"Having been away from this world for hundreds of years, have the people already forgotten who Dugu Chou is?"
Dugu Chou spoke with heavy emphasis, "I need to remind the people of this world that Dugu Chou's sword can still kill!"
He raised his head to look at Mr. Nian who was still in the air. Two beams of sword intent erupted from his eyes and illuminated the night sky instantly. Mr. Nian stood with his arms still behind his back, welcoming Dugu Chou's gaze without any attempt to avoid the deadly gaze.
Four rays of focused vision energy collided in the air.
It was just a simple act of two pairs of eyes meeting each other, but a huge bang erupted in the air. Was this an illusion?
How could something like this happen? It was only two individuals gazing at each other, but it had produced such a shocking collision. If their gazes were to be trained on someone with a weaker cultivation base, would that not kill the hapless fellow with a single glance?
This was the embodiment of a murderous glare!
Dugu Chou had already disappeared from the table while Mr. Nian in the air laughed, "What good timing! I would like to test the strength of the once Unrivaled Expert!"
Two silhouettes weaved like soaring dragons, shooting up into a higher altitude. Just their ascendance alone trailed sparkling sword light, as they bloomed in the sky like a storm. Low collision blows sounded unceasing. Both of them had already had a countless exchange of sword strokes, punches, and kicks in just a short span of time!
Another loud bang saw the both of them flying away from each other due to the massive force of their collision. Their backward flight could barely be seen, but before anyone could exclaim their surprise, they had flown into each other once again, with loud clashes that resounded continuously.
Yun Yang mustered his entire vision to watch, he was begrudged to miss any detail of this remarkable battle. Only when he fully understood the limitations of Mr. Nian's ability could his plan for revenge be successful, and Dugu Chou was apparently the rare handful of those in this world who could trigger Mr. Nian's full combat power.
Yun Yang was utterly invested in watching the battle. The sword light flashed, dividing into three like magic; three glowing swords, triplets, lashed out. At that moment, the very air and space were absorbed by three of these swords!
"What great skill!"
Mr. Nian laughed with genuine joy, countering the frenzied attacks without slowing down in the slightest. He said, "Dugu Chou, you have enjoyed so many years of admiration from the world, I'm afraid that it's been a tad too much. It doesn't matter if you were ranked first in the world back then. That ranking doesn't even exist today! As a predecessor, it is simply fated that you'll be eliminated by a successor."
"Since you don't know when to excuse yourself, I shall teach you a lesson today!"