Chapter 618: A Gentleman Would Rather Be Killed Than Be Humiliated
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Who did not know that King Xiaoyao's influence dominated the imperial court and was the emperor's most trusted and highly regarded individual? As for Yun Yang, he was King Xiaoyao's only son.
As long as Yun Yang supported him, he would obtain King Xiaoyao's favor. Then, as long as King Xiaoyao spoke for him in front of his father, the title of crown prince title would no longer be an impossible wish!
A sliver of icy, murderous, intent flashed through Yun Yang's gaze as he looked at the two people behind the third prince; he spoke faintly, "Of course I can meet Your Highness, but it's not necessary for us to drink together."
The third prince was astounded. Being a royal prince and coming in a humble manner, he was shocked that Yun Yang was not even letting him have a goblet of wine.
Yun Yang spoke with a mirthless grin, "Firstly, this wine of mine is incredibly expensive. Your Highness might not be able to afford it. Secondly, I only drink with my friends. Your Highness, unfortunately, is not my friend. You have never been, nor will you ever be."
The words were excruciatingly grating.
The third prince's expression turned ugly instantly. The two people behind him grew angry as well, as they cried out sternly, "Yun Yang! How dare you! How dare you be brusque to His Highness?"
The third prince waved his arm to stop the two men before he replied coldly, "Is that so? Young Master Yun's wine is such a rare treat? Despite our lack of acquaintance and inability to call each other friends, still, I wonder what wine is it in the Empire of Yutang that Young Master Yun can afford to drink, but I can't?"
The question was a trick question, one with malicious intent to trap Yun Yang with his words.
There was a saying about the earth in this world belonging to the emperor while the ones living on the land being the emperor's people. The Empire of Yutang belonged to the Yutang royalty; furthermore, Yutang had broken the four-nation siege and was gaining fame from it. If Yun Yang were to answer carelessly and was blasphemous, he could never escape from being accused of lese-majesty!
Yun Yang rolled his eyes and answered with a chuckle, "Your Highness, there are plenty of good things in this world but so many of them are things that you've never seen before and even more of them are things that you won't be able to possess in this lifetime – truly marvelous things."
"Yun Yang, what do you mean? Don't beat around the bush!" The third prince sucked in a deep breath and glared at Yun Yang.
Yun Yang replied faintly, "Take, for example, this wine of mine… You really can't afford to drink it nor can you own it. Nonetheless, although you can't drink this wine, you have a huge plus point."
"Oh? I actually still have a plus point in Young Master Yun's eyes?" the third prince sneered.
Yun Yang nodded seriously and said with a grin, "Everyone will be someone, and that includes Your Highness. Your Highness is indeed excellent in rearing dogs. I admit defeat, I won't be able to compare to you in this lifetime."
"Rear dogs?" The third prince snorted and said with a squint, "What are you trying to say?"
The two people behind him were flustered, their eyes filled with malice.
Yun Yang stood up slowly and looked at the two people behind the third prince. "Was I not clear enough? Don't you see the two brazenly mad dogs behind you, Your Highness? They may not be the best, but it's a rare skill to be able to rear dogs to become so brazen."
Yun Yang had not bothered with them when these two people had stood up to condemn him; only now did he pounce on both of the men. They were the planner and executor of the third prince's so-called charity plan. Even the local thugs and robbers had all acted on their instructions.
A mastermind and an executer – these two people were the culprits!
The main aim of Yun Yang coming to the Redolent Inn was to settle the case with these two people; meeting the third prince was only a secondary objective. Not only did he want to kill them, he wanted to kill them right in front of the prince!
This was Yun Yang's resolve that he would uphold without bending.
A pale-faced, middle-aged man between the two was already shaking in anger as he spat through gritted teeth, "Yun Yang, do you think you can harass people like this just because you're King Yun's heir? Justice is not something that power can influence!"
Yun Yang smiled faintly but ignored him. He continued from where he had left off earlier and spoke to the third prince, looking intently at him, "Your Highness, do you know what kind of dog will be so brazen as to madly bark and scratch everything around it without waiting for its master to say a thing?"
The veins on the third prince's forehead pulsated, his eyes reddened.
He had never thought that Yun Yang would actually be this unpredictable despite his magnanimous arrival and expression of friendliness. This was also after his men had been bullied! He had been big enough to make this acquaintance and willing to wipe away the resentment. Not only did Yun Yang deny him any semblance of respect, he had criticized him outrageously!
It was a blatant, direct slap across his face, one strike after another! It was merciless, without any room for negotiation.
"Without a doubt, only rabid dogs have the cheek to bark all the time," Yun Yang said seriously, "Only rabid dogs can bite anyone and everyone – even when they face the tiger, they'll go forth and bark because they are insolent."
"Still, the risk is too high to rear such rabid dogs. Their bite will kill their own master at any time."
Yun Yang ignored the incredibly humiliated and resentful faces of the men. His eyes were only trained on the third prince as he softly and gently said, "Such rabid dogs should be put down; the sooner the better. Your Highness, I am only thinking in your best interests. Honest advice is unpleasant to the ears, but it is practical and beneficial."
Behind the third prince, the burly man's eyes were gleaming with a thirst for blood as he huffed and roared, "Yun Yang! A gentleman would rather be killed than to be humiliated! You…"
Yun Yang turned his head and replied chillingly, "A gentleman would rather be killed? Truly?"
The man felt a tidal wave of malice surge towards him and for a moment, he held his breath. An extreme sense of fear filled him. He could not help taking a step back as dread washed over him. His unspoken words halted then and there.
"Pow!"
Yun Yang took a step forward, the footstep sounding like a hammer that smashed right onto their hearts. He spoke faintly, "So, a gentleman would rather be killed. Not bad, not bad at all."
Suddenly, an arm stretched out like a strike of lightning and seized the burly man's neck. "No wonder you dare to bark in front of me. So you have a heaven realm cultivation base. Very well, very well. Impressive!"
His arm retracted and he pulled the person towards him, choking him in the process. Yun Yang spoke gently, "This is what you said yourself… A gentleman would rather be killed. I am only respecting your wish. I won't humiliate you, I'll just kill you instead."
Before his words echoed in the air, there was a soft clap. The burly man's head disappeared after Yun Yang's palm passed across it. There was only a headless corpse left behind.
Yun Yang's palm strike had slapped the man's head right into his chest. The soft crack was the noise of his spine shattering.
The headless body staggered momentarily before it fell to the floor with a thud. There was not a single drop of blood. Fear engulfed the pale-faced middle-aged man's eyes and he turned to leave right away.
Yun Yang chuckled and said, "He said that a gentleman would rather be killed. Both of you came together, how can one leave alone?"
He then leveled a kick at the fleeing man. There were ten feet of distance between them, yet the kick landed solidly on the man's back. The man cried out, springing up on the spot as if possessed before he collapsed on the floor lifelessly, no longer breathing.
The third prince choked in fear.
His eyes bulged as he glanced first at Yun Yang and then at the two corpses. He raised his head again to look at Yun Yang, his gaze filled with disbelief. Finally, a sliver of fear shone in his eyes. His face paled as he began to tremble, speaking in a quivering voice, "Yun… Yun Yang… y-you… how… dare you… how dare you kill someone in public?"
Yun Yang asked pleasantly, "Your Highness, do you know why I wanted to kill them?"
The third prince spoke through clenched jaws, "How reckless and presumptuous you are! Blasphemous! You… Just you wait!"
Yun Yang smiled faintly. "Alright, alright, I'll wait. Go back to the palace and make your complaints. I believe Your Highness will then find out why I killed them…"
He raised his head to look at the third prince. Extending his arm, he tapped his shoulder and said softly, "You're still young some things…"
Yun Yang's hand stopped in midair. He saw clearly that there was a rapidly expanding pool of water under the third prince's feet. At the same time, there was a foul, noisome smell that drifted in the air.
The third prince had thought that Yun Yang was going to kill him when he extended his arm and had been frightened to the point of wetting his pants!