Chapter 1166: As Expected
In a short while, Yang Haoran and Ding Tianhua appeared in a secluded corner of the village. Throughout the entire process, neither of them emitted the slightest power fluctuation nor released any aura, entering the village without anyone being the wiser.
The entire village was eerily quiet, utterly devoid of sound. Not even the chirping of birds or insects could be heard, as if it were a land of death.
"Emissary," Ding Tianhua said in a hushed voice to Yang Haoran, speaking from a secluded corner. "Wait here. I'll go scout ahead, and if I find anything, I'll notify you immediately."
After speaking, without even waiting for Yang Haoran's reply, he immediately slipped stealthily towards a dilapidated house ahead.
Yang Haoran watched Ding Tianhua's departing back, saying nothing, allowing him to leave.
A moment later, Ding Tianhua, like a thief, furtively entered the ruined house. Not long after, he cautiously emerged, his gaze scanning towards Yang Haoran's position.
Seeing Yang Haoran still standing rooted to the spot, Ding Tianhua's expression remained unchanged. He merely shook his head slightly at Yang Haoran, indicating he had found nothing, then immediately moved towards the next dilapidated house.
A moment later, Ding Tianhua emerged from another ruined house. By now, he was quite far from Yang Haoran, and due to the overgrown weeds and lush vegetation, they could only barely make each other out.
From the moment Ding Tianhua left until he completely vanished from his sight, Yang Haoran hadn't moved a single step, nor had his expression changed in the slightest.
Watching Ding Tianhua's figure completely disappear from his view, Yang Haoran calmly averted his gaze and unhurriedly lit a cigarette for himself.
Logically, in this situation, to avoid revealing himself, Yang Haoran absolutely shouldn't have made any sound, let alone smoked. Such an action was somewhat over the top.
Of course, Yang Haoran understood this principle. The reason he still chose to act this way naturally had its own considerations.
The cigarette slowly burned, and Yang Haoran smoked leisurely, like a tourist admiring the scenery, completely unlike someone who had come here to execute a secret mission or to kill.
Half a cigarette was quickly consumed. The dilapidated village remained as silent as before, devoid of any sound, and Yang Haoran hadn't sensed the slightest power fluctuation.
The cigarette burned down to its end, yet nothing had changed. Ding Tianhua, who had gone to scout for information, hadn't returned, nor had there been even the slightest signal. It was as if he had suddenly vanished into thin air.
Yang Haoran took one last drag from the cigarette in his hand, then flicked the butt away. He, who had remained perfectly still until now, finally began to move. With his hands casually in his pockets, he strolled leisurely, step by step, towards the direction where Ding Tianhua had just disappeared.
As he walked, Yang Haoran passed by the houses Ding Tianhua had just inspected, but unlike Ding Tianhua, he didn't enter them, choosing instead to ignore them entirely.
He chose to ignore them not because he had great confidence in Ding Tianhua, believing that houses inspected by Ding Tianhua no longer needed re-inspection, but because he had absolute confidence in himself.
The village wasn't large. With Yang Haoran's unhurried pace, he soon arrived at its very center.
Here stood a three-story building, quite spacious in its footprint. Although it too had fallen into disrepair, with signs of struggle in some places, it was still evident that this three-story building had once been quite magnificent. At least for this small village, this three-story building was undeniably the pinnacle of architecture; no other house could compare to it.
Yang Haoran glanced at the dilapidated three-story building, then chuckled to himself.
"Heh, what a pity."
His lament, seemingly for the three-story building, was actually only known to him to be for something else entirely.
After speaking, he pulled out another cigarette and lit it for himself. After a deep drag, he exhaled a heavy cloud of smoke, as if to expel all the pent-up frustration from his heart with it.
"Emissary Ding," Yang Haoran said with a faint smile after exhaling the smoke. "Come out. No need to keep observing from the shadows. There's nothing left to observe."
Although his voice wasn't loud, it was clear from his words that he wasn't talking to himself, but rather addressing Ding Tianhua, who had gone to scout but hadn't returned or sent any news.
His words sounded polite, devoid of any dissatisfaction or anger, but the three characters "Emissary Ding" were a powerful sarcasm directed at Ding Tianhua. After all, Yang Haoran was a Guardian, while Ding Tianhua was merely an Emissary of Death, and his subordinate at that. For Yang Haoran to address Ding Tianhua as "Emissary" was more than just politeness; it was outright mockery.
As Yang Haoran's words fell, the ground throughout the village suddenly trembled violently. Immediately after, several blood-red pillars of light shot up into the sky from all directions of the village. These blood-red pillars swiftly connected to one another with lightning speed, forming a grand array.
The array was quite large, encompassing the entire village. The moment the array formed, a forbidden enchantment barrier also appeared, enveloping the entire village.
Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged. There was no surprise or unexpectedness on his face, nor any trace of fear. Only that serene smile remained. Judging by his reaction, he seemed to have anticipated this, or something similar, long ago.
He looked up at the sky. Besides the blood-red forbidden enchantment barrier, he could also see various runes flickering within it. These runes were clearly there to empower the array.
Directly above his head, an enormous, visible array was slowly turning, and a thick, rank smell of blood permeated the inside of this forbidden enchantment barrier.
Although he didn't know the name of this array, with Yang Haoran's current experience, he could tell at a glance that it wasn't something casually set up. Instead, it was a powerful array meticulously constructed using a complete set of Formation Flags and an Array Disk, and this particular set of Formation Flags originated from the hands of a Demon Cult master.
Furthermore, he could discern that this array was not a defensive one, but an offensive type.
However, if one were outside the forbidden enchantment barrier at this moment, the scene visible to the naked eye would be entirely different: no blood-red forbidden enchantment barrier, no array slowly turning overhead. There would only be a dilapidated and silent village, an ordinary village that couldn't be more ordinary.
In the current New Beginning Realm, there were countless such dilapidated villages, and no one would pay any attention to one as unremarkable as this.
Yang Haoran was inside the forbidden enchantment barrier, with the slowly turning array directly above him. In such an environment, he still didn't bat an eyelid, showing not the slightest trace of panic.
"Heh, Emissary Yang, what impressive composure! Your unflappability truly earns Ding's admiration. I just wonder if it's an act, or if you're truly not afraid in the slightest."
A mocking voice drifted down from the top of the three-story building. Yang Haoran looked up towards the sound, just in time to see a figure step towards the edge of the rooftop, finally stopping there.
This person, with one hand behind his back and the other holding a blood-red Array Disk, wore the distinctive Death God attire of an Underworld Office Emissary of Death. A brilliant smile bloomed on his face, and the breeze ruffled the hems of his robes, giving him the aura of a masterful expert.
This person was none other than Ding Tianhua, who had vanished after going to scout for information.
Ding Tianhua looked down at Yang Haoran below him. The smile on his face held no deference, no awkwardness of a subordinate facing a superior; only mockery. His eyes, fixed on Yang Haoran, were filled with disdain.
"Heh, whether I'm faking it or not, you'll find out soon enough. If I tell you now that I'm not pretending, would you believe me? " Yang Haoran asked with a smile.
As he spoke, a not-so-intense power fluctuation emanated from his body, and he slowly ascended into the air. When his voice faded, his body stopped rising, hovering steadily in the sky, perfectly level with Ding Tianhua.
"Oh, Emissary Yang, quite particular, aren't we? Even in this situation, you still want to be on equal footing with me, not letting me gain the slightest advantage."
Seeing Yang Haoran on the same level as himself, Ding Tianhua couldn't help but mock. Yang Haoran's expression remained unchanged as he replied with a faint smile.
"Heh, you don't have the qualifications to stand above me, looking down. I'm worried you wouldn't be able to bear it. My choosing to be on the same level as you is already giving you an advantage, actually."
Ding Tianhua, who had been smiling, heard Yang Haoran's words, and his smile instantly froze. His expression immediately turned grim.
"Hmph, Yang Haoran, you don't need to put on an act in front of me! When this old man was an Emissary of Death in Tongyou City, you brat weren't even born yet! What right do you have to piss all over my head?"
Hearing this, Yang Haoran didn't immediately reply to Ding Tianhua. Instead, he took a drag from his cigarette, then slowly exhaled the smoke in Ding Tianhua's direction. To anyone watching, this was naked provocation.
"Heh, I have the right to piss all over your head precisely because I am a Guardian. I am the Guardian of Jingling Continent's Ninth District of the Underworld Office, while you are merely one of the thousands of Emissaries of Death under me. Forget pissing all over your head, what if I even made you drink it? " Yang Haoran retorted with a laugh.
Yang Haoran's laughing retort twisted Ding Tianhua's facial features in rage, for what Ding Tianhua cared about most was the current disparity in status between himself and Yang Haoran.
In truth, Ding Tianhua's accusation that Yang Haoran had pissed all over his head was completely baseless; Yang Haoran had never done such a thing. This trip to Tongyou City to provide support was Yang Haoran's first real interaction with Ding Tianhua. Although Ding Tianhua had participated in the competition that day, he had been eliminated early, having no meaningful encounter with Yang Haoran. Hence, this current visit to Tongyou City truly marked their first contact.
Yet, their very first contact had Yang Haoran saving Ding Tianhua's life, even knowing that Ding Tianhua and Huo Laoban were friends. After resolving the crisis in Tongyou City, Yang Haoran had also handed over most of the resources salvaged from the battlefield to Ding Tianhua, the Emissary of Death, ensuring he had enough resources to rebuild the Tongyou City Underworld Office.
So, truthfully, Yang Haoran hadn't pissed all over Ding Tianhua's head; on the contrary, he had saved Ding Tianhua's life and, at the same time, considered his problems.
But Ding Tianhua didn't see it that way. He felt that Yang Haoran's actions were precisely equivalent to pissing all over his head. Though it was inexplicable, Yang Haoran had no intention of explaining himself to him.
In Yang Haoran's view, Ding Tianhua was an ungrateful wretch who had even resorted to scheming against him, intent on eliminating him. Yang Haoran was in no mood to offer any more explanations to Ding Tianhua, so he simply retorted, and did so with extreme insult.
From Ding Tianhua's current expression, it was clear that Yang Haoran's retort had hit him hard. However, this time, he wasn't just here to kill Yang Haoran; he also wanted to thoroughly vent the anger and frustration festering in his heart through words. Naturally, he wouldn't give up just because Yang Haoran's words had made him uncomfortable.
"Yang Haoran, you may indeed be a Guardian now, but that's only because your luck is better than mine! If I had your good fortune, then the Guardian of this Ninth District wouldn't be you, Yang Haoran, but me, Ding Tianhua! With my strength and seniority, I should have become a Guardian long ago. How could it be your turn, a junior who's still wet behind the ears?"
Facing the furious Ding Tianhua, Yang Haoran smiled faintly and then spoke.
"Heh, whether I, Yang Haoran, attained the position of Guardian through luck or through strength, is not for you to decide. And even if it was by luck, so what? I still ultimately occupy this position, and you don't."
At this point, Yang Haoran paused slightly, then continued speaking with a smile.
"Some people, from beginning to end, are always looking for their own problems, then resolving them step by step to move towards success. But some dogs never examine themselves; they believe they've already done well enough, with no flaws to find. All they'll find are endless excuses, excuses to deceive themselves. Which one do you think you are, the former or the latter?"
Ding Tianhua's already ugly expression grew even more grotesque after Yang Haoran's retort, almost twisting together, because Yang Haoran's words had directly struck deep into his heart.
"That's a rhetorical question! Of course, this old man belongs to the former! You're the dog that belongs to the latter, because I've not only found the problem, but I'm going to deal with it today, and that problem is you! As long as I eliminate you, then the Guardian of our Jingling Continent's Ninth District of the Underworld Office will definitely be me, Ding Tianhua! " Ding Tianhua roared in anger.
Ding Tianhua spoke furiously, looking as if he wished to flay Yang Haoran alive right then and there. In contrast, Yang Haoran remained as calm as he had been from the start, completely unfazed by Ding Tianhua's ferocious expression. Far from being intimidated, he even found Ding Tianhua's current face amusing, even entertaining.
"Heh, you know what? Your current state is like a stray mad dog barking wildly at its own savior. I originally held a sliver of hope for you, hoping you weren't foolish beyond redemption, that you might abandon the darkness and embrace the light under my guidance, choosing a faction more suitable for you. But now it seems I overestimated your intelligence; your pig brain has long since been gnawed clean by dogs. " Yang Haoran said calmly.
Yang Haoran's calm words, however, struck Ding Tianhua as incredibly sharp and grating, making him feel as if his lungs were about to explode from sheer rage.
He had intended to make Yang Haoran realize how dangerous his current situation was, but Yang Haoran ignored his predicament, and he couldn't even discern the slightest worry on Yang Haoran's face.
He had also hoped to provoke Yang Haoran with a verbal assault, to thoroughly enrage him and throw him off balance, thus making it easier to strike. But after this exchange, not only had Yang Haoran not been enraged, Ding Tianhua himself had been provoked by Yang Haoran's successive retorts. Not only was he thrown off balance, but his lungs felt like they were about to explode from the sheer frustration of Yang Haoran's continuous comebacks.
Overwhelmed by anger, he even thought of using his aura to suppress Yang Haoran. But what utterly frustrated him was that his aura had no effect whatsoever on Yang Haoran. Instead, Yang Haoran's calm demeanor subtly sparked an ominous premonition in his heart.
Just as Ding Tianhua was on the verge of going mad from Yang Haoran's constant retorts, he suddenly felt a burning sensation in his chest, accompanied by a sharp sting. Affected by the pain, he instinctively reached into his chest and quickly pulled out an object.
It was a Death God Pendant. At this moment, the Death God Pendant was emitting a dense Yin Qi and trembling violently in Ding Tianhua's palm, as if trying to warn him of something.
Seeing the Death God Pendant in his hand, the fury in Ding Tianhua's heart instantly diminished by more than half. His mind, previously clouded by rage, regained its clarity at that very moment, and the savage expression on his face returned to normal.
Yang Haoran watched this scene unfold. His eyebrow involuntarily twitched slightly, and his gaze locked onto the Death God Pendant in Ding Tianhua's hand.
As an Underworld Official himself, Yang Haoran could tell at a glance that this Death God Pendant was the product of being imbued with a massive amount of Spirit Power. Otherwise, it couldn't possibly emit such dense Yin Qi, nor could it forcibly pull Ding Tianhua back from the brink of furious madness. From this alone, one could see the Death God Pendant's extraordinary nature.
Just as he wished to observe the Death God Pendant more closely, Ding Tianhua immediately put it away again, placing it close to his chest.
"Heh, Yang Haoran, I must admit your methods are indeed effective. I almost fell into your trap. Thankfully, I had this Death God Pendant to protect me, waking me up at the crucial moment, otherwise, I really would have been led by the nose today. However, there's one thing I'm quite curious about: when did you realize that all of this today was actually a conspiracy, and how did you discover that it was all related to me?"
The now sober Ding Tianhua no longer wore a savage expression; it was replaced by a cold sneer. To his questions, Yang Haoran responded with just a single, short sentence.
"Heh, I figured it out the moment you proactively came looking for me. Your acting skills are simply abysmal, just like your character—the kind that can't be salvaged, no matter how hard one tries."
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