UGB Chapter 33: On the Verge of Eruption
Chapter 33: On the Verge of Eruption
Silence returned to the room.
Only Xue Bufeng remained, sitting quietly in the chair, facing the empty window and the boundless night outside.
The moonlight still shone coldly in, spilling onto the ground.
His gaze then followed the downward movement.
He mused.
"Wanmatang..."
"Come tonight..."
Xue Bufeng was of course unaware that Wanmatang would come, and even less aware that Ma Kongqun actually had spies planted in Shendaotang, and that he had the audacity to launch a final counterattack.
But he had to act as if he knew everything in front of Lin Xian'er.
It wasn't just because he wanted to completely control Lin Xian'er and use her for his own purposes; it was also because he clearly understood that no matter what the situation, no matter how good the relationship between a man and a woman is, he should never show weakness in front of her.
No matter what your relationship with a woman is like, no matter how gentle and understanding she appears on the surface, when she sees a man showing weakness, she will only feel that he is weak and vulnerable.
Suddenly, Yuanyuan's cautious, frightened voice came from outside the door:
"Master...outside...Master Bai is here."
Bai Tianyu?
Xue Bufeng's eyes flickered slightly.
Bai Tianyu should have been drunk.
He knew Bai Tianyu was drunk, Ma Kongqun also knew Bai Tianyu was drunk, and even Lin Xian'er thought Bai Tianyu was drunk.
But now Bai Tianyu wasn't drunk; instead, she came to see him.
It seems that in tonight's drunken revelry, only Li Xunhuan was truly drunk.
No, perhaps Li Xunhuan wasn't drunk either.
Everyone seemed drunk, but actually no one was.
interesting.
He got up, pushed open the door, and went out.
The moonlight in the courtyard was like water.
Bai Tianyu stood with his hands behind his back under the shadow of the poplar forest, his posture as upright as a javelin, his cloak motionless in the night wind.
His eyes shone brightly, sharp as knives, showing no trace of the drunkenness he had displayed at the banquet.
He saw Xue Bufu and smiled:
"Brother Li has already left."
"good."
Xue Bufeng walked up to him.
"He has always been an eccentric, coming and going like the wind, uncontrollable and unstoppable by anyone. If anyone can catch the wind, I'll have to admire her."
Bai Tianyu nodded, his gaze sweeping over Xue Bufeng's face:
"I just came to see if Brother Xue was completely drunk, but it seems that you are not drunk at all, but rather quite sober."
Xue Bufeng also smiled:
"Brother Bai, that's an interesting thing to say."
"I wasn't drunk at all during the meal, so how could I be completely drunk? On the contrary, Brother Bai was clearly quite drunk before, but now he's very sober. Could it be that he's pretending to be drunk because he's afraid Brother Li will force him to drink more?"
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter at the same time.
The laughter subsided, and Bai Tianyu's expression turned serious as he gazed at the faintly flickering lights in the direction of the main hall of the Divine Blade Hall in the distance. His voice carried a metallic clang:
"Tonight may not be peaceful. Brother Xue is an honored guest. No matter what noise you hear, just stay inside and don't come out, lest you bring bad luck."
Xue Bufeng followed his gaze:
"Not peaceful? It's the Wanma Hall... and those other aristocratic families from the border town who don't like the Divine Blade Hall are coming to visit? Since they're all guests, why don't I go and meet them?"
Bai Tianyu suddenly turned his head, and for the first time, surprise appeared in his eyes.
He thought he had done this discreetly. Only a handful of people in the Divine Blade Hall knew the complete plan from the beginning. How did Xue Bufeng find out?
How did you know?
He stared at Xue Bufu, his tone grave.
Xue Bufeng met his gaze with a lazy smile:
"Of course, someone told me, and it's a very beautiful woman. Do you want to know who she is?"
Bai Tianyu remained silent for a moment, his surprise and doubt fading, and he no longer concealed anything, speaking frankly:
"Actually, I knew all along that Wanmatang had planted spies around me. Tonight's banquet, with everyone drunk... was just a show put on for those spies to see."
He paused, his voice revealing a chilling killing intent and an absolute confidence in his control:
"I know that many people have submitted to the Divine Blade Hall, but they are not truly convinced of its loyalty. That's why I came up with this plan after the incident at the Ten Thousand Horses Hall today. I deliberately got drunk and jubilant at the banquet, letting them know that the Divine Blade Hall's defenses were lax tonight, thus luring them to their deaths!"
"Oh?"
Xue Bufeng said, "Do you intend to wipe out Wanmatang along with all those opportunists in one fell swoop?"
Bai Tianyu shook his head, his eyes gleaming:
"Kill them all? Border Town is so big, can my Divine Blade Hall really kill them all with just this few people? If we kill them all, who will do the work?"
He walked a few steps with his hands behind his back:
"What I want is to kill them until they are terrified! To kill them until they are terrified! To kill them until they understand that opposing me, Bai Tianyu, will only lead to their death! But if they are willing to bow down and submit to me, and be used by me... they will still have a bowl of rice to eat in the border town."
Bai Tianyu may seem unrestrained and wild, but he is actually quite meticulous despite his rough exterior; he is not simply arrogant.
Xue Bufeng said, "Since that's the case...why don't I join in the fun?"
Bai Tianyu was taken aback, then decisively waved his hand:
"Brother Xue is a guest; how can we trouble you to intervene in the feuds between the Divine Blade Hall and other aristocratic families?"
Xue Bufu laughed:
"Don't forget that I killed Ma Kongyun. Ma Kongqun probably hates me more than he hates you. Some things must be nipped in the bud. I don't like to leave trouble behind."
"Besides, leaving someone like Ma Kongqun to Brother Bai will only bring trouble and absolutely no benefit, won't it?"
Bai Tianyu gave him a deep look, then said nothing more:
"Alright, since that's the case, let's fight side by side, brothers."
The two moved swiftly, like two wisps of smoke, towards the main hall of the Divine Blade Hall.
The main hall was brightly lit, yet completely silent.
More than 500 disciples of the Divine Blade Hall, dressed in black and with long swords at their waists, stood in orderly rows inside the hall and in the square outside, like statues cast from black iron.
They were all given the order on short notice, without receiving any prior warning.
But at this moment, everyone's face was solemn, their eyes sharp, their hands on the hilts of their swords, and an extremely suppressed and murderous aura permeated every inch of the air.
There was no whispering, no unnecessary movements, only heavy, suppressed breathing and the crackling of burning torches.
As Bai Tianyu and Xue Bufeng stepped into the hall, all eyes instantly turned to them, filled with absolute awe and anticipation.
Bai Tianyu strode to the high platform in front of the hall, his cloak billowing as he swept his gaze across the dark mass of people below.
His voice wasn't loud, but it entered everyone's ears clearly and coldly, carrying an unquestionable authority:
"Now, Wanmatang and seventeen other families, with a force of about three thousand men, are attacking from four directions."
He paused, and the disciples below glared at him even more fiercely, but none of them stirred.
"The Liu and Zhao families are leading a group of about six hundred men on the east side, attacking our horse farm and warehouse to the east! Huo Fang!"
"exist!"
A tall, thin man emerged from the crowd like a ghost, bowing to receive orders.
"Take your men and, together with the existing guards of the horse farm, hold the position. Let half of them pass through, then attack from both sides. Kill the leader first, and break their morale."
"yes!"
Huo Fang accepted the order and mustered his men, who stood to one side like bats in the night.