Translator: Lordbluefire Editor: Lordbluefire
Since the Lifire Empyrean personally gave the command, Xia Hou naturally immediately complied with it.
Although Xia Hou was extremely unhappy with Di Tian’s rejection and basically had no thoughts of inviting Di Tian despite him being a grandmaster weaponsmith, he had no choice but to do so after the Lifire Empyrean spoke.
This time, Xia Hou didn’t arrive personally. He sent a vice governor to the Emperor Pavilion instead.
Mo Fei knew that Xia Hou sent someone here. Hence, he looked for Di Tian. Di Tian also understood what was going on as he coldly laughed in his heart. The Lifire Empyrean told Xia Hou to recruit him, yet Xia Hou merely sent a vice governor here?
Not long ago, Xia Hou just ruthlessly stabbed a blade into the Emperor Pavilion, treating them, who was a third-tier power, as a first-tier. Now, Xia Hou actually wanted him to personally head to the governor’s manor?
“Tell him I’m not free.”
Di Tian spoke to Mo Fei. However, Mo Fei frowned, “Di Tian, do you want to go and smooth over the relations? After all, the central city regions is considered Xia Hou’s territory.”
“There’s no need to. He wishes to invite me to join the governor’s manor and this is something I won’t agree to. Since I’ve already offended him, and I would have to continue offending him in the future, there’s no need to give him face.” Di Tian replied. As long as they didn’t break the city laws or do anything to antagonize the governor’s manor, even if Xia Hou was the central governor, he could do nothing to them.
Mo Fei fell silent. After that, he nodded, “Alright then.”
He then relayed this to that vice governor. The vice governor had an unsightly expression after he heard that, this was the second time Di Tian rejected them. The first time, Governor Xia Hou came personally yet he was rejected. This time, it was a vice governor who came but he couldn’t even get to meet with Di Tian. As expected, things changed after one becomes a grandmaster. After he got famous, he doesn’t even want to give face to the governor. Truly arrogant enough indeed.
After returning to the governor’s manor, after Xia Hou learned that his subordinate got rejected and couldn’t even meet with Di Tian, he instantly slammed his palm down and broke a table near him. He then stood up, “I want to see how much face he has exactly.”
After speaking, Xia Hou personally headed to the Emperor Pavilion.
The Lifire Empyrean has spoken, he had to accomplish this even if he didn’t want to. Even if he failed at the end, at least he had to try his best. If not, if the Lifire Empyrean knew that he didn’t take this matter seriously, things wouldn’t be too good.
Since Xia Hou personally came and Di Tian didn’t wish to shred all pretence of cordiality completely, he showed up and invited Xia Hou to enter his residence for a chat. He then smiled, “Governor Xia Hou’s presence brings light to my humble abode.”
“Right now, Grandmaster Di Tian’s fame resounds throughout the entire Lifire City and you must be extremely busy. It’s difficult even if one wishes to meet with you.” Xia Hou seemed to be hinting at something.
“I’m really busy. Look at how small my place is? It’s just the start of my business but lord governor truly regards my Emperor Pavilion highly, classifying us as a tier-one power. How can I not work hard?” Di Tian smiled, the two of them clearly had meanings hidden within their words.
Di Tian coldly laughed in his heart. You came here to recruit me, yet you still have such a lofty look on your face? Do you really think I have to give you face? You even stabbed me in the back not long ago, do you really feel that I’ll speak to you humbly?
As expected, Di Tian’s reply caused Xia Hou to frown as unhappiness flickered in his eyes. “There was no choice, you are simply too famous. In any case, I came here today because I have a piece of good news to share.”
“Oh?” Di Tian smiled, he still asked despite clearly understanding, “Lord governor please guide me.”
“During the tribute collection this time around, I recommended you to the Lifire Empyrean. Palace Lord wants you to be my assistant after learning about your existence. You can join my governor’s manor and I will nurture you as a future governor. Such a chance is truly rare to the extreme.” Xia Hou stared at Di Tian as he spoke, the look on his face was that Di Tian ought to be thanking him on bended knees for giving him such a wonderful opportunity.
Di Tian started, staring at Xia Hou with a look of puzzlement. This arrogant governor could actually be so shameless to this extreme? Xia Hou was the one that recommended him to the Lifire Empyrean? The empyrean wanted him to be Xia Hou’s assistant?
All these points were false. It was the Lifire Empyrean who sought interest in him and said that a position equivalent to the five governors would be prepared should Di Tian chose to join. Yet, in Xia Hou’s words, no such things existed.
“What a sinister Xia Hou.” Di Tian silently mused. Was this considered him issuing an invitation on behalf of the Lifire Empyrean? If he doesn’t agree, when Xia Hou reports to the Lifire Empyrean in the future, he would definitely say that Di Tian didn’t know what was good for him, rejecting the kind intentions of the Lifire Empyrean despite him, Xia Hou, personally coming here for the invitation.
Di Tian could easily guess at Xia Hou’s plan but his expressions didn’t change. He smiled, “Di Tian is truly thankful and filled with gratitude for the kind intentions of the Lifire Empyrean. I also must thank Governor Xia Hou for your recommendation. However, it’s true that I’m already used to being free and unrestricted. I only want to create some good results with my Emperor Pavilion. I hope that lord governor won’t blame me for my refusal.”
“Each to his own, this governor naturally won’t force you. I will report back to the Lifire Empyrean about your refusal.” Xia Hou nodded. “Since this is the case, I’ll bid my farewell first.”
“Governor Xia Hou, enjoy the trip back.” Di Tian couldn’t even be bothered to reply politely and directly stood up to send him out.
Xia Hou smiled as he walked out. But after exiting the pavilion, his expression instantly sank as coldness flickered in his eyes. It was an extremely terrifying look. He naturally could feel that Di Tian didn’t want to give him face at all.
Outside the Emperor Pavilion, there were a few passersby who noticed Xia Hou’s expression. But because the Emperor Pavilion has recently been extremely lively, with floods of people entering and leaving, no one would pay extra attention to passersby. Hence, no one noticed Xia Hou.
After returning to the governor’s manor, Xia Hou naturally informed one of his vice governors to inform the Lifire Empyrean. Naturally, the report he sent was modified by him. The report stated that he had emphasized the Lifire Empyrean’s favor and high regards but Di Tian disdained everything.
…
After several days, numerous people came to the governor’s manor to pay their respects to Governor Xia Hou.
The people who came all had extraordinary identities. Xia Hou personally received them.
Within the great hall, Governor Xia Hou sat at the highest position with the three vice governors below him. Under them were many powerful peak-stage immortal emperors who were the guests. Clearly, their statuses were extraordinary.
Grandmaster Yan Feng was among them. Also, Yan Feng was seated below an old man from the Yan Clan. This indicated that Yan Feng’s status in the clan was inferior to this old man.
It turned out that that old man was actually none other than the Yan Clan’s clan leader.
As for the other two groups, their status and influence weren’t inferior to the Yan Clan.
They came from two first-tier powers in the central city regions and were leading characters of their respective clans. In addition, their main businesses were auction houses and transaction grounds as well.
Right now, the Emperor Pavilion has gradually started to threaten their positions.
The territory in the central city regions was like a pie. Each portion was already split and fixed. But the rise of the Emperor Pavilion was like the snatching of their piece of pie that was long already fixed. Because the Emperor Pavilion grew more popular, more and more people would head there to use their transaction grounds and participate in their auctions, resulting in fewer people patronizing their businesses, affecting their revenue.
Hence, all of them grouped together and even brought the Yan Clan along, as they headed to the governor’s manor. After all, the Yan Clan had a grudge with Di Tian. This was something everyone knew about.
These two other powers were the Han Clan and the Wei Clan respectively and were considered ancient aristocrat clans. They had developed in the central city regions of Lifire City for many years or they wouldn’t be able to do auction houses and transaction grounds. Both of their clans actually controlled a huge amount of resources.
Inside the hall, the group of them chatted idly and hadn’t entered the main topic. It was only until the Han and Wei Clan’s clan leaders glanced at the Yan Clan’s clan leader did the Yan Clan’s clan leader speak, “Lord governor, what is your opinion with regards to the Emperor Pavilion?”
Xia Hou smiled and glanced at him, “What do you mean?”
“This Grandmaster Di Tian is way too arrogant. Back then before he was famous, he entered my Yan Clan and killed two of our grandmasters, he simply has no one in his eyes, not even the laws of the governor’s manor. Right now after he became famous, his arrogance became even more extreme, he simply has no regard for anyone.” The Yan Clan’s clan leader coldly spoke, his words clearly pulling the governor’s manor in with him.
However, no one exposed him. The people here were all scheming old foxes.
“That’s right. Lord governor, the Emperor Pavilion started a transaction ground and even began to organize auctions without telling any of us. This means that he completely has no respect for us seniors who were long in this business.”
“Also, didn’t you all see how he humiliated Grandmaster Xuanming? Now, Grandmaster Xuanming doesn’t even dare to show his face in public.”
The group of them continued speaking, with an expression of righteous indignation like they were angry at injustice.
“This Di Tian is truly capable though. Anyway, let’s have a drink while we chat.” Governor Xia Hou laughed. The people here all silently cursed him for being a wily old fox, his words were as good as not saying anything.
They had all received information that Governor Xia Hou recently left the Emperor Pavilion with an ugly expression on his face. Today, they came here for a visit because they wanted Xia Hou to promise them that the governor’s manor wouldn’t act when they joined forces to deal with the Emperor Pavilion. It would be good if the governor’s manor can close one eye. Naturally, such words need not be directly spoken, it was fine enough as long as everyone understood this in their hearts. A hint would usually be sufficient.
However, Xia Hou didn’t make any mention of it at all, he also didn’t express any attitude. No matter what they said, he merely smiled and drank his wine.
“Lord governor, recently there’s some fun-to-play with treasures that appeared in my auction house. They are interesting but lacks any value, please take them as my gifts to you.” The Han Clan Leader took out an interspatial ring and passed it over to Xia Hou. When Xia Hou’s immortal sense entered the ring, he understood clearly what they wanted. He laughed loudly, “Truly there are some interesting treasures within.”
The vice governors who were at the side all cursed silently in their hearts at how Xia Hou was continuing with his act. However, they naturally wouldn’t say anything. Such incidents happened very frequently. Even if the Lifire Empyrean knew about it, he wouldn’t say anything. The other two clans also presented their gifts as Governor Xia Hou accepted them all.
The banquet continued proceeding in a very lively manner and after it ended, Xia Hou commanded his vice governors to send these important guests out.
The clan leaders and their subordinates nodded, but they couldn’t help but to feel some unhappiness. They already paid a visit personally and even gifted so many treasures but they received no concrete reply.
“Everyone, do you know that recently, the Lifire Empyrean is quite unhappy? This Di Tian is truly capable, even rejecting Governor Xia Hou when he headed there personally to invite him. The Empyrean personally said that he wanted to recruit Grandmaster Di, yet Grandmaster Di didn’t even have him in his eyes. Tell me, since Grandmaster Di even dares to reject the Lifire Empyrean, how could he give you guys any face?” A vice governor had a smile filled with meaning on his face as he sent them off.
The eyes of the clan leaders here flashed with sharpness. Rejected the Lifire Empyrean and the Lifire Empyrean was very unhappy?
“Oh, I see. This Grandmaster Di Tian is truly capable indeed.” A crafty smile appeared on the Han Clan Leader’s face.
“I understand. No wonder.” The Wei Clan Leader also laughed. All of them exchanged mutual glances and left here satisfied, obtaining the answer they wanted.
Just this sentence was enough for them!
