Ao Mingyu was about to let loose a torrent of abuse at An Lin. He opened his mouth, but he didn’t have the courage to say anything in the end. If he really did hurl abuse at An Lin now, there was a very real chance that he would be slain.
His second brother had already died, and he couldn’t afford to let his father lose another son!
An Lin’s sword intent erupted from his body. The space around him was unable to bear his devastating sword might, and a series of inky-black spatial cracks began to appear around him.
Ao Meng could only look on as An Lin made his way toward him. He had been completely debilitated by the Large Water Ball and could not put up any resistance.
Among the three most powerful Dragon Court cultivators present, one had been severely wounded, another had been completely debilitated, and the last one was simply too weak. If An Lin really did want to kill them, then none of them could get away.
Would An Lin choose to concede or back down in fear of the Dragon Court?
The Ao Meng in the past would’ve felt that An Lin would do something like that.
However… he was completely undecided now. What if An Lin were some insane killing machine?!
Killing all of the Dragon Court cultivators present might result in severe repercussions, but what if An Lin was a nutjob who simply didn’t care?
He only had one life!
It wouldn’t matter to him what repercussions would befall An Lin!
Everything would be gone if he were to die now! He still hadn’t led the Dragon Court to its former glory, so how could he just die like this?
Ao Meng refused to let that happen.
He finally conceded as An Lin drew closer and closer. “Mr. An Lin, my Dragon Court is at fault for trying to rob your spirit stone mine, but Xiao Ze truly has gone too far! He killed my son! Since both sides have done some regrettable things, why don’t we each take a step back and let bygones be bygones?”
An Lin’s footsteps faltered, and his killing intent slowly disappeared.
All of the Dragon Tribe cultivators stared at Ao Meng with incredulity.
What Ao Meng said earlier was essentially a humiliating concession.
All of the Dragon Tribe cultivators stood rooted to the spot, unable to come to terms with what they had just witnessed.
“How could we just let bygones be bygones? What about the death of our second prince?”
“When has the Dragon Court ever been trampled on like this?”
“Please reconsider, Dragon King!”
Ao Meng’s face convulsed upon hearing this. Reconsider my a*s!
If he didn’t concede, everyone would die here! He didn’t know why, but he had a distinct feeling that this man was very much capable of delivering on his threats!
Where there’s life, there’s hope.
The most important thing was to ensure everyone’s survival. He could plot his revenge against the Four Nine Immortal Sect after that!
“I have made a decision, and it’s final. Our Dragon Court has wronged the Four Nine Immortal Sect. Sect Leader An Lin, are you happy with my decision?” Ao Meng forced a smile onto his face as he turned toward the seemingly harmless young man before him.
Just as everyone thought that An Lin would agree, he shook his head.
“Dragon King Ao Meng, I did not want to see things develop to this current situation. Seeing as you have suggested that we all take a step backward and let bygones be bygones, I hope you can all swear dao heart vows that you won’t actively attempt to harm any members of the Four Nine Immortal Sect from now on,” An Lin said.
Everyone was dumbfounded upon hearing this. He wanted the Dragon King to swear a dao heart vow?
“Roar! An Lin, don’t think you can just make me do whatever you want!” Ao Meng let loose an enraged roar; just the soundwaves alone erupted as gale-force winds that exploded forth in a radius of close to ten kilometers.
“You’re going to refuse? I don’t have any intentions of letting potential enemies go. Perhaps I should finish the job here!” An Lin pulled out his Evil-Slaying Sword as he spoke.
“I agree! I agree!” Ao Meng’s teeth were chattering from rage.
When had he ever tasted such humiliation? He was the high and mighty Dragon King of the Dragon Court, and he had only ever delivered judgment upon others. When had he ever been judged by others like this?
Ao Meng felt like he was having a nightmare!
However, since everything was for the sake of the Dragon Court, he had to endure it!
Ao Meng immediately swore a dao heart vow to never actively seek to inflict harm upon the Four Nine Immortal Sect again.
All of the other Dragon Tribe cultivators also followed suit. Their top dog had already sworn a vow, so what choice did they have?
However, the most powerful being within the Dragon Court, Ao Qingyu, refused to bow his head.
He turned to look at An Lin with an unyielding expression. With arrogance and stubbornness glowing from his eyes, he snarled, “Kill me! Even if I die the most gruesome death, I refuse to bow my head to you!”
An Lin was a little surprised as he turned to meet Ao Qingyu’s gaze. He didn’t think that Ao Qingyu would be such a tough nut to crack.
“You better not let me escape, or I’ll find you again and take revenge on you for my second brother!” Ao Qingyu threatened in a frosty voice.
“I agree.” An Lin nodded. He felt like Ao Qingyu’s words were quite valid.
He pulled out his sword again and slowly made his way toward Ao Qingyu this time.
Ao Qingyu: “…”
“An Lin, what do you intend to do to my fifth brother? You can’t handle the consequences of crossing our Dragon Tribe!” Ao Mingyu immediately positioned himself in front of Ao Qingyu before letting loose an enraged cry.
“Piss off!” An Lin instantly charged toward Ao Mingyu and kicked him flying.
Ao Mingyu let loose an anguished wail as his body flew through the air.
Never would he have thought that An Lin would be powerful enough to knock him away with a single, nonchalant kick.
The inky-black blade of the Evil-Slaying Sword settled on Ao Qingyu’s neck in the next instant. The thought only needed to flash across An Lin’s mind for Ao Qingyu’s life to be forfeited.
“You only need to say ‘kill me’ again, and I’ll immediately grant your wish,” An Lin said with a frosty expression as he gripped onto his Evil-Slaying Sword.
Ao Mingyu, who had been kicked into the distance, immediately yelled in a panicked voice, “Don’t do it, Brother! Your life is the most important thing! Let’s concede just this once!”
Panic was also surging through Ao Meng’s heart. “Please don’t be reckless, my son! You have the future of the Dragon Court on your shoulders! You can’t die here!”
All of the other Dragon Tribe cultivators also offered words of persuasion.
“Fifth Prince, our Dragon Court can’t go on without you!”
“A true man knows when to back down. Backing down for the greater good is not humiliating.”
“Fifth Prince, please back down just this once for the sake of our Dragon Court.”
…
“No… I will never bow my head to anyone…” Ao Qingyu’s voice was firm and resolute.
The persuasive words were still falling like rain.
An Lin couldn’t be bothered wasting any more time. He raised his Evil-Slaying Sword and was prepared to end this man’s life.
Ao Qingyu suddenly said, “However! For the future of the Dragon Court, I’m willing to sacrifice my precious honor! That’s right! I will do anything for the sake of the Dragon Court!”
He spat out a dao heart oath through gritted teeth as tears welled up in his eyes.
All of the Dragon Tribe cultivators were moved to the point of tears upon seeing this.
An Lin: “???”
“Waah… The fifth prince is so selfless.”
“He is a man who has never bowed to anyone, but he has lowered his proud head for the sake of the Dragon Court!”
“There is a saying that death is the easy way out. To think that the proud fifth prince would be willing to sacrifice so much for our Dragon Court! I’m very much in awe just to stand in his presence right now. He is the undisputed most powerful being within our Dragon Court!”
Ao Qingyu completed his dao heart oath amid a flurry of praise and moving tears.
He looked at An Lin and raised his chin in a gesture that was as proud as a swan. There was a hint of profound sorrow and agony in his eyes, as if he had done something more painful to him than death.
“Is that enough, An Lin?” He looked up at An Lin with an expression of selfless sacrifice as he spoke.
An Lin: “…”
What else could An Lin say? He put away his longsword, but he felt like there was something not quite right.
Everyone else also surrendered, but why was Ao Qingyu’s surrender so touching…
