zhè shì mó jiè tè yǒu de fú lù ， ér mù liú chuán bù duō ， lín xuān yǐ qián ， yě zhǐ shì tīng shuō ， qīn yǎn mù dǔ ， zhè hái shì dì yī cì ， bù guò shì qíng ， shì bú shì zhēn huì zhè yàng gào yí duàn luò ， rú jīn xià jié lùn ， sì hū hái wéi shí guò zǎo le 。＋◆ suí ＋◆ mèng ＋◆ xiǎo ＋◆ shuō ，.com
这是魔界特有的符箓，而目流传不多，林轩以前，也只是听说，亲眼目睹，这还是第一次，不过事情，是不是真会这样告一段落，如今下结论，似乎还为时过早了。＋◆随＋◆梦＋◆小＋◆说，.com
This was a special talisman from the Demon Realm, and its circulation was not widespread. Lin Xuan had only heard of it before; this was his first time witnessing it with his own eyes. However, whether things would truly come to an end in such a manner seemed premature to conclude.
zhì shǎo lín xuān shì zhè yàng kàn de 。
至少林轩是这样看的。
At least, that was how Lin Xuan saw it.
suǒ yǐ tā bìng méi yǒu zháo jí ， yī jiù shì jìng jìng de děng zài yuán dì 。
所以他并没有着急，依旧是静静的等在原地。
So he did not rush into anything and remained quietly where he stood.
rán ér xiē wěi shàng rén ， què bù yú yǒu tā ， xiù páo yī fú ，“ pā ” de yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， nà yù suì fú ， yǐ wú fēng zì rán ， hé gài dǎ kāi ， yī kuài wēn rùn de yù pèi chū xiàn zài miàn qián 。
然而蝎尾上人，却不虞有他，袖袍一拂，“啪”的一声传入耳朵，那玉碎符，已无风自燃，盒盖打开，一块温润的玉佩出现在面前。
However, Elder Scorpion Tail did not anticipate this turn of events. With a wave of his robe, "Pak" echoed in the ears. The jade shattering talisman had ignited on its own as the box lid opened, revealing a smooth jade pendant before him.
rán ér chú le qí biǎo miàn huì yǒu yī léi péng de tú àn ， sì hū yě méi yǒu shén me tè bié zhī chù ， bù guò nà mù guān lǎo zhě ， liǎn shàng què shì lù chū kuáng xǐ zhī sè 。
然而除了其表面绘有一雷鹏的图案，似乎也没有什么特别之处，不过那木冠老者，脸上却是露出狂喜之色。
Apart from the pattern of a thunder phoenix drawn on its surface, there seemed to be nothing special about it. Yet, the old man with the wooden hat showed signs of extreme joy. His eyes gleamed with greed, and his right hand reached out toward the front. Despite the ten zhang distance between him and Elder Scorpion Tail, this action caused his arm to inexplicably stretch.
yǎn zhōng tān lán de xiōng máng sì shè ， yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， xiàng zhe qián miàn zhuā qù ， tā yǔ xiē wěi shàng rén zhī jiān ， míng míng hái yǒu shí zhàng de jù lí ， kě zhè yī dòng zuò ， què ràng zhěng gè shǒu bì ， guǐ yì de zhòu rán shēn cháng le 。
眼中贪婪的凶芒四射，右手抬起，向着前面抓去，他与蝎尾上人之间，明明还有十丈的距离，可这一动作，却让整个手臂，诡异的骤然伸长了。
With a flash of black light, he grabbed the jade pendant in his palm and examined it closely. Elder Scorpion Tail was furious; such behavior clearly showed that he did not hold them in high regard. However, with their inferior strength, there was no backbone for anger, so he had to suppress his rage.
zhǐ jiàn hēi máng yī shǎn ， yǐ jiāng nà yù pèi zhuā zài le zhǎng jiān ， ná dào yǎn qián ， xì xì guān kàn 。 xiē wěi shàng rén dà nù ， duì fāng zhè me zuò ， míng xiǎn shì méi yǒu jiāng zì jǐ fàng zài yǎn zhōng ， rán ér shí lì bù jí ， fā huǒ yě méi yǒu dǐ qì ， quán héng lì bì ， wéi yǒu qiáng yì nù qì 。
只见黑芒一闪，已将那玉佩抓在了掌间，拿到眼前，细细观看。蝎尾上人大怒，对方这么做，明显是没有将自己放在眼中，然而实力不及，发火也没有底气，权衡利弊，唯有强抑怒气。
After about a cup of tea's time, the old man with the wooden hat laughed wildly: "Not bad, not bad. Indeed, it is a thunder phoenix command talisman. After all my efforts, I finally obtained this treasure."
guò le yuē yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， mù guān lǎo zhě “ hā hā hā ” de kuáng xiào shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ：“ bù cuò bù cuò ， guǒ rán shì léi péng lìng fú ， lǎo fū fèi jǐn xīn kǔ ， zhōng yú dé dào le zhè jiàn bǎo wù 。”
过了约一盏茶的功夫，木冠老者“哈哈哈”的狂笑声传入耳朵：“不错不错，果然是雷鹏令符，老夫费尽辛苦，终于得到了这件宝物。”
"Since you have already taken it, shouldn't you fulfill your promise and leave from here?" Elder Scorpion Tail gritted his teeth, speaking each word with deliberate slowness. Today, he had not only lost the treasure but also suffered a humiliating defeat; his heart was filled with resentment as he plotted how to get back at them.
“ jì rán nǐ yǐ jīng ná dào le ， nà shì fǒu yīng gāi duì xiàn chéng nuò ， cóng zhè lǐ lí kāi le 。” xiē wěi shàng rén yǎo zhe yá chǐ ， yī zì yī dùn de shuō ， jīn tiān tā bù jǐn shī qù bǎo wù ， diū liǎn yě diū dào le huáng hé ， xīn zhōng chōng mǎn le yuàn dú móu huà zhe zěn yàng cái kě yǐ bào fù 。
“既然你已经拿到了，那是否应该兑现承诺，从这里离开了。”蝎尾上人咬着牙齿，一字一顿的说，今天他不仅失去宝物，丢脸也丢到了黄河，心中充满了怨毒谋划着怎样才可以报复。
"Fulfill my promise?" The old man's face showed a hint of amusement. Elder Scorpion Tail immediately felt uneasy and his expression turned even more gloomy: "What, Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context)? Do you really think I will break my word for personal gain?"
“ duì xiàn chéng nuò ？” mù guān lǎo zhě liǎn shàng lù chū yī sī wán wèi zhī sè xiē wěi shàng rén dùn shí gǎn jué dào bù miào le ， liǎn sè yuè fā yīn yù dào jí chù ：“ zěn me ， jiǎ lǎo mó ， nán bù chéng nǐ hái xiǎng yào shí yán ér féi me ？”
“兑现承诺？”木冠老者脸上露出一丝玩味之色蝎尾上人顿时感觉到不妙了，脸色越发阴郁到极处：“怎么，贾老魔，难不成你还想要食言而肥么？”
"Even if I do break my word, what then?" the old man smiled, as if he was playing with a mouse.
“ lǎo fū jiù suàn shí yán le yòu rú hé ？” mù guān lǎo zhě wēi xiào zhe shuō nà biǎo qíng ， jiù fǎng fú shì māo xì lǎo shǔ 。
“老夫就算食言了又如何？”木冠老者微笑着说那表情，就仿佛是猫戏老鼠。
Hearing this so-called "honesty," Elder Scorpion Tail's heart plummeted into an icy pit. His face showed disbelief. As they say, your worst enemy knows you best; although he had a deep grudge against Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context), because of that very reason, he knew the old man's character like the back of his hand!
tīng duì fāng rú cǐ “ zhí yán tǎn chéng ” xiē wěi shàng rén de xīn ， què fǎng fú diào jìn le bīng kū ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì bù kě sī yì zhī sè sú huà shuō ， zuì liǎo jiě nǐ de rén yǒng yuǎn shì duì shǒu ， tā yǔ jiǎ lǎo mó yǒu shēn chóu bù jiǎ dàn yě zhèng yīn wèi rú cǐ ， tā duì cǐ lǎo mó de xìng gé ， kě yǐ shuō shì liǎo rú zhǐ zhǎng a ！
听对方如此“直言坦诚”蝎尾上人的心，却仿佛掉进了冰窟，脸上满是不可思议之色俗话说，最了解你的人永远是对手，他与贾老魔有深仇不假但也正因为如此，他对此老魔的性格，可以说是了如指掌啊！
Unlike other demon cultivators who liked to break their promises for personal gain, this old man with the wooden hat was stubborn and straightforward. He always kept his word and never went back on his commitments. If not for understanding his nature, Elder Scorpion Tail would never have handed over the thunder phoenix command talisman so easily based solely on a verbal promise.
yǔ bié de mó xiū xǐ huān shí yán ér féi bù tóng yǎn qián zhè mù guān lǎo zhě ， què shì yī jué jiàng ér gěng zhí de rén wù ， xiàng lái shì shuō yī bù èr ， chéng nuò de shì qíng cóng bù fǎn huǐ 。 jiǎ rú bú shì shēn yùn tā de xìng gé ， xiē wěi shàng rén yòu zěn me kě néng jǐn píng yī jù kōng kǒu chéng nuò ， jiù guāi guāi de jiāng léi péng lìng fèng shàng ne ？
与别的魔修喜欢食言而肥不同眼前这木冠老者，却是一倔强而耿直的人物，像来是说一不二，承诺的事情从不反悔。假如不是深蕴他的性格，蝎尾上人又怎么可能仅凭一句空口承诺，就乖乖的将雷鹏令奉上呢？
He believed in the other's character, but it turned out he had made a grave mistake by letting him go.
nà shì yīn wèi tā xiāng xìn duì fāng de rén pǐn ， rán ér shì shí zhèng míng ， tā fàn le yí gè duō dà de cuò wù 。 fàng shuǎ le 。
那是因为他相信对方的人品，然而事实证明，他犯了一个多大的错误。放耍了。
Why did this happen?
zěn me huì zhè yàng ne ？
怎么会这样呢？
For a moment, Elder Scorpion Tail found it hard to accept this reality. "You... you..."
yī shí piàn kè ， xiē wěi shàng rén jìng yǒu xiē nán yǐ jiē shòu zhè ge shì shí 。
一时片刻，蝎尾上人竟有些难以接受这个事实。
"What is it?" The old man with the wooden hat wore a mocking expression: "Are you curious about me not keeping my word? Hmph, this is all thanks to your lowly people. Back then, I kept my promise, which led them to exploit that weakness of mine. If not for my puppetstand-in, I would have perished long ago. After enduring such hardships a thousand years later, do you think I will fall into the same trap again?" Elder Scorpion Tail's expression turned ashen.
“ nǐ ， nǐ ………
“你，你………
Indeed, it was like kicking a stone and breaking one’s own foot; he did not expect Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context) to be so pragmatic?
“ wǒ shén me ？” mù guān lǎo zhě de liǎn shàng mǎn shì jī fěng zhī sè ：“ hěn hào qí lǎo fū huì shuō huà bù suàn shù ？ hēng ， zhè hái bú shì ， bài nǐ men zhè xiē bēi bǐ xiǎo rén suǒ cì ， dāng nián lǎo fū shuō yī bù èr ， zhèng yīn wèi rú cǐ ， cái bèi nǐ yǔ wǔ dú nà xiǎo rén zuān le kòng zi ， yào bú shì lǎo fū jì liàn yǒu tì shēn kuǐ lěi ， zǎo jiù hún fēi pò sàn diào le ， xī rì chī le nà me dà de kǔ ， nǐ yǐ wéi qiān nián hòu ， lǎo fū hái huì nà me yú chǔn de chóng dǎo fù zhé ？” xiē wěi shàng rén tīng dào cǐ chù ， biǎo qíng kě yòng liǎn rú sǐ huī lái xíng róng 。
“我什么？”木冠老者的脸上满是讥讽之色：“很好奇老夫会说话不算数？哼，这还不是，拜你们这些卑鄙小人所赐，当年老夫说一不二，正因为如此，才被你与五毒那小人钻了空子，要不是老夫祭炼有替身傀儡，早就魂飞魄散掉了，昔日吃了那么大的苦，你以为千年后，老夫还会那么愚蠢的重蹈覆辙？”蝎尾上人听到此处，表情可用脸如死灰来形容。
"What do you want?"
zhè hái zhēn shì bān qǐ shí tou zá zì jǐ de jiǎo ， méi xiǎng dào jiǎ lǎo mó zhè me gǔ bǎn de rén wù ， jū rán yě xiǎo de biàn tōng ？
这还真是搬起石头砸自己的脚，没想到贾老魔这么古板的人物，居然也晓得变通？
"Ha ha," the old man with the wooden hat said smugly. "Of course, I will extract your soul and refine your essence."
“ nǐ yù yǒu hé ？”
“你欲有何？”
"Bastard!" Elder Scorpion Tail remained silent for a moment before lifting his head again, his face filled with a cold smile: "You are breaking your promise. Words like yours mean nothing; don’t you fear the damage to your reputation if this spreads?"
“ rú hé ？ hēi hēi ， dāng rán shì jiāng nǐ chōu hún liàn pò 。” mù guān lǎo zhě dé yì de shuō ， dà chóu jí jiāng dé bào de gǎn jué ， nà shì hěn bú cuò 。
“如何？嘿嘿，当然是将你抽魂炼魄。”木冠老者得意的说，大仇即将得报的感觉，那是很不错。
"Reputation?" The old man seemed to have heard something laughable. "What is that? Back then, I fell into your trap because of my straightforwardness. Even White Stone Sect was destroyed. Now, how can I fall for it again? However, what you said might have some merit," he said with a sigh.
“ bēi bǐ ！” xiē wěi shàng rén mò mò bù yǔ ， guò le piàn kè ， cái chóng xīn tái qǐ tóu lú ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì lěng xiào zhī sè ：“ nǐ chū ěr fǎn ěr ， shuō guò de huà ， jiù rú tóng fàng pì chà bu duō ， jiù bù pà cǐ shì chuán yáng chū qù ， yú zì jǐ de míng shēng ， dà yǒu hài chù ？”
“卑鄙！”蝎尾上人默默不语，过了片刻，才重新抬起头颅，脸上满是冷笑之色：“你出尔反尔，说过的话，就如同放屁差不多，就不怕此事传扬出去，于自己的名声，大有害处？”
Elder Scorpion Tail's face was filled with anger and fear, but hearing the latter part, his heart leaped with hope; there might still be room to negotiate.
“ míng shēng ？” mù guān lǎo zhě fǎng fú tīng jiàn le shén me kě xiào de shì wù ：“ nà suàn shén me dōng xī ， qiān nián qián ， lǎo fū jiù shì yīn wèi tài guò gěng zhí ， cái luò rù nǐ men bù xià de wèng lǐ ， lián bái shí mén yě bèi huǐ qù ， rú jīn ， wǒ qǐ huì chóng dǎo fù zhé ， bù guò nǐ suǒ shuō de ， sì hū yǒu jǐ fēn dào lǐ ”， chuān ”， xiē wěi shàng rén yuán běn mǎn liǎn de fèn nù yǔ kǒng jù ， rán ér tīng dào hòu miàn ， xīn zhōng bù yóu de dà xǐ ， sì hū hái yǒu huí xuán de yú dì 。
“名声？”木冠老者仿佛听见了什么可笑的事物：“那算什么东西，千年前，老夫就是因为太过耿直，才落入你们布下的瓮里，连白石门也被毁去，如今，我岂会重蹈覆辙，不过你所说的，似乎有几分道理”，川”，蝎尾上人原本满脸的愤怒与恐惧，然而听到后面，心中不由得大喜，似乎还有回旋的余地。
Just as he was about to speak eloquently, the old man with the wooden hat's next words plunged him into an icy pit: "What if all these people are watching? Even if I kill them all, what difference does it make?"
tā zhèng yù qiǎo yán lìng sè ， kě mù guān lǎo zhě jiē xià lái de yī jù huà ， què ràng tā diào jìn le bīng kū ：“ bù jiù shì nà me duō rén zài páng biān kàn zhe ， yǒu kě néng chū qù hú yán luàn yǔ me ， nà lǎo fū jiāng tā men quán shā le yòu rú hé ？”
他正欲巧言令色，可木冠老者接下来的一句话，却让他掉进了冰窟：“不就是那么多人在旁边看着，有可能出去胡言乱语么，那老夫将他们全杀了又如何？”
"You..."
“ nǐ ……”
“你……”
Elder Scorpion Tail was shocked. He did not expect such a drastic change after his last painful lesson; this opponent had become more shameless and ruthless.
xiē wěi shàng rén dà jīng shī sè ， méi xiǎng dào jīng lì shàng cì cǎn tòng de jiào xùn zhī hòu ， duì fāng huì biàn huà zhè me duō ， bǐ zì jǐ gèng wú chǐ ， ér qiě xīn hěn shǒu là dào zhè bān dì bù 。
蝎尾上人大惊失色，没想到经历上次惨痛的教训之后，对方会变化这么多，比自己更无耻，而且心狠手辣到这般地步。
The other ancient demons present were equally stunned. Originally, they feared that the city gate's collapse would affect their interests, but now, it seemed they might be swept up in the chaos entirely. The old man with the wooden hat spoke with intense malice in his eyes; he was not joking.
qí tā wéi guān de gǔ mó ， tóng yàng shì huá rán yī piàn le ， yuán běn tā men jiù dān xīn chéng mén shī huǒ yāng jí chí yú ， xiàn zài kàn lái ， nǎ lǐ shì yāng jí ， ér shì yào bèi zhěng gè xí juǎn jìn qù 。 mù guān lǎo zhě shuō zhè huà shí hòu ， yǎn zhōng xiōng máng sì shè ， jué bù xiàng kāi wán xiào lái zhe 。
其他围观的古魔，同样是哗然一片了，原本他们就担心城门失火殃及池鱼，现在看来，哪里是殃及，而是要被整个席卷进去。木冠老者说这话时候，眼中凶芒四射，绝不像开玩笑来着。
At this moment, the guests who had come to observe all began to feel uneasy. If they knew this would happen, they would never have bothered coming for such a spectacle.
yī shí jiān ， lái dào zhè lǐ de hè kè ， xīn zhōng wú bù kāi shǐ dǎ gǔ ， zǎo zhī dào huì yǒu zhè yí mù ， wú lùn rú hé ， tā men yě bú huì lái còu zhè ge rè nào le 。
一时间，来到这里的贺客，心中无不开始打鼓，早知道会有这一幕，无论如何，他们也不会来凑这个热闹了。
However, regret was useless now; there were no do-overs in either the immortal realm or the mortal world.
rán ér xiàn zài ， hòu huǐ yě méi yǒu yòng tú ， bù lùn xiū xiān jiè hái shì shì sú ， dōu cóng méi yǒu hòu huǐ yào yī shuō 。
然而现在，后悔也没有用途，不论修仙界还是世俗，都从没有后悔药一说。
Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context)'s gaze swept across everyone present. The ancient demons who met his eyes lowered their heads; not one dared to look him in the eye.
nà jiǎ lǎo mó de mù guāng ， zài zhōu wéi zhòng rén de liǎn shàng sǎo guò ， bèi tā kàn dào de gǔ mó ， wú bù dī xià tou lú ， jū rán méi yǒu yí gè rén ， gǎn yǔ tā duì shì piàn kè 。
那贾老魔的目光，在周围众人的脸上扫过，被他看到的古魔，无不低下头颅，居然没有一个人，敢与他对视片刻。
Finally, this old man spoke: "You heard our conversation. If you wise up and end your own lives, you can avoid much suffering. Otherwise..."
zhōng yú ， zhè lǎo mó kāi kǒu le ， shēng yīn nà shì sī háo gǎn qíng yě wú ：“ wǒ yǔ xiē wěi lǎo ér de duì huà ， nǐ men dōu tīng dào le ， shí xiàng de ， jiù zì wǒ le duàn ， hái kě yǐ shǎo shòu xǔ duō kǔ chǔ ， fǒu zé ………
终于，这老魔开口了，声音那是丝毫感情也无：“我与蝎尾老儿的对话，你们都听到了，识相的，就自我了段，还可以少受许多苦楚，否则………
These words caused all the demons to exchange glances. Their last hope was dashed as it turned out that he meant business.
cǐ huà yī chū ， zhòng mó miàn miàn xiāng qù ， yuán běn zuì hòu yī sī zhǐ wàng ， yě huà wéi pào yǐng ， duì fāng jū rán shì wán zhēn de 。
此话一出，众魔面面相觑，原本最后一丝指望，也化为泡影，对方居然是玩真的。
They were naturally furious, but what could they do? Apart from Elder Scorpion Tail, these guests were merely ancient demons of the Profound Dao and Spirit Realm levels; although their strength was not weak, it depended on the reference point. Compared to this unreasonable old man with the wooden hat, there was a vast difference.
xīn zhōng zì rán shì jí wéi fèn nù ， rán ér nà yòu rú hé ， chú le xiē wěi shàng rén ， nà xiē hè kè ， bù guò shì yī xiē dòng xuán ， fēn shén jí bié de gǔ mó ， shí lì suī rán bù néng shuō ruò ， dàn yě yào kàn ， shì yǐ shén me zuò wéi cān zhào wù ， bǐ qǐ zhè bù jiǎng dào lǐ de mù guān lǎo zhě ， nà kě shì tiān chā dì yuǎn le 。
心中自然是极为愤怒，然而那又如何，除了蝎尾上人，那些贺客，不过是一些洞玄，分神级别的古魔，实力虽然不能说弱，但也要看，是以什么作为参照物，比起这不讲道理的木冠老者，那可是天差地远了。
So while they were angry, no one dared to challenge Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context) openly, as everyone knew the principle that a shot fired at the head of a bird would hit its body.
suǒ yǐ nù guī nù ， què yī jiù méi yǒu shuí gǎn zhàn chū lái duì jiǎ lǎo mó héng jiā zhí zé ， qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo de dào lǐ shéi dōu xiǎo de 。
所以怒归怒，却依旧没有谁敢站出来对贾老魔横加职责，枪打出头鸟的道理谁都晓得。
After a moment, the old man with the wooden hat spoke again: "Still unwilling to end your own lives? Do you really think I will wait for you to make the first move?"
yòu guò piàn kè ， mù guān lǎo zhě kāi kǒu le ：“ zěn me ， hái bù yuàn yì zì cái ， mò fēi zhēn yào děng lǎo fū dòng shǒu bù chéng me ？”
又过片刻，木冠老者开口了：“怎么，还不愿意自裁，莫非真要等老夫动手不成么？”
Before he could finish speaking, there was finally a response. "I came here merely to watch; I am not interested in the enmity between the two seniors. These matters have nothing to do with me. Goodbye."
huà yīn gāng luò ， zhè yī cì ， què zhōng yú shōu dào huí yìng le 。
话音刚落，这一次，却终于收到回应了。
As he spoke, a yellow light suddenly flared up, and he moved like a flash of wind.
“ mò mǒu lái dào cǐ dì ， jǐn jǐn shì wèi kàn rè nào ér yǐ ， duì liǎng wèi qián bèi de ēn yuàn ， bù gǎn xìng qù ， zhè xiē shì qíng tóng wǒ ， yě méi yǒu guān xì ， gào cí 。”
“莫某来到此地，仅仅是为看热闹而已，对两位前辈的恩怨，不感兴趣，这些事情同我，也没有关系，告辞。”
Monday, very much needs your support! Thank you for all the kind words from fellow cultivators.
This was a special talisman from the Demon Realm, and its circulation was not widespread. Lin Xuan had only heard of it before; this was his first time witnessing it with his own eyes. However, whether things would truly come to an end in such a manner seemed premature to conclude.
At least, that was how Lin Xuan saw it.
So he did not rush into anything and remained quietly where he stood.
However, Elder Scorpion Tail did not anticipate this turn of events. With a wave of his robe, "Pak" echoed in the ears. The jade shattering talisman had ignited on its own as the box lid opened, revealing a smooth jade pendant before him.
Apart from the pattern of a thunder phoenix drawn on its surface, there seemed to be nothing special about it. Yet, the old man with the wooden hat showed signs of extreme joy. His eyes gleamed with greed, and his right hand reached out toward the front. Despite the ten zhang distance between him and Elder Scorpion Tail, this action caused his arm to inexplicably stretch.
With a flash of black light, he grabbed the jade pendant in his palm and examined it closely. Elder Scorpion Tail was furious; such behavior clearly showed that he did not hold them in high regard. However, with their inferior strength, there was no backbone for anger, so he had to suppress his rage.
After about a cup of tea's time, the old man with the wooden hat laughed wildly: "Not bad, not bad. Indeed, it is a thunder phoenix command talisman. After all my efforts, I finally obtained this treasure."
"Since you have already taken it, shouldn't you fulfill your promise and leave from here?" Elder Scorpion Tail gritted his teeth, speaking each word with deliberate slowness. Today, he had not only lost the treasure but also suffered a humiliating defeat; his heart was filled with resentment as he plotted how to get back at them.
"Fulfill my promise?" The old man's face showed a hint of amusement. Elder Scorpion Tail immediately felt uneasy and his expression turned even more gloomy: "What, Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context)? Do you really think I will break my word for personal gain?"
"Even if I do break my word, what then?" the old man smiled, as if he was playing with a mouse.
Hearing this so-called "honesty," Elder Scorpion Tail's heart plummeted into an icy pit. His face showed disbelief. As they say, your worst enemy knows you best; although he had a deep grudge against Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context), because of that very reason, he knew the old man's character like the back of his hand!
Unlike other demon cultivators who liked to break their promises for personal gain, this old man with the wooden hat was stubborn and straightforward. He always kept his word and never went back on his commitments. If not for understanding his nature, Elder Scorpion Tail would never have handed over the thunder phoenix command talisman so easily based solely on a verbal promise.
He believed in the other's character, but it turned out he had made a grave mistake by letting him go.
Why did this happen?
For a moment, Elder Scorpion Tail found it hard to accept this reality. "You... you..."
"What is it?" The old man with the wooden hat wore a mocking expression: "Are you curious about me not keeping my word? Hmph, this is all thanks to your lowly people. Back then, I kept my promise, which led them to exploit that weakness of mine. If not for my puppetstand-in, I would have perished long ago. After enduring such hardships a thousand years later, do you think I will fall into the same trap again?" Elder Scorpion Tail's expression turned ashen.
Indeed, it was like kicking a stone and breaking one’s own foot; he did not expect Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context) to be so pragmatic?
"What do you want?"
"Ha ha," the old man with the wooden hat said smugly. "Of course, I will extract your soul and refine your essence."
"Bastard!" Elder Scorpion Tail remained silent for a moment before lifting his head again, his face filled with a cold smile: "You are breaking your promise. Words like yours mean nothing; don’t you fear the damage to your reputation if this spreads?"
"Reputation?" The old man seemed to have heard something laughable. "What is that? Back then, I fell into your trap because of my straightforwardness. Even White Stone Sect was destroyed. Now, how can I fall for it again? However, what you said might have some merit," he said with a sigh.
Elder Scorpion Tail's face was filled with anger and fear, but hearing the latter part, his heart leaped with hope; there might still be room to negotiate.
Just as he was about to speak eloquently, the old man with the wooden hat's next words plunged him into an icy pit: "What if all these people are watching? Even if I kill them all, what difference does it make?"
"You..."
Elder Scorpion Tail was shocked. He did not expect such a drastic change after his last painful lesson; this opponent had become more shameless and ruthless.
The other ancient demons present were equally stunned. Originally, they feared that the city gate's collapse would affect their interests, but now, it seemed they might be swept up in the chaos entirely. The old man with the wooden hat spoke with intense malice in his eyes; he was not joking.
At this moment, the guests who had come to observe all began to feel uneasy. If they knew this would happen, they would never have bothered coming for such a spectacle.
However, regret was useless now; there were no do-overs in either the immortal realm or the mortal world.
Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context)'s gaze swept across everyone present. The ancient demons who met his eyes lowered their heads; not one dared to look him in the eye.
Finally, this old man spoke: "You heard our conversation. If you wise up and end your own lives, you can avoid much suffering. Otherwise..."
These words caused all the demons to exchange glances. Their last hope was dashed as it turned out that he meant business.
They were naturally furious, but what could they do? Apart from Elder Scorpion Tail, these guests were merely ancient demons of the Profound Dao and Spirit Realm levels; although their strength was not weak, it depended on the reference point. Compared to this unreasonable old man with the wooden hat, there was a vast difference.
So while they were angry, no one dared to challenge Old EvilJay (as in a surname, can also be translated as "merchant" or "trader" depending on context) openly, as everyone knew the principle that a shot fired at the head of a bird would hit its body.
After a moment, the old man with the wooden hat spoke again: "Still unwilling to end your own lives? Do you really think I will wait for you to make the first move?"
Before he could finish speaking, there was finally a response. "I came here merely to watch; I am not interested in the enmity between the two seniors. These matters have nothing to do with me. Goodbye."
As he spoke, a yellow light suddenly flared up, and he moved like a flash of wind.
Monday, very much needs your support! Thank you for all the kind words from fellow cultivators.