Chapter 374 - 185: They Made the First Move
Chapter 374: Chapter 185: They Made the First Move
The people from the Thousand Snow Pavilion did not completely surround the teahouse.
They revealed themselves, quickly forming two rows outside the teahouse.
A creaking sound arose. Long Qingzhi looked up to see a frail, pale young master sitting in a strange chair.
The chair didn’t have legs, but two wheels beneath it.
An old man with graying hair pushed the chair from behind, bringing the frail young master before Fang Shuwen.
The frail young master’s pale complexion seemed as if it could not withstand the ravages of the cold wind.
He cupped his fists, but coughed before he could speak.
Then, his face slightly flushed, he said:
"My... my apologies..."
"I am Ting Feng. It is an honor to meet Hero Fang."
Fang Shuwen held his cup of hot tea, not looking at Young Master Tingfeng, seemingly having not heard him.
The other people inside the teahouse, however, exchanged glances.
Someone couldn’t help but whisper:
"Young Master Tingfeng? The leader of the Four Great Young Masters of the Thousand Snow Pavilion?"
"Then that man really is the Demon Evil God, Fang Shuwen!"
"What does Young Master Tingfeng want with him?"
"You don’t know? Young Master Tinghua, Mu Chengjin, died at Fang Shuwen’s hands. He’s made a mortal enemy of the Thousand Snow Pavilion. He must be here to avenge Young Master Tinghua."
Young Master Tingfeng heard the man’s words and glanced up at him.
The man’s heart tightened, and he quickly lowered his head.
It was at this moment that Fang Shuwen’s gaze fell upon Young Master Tingfeng.
"Is that so?"
Fang Shuwen used the teahouse patron’s words for his inquiry, but Young Master Tingfeng shook his head.
"With Hero Fang’s level of Martial Arts, if we wanted revenge, it certainly wouldn’t be me who comes."
As he said this, he gave a self-deprecating smile.
Fang Shuwen glanced at him.
"The might of a common brute can splatter blood five paces."
"But the venom of a strategist can make rivers of blood flow."
Young Master Tingfeng smiled and said:
"Hero Fang praises me too highly."
He paused for a moment, then continued:
"To be perfectly honest, after word of Mu Chengjin’s death reached the Thousand Snow Pavilion, there were indeed those within who advocated for making Hero Fang pay with his blood."
"But we later learned that it was Young Master Tinghua who was disrespectful first, leaving us with nothing but shame."
"I have not come for revenge, but to apologize to Hero Fang for this matter."
"It was a failure in the Thousand Snow Pavilion’s teachings that allowed Mu Chengjin to offend Hero Fang."
"Furthermore, I thank Hero Fang for taking action and helping the Thousand Snow Pavilion clean up its own house."
Hearing this from the side, Long Qingzhi’s expression grew solemn.
With Fang Shuwen’s Martial Arts, if this group had come shouting for a fight, they would undoubtedly be courting death.
But now, they had actually come to apologize?
For some reason, though, Long Qingzhi had a feeling this apology was far more terrifying than a quest for revenge.
Fang Shuwen took a sip of hot tea and waved his hand dismissively.
"I have seen the Thousand Snow Pavilion’s attitude. You may leave."
Young Master Tingfeng did not leave. Instead, he took an invitation from his robes and offered it with both hands.
"This is an invitation personally written by the Pavilion Master. We hope that after Hero Fang has concluded his current business, he might grace the Thousand Snow Pavilion with his presence."
Fang Shuwen glanced at it, then took a pair of Deer Hide Gloves from his robes and put them on.
Young Master Tingfeng: "..."
Watching as Fang Shuwen, wearing the Deer Hide Gloves, took the invitation, Young Master Tingfeng suppressed the twitching of his facial muscles and forced a non-threatening smile.
"Hero Fang... is truly cautious."
"It is a blood feud, after all. How could I treat it lightly?"
Fang Shuwen took the invitation, opened it, glanced at it, and then casually tossed it aside.
"You!"
The expression of the old man pushing Young Master Tingfeng’s chair changed.
"Uncle Zhao!"
Young Master Tingfeng quickly pressed down on his hand.
Only then did the old man take a deep breath and suppress his temper.
Fang Shuwen glanced at him and said with a smile:
"Young Master Tinghua’s death was indeed his own doing."
"And you all are very clever... choosing to meet me in a place like this."
"As the saying goes, ’one does not slap a smiling face.’"
"You arrive, admit your fault, and apologize. If I were to still kill you under these circumstances..."
"...once word gets out, it would make me seem rather ungracious in victory."
"But if I didn’t want word to get out, I’d have no choice but to kill everyone to silence them..."
As he said this, the complexions of the surrounding teahouse patrons changed dramatically.
’How did having some tea turn into a life-or-death crisis?’
Fang Shuwen continued:
"Young Master Tingfeng... you’ve put me in quite a difficult position."
Young Master Tingfeng’s throat bobbed slightly.
"I wonder, Hero Fang, what is so difficult?"
"If I recall correctly, Young Master Tinghua, Mu Chengjin, is the blood brother of your Thousand Snow Pavilion’s Pavilion Master."
"I killed his brother, yet he sends Young Master Tingfeng to apologize..."
"If word of this got out, it would be truly hard for anyone to believe."
Fang Shuwen stared at Young Master Tingfeng and continued:
"Just now, I gave you a chance to leave, but you insisted on staying."
"You even want to invite me to be a guest at the Thousand Snow Pavilion..."
"Honestly, if the Thousand Snow Pavilion had just laid low after this, I might have been able to believe what you said earlier."
"But now... this completely illogical action can only mean you have ulterior motives."
"It’s hard not to wonder, what sort of death trap have you prepared for me at this ’Feast at Hong Gate’?"
"Hero Fang misunderstands."
Young Master Tingfeng said hurriedly:
"The Thousand Snow Pavilion is one of the Five Great Forces of the Northern Domain. How could we be so inconsistent?"
"Indeed."
Fang Shuwen looked at the snow falling from the sky and said softly: