Leading the way, the one in the front should be the Wolf Fang Hunting Corps’ leader, Cang Lang. He is a burly Martial Artist with a heavy crossbow, nearly as tall as a man, slung on his back. The crossbow is a dark hue, its surface gleaming with a brilliance that rivals the fierce sun.
Positioned in the center is a female hunter, and an exceptionally outstanding one at that. She appears to be under thirty, an age at which a woman is most seductive. She has tea-colored hair, holding a Magic Wand in her hand, into which four Magic Soul Stones are embedded.
Following the female hunter is a male hunter who looks somewhat pale-faced and is the youngest among the three.
Upon spotting the uncle-nephew pair of Yun Canglang seated right at the center of the tavern, the eyes of the male hunter nearly blazed with flames, instinctively reaching for the dagger sheathed at his waist, only to be diverted by the female Mage next to him with her Magic Wand.
As Yun Canglang sized up the three members of the Wolf Fang Hunting Corps, Cang Lang and the Vice Captain, who is the female hunter Huo Nu, also observed Yun Canglang.
Realizing that the other party only brought one deputy hunter for the negotiation, and seeing no ambushes around the tavern, and confirming that the Great Zhou Martial Saint Yun Bahe was not nearby, their expressions eased slightly; simultaneously, their impression of Yun Canglang also improved noticeably.
It was rumored that Yun Canglang of the Great Zhou Army, one of the twin marvels, was deeply honorable and upright, and now it appeared to be indeed true.
Despite being severely at odds with Yun Residence, the Wolf Fang Hunting Corps still somewhat dreaded the renown of Yun Bahe.
"Commander Yun," Cang Lang stepped forward and cupped his hands as a form of salutation.
The beginning of the negotiation between the two parties appeared amicable.
"Cang Group Leader," Yun Canglang also stood up to reciprocate the gesture.
"Vice Captain Huo, don’t stop me, I want to kill that beast!" Just as the two exchanged pleasantries, the young hunter suddenly broke free from the female Mage’s Magic Wand beside him, his hand darting towards the waist.
The young male hunter’s attire was somewhat peculiar; although most Martial Artists on Wuji Continent preferred to wear their swords on the waist, he had a row of small knives the length of fingers instead.
With a swift motion, the sound of clinking rang out and a flash of silver streaked through the air, as five or six Hidden Weapon daggers targeted Tang Yu.
His technique of launching the Hidden Weapons was incredibly fast, clearly a master in this area, with each dagger enveloped in fighting spirit, forming a continuous attack directly striking at Tang Yu’s vital points. If truly hit, Tang Yu would be fatally splattered with blood on the spot.
Yun Canglang, however, was unhurried; his hand movements were several times quicker than the daggers. He swiftly grabbed Tang Yu, causing the five or six Hidden Weapons to miss completely.
The Hidden Weapons pierced the tavern’s walls, instantly leaving five or six knife marks.
After avoiding the daggers, Yun Canglang threw Tang Yu back to his original spot, the whole process as smooth as flowing water. If someone with poor eyesight was watching from the sidelines, it would seem as if Tang Yu’s backside had actually never left his seat.
If it weren’t for Tang Yu being frightened to the extent of rolling his eyes back, no one would even realize what had just occurred.
On the side, Cang Lang and Huo Nu had a composed appearance, but their hearts were already churning tumultuously like a stormy sea.
In the past, Yun Canglang was a notable figure in Great Zhou, and even as Hunters, Cang Lang and others deeply respected his reputation.
Previously, there were rumors that after being disabled for many years, Yun Canglang left the army and became a hunter, and his broken hands mysteriously healed.
However, people including Cang Lang did not really believe it. They doubted that broken hands could recover, and even if they did, the agility would certainly be severely impacted.
Thus, when they heard that Yun Canglang was dealing with this matter personally this time, Cang Lang and others still harbored some tests in their minds.
Upon testing, it was immediately discovered that Yun Canglang’s skills had not only not regressed since the old days, but seemed to have even improved.
Wolf Leader feigned anger and said, "Liu Hao, who allowed you to act? Do not be presumptuous in front of Commander Yun."
"It’s nothing serious. This must be Mr. Liu, right? This matter is actually Tang Yu’s fault," Yun Canglang replied with a light smile.
Yun Canglang sneered inwardly, ’What a cunning Wolf Fang Hunting Corps.’
Huo Nu’s cultivation is far higher than Liu Hao’s, and how could she not stop her impulsive subordinate?
Tang Yu, on the other hand, wanted to cry but had no tears; he was truly frightened to death.
"Since we have agreed to discuss this matter, let’s be straightforward and clarify it. This matter was originally not the concern of the Wolf Fang Hunting Corps, but Liu Hao is a promising hunter in our corps. Commander Yun should know that when a team member encounters trouble, it is the commander’s duty to stand up for them," Wolf Leader stated bluntly, having probed Yun Canglang’s limits.
"Wolf Leader is right. Tang Yu, since this matter started because of you and Mr. Liu is present here, just say directly how to deal with this little beast," Yun Canglang commanded his servant to serve wine.
Upon hearing this, Liu Hao glared at Tang Yu, reminded of his fiancée who died miserably.
He could not wait to make this fat man before him bleed and chew his flesh, "A life for a life, I want his life!"
Liu Hao said word for word, his hand reaching for his dagger once more.
But this time, he was not impulsive. He knew that as long as Yun Canglang was here, even if he launched a hidden weapon, he would have no chance to hurt Tang Yu.
"I didn’t kill her, she took her own life, why should I lose my life for that? Besides, that woman was just a commoner," Tang Yu retorted angrily, not considering the consequences since his mother and grandfather were not present; if his uncle impulsively retaliated with a life for a life, he would be doomed.
Tang Yu would have been better off silent, as upon his words, both Wolf Leader and Vice Captain Huo immediately locked eyes in anger.
Most hunters come from poor backgrounds, intolerant of any discrimination against commoners by officials’ children. Insulting the woman was bad enough, but to make such a disrespectful remark after her death was atrocious behavior deserving of death a thousand and a hundred times over.
"Shut up, you little beast," Yun Canglang’s forehead veins throbbed as he slammed his palm onto the table, leaving a handprint several inches thick on the tabletop and shattering all the wine cups.
Drops of wine fell drip by drip, and the only sound in the tavern was Tang Yu’s terrified breathing.
The fury of Yun Canglang caused the temperature of the tavern to suddenly drop several degrees.
Tang Yu sneakily glanced at his uncle, while across from them, both Wolf Leader and Vice Captain Huo remained indifferent, casually drinking their beverages.
A moment later, it was Wolf Leader who first broke the silence; he put down his wine glass, "Commander Yun, I respect the loyalty and valor of the Yun Residence, but sometimes, a single piece of rat droppings will spoil the whole pot. The loss would outweigh the gain."
Wolf Leader’s words seemed light yet weighty, laden with an implied threat of violence.
Vice Captain Huo, too, sat to one side with a genial smile on his face, but upon closer inspection, one could notice the Magic Wand in her hand sparkling with attractive light, ready to cast a spell.
Wolf Leader alone might not match Yun Canglang, but with the addition of an extremely aggressive Fire-element Mage, the outcome was uncertain.
"With the conversation having reached this point, Commander Yun should understand our position. I will decide for Liu Hao, a life for a life. As long as the Yun Residence agrees, the Wolf Fang Hunting Corps promises that we will never cause trouble at Yun Residence again in the future. But if Commander Yun does not agree, then the Wolf Fang will become mortal enemies with the Sky Hunting Corps," Wolf Leader concluded decisively, leaving no room for negotiation.