A hush fell over the crowd as Qin Cang’s words echoed, and a wave of murmuring erupted. The charade between Qin Cang and Hun San was as obvious as a thief trying to hide stolen goods; everyone saw through it clearly. They were clearly plotting something, which Ye Cangtian had exposed with a single sentence, forcing Hun San to back down and consequently leading Qin Cang to withdraw from the auction. The disdain directed towards the two intensified.
Meanwhile, Qing Yan’s expression turned grim upon hearing Qin Cang’s words. Now that Qin Cang had admitted his mistake and was willing to accept punishment, it was difficult for him to say anything further. However, the crowd would surely not agree if no disciplinary action was taken. With this thought, Qing Yan looked at Qin Cang and said, "Qin Cang, the eyes of the public are discerning. If you are merely expelled, others will not agree." He paused, then continued, "I have a suggestion: you can offer a treasure for auction, and the proceeds will be distributed among the various factions. This will serve as compensation for the valuable time you have wasted."
What else could Qin Cang say when Qing Yan spoke? He could only grit his teeth and agree.
"Hold on!"
At that moment, Ye Cangtian stood up, looked at Qing Yan, and said, "Qing Yan楼主, I have no objections to Qin Cang’s punishment, but Qin Cang is not the mastermind, is he?"
*Giggle...*
As the words fell, Hun San gnashed his teeth. Ye Cangtian's words were clearly directed at him. The next moment, he quickly looked at Ye Cangtian and said fiercely, "Ye Cangtian, what do you mean?"
"The meaning is simple: to expel both of you and maintain a clean environment for the trading fair!" Ye Cangtian glanced at Hun San and said without reservation.
*Hmph!*
Hun San let out a cold snort and rebuked, "Ye Cangtian, are you saying that our Feiyun Pavilion is the mastermind? I advise you to speak cautiously if you have no evidence! The reputation of Feiyun Pavilion cannot be tarnished by you!"
"You want to see evidence? Very well!"
"By chance, I inherited a technique in the Canglan Immortal Hall. This technique has no offensive power; the only thing it can do is project events that have occurred!" As he spoke, Ye Cangtian waved his hand. Instantly, a projection formed before everyone's eyes. The man in the projection was none other than Hun San and Qin Cang. As the projection played, their conversation echoed throughout the room.
Upon seeing this, the expressions of Hun San and Qin Cang turned grim. They had not expected Ye Cangtian to possess such a technique. With their secret plotting now revealed to everyone, they were truly speechless. Their hatred for Ye Cangtian deepened.
*Sigh!*
Qing Yan, who also saw the projection, had his gaze turn incredibly sharp as he looked at Hun San. "Hun San, do you have anything else to say?"
"This..."
Feeling Qing Yan's anger, Hun San’s forehead beaded with cold sweat. But facing irrefutable evidence, he could not utter a single word of defense. Seeing this, Qing Yan let out a cold snort and said, "Since you have no defense, you can get out of Yan Yu Tower from now on!" Qing Yan specifically mentioned Yan Yu Tower, not the auction and trading fair. This essentially signified the severance of ties between Yan Yu Tower and Feiyun Pavilion. Furthermore, the Qinglian Golden Silk Robe that Hun San had consigned would also be kept as punishment. As for the auction proceeds, they would be divided equally among all the factions present as compensation.
"Qing Yan, have you considered the consequences of expelling us?" Hun San looked at Qing Yan and questioned coldly. Qing Yan was publicly expelling him, causing Feiyun Pavilion to lose face. If he didn't assert some authority to regain his honor, Feiyun Pavilion would become a complete laughingstock.
*Hmph!*
Qing Yan snorted coldly, his gaze icy as he looked at Hun San. "Hun San, who do you think you are, daring to threaten me? I’d like to see what consequences there could be! If you have the guts, represent Feiyun Pavilion and declare war on Yan Yu Tower!"
*Heh heh.*
Ye Cangtian displayed a faint smile. With Yan Yu Tower at odds with Feiyun Pavilion, if the Yin Organization were to go to war with Feiyun Pavilion, the other peak factions would certainly not side with Feiyun Pavilion, thus reducing their pressure significantly.
"This..."
Upon hearing Qing Yan's domineering response, Hun San was rendered speechless. He had not expected Qing Yan to be so resolute, willing to go to war with Feiyun Pavilion. But he had only intended to scare Qing Yan! After all, he did not have the authority to declare war on Yan Yu Tower. If this aligned with the Pavilion Master's wishes, it would be one thing, but if not, he would surely be presented as an apology to the Pavilion Master...
"You’ve got me!"
Hun San glared fiercely at Qing Yan and continued, "Fine, Feiyun Pavilion can leave, but the battle robe must be taken with us!" For him now, salvaging any loss was important, as it would lessen the punishment upon his return.
"Impossible!"
Qing Yan coldly refused and continued, "You committed such a heinous act, and you must pay the price. Even if the Pavilion Master of Feiyun Pavilion were to come, I would not change my mind!"
"Qing Yan, don't think I don't know your intentions. You're keeping the battle robe for Yan Yun’er, aren't you?"
"This is blatant favoritism, and you call yourself the楼主 of Yan Yu Tower? Shameful!" Hun San, upon hearing the refusal, immediately pointed at Qing Yan and rebuked him angrily.
*Hmph!*
Qing Yan snorted coldly and looked at Hun San. "I have already stated the reason for keeping the battle robe. As for its ownership, it belongs to the highest bidder! Whoever wishes to obtain the battle robe can bid for it with Yan Yu Tower." He paused, his gaze turning sharp. "As for you, Hun San, for daring to disrespect me, do you truly think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"
Hearing this, Hun San’s cold sweat reappeared. He said, "Qing Yan, since you are bullying the young, I have nothing more to say. Feiyun Pavilion will seek justice for me later. Goodbye!" Now that Qing Yan was on the verge of exploding, if he stayed, he would surely face dire consequences. Therefore, it was better to leave the place first.
As Hun San left, Qin Cang, seeing the unfavorable turn of events, quickly led the people of Xuefeng out.
After this minor interlude, Qing Yan personally stepped onto the stage. Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Qing Yan slowly spoke, "This battle robe will be re-auctioned at the end! Anyone who wishes to bid can participate. The proceeds from the transaction will be equally divided among every faction present." The crowd had no objections to Qing Yan's statement.
With that, Qing Yan handed over the stage to Yan Yun’er and went to Ye Cangtian's side. "Young friend, Feiyun Pavilion will likely stir up great turmoil. Are you prepared?" Qing Yan got straight to the point, speaking softly to Ye Cangtian. The conflict between Feiyun Pavilion and the Yin Organization was escalating, and the two would surely resolve their differences through conflict. By expelling Feiyun Pavilion and severely damaging their pride, Yan Yu Tower would find it difficult to remain uninvolved if a war were to break out. Since avoidance was not an option, Qing Yan had no intention of holding back.
Upon hearing Qing Yan’s words, Ye Cangtian was slightly taken aback, and his heart rejoiced. Qing Yan’s statement clearly indicated a desire to form an alliance with the Yin Organization. Including Yan Yu Tower, this would mean four of the five peak factions would stand with him if war erupted. Facing Feiyun Pavilion with such a lineup would undoubtedly be an overwhelming victory, and the casualties for all sides would be significantly reduced. With this in mind, Ye Cangtian slowly replied, "To be honest, although the conflict between the Yin Organization and Feiyun Pavilion is irreconcilable, I do not wish for war, as it would not be beneficial for the ruins!" He paused and continued, "However, if war were to break out, the Yin Organization would not fear it!"
Hearing this, Qing Yan showed a faint smile. His statement indicated that the Yin Organization was prepared for war. With this thought, he looked at Ye Cangtian and continued, "If war were to truly break out, Yan Yu Tower is willing to stand on the side of the Yin Organization..." Qing Yan stated that Feiyun Pavilion had become increasingly arrogant over the years. If they were not taught a lesson, Feiyun Pavilion would only become more reckless, and the consequences would be unpredictable. Therefore, he intended to seize this opportunity to teach Feiyun Pavilion a good lesson, to bring them back to their senses and make them more compliant!
"Indeed!" Ye Cangtian murmured inwardly, realizing his assumption was correct; they were indeed seeking an alliance. The next moment, he looked at Qing Yan and said, "Thank you for your support,楼主. If we truly gain the support of Yan Yu Tower, perhaps the matter with Feiyun Pavilion can be resolved peacefully..." After all, with four peak factions on the side of the Yin Organization, Feiyun Pavilion, if not foolish, would not confront them directly, as it would likely lead to self-destruction. Therefore, it was likely that Feiyun Pavilion would be willing to resolve the conflict peacefully...