Chapter 250: An Accounted Death Resolves All Resentment

No one would feel good to be deceived and used by their own father like that, whoever it was. What was more, everything had been destroyed for people like Yang Botao!

The one to destroy everything he had was the father who had given him life. It was a quandary indeed.

"He wanted to leave with me but I wouldn't budge. He left after a few days. I didn't send him away when he did, I didn't know how to face him!"

Yang Botao continued, "But I still wanted to keep living here. I wanted to redeem my wrongdoing with my actions, I wanted to keep on serving Yutang and compensate for my mistake until the day I died on the battlefield. I was still very naïve then, thinking that perhaps I could die on the battlefield in some major war and end everything that way. Perhaps I could still be lucky and keep my innocence..."

"I had to guard this secret. Since nobody knew, I can only carry it myself because I have so many brothers of the northern troops behind me... I can't let them shoulder the shame and unable to raise their chins up because of me."

"I could only try my best to keep it hidden, try to do everything cautiously..."

Yang Botao said, "However, I didn't manage to wait until the day I died in a war. Innocence was a luxury I couldn't afford; everything we do, God is watching. God's will is always changing, since when has He had mercy?"

"Lord Supreme Wind, I, Yang Botao, do not regret being able to die in your hands today," Yang Botao said softly, looking at Yun Yang.

"In fact, I am glad. Despite not being at peace, I am still grateful."

Yang Botao said weakly, "There's just one thing I need to remind Supreme Wind. After the incident, I've thought long and hard, connecting all the dots together. I realized that a lot of people realized I was digging out information about the Nine Supremes and a lot of them had supplied me with the news, intentionally or otherwise. But none of them have stood out to confront me about it afterward. Isn't this strange?"

Yun Yang's gaze glinted as he asked, "Who else provided you the information?"

"So, so many of them... Other than the Minister of Imperial Household Jiang Zhong and Fu Baoguo whom I've mentioned... there was also Inner Court Attendant Mi Kongqun... Right, the fourth prince had talked about it with me too..."

Yun Yang froze and stood stock still. "Fourth Prince? Are you sure?"

"Would I lie to you? After all this?" Yang Botao's gaze was sorrowful.

Yun Yang sucked in a deep breath and said, "Last question; who in the Four Seasons Tower is your father? I believe that you must know the answer to this! I am certain that you would want me to avenge you, do you not?"

Yang Botao smiled mournfully. "Indeed I know the answer, but Lord Supreme Wind... I'm truly sorry. I can't reveal it to you..."

Yun Yang was dumbfounded.

"No matter how wrong and corrupt he is, he's still my biological father..."

Yang Botao spoke choppily, "I know that if he hadn't appeared, I might have had the chance to become Yutang's legend, be recorded in the history and leave the legacy of a notable general... Now, what's left of me is only the deplorable sin of a terrible reputation..."

"However, he is my father after all... This can never be denied..."

"This is the reason that I haven't spoken of it and kept it a secret all along... Although my biological father had done me wrong, I don't want to betray him..."

Yun Yang closed his eyes and said softly, "Then go, Yang Botao. I'll think of a way to reunite you and your wife in the afterlife after you die."

Surprise flickered in Yang Botao's eyes as he replied, "Thank... you. I'll... explain this to my wife under..."

As the last word left his lips, a gush of thick blood suddenly spouted out and blocked his throat.

His eyes stared into nothingness, his gaze flickered suddenly as he exerted what force he was left with to swallow the mouthful of blood back down. His throat was cleared as he looked at Yun Yang and said sincerely, "I'm sorry... Oh..."

Yun Yang heaved a long sigh and closed his eyes, turning his face away.

He could hear the gurgling noise in Yang Botao's throat as the latter suddenly said in a gentle voice, "So, you're still waiting for me... It's great... that you're... by my... side..."

As Yang Botao's body went lax, his pulse stopped.

This notable marshal of Yutang, a general of his times, who carried a denounced reputation that could not be cleansed in this century, had finally bid the world farewell.

Yun Yang straightened up, feeling a pent-up rage simmering with the oppression he felt.

Four Seasons Tower!

It was still the Four Seasons Tower!

These vile men who had no hearts!

When could he kill them all?

Looking at Yang Botao's body that was slowly losing its warmth, Yun Yang could only feel a wave of grief.

He was such a notable marshal of this generation, he had a lifetime of a clean reputation. Yet he had taken step after agonizing step to reach this day after being deceived.

Other than calling it the trick of destiny, there was no other explanation!

Even if it were a saint, how could they suspect their closest family?

What was more, he had seen the Nine-Beam Rainbow Herb with his own eyes - how could he not believe it? As a son, could he have cut his father's stomach open to prove him wrong?

He had supplied the whereabouts of the Nine Supremes and had indeed caused the ultimate demise of the Nine Supremes but still...

Yun Yang heaved a large puff of air, enunciating each word piercingly, "Four - Seasons - Tower!"

Suddenly, his head was clearer than ever as he grew increasingly puzzled. He had been talking to Yang Botao here for so long. Why had the Four Seasons Tower's men not appeared yet?

Was their objective not to uproot the Nine Supremes?

Logically, they should have been here a long time ago.

Yun Yang was still in a state of illusory manifestation. To be precise, he was only a gust of gathered green wind, swirling and whirling about...

A soft sigh came from behind him, like a soft breeze passing the tree branches.

He turned around swiftly.

Indeed, a masked man dressed entirely in black stood a few hundred feet behind him.

The person had blended into the dark shadows of the trees without a hint of a breath or pulse. If Yun Yang had not turned to see, he would not have realized that there was actually someone else besides him.

In reality, the man in black had been standing there all along. From his pose, it seemed that he had been standing there for some time.

Seeing that Yun Yang had turned around, the man chuckled lightly. "Supreme Wind, whose name intimidated the world, your reputation rings true indeed. This old man has stood here as long as the time taken to finish a cup of tea now."

Yun Yang replied faintly, "Perhaps you have to keep on standing. Don't assume that you could have hurt me if you had moved."

"If I'd made a move, the conversation Lord Supreme Wind had with Yang Botao wouldn't have been as smooth," the man in black said faintly with a smile.

Yun Yang scoffed. It was true though, and that made it hard for him to summon a suitable retort.

"I've waited patiently until you're done listening to all Yang Botao had to say. Only then did I make a sound. I think that this is the greatest respect I can give to Lord Supreme Wind."

"I know that Lord Supreme Wind still has a lot of doubts. This is also the main reason for me to wait here for you."

The voice of the masked man in black was clear as he said, "My master is waiting just up there. Lord Supreme Wind can perhaps go over for a talk and all your doubts and questions will be resolved."

"Resolve all my doubts?" Yun Yang chuckled mockingly and said, "Is that Mr. Nian of yours up there then?"

Yun Yang was not saying it out of hope of embarrassing the enemy nor was he being airheaded. If they knew of his doubts, they would know of his secrets as well. In retrospect, no one in this world could allay his doubts other than the Four Seasons Tower's Mr. Nian himself!

Be it the entirety of the Four Seasons Tower's network, the hidden members scattered across Tianxuan Continent's countries, insiders to spy in all the sects and schools, experts, recluses, pedlars, potters, ordinary people, those who were known and those who were not - only Mr. Nian himself could know all about them.

Other than that, Yun Yang had also always wanted to understand the most basic question of all. Why was the Four Seasons Tower's Mr. Nian, spending so much effort to take aim at the Nine Supremes? The Nine Supremes' birth was to help the Empire of Yutang, to protect the country and guard the homes of its citizens. Even if the myth was real, that the Nine Supremes would turn powerful and the Empire of Yutang would conquer Tianxuan, it would hardly sway the Four Seasons Tower.

Although the Four Seasons Tower had deeply infiltrated all the nations, it was enough to speak of the infiltration within the Empire of Yutang. To have the Empire of Yutang unify the continent, perhaps it would aid the mastermind behind even more. There was simply no benefit to speak of in tackling the Nine Supremes with so much effort!

This was what Yun Yang could not figure out. Although the nine brothers possessed the mystical power of manifestations, their real cultivation base was of the most ordinary standard. They could only use it in warfare; they would be totally powerless when faced with a genuinely skilled expert. This was proven when He Hanqing had almost killed Yun Yang, who had just improved his cultivation base, with just a single strike the other day. Was there really a reason for Mr. Nian to attack them that day with such a well-staged ambush?

Or perhaps, there was more to the so-called Nine Supremes myth that he was not aware of?

Yun Yang did not want his brothers to die without a clear reason. He had to find out everything about this!

The masked man chortled. "Such a petty matter does not require the personal appearance of our reputed master."

"So this is a petty matter to the respectable one. That is great indeed."

Yun Yang said nonchalantly, "I'll have to ask respectable one to wait for a bit. Words said are a promise made, one can't stand in this world without keeping promises they have made; I've promised Yang Botao just now that I'd reunite him and his wife so they could meet again in the afterlife!"

Before his words finished echoing, Yun Yang's hand spilled a gout of flame that engulfed Yang Botao's body before it burned brightly with a hissing flare of radiance.

The sound of the wind whistled urgently as it whirled around the flame.

The fire grew fiercer as an indescribable scent gradually filled the forest.

It was only a brief moment before Yang Botao's muscular build was turned into ashes.

Yun Yang heaved a deep sigh and mumbled, "Yang Botao, the reasons behind your actions are clear now. We brothers do not hate you anymore! May you rest in peace. If there were a next life, I hope we can get to know each other well."

His hand jerked, a robe was spread out on the ground as Yun Yang carefully swept Yang Botao's ashes into it and tied the robe into a parcel to carry on his back.

Looking at the charred ground, Yun Yang could not stop the sighs that heaved within him.

A notable general of his times, a hero of this century - he had ultimately ended his life this way.

In spite of this, how could Yun Yang have thought that it was such a reason prior to this?

"Yang Botao's father?" Yun Yang frowned. "Yang Botao's father had used his son to do such a thing, destroying his son's life. He is unworthy to be a father! However, it isn't perplexing for Yang Botao's father to participate in something like this. What is odd is that he could stop the Four Seasons Tower from killing his son after it was done. This is something to ponder upon."

"Yang Botao has obviously been ratted out, but there were still so many Four Seasons Tower's experts guarding him. When his death was sealed, the tower's experts saved him at the cost of their own lives... This obviously points to the authoritative position Yang Botao's father must have within the Four Seasons Tower..."

"But the highest position in the Four Seasons Tower is held by Mr. Nian and that's obviously not his father."

"After Mr. Nian, the four Supreme Lords? Maybe Yang Botao is the son of one of the Supreme Lords? A blade hangs from the sky? Could it be that there are still some other ranks that exist above the four Supreme Lords?"