Chapter 88: No Problem! I Trust Your Lao Wantong's Character

Betray, or betray?

Niu Dingtian hesitated a bit.

After lifting his head, his gaze fixed on Lao Wantong's painted face, and he did not speak immediately.

Is this old fellow's memory good or bad? Should I just recite the "Ode to the River Goddess" for him?

Seeing Niu Dingtian remain silent, Lao Wantong's smug smile gradually settled on his face.

"What? Kid, you want to renege? You want your words not to count? You want to play tricks with Lao Wantong?"

Finally, he couldn't help but stare wide‑eyed, panting heavily, tugging his beard, stamping his feet, and shouting angrily.

Niu Dingtian merely narrowed his eyes, glanced at the firewood, and still said nothing.

"Qiu Chuji bears a grudge against me." As the atmosphere froze, he shook his head, then suddenly spoke, his eyes flashing slightly, and continued:

"Naturally I won't renege, but I have a mortal feud with your disciple‑nephew Qiu Chuji; he killed someone who shouldn't have died, so when I meet him later, he must die!"

Hearing this, Lao Wantong's complexion changed abruptly, he immediately dropped his comic act, his eyes taking on a rare seriousness as he stared solemnly at Niu Dingtian.

Niu Dingtian met his gaze without flinching, then smiled and said:

Meanwhile, Miss Huang, though her pretty face was slightly tipsy, was watching intently; this little thief truly had no shame, even more shameless than herself.

"Fine! Since Lao Wantong wants to break the pact, it doesn't matter if I, Niu Dingtian, break my oath as well; from now on, if I meet someone surnamed Qiu, I won't take his life."

Niu Dingtian said no more; though his earlier words were not fully explained, the meaning was clear—the bait was cast, now it's up to Lao Wantong to choose.

I can choose not to kill; at worst I won't become that big brother, but if others swing a blade to take a life, I won't stand in the way.

Niu, eager for Lao Wantong to act first, would feel no remorse even if he accidentally killed him.

Niu Dingtian's eyes flickered slightly, yet without hesitation he pointed a single hand to the sky and, in a serious tone, said:

"Hmph—Lao Wantong is really foolish!" Lao Wantong slammed his head down, muttering angrily with a look of frustration."

Lao Wantong was still uneasy.

"You can strike me now; as long as you kill me, your disciple‑nephew will be safe thereafter."

"What if this oath is broken—what then?"

Lao Wantong replied stubbornly.

"Pfft~"

"Really not listening?" Niu Dingtian asked, doubtful.

Niu Dingtian scoffed, then glanced sideways at Lao Wantong, saying disdainfully:

"A real man keeps his word! What use is empty talk? I'm called Niu Dingtian, why should I fear thunder and lightning?"

"Not listening! Not listening!" Lao Wantong turned his body away and pinched his ears tighter.

Niu Dingtian was satisfied, indifferent, sipping the wine in his bowl sip by sip.

"So Lao Wantong breaks the pact first, you break it too! Is that okay? Lao Wantong won't listen! Even if you backtrack, Lao Wantong still won't listen!" Lao Wantong covered his ears, sat on the ground and started to whine.

Miss Huang must be drunk; otherwise she wouldn't give such a sly glance. Niu Dingtian found it hard to counter, steadied himself, then smiled and said:

"Miss Huang, have you thought it through? Once I leave, there will be no chance to speak."

"Lao Wantong, let's begin!" After finishing the last sip of wine in his bowl, Niu Dingtian said to Lao Wantong with a smiling tone.

"Here!"

"Lao Wantong can't beat you!"

"What else?"

"Will you just spare my disciple‑nephew? Okay?" Seeing Niu Dingtian start to speak, Lao Wantong tugged his beard, moved close, and licked his painted face while discussing.

It was a move to seek credit; now he was squatting by Niu Dingtian's leg, head raised, his watery eyes scanning Niu Dingtian's face.

"Pass that body technique to Miss Huang?"

"Then you break Lao Wantong's as well!" Lao Wantong hesitated a moment before deciding.

Thinking of his failed greed and losing the true scripture, he flung himself onto the ground in a fit of sulk.

Since I have a grudge with Qiu Chuji, when that day comes the Quanzhen Sect won't ignore it; if I bear a feud with the Quanzhen Sect, Lao Wantong won't ignore it either; if I feud with Lao Wantong, that woman Ying Gu certainly won't ignore it; and if Ying Gu is killed, could the Duan from the south possibly stay indifferent?

"No, no, no, I have never broken a pact first!" Niu Dingtian shook his head again and refused.

After a moment of silence, Lao Wantong suddenly muttered with a mournful face, then began tugging his beard and pacing around the cave, repeatedly shouting, "Lao Wantong can't beat you! No more! No more!!"

"No way! You must swear!"

After pulling out a chicken leg, he wobbly handed it to Niu Dingtian, eyes watery, leaning close to his ear and giggling:

"Thief, how do you intend to thank me, Miss?"

Niu Dingtian, seeing this, shook his head and said resolutely, "I have sworn with others; if I were to break it arbitrarily later, why bother keeping our agreement today?"

Miss Huang finally couldn't hold back her laugh; perhaps the alcohol had taken effect, her little face flushed pink, utterly adorable, and the earlier irritation vanished.

She then turned her head away, refusing to look at him again—damn, both of them broke the pact, yet still spout such nonsense vows.

Niu Dingtian was somewhat puzzled.

"Anything else?"

As he thought, Niu Dingtian felt a headache coming; offending the fallen Shaolin Temple alone wouldn't be a problem, but now his wings are not yet fully grown, so he shouldn't make too many enemies. Shamelessness is shameless, but it's better to use some sense.

"How about…"

"Heaven above, I, Niu Dingtian, hereby swear that if I ever meet Qiu Chuji in the future, I will spare his life!"

By his own means, he could simply slip away, but doing so would likely cause Lao Wantong to entangle him completely later; unless absolutely forced, he truly does not wish to lay a hand on that old child—killing him would be no different from killing a child.

Niu Dingtian knew this girl was keen on that body technique and would eventually speak up; since the promise was already made, he didn't want to renege, so it was better for him to take the initiative.

Miss Huang, after hearing, had a hint of longing in her eyes, then giggled, shook her head, and said in a coquettish voice:

"No! I need to think it over properly."

Niu Dingtian heard this, flinched slightly, and before he could speak, Miss Huang burst into giggles:

"Little thief,"

"You're not afraid that I'll cling to you, are you?"

Again, he hummed twice at Niu Dingtian, then picked up the wine jar, filled the three empty bowls on the ground one by one, and loudly called out in a coquettish voice to the Old Mischief who was still sulking aside:

"Old Mischief!"

"Come keep me company for a drink!"

"I won't drink! I won't drink!"

"Old Mischief won't drink!"

Old Mischief lay on the ground without turning his head.

Seeing Old Mischief throw a tantrum, Miss Huang giggled and said disparagingly:

"Old Mischief is really stupid! This little thief only glanced once—how many characters could he remember?"

"But you, Old Mischief, still saved that surnamed Qiu's life; if you don't come over now, next time I won't come looking for you to play!"

"Huh? Got the advantage?"

Old Mischief instantly perked up.

"Hahaha!"

Then, laughing uproariously, he flipped over, jumped straight to the wine bowl, snatched it up and gulped it down, then tore off half a roasted chicken and happily began to gnaw on it.

Seeing this, Miss Huang no longer paid attention, picked up her wine bowl, her little face flushed, and giggled at Niu Dingtian:

"Hehe~ little thief, I'll toast you another bowl; after you leave, you mustn't forget me—I'll come out to find you to play later, you can't ignore me, got it? I'll drink first!"

After saying that, she lifted the wine bowl, swaying toward her mouth; just as it reached her lips, half the wine had spilled, she wrinkled her nose, squinted her eyes, and poured the remaining half into her mouth, holding it in for a while before forcibly swallowing the spicy liquid.

Having just swallowed, she flung the wine bowl down, her eyes watery, continuously sticking out her tender little tongue.

Niu Dingtian saw this, his heart involuntarily stirred; gazing at the already hazy-eyed Miss Huang, he spoke softly:

"I will naturally not forget Miss Huang; if Miss Huang ever leaves Peach Blossom Island, remember to go to Nine Palaces Mountain outside Xiangyang City—I will certainly entertain her well!"

Having said that, he lifted the wine bowl and drained it in one gulp.

Miss Huang heard this, her flushed cheeks unable to hide her joy; she was about to speak, but felt a wave of dizziness, unable to open her mouth, merely swaying her head back and forth, her watery eyes gazing at Niu Dingtian before her.

"Old Mischief also wants to go to Xiangyang!"

"Old Mischief also wants to go play in Xiangyang!"

Upon hearing those words, Old Mischief immediately tossed away the roasted chicken, rushed to Niu Dingtian's side, and began shouting excitedly with a beaming face.

Niu Dingtian glanced over with a smiling gaze and said:

"Aren't you afraid of Ouyang Feng? Ouyang Feng will also appear in Xiangyang; aren't you afraid he'll snatch your Nine Yin Classic?"

Old Mischief's excited expression froze instantly, and then he hid to the side with a blank, dazed look.

"Little thief. you want"

Miss Huang, hazy and dazed, hadn't finished speaking before she swayed and was about to fall.

Niu Dingtian hurriedly reached out to help her up; just as he was about to ask, she instead slumped onto his leg and fell asleep.

"How does Old Mischief think my martial arts are?"

Seeing Old Mischief hiding aside silently, Niu Dingtian glanced over and asked with a smile:

"Hmph—anyway, Old Mischief can't beat you!"

Old Mischief, upon hearing that, admitted readily; just now he had grasped for a while without even touching a corner of your clothes, so naturally he had no face to argue.

"Is Old Mischief very afraid of Ouyang Feng?" Niu Dingtian smiled and asked softly.

Old Mischief, however, simply turned away, letting his head droop, without uttering a reply.

Niu Dingtian saw this, didn't mind, and continued: "Old Mischief, how do you think the martial arts of Huang Lao Xie and Hong Qigong compare to that of Ouyang Feng?"

Old Mischief still hadn't lifted his head, but he muttered:

"I've never fought the old beggar; Huang Lao Xie, I can't beat; Ouyang Feng, I can't beat either—one's poisonous, the other's evil; I'd say they're about the same."

"Old Mischief, that Hong Qigong has already been crippled by me." After a moment of silence, Niu Dingtian suddenly spoke softly.

Upon hearing this, Old Mischief's drooping head snapped up, his hands tugging at his messy long hair, his face full of disbelief as he stared at Niu Dingtian; before he could speak, Niu Dingtian continued:

"Last night I defeated Huang Lao Xie, injuring him severely, so he hasn't come to bother you these past two nights."

"You injured Huang Lao Xie?" Old Mischief finally reacted, unable to help exclaiming.

Niu Dingtian's face remained calm; he gave a slight nod.

Seeing this, Old Mischief suddenly dropped the hair in his hands, then jumped about, laughing loudly:

"Hahaha~ Huang Lao Xie was injured! Huang Lao Xie was injured! Huang Lao Xie was injured by someone!"

"You aren't afraid of Ouyang Feng? Afraid he'll snatch the Nine Yin Classic from your person?" Niu Dingtian suddenly spoke again.

Old Mischief, upon hearing that, immediately wilted, his drooping head motionless.

Niu Dingtian smiled and said: "I know you're deliberately hiding on Peach Blossom Island, just wanting to use Huang Lao Xie to fend off Ouyang Feng."

After hearing that, Old Mischief fell into a silence, seeming to have acquiesced; not knowing how to respond, he then heard Niu Dingtian continue:

"But from now on you can go out with peace of mind; as long as Ouyang Feng makes a move against you, I can block him for you—you only need to agree to my three conditions."

"How?"

"Three conditions?" Old Mischief lifted his head again, looking at Niu Dingtian with a somewhat doubtful expression.

"Not bad!"

Niu Dingtian nodded and said with a smile: "Just three conditions! I won't have you do anything that harms heaven and reason, nor will I plot to seize the Nine Yin Classic!"

"I, Niu Dingtian, have always acted openly and aboveboard; naturally I would disdain to do the kind of forcible seizure that Ouyang Feng does—had I intended to seize it, the Nine Yin Classic would already be in my hands."

"Really?"

"Naturally it's true!"

Niu Dingtian gave his assurance without hesitation, then looked at Lao Wan Tong with a smile and said:

"These days the outside world is far more interesting than this island; on the eighth day of the eighth month next year I will hold an inaugural sect gathering in Xiangyang, and it will be lively indeed—don't you want to go see it?"

Lao Wan Tong's eyes lit up upon hearing this, after a moment of hesitation he suddenly stood up and shouted loudly: "Good! Lao Wan Tong agrees!"

"But we must make an oath!"

"No problem!"

Niu Dingtian readily agreed.

Seeing Niu Dingtian readily agree, Lao Wan Tong gave a hehe laugh, then raised his hand and swore:

"I, Lao Wan Tong Zhou Botong, swear in the name of my senior brother, as long as Niu—hey kid, what's your name?"

"Niu Dingtian!"

"I, Lao Wan Tong Zhou Botong, swear in the name of my senior brother, as long as Niu Dingtian blocks Ouyang Feng's attempt to seize the Nine Yin Classic for Lao Wan Tong, Lao Wan Tong will agree to his three conditions; whoever violates this oath, may the senior brother not die a good death!"

Niu Dingtian's smile froze at the end; this old guy, damn it, is he really stupid or pretending? He then reminded with a fake smile: "Your senior brother is already dead."

"If your senior brother weren't dead, I'd still have a hope of being that guy's father."

"Lao Wan Tong, let's do it again!"

Seeing this, Lao Wan Tong suddenly realized, about to switch characters and start over, but Niu Dingtian beside him raised a hand to stop him, laughing and saying: "No problem! I trust your character, Lao Wan Tong."

Afterwards he also put on a solemn face, pointed a single hand to the sky, and swore:

"I, Niu Dingtian, swear in the name of my elder brother Niu Zhuang, as long as Lao Wan Tong Zhou Botong agrees to my three conditions, I will block Ouyang Feng's forceful seizure of the Nine Yin Classic for him; whoever violates this oath, may the elder brother not die a good death!"

"Alright, let's call it a day."

"Damn it, what a waste of time!"

Having said that, he no longer bothered with Lao Wan Tong, directly picked up the girl in yellow on his lap, and flashed out of the cave.

(End of chapter)