Chapter 1249, Worming Facts
Zhao Chen was enveloped in black energy, his mind intoxicated and hazy. He could not see any issues with it because the power was just too strong, giving him a false feeling of control over the entire world as it grew thicker and thicker, promising him Sainthood.
Zhuo Fan sensed his scattered and wild aura. The increase was only in quantity and not quality, blocking any chance of becoming a Saint.
Zhuo Fan shook his head as he looked at the closed stone door.
âSteward Zhuo, the Saint wants to meet you again!â Li Jingtian had been waiting outside to give him a jade slip.
Zhuo Fan read it, âMeeting? Saints sure are free, asking to see me right as Iâm at war. Ugh, that damn He Xiaofeng again, staying in Ruby Cloud Sect still.â
Zhuo Fan crushed the jade slip to dust in anger.
[Bastard, heâs after Qingcheng again!]
âSteward Zhuo, will you go?â
âOf course. The least I can do is show a Saint proper respect.â
âShow respect? Steward Zhuo dealt with dragon Saints like nothing. Crushing an entitled Saint brat should be as easy as snapping your fingers, ha-ha-haâŠâ Li Jingtian raised an eyebrow.
Zhuo Fan smirked, âRight you are, I have nothing to fear from the likes of He Xiaofeng, but I need to consider the bigger picture and lay low for now.â
âWhy do you say that?â
âHe Xiaofeng is an early Saint, nobody important, but he has the 6th Sacred Mountain behind him. Weâve yet to hear any word from the dragons. Even with them joining us, itâll take time to gather all the spiritual beasts. We need to bide our time.â
Zhuo Fanâs eyes shone, âThe Eight Emperors arenât united. Being hostile to the Sacred Mountains now will surround us with enemies.â
Li Jingtian jerked, âWhat of it? Every Luo clan elder leading a team could mow them down.â
âWonât that reveal us to the Saints as well?â
Tapping his head, Zhuo Fan smiled, âIt will also scare them, turning from being pedantic to stooping to any low and retaliating against us. To resist the enemy, we need to secure our lands. Donât ever forget the lesson of the Sword Star Empire and Baili Jingwei. By waging war with the Sacred Mountains, the Eight Emperors would be sure to strike back. We have to make our lands strong as iron to avoid any problems.â
Li Jingtian nodded, âSteward Zhuo is thorough in the end. Then weâll take the Eight Emperorsâ lands before anything.â
âYeah, weâre to take their lands without them noticing our intentions and plan for it, ha-ha-haâŠâ Zhuo Fan snickered at the door behind him and left with Li Jingtian.
[Disciple, you betrayed your master and now youâll become bait, drawing everyone in.]
A month later, three people darted beneath the sun as they landed in a forest. Zhuo Fan, Li Jingtian and Qiu Yanhai looked at the Ruby Cloud Sectâs dazzling entrance.
Zhuo Fan said, âIâll go pay my respects and keep the Saint and the hag busy while you stick to the plan. The rest are nothing.â
âUnderstood!â The two bowed.
Zhuo Fan walked in, soon blocked by a few familiar figures.
âHead senior sister, itâs been a while. Howâve you been?â
âYou donât get to call me that! Humph!â
Fang Min glared at him, âEh? Whereâs your guard?â
Zhuo Fan shrugged, âLook at what youâre saying. Do you think thereâs no one guarding me with my current status? Theyâre only hiding in the shadows. Should I call them out? They may not be hundreds, but 180 there should be, each tough in their own right. I have no fear against some early Spirit Kings.â
âTch, youâre quite the show off, for a useless Demonic Emperor dog.â
âYouâre wrong about that. Even dogs differ among each other. I act in Demonic Emperorâs stead, can you say the same? While Iâm a purebred prized poodle, youâre just a flea-ridden mongrel, ha-ha-haâŠâ
Fang Min grimaced in anger, wanting to kill him then and there. Zhuo Fan taunted further, âI came to your sect at the Saintâs invitation. Touch me in any way and not even your master can protect you.â
Fang Min shuddered and panted, straining to quell her rage, âAfter you!â
âThatâs better. Youâre only shaming the Enchanting Empress by failing to receive guests, he-he-he.â Zhuo Fan snickered at their furious glares, âWhereâs Qingcheng anyway? Why donât I see her?â
Fang Min got her chance to strike back, âYouâll never get to see her again.â
âWhy do you say that?â Zhuo Fanâs heart tensed.
Fang Min mocked, âJunior sister has been promised to the Saint, but the obstinate girl doesnât know whatâs good for her and refused. She even tried leaving but master locked her up on the Snow Peak for the time when the Saint takes her away. So you wonât see junior sister ever again once she goes to the Sacred Mountains, ha-ha-haâŠâ
Zhuo Fan nodded, having taken this scenario into account and looked back.
Li Jingtian and Qiu Yanhai gave him a signal.
Zhuo Fan taunted Fang Min so she would let Chu Qingchengâs situation slip. The chick was harsh but not too bright though, making it extra easy for him to deal with her.
A few slick words got her to spill all of the sectâs secrets.
[The Enchanting Empress has good tastes in disciples.]
Zhuo Fan smirked, approving of Fang Min, who gave him an odd look.
[Whatâs with him? I taunted him with Qingcheng yet he doesnât care?]
âHead senior sister!â
Zhuo Fan said, âWhy are you so happy that Qingcheng is being taken to the Sacred Mountains? That place is a cultivatorâs dreamland. As I understand, you should be jealous and stewing in envy from not being picked instead of that dumb girl. âWhat does she have that I donât?â Looking at looks, figure, cultivation, and⊠you know, youâd probably on par, no? Ha-ha-ha, no wonder there are no men around.â
The other disciples giggled with red faces. Fang Min glared and gnashed her teeth, cutting their joy short.
Fang Min sighed, âChu Qingcheng has never been stronger than me, ever, but master always spoiled her, giving her everything. The Saint also picked her, not even giving me a second glance. Am I so bad? Is she that much better?â
âI donât think so.â
âYou agree too? Then why do you all go after her?â
âObjectively speaking, youâre better in every way, but one.â
âBirth!â Zhuo Fanâs eyes shone.
Because she was and still is Qingcheng, her birth made him protect her without fail. It was also her birth, having a Sovereign path that made the Enchanting Empress and Saint value her immensely.
[You could never catch up to her with such a circumstance!]
Fang Min didnât get it, âBirth? Isnât she just an orphan? Whatâs so special about her? Master just took her in, is all.â
âVery special indeed.â
Zhuo Fan was grave, âLet me be frank with you. You can never match her background, not even your master. Do you believe me when I tell you that she can make He Xiaofeng destroy Ruby Cloud Sect? Even the Eight Emperors, the guy would definitely fulfill her every wish to win her smile.â
Fang Min was dumbstruck, âStop fooling around! A Saint would never spoil his girl that much. The Eight Emperors in the Sacred Domain are like the Sacred Mountains to them. Their death will bring chaos.â
âThis isnât spoiling, itâs about worth. What does it matter if the world burns, so long as Qingcheng smiles?â Zhuo Fan gave an eerie grin, âThis is her background, the one that can topple cities. Why else would she be Chu Qingcheng? Ha-ha-haâŠâ
(StarReader: Qingcheng means city-toppling beauty.)
They arrived before the sectâs Main Hall. Zhuo Fan entered with a smile, leaving the girls stumped behind.
[Is Qingcheng that important? Just who is sheâŠ]