âDamn miscreant, have you already forgotten that pain? Didnât that girl hurt you enough? No matter how much merit youâve done for the sect, rules are rules. Sect Leader wonât budge in this matter, so just give it a rest. And donât even think about going to him with this, or youâll only make it worse. That time, even I canât save you!â
Zhuo Fanâs heart was free, unshackled and light. He felt so carefree as he walked, eager to get to the Mystical Heaven Sect. But then his ear picked up two familiar voices that caught his attention, Venerable Qi and Kui Lang.
Even puzzled, Zhuo Fan would hardly ever butt in someoneâs problems, but today he was in such a good mood, he walked right over. âWhatâs wrong? Why are master and disciple arguing?â
âOh, Steward Zhuo!â
Kui Lang immediately bowed and Venerable Qi nodded in respect, âThis brat only knows how to cause trouble. He got a bit of merit and it got to his head. He even forgot the last transgression that got him kicked into the Labor Office.â
Kui Lang looked ashamed and lowered his head. Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow. âJust what happened? Can I hear it?â
Kui Lang hesitated before giving Zhuo Fan a glance, âSteward Zhuo, you know already. Itâs my girlâŚâ
âOh, because of you sheâs been detained in the Mystical Heaven Sect? Thatâs why Xuan Shaoyu threatened you in the Double Dragon GatheringâŚâ Zhuo Fan exclaimed.
Venerable Qiâs eyelid twitched and he glared at Kui Lang, âYou actually gave up for an enemy in the Double Dragon Gathering? This is absurd! If the Sect Leader finds out, youâd be lucky to keep your life! Sigh, damn vixensâŚâ
Venerable Qi stomped in anger. Zhuo Fan waved his hand with a smile. âVenerable Qi, thereâs no need for anger. Only the three of us know this. Besides, Iâm also about to leave anyway.â
âThank you so much, Steward Zhuo!â Venerable Qi gave a deep bow then glared at Kui Lang, making him feel even more guilty.
However, he still clung to one last thread of hope. âDidnât we earn a great merit? Sect Leader is cheerful as well. I think using this chance to ask him to use the Demon Scheming Sectâs glorious name to ask the Mystical Heaven Sect to get my girl backâŚâ
âBullshit!â
Venerable Qi snapped, âThe Demon Scheming Sect is against fraternizing. And you even expect heâd lower himself to the Mystical Heaven Sect for a mere disciple like you? Weâd be lucky if the Mystical Heaven Sect wouldnât take advantage of our weakness and just let her go. But even so, our sect would have lost its name because of it!â
Venerable Qiâs torrent of words smashed into Kui Langâs ears, causing him to lose hope. And yet, he still looked at Zhuo Fan with a fixed gaze.
His master couldnât help him, so now it was up to Zhuo Fan if he was willing to pass it on to the Sect Leader.
Even if a mere disciple, Zhuo Fan was the Sect Leaderâs confidante. Having gotten such a glorious win at the Double Dragon Gathering, putting the sect in the top middle-three sects, the Sect Leader might hear him out when not even elders or venerables could get his ear.
Zhuo Fan frowned, rubbing his chin, âYour masterâs right. Let it go, or youâll only make it worse. Xie Wuyue doesnât care about anyone. He wonât help you at all, in fact, he would fly into a rage and punish you. Youâre better off not mentioning it. â
Venerable Qi nodded like it was obvious, glaring at his disciple.
[See that, even Steward Zhuo said it.]
Kui Langâs face fell in despairâŚ
âAlthoughâŚâ
Zhuo Fan switched topics with a crafty smile, âGetting someone out isnât necessarily done using the sectâs name. Iâm just about to go to Mystical Heaven Sect and fetch someone. You can just come along.â
Ugh!
The two gave him dumb looks. Then Venerable Qi gasped, âSteward ZhuoâŚâ
âHa-ha-ha, if I wonât do it, who else will?â
Zhuo Fan smiled as he looked above, âIâve been absorbed with the demonic path for years and have discovered many truths. That should make me a somewhat advanced player. No matter how deep you sink into the sea of desire, I shall not fear, ha-ha-haâŚâ
The two looked lost at him.
Zhuo Fan turned to Kui Lang and said, âWhat are you staring at? Come on, Mystical Heaven Sect had been a lower-three sect for all these years and shouldnât have many sacred stones. Iâll use the two thousand on me to smash their face in and get those girls. One for you and one for me.â
Zhuo Fan started walking towards the gate. Kui Lang came out of it at some point and rushed after him, âSteward Zhuo, y-youâre really going to give your sacred stones for my girl?â
âOf course. Sacred stones are just invaluable things compared to people.â
âS-Steward Zhuo, youâre truly kind. Iâll never forget this for as long as I live. No matter what happens, I will do anything you askâŚâ
âLighten up. Weâre just two guys bearing the same trouble. Though, there may be a use of you yet. Who knows, ha-ha-haâŚâ
Zhuo Fan and Kui Lang chuckled in the distance, leaving Venerable Qi dumbstruck.
[Two thousand sacred stones over two girls? T-this is such a waste!]
Their sect had at most one thousand of those glittering baubles that had to last the sect for centuries. Yet now, this Steward Zhuo was going to squander twice that on some broadsâŚ
Venerable Qi looked ahead as his face twitched and heart bled.
[No matter how loaded you are, you canât just throw it all away!]
[Sigh, how can a nouveau riche understand the pain of poverty?]
Venerable Qi shook his head, unable to make sense of Zhuo Fanâs actions, but also envious and admired him.
Zhuo Fan was spending so much for his girl and was going to do the same for Kui Lang. Such a nice boss was a rarity in this world.
[Itâs Kui Langâs fortune to land such a boss.]
While theirs, Xie Wuyue, was stingy to the core, fighting for every scrap.
He had no idea, though, that those two thousand rocks were a drop in a bucket for Zhuo Fan while a life fortune to Xie Wuyue.
Putting them side by side, one could see how one spentâŚ
âZhuo Fan, can we go now?â
At the Demon Scheming Sectâs entrance, Shuangâer and Yongning were waiting for him. Yongning asked, âBrother Kui Lang, youâre coming along?â
Kui Lang had a bright smile, but it was Zhuo Fan who said, âNo, he will only accompany us to Mystical Heaven Sect.â
âMystical Heaven Sect?â
âWeâre going to get Qingcheng and then go home together.â Zhuo Fan had a wide smile on his face.
The girlsâ hearts skipped a beat, but then smiled. Shuangâer found Zhuo Fanâs look even more enchanting. âNo wonder I found your attitude off. Youâre no longer as depressed as before. So you have your answer for sister Qingcheng!â
âIâve dragged out this question for far too longâŚâ Zhuo Fan sighed.
The girls nodded, finally able to rest their intentions and be happy for him.
The four were now on the road to Mystical Heaven Sect. Since Zhuo Fan said heâd answer Chu Qingcheng half a year later, they were in no rush. In fact, Zhuo Fan was actually dragging his feet, as if nervous.
This question had been on hold for almost a decade. How would he answer? How would she react?
[How would I react?]
These were all pressing questions to Zhuo Fan.
Suddenly, Zhuo Fan felt as if he was like a tense bride before her wedding.
The girls giggled.
[The high and mighty Steward Zhuo balks when it comes to talking about relationships.]
The team had gone like this for a month yet they were only a third of the way to Mystical Heaven Sect.
Even Shuangâer was starting to dislike this and pouted, âWeâre not here to sightsee. If we go any slower, youâll miss your due date with sister Qingcheng.â
âReally?â Zhuo Fan let out a dry laugh, âBut how am I to answer her? All these years Iâve been so coldâŚâ
Whoosh!
A red figure came smashing down a hundred meters from them, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The group was stunned to see Mystical Heaven Sectâs Danâer, Chu Qingchengâs junior sister.
As he was going to Chu Qingcheng, Zhuo Fan had to mind her junior sister, no? So he rushed over to help her up. âDanâer, whatâs wrong? What happened?â
âZ-Zhuo Fan?â
Danâer looked in joy then said, âY-you have to save sister QingchengâŚâ