Half an hour later, Zhuo Fan unsealed Han Qianying and Shui Ruohuaâs cultivations. The two quickly opened the sect array and the Demon Scheming Sect with the Luo clan left after taking care of their wounded and burying their dead.
Even after everyone left, Zhuo Fan stayed behind. He had unsealed Chu Qingchengâs cultivation a while back and yet she immediately went away saying she had something to do. Now he was waiting for her.
Whoosh~
Chu Qingchengâs amazing figure came back before Zhuo Fan with a smile, âIâm back.â
âThatâs good. Letâs go as well.â Zhuo Fan nodded and held her hand tightly.
Chu Qingcheng was startled, âArenât you going to ask me where I was?â
âHa-ha-ha, no matter where you go, as long as itâs not dangerous, I wonât ask and Iâd even let you go.â Zhuo Fan chuckled, âYouâre my wife, not an underling, nor a prisoner. You have your own freedom.â
Chu Qingcheng beamed with joy.
[We truly know each other best. He knows me and I know him.]
They also did not want all their affairs to be known either, to feel like they were being watched. So Chu Qingcheng did not ask about Zhuo Fanâs matter and he didnât ask about hers either. This was mutual respect.
However, the twoâs silent agreement hadnât lasted three steps, as Zhuo Fan said with a frown, âUhm, Qingcheng, just where did you go?â
Pff!
Chu Qingcheng rolled her eyes and giggled, âDIdnât you say you wonât ask? Why are you going back on your word?â
âHa-ha-ha, sorry, I know that I shouldnât restrain you, but I canât help but know everything about you, down to the last detail. This is such a complicated feelingâŠâ
Zhuo Fan shook his head, âItâs my first time feeling like this and I donât understand. It feels so impulsive. You donât have to tell me if you donât want to. I respect your wishâŠâ
However, Chu Qingcheng stopped him and flashed the Thunder Ring on her finger in front of him, âI went back for this. After Mystical Heaven Sect trapped me they even took my storage ring. I went after it.â
âI see, so it was nothing, ha-ha-haâŠâ Zhuo Fan nodded.
Chu Qingcheng glared, âWhat nothing? This ring comes as a pair, a proof of our relationship. How is it nothing?â
âYeah, youâre right, ha-ha-haâŠâ Zhuo Fan nodded, his heart warm and fuzzy. Despite being a Thunder Ring, this ring of his was also a sacred ring, unlike the one she had which was simple, even though he made it.
Chu Qingcheng cared for it because it represented their bond which filled him with happiness.
However, their little warm bubble was soon broken as Chu Qingcheng recalled something and mocked, âOh, I was wrong. The ring isnât a pair since thereâs another one. Something similar is worn by Miss LuoâŠâ
âUhm, wellâŠâ Zhuo Fan was sweating.
Chu Qingcheng went on with a smile, âThese three rings will be together later on and we will live happily together!â
âUhm, Qingcheng, she isnât like that. Sheâs just family, and the ring was already passed to Yunhai, the keepsake of Luo Clan HeadâŠâ
âOh, I see. Then Shuangâer, Yongning, Lianâer, Miss XueâŠâ
Zhuo Fanâs mouth twitched, âQingcheng, youâre the leader of Drifting Flowers Edifices, a person of powerâŠâ
âYeah, but sometimes Iâm impulsive too. I donât want to limit you. Itâs just that when sister Peony sent me those sending jades containing strange information, my heart felt heavyâŠâ Batting her eyes, Chu Qingcheng showed her mischievous side.
Zhuo Fanâs eyes shook, cursing Peony for being a busybody. Then he shook his head.
Chu Qingchengâs assault never relented as she kept asking awkward questions and putting Zhuo Fan on the spot. This was how they walked out of this place, hand in hand.
In this moment, the two were unlike the high cultivators they were, nor deep schemers, just a loving couple.
They bicker, they nag and they flirtâŠ
Seeing the two go, Luo Yunhai and Qiu Yanhai shared a pained look.
Luo Yunhai sighed and said, âBrother Zhuo asked us to destroy the jade slip before anyone saw it, but in the end sister Qingcheng saw it too. What now?â
âUhm, Clan Head, itâs all fine.â Qiu Yanhai pondered, âSteward Zhuo wanted no one to set their eyes on Miss Chu. Now that the jade slip is destroyed, Miss Chu canât be hurting herself, right? Itâs fine.â
Thinking it over, Luo Yunhai nodded, âI hope so. But brother Zhuoâs order was to not let anyone see it. Now that sister Qingcheng did, how do we tell him?â
âMiss Chu said it herself, to just not include her. Theyâre together anyway, so it wonât matter, ha-ha-haâŠâ Qiu Yanhai scratched his head, âClan Head, Iâm a knowledgeable old man and some things are better not taken so seriously. Itâs best to gloss over it. When you have a lady yourself, youâll know what it means to be love struck.â
Giving the old man a long look, Luo Yunhai nodded.
[Since sister Qingcheng and brother Zhuo are family, itâs fine if there are some things hidden from the husband or wife.]
The two then nodded, reaching a decision, and hurried to catch up.
However, to Chu Qingcheng, she had lied to Zhuo Fan for the first time and due to their trust, Zhuo Fan did not suspect anything.
But this, however, was foreordained to become Zhuo Fanâs biggest regret of his livesâŠ
After leaving, they rested for half a month ten miles from Mystical Heaven Sect and continued onward.
Zhuo Fan had given Li Jingtian and the elders pills and helped them recover faster. The Demon Scheming Sect was jubilant in the meantime from the spoils of war they got after that big fight.
The happiest was Kui Gang. His darling son, Kui Gang, was seeing his mother for the first time.
He now knew that his father prepared this surprise for him. They hugged in tears and in joy, holding each other close.
Venerable Qi was very much against Kui Lang and the girl from the Mystical Heaven Sect getting together, but this time they seized Mystical Heaven Sect and cut their arrogance down to size, not to mention they got a little something extra for their troubles. He didnât even mind seeing Zhuo Fan happy with his lady.
Moreover, since Steward Zhuo managed to get a girl from a righteous sect to join him, his disciple couldnât? Maybe this victory would be enough to make Sect Leader overlook it.
Anyway, the result was better than the fault, leaving room for discussionâŠ
And so, the whole group continued on. Zhuo Fan did not separate from them and went back to the Demon Scheming Sect with the Luo clan.
They then arrived at the valley where the two teams met for the first time. Shuangâer and Yongning, were anxiously waiting under Yue Ling and Qi Changlongâs care.
After all joined up, the girls were overjoyed to see Chu Qingcheng was saved. The girls all gathered around and talked, being close sisters with Chu Qingcheng.
Chu Qingcheng also joined the conversation with a smile.
However, while they were still lost in their victory, Zhuo Fan suddenly shouted, âListen up, the fighting isnât over!â
They all turned to Zhuo Fan with a puzzled look.
[What do you mean the fight isnât over? Isnât Mystical Heaven Sect ruined?]
âFirst of all, Iâve been hiding something from all of youâŠâ Zhuo Fan was dead serious as he pulled Chu Qingcheng in front, âIâve attacked Mystical Heaven Sect for my personal reason, to save my wife. I thank you all for your help!â
Zhuo Fan cupped his hands before them.
The people were stunned, then laughed, âHa-ha-ha, Steward Zhuo, we already figured it out. Whatâs the big problem?â
âYeah, with your merit, fighting to get a woman wonât make Sect Leader say anything.â Venerable Bai laughed.
Zhuo Fan shook his head and watched the crowd, âThis was what I wanted to tell you. Sect Leader Xie Wuyue doesnât know about our fight with Mystical Heaven Sect. It was all me.â
Ugh!
They all stood dumbstruck, hardly believing Zhuo Fanâs words.
Impersonating the Sect Leader was a serious offense. To even take all of the sectâs experts and fight another, that was inexcusable.
With Xie Wuyueâs temper, they could see how this wouldnât end well and they shook all over.
Seeing them react like that, Zhuo Fan squinted. He spoke something that gave them the biggest shock of all. It almost blew their minds.
âThatâs why, we are now going to counterattack the Demon Scheming Sect and seize power!â
[Proofreader note: Woah, the author really planted several flags in this chapter.]