Shangguan Yulin squinted and mocked, âSounds too good to be true. You win, I win, everybody wins. But tell me this, why on earth should I help you?â
âYou said it yourself, everybody wins. Or do you plan on spending the rest of your life in Shangguan clanâs torture chamber, spending every second of it in unadulterated agony?â
âAnd?â
Shangguan Yulin haughtily said, âIâd willingly stay in the ninth circle of hell so long as youâre a couple circles above. I may know only pain, but seeing you right there beside me with a wretched look will be a sobering experience, ha-ha-haâŠâ
Zhuo Fan sighed, âDo you hate me that much? We donât have anything against each other. I only fooled you a few times now. Getting you to knock your head on the floor, carved degenerate demon on your chest, made you shout master this and master that, had you grovel at my feet â but only for a couple of times â then⊠Was that all? I honestly canât recall. Meh, that should be it, right?â
âYou want more? Isnât that goddamn enough?!â
His face twitched with every sore spot that Zhuo Fan thoroughly skewered, bringing his anger to an all time high, âGu Yifan, youâre nothing but a foul rat. I come from a respected house, the Shangguan clan. Do you really think that having toyed, humiliated, and tortured me so many times does not warrant my burning hatred for you? I rather choose death before dishonor. The world isnât big enough for the both of us. Iâll be sure to return every indignity you subjected to me a thousand times over, and Iâll start with your precious son, ha-ha-haâŠâ
Zhuo Fan just stared as Shangguan Yulin cackled.
The elders eavesdropping shook their heads. One venerable sighed, âI never knew Shangguan Yulin knows only cruelty. Such luck we managed to see his true colors in time. He wouldâve only grown to become a disease upon the clan once he takes the seat, just as wretched as Shangguan Feiyun.â
âYeahâŠâ
Shangguan Feixiong sighed, feeling regret. Yulin was a good seed among the disciples, only to find out he had a twisted mindâŠ
One venerable was not so quick to agree, âAlthough Shangguan Yulin is vile, he has his reasons. It was that endless humiliation that brought him so low. Tell me, would any of you be able to take the high road and have a clear conscience when Gu Yifan toyed with you?â
âHmmâŠâ
That had them all second guessing their rash nods. âHa-ha-ha, maybe we couldnât. This just goes to show what a real âplayerâ this guy is.â
Shangguan Qingyan giggled and Shangguan Feixiong glared, âA man is never to be demeaned. Dignity is most important to a practitioner. Gu Yifan is even more twisted, having humiliated and played Shangguan Yulin like a fiddle, so why are you laughing?â
Shangguan Qingyan covered her mouth before any laughter slipped again.
She knew this wasnât right, but just picturing Shangguan Yulin banging his head on the ground before Zhuo Fanâs feet was most hilarious.
Has her proper and handsome cousin ever gone through such low times?
[Mister Gu is such a bad guyâŠ]
Her mind was saying something while her curving lips betrayed her true feelings.
Shangguan Feixiong sighed and shook his headâŠ
âSo you wonât help me?â
Zhuo Fan asked earnestly after he waited for Shangguan Yulinâs cackle to die out, though the guy didnât know when to quit, âHelp you? Maybe in another life, ha-ha-ha. Even as Iâll be cooked alive, Iâd still laugh just thinking of the grief of losing your son, hi-hi-hiâŠ.â
âSuch pain is definitely there.â
Zhuo Fan sighed but then smiled, âThough itâs bound to last five years, a hundred tops. With our long lives, itâs like a drop in the bucket. Itâll pass anyway. Having descendants and spending time with them will be sure to numb the pain.â
Shangguan Yulin shook, âTime with descendants?â
âWell you canât expect me never to move on. Heâs only a son. â
Zhuo Fan put on an evil smirk, âSpeaking of, the chance of a house filled with children is right now knocking on my door. Your uncle and elders are begging me to take the apple of their eyes, all for a measly Soaring Sword. So you can keep your help and I just have to accept the loss of a son to move on and make some more. Iâll go to Yanâer right now, get the buns in the oven so they canât weasel out. Itâll make giving the Soaring Sword all the more a sound decision. Your uncle canât have his little girl turn a widow so fast either.
âAs for you, my good disciple, whether stuck in hell or pushing through it, remains to be seen if youâll see me wallow in misery over the loss of my son or bask in the laughter of my kin, ha-ha-haâŠâ
Zhuo Fan walked to the door having finished his piece.
Shangguan Yulin was left stumped.
[How could I forget? He doesnât actually need to get his son, not when thereâs another choice with an endless future waiting. His son might die, but heâll have a pretty wife and be surrounded by kids.]
[And I, nothing more than a patsy, fated to die either way. Seeing him smile from hell will only pour acid on my wounds.]
[How can I have such rotten luck? Any choice will get me killed while his choices all promise a nice and cozy future.]
[And by not saving his poor son, heâd become Shangguan clanâs son-in-law, rising higher.]
It was something this young master with an âif youâre there to suffer alongâ mentality could not accept.
So Shangguan Yulin cried out, âWait, back up. I-I agree. How can I not? All Iâm asking is that you keep your distance from Yanâer.â
Zhuo Fan paused and looked back with a devious smile.
[Finally fell for it, bastardâŠ]
âAmazing!â
A venerable praised, âThe kidâs mind games are ridiculously good, toying with Yulinâs feelings and thoughts. He has the otherâs state of mind under control, ergo his desires. What do you guys think now of the previous indignity? It was because of that little show we put on that Shangguan Yulin believes we value the Soaring Sword so much that we would listen to Gu Yifan. Especially about using Yanâer as leverage. That hit him right where it hurt.â
They all bobbed their heads like wise men, with another venerable turning to Shangguan Feixiong, âFeixiong, take notes, this is the kind of mentality you should have as a Clan Head, as the leader of eastern lands!â
âMe⊠learn from him?â
Shangguan Feixiong went red in the face, âGu Yifan is just a⊠a juniorâŠâ
âAnd? The way I see it, youâre the youth in his twenties here, with how naive you are. While heâs the real monster living through ages with his cunningness.â
Smiling, the venerable said, âDonât you see? Even old guys like us are learning from him.â
The venerable pointed and Shangguan Feixiong was shocked to see his oldies taking out jade slips and recording.
Shangguan Feixiongâs face twitched, âThatâŠâ
âIs called taking notes!â
Shangguan Feixiong was this close to spewing blood from the shock. These millenia old geezers were as shameless as rash teenagers.
[Whereâs your self-respect?]
Shangguan Qingyan was the only one angry, stomping away through them, âDonât just write everything! Itâs nothing but empty words! Stop at once?â
Everyone gave her odd looks.
[Whatâs up, Yanâer?]
Shangguan Feixiong sighed and shook his head, âYanâer, are you angry at him for his untrue words and sulling your name? Or is it at him for not following through with it? Ha-ha-haâŠâ
Ignorant of all the ruckus outside, Zhuo Fan flicked his hand and the chains were off Shangguan Yulin. Then he threw him on the ground.
âHey, whatâs that for? I agreed didnât IâŠâ
âQuiet!â
Zhuo Fan shouted for him to stop talking, âYou did agree, but thereâs nothing trustworthy about you. Iâll have to leave my mark on you again in case you get any ideas along the way. Just you tryâŠâ
Zhuo Fan chopped at his neck and the guy was out like a light.
He placed a hand on his back and his right eye flashed with the black thunderflame, surging as it followed the hand and into Shangguan YulinâŠ
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