Chapter 129: Chapter 101 I’m Here to Apologize
“No, it seems I was tricked…”
This feeling didn’t last long before Liu Tianzheng realized what had happened.
Even if he had come to apologize to Zhang Xuan, there was no need to throw in three Destiny Plates! These things were worth ten million Origin Currency, and even for the Liu Clan to take them out, it would hurt quite a bit!
The reason he promised them to Xu Xin was that Xu Xin wasn’t leaving anytime soon. He could totally sell them for profit… But now, without receiving a single penny, he had given them all away. How was he going to pay the money?
“The key issue is that Xu Xin is Life Guardian to Lord Ling. Once he knows I tried to curry favor with another Fate Master, he will definitely be very angry!”
A sense of panic immediately surged in his heart.
After confirming with Lord Xu that Zhang Xuan was a Fate Master, he became frightened and specifically came over to mend the relationship, originally thinking that offering one Destiny Plate would do the trick. But this Sun Qiang was too good at stirring emotions, with just a few words he broke through his defenses, and unknowingly, Liu Tianzheng ended up offering all of the plates.
Now without Destiny Plates to sell and no money to pay back, wouldn’t Xu Xin kill him?
“Maybe I should go back first and think of a way to appease Lord Xu…”
As he was pondering, he saw a familiar figure approaching from not far away. He vigorously rubbed his eyes to make sure it was who he thought it was; stunned, he remained rooted to the spot: “Lord Xu, you, how come you’re here?”
It was indeed Xu Xin whom he had been thinking of appeasing!
Xu Xin, taken aback by the presence of the Liu Clan head, told the truth: “I came to establish a good relationship with Zhang Xuan laoshi. What are you doing here? Why aren’t you going in?”
“Zhang Xuan laoshi isn’t in, only his butler is in the yard…” Liu Tianzheng quickly explained.
Xu Xin retorted, “Then go in and wait. What are you doing out here?”
“I’ll knock on the door right now…”
Just as he tried to explain, Liu Tianzheng’s eyes lit up.
He couldn’t get in, but Lord Xu surely could. After all, here was a respected Life Guardian. Wait a little while longer, and he could simply follow Lord Xu inside, avoiding the need to stand at the door and draw attention.
With this plan in mind, he approached the door and knocked again.
“Butler Sun, it’s me. Lord Xu Xin has come to visit Zhang laoshi and would like to wait inside!”
The door opened, and Sun Qiang appeared once again, a look of confusion and incomprehension on his chubby face: “Lord Xu?”
“Yes, this is Lord Xu Xin, the Life Guardian from Heaven Mandate Hall…” Liu Tianzheng said.
Sun Qiang looked over with a probing gaze: “Have you also offended the young master?”
Before Liu Tianzheng could say anything, he heard Xu Xin smilingly reply: “It can’t really be called offending, just that I asked a few more questions previously and might have spoken disrespectfully. I’ve come this time to have a good conversation and clear up any misunderstandings…”
“Oh…” Sun Qiang nodded.
“Let’s go, we’ll enter together!”
After explaining, Xu Xin looked towards Liu Tianzheng, and both headed towards the yard. Just as they neared the door, both doors slammed shut. Caught off guard, their faces were harshly struck.
“What are you doing?”
Xu Xin roared angrily.
A Life Guardian of his standing would be received by the city lord and treated like a VIP in any city he visited. Here he was, not only refused entry into a small courtyard but also literally slapped in the face…
As he was filled with anger, Sun Qiang’s voice came from inside the wall: “You better wait outside!”
Having caused trouble for the young master, coming to apologize meant there was no need for such politeness anymore.
“You…”
Xu Xin’s teeth clenched tight. He was about to charge and smash the door, to beat this insolent butler to a pulp, when he heard the chubby man muttering from inside.
“I was actually planning to talk about the young master’s hobbies and habits, teaching them how to relieve tensions and how to get into the young master’s good graces… but now that I think about it, forget it! Breaking my back for others who probably won’t even appreciate it…”
“…”
Xu Xin was speechless.
Was he expecting some benefits? No, wasn’t this just outright extortion?
Liu Tianzheng’s eyelids also twitched.
This fatty must be sick, right?
To actually dare to speak like that to a Life Guardian…
Isn’t he afraid of getting beaten up?
Just as he thought Xu Xin might explode with rage, he saw him turn and say, “Liu Clan head, give me a hundred thousand Origin Currency. Just take it from our accounts.”
Under normal circumstances, any old butler daring to speak to him like that would indeed have been beat up, but didn’t Lord Ling specifically instruct to get on good terms with this Zhang Xuan? If he got into a tussle over just entering a yard and offended the butler, fixing that would probably not be so easy later on.
“Yes…”
As Liu Tianzheng took out the money, his heart was filled with shock.
If before he was still uncertain whether this Zhang Xuan was a Fate Master, now he was absolutely one hundred percent sure!
Putting aside Xu Xin’s attitude, if not for knowing the young master’s strength and capability, no butler, no matter how bold, would dare speak to a Life Guardian like this!
Thinking about it this way, the three Destiny Plates were truly worth it…
Taking the Origin Notes, Xu Xin knocked on the door again and stuffed the Notes through the crack in the door: “Butler Sun, this is a small token of my regard, please accept it. I may need to trouble you later to put in a few good words for me to Zhang laoshi…”
“Hmm, Lord Xu really knows how to handle things, unlike some people, who only give to the young master and treat those of us who do the legwork as if we’re not even human…”
After receiving the Origin Notes, Sun Qiang remarked.
“…”
His face twitching, Liu Tianzheng was on the verge of exploding.
Didn’t you already give ten thousand Origin Notes? Are they still not treating you like a person? What does it take to be treated like one?
“Butler Sun, please don’t be angry, I didn’t bring so much money with me today, I only have twenty thousand left, and I will give it all to you. I also hope you can speak well of me…”
Although he felt depressed, he had no choice, since Lord Xu Xin had paid, how could he refuse?
He searched himself and then slipped the last of his twenty thousand Origin Notes through the crack in the door.
Upon seeing the other party take the Origin Notes, Liu Tianzheng couldn’t help but ask for guidance: “Please could Butler Sun enlighten me!”
“Isn’t it simple?”
The voice of Sun Qiang came from inside: “Since you are apologizing, naturally the most sincere gesture is to stand outside the door and wait. Haven’t you heard of ‘Waiting in the Snow’? Once the young master returns and sees you like this, he will surely be deeply moved! I am doing this all for your own good…”
“This…”
Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng looked at each other.
Although it felt logically strange, for some reason, it seemed inexplicably correct.
If you are apologizing, naturally you should have the attitude of an apology; waiting at the door is a reflection of this attitude. Although the other party is merely a butler, his words were rough but not without reason.
It’s just… why does it feel like the money I just gave was wasted?
…
City Lord Yu Longqing hurried into the gates of Baiyan Academy, his face full of anxiety.
Not far along the smooth and level streets of the campus, he saw his daughter’s teacher coming out of the Book Collection Vault nearby.
“City Lord Yu? What are you doing here?”
The other party saw him too and curiously came over to greet him.
Yu Longqing let out a sigh of relief, cupped his fist in the other hand: “Teacher Zhang, I specially came to see you, there is something I must report!”
Zhang Xuan looked over, puzzled.
For a city lord to come personally, it must be something important.
City Lord Yu said, “Just now, Liu Tianzheng, the clan head, brought a Life Guardian from Heaven Mandate Hall to the City Lord Residence. They were asking all about you, and I… accidentally let slip that you have the talent of a Fate Master!”
“Me? A Fate Master’s talent?” Zhang Xuan was stunned.
“Yes! You can teach students in such a way that they learn on their own, even without needing to deliberately practice… this is the power of Heavenly Mandate!”
Seeing him continuing to feign ignorance, City Lord Yu said, “I know Teacher Zhang is modest, but since I’ve said it, it means I’ve already guessed. There’s no need to hide it anymore…”
Zhang Xuan widened his eyes.
He had heard much about Fate Masters recently, but this was the first time he’d heard that ‘Impartation of Heaven’s Will’ is a form of Heavenly Mandate.
“So you sent Xiaoyu to my tutelage, and School Head Lu wanted to hire me as a teacher, all because of this? But that’s not right… I hadn’t displayed this ability before that…”
Zhang Xuan frowned.
He had already found it strange that these two big shots were so kind to him, never quite understanding what was going on.
“Sending Xiaoyu under your tutelage, of course, was because you have a Holy-grade Source Pool and exceptional talent…” explained Yu Longqing.
“Holy-grade Source Pool?”
Zhang Xuan understood, suddenly coming to a realization.
It seemed that what he thought he had well-concealed while absorbing Heavenly Mandate Vitality had in fact been discovered by them…
If they knew that his so-called absorption was just placing it into the Library of Heaven’s Path and bolstering the Suspended Realm, and that he couldn’t even find the Source Pool, who knows if they would still think he’s a genius…
Of course, he certainly couldn’t say this out loud.
Not dwelling on this issue, Zhang Xuan curiously inquired: “What about if Xu Xin knows this? Will there be any problem?”
“Of course there’s a problem!”
Yu Longqing nodded, saying: “If there’s no competition with them, it would be alright. But if there is, with Unique Destiny, the other party’s Life Master would very likely want to take action before you grow, to nip the threat in the bud…”
“Unique Destiny? What does that mean?” Zhang Xuan didn’t understand.
“It means that each fragment of the heavens is unique. Either you kill all the cultivators or you make all others submit. Otherwise, it’s impossible to reach the pinnacle…”
Yu Longqing briefly explained.
After hearing the explanation, Zhang Xuan suddenly understood: “You’re worried that Xu Xin is inquiring about me to do me harm, aren’t you?”
As he said this, it seemed quite possible. Those two had looked for him and asked a lot of questions. Even though he had explained in detail, they may not have believed him; otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone to find this person.
“Yes!”
Yu Longqing nodded.
“Thank you, City Lord Yu, for the information. I will be careful in advance…”
Knowing that it was well-intended, Zhang Xuan nodded. As they were speaking, they had already arrived at the entrance of his residence. Just as he was about to walk over, he saw Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng, who they were discussing, standing quietly by the door like children who had done wrong, sweating profusely but not moving an inch.
“Not good, they’re planning to take action…” Yu Longqing’s expression changed.
Before he had finished speaking, Xu Xin and Liu Tianzheng also saw them, their faces brightening as they approached.
“Teacher Zhang, you’re finally here. We’ve come to apologize to you…”
Xu Xin bowed with his hands clasped.
“Apologize?”
Both Yu Longqing and Zhang Xuan were momentarily stunned.