The Dong siblings waited nervously while Zhuo Fan looked calmer than ever.
The lady soon returned and spoke in a frightened tone, “The Overseer shall see you!”
“Oh, great! Thank you!”
Dong Tianba bowed then rushed inside dragging his sister. Zhuo Fan swaggered in in the slowest and most languid way, smirking at the ladies and giving them the middle finger as he passed.
The ladies stepped back in fright, and only gained some semblance of reassurance when he was gone.
“Hey, did you also report how vulgar that punk is?” The other lady asked.
The first one was sullen, “Sister, I did, repeatedly!”
“Then why is the Overseer letting them in? She should’ve sent someone to put him in his place!”
The other lady was on the verge of crying, “Sister, don’t say it, it’s useless. Do you know what the Overseer said when I mentioned his obscene behavior?”
“What?”
“Four words: ‘don’t provoke the lunatic!’”
“What?!”
The other lady was scared now, her eyes wide as saucers. She didn’t know Zhuo Fan’s identity but their Overseer actually went as far as to recommend not offending him?
[Is he from the seven houses?]
[That can’t be. The invitation clearly states Dong and Song clans. The Dong clan is a second rate clan, and the Song a third rate clan. It doesn’t make sense to let him go unrestrained!]
This was the thinking of people who had yet to witness the sheer brutality and savagery of the infamous Zhuo Fan.
A madman wasn’t scary, but a pig headed madman was.
Zhuo Fan dolled up as Song Yu when he came to Drifting Flowers City, but his demeanor was as frivolous and whimsical as ever. In any case, the trouble would fall on the Song clan. So, he was free to be brasher than ever.
With this incentive, he plunged the Merry Woods’ disciple into a world of hurt, spicing up the show by humiliating the Peony Edifice’s disciple, and then trashing of Pill King Hall’s disciple as the curtains fell. He showed no leniency to any of them, despite them hailing from the seven houses.
Yet, with all the trouble pilling up on his head, he wasn’t in the least bit interested regarding the danger he was bringing the Song clan. Even Iris Overseer was not willing to mess with such a lunatic, who had no mind of the repercussions.
It was fine if he didn’t care about his life, but others close to him?
This was a fact made obvious when he clobbered Yan Fu. Qin Caiqing thus warned the disciple to avoid something she would clearly regret.
The two though were unaware of the whole story, so they thought Zhuo Fan was someone of immense power with a deep background that affected even their Overseer.
Zhuo Fan had long foreseen such a possibility. The one truly frightening people were those stubborn and hardheaded people that were willing to forsake even their lives.
In the eyes of those who watched his battle with Yan Fu, he was a man who had died once. And this only worked to boost his egotistical behavior instead of putting a damp on it, further removing many troubles.
Bulling the weak and fearing the strong, along with self-preservation was a law adhered by all, be it strong or weak. Even the seven houses had to think twice when messing with this stubborn mule, even if they thought he was beneath them.
With a dastardly grin on his face, Zhuo Fan cackled in his heart. He was met with no obstruction as he walked with the pair of siblings to Iris Overseer’s receiving room. She was already sitting there and watched in awe Zhuo Fan strutting in, “Please, sit!”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
Dong Tianba dragged his sister into a bow while Zhuo Fan slumped into a chair, “Much obliged.”
Dong Tianba was scared witless, on the verge of crying.
[Blast it all to hell! You’re in someone else’s house! If you piss her off, it won’t be just the Song clan that gets buried!]
[I pleaded with you all this time to behave. If I knew you this impudent I would’ve never had brought you.]
Dong Tianba lamented in his mind as he rushed to make amends, “Please ignore him Floor Keeper. My brother is rash and uncivilized. Please don’t blame him.”
“Ha-ha-ha, young master Song is true to himself, why would I ever blame him? Also, you two can dispense the courtesy and sit.” Qin Caiqing said with a smile.
Dong Tianba wiped his forehead and pulled his sister into a seat, while not forgetting to send Zhuo Fan a glare.
Zhuo Fan ignored it, of course, since he didn’t even see it.
Dong Tianba sighed, his feature tenses as if at a funeral!
Qin Caiqing giggled, her eyes drifting over them, “Young master Dong, this isn’t the underworld. Relax! Try to be like young master Song!”
Dong Tianba right then noticed Zhuo Fan taking a bite out of a random fruit he picked off the table.
Dong Tianba’s eyelids were twitching, [He’s too comfortable. This isn’t your home, you know?]
But he only kept it to himself when he saw Qin Caiqing’s calm state.
They said Iris Overseer was an amiable person, but he didn’t think it was to this extent. [She’s so friendly that it should be easy to handle our problem!]
Dong Tianba bowed once again and spoke in a grave tone, “Overseer, the three of us have come with a request.”
“Do speak!” Qin Caiqing smiled.
“Overseer, a few days ago we offended miss Xiao Dandan and this had us in a fright these past two days. This might be presumptuous of me, but I want to ask the Overseer to mediate, to remove this grudge between us. The Song and Dong clans will forever be in your gratitude!”
“I understand this matter and Dandan was the one going overboard. I will be sure to straighten her.” Qin Caiqing nodded, then smiled at Zhuo Fan, “However, I can’t help but feel intrigued about something. They say young master Song was hit by Pill King Hall’s Yan Fu’s Rainbow Cloud Palm because of Dandan. How is he back on his feet after only a few days? Pill King Hall’s poison isn’t so easily removed.”
Dong Tianba froze but for a moment, then glanced at Zhuo Fan. Chuchu was Zhuo Fan’s friend and it was up to him if he wanted to reveal her involvement. If he made a careless comment and invited disaster later, his dear little brother would blame him for the rest of his life.
Zhuo Fan nodded satisfied. Dong Tianba was a black sheep of the family but he had a redeeming feature, his loyal heart.
As for Chuchu, Zhuo Fan was also thinking of asking around for her. Qin Caiqing was an Overseer and ought to know of the Profound Heaven expert Chuchu’s Bodhi Jade Sap.
He was brief and blunt, “I met a woman covering her face who dispelled the poison swiftly!”
“A woman covering her face?” Qin Caiqing was caught by surprise.
“Yes. I met her in the slums, a woman that calls herself Chuchu. The people there call her the scourge woman!” Zhuo Fan fixed his eyes on Qin Caiqing, noticing suspicion in her eyes. It was then that a sudden realization seemed to overcome her but she quickly hid it.
“Ha-ha-ha, young master Song is fortunate to have such an encounter. Your future will be boundless!”
Zhuo Fan squinted, “I can only hope!”
From the two’s casual talk, Chuchu wasn’t such a sore topic. Dong Tianba was scared she had some conflict with Drifting Flowers Edifice that would affect today’s talks.
His hand flashed and a coral as large as a man appeared, glowing a faint red.
This item was so rare that even Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow. It was useless to cultivators but its value came from its rarity. It was worth more than a hundred thousand spirit stones.
Dong Tianba bowed again, “Then please accept this for your troubles, Overseer.”
“I accept your kindness, but take back with you. I will handle Dandan all the same.” Qin Caiqing didn’t even glance at the coral.
Dong Tianba bowed again in panic, “This is but a token of my appreciation. Please take it, or I wouldn’t be able to find peace.”
[Bullshit! Riches are given in exchange for favors. If you don’t take it, how do I know you’ll do it? If you overlook this once we leave, that damn girl will burn our clans to the ground. And you might not even know it!]
[No, you will most likely have forgotten us by then. At least taking my gift ought to remind you of our plight each time you look at it, no?]
Dong Tianba cursed inside. Qin Caiqing understood him and shook her head as she took the item.
Only then did Dong Tianba smile in relieve.
Qin Caiqing clapped triced and a disciple brought wine.
“Guests from afar, you gave me an immense gift. These three bottles of Hundred Flowers Wine is our Drifting Flowers Edifice’s specialty that helps in one’s cultivation. Please accept my gift.”
“Uh, we can’t possibly refuse Floor Keeper’s generous hospitality.” Dong Tianba laughed as he poured himself a cup. Zhuo Fan and Dong Xiaowan toasted and drank.
“What great wine!”
Dong Tianba praised but plopped on the table unconscious the next second. The same went for Dong Xiaowan, while Zhuo Fan was the only one sober.
Raising an eyebrow, he smiled, “Overseer, is there something you want to say to me?”
Qin Caiqing gave him a praising look and nodded, “You’re smart. I need you to do something for me. Do it well and the two of you can leave the Drifting Flowers City in safety. Fail, and your clans will shortly follow you into the grave!”
“Is that a threat?” Zhuo Fan perked the corner of his mouth into a wicked grin.
Qin Caiqing shook her head, “No. A fact. I know you’re a brash and fearless man, but didn’t you come here to settle the matter with Dandan? If you don’t do this for me, I won’t help you either. And with that lass’ temper, your two clans will have no future!”
Zhuo Fan squinted, “Let’s hear it. And if I can’t do it, I’m guessing you’re going to destroy us anyway. “
Zhuo Fan’s carefree tone seemed to say he didn’t care. But Qin Caiqing found this extremely odd. Who in this world didn’t care about their clan’s fate?
[Madman, a true lunatic! This man can’t be controlled!]
Qin Caiqing secretly sighed while her face remained impassive, “I’m not asking the impossible. I only want you to steal something from me!”
“What?” Zhuo Fan yawned.
“Our Edifice Lord’s treasure, the Bodhi Root!”
“Come again?”
“The Bodhi Root!” Qin Caiqing iterated.
His eyes wide, Zhuo Fan’s heart was in exultation.
Bodhi Root gathered earth essence and turned it into life essence in the form of Bodhi Jade Sap. Who’d have seen this coming? He just lost his trail on the Bodhi Jade Sap and now he has clues about a Bodhi Root!
[Bloody hell! This is providence, ha-ha-ha…]
Zhuo Fan cackled inside, his eyes glinting with interest…