“Congratulations, Grandmaster Zhuo, for your recovery and improvement!” Liu Yizhen gave a gesture of respect along with a smile.
Zhuo Fan shot him a glance, “Skip the small-talk and say what you want.”
Liu Yizhen’s face froze for a second, then bloomed into a broad smile, “Grandmaster Zhuo is a man of true talent. I will no longer hide it from you.”
“Humph, that’s all thanks to knowing there is no one in this world helping a stranger without getting something in return! There’s no free lunch in this world. You must be after something big to give away a 6th-grade pill.”
Zhuo Fan’s piercing gaze saw right through him. Liu Yizhen muttered something under his breath then threw himself at Zhuo Fan’s feet, kowtowing three times, “Disciple Liu Yizhen admires Grandmaster Zhuo’s endless talent. I beseech Grandmaster to accept me!”
Dumbstruck, not even in Zhuo Fan’s wildest dreams did he consider the old guy’s request being this. Scowling for a second, he said, “Give me an empty jade slip!”
Liu Yizhen’s eyes sparkled and handed it over with glee, “Yes, master!”
Not even he expected his request to go through so smoothly.
However, Zhuo Fan closed his eyes for a brief moment then gave the jade slip back, “Grandmaster Liu, this jade slip contains three alchemy secret skills, my debt to you. We are now even. Don’t mention apprenticeship again. I do not take disciples!”
[Why the hell would I take another when the first and last one almost got me killed? Humph, teaching a disciple starves the master. This saying couldn’t be more right. I will abide by it all my life!]
Zhuo Fan sighed, recalling that traitorous disciple of his.
Liu Yizhen wanted to plead his case, but Zhuo Fan cut him off with a wave.
Zhuo Fan then turned to Xiao Dandan, throwing her a pitch-black ring. Xiao Dandan was startled. Wasn’t it the same storage ring Chu Qingcheng gave her?
“Take this back to Edifice Lord Chu. Tell her that I have paid the favor for the medicine. She and I are now even!”
“W-what about me?” Xiao Dandan was panicking, her heart in turmoil.
Zhuo Fan perked an eyebrow and watched her funny, “It has nothing to do with me. Do whatever.”
He took a single step and shot high into the sky, disappearing in a flash. Liu Yizhen watched the jade slip downcast then sighed as he put it in his ring.
Xiao Dandan looked at the sky and cried, “Waaah, darling doesn’t want me~!”
Dong Xiaowan saw the heartbroken Xiao Dandan and lowered her head in desolation. At least Zhuo Fan explained himself to Xiao Dandan, while not sparing her so much as a glance.
[Am I of no value in his heart?]
Dong Tianba saw through his sister’s distress and patted her shoulder, “Wan’er, that guy is bound to cause great chaos. There’s nothing in common between him and us.”
Dong Xiaowan nodded, her heart clear. How could a girl from a second rate clan deserve a hero who fought back the seven houses?
But that didn’t mean she could accept it. She looked up at the wailing Xiao Dandan and felt envious.
He did spare this lady a glance at the least…
…
In the hazy night, among the broken-down houses of the slum, Chu Qingcheng’s lovely figure struck a touching image standing there in the moonlight.
She had behind her Iris Overseer and Long Jiu’s group while Drifting Flowers Edifice’s disciples scoured the place for any sign of Zhuo Fan.
“Edifice Lord Chu, it’s been four days already. Are you sure he’d return here?” Xie Tianyang shook off a yawn.
Chu Qingcheng was still as she watched Zhuo Fan’s fleeing direction, but her eyes flickered with resolve, “This is where we lived together. I know he will come here once he is safe.”
“Sigh, that only means you don’t know him. That brat is a ruthless and stone-cold killer. When he was docile to you in that idyllic period, it was just him playing his role as Song Yu. That wasn’t the real him!” Xie Tianyang sighed.
Chu Qingcheng smiled, but her mind was set, “I believe in the feelings from that time. He will not abandon me!”
[We can only hope.]
Xie Tianyang sighed, not believing in the slightest…
Tap, tap!
Suddenly, a horse’s trotting was heard and everyone looked to see a worn-out carriage drawing near. Chu Qingcheng’s eyes shined, her heart in bliss.
She recognized this carriage, it was Song-, uh, Zhuo Fan’s.
“He’s back!” Chu Qingcheng cried, rushing over with the others in tow.
But the people to come out were just Dong Tianba, Dong Xiaowan, and the crying Xiao Dandan.
Chu Qingcheng realized they were the only one insie and asked, “You came back without finding him?”
Dong Xiaowan and Xiao Dandan were downhearted and in no mood to speak. Dong Tianba bowed, “Edifice Lord Chu, we did find him, but… he left once he recovered. We didn’t follow…”
“What, he left?” Chu Qingcheng exclaimed in shock before he could finish. This man left without so much as giving her an explanation? Why?
“Waaah, sister Qingcheng, darling doesn’t want us!
Xiao Dandan could no longer hold in the pain and let it out in the form of rivers of tears. Chu Qingcheng was stunned as Peony Overseer drew her dear disciple into a hug, “Dandan, tell me, did he do anything to you?”
Sniffing twice, Xiao Dandan gave the black ring to Chu Qingcheng and said between tears, “Sister Qingcheng, he said he repaid the favor for the medicine. From now on there is no relation between us.”
“What, does he have no conscience? Is he that heartless?” Peony Overseer went into a rage, “I told you, men aren’t good for anything.”
Chu Qingcheng was lost as she took the items from the ring.
It was the spirit tablet Chu Qingcheng gave to Zhuo Fan before going to her death. Now, Zhuo Fan returned it.
As if he didn’t recognize her as his wife.
There was also a box and Chu Qingcheng looked within with a dead gaze.
Aunt Tao snatched it and sighed, “At least he has the conscience to leave this behind.”
Bu Chu Qingcheng couldn’t make herself care about anything, not even the return of the Bodhi Root. All she ever felt was loss.
Except for returning the bottle of Bodhi Jade Sap, everything else was back.
His meaning loud and clear. From now on they were strangers!
“You mean… he was using me the whole time?” Chu Qingcheng swayed as she whispered. Yet the look on her face spoke volumes of her denial.
[I finally found a man that I love, only to be deceived in the end?]
Xie Tianyang had long seen it coming and coughed, “Edifice Lord Chu, let me just say something, but don’t get angry. The brat told us he came to Drifting Flowers City for the Bodhi Jade Sap. But because of the sudden involvement of the Regent Estate, he helped you in passing. And that only after judging that the benefits outweighed the risks. His actions aren’t driven by kindness or compassion, so please don’t feel sad!”
Shivering, Chu Qingcheng frowned, still no willing to believe what’s in front of her.
Iris Overseer couldn’t take it anymore and patted Chu Qingcheng’s shoulder. She knew Chu Qingcheng was kind on the outside, but quite proud inside. No man ever managed to get her attention.
But this time, she finally found a man after her own heart, only to be cast away without a shred of remorse. The bitter pain was a far deeper wound than that of flesh.
Peony Overseer had to say something as well, “How dare this punk break our Edifice Lord’s heart? The next time I see him, I will peel his skin!”
“Can you?” Snorting, Xie Tianyang mocked from the side.
Startled, Peony Overseer wet her dry lips as she recalled Zhuo Fan’s freaky power and a cold shiver crawled down her spine, “I take it back. I’ll just curse him in my head.”
The others didn’t know how to react.
“Eh, what’s this?” Tao Danniang took out a vial from the ring, “Qingcheng, did you give him this as well?”
Shaking her head, Chu Qingcheng’s eyes were hazy, “I didn’t give him these pills.”
Squinting, Tao Danniang’s eyes shined, “It must be his gift!”
She opened it and a thick medicinal aroma wafted about, along with the faint roars of dragons.
“A-aren’t these the perfect 8th-grade pills refined in the Pill King finals? Why did he give them up?” Tao Danniang started counting, “One, two… sixteen, seventeen!”
Weren’t they eighteen?
Tao Danniang’s eyes wandered in thought when suddenly threw a pill to Iris Overseer as she yelled, “Eat it!’
Caught off guard, Qin Caiqing was puzzled but did what she said.
Suddenly, an azure glow came from within her. Qin Caiqing then sat to absorb the pill with eyes closed. Fifteen minutes later, a muffled boom was heard and Qin Caiqing’s power shot up.
Under the shock of everyone there, Iris Overseer broke through.
Only after a full thirty minutes did Qin Caiqing opened her clear eyes in joy, “Aunt Tao, not only I advanced but the Rainbow Cloud Palm left behind by Vicious Pill King is gone!”
What?!
They all turned with hope at the vial.
The poison of Pill King Hall was infamous throughout the land, yet this group here seemed to hold the only cure. What was even more astonishing was that they as many as 17 antidotes to the Rainbow Cloud Palm’s poison.
Such news would unleash a bitter fight over them among clans, with even Pill King Hall participating.
The difference was, while the clans would come to get them, the Pill King Hall would do its all to destroy them…