With graceful steps, Luo Yunchang gestured Xiao Cui to stay as she entered alone. Her softened gaze had been on Zhuo Fan all this time.
Zhuo Fan smiled as he rose, “Young miss, are you better?”
Luo Yunchang didn’t speak, only nodded slightly.
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath out of awkwardness. He gestured to the other two and smiled, “Ha-ha-ha, let me introduce you Elder Yan Song. He will be Luo clan’s Pill House Elder. The other is Elder Li Jingtian, the elder in charge of the arrays. As long as he operates the 5th-grade arrays, no one can break through them!”
Blinking, Luo Yunchang now realized there were two more people there and rushed to greet them.
The elders returned her greeting as well.
And yet, Li Jingtian still had pride in his eyes, while Vicious Pill King was downcast.
Zhuo Fan’s face turned solemn, “Are you perhaps not satisfied?”
Vicious Pill King was the one who replied, “Steward Zhuo, the Luo clan you describe is not at all as we’ve seen! We just found out that the Luo clan has no elders and that is only around a second rate clan…” Vicious Pill King sighed.
What he thought to be a titan in hiding, stronger than the seven houses was more along the lines of a damn frickin’ third rate clan!
Li Jingtian sighed as well. He could feel the loyalty of this clan, but the reality failed to rise to his expectation, by a huge margin.
Zhuo Fan glared at them, “I never said anything about the Luo clan’s extent when I invited you in. You accepted my invitation of your own free will…”
“But Steward Zhuo, you said the Luo clan is the strongest clan in Tianyu…”
“Are you saying it’s my fault?” Zhuo Fan cut Vicious Pill King off and scared him with his sudden reply.
Luo Yunchang bowed again, “Elder Yan, Elder Li, first of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for joining the Luo clan. I know we are a small clan, unfit of your greatness, but please believe me, With Steward Zhuo, and you, the Luo clan will become better and stronger. We, the Luo clan will not disappoint you. If you still want to leave, I will not stop you…”
Luo Yunchang’s heartfelt words touched the two.
“You two old coots better goddamn suck it up!”
Then came Zhuo Fan’s cold tone. While Luo Yunchang’s words were that of a fairy, Zhuo Fan’s were that of a demon wanting to feast on their flesh.
“You may dislike how weak the Luo clan is, but I promise you, in five years, I will make the Luo clan rise to the level of the seven houses. And in ten years, It will exceed them! If you want to leave, hump. Getting into the Luo clan is easy, but getting out will be done through the mud, cold and very much dead!”
Shuddering, the elders could feel Zhuo Fan’s bloodthirst. Just looking at him, they knew he wasn’t kidding.
If they tested Demon Archon’s anger, today may very well be their funeral.
Sweating, Li Jingtian and Vicious Pill King dropped to one knee, “Young miss, Steward Zhuo, we were only joking. Don’t take it to heart.”
Luo Yunchang was shocked. She may be the young miss but how could she receive such gestures from the elders? Not to mention, one was in the Profound Heaven Stage and the other in the Radiant Stage.
She rushed to get them up, “Please rise elders, this isn’t proper!”
But Luo Yunchang could do nothing if they refused.
Sneaking a glance at Zhuo Fan, they noticed his ever stone-cold face and lowered their heads. He may be quite courteous to them usually, but when it came to such principles, he was dead serious.
If they couldn’t appease Zhuo Fan’s anger, their lives were forfeited today.
Luo Yunchang turned to Zhuo Fan and said, “Zhuo Fan, you…”
Squinting, Zhuo Fan spoke, “I will let this matter rest here on account of young miss. But I better not hear of this again. Now, leave!”
“Thank you, Steward Zhuo. Thank you, young miss!”
Sighing, the two bowed again and ran outside. It seemed they had to get much closer with this young miss of theirs.
She may be frail, but she could keep that steward in check. [Our very lives depend on it!]
Luo Yunchang was left stunned at how quickly the two bolted. She had no idea Zhuo Fan could control a Profound Heaven expert and a Radiant Stage expert.
The two experts were like shy kids before Zhuo Fan.
What she didn’t know was that if she could control the Bloodworm as well as he does, she’d receive the same treatment. Forget about whining, they wouldn’t even make a peep!
Turning to Zhuo Fan, Luo Yunchang revealed a broad smile, “Zhuo Fan, why do I feel you’re more amazing than two years ago? I almost can’t recognize you. But weren’t you a bit harsh on them? Sister Lei and the others worked hard all this time…”
“I know, and I am very pleased with their progress. They gave their all and exceeded my expectations!” Zhuo Fan’s smile was no longer cruel.
Luo Yunchang was even more puzzled now, “Then why did you…”
“Ha-ha-ha, as leaders, one must mind both gratitude and show of power! I know how grateful you must have been for their hard work, so when I came back I showed them power! How else would they know who is the leader of the Luo clan?” Zhuo Fan’s eyes were deep.
Luo Yunchang hesitated, “But they are family, going through thick and thin alongside us. Must we be so hard on them?”
“People change with time. If your power does not change, then you must be wary of everyone around you! Today, they may be your most loyal men, and tomorrow, your worst enemies. Just like how the seven houses were subjects to the empire at its founding, now they are a danger to it!”
Zhuo Fan grinned with cruelty. Luo Yunchang watched him long and stammered, “Zhuo Fan, you’re truly frightening. Will there also be a day when you’ll become our enemy?”
“Perhaps!” Zhuo Fan chuckled.
“I would rather die at your hand than see you as one!” Luo Yunchang’s eyes flickered.
Zhuo Fan trembled and sighed, “Who can tell what the future holds?”
Silence swept the hall, bringing a morbid atmosphere with it.
It was now that Luo Yunhai rushed in tears to Luo Yunchang, “Sister, that’s not important right now. Big bro Zhuo wants to kill me! Resting for only two hours is impossible…”
Startled, Luo Yunchang recalled how her brother was the most hardworking of them all, “Steward Zhuo, don’t you think twenty hours a day is a bit…”
“You don’t have to say it, young miss, I am doing it for his own good. A bit of sweat now will save a lot of bloodshed later! Or you can just stop him from following the wishes of your father…”
“Yunhai, stop complaining and follow Steward Zhuo’s schedule!” Luo Yunchang snapped at the child.
Luo Yunhai’s eyes rolled into his skull and passed out.
Before Zhuo Fan came, his life was still bearable. Now that he was here, he entered hell.
Zhuo Fan shook his head…
Meanwhile, at the foot of Blackwind Mountain, four tall and stout figures stood.
One was in a blue robe and cowl, with a twin mustache, and holding a light sword.
Another wore a scholar crest and waved a golden fan. His eyes were so calm as if even the world burning wouldn’t affect his tranquility.
The third man was brash and big, with fiery hair and eyes holding sparks within. One look was enough to tell anyone he was a powder keg primed to blow.
As for the last, he was unlike the first three. He was twice as broad as a normal man. From his bulging muscles, one would instantly consider him a body cultivator. Yet his narrow eyes were quite delicate. Standing there, he looked no different than a firm mountain.
The four watched the four guarding arrays and their eyes shined in shock.
“No wonder godfather sent us thousands of miles here to their rescue! This place already houses an amazing figure!” The man in blue turned to his side to ask, “What do you think of these arrays?”
With a snap, the second man opened his fan and spoke calmly, “The intricacies of these arrays are hard to grasp. But as long as a Profound Heaven expert or higher is in control of them, not even the four of us can escape!”
“Blast it! Then we’ve traveled all this way for nothing? They clearly have their defenses up!” The red-haired man shouted.
The man in blue berated, “Third brother, orders are orders. And they were given by the Marshal himself. Whether this place is a volcano, or an impenetrable fortress, we still have to go in. Have you forgotten the taste of the Marshal’s cane when you entered a drunken rave last time?”
The red-haired man stammered but remained silent.
The man in blue nodded, then cupped his hands towards Blackwind Mountain as he shouted, “The four generals under Marshal Dugu extend their respects to Luo Clan Head!”
His lofty voice traveled for miles, straight into Zhuo Fan’s ear.
His ears piqued, Zhuo Fan’s eyebrow rose, “Why has War God Dugu, second of the Four Pillars, sent his men all the way over here? Could it be…”