Zhuo Fan ended the meeting with a shake of his hand, sending the elders into obscurity. He had no intention of showing the world Luo clan’s experts.
He turned to Luo Yunchang with a smile, “Young miss, I would like you to kindly welcome our honored guest.”
Luo Yunchang had no idea who dropped by, but since Zhuo Fan wished her to go, she would gladly do it. And of course, since she was a young miss, she had a role to play.
Her dainty hand raised, Luo Yunchang softly spoke, “Steward Zhuo, please help me to our guest!”
He rolled his eyes, [She’s no disabled seventy year old hag, what help?]
Nevertheless, towards this silly request, Zhuo Fan didn’t flare out, as to not receive this pampered miss’ tongue lashing. So he took her outstretched arm.
It would never ever cross the past Zhuo Fan’s mind to do such a thing. But now, Zhuo Fan found the rough edges of his character had smoothed over, somewhat. Particularly in the case of young miss, where he caved quite easily!
[Goddammit! How can I still be a Demonic Emperor?] Zhuo Fan cursed but wasn’t that angry, quite happy in fact. As if enjoying the moment.
Luo Yunchang stole a glance at the forced Zhuo Fan and giggled a sweet laughter.
The two thus descended, passed the arrays and off the mountain. What greeted them was another mountain, uh, more aptly put, a mountain of a man!
Luo Yunchang and Zhuo Fan’s eyes widened.
Not from being impressed by the newcomer’s imposing manner, but from recognition. In fact, he was Zhuo Fan’s brother who he liked a lot!
They were speechless because, [How can any human get so fat?]
Yes siree, the ‘man’ before them was the third prince of the empire, his sworn brother, Yuwen Cong. The man looked like a veritable wall blocking the view of the two, hoisted on two thick and trembling legs.
Today was sunny and warm, but Yuwen Cong’s head was soaked in sweat, and kept on sweating buckets.
“Brother, you finally came! I almost… couldn’t take it…” Yuwen Cong gasped, wiping his head again and again with a handkerchief, only to be dripping wet the next second. The servant rushed to replace it.
On his right was another familiar face to Zhuo Fan, Jade Flute Divine Sword, Fang Qiubai. Having long given up on this bloke of a disciple, Fang Qiubai was watching the four 5th-grade arrays in shock and awe.
The two were leading twenty yellow dressed elders. Their chests stuck out, their manners filled with power. They looked like no servants of the third prince, more like guards.
Zhuo Fan found his face twitching seeing the sweat soaked Yuwen Cong and sighed, “Oh please. It’s your fault for running all the way here, fatty! “
“Can you blame me? I wouldn’t have gone all out if it weren’t for imperial father’s edict!” The fatty sighed and started fanning himself with his hand, “Hurry and take me up the mountain. It’s too hot here!”
Right then, around ten people came around him to lift him up after a strenuous effort, taking one toiling step after another.
And each step left behind a deep mark.
These servants weren’t experts, just in the Qi Condensation Stage. But seeing how even they were having the worst time of their lives carrying the fatty, Zhuo Fan muttered, “Fatty, you’re goddamn fatter!”
“Don’t say it! Imperial father is in a bad mood. Every time that happens, he takes it out on me and leaves me suffering. I was too stressed to even eat or drink yet the next thing I know I’m up to 400 kg in weight. Oh, the horror!”
He sighed each time he slapped his belly. This act of his made the men below him stagger. Their bent backs were creaking.
Luo Yunchang couldn’t bear to look a second more. Zhuo Fan was speechless.
[You don’t eat from stress yet still gained so much weight? How damn fat will you be then if you’re in a perky mood? How much will you eat?]
“You’re a true marvel!” Zhuo Fan shook his head and sighed.
The fatty snickered, “Thank you, but you’re just the same. We brothers are the marvels of the world! “
Zhuo Fan’s mood sank, [Are you showing off or making yourself look goddamn better than me?]
So Zhuo Fan switched targets to Fang Qiubai, “Mr. Fang, it’s been a long time. Do you perhaps not care what becomes of this fatty?”
“Not in the least!”
With a lazy wave, Fang Qiubai smiled, “A noble man has noble qualities!”
Zhuo Fan rolled his eyes, [I was wondering what made this fatty so feisty without caring about consequences. It’s all because his master encourages it.]
[Truly, if the base is crooked, the top is out of whack!]
“By the way, Zhuo Fan, you’ve been stirring quite the storm lately, throwing the whole Tianyu in chaos!” Fang Qiubai eyed him, “But that’s understandable. You can’t survive without going out of line. There may have not been a Luo clan today if it weren’t for you monkeying around!”
Raising an eyebrow, Zhuo Fan took a long look at him, feeling his words held another meaning.
But instead of continuing, he laughed, “Let’s talk it out inside!”
Then he started flying up Blackwind Mountain. Finding the fatty way too slow, Fang Qiubai lifted him along with a wave.
The servants found themselves lighter and fell on the ground in bliss. They cursed, [carrying that damn tub of lard will get us killed!]
As for the elders in yellow, they followed as well.
Zhuo Fan and Luo Yunchang took the weary servants too. The servants finally had the leisure to not mind the weight.
At the peak of Blackwind Mountain, the fatty was working his damndest in wiping the sweat off himself under a pavilion. Fang Qiubai was at the side, with poise and grace.
Seeing Zhuo Fan coming up with the servants, the fatty beckoned, “Hurry up and fan me!”
The servants shook their heads and started working hard at the fatty’s side.
Now the fatty was finally feeling like himself, letting the occasional cry of appreciation.
Zhuo Fan shook his head, [This fatty wasn’t like this three years ago. Why is he so sleazy all of a sudden?]
What had him truly baffled however, [Why aren’t the old guys joining in with the servants?]
Zhuo Fan pointed, “Fatty, aren’t they yours as well? Why are they standing around idle?”
“How could they be? Do you know what their cultivation is?” The fatty eyes widened.
Zhuo Fan blinked, “Profound Heaven!”
“Yes, Profound Heaven experts. How could I have them do such a thing? It will be too humiliating for them.” The fatty spoke upright.
Zhuo Fan thought so as well. He recalls how he would often insult the Radiant Stage experts when he beckons them but never asked them to pour tea for him. It was simply overkill. He found no point in respecting anyone whose talents were of no use.
[Am I not one to respect talents and make use of their abilities fully?]
[Ha-ha-ha, probably not.] Since he always saw others with a cynical eye and never showed any respect. Anyways, who in the mortal domain was worthy of the Demonic Emperor’s respect?
Zhuo Fan shook his head, [With different statuses there are different attitudes!]
Just then, fatty struggled to walk to him and smiled, “Brother, to be honest, these Profound Heaven experts aren’t mine, but yours!”
“Mine?”
“Uh, no no no, that’s not right either. You’re just Luo clan’s steward. How can they be yours? I mean to say that they are elders who my imperial father offered to the Luo clan. Your clan just got a gift falling into your lap and it’s rise is just around the corner. Well, are you happy? He-he-he…” The fatty laughed at Zhuo Fan’s dumbstruck face.
Luo Yunchang’s eyes shined in glee, “They will all be Luo clan’s…”
Before she could properly enjoy this gift of twenty Profound Heaven elders, Zhuo Fan spoke dully, “Fatty, even if the Emperor bestows us these Profound Heaven elders, we will first have to see if they are fit for the Luo clan!”
The fatty was totally clueless what he was getting at.
Luo clan, a third rate clan, had a sudden windfall of twenty Profound Heaven experts and they should be wild with joy! Even a first rate clan would be dancing around and thank the emperor by now.
So why was this Zhuo Fan so cold, even trying to reject them?
If he only knew Zhuo Fan had three Radiant Stage experts in the bag, he’d probably take the twenty elders back that instant.
[Damn, how mortifying! We have Radiant Stage experts, so of course we’d outright refuse some Profound Heaven experts. Not to mention they are…]
Fang Qiubai eyed Zhuo Fan with a deep gaze.
Zhuo Fan walked before the elders and sized them up. He found they were quite strong, but nothing outstanding, while also detecting a great deal of pride.
The kind that hinted at, ‘If I am second, no one dares say they’re first!’
Zhuo Fan frowned, [What’s there to be cocky about when you’re not even in the Radiant Stage?]
Pacing around, he spoke, “As of now, you are Luo clan’s elders. I am the steward, Zhuo Fan. You are to listen to every one of my instructions, besides young miss…”
“Humph, a puny steward minds me? Luo clan sure is an oddity!” One of them complained before Zhuo Fan finished.
Zhuo Fan’s face went cold in a flash.
Luo Yunchang shrugged and turned her head, not in the least interested in their fates.
There was no cocky elder in the Luo clan, not one! That was because this place housed an even more outrageously conceited steward. You could offend anyone in the Luo clan, but may god help you if you stepped on the steward’s toes. Humph, your funeral!
[You’re on your own now. Zhuo Fan’s power goes unchallenged here!]
They were oblivious to this iron rule, but they’d do it anyway even if they knew, since they came by the grand order of the emperor. Though, they were most certainly gambling with their lives at this point…