A shiver ran through Huangpu Qingtian and his knuckles turned white. He turned, like the rest, to where the voice came from.
To see a figure in a billowing black cloak, wielding a sword of unmatched edge, yet sheathed for now. But that could not hide the dread and power it instilled in the hearts of all present!
Especially when he held two girls in his arms, the same ones Huangpu Qingtian was about to kill.
[How?]
The mangled bodies and the torn limbs were nowhere to be seen. How were they still in one piece? [Did this man just do the impossible? Did he save them without even Huangpu Qingtian noticing?]
[That’s absurd!] Who could ever pull such a feat such as saving someone from right under Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord’s nose, and at the last second too!
Not even the feeting feet Lin Xuanfeng could pull it off.
[Who the hell is this guy?]
Eyes filled with shock and intrigue graced the black figure. Not even Huangpu Qingtian could stop his eye from twitching. It was a rare sight to see him lose his voice.
Because it had never happened to him, ever…
Once the haze passed, Luo Yunchang was still trying to make sense of everything. One second she was staring death in the face, and the next she was in the arms of a robed man.
Xue Ningxiang didn’t fare any better, but the familiar flickering forced her eyes on the man’s hand, on the sparkling Thunder Ring, “Big brother Zhuo, you’re alright!”
Her words earned the gasp of the crowd.
Easing them down, Zhuo Fan smiled and pulled back his cowl to reveal the same familiar face that some cherished, some hated, and some reviled.
Yes sir, he was the one and only Soaring Demonic Dragon. Who made sure to leave chaos in his wake wherever he went, Zhuo Fan!
Smiling to Xue Ningxiang, Zhuo Fan showed a rare calmness, “Ning’er, it’s been a while!”
Xue Ningxiang nodded a smile, lowering her bashful face. Xie Tianyang was still crawling and couldn’t for the life of him decide which was better, life or death. He was thrilled that Xue Ningxiang was safe and sound. But the deep gaze Xue Ningxiang gave Zhuo Fan made him feel his life was over!
[Ning’er, why have you never looked at me like that?]
Bam!
Zhuo Fan stumbled forward and held his butt. He snapped back irate, “Young miss, what’s wrong? We haven’t seen…”
His words soon stopped though. Because Luo Yunchang was looking at him with teary eyes and a reproachful glare.
“You are asking me? What about you? Where the hell did you run off to for the past five years? I was worried sick!”
Luo Yunchang raved, but she couldn’t mask the joy bursting from her chest as she forgot where she was and jumped into his arms, her tears falling nonstop.
She wanted to hold him close to her heart and never let him go.
Zhuo Fan was caught unprepared, not knowing how to even respond, but ultimately deciding to hug her back.
Xue Ningxiang felt a stab of pain from deep within her heart. She should be happy to see Zhuo Fan again, so why the pain? But the sight of this young miss holding Zhuo Fan so close seemed to make her heart frantic!
Chu Qingcheng was no different.
Zhuo Fan was the husband she recognized back in Drifting Flowers City, and here he was, spreading his love! However reasonable and perfectly natural her brain told her this reunion was, her heart was another matter entirely. The pain was far greater than any wound she had ever received!
Two women’s love aside, the Four Tigers of Tianyu felt their hearts literally crack!
[Young miss Luo pined for someone else. That makes the five years we carried a torch for her go down the drain. We even fought among each other over her! This blasted and rotten Steward Zhuo is a clan thief in the truest sense! He even stole young miss’ heart!]
And yet, worries soon gave way to joy.
Watching such a touchy reunion, Xie Tianyang’s mouth split into a wide grin! [As long as Zhuo Fan has a woman, Ning’er will be devastated. The perfect time to make my move.]
[Whether it is Chu Qingcheng or Luo Yunchang, who cares? Ha-ha-ha…]
Xie Tianyang was laughing his heart out, on the inside, totally forgetting the precarious and quite deadly situation they were in seconds ago.
“For even a 5th layer of Bone Tempering woman to kick your ass, Soaring Demonic Dragon’s reputation is undeserving!” A brash and cocky voice burst Luo Yunchang’s bubble of happiness.
She came crashing down to reality, reminded of the danger they were in. She jumped away from Zhuo Fan, wiped her tears and, like the perfect image of a little girl, dodged behind him, “Steward Zhuo, keep me safe!”
Her coy voice was enough to melt the four tigers’ ice cold hearts, which were now bursting out of their chest in rage and rancor directed at the newly arrived man, Zhuo Fan. [What does young miss Luo sees in that Steward Zhuo? Isn’t he beneath her?]
Glancing back, Zhuo Fan was puzzled, [Since when did this lass learn to throw a hissy fit? It’s not a bad idea, though.]
“Ha-ha-ha, eldest young master, this guy doesn’t look like much. He’s only in the 9th layer of Bone Tempering Stage. He couldn’t even break through to the Profound Heaven Stage! Fighting him will only harm your image so allow me to do the honors!” Lin Xuanfeng laughed.
Huangpu Qingtian nodded.
[The brat is right. If this is all Zhuo Fan amounts to, there’s no need for my intervention.] But in case Zhuo Fan was pulling his punches, it might not be so bad to let this dumbass test the waters.
Huangpu Qingtian smiled, “Suit yourself. I’ll allow it!”
“Thank you, eldest young master!” Lin Xuanfeng snickered at Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow and turned to Luo Yunchang, “Who’re these guys?”
Luo Yunchang gave a rushed explanation. Getting the memo on who was who here, Zhuo Fan realized how powerful Huangpu Qingtian was. He alone dealt with Zhuo Fan’s three allies and the Four Tigers of Tianyu, yet was still so composed.
[Actually, he’s dreadfully powerful and Zhuo Fan would never have fought him in the past. As for now, he-he…]
Zhuo Fan grinned deviously, his brain already cooking the beginnings of a plan. Luo Yunchang brightened. Being so long in Zhuo Fan’s presence, she knew his tells, and the confidence he showed now was more than a little reassuring.
So without further ado, she singled Lin Xuanfeng out, “Steward Zhuo, ignore the others and teach this prick a lesson he never forgets!”
Zhuo Fan asked puzzled, “What’s so special about him?”
“H-he had errant intentions about me!” Luo Yunchang was wishy-washy, holding his sleeve and acting like a big child. It unleashed a cuteness overload attack on everyone’s heart.
Zhuo Fan blinked, giving her another look. [Young miss has changed. She finally started to work out her naivety.]
And since the young miss had spoken, it was a steward’s duty to comply. Whether it request was real or not was besides the point.
Zhuo Fan switched his tone in the blink of an eye and stared down Lin Xuanfeng, “Forest Fleeting Dragon Lin Xuanfeng, you must be tired of living! You had the nerve to go after my young miss!”
“He-he-he, and? It’s not my fault that Luo clan has no men…”
Pa!
He didn’t get to finish his sentence as something knocked him flying! He went through four houses before getting buried under the rubble.
Zhuo Fan was a whole hundred meters away, his eyes aflame as he lowered his hand, “Bastard, you dare say that with me here? Go to hell!”
The silence was deafening.
They stared slack jawed at him. Even Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord was stunned!
[What just happened? They were a hundred meters apart. How did Zhuo Fan slap him away?]
The one under the rubble was from the Six Dragons and One Phoenix, Lin Xuanfeng! The fastest man in the Profound Heaven Stage! Be it an attack or a hidden weapon, anything thrown at the guy was easily dodged.
That was all thanks to his speed! As for melee attacks, you couldn’t even touch the man.
Yet here was Zhuo Fan, flicking his hand and sending this speedster flying. If that wasn’t shocking, what else was?
But what was really on everyone’s mind was [How did he do it?]
No one noticed anything. He moved so fast, it went beyond their perception, including Heaven-shaking Dragon Lord’s!
If a monster like him couldn’t catch what happened, didn’t that make Zhuo Fan a monster himself?
Their eyes watching Zhuo Fan turned from shock to fearful.
Xie Tianshang muttered to himself before sighing, “Soaring Demonic Dragon’s reputation precedes him, what an oddity!”
Long Xingyun was dazed, “I now know why father allied with the Luo clan. Why Little Kui and Little Jie were so driven to cultivate! This monster gives too great of a shock. But will only cultivation be enough to catch up to these two monsters?”
Long Xingyun shook his head. Chu Qingcheng watched the imposing figure with a deep gaze. But then recalling his ties with the other girls ruined her mood…