Ten days later, Zhuo Fan returned in secret to the small courtyard in Veiled Dragon Pavilion.
This trip took them half a month, but Zhuo Fan made sure to tell Lei Yuting to place the Blackwind Mountain bandits in the city on stand by.
Since the bandits were still, so was Hell Valley.
On the way to his home, Zhuo Fan found that Long Jie and Long Kui weren’t around and set for a guard to put the old man in a room while he went to look for Luo Yunchang.
Fifteen minutes later, Xiao Cui cried when she saw the door open. She ran in tears to Lei Yuting, “Young miss.”
Lei Yuting wiped the girl’s tears and bopped her nose, “Silly girl, they weren’t hard on you, were they?”
Xiao Cui shook her head, “All Luo clan, besides that evil steward, treated me with kindness.”
“Ahem, girly, don’t talk bad about people when they’re present or they will put you in your place.”
Zhuo Fan then walked next to the rest of the Luo clan’s members who smiled at Xiao Cui’s antics.
Luo Yunhai approved, “You dumb girl, bro Zhuo likes to spank people the most. You messed with him, now see how he messes up your rear.”
Xiao Cui hid behind Lei Yuting.
Zhuo Fan rolled his eyes. Was he a fiend in these kids’ eyes? Luo Yunchang and Captain Pang exchanged a glance but felt warm inside.
Zhuo Fan always did what he wanted and never left a good first impression, to the point some might even call him vile. They experienced this first hand. But once they got to know Zhuo Fan, they would discover that he was a trustworthy person.
“You’re… Yunchang?”
They all turned to the old man behind Lei Yuting who watched Luo Yunchang with emotion. Then he turned to the child, “And you are… Luo Yunhai?”
“Gods be praised, brother Zhennan’s children are alive!”
“Senior, are you perhaps…” Luo Yunchang hesitated.
The first thing Zhuo Fan did when he returned was to bring her to Blackwind Mountain’s lord to understand the relationship between Blackwind Mountain and Luo clan, and why Hell Valley set its sights on them.
Zhuo Fan made the introductions, “This is Blackwind Mountain’s lord, the leader of the bandits who destroyed Cloud Manor.”
“What?”
Luo Yunchang’s face turned gloomy and dignified as killing intent surged and her Yuan Qi leaked.
Lei Yuting jumped in front of the old man.
His frail hand moved Lei Yuting aside and dropped to his knees, tears flowing freely, “Yunchang, Luo clan’s disaster is all my fault. If you want to kill anyone, kill me.”
“Godfather!”
“Mountain Lord!”
Lei Yuting and Xiao Cui shouted but the old man dismissed them, “I owe it to the Luo clan. You are not to stop her.”
Luo Yunchang watched the weak old man with anger, yet she didn’t strike.
Zhuo Fan patted her shoulder, “Yang Ming had him fooled for so long, immobilized him in his bed, and he had only recently recovered somewhat. The attack on the Luo clan had nothing to do with him.”
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Luo Yunchang grumbled, blaming him for almost having killed an innocent.
Zhuo Fan rubbed his chin, “Although, this old man is so blind that taking him in might sink the Luo clan. Killing him for revenge is only natural.”
She rolled her eyes at Zhuo Fan’s dubious logic.
Despite making some sense, blaming the old man was going too far. Luo Yunchang wasn’t a person who took her anger on others. Even more so when the old man seemed to have known her father well.
“Senior, you’re also a victim.”
“No, I and Zhennan are sworn brothers but the Luo clan fell because of me. It is because of me his soul can’t rest.” He wiped the tears from his pain-stricken face.
Luo Yunchang was shocked and then saw Luo Yunhai shaking his head, “Senior, why is it that father never mentioned you?”
Releasing the breath that he was holding, the old man calmed his restless heart, “Luo clan is a distinguished clan, leagues above an old bandit such as I. But your father and I became sworn brothers right as we met and kept it hidden, afraid of affecting the Luo clan’s reputation. Furthermore, my Lei clan has an ancient rule, never to make enemies of Cai and Luo clans.”
“Eh?”
Luo Yunhai cried out then muttered, “Dad once told me that regardless of the situation, to always survive or perish alongside Lei and Cai clans. I know of the Cai clan, but is the Lei clan he was referring to, yours?”
Luo Yunchang turned to her brother, “How come father never told me anything about this?”
Luo Yunhai stuck out his chin and snickered, “Dad said it’s a secret between men. It is not for women or outsiders to know of.”
Zhuo Fan frowned, “Is it possible that this ancestral rule in the Lei and Luo clans is passed down to the Clan Head only?”
“Correct, but as I do not have a son to pass it on, I speak of it now. Moreover, I and Zhennan became brothers, so the Luo clan would never harm us.”
But then he recalled how Luo clan fell because of him and shook his head in shame.
“Old man, do you have a martial art passed down in your clan?” Zhuo Fan asked.
The old man nodded, “I passed down my clan’s spirit ranked martial art, Lightning Finger, to Ting’er as I have no son. But that bastard Yang Ming took the jade slip instead.”
Bam!
Zhuo Fan clapped, “That’s it. That’s what they are after.”
Then he rushed out the door, “Wait here.”
Everyone was stunned, clueless as to what he wanted to do…
Zhuo Fan passed like a storm through Veiled Dragon Pavilion’s gates guarded by the same pair of guards, they didn’t even try to stop him.
“Bro Jiu!” Zhuo Fan shouted as he searched for Long Jiu.
He soon saw a closed door with Long Kui and Long Jie acting as guards and knew Long Jiu was inside. He rushed over as he shouted.
Long Kui blocked him, enraged, “Shut up! Uncle Jiu won’t receive guests today. Get lost!”
“Humph, I’m not a guest. I have important matters to discuss with Long Jiu. Stand aside.” Zhuo Fan wanted to charge in but Long Jie and Long Kui’s power barred him entry.
“Important is it? Don’t mistake Uncle Jiu’s appreciation of you for weakness! This is Veiled Dragon Pavilion, not your backyard.” Long Kui glared at him as she stood her ground before the door.
“Brother Zhuo, Uncle Jiu can’t see you today. Please go back.” Long Jie was firm.
Zhuo Fan knew charging in was pointless and smiled, “Girly, do you know where I’ve been these past few days?”
“Humph, where could a filthy man possibly go? Last time you had two in your arms and this time you must have spent a tender night out in their village.” Long Kui rolled her eyes.
Zhuo Fan shook his head with a sneer, “Ha-ha-ha, I wish, but I’m not as free as Young miss Long. Back to the matter at hand, I followed a lead on Hell Valley. Any time now they will come to Veiled Dragon Pavilion, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
“Humph, nonsense. If you know Hell Valley’s actions, then bulls can fly.” Long Kui disdained.
Zhuo Fan shook his head and left, shouting his final warning, “Tell Uncle Jiu I am taking the Luo clan into hiding, so we won’t get dragged in Veiled Dragon Pavilion’s fall.”
Long Kui wanted to curse, [We’ve always treated you so well yet you even curse us after breaking all ties?]
She didn’t get the chance however, as the door opened with a creak and Long Jiu’s voice came, “Please bring brother Zhuo in!”
Long Jie and Long Kui were shocked, then bowed, “Yes!”
Zhuo Fan flitted past them like smoke, “No need, I can do it myself, he-he-he…”
Long Kui panted with rage when she saw his smug look, “What’s so great about him? Isn’t he just a 5th-grade array master? Why does Uncle Jiu care so much about him?”
With a bitter smile, Long Jie returned to guarding the door.
[This is a prime example of hating grapes from being sour without trying them. If Young miss was a 5th-grade array master instead, not only Uncle Jiu would’ve cared for you, he’d even praise you to high heaven…]
On the other hand, Zhuo Fan, who couldn’t care less about Long Kui’s increasing discontent of him, walked inside a huge house after spending five minutes crossing a corridor.
He soon saw Long Jiu sitting on a high chair beaming at him. On either side of him were another two identical seats, with the exception that they were facing in the opposite direction.
“Ha-ha-ha, brother Zhuo, what brought you here today?”
Zhuo Fan stopped before Long Jiu who was smiling at him, but that smile was soon replaced by a grim look, “But I must remind you, if you came here with nonsense, there will be consequences.”
Scratching his nose, Zhuo Fan smiled, “Hell Valley’s experts are here and will soon attack this place. I wonder if this is considered nonsense.”
“Of course not, if it’s true!”
Before Long Jiu responded, an aged voice came from one high chair, followed by the slow turning of both the chairs. Two ferocious auras, stronger than Long Jiu, swept Zhuo Fan.
His breath caught in his throat and staggered backwards as a drop of cold sweat trailed down his shocked face…