He scared them into submission without lifting a finger. Just how was he a Bone Tempering cultivator?
Song Qian and Song Yu saw a whole new Zhuo Fan and their hearts started racing.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a figure landed before Qi Tianlei. He checked the young master and became enraged finding him unconscious.
“Who did this?” The newcomer whipped his head back and roared, his eyes flickering with flames of rage. But then he noticed Zhuo Fan and all of a sudden his anger diffused.
Zhuo Fan frowned and took a much closer look at him.
The man was around 40 years old, with a beard and at peak Bone Tempering Stage. From the fine clothes he was wearing, it was clear he was a Clan Head.
Song Qian, who was roused from her shock by the shout, began apologizing with tears welling in her eyes, “Forgive me, uncle, it’s all my fault. Take it out on me.”
The man’s eyes then noticed the Song siblings and his gloomy face cleared up with a laugh, “Ha-ha-ha, so it is Qian’er. I was wondering why this brat ran so fast to the city gate, seems like it was to welcome honored guests. So it was all a misunderstanding.”
“Come, follow me to our home. You’ve come a long way to Orchid City, it must have been tiring. As your host, I’ll do my best to make you comfortable!” The man overlooked Qi Tianlei’s situation and simply shouldered the unconscious fellow as he took the lead.
The way he switched tunes real quick, and how he took sideway glances on and off at Zhuo Fan, the later felt it as a warning.
“What was all that about being looked down on by Qi clan? You were clearly trying to fool me.” Zhuo Fan smirked, “This uncle of yours cares for you even more than Qi Tianlei, ignoring even his scared silly son.”
“Why would he? He is Qi Ganglie, the Qi Clan Head, and not once did he look kindly on us.” Song Yu said confused, “But today he’s like a different person. Qi Tianlei is his only son, the apple of his eye. Something odd is going on for him to ignore his son’s plight!”
“Yeah, baffling!” Zhuo Fan scoffed.
Song Qian watched Qi Ganglie leave then turned to the other two, “What’s so strange? He must be in a good mood today, so don’t make assumptions. At least he didn’t pursue it, or we would’ve been worse off.”
“Just him?” Zhuo Fan sneered.
What could a peak Bone Tempering cultivator amount to when not even a Profound Heaven expert was a match for Zhuo Fan? As his strength grew exponentially, he felt the return of his confidence as the Demonic Emperor.
But anyway, the Song siblings were clueless to his strength.
Song Qian walked to him with quick steps then rolled her eyes, “I know you’re great, but that’s within the Bone Tempering Stage. Could you handle a Profound Heaven expert? If you get on their bad side, not even we can help you.”
Zhuo Fan scoffed.
Song Qian shook her head but her eyes never left Zhuo Fan. His haughty and condescending attitude stirred her maiden heart.
In fact, she felt oddly safe next to him, something she never felt with anyone before.
The Qi clan welcomed the trio in their residence, and before they could leave to purchase any ingredients, the Qi Clan Head’s message came that he wanted to reminisce with the siblings.
Without a choice, Song Qian and Song Yu went to see Qi Ganglie while Zhuo Fan was left alone in the guest house. [Now I can finally get some cultivation done in peace and quiet.]
Six hours later, the door creaked open. Zhuo Fan sitting on his bed, saw the Song siblings tip-toeing inside.
“Did you finish your talk with Qi Ganglie?”
Song Qian and Song Yu jumped in fright, then nodded woodenly, their eyes full of fear.
“What’s up? Was that old coot hard on you?” Zhuo Fan asked with suspicion.
They both denied.
The more Zhuo Fan looked at them the more he felt his suspicion grow. Song Qian laughed dryly, “Zhu-, uh, brother Luo, Qi Clan Head is holding a feast in our welcome. Come join us.”
Zhuo Fan smiled, “Since it is for you two, I won’t go as I don’t know him!”
“You can’t!”
Song Yu exclaimed, but tried to save the situation and dispel Zhuo Fan’s doubts with a forced laughter, “Brother Luo, this is the Qi clan’s residence. The Clan Head even threw a welcoming feast for us. It would be crass of us if we are not present.”
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, “Do I have to?”
“Yes!” They both nodded.
Zhuo Fan stood up with a sneer and said, “Lead the way. We must join the festivities if he went so far as to invite us, even if it ends up a murder fest.”
His words had the two siblings shivering and looking guilty.
Arriving at the hall, they saw Qi Ganglie seated on the main seat with a smile while nine other Bone Tempering elders flanked his sides at a round table.
Looking closely, the table had three lone empty seats in the furthest corner of the hall, with walls on either side of them.
Zhuo Fan secretly mocked them, [It’s ridiculously obvious that they want to attack me. The fact my seat is in the worst possible position proves it.]
[Can’t you be any more obvious?]
He let out a faint smile and didn’t let it get to him. [Even if they attack together, their end is still the same.]
Zhuo Fan and the siblings arrived at their seats with a fake smile.
“Qian’er, Xiao Yu, I am most pleased with your visit to our city. Uncle shall toast to you, for your success in the Drifting Flowers City and joining the Drifting Flowers Edifice.” Qi Ganglie laughed as he drank.
The others followed suit and the Song siblings were no exception. Yet Zhuo Fan only brought the cup to his nose and then sported a wide and ineffable grin before placing it on the table.
Qi Ganglie frowned a bit as the atmosphere grew tense.
“Ha-ha-ha, little brother is called Luo Fan, right? Qian’er told me about you, how you looked after them on your journey. I shall toast in gratitude.”
Qi Ganglie drank another cup, yet Zhuo Fan was as still as a rock.
This time, the people around the table eyed Zhuo Fan viciously.
Qi Ganglie gave them looks to calm down and said, “Brother Luo, I am the Qi Clan Head and am offering you a toast. Aren’t you going to reply in kind?”
“As wine takes a heavy toll on one’s body, I have learned to abstain from drinking.” Zhuo Fan grinned, “And I’d recommend Qi Clan Head do the same. Who knows what mistakes one can make in their drunk haze? You might earn the ire of someone you should not and end up destroying yourself and your clan.”
His knuckles white on the cup, Qi Ganglie felt the sweat trickling down his brow. The others were also growing anxious.
Taking a moment to calm his nerves, Qi Ganglie continued with a fake smile, “Little brother is wise beyond his age. I understand now how you could become a Bone Tempering cultivator at such a young age. But a youth should be more impulsive and learn to live in the moment, enjoy the simple pleasures of life.”
Qi Ganglie laughed, hinting at the cup before Zhuo Fan. The latter shook his head, “Life is enjoyable as long as you have it. I am young and don’t plan on leaving this wonderful world just yet!”
Losing his patience, Qi Ganglie rose from his seat and shouted, “What do you mean by this?”
“Ha-ha-ha, cut the act. You know who I am, else you wouldn’t have set up such an obvious trap!”
Zhuo Fan lifted his glass and tipped it. The wine touched the table and sizzled in white smoke before eating through it.
“Hundred Bane Pill, refined from a 4th-grade spiritual beast, the Scarlet Poisoned Python’s venom!”
With a mocking grin, he stared at Qi Ganglie, “Most of all, these Bone Tempering experts must be your elders. Even for a junior’s welcoming feast, this is too much of an honor.”
“Sigh, Clan Head, it was really hard to fake overlooking it, you know? Ha-ha-ha, can you be any more obvious?”
Zhuo Fan’s mockery had Qi Ganglie flushed with anger and gasping in an attempt to calm himself down.
“Damn it! Since it fell through, then I’ll cut to the chase.” Qi Ganglie roared and his power froze the Song siblings in their seats.
“Zhuo Fan, you messed with Hell Valley and they issued the Hell Kill Order on you, making you the number one target of the empire. Rather than let others have you, I’ll take your head and claim the Hell Kill Order’s reward for myself!”
“Elders, attack!”