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"You didn't let me down, it was I who let the Xiao Family down."
Zhou Yan smiled slightly. The term 'Mr. Zhou' deeply touched a chord in his heart.
He was a nostalgic person. Like with Gu Xi, Xiao Linlin and Xiao Chan'er held a place in his heart, akin to sisters.
But now, those words 'Mr. Zhou' made his heart suddenly cold.
He laughed heartily, casually pulling out a jug of wine and tipping it back.
His unconscious action was just like Zhou Wangchen's, drinking, and then coughing.
Then, coughing till his pale face turned a morbid red, as if his soul and flesh were being ruthlessly burned by the wine.
At this moment, Zhou Yan instinctively used the Nine Yin and Nine Yang Heart Sutra to conceal the surge of Sword Qi within him. Having deduced that this woman was connected to the Zhou Clan, he didn't want to reveal himself until he secured a position within the Great Zhou Clan.
Moreover, having hidden his cultivation, and without energy suppression, the power of the wine had him mimicking his father's demeanor after drinks perfectly.
One could say, standing here at this moment, Zhou Yan was just like the reincarnation of Zhou Wangchen.
Because even in his heyday, whenever burdened with unresolved sorrows, Zhou Wangchen would display such a scene.
At that time, witnesses to this scene were always people close to Zhou Wangchen, like Xiao Family's Xiao Zhan and Xiao Lan, and Gu Xi's father, Gu Yan, among others.
Now, this Xiao Lan had forgotten everything from back then, blatantly lying with open eyes, continuously provoking and insulting him.
But the way he handled it plunged the scene into dead silence.
"Zhou... Zhou Wangchen..."
The Xie Family Master, the middle-aged man Xie Xikun, seemed to rub his eyes vigorously, speaking with a trembling uncertainty.
Subsequently, realizing that his words drew many gazes, he awkwardly smiled to disguise his sudden panic.
"Mr. Zhou, I'm sorry..."
Xiao Chan'er continued to apologize.
But Zhou Yan did not concern himself with it anymore.
At this time, the somewhat uncertain salesgirl hesitantly said, "Mr. Zhou, do you still want the Wind Spirit's Dustproof Armor you reserved?"
"Yes, of course, I do. Please help pick two sets suitable for these two young ladies with spiritual attributes matching. As for the other one, just go with white and icy snow attributes."
Zhou Yan coughed a few times, appearing somewhat 'weak,' yet this was intentional.
With the mindset of a Grandmaster, he knew exactly how to act in his current situation.
"No... no need, after we join the Purgatory Sword Sect, we'll have our own."
Xiao Chan'er expressed with immense guilt.
Instead, Xiao Linlin, having seemingly made up her mind, appeared much more relieved.
"Mr. Zhou, this item is too precious. Since you're not my Brother Zhou Yan, I don't want your things either."
Xiao Linlin's tone was calm, devoid of much emotion.
Xiao Chan'er's eyes showed a trace of reluctance, but after hearing Xiao Linlin's words, she too said nothing further.
Gu Xi watched the scene unfold, her face pale but clinging tightly to Zhou Yan's arm, silent.
Zhou Yan could sense her disappointment and anger from the way he was unfairly treated, feeling as if he was 'abandoned,' and Gu Xi's face turned icy cold.
"Whether you want it or not is irrelevant now. What I, Zhou Yan, have promised always materializes. If you don't want it, throw it away or sell it, it matters not."
Zhou Yan stated calmly.
He had initially thought that coming out to buy some spiritual armor might bring joy to these once-cute-as-buttons girls, helping them forget their troubles—not expecting this turn of events.
If not for remembering the years Uncle Xiao Zhan raised and took care of him, he might have turned and left outright.
"Since this former young master of the Zhou Clan is willing to play the generous one, why reject his good intentions?"
The person beside Xiao Linlin and Xiao Chan'er.... Xiao Lan, wore a mocking smile, even the arrogant Xie Family's young master Xie Feng detected a hint of something amiss — as if Xiao Lan was intentionally provoking Zhou Yan?
He felt a little gleeful about it, earlier witnessing Xiao Linlin and Xiao Chan'er with this 'wanted' wastrel from the clan left him furious! Helping the Zhou Clan silently eliminate this wastrel had led a family elder to inadvertently offend a supreme expert and get slaughtered — this was something he knew very well.
So that very first look at Zhou Yan had him seeing red, wishing he could use Purgatory Sword Qi to kill this wastrel outright!
Already angry, seeing his intended Daoist couple speaking cheerfully with this wastrel was making him more ashamed and enraged.
Thus, seeing Zhou Yan being targeted by Xiao Family members gave him a sense of schadenfreude.
"Aunt, how can you?"
Xiao Chan'er was struggling, with reluctance in her eyes.
Xiao Linlin regained composure.
"You don't listen to your aunt now? How do you expect to succeed? Don't you want Middle Grade Spiritual Level swordsmanship? Don't you wish to grasp the opportunity of comprehending Sword Intent? Humph! If you can't choose, you'll always be a waste used as Ding Furnace material, not worth a dime!
As for him? Just a bastard with no talent, what accomplishments can he achieve? Not to mention a waste with depleted cultivation, pretending to be great but unable to change his wasted nature!"
Xiao Lan's words were mocking as she coldly looked at Gu Xi with an obvious implication.
Those words were to insinuate her, and to provoke Zhou Yan. How could Gu Xi not know? But now, her focus wasn't on that; it was entirely on Zhou Yan.
She was worried Zhou Yan might erupt because if he did, things wouldn't be as simple as confronting what came next, especially considering the competition at the Zhou Family Arena twenty days later. Zhou Yan might not have the chance to sneak in.
Also, considering her father's advice about the strange changes in Linlin and Chan'er, urging her to wait and observe, she hadn't divulged Zhou Yan's matters, only mentioning he was recuperating in her family's secret chamber…
Reflecting now, Gu Xi felt she absolutely did the right thing.
...
Xiao Lan's words left Xiao Chan'er speechless.
For the sake of the future, she had to let go of some things now.
As for Xiao Linlin, the future at the Purgatory Sword Sect seemed to have determined her choice long ago.
Zhou Yan saw their apparent hesitation and reluctance and said one last sentence to keep them: "You can choose to come with me. If I can give you Wind Spirit's Dustproof Armor today, I can offer more incredible things in the future. If that's why you're hesitating."
"I…"
Chan'er spoke with a slight bitterness, a reluctant smile, "Mr. Zhou… The Purgatory Sword Sect has agreed to nurture my sister and me completely."
"Then, just let it be."
Zhou Yan's interest waned. He took another sip of his wine, no longer sighing or grieving over these two women but merely feeling regret for Xiao Zhan.
Xiao Zhan, a heroic figure, ended up with such daughters; compared to Gu Xi, they lacked basic benevolence and righteousness.
But Zhou Yan knew that's how the world worked. Only with heartlessness can one go further.
Affectionate and heartless paths are two broad categorizations in Sword Dao cultivation; any Tao would fit into these two parts here, becoming an obsession for cultivators.
Clearly, in their choices, these two girls opted for their paths, no longer the blindly following girls of their childhood but rather two young women with their perspectives.
"I'm sorry..."
Xiao Chan'er continued to apologize, her voice murmuring, her gaze somewhat dim.
Xiao Linlin's expression was cold, indifferent to joy or sorrow.
"No need to apologize. You don't owe me. You have your pursuits, and I'm just temporarily playing the generous one with a little inheritance from my father. With my nature, it'll be gone in a few days. I can't compare to a Great Sect and can't provide you with better resources."
Zhou Yan spoke indifferently.
At this point, the purple-clothed girl had returned with three Qiankun Rings.
These Qiankun Rings were delicate, but the space inside was limited, just enough to hold a set of Spirit Armor, similar to packaging boxes.
"The two sisters are twins; they are suited for light green spiritual attributes, so I took the liberty to choose Wood Spirit attributes for them. And for this one… it's according to Mr. Zhou's request, with a Cold Ice attribute Spirit Armor."
The girl spoke, smartly handing the Cold Ice attribute Spirit Armor to Gu Xi first, then passing the other two to Xiao Linlin and Xiao Chan'er.
Gu Xi didn't hesitate to accept it, and Xiao Linlin took the ring after slight hesitation. Only Xiao Chan'er hesitated a long time before reluctantly accepting the ring.
"Well then, from now on, we're even. The Spirit Armor is repayment for Uncle Xiao Zhan's kindness in raising me. We'll settle up."
Zhou Yan's tone was icy. At this point, he didn't exhibit too much composure and calm, for if he remained so 'low-key,' it would be unrealistic and draw attention.
"You—"
At this moment, Xiao Linlin frowned slightly, eventually calming down, "Never mind, Mr. Zhou; think as you wish. Anyway… it's over. We have our plans; you can't understand a cultivator's hardships since you can't cultivate. We'll just pretend we never met, so childhood memories can remain beautiful—if you're really that Brother Zhou Yan."
Zhou Yan, hearing Xiao Linlin say this, merely let out a cold laugh, a hint of disdain in his eyes, but he said nothing.
"Ungrateful thing, do you think you deserve to be Zhou Wangchen's son? Just a foundling the Zhou Family Master picked up, acting like you're someone important!"
Xiao Lan sneered.
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