Since the Veiled Dragon Pavilion's grand gate was but a few hundred steps away, Zhuo Fan chose to walk.
However, he stopped before passing through it.
In front of the gate was a yellow palanquin with four peak Qi Condensation cultivators as carriers and 16 Bone Tempering cultivators surrounding it.
A fat figure in yellow stood in front of the palanquin. You could barely make out his pin-sized eyes from his bulging cheeks. At first glance, one would take him as having a bun in place of his head.
Zhuo Fan shook his head. He'd seen his fair share of people, but this was his first encountering such a fatso.
[How can one get so fat?]
Zhuo Fan resumed his gait, glancing at the fatty from time to time. His appearance was far from attractive, but his 7th Qi Condensation cultivation and the large number of guards was nothing to scoff.
If the fatty was from Veiled Dragon Pavilion, he'd have gone in by now.
"Wait!"
Zhuo Fan's entry was stopped by a sudden shout. Turning around, he caught the sight of fatty's feet sinking into the ground with each step towards him.
Zhuo Fan's cheek started twitching, "Do you… need something?"
"He-he-he, are you from Veiled Dragon Pavilion?"
The fatty smiled. It would've been better if he hadn't, as his eyes were now gone for good.
Zhuo Fan was shocked by such a baffling appearance for a moment, "I'm just a guest."
"Eh, that means you can also enter." The fatty showed a warm smile, "Can I ask brother's help with a small matter? Please send word to Young miss Long Kui. She hasn't come out for a whole day and I had to sleep outside."
[This weird fatty is pursuing Long Kui.]
Zhuo Fan wanted to laugh, but he couldn't, not when there were so many people around. [To think that haughty Long Kui knows this fellow.]
Setting aside his status, his weight alone would make her awkward if someone caught them together.
"Alright, I will tell her right away." Zhuo Fan struggled not to laugh as the fatty cupped his hands in gratitude, "I'll leave it to brother."
Zhuo Fan hastened his pace in fear of laughing if he spent one more moment with this guy. It wasn't worth it offending a great faction for such a reason.
He soon arrived at the meeting room and met Long Kui, "Miss Kui, long time no see. How have you been?"
"Great, until you showed up." Long Kui snorted. Zhuo Fan didn't mind it, "Where's bro Jiu, I want to speak with him."
"Out!" Long Kui rolled her eyes.
Zhuo Fan read her face and found that she didn't lie. Since he didn't see Long Jie either, it meant that he must be with Long Jiu on business.
This would put a delay on the things he wanted to know. But he still had that fatty's message to deliver. [To get that guy's gratitude and support, all I have to do is make this smug girl see him. What's the harm in passing the time while embarrassing this missy while I'm at it?]
Zhuo Fan showed a wide grin.
"What's with you?" Long Kui frowned.
"Oh, nothing. There's a rich handsome guy outside who wants to talk to you. Hurry up and see him before he's gone."
"Hey, Miss Long, who's he?" Zhuo Fan elbowed her with raised eyebrows.
Long Kui knew Zhuo Fan was making fun of her and got angry. Ignoring him, she walked to the gates with Zhuo Fan laughing behind her.
"Damn fatty, haven't I rejected your marriage proposal already? What are you still doing here?"
The fatty's smile fell.
"Sister Long Kui, that happened when I was ten. Now I'm twenty. Don't you feel anything after I proposed a thousand times these past ten years?"
"Of course I have, annoyance!"
Zhuo Fan butted in at this point, patting the fatty's shoulder as he looked at Long Kui, "Miss Long Kui, such tender and strong love are rare these days. My dear friend is so smitten by you that he even slept outside waiting for you."
The last words almost made Zhuo Fan burst in laughter. The fatty was so touched that the thick sarcasm flew right past him.
Long Kui saw them working in unison, one explaining while the other agreeing, and felt her anger peaking. But for some reason, she changed to a charming smile.
Even Zhuo Fan blanked out from seeing her smile like this for the first time. And there was no need to mention the drooling fatty.
Long Kui felt sick inside but still maintained her composure, "Brother Cong, you've always treated me so well ever since we were little. But my heart belongs to another… "
"What, who's the punk?" The fatty's face changed and his eyes spat fire.
Zhuo Fan thought, [Uh-oh. She isn't planning on dragging me into this is she?]
Yet Long Kui turned to him with an enigmatic smile.
[Oh. Hell.]
Zhuo Fan didn't know which faction the fatty belonged to, but one thing was clear, he wasn't to be provoked. Zhuo Fan already had Hell Valley as his enemy and messing with another faction just as strong, if not stronger, then even Demonic Emperor would have a hard time turning disaster into an opportunity.
"I was wondering why you are able to enter Veiled Dragon Pavilion like you own the place. It was because you and Long Kui are…" The fatty grabbed Zhuo Fan's collar and glared.
Zhuo Fan denied, "Brother, it's all just a misunderstanding…"
However, the fatty's eyes were red from anger and blinded to reason. There were two things any man would go berserk from, having his father killed and wife stolen. But the latter caused way more outrage than the former.
Feeling as if he was wearing such a hat with no rime or reason turned this misunderstanding into a conflict.
Zhuo Fan sighed, [Now I have to ask Long Jiu to explain in order to avoid offending another power.]
He was pondering on how to do it when he was floored by fatty's next words.
"Sister Kui, what do you not like about me? Does this punk have something that I don't?"
Zhuo Fan almost spat blood, watching the fatty in a daze, "Brother, now I know why you proposed a thousand times."
Cocky people, he has seen aplenty, but this was Zhuo Fan's first time meeting one as oblivious about himself as this guy.
Watching the fatty, who could burrow the earth just by standing, Zhuo Fan wanted to shout, [Brother, it's more like you pack something way extra than me!]
Even Long Kui was silently rolling her eyes.
"Brother Cong, there must be some other reason for you to be here. You do not have the luxury of leaving the Imperial Capital as you wish. Take care of your matters and stop wasting time."
"That is out of the question. You are my future wife. I even applied for this task just to see you. Yet…"
Then the fatty glared at Zhuo Fan.
"Let's duel!"
He pointed at Zhuo Fan's nose as he raged, "We will duel today to settle Sister Kui's groom."
Zhuo Fan took a closer look at the fatty, secretly admiring him, [This kid is the first who didn't shout out his glorious clan's name before me.]
Just from this, Zhuo Fan liked him.
Hearing the fatty request a duel, one of his guard stepped forward, "Young Master, your body is too precious to participate in duels! It's best if you let me handle him…"
"Quiet!"
The fatty interrupted the guard, "It is I who want to marry Sister Kui. My honor and dignity as a man are on the line. If you fight, I'll be mocked forever and Sister Kui will despise me even more!"
[I will never ever approve of you!] Long Kui rolled her eyes.
Zhuo Fan agreed with a grin, "Well said, I accept. However, all your guards are stronger than me and I can't even a single hit from them if they interfere."
"If I say we will duel, then it will be one on one. My word is gold. You don't believe me?" The fatty was even angrier now.
Zhuo Fan shook his head, "I do believe you. But if I defeat you, can they hold themselves from not jumping in? At that point, even if you order them not to, it won't do much good."
It was unknown if the fatty was pondering or fuming since his eyes disappeared when he squinted. But then he barked at the guards, "All of you stay put. If anyone has the nerve to move, I'll kill him."
Then he turned to Zhuo Fan, "Pick a location where we won't be disturbed."
Zhuo Fan smiled while Long Kui frowned and blocked him, "You truly intend to fight? If he gets hurt, even Veiled Dragon Pavilion can't help you."
He just nodded, "This fatty isn't bad."
Long Kui was stunned.
When the fatty saw them stick together, his heart was aflame from rage, panting with each word, he declared, "Punk, you'll see. I will mop the floor with you."
Zhuo Fan smiled, not minding it in the least…