With a deep breath, Zhuo Fan overlooked Windgaze City, especially Blackwind Mountain, with a sigh.
For Luo clan's safety, its steward left on a two-year journey. [I wonder how they are doing? Old Pang's Wraith Art was a success or death?]
Zhuo Fan's mind was filled with thoughts the nearer he got. He didn't realize when the Luo clan got to be so important to him.
"Elder Li, you're not pulling my leg, are you? Regent Estate truly canceled the Demon Purging Decree?" Vicious Pill King was on pins and needles all the way to Windgaze City.
Li Jingtian forced a smile. This guy had asked him a hundred times already but no matter how he explained it, he'd come back to ask, again and again, getting on his nerves.
His eyes snapped on Vicious Pill King and roared, "Kid, you're so old yet nagging me like a midwife. This will be the last time I'll tell you, I came voluntarily after you, not because Regent Estate issued the Demon Purging Decree. At least, not before I left. If you ask me one more time, geezer, I'll tear your mouth off!"
Vicious Pill King jerked from fear. He remained quiet but worry still plagued him.
Zhuo Fan had also got to know what the Demon Purging Decree entailed this past two weeks and could feel Vicious Pill King's distress.
Radiant Stage experts were the ultimate power of any house, and the only way to use them was through a Demon Purging Decree.
Zhuo Fan was certain Li Jingtian didn't come because of it, and lying to him was impossible. This martial fanatic really came just to steal cultivation methods.
Or the moment the old man saw them, Zhuo Fan'd fight instead of letting himself be captured.
"Elder Yan, relax. Even if the Demon Purging Decree is released, it won't be anytime soon. We will still have time to prepare!" Zhuo Fan smiled.
Hum~
A sudden ripple spread from Windgaze City. Vicious Pill King was still out of it, but the other two felt it, "Radiant Stage?"
Their faces took a darker tone.
Especially Zhuo Fan, [Is Demon Purging Decree really in effect?] It was all too sudden. He and the elders had ways to safeguard themselves, but the Luo clan was powerless.
Zhuo Fan nodded at Li Jingtian, who searched with his soul. Under the cover of Li Jingtian's soul sense, Zhuo Fan released his own.
This would make the other side only notice Long's Discerning Field while Zhuo Fan's was still hidden.
This would give him a good opportunity to lay some traps if the other was an enemy. At any given time and place, Zhuo Fan hid his cards to make a deadly strike on any who came after him.
Li Jingtian had to admire Zhuo Fan for his behavior.
It was the first time he saw the kid this vigilant. While Li Jingtian was a martial fanatic, Zhuo Fan would be a high-functioning sociopath, with killing always on his mind.
But that stemmed from Zhuo Fan always meeting difficult opponents. At the end of it all, Zhuo Fan was still standing while all the others around him laid dead.
And since the first thing that came to Zhuo Fan's mind was killing, those people had to exhibit just a brief lack in judgment and their lives were forfeited.
Li Jingtian secretly signed, holding Zhuo Fan in even higher regard.
"Three Radiant Stage experts!" Li Jingtian frowned.
Zhuo Fan nodded, "Two in the 3rd layer and one in the 4th. Not to mention, there are many Profound Heaven experts around as well! Wait, there's also those two…"
Zhuo Fan snickered all of a sudden, "I knew they were garbage, but had no good excuse so far. But this time, humph…"
Zhuo Fan observed Blackwind Mountain in the distance. A glance was enough to reveal that the arrays he set up were activated, easing his worries.
[Blackwind Mountain still holds!]
"Well I'll be, Luo clan is no pushover. Just from not being able to see through the arrays, I can tell it's no less than at a Regent Estate's level. Even a Radiant Stage will have his work cut out for him."
Li Jingtian scanned the Blackwind Mountain as well.
The minute Vicious Pill King heard something about Radiant Stage experts being involved, he jumped the gun, "Three Radiant Stage experts in one go. This must be the Demon Purging Decree…"
"Elder Yan, stop whining. Demon Purging Decree has nothing to do with this!"
Zhuo Fan saw Vicious Pill King hysterical and shook his head, "They would've attacked before the arrays were activated if the Demon Purging Decree was declared. But look at them, they're still waiting for orders!"
"But why else are Radiant Stage experts included if not because of Demon Purging Decree?"
"Because of me!"
Zhuo Fan shot him a look, "To make sure I stay dead, they laid a trap. Everything is taken into account, including the intervention of Veiled Dragon Pavilion. I can say for sure that once I set foot in Windgaze City, those three Radiant Stage experts will take my life! However…"
A creepy grin found itself on his lips as Zhuo Fan turned to Li Jingtian, "They'll never guess I still have a Radiant Stage expert on my side, and a 6th layer body cultivator to boot!"
"Ha-ha-ha, with me here, these pups won't take one hair from you!" Li Jingtian laughed and jutted his chin.
With a raised eyebrow, Zhuo Fan said evilly, "Why stop there? Elder Li, that would be a walk in the park for you."
"Uh…"
Li Jingtian pondered carefully, and his eyes took a savage tone, "Then I'll just kill my way in and put them in their place!"
"No!" Zhuo Fan smiled.
Li Jingtian was confused, "Steward Zhuo doesn't trust my strength? Humph, forget about these weak bastards, when not even a Radiant Stage expert at my layer can take three hits from me!"
Li Jingtian's tone was mighty enough, but unclear if from confidence or overconfidence.
Zhuo Fan however still had the same smile, "And what if I want Elder Li to kill them as well?"
"That…" Li Jingtian frowned as he smoothed his beard in predicament.
Killing those weaker than him was easy, but doing the same for those in the same stage was a whole nother matter. Taking Windgaze City's battle as an example, Veiled Dragon Pavilion's 3rd and 5th elders were far stronger than Hell Valley's elders.
But unable to kill him no matter how they tried.
It was all thanks to Zhuo Fan's schemes, taking advantage of the enemy's carelessness, that he killed two elders. This was also why Veiled Dragon Pavilion was in so much uproar then.
When someone stronger couldn't kill them, Zhuo Fan up and pulled off such an impossible feat while two stages below. Not once, but twice.
And now, Li Jingtian was finding it hard to answer Zhuo Fan's request.
Grinning diabolically, Zhuo Fan's eyes were on him, "Elder Li, I seem to recall you are still Regent Estate's guest Venerable!"
"Uh, Steward Zhuo, my intentions are real…"
Li Jingtian was just about to explain his loyalty when he caught onto Zhuo Fan's sneaky meaning.
"Precisely. No one yet knows of you standing with the Luo clan, so…"
Zhuo Fan got closer to Li Jingtian's ear, who nodded now and then.
Once done explaining, Zhuo Fan stressed, "Remember, don't go rambling about once inside. Slap them a couple of times and tell them to lay siege on the mountain!"
"Got it. It's been so long since I played this role! Ha-ha-ha…"
Li Jingtian flew straight for Windgaze City. Zhuo Fan grinned, disregarding Vicious Pill King's facial expression, "He-he-he, when one looks for a fink, quality is always preferred. And the ones you have found are some I can't wait to get rid of."
Vicious Pill King had no clue what he was raving about as Zhuo Fan pulled him towards Blackwind Mountain.
"Elder Yan, I'll take you to see the clan!"
Vicious Pill King's eyes sparkled and nodded. [It is finally time to see the legendary clan…]
Meanwhile, in Windgaze City's Sun clan's manor.
Those poor quality finks Zhuo Fan mentioned, Cai Rong and Cai Xiaoting, were sitting in a small room with evil looks.
"Humph, to hell with the Sun clan, and to hell with Hell Valley! We've been running around Blackwind Mountain for so long and even drew them a map. It's not our fault they couldn't see the guarding arrays, yet now, they give us the silent treatment!" Cai Xiaoting nagged.
Cai Rong sighed, "Zhuo Fan is incredible to set guarding arrays before leaving! But that damn Luo Yunchang is too paranoid, not having extended contact with outsiders. We had to turn traitors if we wanted to attack it! Ha-ha, our map is useless now that the guarding arrays are up. No wonder everyone gives us the cold shoulder!"
"Humph, Zhuo Fan must've taught her before leaving! That bitch gobbles up everything Zhuo Fan says. She is so loyal that she almost pushed the Luo clan head position on him!" Cai Xiaoting raged, his eyes clouded in jealousy.
"Tell me father, am I not, Cai Xiaoting, the grand young master of Cai Manor, better than that nobody? Why is it that Luo Yunchang never looked at me ever since Zhuo Fan showed up? He's been gone for two years now, yet, she pins for him every day by looking in the direction he left. There was not even a word of mention to me regarding the guarding arrays… "
Cai Rong regretted the more he saw his son complaining.
Zhuo Fan was a true genius, admired even by the seven houses. He would've long given his daughter to Zhuo Fan if he had one instead!
[My son is in the 9th layer of Qi Condensation yet, has not a bit of wisdom on him…]
Cai Rong shook his head when Sun Yufei burst in, "The elders want to see you. Come with me."
Startled, the Cai father and son turned happy thinking they would meet Hell Valley's higher ups. Their rise was just around the corner…