Elder Yuan was confused for a long time, almost forgetting about the real topic, “Steward Zhuo, wouldn’t it be better for you to handle Hu Mei’er? Why would you let a young girl do it?”
“Ha-ha-ha, Elder Yuan, you should know the structure of the sect better than me.”
Zhuo Fan had a vague smile, but a wise gaze, “To get to someone, you go through his men first. Hu Mei’er is a nobody, hardly matters if she’s out of the picture. I could’ve killed her with a snap but let her go just for today. When a grand inner disciple falls at the hands of an outer disciple, the whole sect will be shocked, and the oldies behind her will be floored.”
“But this is only the beginning. If you think I’ll just stop at smacking them around, you’d be dead wrong. In regards to fighting authority as an underdog, like they say, first time is a coincidence, second time’s a happenstance but the third and fourth times… now you fools are damn useless!”
Elder Yuan frowned, then cried, “Y-you want to flip the sect’s system?!”
“Correct, the inner sect is a gangrene simply because the elites are chosen from there so that each elder and venerable gets a share of resources. But how can they share resources when no inner disciple is worthy of being elite?”
Zhuo Fan snickered, “Now do you understand why I didn’t do it myself? My success will only be short lived. They’d just make me an executive of the inner sect and make my efforts moot. They’ll even say everything I did was for the inner sect, and then I’ll start becoming like them, looking for disciples to get a share of resources. Xie Wuyue surely does not want that to happen.”
Elder Yuan panicked, “Steward Zhuo, you can’t say Sect Leader’s name like that. You need to address him by his title!”
“Why, we’re all friends here. Besides, Xie Wuyue needs me too much to throw it all away just over some technicality.” Zhuo Fan dissed him.
Elder Yuan understood this kid was sharp and lofty beyond his years. He knew when to be humble, when to step back, and when to charge with impunity.
Elder Yuan rubbed his beard, “Is this why you came to the Labor Office?”
“I think so. Xie Wuyue has put me outside the political plays of the sect so I don’t get absorbed into the conflict and could break the endless chain of greed. Labor Office is the bottom of the food chain which those oldies can’t reach. While thinking ‘that brat will be easy to control here and hard to mess with me’.” Zhuo Fan whispered.
Elder Yuan shook his head.
Wuyue was known for his short temper, but this fearless kid had no respect for him whatsoever.
[I bet he’d be so angry, he’d stomp the sect flat.]
[But just like Zhuo Fan said, it’s your fault for needing him!]
Elder Yuan laughed inside, “By your words, does that mean you’re going to teach more people? But who will come besides that miss? That miss was forced by circumstances, with her broken meridians, to get the Heaven Reaching Pill from you. Who on earth would risk death to mess with those average inner disciples?”
“There will be at least one more disciple after today.” Zhuo Fan grinned, “They could never conceive it earlier because of uncertainty and doubt in my skills. But Yue’er acting as proof, at least Kui Lang’s kid will be sure to come knocking. Who doesn’t want to get stronger anyway? Who doesn’t like a shortcut to the inner sect or to become an elite? And when Kui Gang wins…”
“Then even more will come and soon, the elites won’t be coming from the inner sect, but from Steward Zhuo’s direct teachings!” Elder Yuan finished, his eyes glinting more and more at the ineffable Zhuo Fan, “That’s the same as sacking the inner sect. But the resource upkeep will be huge…”
Bang~
Zhuo Fan cut him off by slapping his chest with a cocky grin, “No problem, I can cover it all!”
Sss~
Gasping, Elder Yuan was floored by how cocksure Zhuo Fan was.
[Where did this money bag come from? He’s got on him as much as the Demon Scheming Sect has gained over a thousand years?]
Elder Yuan pondered, [What’s the point of petty tricks when you have so much dough?]”
Elder Yuan frowned, “Steward Zhuo, the plan is solid but have you ever considered the outcome of these challenges?”
“What else could happen? They win, they gain fame, become inner disciples and soon elites, the envy of everyone!” Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow.
Elder Yuan held his gaze, “You really think so?”
Zhuo Fan frowned then shook his head, “They say old men are wise for a reason. Yes, starting with Yue’er, none of them will have an easy time in the inner sect.”
“They’ll be ostracized because of the fact that they beat an inner disciple as an outer disciple. Next would be tutelage, with every oldie greedy for the trinkets on them, no matter who they pick. Even with Venerable Bai having Yue’er’ sister, he’d use this excuse to get his hands on them. If she chose another oldie, she’d have it even worse. Venerable Bai won’t help her and the second elder will hate her guts, all while being looked on with greed by the rest. I’ve worried a lot about her future.”
Zhuo Fan sighed.
Elder Yuan nodded, “Steward Zhuo’s heart is like a mirror, piercing every veil. That means all these kids will suffer at your hand.”
“It is the lesser evil for the greater good.”
Zhuo Fan shrugged, “Small sacrifices net you greater rewards. Soldiers are there to be used and thrown away. This time I used a single one to test the waters knowing it will never return. Besides, no pawn can ever move backwards. All they can do is advance and advance. Once they’re in the enemy’s camp, in the inner sect, their fate is in their hands. I merely gave them the push they needed and it’s up to Xie Wuyue to keep the momentum going and wrest back control of the inner sect.”
Elder Yuan’s brow shook with sorrow, “Pawns… but after all they are the people you’ve nurtured yourself. Even considering them as tools to discard, it’s still such a huge loss. Steward Zhuo, have you thought about calling them back?”
“Never.” Zhuo Fan shook his head.
Elder Yuan was startled, “Why, they’ll be your arms and legs here, in the Labor Office. And when you become an executive elder, they’ll make your faction, bringing better results.”
“I don’t need them.”
Zhuo Fan’s tone was final, “I don’t need someone’s trash. And I’m only here because Xie Wuyue gave me a 9th grade pill, per our agreement. Once I hold my end and do what he wants, I’m gone. And besides, which disciple will throw away their bright future as an inner disciple for this dump?”
“Elder Yuan, we’re all men with experience, our gaze on the horizon. But they are just too green. They do not understand the meaning of blessing in disguise. Exploiting them, then recalling after they’ve won will only make them hate me to the bone. “
Zhuo Fan sighed, a smile of contempt for the ignorant world around him.
Elder Yuan sighed with him.
[That’s why you don’t care about the sect and aren’t thrilled to make it thrive like Wuyue. Ha-ha-ha, it’s just a phase for you.]
Elder Yuan was frustrated.
Such a talent yet no care for the sect was the sect’s loss.
“Steward Zhuo, are you here?” A shout came.
Zhuo Fan grinned, “See, Kui Lang’s already here. Yue’er’s win was free advertising. I bet he even brought his kid.”
“Yeah, ha-ha-ha.” Elder Yuan’s eyes flashed.
The two walked out to meet four people outside, the sisters and the father and son.
But Zhuo Fan had yet to put on the smartass smug smile as Yue’er and Kui Gang kneeled and kowtowed three times, “Please take us in, master!”
Zhuo Fan was shocked.
