Then Zhuo Fan went through a long and equally pointless discussion with the three venerables before finally leaving. Yet not before giving repeated warnings about their share of demonic treasures.
Zhuo Fan kept silent. [Wasn’t it just a joke? I was never going to give Xie Wuyue anything, not to mention you!]
Zhuo Fan smirked, having had enough of their senseless banter and left as well, not before warning Venerable Bai, “I have crucial matters to attend to. I’ll leave you to handle the elite selection.”
“Steward Zhuo, we are now elders of the Labor Office. We will do our very best!” Venerable Bai smiled.
At long last Zhuo Fan felt the weight on his shoulders slip off. With perfectly capable managers around, he needn’t worry about this place.
[Freedom!]
Zhuo Fan flew away in his newfound bliss, back to the shabby Labor Office place where he stayed.
Elder Yuan was still looking after the laborers’ cultivation, those that had yet to enter the Elite Labor Office.
These youths had never taken the old man seriously so far. He was so old yet much weaker than everyone else. [Why should he look after us?]
But since he had Zhuo Fan on his side, everyone showed respect.
Elder Yuan watched the laborers with the same attentiveness as his grandsons, “There’s still two years until the next Asura Circle. Work hard and you can enter the Elite Labor Office, freeing yourself from such an agonizing fate.”
The disciples nodded.
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath and nodded as well.
Elder Yuan’s wisdom was boundless, earning his admiration as well. The old man ought to be getting cocky now that he had a big shot on his side.
Yet reality showed otherwise, all that power did not get to his head, he was only becoming kinder and more nurturing.
Zhuo Fan swore he had never seen someone’s heart reach such a deep level in the countless experts he had fought, not once. All that held Elder Yuan back was his poor foundation and interference for living up to his glorious potential.
Anywho, the heart is what it all came down to, for experiencing the world and all its nuances. If the old man had been a powerful genius, getting his heart to reach such a deep level would be a truly difficult task.
[You can’t have your cake and eat it too.]
Or having them both would uplift one to heaven.
Zhuo Fan came to see Yun Xuanji’s words through a different lens. The ex-Demonic Emperor had a stale life, filled with fighting and killing and comprehending the demonic way.
It was for this reason that becoming even a Saint was out of his reach.
Upon finding the Nine Serenities Secret Records, he thought his chance had come. But now it dawned on him that this rebirth was his true chance. Heaven offered him a second chance at walking the demonic path, in a more profound and intricate way, that his past self could never tread…
“Steward Zhuo, how come you’re here?” Elder Yuan broke him out of his rumination having come over with the same flattering smile he had when they first met.
Zhuo Fan saw endless wisdom in that smile.
The weak had their own path of survival. It was something that he despised but now saw the truth behind it.
Holding his heart, Zhuo Fan smiled, “Elder Yuan, I am on the verge of a breakthrough. Could you tell me of a quiet place with no interferences?”
“Weren’t you advancing like it was nothing so far? Why are you so serious this time?” Elder Yuan asked.
Zhuo Fan shook his head, “I can feel that this time will make me soar. I must get ready lest I come to regret it for as long as I live.”
“Then we can’t have you disturbed. That is a warning coming from your heart!” Elder Yuan turned serious and then gave Zhuo Fan an odd look, “Why are you so calm then? Even I am worried sick for you.”
“Ha-ha-ha, no matter how crucial it is, be it success or failure, I can only do my best. Worry will only drag me down. Just doing my best, to glean into heaven and follow my heart!”
Elder Yuan approved.
[His heart has reached the blasé level. With such a heart, no demon will corrupt him. This is good, but the warning from the heart will pose some trouble.]
[He should be fine!]
Elder Yuan’s eyes flashed and he smiled, “Steward Zhuo, you’ve come to the right person. Having been in the Demon Scheming Sect for so long, I know many secluded areas. Some not even the Sect Leader or elders are aware of. Come with me.”
Elder Yuan walked into a glum forest with Zhuo Fan behind him.
An hour later, the two found themselves before a black cave, “Steward Zhuo, this is the most remote and isolated place. No one will ever bother you here.”
“But it’s hardly far!” Zhuo Fan entered the cave to find a stone bed, wooden rack and a table, as well as a night pearl in neat order. Someone was living here, obviously, “Did someone else cultivate here?”
Elder Yuan shrugged, “Yeah, but he has long since sacrificed himself for the sect, it is the same alchemist I worked under. He likes peace and quiet, so he made a cave here to cultivate away from the ruckus of the sect. Best thing is that no one knows about this place. “
“Why is everything so clean then? Someone lives here.” Zhuo Fan frowned.
Elder Yuan dismissed his worries, “How can that be? I’ve only kept it clean for the memory of our times working together. You can break through in peace here.”
“But…”
“Come on now, don’t you trust me? It can’t get any safer than this. You stay here while I activate the defensive array and no one will disturb you.”
Elder Yuan stopped any more questions from Zhuo Fan and ran like the wind, leaving him looking around anxiously. [What if the owner comes back?]
[I must get to the bottom of this before I can stay here.]
As he walked to the exit, the entire cave shifted with a hum as it was enveloped in hues of green.
Zhuo Fan’s heart jumped and knew he was in a barrier.
But as an array grandmaster, he noticed this was a soul barrier, one set up by an Ethereal Stage expert.
[Are Ethereal Stage experts trying to hold me back?]
Elder Yuan giggled, “Steward Zhuo, make yourself comfortable and focus on breaking through. No one will bother you, or do you still doubt me?”
Zhuo Fan’s eyelid twitched and he shook his head at the soul barrier.
He could’ve popped it open if it was just a simple array with his eye, but since an Ethereal Stage expert used his soul to supplement it, he was stuck.
Unless he became stronger, which was not possible.
Left with no choice, he chose to gamble and have faith in Elder Yuan.
“What man proposes, God disposes. Elder Yuan, I sure hope you are worthy of my trust.” Zhuo Fan shrugged and went back inside.
Elder Yuan chuckled with a shake of his head, then his eyes took a somber look, “What are you all doing here? Make sure the kid’s not disturbed, not even by the Sect Leader!”
“Yes, sir!” An old voice replied and the barrier rippled once and vanished.
Meanwhile, Three Fiends of Hell and Xie Wuyue were discussing in the great hall when to give Elite Labor Office those elite spots when they felt the sudden power spike. They rushed outside the hall.
Five green beams pierced the skies from within the forest before vanishing. And with them so too did a patch of trees.
Fiend Yang cried, “I-isn’t t-that…”
“Impermanence Five’s Vicissitudes Barrier!” Fiend Yin frowned.
Fiend Gui Closed his fan, “That means…”
“High Venerable…” Xie Wuyue’s eyes flashed with doubt.
“In seclusion…” Venerable Shi showed a twisted smile from a mountain in the inner sect.
