“Steward Zhuo, you’re finally out, ha-ha-ha. Congratulations on your smooth advancement.” Elder Yuan popped out of nowhere and cupped his hands.
Zhuo Fan merely nodded, “All thanks to you for giving me such a great place. It would’ve been a pain anywhere else.”
“Uh…”
Elder Yuan smiled, “Steward Zhuo, don’t you want to know what happened these days? Like the barrier? With your wisdom, you should already have some guesses.”
“Yeah, I have. What about it?”
“Don’t you care?”
“No, should I?” Zhuo Fan spoke.
Elder Yuan was dumbstruck, then shook his head, “Here I thought the first thing you’d do was to have me over a barrel over this. I even had an excuse ready. Sigh, now all that work has gone to waste.”
“Ha-ha-ha, I thought as much. What’s the point of asking if I don’t get the truth?”
Zhuo Fan laughed, “Elder Yuan, to be honest, my greatest gain in the Demon Scheming Sect was meeting you. Expounding with sir on the nature of the world has opened my eyes more than my entire life, especially about human nature’s four realms.”
“Which four?” Elder Yuan was interested.
Zhuo Fan smiled, “The first, ignorance, it is walking about aimlessly. Second, aware of oneself but not of one’s place, defined by misplaced overconfidence and conceit. Third, knowing oneself and their place, allowing one to pierce anything but their hearts are filled with pain. Fourth, knowing the whys, opening one’s eyes and clearing the fog within.”
Elder Yuan nodded.
Zhuo Fan continued, “Elder Yuan, I’ve been stuck at the third realm with a sharp eyesight yet a heavy heart. I bore the whole world on my shoulders, fearing any misstep and holding myself back. But now that I’m in the fourth realm, who you are and where I am has lost its meaning. All that matters is your kind intentions. I don’t even feel like knowing who those experts were that set the barrier. Or I’d be required to pay them an immense favor. Not knowing means not paying back, ha-ha-ha…”
“Ha-ha-ha, quite an idealist you are!”
Elder Yuan shook his head, “Zhuo Fan, your mind is sharp and devious, you might look at things with a casual glance but all of these are just tricks, of no use to the world as a whole. While peering into human condition, walking the path to the truth, that is the greatest wisdom of all. Steward Zhuo, you have finally ventured down this path, getting closer to the Dao. Your future is limitless.”
“That’s if sir will keep on helping me.”
“Of course, you are the hope of Demon Scheming Sect. I will always have your back.” Elder Yuan’s eyes shone.
The old and the young fellows grew closer in these rare moments, even as each of them had tons of secrets. At least they were frank with each other.
An hour passed and the two returned to the Elite Labor Office, at the cemetery, but the scene left Zhuo Fan dazed.
[Why are there just a handful of testers at the doors? It’s been just a few days and the trend has already changed?]
He’d be hard pressed to topple the inner sect now.
Zhuo Fan turned to see Elder Yuan mimic his surprise.
While Zhuo Fan was in seclusion, the old guy had looked after him and no one knew of the elites’ trip down to the Labor Office.
Kui Gang and Yue’er rushed over in joy, “Master, you’re back!”
“What the hell happened? It’s only been a few days so why is this place deserted?” Zhuo Fan frowned.
The two sighed and explained how the elites wiped the floor with them.
Kui Gang gnashed his teeth, “I and Yue’er weren’t here either, or he’d never touch my father. I will…”
“You will what? You’ll only throw your life away. Don’t think for a second that a set of 9th grade demonic treasures can fight an 8th layer Radiant Stage expert. Who is stronger or weaker comes down to one’s own power in the end.”
Zhuo Fan sighed, teaching his disciple to shed his overconfidence, despite his own eyes flashing with killing intent.
Yue’er lamented, “Master, the laborers’ dignity has taken a heavy blow, with some outer and inner disciples even slumping into remorse for coming here.”
“Naturally, after being trampled like that, they’d never get the nerve to meet them until they can settle the grudge.” Zhuo Fan squinted and pondered, “Listen up and listen well, invite the three elite area’s venerables for an apology banquet.”
Yue’er asked curiously, “Apology for what?”
“Didn’t our disciple challenge them with a heavy hand? Of course we have to make amends. To show my sincerity, I will even present them the demonic treasures they asked for, for everyone to see. Both sides will be at peace. Oh, and the Labor Office’s venerables and elders must come as well, or the elite spots for the Labor Office will be fewer.”
“They came here to pick a fight and now we’re inviting them for a drink?” Kui Gang was fuming, “We are no longer the Labor Office they once knew. All inner disciples look at us with admiration. Why should we play the victim?”
Zhuo Fan snorted and pointed at the ignorant kid, while telling Elder Yuan, “See that? The second realm of human nature, knows himself but nothing else, arrogant beyond reason.”
Elder Yuan nodded with a chuckle.
Kui Gang was baffled.
“What are you standing around for, get on with it! Am I the manager here or you?” Zhuo Fan eyed him coldly.
Grumbling inside, he obeyed his master’s order, cupping his hands and huffing away with an equally unwilling Yue’er.
Elder Yuan chuckled, “Steward Zhuo, while I did say you just stepped on the road to Dao, you’re still up to your old tricks. The banquet is destined to run red.”
“Humph, all that wisdom only works for myself, while petty tricks are left for these swines. I kept my head down so far so that no Ethereal Stage expert came knocking. But now, I don’t give a rat’s ass. Anyone that pushes me will find himself six feet under.”
Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed and he boiled with a bloodthirst so thick the few disciples around the doors shivered and were knocked out cold.
Elder Yuan nodded.
This was where Gui Hu and Zhuo Fan differed. The former’s power was scattered, his mighty savage energy not used to its full potential and left many openings.
While the latter never gave off a whiff of bloodlust, like an average Joe, a pushover. But push him hard enough and all that fire inside would explode like an ustoppable flood.
[I finally see you angry. That means you still care about something. Ha-ha-ha, go wild, knock yourself out. I’m behind you all the way.]
Elder Yuan smiled.
Meanwhile, Three Fiends of Hell and the Sect Leader were discussing how to handle the two problem disciples. With second elder and seventh elder behind them and Venerable Shi on their side, they had no good excuse to use.
But without putting these bastards in their place, how could the elite selection from the Labor Office could go on?
While they were wracking their brains, Kui Gang stepped in with Zhuo Fan’s invitation.
The four were dumbstruck for a second there, [What apology?]
“What is he up to? We’ve been on his side all this time and yet he is wimping out, going for some apology banquet?” Fiend Yang asked.
Fiend Yin ventured, “Is he trying to appease both sides?”
“It still doesn’t mean you have to be so meek. He’ll turn into a joke for the inner sect.” slapping the table, Fiend Yang said, “I thought he was a genius, only to find him garbage. What good is strength when you can’t use it?”
Xie Wuyue squinted and smiled, “I know his style. He must be up to something. He’ll hold an apology banquet for your sake. Just let him have it and play along. And he wants to do is give demonic treasures. Oh, and don’t forget about my share.”
“Take along the second elder and seventh elder as well. Since it’s an apology banquet, we can’t have the parties’ grandpas missing now, do we? ha-ha-ha…”
The three fiends were stumped at his laughter, with Fiend Yang saying, “What’s with you? Do you really want to ease the tension? How are we supposed to handle those brats after this?”
“Handle what when amends are made? Ha-ha-ha, now leave this matter be. I’m just curious how the kid is going to end it. Hope I won’t have to step in.” Xie Wuyue’s eyes flashed.
