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Translator: StarReader
Editor: creemr
“Ha-ha-ha, kid, no need to fret, I told you I wasn’t here for you. And you saw how I killed the old thing for you so it can’t be any more obvious that I’m on your side.”
Exalted Hei Ran chuckled at Zhuo Fan’s stumped look.
Zhuo Fan did not dare to believe him just yet. Until he had a grasp on the Exalted’s character, he would keep his guard up. And besides, the old man was a demonic cultivator on top.
Every man out there knew demonic cultivators were weirdos.
What if the exalted liked to toy with people, then get you once your guard was down?
It had nothing to do with strength, but character.
S o Zhuo Fan was just as respectful, while on high alert for any of his gestures. “Thank you for saving me, Exalted.”
“I told you already, I came to help, but it turned out to be for nothing. Fine, you’re one cautious kid.” Exalted Hei Ran noticed Zhuo Fan did not unclench and knew he was on guard.
Zhuo Fan said, “Exalted sir, may I take my leave?”
Zhuo Fan got the girls under his arms, ready to get the hell out.
“Come back!”
Exalted Hei Ran was annoyed by his attitude, “Am I that scary to run away in panic?”
“Exalted sir, didn’t you say you came to help me? Now that you saved me and the culprit is dead, what more would sir want from me?” Zhuo Fan spoke casually.
Exalted Hei Ran rolled his eyes and nodded, “Kid, you just want to run away? I came to protect you and you want to leave? You think that’s proper?”
“Ugh, Exalted sir, it’s you who said you came for nothing. Regardless if you acted or not, I could take care of myself. So, thank you for your concern, sir, but I can’t return the favor.” Zhuo Fan got more confident the more he read Exalted Hei Ran’s character.
He figured out the old man came for him specifically and with a job in mind. Why else would he nag on and on about saving him? They decided on this course of action, but could not just spill it either.
Exalted Hei Ran’s eyes lit up and said, “I helped you deal with Elder Lu, so that would mean I helped you in turn. It’s not meddling at all. Think about it, if he died by your hand, you’d offend Beast Taming Sect. But since I did it, I carried out the rules and the Beast Taming Sect can’t say anything…”
“Yet they’ll still take it out on me. So what’s the difference?” Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, “Unless you level Beast Taming Sect, then we have nothing to talk about, and can’t return the favor. “
Exalted Hei Ran’s face twitched in anger, “Ha-ha-ha, I did not let our precious disciple do it when he wanted to do the same to stabilize western lands and you think I’ll do it for you? “
“Then there’s no favor to return. Bye!” Zhuo Fan waved him off and ran, but Exalted Hei Ran snapped, “Hold it! Get back here! I am not done talking!”
Zhuo Fan spun around, beaming back with a broad smile and a straight back.
[Here it comes. Let’s see why you really came for me.]
On any other day someone came to him for a job, he’d made sure to get the other party’s weakness. No matter how tougher the other was than him, he’d control the negotiations.
Seeing Zhuo changing tunes at the drop of a hat, Exalted Hei Ran frowned and laughed, “Kid, can you cut the act? I’m not asking you the world anyway. Just to give you a ban. You are not to fight in the lower three sects and middle three sects stages. That is all.”
Ugh!
Zhuo Fan cocked his head, “That’s it? And you decided this by yourselves without asking me?”
“Ha-ha-ha, you think we’d consult with a junior?”
Exalted Hei Ran sighed, “No rule can be overcompensating. The Double Dragon Gathering had always received the other nine sect’s approval. What is more important is the fact it was conducted with fairness. How else would we gain the trust of every power in western lands? The populace would be in a mess and the western lands in chaos. Even though you had made no mistake, we had to put you under this ban without any real grounds. Or it will affect our reputation!”
“You’re just too damn strong, going way over the limit of even what a middle three sect’s genius could do. If you go out there, they won’t step on the stage and we won’t get to measure the sects’ potential. It will lose its meaning. That is why we wish for you to withdraw from these stages. It will only be until the superior three sects fight. The Demon Scheming Sect would be lost without you in that stage. “
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, “How do you know we aimed for being a superior three sect?”
“Ha-ha-ha, all of Demon Scheming Sect’s sects’ strength are qualified for it.” Exalted Hei Ran laughed.
Zhuo Fan’s frown deepened.
He was not hesitating because he was afraid for those disciples in getting to the superior three sects’ battles. You pegged him all wrong. He was pondering how two fleece this great expert before him of some goodies.
Exalted Hei Ran scratched his beard, sneering. “I’ve known for some time of Lu’s plan. I did not act because I wanted to see what you were capable of. And just like that elder said, you’re a monster through and through. You are a threat to the lower three sects, something that should not exist…”
“Exalted sir, are you threatening me?” Zhuo Fan cut him off, “As an exalted of the Double Dragon Manor, you can just strike at any sect’s disciples as you want?”
“He-he-he, an Exalted could not, but Elder Lu’s hatred for you ran deep, even laying a trap to kill you. And then the Double Dragon Manor found out the truth so we executed him on the spot, giving you justice. So you tell me if-“
“Humph, my that does sound quite logical.”
Zhuo Fan gnashed his teeth and nodded. “Fine, I agree. I won’t be joining any of the following fights.”
Zhuo Fan grabbed the girls and was gone.
Exalted Hei Ran nodded, “Ha-ha-ha, the kid is a sneaky one. I planned on appealing to his human nature to return the favor, but I still had to threaten him in the end.”
Exalted Hei Ran sighed, then shouted, “This is about Double Dragon Manor’s honor. I don’t want a word of this getting out…”
“Not to worry, your filthy affairs are safe with me.”
Having a clue how the Double Dragon Manor operated, Zhuo Fan didn’t give a damn about their reputation and started cursing them out loud.
[Since you love preaching justice so much, I just have to stay clear of breaking your rules and you can do nothing to me. Humph!]
Exalted Hei Ran got angry then chuckled, “The kid is too smart for his own good. He was cautious to the extreme until he grasped the situation. Now that he did, he has no fear. He isn’t one to be bogged down by trifles, his eyes ever looking at the bigger picture.”
“But his temper does bear a striking resemblance to Sheng’s arrogance. Won’t we be in a deep mess again?” An aged voice said and an old man with white hair appeared in front of Exalted Hei Ran. He was the other exalted.
Exalted Hei Ran’s face twitched and sighed, “Bai Mei, did we not handle Double Dragon Manor for the sake of the cultivators in western lands, to make cultivation fair? So that those that could cultivate would be able to pursue enlightenment without worry. But as time passed, more and more people focus on resources, while true cultivators dwindle by the day. It happens to demonic cultivators and righteous cultivators. They have become too greedy and have forgotten the core principle of cultivation. As did we.”
“For western lands to be a fair place, we cast out our prized pupil. Thinking about it now, he and that girl’s dream of creating a free world, was that not his path? Across the ages, the rare occurrence of someone with a clear pursuit appeared, and it happened to be our disciple. Yet why did we have to squash his aspiration?”
“Maybe we no longer are the cultivators that did so anymore. Now we control western lands as the Exalted Double Dragon!” Exalted Bai Mei sighed, “We have changed as the western lands changed.”
Exalted Hei Ran nodded, “Unable to hold to our aspiration means forsaking the pursuit of Dao. We are nothing more than monarchs in the secular world. Ha-ha-ha, no wonder Sheng surpassed us so quickly. We hardly make a move in ages, because we strayed farther from the true path. Now that we had met another such person, will we do the same thing again?”
Bai Mei remained silent.
Being the highest power of western lands, they were tied to its interests. Their duty was to protect western lands’ stability.
No matter who posed a threat to it, they would dispose of it even if the whole of western lands found them in the wrong. Just because they were the strongest Exalted Double Dragons of western lands…
Hei Ran glanced at Bai Mei, “If Sheng returns, I want to give him the sword. Let him follow his aspirations! “
Bai Mei pondered for a bit then nodded…
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