The Steward Demonic Emperor

"What's ten wasted years anyway? You'll have plenty of time to cultivate in the future. Don't feel too down in the dumps." Kunpeng patronized.

He snapped his fingers and the new and improved Thunder Ring returned to Zhuo Fan.

Sighing, Zhuo Fan put it on and his eyes popped out, "T-t-this is ten billion sacred spirit stones…"

"Ha-ha-ha, this is the gift I was talking about. What, you thought it'd only be some spiritual beast wings?" Kunpeng spoke with pride, "I mean, I am an ancient powerhouse that roamed the continent after all. This is nothing. With that old coot Nine Serenities' bag of fancy arrays and tricks, you'd stumble upon some monsters at some point and with my little help you can now survive them. Just work hard in helping me. That's all the compensation I want."

[Upstart!]

Zhuo Fan clicked his tongue, seeing the motherlode sparkling in his ring. The sparse spiritual treasures and ingredients gave such a poor feeling besides the billions of sacred spirit stones.

[It's more than what the Sacred Domain's heads of sacred clans can come up with.]

Arrays demanded spirit stone and above the 12th grade arrays, there were six more, the sacred arrays. Those worked only with sacred spirit stones.

But sacred spirit stone mines only existed in the Sacred Domain, in the hands of the clans there, not to mention their low number. Yet Kunpeng smashed him with so many zeros with a flick.

[That's a sacred beasts' boss for you. Everything he does, he does it in style!]

Zhuo Fan put the ring on with a shiver. He was so moved he could cry. Kunpeng nodded.

[Now that's called glossing over the defects to take advantage of someone. I gave you a fortune so you better do your own part and more!]

Zhuo Fan took a deep breath and cupped his hands, "Senior, I will see this through, come what may. I will find the other danger zones and save seniors from impending doom."

"Very good." Kunpeng beamed. [I've got this slick to change his mind.]

"If there's nothing else, start right away. Young Sanzi will stay with me as I pour my all in teaching him. He's been out there for three hundred years without a guide, unable to make use of his sacred beast innate strength. What a shame." Kunpeng spoke.

The Three-headed Crow landed, obviously intending to give Zhuo Fan a lift outta here.

Zhuo Fan nodded, put Qiao'er in the ring and patted Gu Santong's head before hopping on the bird's back.

Gu Santong was downcast, pleading with Kunpeng, "I want to send dad off!"

Kunpeng nodded.

Gu Santong perked up and jumped on the Three-headed Crow as well.

The Three-headed Crow flapped away, taking them outside Allbeast Mountain Range. Kunpeng watched them vanish in the distance with a glint in his eyes.

"Ha-ha-ha, who would've imagined I'd run into Thunder Phoenix's successor? Although a mere chick and soft, but very much capable of becoming a sacred beast!"

Kunpeng's smile twisted, "Now that I think about it, it might not be long before the five sacred beasts will reassemble. That will be the day, Heavenly Emperor, the day we will settle our old score!"

Kunpeng laughed and entered the pitch-black cave.

In under an hour, the two arrived at the same spot they left from. Zhuo Fan grabbed Gu Santong as they jumped off. He glanced wearily at the Three-headed Crow, then transmitted, "Young Sanzi, listen and don't talk. Alright? "

Gu Santong gave him an odd look but nodded.

"Don't take everything Kunpeng said as true. You need to keep your guard up. As he is the head of the five sacred beasts and you are the son of one, training by his side will be the best scenario for you. But he has a hidden agenda. Just now he nitpicked on the trivial instead of focusing on the bigger things. Not once did he mention his beef with the Heavenly Emperor. This only proves that there must be more to it than it looks. You have to be careful. "

Zhuo Fan put on a heavy expression making Gu Santong confused.

If Kunpeng wanted to harm him, he would be like a fish waiting to be gutted.

Zhuo Fan saw right through him, responding with a reassuring look, "You will be safe staying with him for now. He wants me to do something and even if his intentions are bad, he won't act on them anytime soon. From our talk, I realized that he has a fatal weakness. He knew something happened to Qilin three centuries ago yet he didn't leave the mountain to look for you.

"Besides, we've been through one danger zone already. The threat is there, but we only pushed through with luck. While Kunpeng has the power to break the zone and rescue his friends. Why is it that so many years have passed yet not once has he tried to? It goes to show that he can only hide in the Allbeast Mountain Range. Taking one step outside will spell disaster for him. If you notice anything out of place, anything at all, young Sanzi, you run like hell out of the Allbeast Mountain Range!"

Kunpeng would've spat blood in anger if he were here and cursed him as [Ingrate!]

[For god's sake! I just gave you a fortune and you bite me behind my back as thanks? You're nothing but a lowlife degenerate sowing discord between us, sacred beasts!]

What did he expect? Zhuo Fan's entire personality was built on biting others and keeping his constant guard up against others biting back.(StarReader: it's a twist from a proverb: don't do harm onto others, but don't allow others to do harm onto you.)

And since it concerned young Sanzi's safety, Zhuo Fan was particularly chewy.

He had always thought of this child as his own son.

Gu Santong sighed at Zhuo Fan's look and gave a thumbs up, "Dad, you're the best. I'll be extra careful."

"Also be mindful not to tick him off." Rubbing Gu Santong one last time, Zhuo Fan sighed fondly.

Gu Santong bobbed his head.

The Three-headed Crow flapped, "Young master, we should be going."

"Ha-ha-ha, young master. I thought it odd before but now you really are young master Qilin, ha-ha-ha…" Zhuo Fan teased.

The mood brightened on the spot.

Gu Santong knew he wanted him to be carefree and worry free and smiled back, "Dad, I am Allbeast Mountain Range's young master and that makes you the master. If anyone shafts you, just tell me and I will set them straight."

"Good, now go!" Zhuo Fan laughed.

Gu Santong jumped on the crow, but his eyes never left Zhuo Fan, choking from tears, "Dad, come see me even if no one's mean to you…"

Whoosh!

The crow was gone with one flap, cutting his heartfelt goodbye. Zhuo Fan sighed, his heart heavy.

He could never feel at ease with Gu Santong at Kunpeng's side. Not like he had a choice in the matter…

With a deep breath, Zhuo Fan calmed down and flew for Windgaze City.

Three months later a flash streaked Windgaze City's skies announcing Zhuo Fan's arrival on Blackwind Mountain. A glance told him the four 5th grade arrays were still up and running.

With a gesture, the arrays opened up a path for Zhuo Fan to walk in. The Luo clan responded on the spot at the commotion, only to burst with joy.

"Brother Zhuo, I thought something happened to you after what happened with the emperor, that you were hounded on every side. Only when I met with sister Shuang'er, I realized it was all part of your grand plan. I could finally breathe easier, ha-ha-ha!" Luo Yunhai welcomed.

Zhuo Fan nodded, seeing everyone here took a weight off his shoulder. Leng Wuchang kept his word.

"You jerk! Why didn't you tell us it's part of the plan? We were worried sick…" Luo Yunchang blamed him.

Zhuo Fan merely waved his hand, "Elder Li, did you finish what I asked?"

The elders looked at each other in sorrow.

Li Jingtian was forced to speak up, "Steward Zhuo, we were eager at first, to get the materials, ingredients and spirit stones you asked of us. But we are a new house and the mines in our domain are few. And ever since you've been added to the top of the empire's wanted list, those vassals stay clear of us, not wanting to have anything to do with this mess. We were unable to get everything in such a situation.

"Also, our guards are defending the thousand members of the Yun clan, who, per your instructions, are at the foot of Blackwind Mountain, digging a thousand mile wide bunker."

"Good. As long as the bunker is ready, it's fine. I've brought the rest." Zhuo Fan snickered.

In a flash, Blackwind Mountain was overloaded with heaps of materials and ingredients as well as spirit stones.

Everyone's mind froze. How did Zhuo Fan get so many riches? Did he have an empire under him?

He had brought out a hundred times of what the rest of them had scraped together.

"Now, follow my earlier plan and handle these. The lands will soon be ours!" Zhuo Fan's step was firm as he walked before them.

Everyone was still out of it even as he was gone from sight.

[What did Steward Zhuo do in the last few months to get filthy rich? He's a total upstart!]

[You won't even need to fight for the lands when you can just buy them.]