The Steward Demonic Emperor

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Hum~

With the ingestion of the pill, Zhuo Fan and Gu Santong flashed green, meditating to work its power to heal their wounds through their body, especially that bleeding arm.

The green energy gathered on the wound but that was it. It just could not go deeper and work its magic as something was keeping it away, soon fading out.

With a soaked brow, Zhuo Fan gnashed his teeth and his nails dug into his palms.

Shangguan Qingyan was looking very worried from the side.

Hum~

With a ripple, Zhuo Fan resorted to force, using Yuan Qi and the healing energy to slam into the wound, all he hit was a wall. But as he kept pushing, the green energy seeped ever so slowing into the wound and began to heal it.

As it improved, the bleeding slowed to a stop.

Shangguan Qingyan lit up with joy. Zhuo Fan eased a breath and looked at his Qilin arm with a nod.

[This pill has some use…]

Zhuo Fan turned to young Sanzi with hope, only to find despair.

Gu Santong’s arm looked to have improved, but it was marginal. The bleeding had slowed down, but not completely, his life was still in a very real danger.

Shangguan Qingyan gasped, “Mister Gu, you managed to heal so why is young Sanzi…”

Zhuo Fan was in a constant frown, feeling bleak inside as the worst case crept among his thoughts.

[The Soaring Sword Art may be Qilin’s bane. The two conflicting energies can’t be resolved with pills alone. I fear that only a sacred beast can heal another sacred beast.]

[I can only take him to Kunpeng and dragon ancestor in western lands. The question is if I’ll reach them in time. I only have a Qilin arm and since the rest of me is human, the Soaring Sword Art isn’t so harsh on me. Just who can save you?]

Zhuo Fan has made up his mind, holding Gu Santong in his arms and walking out.

“Mister Gu, where are you going?” Shangguan Qingyan asked, taken aback.

Zhuo Fan spoke, “To western lands to save him. Only western lands has someone that can heal him.”

“Western lands…”

Shangguan Qingyan muttered, “But Mister Gu, you’re still hurt. Let us take you.”

“No time!” Zhuo Fan gnashed his teeth, “And staying with you will only get more dangerous. It’s better if I go alone with young Sanzi.”

Zhuo Fan had pointed out to Baili Jingwei that the Shangguan clan had the Soaring Sword. Regardless of ever being able to stop them and get it back, Baili Jingwei would still take precautions.

The Shangguan clan was bound to be running around the central area for the next while and might even resort to fighting central area’s experts a few times. The two were too hurt, with the son in critical condition, to join the chaos. It would only make it worse.

Zhuo Fan barely got away from Baili Jingwei so why would he go looking for more trouble?

Zhuo Fan had come to a firm decision to leave the Shangguan clan.

Shangguan Qingyan watched his straight back and sighed.

She wanted him to stay, but she knew he’d do anything to save young Sanzi. There was nothing she could say to keep them here.

The rollercoaster of emotions she was feeling had her forget why the Shangguan clan saved them in the first place. It was all to finish the last part of their deal.

So while her love-addled brain refused to work, the Shangguan guy next to her had no such handicap, crying out, “Mister Gu, we won’t keep you if you want to leave, but you have to first give the divine sword you promised us…”

Whoosh~

A clank cut him off as a scarlet sword stabbed into the bedrock.

Zhuo Fan had then vanished with Gu Santong.

𝒇r𝘦e𝘸𝒆𝚋𝐧o𝘷𝘦𝘭. 𝒄oｍ

“It’s good that we got the sword, or I don’t know how I could’ve explained this to Clan Head, ha-ha-ha…” The guy held the sword in pride and said, “Young miss, we should go see Clan Head.”

Shangguan Qingyan was too overwhelmed to register his words, still staring in empty space, where Zhuo Fan had been standing.

He didn’t even say goodbye, not so much as look at her…

Three days later found the Shangguan clan’s three hundred meditating in a quiet forest in white robes.

Shangguan Feixiong was frowning with worry, letting heavy breaths yet never speaking up.

Pa!

A thick hand grabbed his shoulder, startling him, “High Venerable, what can I do for you?”

“It’s nothing. But seeing you eaten up inside these days… Are you worried?” The old man smiled.

Shangguan Feixiong nodded, “Despite lacking danger, it’s the juniors’ first mission. I just can’t rest easy knowing the kid didn’t want me to send some experts instead of youngsters.”

“The kid is sharp. With our experts around him, he figured they’d settle the score, ha-ha-ha.”

High Venerable shook his head, “Feixiong, you believed him when he swore on his son, so why the needless worry?”

“I do believe him, but no one says incidents can’t happen…”

Whoosh~

The sudden sound reached his ears and his eyes lit up. He saw dozens of figures in the air, the juniors he sent for Zhuo Fan. In the lead was the apple of his eye, Shangguan Qingyan.

Shangguan Feixiong’s worries over these days finally eased.

The rest of the experts gathered around the juniors, eager to know the result.

Shangguan Feixiong rushed to Shangguan Qingyan to ask, “How did it go? Did you get the Soaring Sword?”

Shangguan Qingyan sighed and left with a lowered head.

The rest felt uneasy.

[Why is young miss so glum? Did the kid die and leave no trace of the Soaring Sword?]

[Why then did they took so long to come back?]

“Clan Head, here is the Soaring Sword!”

The guy who was with Shangguan Qingyan around Zhuo Fan bowed and presented the scarlet longsword.

Ha-ha-ha lit up and touched the blade, “Ha-ha-ha, it really is the Soaring Sword! Our mission is a success and we can go home to eastern lands!”

Everyone cheered and jumped in joy.

“Then what’s with that girl having a long face? I thought you failed for a second there, ha-ha-ha…” Shangguan Feixiong eased a breath and glanced at his daughter looking depressed by a pond.

The Shangguan guy bowed again, “I believe it’s because of Mister Gu that young miss…”

He explained everything that transpired and everyone looked stunned.

“You’re saying he’s alive?”

Shangguan Feixiong’s eyes shook, “He actually came out alive from not just two Sword Kings but the Prime Minister of this empire?”

They were aware of Zhuo Fan’s plan and how reality followed its every step, but to actually achieve the last and hardest part alive was inconceivable.

They found it far more believable for Zhuo Fan to die and leave clues for the divine sword instead. This made the news of Zhuo Fan’s flawless execution of the plan a total shock…