Chapter 612: Confusion

“You know him?” Chu Qingcheng turned her soft eyes to Zhuo Fan.

Zhuo Fan shook his head, “Never seen him in my life.”

“Why then do you show such respect? It’s not like you.” Chu Qingcheng asked.

Demon Scheming Sect’s gang was most intrigued.

[If Steward Zhuo never cursed an old man openly, it was already showing respect.]

Zhuo Fan shrugged, looking around before fixing his gaze on Mystical Heaven Sect’s side, “You said everyone in this town was captured, and only he remained, right?”

“Yes, when we arrived, it was bustling, but over a few days, it became like this. After much searching, we only found him.” Shui Ruohua said.

Zhuo Fan sighed and pointed, “Tell me, what is his cultivation?”

“None whatsoever. Isn’t he just an average old man?” Everyone shook their heads.

Zhuo Fan grinned, “Is it that he has no cultivation that you’re mocking? Or maybe he’s so high up the realms you can’t even sense it.”

“What?!” All he got was gasps of disbelief.

There were even Ethereal Stage experts here, yet they still couldn’t tell. Just how strong was this old coot?

“You can tell, then?” Shui Ruohua asked.

“Nope.” Zhuo Fan shook his head, “And that’s what makes it frightening.”

Everyone rolled their eyes and eased up with Shui Ruohua glaring, “Then stop spouting bulls.h.i.+t. You got us scared for a second there we messed with an expert. “

“Ha-ha-ha, messing or not, it depends on your fortune and the old man’s mood.”

Zhuo Fan sported a vague grin, “You said it yourself. Everyone in the town was gone except for this elderly man. That means two things. Either this elder escaped, and the culprits disdained going after him, or the elder is so powerful the culprits had no way of dealing with him. Yet you jumped right to accusing him without so much as a clue how it happened. This offense, I fear… “

Mystical Heaven Sect’s side hearts tightened. 

[But he’s so plain! How is he supposed to be a world expert? Does that mean we’re dead?]

From the pearly white smile the old guy was giving, Shui Ruohua’s side was panicking. Then Zhuo Fan gave another bow, his tone so annoying he got Mystical Heaven Sect’s side fuming.

“Elder, see that? We’ve only met by chance here. We don’t know them. Sir needs to be clear about the guilty parties here. If you have any gripes, take it out on them without any restraint. We’ll just stay on the sideline, cheering you on. If you find us an eyesore, then we would gladly leave.”

Shui Ruohua’s side had dark faces.

[Did you come to help or dig us a bigger hole?]

Demon Scheming Sect’s side laughed it up.

“Zhuo Fan, get lost already, and stop spinning wild tales and making it worse for us!”

“d.a.m.n vile demon sp.a.w.ns, they’re all evil. None will help us for real.” Shui Ruohua spat and Dan’er followed. 

Demon Scheming Sect’s gang showed a nasty smile, like second nature to them.

Zhuo Fan huffed, [Think I want to b.u.t.t in? I only…]

He peeked at Chu Qingcheng only to see her looking at him with lovely eyes. He swished his head away at once, his heart a mess…

“Ha-ha-ha…”

The ol’ drunkard laughed, nodding, “Nice one, boy, you got me, unlike these softies. Let me give you a warning as a reward, go now while you’re not involved. They have set the trap and are about to reap the joys of the hunt soon enough. You have no chance against his sharp mind. Leave while you can. “

The rest were startled.

[Zhuo Fan was right?]

As if to cement his theory, the drunkard flexed, and the ropes binding him fell to pieces just like that. Even Zhuo Fan shuddered. Just the fact the rope was dealt with without the single sign of Yuan Qi leaking showed he had reached a G.o.dly level in raw power. Such precise control pointed at high cultivation and heart. The old man was far worse than he thought, and Zhuo Fan was stern.

Stretching about, the old man chuckled, “Where’s the wine? How can this be an inn without a drink?”

“Venerable Fiend Yang, take out the wine you took from the tavern and offer it to senior.” Zhuo Fan said.

Fiend Yang complied, his brow soaked. He realized, at last, the old man was a monster, so much that his skills looked like parlor tricks by comparison.

Then came the crus.h.i.+ng regret. [What’s wrong with me? Why had I been taunting the old guy?]

[He just has to be petty, and my poor life would be gone!]

Shui Ruohua’s side was struck by abject fear. They were the ones who messed with the monster most.

The old guy chuckled, “It’s far too late for regrets though. Do you know how all who messed with me ended up? Ha-ha-ha…”

He scared the kids, though Zhuo Fan didn’t buy it, “Sir shouldn’t scare the kids, they did it out of ignorance. If sir were to nitpick, they’d be goners ages ago. I can see sir doesn’t stoop to their level, seeing their naive nature. I must say, I admire sir’s jovial nature in playing with people’s feelings.”

“Ha-ha-ha, nice one, kid. You turned it around so it’ll make me look bad if I do strike them.” The old man’s eyes glittered, “Since you gave me some wine, I’ll give this one for free. Leave now, you won’t stand a chance if you stay.”

The old man then walked out of the inn and everyone jumped out of his way.

Creak~

The brilliant sun shone through the open door and the old man sighed, “So late, there’s no escape now. Kid, you’re on your own. This had nothing to do with you, alas, this is fate…”

The old man went through the barrier like nothing. The rest gasped. They captured a monster who could cross barriers without a sign meaning his cultivation must’ve reached the pinnacle.

“See that? If not for our Steward Zhuo reminding you of your offense, you’d be dead. Thank him already!” Kui Lang shouted at the girls from Mystical Heaven Sect.

They all stood dumbfounded, then thanked Zhuo Fan with their eyes.

Fiend Yang held Zhuo Fan’s shoulder, reproaching, “I told you not to get involved. You were this close to getting instantly killed by a worldly expert. I almost peed my pants from fear. Got that, muddled kid…”

“Shh.”

Zhuo Fan gestured and pointed outside, “Fog is coming.”

The others saw the sun covered in thick fog and the world darkening.

Fiend Yang asked, “What’s odd about evening mist?”

“True, but have you ever seen a fog that blocks divine sense?”

They all released their Discerning Field to find nothing in its range.

The fog was eerie, stopping everyone’s Discerning Field dead in its tracks.

Zhuo Fan’s mood was heavy, “The old man was right. We’re stuck here now…”