Chapter 375 - Ill Tidings

In a hundred-square-meter stone room, Zhuo Fan nodded after looking around.

Although not as huge as the second prince’s compound, the Regent of Prosperity’s Compound had everything. [Not a bad cultivating room.] He set up a body refinement array on the floor and took out the Abyss Phantom Butterfly’s wings.

Instead of turning it into a flying demonic treasure, he had gotten so used to having wings that Zhuo Fan found it a better choice to have them stick on his back.

Tracing his hand over the twenty-meter-long blue wings, Zhuo Fan sighed and grinned. He was mighty pleased when the Crown Prince came bearing this gift.

Staring at the dazzling light show from below and feeling the coolness from the array, Zhuo Fan’s hand moved through the gestures.

Along with a flash of lightning, the wings slowly melted into the array. Zhuo Fan trembled.

Having since refined the Qilin leg, doing the same with a mere 7th level spiritual beast’s wings was a cinch. Even the shattering of his bones got no reaction out of him.

Zhuo Fan sat in the array for three days, with eyes closed uncaring for the outside matters. All this time the array worked its magic in reconstructing his body in every which way, but it always returned to his original form in the end.

Zhuo Fan opened his eyes and stood up. His back writhed and spectral wings unfolded, releasing a charming and enrapturing aura.

With a flap, a gale took the room by the storm. It was then that the shades of blue shone all over and wrapped around Zhuo Fan.

As if he was walking among blue sunshine.

Zhuo Fan knew his body best. If there was any expert near him, the glow would’ve sent him to dreamland.

[It all depends on one’s soul strength, but the least it can do is buy me a moment.]

Thus, this 3rd layer Profound Heaven Stage cultivator with his new 7th level spiritual beast wings, not only had his speed bolstered but that blue glow around him made for a natural defense. It was a neat trick good in offense and defense, independent of his actions.

Zhuo Fan laughed in pride. With a twitch of his brows, the wings withdrew and he walked outside.

His mood soured though, when his right eye stung. With a hum, a blue glare shot from his eye and three golden halos flashed within it.

Divine Eye of the Void, 3rd stage!

Zhuo Fan was stunned and then laughed again.

By sheer luck, his refining actually upgraded his Divine Eye of the Void!

When he thought about the 3rd stage’s skill, he knew why. It was because of resonance, taking a different path towards the same goal.

It would’ve taken him far longer otherwise.

But since he got it already, he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He got stronger, didn’t he? He could finally put up a fight against an Ethereal Stage expert.

That had his blood boiling, briskly walking outside. He was on the lookout for a good sparring partner to test the 3rd stage on.

Rumbling!

He creaked the stone door open and the glaring sun’s rays along with the fresh air lightened his mood.

“Now, who’ll fight me?” Zhuo Fan roared.

Before he got to play hide and seek with Li Jingtian and his other elders, graceful curves approached, nudging him to be quiet, “Steward Zhuo, all evil begins with violence. Please exercise restraint.”

Zhuo Fan was stunned. He turned around to see Yun Shuang there.

“Uhm, excessive is all I know. And how did you know I was coming out of seclusion?” Zhuo Fan frowned, “Did your eyes reveal it to you?”

“Be that as it may, they can’t see you. I’ve been waiting here all this time for you to come out.” With a smile, Yun Shuang struck the image of a fairy as she handed him a towel, “Here, freshen up after your toil, and let it brighten your day!”

“Uh, thank… Hold up, what are you up to?” Zhuo Fan came to mid-wipe.

Yun Shuang’s sweet smile came along with her genial tone, “I am your attendant. It’s in my job description. And I do need to guide you towards good. To do that I will have to keep you happy all day, every day. Lest emotions run amok and you’ll turn evil again. I also got you this…”

Yun Shuang took out a booklet. Zhuo Fan read the title, Three Character Classic!(StarReader: a text written in the 13th century to help kids learn the language. Made up of three character verses, easy to read and learn i.e. kiddie stuff.)

“It’s for children…” Zhuo Fan blinked at Yun Shuang in daze.

Yun Shuang nodded with a smile, ” People at birth are naturally good. It’ll do good for your spirit. Try it!”

“I won’t read a god damned word! I’ve roamed the world for too many years to have any use for a bint’s teachings!”

Zhuo Fan slammed the book on the pavement and shoved his finger in her face, “Miss Shuang’er, I didn’t ask you to be a servant, nor a tutor to right my wrong ways. I only need you to read the heavens and tell me the future. All you have to do is tell me what the other players are doing and I can take it from there in figuring out their plans. With your eyes and my smarts, we will have control over everything. That’s your role!”

Yun Shuang gave him a long look. Her smile deflated and she picked up the book in sadness.

Zhuo Fan shrugged and asked like nothing happened, “Now, what have the factions been up to these days?”

“I didn’t look!”

Yun Shuang pouted, then stomped away, “To save the people, you must have a righteous heart. Until you’re re-educated, I won’t even peek!”

“You…”

Zhuo Fan gnashed his teeth and spat, “Then what are you still doing here if you aren’t looking? I’m taking you back. We’re going to Yun Xuanji and having him look!”

Zhuo Fan pulled her outside. Yun Shuang was so distressed, tears welled up in her eyes. Dragged around, her feet left deep marks in the ground.

Luo Yunchang and the princess were chatting merrily when they saw them whiz by and caught up in distress.

“What’s going on?”

Luo Yunchang only had to see Shuang’er in tears to know. Zhuo Fan must’ve shown his evil side again.

Zhuo Fan did the same thing back then, at the foot of Blackwind Mountain. Though these crass and harsh outbursts had tended to die down over the years of spending time around his clansmen.

While to outsiders, he had no restraint whatsoever, the vilest of the vile.

Yun Shuang hadn’t been around him long enough to see this side. Anyone who’d witnessed one of his rage episodes would be just as frightened.

Shielding Shuang’er, Luo Yunchang glared at Zhuo Fan, “Steward Zhuo, what did Shuang’er do for you to scare her like this?”

“Yeah, Shuang’er is so kind, doing everything you ask of her. You must be at fault here to pick on our Shuang’er.” Princess Yongning puffed out her chest, hugging Yun Shuang close, “Apologize this instant, or I’m telling imperial father!”

Zhuo Fan looked at the three of them and sighed.

[It hasn’t been that long and these girls are already a clique?]

Shaking his head, Zhuo Fan took a long breath to cool his jets, “Princess Yongning, are you going to His Majesty to get me punished? Tell me then, has the second prince’s matter settled?”

“Of course. But that is all because of the third brother asking you to take it as the second brother’s fault. The Imperial father wouldn’t have wasted words with you and would’ve had you!” The princess looked mighty pleased.

Zhuo Fan snickered inside.

[Fatty’s request was only to save the emperor’s hide.]

In the current state of things, where all factions were at a stalemate, if the imperial family moved against the Luo clan, Regent Estate would be celebrating.

It was waiting for the Luo clan and the imperial family to fight so it could deal with them both in one fell swoop. The imperial family wasn’t about to blow all pretense for a mere second prince only to suffer in the end.

Zhuo Fan was sure of it. Only this ignorant princess was still delusional, thinking that the emperor was the number one in the world.

Zhuo Fan turned to Yun Shuang, having vented his earlier rage, turned serious, “Miss Shuang’er, when your grandfather put you in my care, he said many things. But one thing he did stress, that you are useful. If you can’t help me, what reason do I have for keeping you? Our clan doesn’t need two bickering matrons.”

Luo Yunchang’s eyes went red and she glared at him, yet positively giddy inside.

The bickering matron he was referring to just now had to be her.

Whether unintended by the speaker, or by the listener’s delusions, for Zhuo Fan, who was the steward, to say matron, she took it as if it was more than that.(StarReader: it’s a pun. 管家 is steward and 管家婆 lit. means steward’s wife, but also busybody, housekeeper.)

When Luo Yunchang looked at Zhuo Fan, her gaze drifted and her heart fluttered.

Zhuo Fan, though, only had eyes for Yun Shuang, waiting for an answer.

Yun Shuang broke out of the princess’s and Luo Yunchang’s hug, then stormed out of the door. Zhuo Fan sighed.

[This works out just as well]. With Yun clan neutral, he didn’t fear that Holy Maiden would end up in another faction…

Yun Shuang opened the door and bumped into an eight-year-old child, throwing him to the ground.

Yun Shuang cried, “Xiao Dongzi, what are you doing here?”

“Sister Shuang’er!” Xiao Dongzi sobbed, “Grandfather is… is dead…”

[What?!]

Yun Shuang seized and paled. The calm Zhuo Fan also froze and then an incredulous look appeared on his face.

[Someone killed Four Pillars’ High Priest, Demigod Yun Xuanji?]

[Who dares commit such an outrageous crime in the heart of the empire…]