Ding!

Zhuo Fan slashed with full power, but a metal screech echoed and Savage Moon bounced back.

He squinted as his heart was in a panic, [This punk has a spiritual armor besides the spiritual weapon!]

But the timing didn’t even let him think. The youth’s sword was getting dangerously close to his chest. In this wound for a kill scenario, his opponent would come unharmed while he would be too wounded to continue fighting.

[Damn it, I miscalculated this time!]

Zhuo Fan secretly cursed and used the Savage Moon’s rebound to save himself! Not for the life of him did he think this freakin’ punk to be this rich.

Even an elder from Hell Valley had a single demonic treasure at best. But this punk here was wielding one while wearing another.

[Who the hell is he?]

Bam!

With no more time to think, Zhuo Fan’s Savage Moon and the golden sword struck each other.

With a loud sound, Zhuo Fan flew back due to the force. The blood in his chest flowed erratically and forced him to spew blood.

He hit the dirt and the Savage Moon clanked next to him in two. His brow shivered as he turned solemn.

[He has a 4th-grade spiritual armor on him that my Blood Infant can’t get through. The only way to hurt him was with Savage Moon.]

[But Savage Moon is now in pieces.]

This was the first time since his rebirth that Zhuo Fan met such a danger to his life.

The youth was in the 7th layer of Bone Tempering Stage, had a spiritual weapon, had a spiritual armor, and even profound ranked martial arts! [I can’t punch through his defense and I can only take a beating.]

But the worst part was, the youth used all his power against someone weaker. Everyone was afraid of the serious types.

[This will make it even harder for him to make any mistakes for me to exploit.]

[How do I fight him?]

Zhuo Fan stared down the figure while his forehead ran cold with sweat.

Yet who’d have known that the youth’s mental state mirrored his, maybe even more terrified!

The youth was known as a genius among geniuses in his clan. He learned the sword all his life and never lost! But against Zhuo Fan, who was weaker, he was one move away from dying even when he exerted his all.

If not for the spiritual armor, he’d be dead! Dead from a man weaker than him by a stage.

He just couldn’t get over this. He was an exceptional genius who could defeat a peak Bone Tempering expert in a single move. He was the clan’s successor, how could…

The youth’s brow was sweating bullets and gnashed his teeth at Zhuo Fan, “Brother, what is your name?”

Zhuo Fan was startled and saw the change in the youth’s eyes, guessing he wouldn’t keep on wanting to kill them, he replied, “Zhuo Fan!”

“I’ll remember you. We’ll finish this the next time we meet!” That youth sheathed his sword, took his Burrowing Mouse, and was about to leave.

Zhuo Fan rushed to say, “Wait!”

The youth stopped, “What is it?”

“Dare I ask brother, are you also here for the Diamond Sand?”

The youth stared at Zhuo Fan, “What if I am, what if I’m not?”

Zhuo Fan smiled, “If not, then lets part ways. If you are, want to work together?”

“Work together?” The youth frowned and took a long look at the two, “How? Not even the three of us are enough to steal one speck of Diamond Sand!”

Not long back, this youth viewed them as nothing more than insects, but his words just now showed his respect for Zhuo Fan’s strength as someone equal to him.

Zhuo Fan grinned inside. [We can negotiate like this.]

“Brother has a Burrowing Mouse, so you plan to avoid fighting them.”

The youth smiled, “So we had the same idea. I see why you wanted this guy! But this Burrowing Mouse is mine. What can you bring if we team up?”

“The correct way of using the Burrowing Mouse!”

Zhuo Fan continued with a smile, “How is brother going to use it to get the Diamond Sand?”

The youth squinted, and replied with another question, “How about you?”

“Dig a tunnel, wait for the Diamond Sand to erupt, and we steal some.” Xue Ningxiang spoke out of turn.

But her response only earned the laughter of the two until her face went red. She glared, “Why are you laughing? Am I wrong?”

The youth shook his head, “Lady, they have a Profound Heaven expert, so how could it work? You’ll be caught before you even make a move!”

Zhuo Fan nodded, “In any case, my silly sister raised an option we definitely must avoid. What about you?”

Xue Ningxiang glared at Zhuo Fan for making fun of her, but her face became red again for some other reason.

The youth spoke simply, “Easy, the Diamond Sand is pushed by the deep earth and comes out as a spring. I will have the Burrowing Mouse dig a small tunnel from the main course to direct a part of the Diamond Sand to me.”

Zhuo Fan clapped and Xue Ningxiang praised the brilliance of it, “Great plan.”

The youth smiled with pride, but Zhuo Fan shook his head, “If I were you, this would also be the best plan.”

The youth frowned, “You have a better way then?”

“Ha-ha-ha, of course. Why would I work with you if I didn’t?”

Zhuo Fan smiled as he continued, “Your plan won’t earn you even a thousandth. Since there are so many types of earth layers beneath us, the Diamond Sand will be stuck along the way and you will get even less!”

“What’s your idea then?” The youth stared at him.

With a mysterious smile, Zhuo Fan stuck out his chin, “If brother believes me, I can get all of it, leaving nothing to Hell Valley. We will later split it evenly. What do you say?”

“How can that be?”

The youth watched them in shock, but Zhuo Fan was confident, “My skill is making impossible possible.”

This got the youth to recall Zhuo Fan’s close call in killing him and nodded, “Fine, I believe you! How do we do it?”

“Splendid!” Zhuo Fan laughed, “We are now partners. How should I address brother?”

“Xie Tianyang!” The youth spoke loud and clear.

Zhuo Fan frowned, “Xie… you mean you’re from the Seven Noble Houses, Sword Marquise Abode…”

Waving his hand, Xie Tianyang smiled vaguely. But they all figured out even if Zhuo Fan didn’t get to finish. Xue Ningxiang watched the youth for a long time in shock.

Second rate clans like the Xue clan relied on the protection of the Seven Noble Houses. Just that she never got to leave Blue Expanse City, not once in her life, and the only Seven Noble Houses’ people she saw were from Hell Valley.

“Oh, brother Zhuo, what house do you come from that you’re so amazing?” Xue Ningxiang couldn’t help but wonder as Zhuo Fan was so young and yet no less powerful than Xie Tianyang.

In fact, Zhuo Fan could’ve struck this disciple of Sword Marquise Abode dead if not for the spiritual armor. Thus, Zhuo Fan had to be from a special background.

Xie Tianyang also turned to Zhuo Fan with eager eyes. He wanted to know just which house gave birth to such a monster.

Zhuo Fan shook his head with a smile, “I’m no one important, just a small steward in the Luo clan of Windgaze City!”

Steward? Luo clan?

The two were shocked.

[Luo clan? Never heard of it!]

“Ha-ha-ha, it’s quite normal for you to not know. Luo clan is just a 3rd rate clan!” Zhuo Fan smiled.

This time, both of them eyed him with suspicion.

They would never believe that a trifling clan could raise such an expert! Not even the Imperial family and the seven houses had many like him.

“Brother, if what you said is true, you are welcome to join Sword Marquise Abode!” Xie Tianyang’s eyes shined as he patted Zhuo Fan’s shoulder.

It mattered little if Zhuo Fan was being honest, he was an unpolished gem nonetheless. With Zhuo Fan joining the Sword Marquise Abode, the Luo clan would one day be a 2nd rate clan, maybe even a peak second rate with the house’s assistance. The Sword Marquise Abode would at that time grow in power even more.

For one of the Seven Noble Houses to personally ask for a clan to sign an agreement with them would stir all other small clans into crying if they found out. But Zhuo Fan only disdained this act.

Knowing where Xie Tianyang was going with this, Zhuo Fan smiled, “He-he-he, you’re late. I already signed an alliance agreement with Veiled Dragon Pavilion! But if Sword Marquise Abode wants to sign a similar agreement, I’d be happy to oblige!”

Only

“What?”

Zhuo Fan just dropped a bomb that shocked the other two to their cores!

Alliance agreement? Veiled Dragon Pavilion?

Why would Veiled Dragon Pavilion do this for a small clan…