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A finger struck the table, betraying Zhuo Fan’s pensive mind.

Li Jingtian rushed into the room and Zhuo Fan quickly asked, “What’s the news?”

“Steward Zhuo, there’s no clue about Miss Chu. I couldn’t find…” Li Jingtian sighed with a hung head.

Zhuo Fan looked down as well, pacing in thought, “There aren’t many that can breach the Sacred Mountains and take someone away, and even fewer are those capable of doing it without leaving a trail. I just can’t figure out who could be behind this? Did anyone in the Sacred Domain have such a power?”

Li Jingtian was worried.

He was new to the Sacred Domain but even he had heard many rumors about most powers in these lands. To him, the Sacred Mountains were the peak of the Sacred Domain. Who then could steal someone from under their nose?

[They can’t be a nobody, that’s for sure.]

“Steward Zhuo, does the Sacred Domain have any hidden experts?” Li Jingtian mentioned.

Zhuo Fan shook his head, “For them to be hidden means not many are aware of them. I do know of a few rogue Saints but they aren’t as strong as the Sacred Mountains, let alone taking someone from them. Unless…”

“What?”

“Elder Li, who are above Saints?”

Li Jingtian lit up, “Sovereign?”

Zhuo Fan was grave. He’d seen his fair share of Sovereigns, and feared the one that never showed himself.

He had been consoling himself thinking they were all gone, or that they were too weak to show up.

But after meeting them, he woke up to reality.

[It’s not that they can’t be found, but they don’t want to be found. While them finding you can’t be easier.]

[Was taking Chu Qingcheng a clear strike on me though?]

Was the culprit the one he feared the most?

Zhuo Fan was sunk in thought. He didn’t fear death, but involving innocents. He was no longer alone…

“Is the Luo clan’s steward, Zhuo Fan, here? I am 7th Seven Sacred Mountain Lord, He Yunshan, here to request a meeting.”

(StarReader: not related to 6th Mountain Lord. Different surname.)

The sound of thunder struck from the sky and shook the Luo clan. Zhuo Fan heard and winced, “The 7th Mountain Lord? Here so soon?”

“Steward Zhuo, the dragons are still silent. What do we do?” Li Jingtian was tense.

Zhuo Fan thought for a moment, “Relax, for them to seek us and not fight us proves they are afraid. The Dragon Breath Pill might have gotten to them. We just have to be cool about it and they won’t do anything.”

“Let’s go meet them.”

“Yes, Steward Zhuo!”

Zhuo Fan led the way with Li Jingtian behind. The two flew for the city gates.

The Luo clan’s gates were surrounded by hundreds of people surging with incredible strength that struck fear in all. Saints!

In the lead were six people, the Mountain Lords. The elder with a long beard squinted and analyzed everyone. His eyes flickered with doubt. The others were just as baffled.

[That’s strange. All of the Luo clan is filled with nobodies. There are some at the Emperor Stage with impressive strength, but nothing Sacred Mountains can’t handle.]

Would the Sacred Mountains bother with a clan lacking even a Saint? Absolutely not.

So how come this nobody clan ended up flattening a Sacred Mountain?

The six elders whispered among each other.

“What do you think?”

“Completely average and not anything like Sir Shui Jing. A great master should have great disciples. It makes no sense for Shui Jing to not have Saints.”

“The problem lay with Steward Zhuo Fan. They say he alone went to level Old He’s peak. Is it only him under Shui Jing? We’ll test it out and if they’re related to Sir Shui Jing, we’ll just gloss over it. At worst, he’ll lead the Eight Emperors’ lands. It was Old He who messed with the Luo clan. It has nothing to do with us.”

The elders nodded, looking like obscene sycophants with those bobbing heads and flattering looks.

“But…”

The elder with a white long beard looked hard, “But if Sir Shui Jing has nothing to do with Zhuo Fan or the Luo clan, that they’re only acting, then we can’t have this clan breathe a second more, regardless of who leveled the 6th Sacred Mountain. Our dignity shall not be stepped on by some bugs. No one will fear us otherwise!”

They all agreed.

Yep, hard on the weak and cowards against the strong; classic thugs.

Whoosh~

Zhuo Fan and Li Jingtian arrived and the elders looked startled.

Zhuo Fan was in the Foundation Establishment Stage, worse than a cripple. But since he could fly in, that meant he was far stronger.

The elders looked grave.

[Caution is advised against him.]

The elder with a long beard began with a cough, “I am 7th Sacred Mountain Lord, He Yunshan. Are you perhaps, the Grand Steward, by the name of Zhuo Fan?”

“It is I.”

Zhuo Fan smiled, “To what do we owe the visit?”

“Why? Steward Zhuo doesn’t know?”

He Yunshan raised an eyebrow in anger, his eyes cold, “Didn’t you hear how everyone says that Steward Zhuo leveled the 6th Sacred Mountain.”

Zhuo Fan nodded with a smile, “There’s no need to hear, for I did do it.”

[Fast talker!]

He Yunshan cursed at Zhuo Fan’s blunt reply while he was looking calm on the outside, even praising him with a thumbs up.

The others were dark.

Zhuo Fan’s carefree reply let them know he wasn’t scared of the hundreds of Saints around. He never gave a hoot about the Sacred Mountains for he had a stronger backer.

[Should we step down then?]

[Old He’s peak got wasted. It’s not our problem anyway. We’re not even close. There’s no need to fight with some mystery expert.]

The elders withdrew on the spot.

He Yunshan paused and shouted, “Since Steward Zhuo admits, then I’ll be frank as well. What has the 6th Sacred Mountain done to earn Steward Zhuo’s ire? As he was of the Seven Sacred Mountains like us, we would like to know the reason.”

[Shit, did we not come to find their limit to see if they can bleed or not? Why nitpick?]

If he was under Shui Jing, then the latter might just come out to ruin them.

[You can kill your mountain for all we care, just don’t drag us into this!]

Everyone sighed, with the elder with long beard pulling He Yunshan’s sleeve, hinting to back off before it was too late.

He Yunshan pulled away in anger with a righteous look.

“Humph, an explanation?”

Zhuo Fan barked, “The Luo clan helped the Sacred Mountains’ disciples handle the Eight Emperors’ lands and bring peace, only to have Mountain Lord He come take our Clan Head to torture and imprison our people. You think I could take that lying down?”

He Haodong faked surprise, “He Haodong did that?”

Ugh!

Even the Saints were stumped.

[Come on, what is that supposed to mean? Don’t act like you don’t know him. Aren’t we on the same side? What’s with the exaggerated shock?]

“Steward Zhuo, please accept my humble apologies.” He Haodong gave a curt bow, “We just didn’t know and ask for your forgiveness. I’d have cut ties with him if I knew he was so despicable and ungrateful. Farewell, Steward Zhuo!”

He Yunshan turned around and left, looking holy.

Zhuo Fan gave him a long look, returning a stiff gesture.

[This guy has no damn shame…]