Chapter 55: You Are Not Him
At this moment, the square fell deathly silent, every eye fixed on the figure brimming with arrogance.
“Crazy! Truly crazy! Brother, I have to say, if Zhao Zhen weren’t the disciple of that demon, he’d really be my type!”
A wild smile curled at the corner of Lu Ci’s mouth as he looked at Zhao Zhen with full admiration.
“Is that so? Actually, I’m more curious about why he did this…” Lu Ren propped his chin thoughtfully, eyes gleaming with contemplation.
“Why? Someone voluntarily challenges him, and he's a full-blooded demon. Even killing him wouldn’t be excessive! If you ask me, just humiliating Li Muxuan once is already too kind. Given my temper, I’d have slapped him dead right from the start!”
“Brother, from our standpoint, that way of thinking isn’t wrong. But don’t forget, Zhao Zhen’s status is different from ours. Although, at the Lu family’s longevity banquet, the Celestial Master and the Left Sect Chief vouched for him, as he said himself, his identity as a full-blooded demon’s disciple remains unchanged. Besides, we’ve dealt with him quite a bit. Do you think someone with his character would act this way without reason?”
“Maybe he just wanted to seize this opportunity to publicly sever ties with the full-blooded demons—using Li Muxuan as a mere tool?”
“Impossible. Although Zhao Zhen hasn’t joined the full-blooded demons, don’t forget, he’s never shown resistance to them. That’s not his nature.” Lu Ren shook his head.
“Not this, not that—then big brother, what do you think his reason is? Could he just be acting out of sheer madness?”
Lu Ci grew impatient. Lu Ren pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly, “Perhaps it has something to do with the Left Sect Chief.”
“What does that have to do with the Left Sect Chief?” Lu Ci’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“I’ve heard about Li Muxuan before. He almost joined the Trinity Sect alongside Lu Jin, but for some reason, he chose to apprentice under Wang Yaozu instead. Regardless, he has deep ties to the Trinity Sect. If he continues to act recklessly, sooner or later, disaster will strike. Knowing the Left Sect Chief’s temperament, he’d surely step in personally to deal with him.”
“So, big brother, you mean Zhao Zhen deliberately humiliated Li Muxuan to send a message on behalf of the Left Sect Chief?”
“Perhaps. Regardless of his motives, after today, Li Muxuan will likely be consumed with thoughts of how to avenge this shame inflicted by Zhao Zhen.” Lu Ren nodded.
“Big brother, you really have a sharp mind. But Zhao Zhen is something else—why make such a fuss over repaying a favor? Just one slap and Li Muxuan would be finished, right?” Lu Ci muttered quietly.
“Ha ha ha, brother, that’s because you’re not Zhao Zhen, and Zhao Zhen could never be you, Lu Ci.”
Lu Ren laughed heartily, then glanced deeply at the figure disappearing in the distance.
“Let’s go. Today was a rare spectacle.”
“Mm.”
...
Inside the room, Zhao Zhen placed the kettle on the stove, then turned to look at Duan Chuan behind him.
“Old man, aren’t you going to ask why I did that?”
“What’s there to ask? You’ve been headstrong and decisive since childhood. If you acted this way, it must be for your own reasons. Why should I waste my breath asking?”
“Sigh…”
“What’s with the sigh?”
“I’m sighing because the old man from before was fun, but now you’re like a robot—completely dull.”
Zhao Zhen shook his head. When the water boiled, he picked up the kettle and poured tea into the cup in front of Duan Chuan.
“Robot? What’s that?”
“A kind of artificial idiot.”
“You brat, that’s a backhanded insult, isn’t it?”
Duan Chuan chuckled, sipped his tea, then pointed to the drawer beside the bed.
“What’s in there is for you.”
“Hm?”
Zhao Zhen opened the drawer, revealing a thick stack of Golden Ground Glowing Talismans.
Surprise flashed in Zhao Zhen’s eyes. Such a thick pile—at least twenty or so.
“Old man, where did you get so many talismans? Did you rob a bank?”
“There’s no such thing in banks. These are savings I’ve accumulated all my life, all kept here.”
“All kept here? What about on you? Not even one to carry around?”
“I said, they’re all here.”
Duan Chuan smiled faintly and resumed savoring his tea.
“Is that so…”
Zhao Zhen’s heart stirred with mixed feelings. Though these Golden Ground Glowing Talismans were light, for some reason, they felt heavy in his hand.
“All right, it’s late. Rest early. The bed’s small, so it looks like the two of us will have to squeeze in for the next few days.”
“Having a bed is good enough. Back when I followed you around the martial world, there were countless times without a bed, sleeping right in the mountains.”
“Ha ha ha, that truly was my fault, old man. I apologize.”
“Forget it. In this world, for an orphan, a warm meal is more important than a bed. At least you never let me go hungry, right?”
“Fool…”
“Go to sleep early, old man.”
“Mm, good night.”
-----------------
Several days later, atop Mount Siming.
Early in the morning, the mountaintop clearing swarmed with extraordinary individuals from various sects.
Today marked the formal start of the Redemption Ceremony. Those seeking vengeance against Duan Chuan had naturally gathered early to lie in wait.
“Have the routes been secured?”
“Don’t worry. Today, no fly will escape Mount Siming!”
“Mm. Full-blooded demons are always cunning. To prevent anyone from exploiting the Redemption Ceremony, we must be vigilant.”
“Thank you, Brother Lin.”
“Nonsense. We’re all here to settle old grudges with that demon. No talk of hardship. But Master Lu, I didn’t expect you to come in person.”
“Alas, my brother was cruelly killed by this full-blooded demon. These years, I’ve constantly thought of avenging him, but alas…”
“Yes, that demon’s Golden Escape Light technique is truly troublesome. I led my disciples in several encirclements, yet he always escaped in the chaos. Now, he’s seeking death himself by holding this Redemption Ceremony to quit the full-blooded demons. Without their protection, I wonder how he’ll survive these seven days.”
“Exactly. Does he really think a mere Redemption Ceremony can undo all the evil he’s buried over the years? Dream on!”
While the two spoke, a disciple with a long sword on his back suddenly rushed forward, shouting, “Master, the full-blooded demons are ascending the mountain!”