Chapter 102: A Deal, A Favor

Chapter 102: Chapter 102: A Deal, A Favor

After Yu Mountain Tianyi left, the Ascension Association disciples in the inn’s lobby looked at Fang Xu and Huang Qingzhou with varying expressions.

"Senior Brother Huang..." A bald man wearing a brown martial outfit and carrying a pair of maces hesitated for a moment before approaching Huang Qingzhou. He glanced at Fang Xu, then lowered his voice. "This kid clearly offended Senior Sister Tianyi. Senior Brother, why did you..."

Huang Qingzhou raised a hand to interrupt him and turned to look at Fang Xu.

Fang Xu forced a smile and shook his head.

According to Huang Qingzhou’s earlier introduction, this bald man seemed to be Luo Ming, one of the few Ascension Association disciples present who was relatively close to Huang Qingzhou. He knew what Luo Ming wanted to say.

Yu Mountain Tianyi was exceptionally strong. She was the number one Inner Sect Disciple of the Ascension Association’s Great Yu branch, and it was highly likely she would become a Core Disciple in the future. A Core Disciple held a higher status within the Ascension Association than an ordinary Steward. Luo Ming felt it wasn’t worth it for Huang Qingzhou to fall out with Yu Mountain Tianyi over him. In Martial Dao cultivation, one had to know how to seek fortune and avoid disaster, and more importantly, how to assess the situation. Luo Ming wasn’t wrong in thinking this way.

"Junior Brother Luo Ming, there’s no need to say any more. You should know my temper." Huang Qingzhou smiled faintly, then glanced at Fang Xu. "I’m the kind of person who can take a knife for a friend without batting an eye, but I could never backstab a friend at a critical moment."

Hearing this, Fang Xu smiled gratefully. "Senior Brother Huang, you exaggerate. I am the one who dragged you into this."

Huang Qingzhou’s genuine nature was a rare sight in this cruel Martial World. Previously, Fang Xu had suspected whether Huang Qingzhou had ulterior motives for sparing no effort to help him. Now, it seemed he had been overly cynical.

"Alright, let’s leave it at that. Junior Brother Luo Ming, and the rest of you junior brothers, we’ll take our leave." After greeting the few Ascension Association disciples he was close with, Huang Qingzhou led Fang Xu straight out of the inn.

In the lobby, watching their departing figures, Su Cheng couldn’t help but smirk. To think that there was conflict between Yu Mountain Tianyi and Fang Xu—this was an unexpected delight.

Judging by the situation just now, although Huang Qingzhou had said something that made Yu Mountain Tianyi hesitate and refrain from killing Fang Xu on the spot, she hadn’t given up on the idea of killing him. When they went to the Tilan Mountain ruins tomorrow, she would definitely find a way to kill Fang Xu inside. Once Fang Xu was dead, that little girl with the Pill Fragrance Sacred Body would be his!

With the Pill Fragrance Sacred Body...

Su Cheng’s eyes gleamed sharply, as if he could already see the scene of himself becoming an Ascension Association Steward.

On the street outside the inn, Fang Xu followed heavily behind Huang Qingzhou, his brow furrowed tightly.

Yu Mountain Tianyi wanted to kill him entirely because of Zhang Mingyue. Back then, Yun Wan had wiped out the Zhang family over the matter with Zhang Mingliang, and he was the one who had led the way. Now that Yun Wan had disappeared, Zhang Mingyue must be taking her anger out on him, planning to use Yu Mountain Tianyi’s hands to kill him and vent her frustration. Tomorrow’s trip to the Tilan Mountain ruins would very likely be the day he died.

"Fang Xu, you should flee." Walking ahead, Huang Qingzhou suddenly stopped and turned around, his expression solemn. "Take Miss Chu, Miss Lu, and the others, and flee right now."

In his view, if Fang Xu followed Yu Mountain Tianyi to the Tilan Mountain ruins, it would be a guaranteed death sentence. If he fled now, there was still a sliver of hope for survival.

Fang Xu shook his head. "I can’t escape." Saying this, he turned his head to look behind them and whispered, "From the moment we left, two people have been following us."

Hearing this, Huang Qingzhou frowned and looked back. Sure enough, he spotted two Ascension Association disciples following them openly, completely unafraid of being discovered. He immediately wanted to rush over and confront the two, but Fang Xu held him back.

The two were clearly taking orders from Yu Mountain Tianyi and wouldn’t give Huang Qingzhou any face. Since they wanted to follow, let them.

"Senior Brother Huang, do you still have that ruins guide you bought at the entrance?" Fang Xu suddenly asked.

Huang Qingzhou was slightly taken aback. "It’s at Zhiyuan Hall. Why..."

Fang Xu looked at him and smiled confidently. "If I guessed correctly, you must have told Yu Mountain Tianyi earlier that this is a critical moment for her promotion to Core Disciple. Killing me in public now would bring her trouble."

Huang Qingzhou looked somewhat surprised. He had indeed told Yu Mountain Tianyi exactly that. He had also informed her that Fang Xu’s sister was already his master’s chosen disciple. As a Pill Master, Xu Changqing’s authority in the Great Yu Ascension Association was comparable to that of an elder. If Yu Mountain Tianyi killed Fang Xu, she would offend Chu Muyun. Once Chu Muyun spoke up in front of their master, it would inevitably cause some trouble for Yu Mountain Tianyi’s promotion to Core Disciple.

Yu Mountain Tianyi might be eccentric and unrestrained, but she wasn’t an idiot. Only after thinking through the pros and cons had she chosen to let Fang Xu go temporarily.

Seeing that he didn’t deny it, Fang Xu continued, "Since Yu Mountain Tianyi is wary because of this, I’m guessing that even after we enter the ruins tomorrow, she won’t openly try to kill me.

"If she doesn’t act personally but still wants me dead, she will undoubtedly rely on the dangers within the ruins.

"Therefore, the only thing I can do now is familiarize myself with the various traps and hazards inside as much as possible, maximizing my chances of surviving the ruins."

He didn’t know if surviving the ruins would force Yu Mountain Tianyi to attack recklessly, but at the very least, he couldn’t just grant her wish and die a stifling death by some trap. If that truly was his fate, he would risk his life just to spite that bitch! This was the only resistance he could offer at the moment.

Looking at the unusually calm Fang Xu in front of him, Huang Qingzhou was slightly stunned. If he were in Fang Xu’s shoes, facing this near-certain death sentence, the only countermeasure he could think of would be to flee. Yet Fang Xu could calmly analyze his chances of surviving through the cracks. Such mental fortitude was truly rare.

"Then let’s hurry back!" Huang Qingzhou said, suppressing his astonishment. The sooner they returned to Zhiyuan Hall, the more time Fang Xu would have to study the ruins’ traps and hazards.

"There’s no rush. I need to trouble you to accompany me somewhere first, Senior Brother Huang," Fang Xu replied.

At the Fenglin Town Government Office.

Li Xingchao looked at Fang Xu and Huang Qingzhou with a solemn expression.

"Young Hero Huang’s request puts me in a difficult position.

"The Great Yu Dynasty does not wish to offend either you or that Su Cheng."

Seeing him say this, Huang Qingzhou smiled faintly. "Miss Chu has the Ascension Association’s Immortal Sect travel pass on her. Su Cheng and the other Ascension Association disciples would never dare to attack her personally. Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, only needs to help block the Martial Artists that Su Cheng hires.

"Since you have some ties with my master, you should know that my talent in the Alchemy Dao surpasses Su Cheng’s. There is a high chance I will break through to become a Fifth-Grade Pill Master in the future. Isn’t a favor from a future Fifth-Grade Pill Master worth the risk, Your Highness?"

The reason Fang Xu had brought Huang Qingzhou to see Li Xingchao was for the safety of Chu Muyun and Lu Qingluo. He would be going to the Tilan Mountain ruins with Yu Mountain Tianyi tomorrow. If nothing unexpected happened, Su Cheng would definitely choose to make a move on Chu Muyun while he and Huang Qingzhou were away.

Right now, there weren’t many factions in Fenglin Town capable of protecting Chu Muyun. All things considered, the Seventh Prince, Li Xingchao, was the most optimal choice. Leveraging Huang Qingzhou’s favor alongside Li Xingchao’s ambitions, he was confident the prince would agree to this arrangement.

"Even so, I must make things clear to you two." After pondering for a moment, Li Xingchao spoke sternly. "If other Martial Artists outside the Ascension Association make a move, I can guarantee their safety. But if an Ascension Association disciple attacks them personally, I will not intervene."

Hearing this, Huang Qingzhou looked at Fang Xu. Seeing that he remained silent, Huang Qingzhou immediately said, "Deal. If this succeeds, I will owe the Seventh Prince a favor."

With the matter settled, the two didn’t linger and returned straight to Zhiyuan Hall.