Chapter 4580 — A Long View

"This was a decision of the Azure Cloud Pavilion's internal council of elders. I can only follow the rules. I had originally planned to delay delivery until three days from now—just enough time to give you all a heads-up. But who could have guessed that I had only just received the order from above when word came from Junior Brother Ma saying he had already come to take over. That's why I rushed over in such a hurry, and never expected to walk in on this scene. Ah!" Jia Mufan heaved a long sigh, clapped Lu Bianren on the shoulder, and said to the group with a shamefaced look, "This was poor planning on my part. I've let you suffer."

"Senior Brother Jia, you mustn't blame yourself. What happened today is between us and Ma Dangfeng—it has nothing to do with you. We will keep your kindness in our hearts," Lu Bianren said at once, and the others all nodded in agreement. What had happened today had made their feud with Ma Dangfeng a matter of life and death; from now on, there could be no reconciliation.

"Be that as it may, it was my late arrival that let you come to harm. As it happens, I'm on good terms with the steward in charge of medicine at the Elixir Hall. Let me take you there to be treated—I guarantee there won't be the slightest aftereffect," Jia Mufan offered of his own accord.

Lu Bianren glanced at Qiao Hongcai and Miserable Senior Brother. His own group's injuries were nothing much—a dab of good wound salve and they would heal quickly enough without ever setting foot in the Elixir Hall. But these two were different. Qiao Hongcai's hand was a mangled ruin, and Miserable Senior Brother's right leg had nearly been severed. Without prompt treatment, that would spell real trouble.

"In that case, we thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother Jia." Lu Bianren did not decline. Treating their wounds was the pressing matter at hand; owing a favor for it was no great burden, so long as he found a chance to repay it later.

"Think nothing of it. It's a senior brother's duty—what is there to thank me for?" Jia Mufan waved a hand and at once led them toward the Medical Hall. As they walked, he asked, "By the way, is there still no word of Junior Brother Lin?"

"None. Ever since I parted ways with him in the Southern Continent seas, I've had no news of him at all." Lu Bianren and the others looked downcast. If Wei Zhao were here, how could he ever have let a clown like Ma Dangfeng strut and swagger? At the very least, he could have kept them all safe—certainly not left them in such a sorry state as this...

"Don't worry. Junior Brother Lin has the luck of the virtuous. Have faith in him—he will come back safe and sound," Jia Mufan said with a smile, offering comfort.

"Quite right. Junior Brother Lin will surely be safe—surely!" Lu Bianren nodded firmly. Hearing the two of them speak this way, the others' spirits finally lifted a little.

After a pause, Lu Bianren suddenly remembered something and said to Jia Mufan, "Senior Brother Jia, Junior Brother Lin and Junior Sister Huang previously took on the mission to capture the devil cultivator Wu Baoliang. Word has already come back that Wu Baoliang was killed on the spot. Might I trouble you to cancel that mission for them when you have a moment?"

"Of course. That's my duty—rest easy," Jia Mufan agreed readily, without a second thought.

"Then thank you, Senior Brother Jia." Lu Bianren and the others nodded gratefully. They thought to themselves how fortunate it was that this senior brother, steward of the inner court, was so easy to deal with; otherwise, not only would they never have survived today's ordeal, but even canceling the mission would likely have cost them no end of trouble.

If a bounty mission like that were left hanging indefinitely without being canceled, it would greatly affect their ability to take on missions afterward and a whole string of other matters. It might even affect Wei Zhao's long-term prospects within the Azure Cloud Pavilion. After all, strictly speaking, this too counted as a blot on his record—a small one, perhaps, but a blot nonetheless.

Jia Mufan brought Lu Bianren and the others to the Elixir Hall. Given his standing, he naturally received special treatment. After all, he was the senior brother and steward of the Azure Cloud Pavilion's inner court, a figure destined for boundless prospects, and even though he himself hailed from the Azure Cloud Pavilion, no one dared treat him lightly. The Elixir Hall at once dispatched its finest physicians to tend to the group.

Since most of them had only flesh wounds, apart from Qiao Hongcai and Miserable Senior Brother—whose cases were more troublesome and required staying for proper treatment—Lu Bianren and the rest were soon free to go their separate ways. Yet Jia Mufan actually stayed with them from dawn until dusk. For a man of his standing to show such patience was truly rare.

Had the ones in need been Wei Zhao, Jia Mufan's conduct would have been nothing surprising. But Lu Bianren and the others were worlds apart from him in status, and yet Jia Mufan could still behave this way—a sign that the man was truly no simple character. Setting aside his formidable Nascent Soul-stage strength, his temperament alone marked him as far from ordinary; in the future, he was bound to achieve great things.

"For today's events, we truly thank you, Senior Brother Jia. We will keep it in our hearts and never forget," said Lu Bianren, and together with Xiao Che and Li Zhengming, the three of them bowed deeply to Jia Mufan.

"You're too kind, all of you. It was a trifling effort—hardly worth mentioning." Jia Mufan smiled. Before leaving, he said, "There is one thing I hope you will all take to heart: do not make pointless sacrifices. Until Junior Brother Lin returns, whatever you do, do not provoke Junior Brother Ma again. With his present standing, if he truly meant to kill you, then frankly, killing you would cost him nothing. That is all I have to say. Take care, all of you."

The three watched Jia Mufan's receding figure in silence. After a moment, Xiao Che suddenly asked, "Senior Brother Lu, do you think there's some deeper meaning in Senior Brother Jia helping us like this?"

"I find it strange as well. Senior Brother Jia has always been smooth and tactful, but he is, after all, the senior brother and steward of the inner court. Helping us out of that predicament just now would have been one thing—but to personally escort us to the Elixir Hall for treatment, honestly, even I didn't expect that." Lu Bianren shook his head in puzzlement.

Every move a great man makes must carry deeper meaning, and Jia Mufan was beyond doubt a great man. His actions surely had their purpose—it was only that they could not yet see through it.

"In my view, this Senior Brother Jia is after something far greater. He is a man of truly long vision. Today has been an education!" Li Zhengming said thoughtfully from the side.

"Oh? What makes you say that? Zhengming, tell us quickly!" Lu Bianren and Xiao Che started and pressed him at once.

"Judging by today's events, Senior Brother Jia may still be as smooth and tactful as ever—he seems not to have offended that Ma Dangfeng much—but from the way he shielded us, and especially from his personally escorting us to the Elixir Hall, I'm afraid he has already made his choice in his heart," Li Zhengming said slowly.

"His choice? You mean..." Lu Bianren and Xiao Che both fell into thought.

"Exactly. Setting everything else aside, this Ma Dangfeng and our leader Wei Zhao are remarkably alike!" (To be continued...)