Chapter 3313 — Absolute Folly
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"What? They've come already, so soon?" The Grand Elder was taken aback. She had not expected the bandits to arrive so swiftly on the heels of Wei Zhao's own arrival—a coincidence indeed! Yet she held little hope for Wei Zhao. She had originally wished to hold out a few more days, to let her injuries heal somewhat before facing them, but now it seemed there was nothing for it but to grit her teeth and go out.
With that thought, the Grand Elder turned resignedly to Elder Su beside her and said, "Elder Su, help me up. Let us go out and see."
"Yes, Grand Elder!" Elder Su answered hastily...
As for the crew Kang Jingming had sent, their purpose was plain: they had come for Wei Zhao. Luring him out was meant to confirm his true strength. Their plan was to wound Wei Zhao grievously but not kill him—that way, his enemies would surely step forward to finish him off, and they themselves would neither expose their hand nor incur the enmity of Boss Bai. Even if Boss Bai guessed the truth, so long as they had not slain Wei Zhao, there was nothing he could do about it.
Of course, should those enemies fail to make their move, then these men would have to do the killing themselves.
Thus, knowing full well that Wei Zhao was within the Dark Night Palace, they did not bother shouting at the gate this time. They simply charged straight in, hunting for Wei Zhao.
Their aim was utterly clear. Finding no gatekeeping disciple at the entrance, they did not trouble to ask—they stormed inside and made straight for the reception hall.
It was not that they could divine the future and knew Wei Zhao was in the reception hall; rather, Zhao Qibing had once again sent word ahead, reporting Wei Zhao's precise location to Kang Jingming, which was what sent these men charging directly for the hall.
Inside the reception hall, Wei Zhao and Gu Mengyao were reminiscing. It had been long since they last met, and there were a thousand words to be spoken. Wei Zhao recounted his experiences over this period, and Gu Mengyao told him of how, step by step, she had established her authority within the Dark Night Palace...
Their paths had differed, yet their hearts seemed joined as one. As they spoke of these things, a peculiar warmth arose between them, each rejoicing for the other...
But this fine scene did not last. Even as the two were speaking, a hurried clatter of footsteps came from the entrance of the reception hall! It was Xiao San, Xiao Si, and Xiao Wu, arriving with a crowd in tow!
"Xiao Wu, well? What's Wei Zhao's strength?" Xiao San was a steady man. Though Wei Zhao's strength had been exposed before, he had to confirm it once more—otherwise he would not rest easy.
"Let me look." Xiao Wu stood at the doorway of the hall without stepping inside. He gazed at Wei Zhao within, and in but an instant knew his cultivation grade: "Third Brother, Wei Zhao's current strength is mid Heaven rank."
"Oh? Only mid Heaven rank!" Xiao San breathed a sigh of relief. So Wei Zhao's true cultivation was not so high after all. He wondered how those rumors—that Wei Zhao could slay peak late Heaven rank experts in a single blow—had ever spread. What a swindle!
"Yes, only mid Heaven rank," Xiao Wu confirmed.
"Come, follow behind me. We go in!" Xiao San gave a cold laugh, already picturing how he would humiliate Wei Zhao in a moment.
Before coming, he had received Kang Jingming's instructions: before wounding Wei Zhao, he must humiliate and mock him as thoroughly as possible—best if Wei Zhao wished the earth would swallow him whole! Even without Kang Jingming's word, Xiao San would have done this anyway; and Kang Jingming, son-in-law of Xuan Xu Laozu, had asked for it personally.
So the moment Xiao San stepped through the door, he glared ferociously at Gu Mengyao: "Little wench, has that old hag of your Dark Night Palace croaked yet? Have you made your decision? Are you ready to hand the Dark Night Palace over to us? You should know—we've come today to take it over!"