Chapter 516 - 228: Opportunity?
...How was he supposed to know what was going on?
Qin Fang came and went as he pleased, completely beyond his control!
But Senior Brother Mu’s attitude had been growing increasingly hostile, making him anxious. ’What if Qin Fang doesn’t show his face at all before we have to leave?’
If that happened, not only would he have offended Senior Brother Mu,
but he would also have no way to vent his bitter resentment.
But he never expected that today, of all days, Qin Fang would actually show up on his own.
He’d been planning to report this to Senior Brother Mu in a little while, then sit back and watch Qin Fang meet his doom.
But he never imagined that Qin Fang... would actually approach and greet him first?
Zhao Yuanling’s expression froze for a moment before he forced a smile. "Ah, Senior Brother Qin... I thought my eyes were deceiving me. But let’s not stand on ceremony. Among Martial Artists, accomplishment takes precedence. In our last battle, I was the one who lost... I’m hardly worthy of being called ’Senior Brother’ by you."
His words made the surrounding disciples from the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect reflexively turn to look.
Among them was the stunningly beautiful woman he had briefly met before.
The woman’s eyes glittered as she looked at Qin Fang.
Hearing this, Qin Fang burst out laughing. "It was just a lucky break... In fact, I’m eagerly awaiting another taste of your famed Golden Rainbow Sharpness."
Qin Fang’s second mention of "Golden Rainbow Sharpness" nearly made Zhao Yuanling’s facade crumble. His face was rigid, and it took him a long moment to force an awkward laugh. "Senior Brother Qin, you’re joking, you’re joking..."
Qin Fang stared into his eyes for a long moment before finally smiling. "Alright then. Junior Brother Zhao, you are our guest. The scenery Within the Sect is quite beautiful; you should take a walk and enjoy it... Well, I have some things to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave."
With that, he gave a slight, smiling nod to the other Golden Rainbow Sword Sect disciples.
The beautiful woman seemed surprised for a second, then gave him a small nod in return.
As for Zhao Yuanling, he let out a visible sigh of relief, mumbling, "Of course, of course."
Smiling, Qin Fang walked past them and headed for the Scripture Pavilion.
But the moment he was past them, his eyes darkened.
’...Something’s not right.’
’Something is seriously, seriously wrong.’
He’d dealt with Zhao Yuanling before. After his defeat in their last battle, the resentment and killing intent in his eyes had been practically spilling out of him.
’...Clearly, he wasn’t the type to hide his thoughts. His pettiness was plain for all to see.’
But this time, his first reaction upon seeing him wasn’t loathing and killing intent... Instead, he’d looked away with a flicker of guilt.
He’d quickly looked back, of course... but it was enough to show that his mindset had shifted.
’And just now, during our "chat," I deliberately provoked him, even taunting him with the "Golden Rainbow Sharpness"...’
’He showed a flash of anger... but it was nothing like the blatant killing intent and fury he’d displayed on the dueling platform.’
Qin Fang refused to believe that in just over a year, the man’s character could have undergone such a radical transformation.
’That left only one possibility...’
’...This Zhao Yuanling is up to something.’
’He’s already figured out a way to deal with me.’
’And he’s confident it will cause me massive trouble without him suffering any consequences.’
’...Otherwise, he would never have shown such obvious weakness.’
’So what is it?’
’How does he plan to deal with me?’
Qin Fang’s eyes narrowed as his mind raced.
But try as he might, he couldn’t come up with a single clue.
Lost in thought, he arrived at the entrance to the Scripture Pavilion before he knew it.
A junior brother’s call brought him back to his senses.
He glanced back in the direction of Zhao Yuanling’s group, only to find that they were already gone.
His eyes narrowed.
After a moment’s thought, he decided to head into the Scripture Pavilion first.
’This is the Heavenly Gang Wuji Sect. I doubt he’d dare do anything to me Within the Sect... If he had that kind of courage or ability, he wouldn’t have lost in the first place... Is he planning to get one of his senior brothers from his Sect to challenge me and reclaim his honor? ...But that doesn’t make sense either... He has senior brothers, but so do I. A back-and-forth like that would be pointless.’
’And it wouldn’t do me any real harm.’
After a moment of contemplation, Qin Fang decided to put the matter aside for now.
He wasn’t planning on leaving the Sect anytime soon anyway, so even if...
’Wait a second.’
Qin Fang suddenly froze, his brows knitting together.
’Leaving...’
’The fact that I’m always leaving the Sect is hardly a secret.’
’It’s common knowledge, really.’
’Having spent so much time here at the Heavenly Gang Wuji Sect, Zhao Yuanling must know about it too.’
’He wouldn’t dare to do anything Within the Sect... so is he planning to wait until I leave?’
’But he must also know that I have my Master’s War Gang Avatar with me... Unless he’s also called his own master over, intending to eliminate both me and my Master’s War Gang Avatar...’
’...But is that even possible?’
’His Golden Rainbow Sword Sect was the one that started this whole thing in the first place.’
’I didn’t show any killing intent toward Zhao Yuanling during the match... The only way this works is if his master is just as petty and intolerant as he is.’
’But would someone like that... really be so overprotective that they’d risk offending the entire Heavenly Gang Wuji Sect and personally come to kill me, just because their disciple suffered a minor setback?’
Thinking it over, the probability seemed low.
’Then...’
’...that only leaves one final possibility...’
’He’s not trying to kill me.’
’Instead...’
’...He’s after my great fortune?’
Qin Fang’s eyes narrowed to slits.
’True Essence Second Realm, and a Fourth Grade Profound Nether Nature.’
Qin Fang already knew from his Master just how rare an achievement this was.
Many who ascended to the Divine Realm only possessed a Nature of the first three grades.
’By revealing this, he’d ensured that the people from the Golden Rainbow Sword Sect would know he possessed some great fortune.’
’And since he left the Sect so often... it wouldn’t be a stretch for them to guess that this fortune might be tied to some hidden, treasure-filled location.’
’Zhao Yuanling was defeated and resentful. He knows he can’t kill me, so he invites a senior brother from his sect—or even an elder—someone with a desperate craving for a higher-grade Profound Nether Nature, to secretly seize my great fortune as a form of revenge... ’
’...The odds of that are quite high.’
A cold light glinted in Qin Fang’s narrowed eyes.
After a long moment, he strode into the Scripture Pavilion.
’Fine, let them wait... In any case, I have no plans to go there anytime soon.’
Qin Fang thought to himself.