Chapter 2660 — Unknown Secrets

"Mm, no trouble is naturally for the best." Ancestor Xuanchen nodded and said, "How goes your disciple Zhang Naipao's cultivation of the Chrysanthemum Treasure Manual? What level has he reached?"

"He is at the second level for now, and has not yet attained full mastery," said Heavenly Venerable Chunyang.

"Only the second level? You must hurry him along—when the time comes, he will be one of the most important pieces on the board," Ancestor Xuanchen instructed.

"Please rest assured, Ancestor Xuanchen, Zhang Naipao's cultivation speed is quite fast, and besides, this plan is not the plan of the Five Luminaries Sect alone—our Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect has long awaited this moment as well." To return to the Primordial Plane, Heavenly Venerable Chunyang had no choice but to bow and scrape before the Five Luminaries Sect.

"That's good, then. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up first. As for the matter of Shen Yushu, do not mention it to anyone," said Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Understood." Heavenly Venerable Chunyang hung up the phone, and this time he actually believed Zhong Yongliang's words. Still, he privately reflected that Zhong Yongliang was truly unlucky—of all the people the Drunken Centipede could have bitten, it had to bite Shen Yushu, a fire-element inheritor. Though Ancestor Xuanchen had not said so outright, Heavenly Venerable Chunyang had already guessed the gist of it.

Returning to the earlier room, though Heavenly Venerable Chunyang now knew the ins and outs of the matter, he was still deeply displeased with Zhong Yongliang; only, with Zhang Naipao in the picture, he had no way to vent his anger on the boy.

Had it been any other disciple, even if he were not cut down on the spot to vent Heavenly Venerable Chunyang's wrath, he would long since have been driven down the mountain. But when Zhang Naipao was involved, Heavenly Venerable Chunyang could only endure it for now. His tolerance for Zhang Naipao stemmed not only from the boy being his beloved disciple, but also from the fact that he cultivated the Chrysanthemum Treasure Manual and would be a vital link in the plan of the future—which was why Heavenly Venerable Chunyang put up with Zhong Yongliang again and again as well.

"Very well, Zhong Yongliang. Your master has gotten to the bottom of things and believes what you said." Heavenly Venerable Chunyang did not berate Zhong Yongliang further, but waved a hand and said, "That said, for the time being your master has no good way to send you back for your revenge."

"It's all right, I'm in no hurry. Thank you for your trust, Master!" Zhong Yongliang breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time did not dare ask for too much—after all, he had already lost three treasures.

"Mm. According to the rules of our Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect, outer disciples may choose a dwelling in the back mountain. So—you and Gao Xiaofu will stay here for now. In a moment I'll have Naipao take you to pick a place. For this period, you two just shut yourselves away and cultivate here properly. Once I have a good plan, I'll come find you!" Heavenly Venerable Chunyang could not be bothered to expend more thought on Zhong Yongliang either, and simply packed him off to the back mountain to cultivate on his own and sink or swim. This way, Zhang Naipao would not feel uncomfortable, and he himself would be spared the sight of him.

But Zhong Yongliang did not know Heavenly Venerable Chunyang's thinking, and hurriedly thanked him, saying, "Thank you, Master. Then I'll stay here for now and cultivate."

In truth, Zhong Yongliang did not dare return to school for the time being either. He had boasted so grandly before, yet had not dared to go through with the challenge—was that not acting the coward, the son of a bitch? If Zhong Yongliang went back, he would surely be cursed at, so he too planned to wait until the matter had blown over a little.

"Brother Liang, what do you think of these dwellings?" Zhang Naipao led Zhong Yongliang and Gao Xiaofu to the back mountain and said with some apology, "The dwellings with the best views have all been taken by the senior outer disciples. You've come late, Brother Liang—though I could use my authority to find you a good dwelling, that would have to wait until resources are redistributed after the New Year. For these next two months, I'm afraid you'll have to make do..."

"No matter!" Zhong Yongliang waved a hand and said, "I think this place is quite good too—quiet, no one to disturb me. In those crowded places, those outer disciples all rise early every morning to cultivate—especially the ones training in external martial arts, huffing and shouting all day long, disturbing my lazy sleep."

"That's true enough." Zhang Naipao nodded. "My dwelling is in the inner sect. If it weren't for the sect rules, it would be just right for you two to live with me, Brother Liang—my dwelling is very large, and one person simply can't use it all."

"Haha, Paozi, I'm already very satisfied that you have the heart for it!" Zhong Yongliang clapped Zhang Naipao on the shoulder. "The most correct decision of my life was taking you as my little brother. I can see it too—if not for your sake, the old master wouldn't pay the slightest attention to my trivial troubles, much less give me a treasure to challenge Wei Zhao with. Even when I lost and broke the treasure, the master didn't reprimand me—all of that is because of you!"

"Brother Liang, don't say that. When I was in trouble, it was you who reached out a helping hand—otherwise my family would have been ruined long ago, and how could I be cultivating here in peace?" Zhang Naipao shook his head and said solemnly, "Brother Liang, just settle down and stay here for now. When I find a chance, I'll see whether I can beg another treasure for you, so you can go back and teach Wei Zhao a lesson!"

"All right, no rush. I'm already delighted that you have the heart for it." Zhong Yongliang was overjoyed at these words.

At Donghai City Engineering University, they waited until school let out in the evening, and still there was no sign of Zhong Yongliang or Gao Xiaofu. The two had simply vanished, and the earlier challenge had turned into a farce.

What puzzled Wei Zhao, though, was this: Zhong Yongliang clearly had a trump card, so why had he suddenly given up the challenge? Could his spirit beast have broken? Or could it be used only once, and after that one time it no longer worked? Of course, Wei Zhao could never have imagined that Zhong Yongliang's spirit beast had actually become a dried centipede, poisoned to death by Shen Yushu.

"Brother Arrow, Zhong Yongliang really didn't come!" The bite wound on Shen Yushu's leg had fully healed, with no aftereffects whatsoever; it was only that she, like Wei Zhao, was puzzled—why had Zhong Yongliang never come to challenge in the end, and why was there no word from him at all?

"I don't know. Who knows what mischief he's up to? But he's the one who broke his own promise—he can't blame me." Wei Zhao shook his head, started the car, and headed in the direction of the Xueshang residential compound.

What Wei Zhao had not expected was that at the gate of his villa in the Xueshang compound, a person was actually standing, pacing back and forth, and one could not tell what he meant to do. Had the figure not looked somewhat familiar from a distance, Wei Zhao might even have taken him for a thief with some ill intent!

He honked twice and pulled the car into the courtyard, and the person waiting at the gate, seeing Wei Zhao's car come in, immediately followed after it.

"Yu Dake?" Wei Zhao looked at the newcomer in some surprise—it was actually Yu Dake, the disciple of the hidden You family whom he had met at the Hidden World Clans Summit, the one who had wanted to kill himself!

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