Chapter 2895 — The Consultation Fee
"Mm, right—do you know Wei Zhao's room number?" the Earth Drill Star asked.
"Oh? I do. Let me check for you." The trial participants' room numbers were not confidential, nor did Shopkeeper Sun have any reason to withhold them. He found Wei Zhao's room number quickly and told the Earth Drill Star.
"Many thanks, Shopkeeper Sun. Oh, by the way—I hear Wei Zhao and Zhang Naipao have some... friction?" the Earth Drill Star probed.
"There is indeed a bit of trouble. It happened like this..." Shopkeeper Sun had long since received his orders from Tianchan Bian, and to the Earth Drill Star's questions he needed only to answer truthfully. So he recounted in detail the whole history of grudges between Wei Zhao and Zhang Naipao.
When he heard how Wei Zhao had crippled Mo Jiu, and how after the trial he had returned together with Zhang Naipao, the Earth Drill Star fell into thought. Surely Zhang Naipao had not already capitulated? If so, then going to beg Wei Zhao was the best possible course!
At that thought, the Earth Drill Star said, "Many thanks, Shopkeeper Sun. I'll head upstairs first—please carry on with your work!"
"Very well." Shopkeeper Sun nodded indifferently.
The Earth Drill Star did not go back to look in on the Earth Tyrant, but went straight to Wei Zhao's room. Standing at the door, he stretched out his hand, yet did not dare knock outright. He seemed to feel an immense psychological pressure: the man inside might only be an Earth-rank expert, but he had the strength to annihilate Heaven-rank cultivators in an instant. The Earth Drill Star dared not act rashly!
At last, after drawing several deep breaths, he plucked up the courage to knock, then waited for the response from within.
"Who is it? Come in! The door's unlocked." Wei Zhao answered quickly enough, yet to the Earth Drill Star those few short seconds felt like an entire century of waiting.
Pushing the door open cautiously and stepping inside, the Earth Drill Star immediately bowed deeply. "I am the Earth Drill Star, attendant to the Young Sect Master Earth Tyrant of the Yellow Earth High Sect. I pay my respects to Senior Wei Zhao!"
Seeing the Earth Drill Star come to him of his own accord and perform such a grand, utterly respectful salute, Wei Zhao knew this was the result of Tianchan's mediation behind the scenes. Though he had no idea how she had managed it—what remarkable ability she must have—he merely said, mildly, "Oh. So you're the Earth Drill Star from the Yellow Earth High Sect..."
"That's me, that's me! Senior Lin has heard of me?" The Earth Drill Star was overjoyed and nodded hurriedly.
"Never heard of you," Wei Zhao said, shaking his head.
"Uh..." The Earth Drill Star was suddenly rather embarrassed, yet dared not say anything. He only explained, "Our Yellow Earth High Sect is in the Western Regions, so it's only natural Senior Lin hasn't heard of us."
"Oh. What business do you have?" Wei Zhao asked, though he knew perfectly well.
"It's like this, Senior Lin..." The Earth Drill Star hastened to explain the matter of the Earth Tyrant's injuries to Wei Zhao, concealing nothing—not even that they were now keeping him alive with the Great Return Pill. Only at the end did he say, "I heard from a friend that Senior Lin is a man of great ability who can heal the Young Sect Master's wounds. Would you consider..."
"That Earth Tyrant is an arrogant, domineering brute. He deserved to die. Off you go." Wei Zhao waved his hand and began shooing the man out.
It seemed Tianchan had already paved the way for him beforehand. If Wei Zhao failed to play along at this point, he would truly be doing her efforts a disservice.
"No—please, Senior Lin! Our Young Sect Master Earth Tyrant may be a little young and reckless, but he is not a bad sort at heart," the Earth Drill Star hurriedly explained. "He is merely flushed with early success. This is his first time out in the world, and he has no experience. You know how it is—within the sect he is the Young Sect Master, and no one dares defy him. Whatever he says goes, and that is what fostered such a temperament. But in truth he is quite innocent, and bears no ill intentions..."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Wei Zhao countered.
"That... I beg Senior Lin to lend his hand and save him!" the Earth Drill Star said through gritted teeth.
"And why should I save him? He is neither kin nor acquaintance to me—I don't even know him. What benefit is there in saving him?" Wei Zhao shook his head. "Besides, healing him would cost me a great deal of energy. I won't do it!"
"Don't say that, Senior Lin! Look—whatever request you have, just name it, and we will find a way to satisfy it!" the Earth Drill Star said hurriedly. As for Wei Zhao's claim that it would cost a great deal of energy, he naturally believed it—if it were no trouble at all, then anyone could cure the injury.
"Do you think I look like a man who has anything to ask of your lot?" Wei Zhao said, regarding the Earth Drill Star with mockery.
"That..." The Earth Drill Star gritted his teeth. "Our Young Sect Master Earth has always revered the strong. If Senior Lin heals his wounds, our Young Sect Master might well acknowledge you as his leader—and then our Yellow Earth High Sect would become your supporting arm. What do you think, Senior?"
"I already have more underlings than I can count, and every time they get into trouble, I have to go help. You think having another underling is a good thing?" Wei Zhao rolled his eyes and spoke flatly.
Wei Zhao's words made the Earth Drill Star's eyes light up! Every time Wei Zhao's underlings got into trouble, Wei Zhao went to help? That was simply wonderful. If the Earth Tyrant became Wei Zhao's underling in the future, then whenever trouble arose they could go straight to Wei Zhao—what a fine thing indeed!
The key was the attitude of the rest of the Yellow Earth High Sect!
In the Earth Drill Star's view, given the Earth Tyrant's temperament, becoming Wei Zhao's underling would not be difficult. But the Earth Tyrant was, after all, only the Young Sect Master, not the Sect Master—above him stood his uncle, Tu Qingsong!
And moreover, once the Earth Tyrant became Sect Master of the Yellow Earth High Sect in the future, the sect would inevitably become a vassal of Wei Zhao.
It seemed this matter would have to be discussed with Tu Qingsong after they returned.
"This..." The Earth Drill Star did not know what to say.
"Forget it. Let me first see whether his injuries can be treated at all—otherwise all this talk is piss and wind." Though Wei Zhao knew perfectly well that he could heal the man, one had to go through the motions in all things.
"Yes, yes! This way, Senior Lin!" The Earth Drill Star hastily made a gesture of invitation, asking Wei Zhao to move to his room.
Wei Zhao followed the Earth Drill Star to the Earth Tyrant's room, and at a glance saw the Earth Tyrant lying on the bed, his face ashen pale! Wei Zhao walked over, made a show of examining him, and only then said, "It can be treated!"
"Ah! That is truly wonderful! Then, Senior Lin, when shall we begin the treatment?" The Earth Drill Star was overjoyed.
"Did I ever say I would treat him?" Wei Zhao countered.
"Uh—then what did you come here for...?" The Earth Drill Star was dumbfounded.
"I came only to see whether it could be treated," Wei Zhao said. "But we haven't even discussed the consultation fee yet, and you're already in such a hurry?"
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