Chapter 97: Senior Brother, I Have a Niece
Pei Lianxue, walking beside Ye Anping, felt a twitch in his eye and momentarily thought he was about to make a move. Without a word, she drew her sword.
However, upon hearing her Senior Brother address the man as “Brother Liang,” she hesitated, unsure if she should attack. “Husband, do you know him?”
“Mmm,” Ye Anping nodded, smiling as he introduced, “Wife, this is Liang Zhu. Years ago, when I was at Xuan Xing Sect, we became sworn brothers.”
A questioning look crossed Pei Lianxue’s face. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she tilted her head, finding her Senior Brother’s words to be more of a joke, yet also not entirely a joke.
Liang Zhu observed her hand gripping the sword, frowned, and exhaled softly, cupping his hand in a salute. “Young Master Ye did mention you before. Up close, Sister-in-law, you are truly extraordinary. Your demeanor is like an immortal, and your Sword Art is so sharp.”
Sister-in-law… Hearing him call her that, Pei Lianxue’s eyes lit up. This title was rather nice… After a moment of hesitation, she looked at Ye Anping and asked, “So… should I attack him?”
“Not for the moment,” Ye Anping replied.
“Oh…”
“For the moment…” Liang Zhu’s mouth twitched slightly. He then sighed and said, “Sixth Brother, I’ll be leaving shortly; I won’t interfere with you.”
“Shortly?” Why shortly? Ye Anping was confused the moment he first saw Liang Zhu. He had thought Liang Zhu would have fled immediately rather than waiting here… Was there a reason?
After a moment of thought, Ye Anping spotted a pavilion beside the pond and invited, “Brother Liang, let’s take a seat for a while and chat. It’s not like we have anything else to do.”
“Chat? After chatting with you, will I still be able to leave?”
“That depends,” Ye Anping said with a slight smile, and he led Pei Lianxue towards the pavilion.
Liang Zhu had initially intended not to follow. He didn’t want to get involved in the affairs of the powerful figure behind Ye Anping. However, seeing Ye Anping’s insistence, he felt a strange sense of unease and followed him.
After they were seated, Ye Anping called out, “Someone, bring some tea and pastries!”
Two or three maids from the Jiang Mansion responded and soon returned from the kitchen with tea and pastries. Ye Anping gestured for Pei Lianxue to eat and then asked, “Brother Liang, did you sell that sword last time?”
“No.”
“Why not? Wouldn’t selling it mean you wouldn’t have to worry about Spirit Stones anymore?”
“Heh heh.” Liang Zhu rolled his eyes. He had a belly full of pent-up frustration when it came to that matter. He had initially believed Ye Anping when he said the sword he’d taken from Xiao Yunluo on the back of Xuan Xing Sect’s mountain was worth ten thousand Spirit Stones. But after investigating Ye Anping’s identity, he immediately found an old Sword Cultivator he knew from the Seven Kill Gate. He learned that the sword was made from a thousand-year-old Mysterious Stone and was worth at least a million Spirit Stones. The news had so terrified him that he buried the old Sword Cultivator on the spot. In these Four Domains, anyone who could forge a sword from a thousand-year-old Mysterious Stone was definitely a figure he couldn’t afford to offend.
Seeing Liang Zhu’s darkening complexion, Ye Anping knew he had touched a sore spot. He quickly changed the subject. “Let’s talk about something else. Brother Liang, what brings you to Du Chun City?”
Liang Zhu’s face grew even darker. “It’s all thanks to you and that influential figure behind you.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“I’ve come here to make a living.”
Ye Anping felt like laughing. He now understood what Liang Zhu had been through these past few months. If he were to use an analogy, it was like Liang Zhu’s “top 500 company” had been ruined by Ye Anping, forcing him to run away and apply for jobs elsewhere. However, due to his past experience, his applications were all rejected. In the end, to survive, he had to settle for a relatively low-ranking position as a “security guard” in a small company. It was truly a waste of his talent. Although Liang Zhu was a Rogue Cultivator, his skills, as demonstrated by the Seven Star Suffocating Spirit Array at Xuan Xing Sect, were not inferior to Late Foundation Establishment disciples of major sects in the Zhou Xing Tian Yu.
“You’re working as a bodyguard for someone? Are you willing to do that?”
Liang Zhu hesitated for a moment before nodding. “…Mmm, it’s a measure of last resort.”
Ye Anping pondered for a moment and said, “Brother Liang, we’re brothers, just tell me the truth.”
“What truth?”
“Are you planning to help Hua Qin Yu control the Dragon Slaying Society, then find an opportunity to eliminate her, and take over as the leader of the Dragon Slaying Society yourself?”
Liang Zhu did not respond, appearing to tacitly admit it. Ye Anping smiled faintly. Although he hadn’t planned for Liang Zhu to be involved in his original scheme, he hadn’t even expected to meet Brother Liang here. But since he had, he had to “take care” of him. Coincidentally, he had now become the Young Master of the Dragon Slaying Society and would need to help deal with its miscellaneous matters. While he could do it himself, hiring someone with some money to handle these trivial matters would allow him more time to explore Du Chun City with Pei Lianxue.
“Brother Liang, since you’re trying to make a living, how about I hire you?”
Liang Zhu smiled and politely replied, “Thank you for your kindness, Sixth Brother, but please allow me to decline.”
“Why?”
Liang Zhu said expressionlessly, “Elder Brother doesn’t have the life to take your Spirit Stones, Sixth Brother.”
“Does Sixth Brother not earn your trust that much?” Liang Zhu tilted his head slightly, raising his left eyebrow high, as if to say: You’re practically my triplet from different parents, and you expect me to trust you?
Ye Anping forced a smile and sighed. “Doesn’t Brother Liang want to know what Sixth Brother is here to do?”
“No.”
“Sixth Brother is here for the Chi Long Convention…”
“I said, no!”
“In two months, the Mountain Master of Chi Long Mountain, Li Feng…”
As Ye Anping continued speaking, Liang Zhu covered his ears with his hands and stood up, preparing to leave.
Seeing his reluctance, Ye Anping stopped talking. After all, forced melons are not sweet.
Just as Liang Zhu took two steps out of the pavilion, a young girl’s voice suddenly called out from above the adjacent courtyard wall. “Godfather!! I’m back!!”
Ye Anping looked up. He saw a girl about twelve or thirteen years old, who mischievously chose to vault over the wall instead of using the gate. Upon seeing Ye Anping in the pavilion, the girl’s eyebrows rose. Without a word, she ran into the pavilion, intending to grab some pastries from the table.
However, Liang Zhu, witnessing her actions, flashed back into the pavilion and grabbed her by the collar, lifting her up. “Hey?! Godfather?!”
“I’ll buy you some when we go to the market later.” With that, Liang Zhu tried to carry the girl away.
Seeing this, Ye Anping paused slightly, then cheerfully chimed in, “You are Brother Liang’s adopted daughter? Brother Liang has mentioned you before. Seeing you now, Niece, you are indeed lively and adorable.”
“…Niece?” The young girl blinked in confusion and asked, “Who are you?”
“I am your Godfather’s Sixth Brother. You should call me Uncle.”
Hearing this, Liang Zhu gritted his teeth, frowning and glaring at Ye Anping. He interrupted, “If you dare to involve her, don’t blame me…”
Ye Anping remained calm, quickly motioning to stop his Junior Sister, who was frowning and about to step forward. “Brother Liang, am I that bad? Sixth Brother just wants to offer a treat.” As he spoke, Ye Anping picked up a piece of Sticky Rice Cake from the table. With a flick of his finger, the cake flew towards the girl Liang Zhu was holding.
Seeing the approaching cake, the girl skillfully twisted her body, breaking free from Liang Zhu’s grasp. Like a dog catching a Frisbee, she jumped up and accurately caught the cake in her mouth.
***
A Note for Leave
Tonight’s update will be delayed. It might be updated tomorrow afternoon or early afternoon. I originally said I wouldn’t ask for a leave, but I forced myself out of bed around four or five in the afternoon and wrote about two thousand characters, but my head is really hurting. Please also pay attention to safety these few days. Being sick is really unbearable, much worse than a normal fever. The author will go get an IV drip at the hospital soon. Everyone, rest early.
—Katena
November 17, 2022, 22:00
