The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 458: Parting

“Is what dad just said… true?” Gu Santong stared Shadow King dead in the eye.

Shadow King would never admit it in his life, or second life, choosing instead to fall back to nitpicking, “Those are just random guesses and lies. There’s no way he knows what happened all those years ago.”

“Right, I don’t, and all I said were mere speculations. But even so, it does feel true, doesn’t it? Especially the part you blurted out!” Zhuo Fan grinned.

Gu Santong asked Shadow King, “How ‘did’ you know about my godfather’s character?”

“Everything in this world belongs to the emperor. Of course we knew everything about you. Is it that odd?” Forcing the calm to stay, Shadow King preached.

Zhuo Fan grinned, “Senior Sage, what a perfect memory you have. Let’s forget for a moment the relationship he had with young Sanzi, when his godfather was but a simple scholar. Yet you had the perfect mind to remember his character from three hundred years ago. I didn’t think you cared, ha-ha-ha…”

Shadow King clenched his fists. Zhuo Fan didn’t even have an iota of proof but his every question was perfect, jabbing right where it hurt.

He might as well have said, ‘experts like him who took commoners like ants would mind some nobody?’ To say nothing of remembering their character three hundred years later.

Were peak experts nowadays that bored? Who the hell would want such pain?

The only plausible explanation was the meticulous planning involved in weakening the seven houses.

How could the head Divine Dragon of that time ever forget such a critical operation?

Shadow King took a deep breath. Gu Santong understood it all and the hurting began.

That meant his godfather was only following orders, his care for him was fake.

The only person he trusted in those three hundred years was planted behind smoke and mirrors. He was, for all intents and purposes, alone.

“Ah!”

Gu Santong roared his grief at the heavens.

Zhuo Fan sighed, feeling sorry for the kid.

He never wanted to look into what happened back then and would rather think of another way to break the vow. But Shadow King just had to hang the promise over Gu Santong’s head. 

So what if Gu Santong had to defend the imperial family? He could just replace them as long as Gu Santong didn’t interfere.

But now, as the mist scattered and the truth came to light, young Sanzi had lost his most cherished moments. As his second godfather, Zhuo Fan felt his pain. 

It began with using Gu Santong for his own schemes, but the kid had grown on him. 

Watching his own son in pain would bring any father grief.

“Gu Santong, your godfather was one of us. He was loyal to the crown, to the imperial family and died with no regrets. As his godson, you should follow his footsteps and defend the nat-“

“Enough!”

Shadow King tried to use the truth this time to switch Gu Santong around, but the kid was too enraged, “Liars, you are all liars!”

Shadow King cried inside. Gu Santong’s fire burned hotter and hotter and he might explode any second.

He had assessed Gu Santong’s strength over the centuries.

Even with feeding him junk food, no one could beat him. Once a fight broke out, the trio would be left for dead.

Three grand peak Radiant Stage experts fighting a mere 3rd layer of Radiant Stage child looked more like mice scurrying away.

“You lied to me, for three whole centuries!”

Thump~

Gu Santong stomped his way toward them, leaving behind burning imprints.

The three gulped in fright.

The flames came from the burning of Yuan Qi. But any cultivator worth his salt could do that.

While the kid’s Yuan Qi flame still burned way outside his body.

It proved that his Yuan Qi was of incredibly high concentration.

They wrote Gu Santong off as a muscle bound thug, only to find the kid’s Yuan Qi a monster in its own right.

It only makes Gu Santong more ferocious and deadly.

The trio’s hearts sank with every step forward.

“Young Sanzi, the world is filled with false truths and covered truths, with the genuine article hidden in the middle. Those events three centuries ago may be lies, but that does not mean your godfather didn’t care for you. Humans aren’t like plants, especially those weak cultivators. Who is to say the long days spent around you didn’t evoke genuine feelings of fatherhood?”

Zhuo Fan spoke as Gu Santong’s aura stifled the trio in his approach.

Gu Santong halted, turning back puzzled, “Dad, you mean… godfather treated me like a real son?” 

“It should be, since that’s how the devious and demonic me treats you. How couldn’t that mortal feel love just the same? If he hadn’t, then it would make my demonic path a waste to not even compare to a mortal’s, ha-ha-ha…” Zhuo Fan nodded.

Gu Santong was taken back to those memories and his power surge ebbed.

Zhuo Fan turned to the trio with a shout, “You three listen up and listen well. I and young Sanzi will let this go, putting this matter to a rest. You don’t mention this again and we won’t look to settle the debt of cheating young Sanzi either. But from this point on, young Sanzi and you have no ties. He is a Divine Dragon no longer, and neither your national guardian. Am I clear?”

Gu Santong looked from Zhuo Fan to the three.

Shadow King frowned, totally not wanting it to be clear. But Gu Santong could jump them at any time. Did he have the luxury to argue past promises? 

Keeping his life was already godsent.

[Sending Gu Santong to Zhuo Fan’s side is the biggest loss yet!]

Shadow King lamented inside and nodded, “Fine, the oath is now lifted. We will meet again!”

Shadow King flew away, with Sima Hui right behind. Only Fang Qiubai was still out of it, “Zhuo Fan, with your style, shouldn’t you take this chance to rob our lives for your interest? Why…”

“Humph, you think I’m the type to let you go out of the goodness of my heart? Ha-ha-ha, I’m doing it for young Sanzi!” Zhuo Fan mocked.

Fang Qiubai turned a lost look to Gu Santong, then exclaimed.

Gu Santong was in the worst pain of his life, on the brink of sinking into hatred and revenge. Even after wiping the floor with them, he’d still be consumed by it, the grief becoming a dangerous threat to his cultivation.

It would halt his progress for all his life, bringing nothing but more pain and suffering.

But through Zhuo Fan’s speech, he released the kid from his oath, bringing closure to that ill affair and opening the way to the future.

Fang Qiubai smiled, “Great Steward Zhuo, isn’t it easier to control those hellbent on revenge? Yet a great mind like you missed such a prime opportunity. Ha-ha-ha, I find that you’re a savage only with the rest of the world, while quite considerate to your people.”

“And? What’s that got to do with you?” Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow.

Fang Qiubai shook his head, “Nothing whatsoever. But do not forget your brotherhood with the third prince. If he doesn’t live up to it, you don’t have to either. You can see from how he is that he has never been unworthy to you. While you… ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan cursed inside.

[Gods blasted son of a…] He got young Sanzi’s chains off, but he forgot about them.

What the hell was wrong with him? Tying the knot with the tubby, [I gotta fight the imperial family yet I can’t do anything to him!]

[Oh, right, I was still weak back then and was looking for a shoulder to lean on.]

He found the reason quite fast and scratched his nose.

Fang Qiubai smiled, “Zhuo Fan, I finally know how you treat others. Rest easy, the third prince will never go against you. And a word of advice, His Majesty’s plan is meticulous. The entire scene is under his complete control. Be careful.

“Oh, you’re a Divine Dragon, yet also…” Zhuo Fan gave a smile.

The two’s hearts were in sync. Fang Qiubai continued, “Young Sanzi, our time together hasn’t been pleasant but I am really happy for you. You’re lucky to have Zhuo Fan. He cares the most about his people, ha-ha-ha…”

Fang Qiubai left after saying that.

Gu Santong blinked and turned to Zhuo Fan with a brilliant smile. Zhuo Fan patted his head.

The two’s relationship grew stronger. Gu Santong even thought that Zhuo Fan was greater than his first godfather…