The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 859: Relative Invasion

Proofreader: Papatonks

“Dad, I want this, and that. Oh, this as well…”

In the noisy street, the trio strolled through the shops, like one big happy family. Gu Santong, like any child, would jump around at anything that caught his attention, which was everything.

Zhuo Fan spoiled him like a true rich guy, forking out spirit stones without a twitch, and throwing them to the shopkeeper with an attitude, “I’ll take it all, ha-ha-ha…”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you…” The shopkeepers were overjoyed seeing their profit soar.

Gu Santong was having the time of his life with this new batch of toys. The two’s happiness was infectious, as it finally got through the girl, making her smile.

“Candy figurines! Come and enjoy candy figurines!”

The shouts had Gu Santong turn around with sparkling eyes as he saw an old man and his stall, “Dad, what is that?”

“All looks and no substance. You can just ignore it.” Zhuo Fan spoke. 

But the sweets were all that were reflecting in Gu Santong’s childish eyes. 

The girl lit up and smiled, “Young Sanzi, I’ll buy you some, alright?”

Gu Santong grumbled, then looked at Zhuo Fan for permission.

“Ha-ha-ha, the girl’s a freeloader so getting something out of her is natural.”

Zhuo Fan scratched his nose and teased, “Young Sanzi, go all out and get what you want. Fleece her down to the last stone!”

Gu Santong bobbed his head in glee, then looked around for his targets, wanting not just the candy but heaps of other stuff. He showed a brilliant smile, extending his cute hand at the girl.

The girl’s face twitched and glared at Zhuo Fan, “I just knew you’re a bad influence on the child.”

“You’re not buying? You liar!”

Zhuo Fan twisted his head away, grinning inside. Gu Santong pouted and complained.

The kid sure knew how to use his adorable puppy eyes to melt her resistance.

And so she nodded with a smile, “Don’t worry, young Sanzi, I’ll buy it all, ha-ha-ha…”

She went to the candy seller but not before glaring at Zhuo Fan and making faces. It was hard to tell if she was being cute like Gu Santong or plain angry.

Zhuo Fan held Gu Santong’s hand as they looked around, enjoying themselves…

“How much for a candy…”

Whoosh~

But then a shadow fell on her, holding her mouth and taking her away. 

He took but a second to vanish from the crowd. Not even the people near noticed a thing.

The seller looked ahead curiously, “Didn’t someone call me just now? Am I hearing things? Strange…”

The seller got over it fast, returning to shouting his wares.

Wu~

In a dark and desolate corner, the girl struggled in fear under the attacker’s hand.

But the hand clamped down like an iron vice, not letting a sound escape.

She panicked, wanting to unleash her power to break free.

There was no point playing now, not when the attacker had to be from the Flying Cloud manor.

“Yan’er, it’s me!”

The attacker spoke hastily before she did anything rash.

Halting, the girl stopped her resistance at the voice. She instead turned a shocked look at the handsome guy that just let her go.

“You’re alive, cousin!”

…

The father and son were enjoying themselves, but when they looked back, they found the girl gone.

“Where’s the girl gone to?”

Gu Santong asked Zhuo Fan, “Did we scare her off from asking for so many things from her?”

Pff!

Zhuo Fan staggered and shook his head, “All those things you asked for are barely a few spirit stones, not to mention she’s someone important in the eastern lands with her high cultivation. Scaring her off? And where would she be staying if she did?”

“Oh right, the past ten days were spent homeless and in suffering. She doesn’t have the nerve to wander around town alone.” Gu Santong pondered, then cried, “Did the guards take her?”

Zhuo Fan shook his head, “Flying Cloud manor is the leader here. Why would they resort to subterfuge when they could just waltz in and grab her? And she came from our place too. If they got her, we’d be in for it as well.”

“That’s…”

“I bet this is the hand of her friends.”

Zhuo Fan smiled at Gu Santong’s lost look, “With her walking in broad daylight all casual, her friends must be stunned and wanted to take her for answers.”

Gu Santong showed a vague smile, “Dad, this time, we hooked a big fish.”

“Yeah, but that will put an end to our vacation.”

Zhuo Fan smiled, “Young Sanzi, this may be our last day having fun, so let’s make the most of it. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”

“I heard there’s a street packed with food stalls a hundred miles east of the town. Let’s go eat our fill!”

“Brat, you only think with your stomach…”

“Food first and then the rest, he-he-he…”

Zhuo Fan and his son walked to their target, having everything under control, enjoying their last day of leisure.

Only in the dead of night, with the moon high above them, did they return home. But what welcomed them was a hand grabbing each of their mouths.

The door was quickly closed and the Soul Harmony experts took them into the house. 

Gu Santong tensed in shock, about to fight back, but Zhuo Fan looked at him to calm down. The two only put a token of resistance as they got taken.

Though they had to do their acting to perfection, trying their best to scream, looking red from their efforts.

Finally, the two were taken to the parlor, where two overbearing experts sat.

A middle-aged man took the main seat, with grizzled temples, and sporting a genial face. He was a Genesis Stage expert.

Zhuo Fan knew then and there he hooked a big one.

The two men saw the owners of the house were here and struggling, he shouted, “Make one peep and you’re dead!”

Zhuo Fan shuddered in fake fear, nodding his head.

“We’re the guests here. That’s now way to treat a host. And there’s a child present as well.”

The middle-aged man frowned and waved his hand, “Release them. Is this how the name we nurtured for ten thousand years is going to be ruined?”

“Yes, Clan Head!”

The two bowed and withdrew, leaving Zhuo Fan and his son.

The middle-aged man smiled, but Zhuo Fan cried out in panic first, “Sirs, you got the wrong guy. I just came from the distant western lands. I don’t even know the former owner of this place. Don’t take your revenge on me, I’m innocent!”

“Ha-ha-ha, little brother, you misunderstand. We didn’t come for revenge…” The middle-aged man smiled.

Zhuo Fan shouted again, “Did you come to rob then? Oh god, I heard Flying Cloud City’s security was solid. How did it come to this?”

The middle-aged man’s face twitched.

[Robbery? Revenge would be better!]

“Little brother, listen to me, we…”

“Big brother, sir, you can see that I’m a meager Radiant Stage cultivator, not worth anything in Flying Cloud City. I only have my son with me and nothing of value to you. I know I bought a former Flying Cloud manor guard’s house but I’m not rich. I’m actually dirt poor…”

Zhuo Fan kept cutting the man’s explanation, crying and whining…