The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 1198: Gambling Town

Proofreader: Papatonks

Drip~

The downpour had soaked the land, washing away the blood and filth, leaving no trace behind of the atrocity that happened, while giving the air an earthy scent.

In a damp cave, with water dripping from the stalagmites, the girl laying on a stone bed muttered as she woke up, “W-where am I…”

“Oh, Qingcheng, awake yet?”

Zhuo Fan lit up, chuckling, “I can’t believe how I ended up saving you in the end. Shouldn’t you pledge endless devotion now? Ha-ha-ha…”

[You saved me?]

Chu Qingcheng was confused, trying to recall the fuzzy details. Then it all came to her in a flash, looking at Zhuo Fan with suspicion, “How did you save me? They had an Emperor and many Spirit Kings!”

“Emperor, Spirit Kings?”

Zhuo Fan shrugged, putting on a clueless look, “I didn’t see any. Didn’t you just leave me behind? As I tried catching up with you on the ground, I saw you lying unconscious. So I carried you here to nurse you. I never got to see anything.”

Chu Qingcheng’s eyes grew hazy, “Strange, they were so ruthless, clearly wanting to kill me. I still remember that foot about to crush my head before I lost consciousness. Did they just let me go after finding I don’t have it?”

Chu Qingcheng turned to Zhuo Fan, as if in question.

Zhuo Fan shrugged, smiling cluelessly.

Chu Qingcheng thought long and hard but still couldn’t find an explanation. So she resigned to being fortunate to have come out alive. Now she just had to catch up to her senior sisters.

“Ah!”

She just got up to her feet when she felt her waist in pain before slumping back down.

Zhuo Fan jumped to help her, “What is it? Take it slow, Qingcheng.”

“I have some bad wounds and can’t move very well.”

Chu Qingcheng winced and took a red pill from her ring. She ate it and sighed, “Now It’ll be a miracle if I get to Mist City on time, let alone catching up with the others.”

Zhuo Fan smiled, his mind calculative, “Did you forget about me already? Last time you carried me so now I’ll carry you!”

“You?”

“Yep. With you unable to fly, my running has to be way better than being stuck here, right?”

Chu Qingcheng yelped as he up and put her on his back, taking a long whiff of her scent while plastering a smile on his face, “Oh, my wife’s smell is so unlike everyone else’s. I’ll be sure to engrave it in my memory, to hold it close to the end of days.”

Bam!

Chu Qingcheng smacked his head, blushing hard and chiding, “Cut that out! I-I’m not your wife…” 

“Yes you are.”

“Miscreant!”

“Maybe not now, but you soon will be. You can never escape from me, he-he-he…” Zhuo Fan held onto Chu Qingcheng’s supple legs and lifted, eliciting another pleasant yelp from her before he started walking. 

Chu Qingcheng glared at this rotten man, but for some reason, her heart just wouldn’t match her thoughts. His wide back called to her to just rest on it.

As a strong girl, she, of course, pushed through the thought with sheer determination, despite her heart’s constant hammering in her chest. 

Zhuo Fan carried his darling, asking about her life till now.

“Qingcheng, who gave you that name anyway? It sounds so nice, like those kingdom toppling beauties. Is father-in-law a Chu?”

“Stop that nonsense!”

Chu Qingcheng blushed again, but she replied still, “Master named me when she picked me up. I heard that the ground collapsed just as master passed by, revealing these characters, thus taking me and naming me after them.” 

“Oh, I see.”

Zhuo Fan nodded.

[That old man from my soul was very thoughtful for me. To make sure I found Qingcheng, he left clues of her birth, but…]

“And your parents? Didn’t your master find your parents?”

Chu Qingcheng lowered her head, sighing, “Master said I don’t have any, that she only found me alone. I always wanted to go out and find where I came from when I left the sect.”

“Any idea where to begin?”

“None.”

Chu Qingcheng shook her head. Zhuo Fan’s eyes shone, his mind making the right adjustments to the plan, “Then leave it to me. I will make it clear as day!”

“You?”

“You don’t believe I can do it?” Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, smiling, “I’ve been roaming the world for so many years, and where I lack in strength, I made up with knowledge in spades. They don’t call me an information broker for nothing. There’s not an obscure rumor or far-fetched myth I didn’t hear. The Demonic Emperor’s high treachery or the Enchanting Empress’s twisted love life throughout the ages, I know everything…” 

Pa!

His head snapped to the side from the blow as Chu Qingcheng yelled at him, “Don’t you dare vilify my master!”

“Why would I even want to? While the crone is hardly amazing now, back in the day…”

“You’re still saying that?”

“Fine, fine, I’ll stop. It’s not like we all haven’t been rash and reckless in our youth.” Zhuo Fan smirked, feeling gloomy inside. 

[What’s so great about that biddy anyway? Something’s definitely off here, just taking Qingcheng to the sect and raising her. I’d better get those guys to look into what went on a century ago…]

Zhuo Fan walked on, his mind on different matters. Chu Qingcheng saw him silent and asked, “Are you angry?” 

“Oh, not at all. I could never be angry at you.” Zhuo Fan beamed.

Chu Qingcheng brightened and her heart swooned. In her joy, her head leaned on his back, at peace and happy.

Zhuo Fan caught her look and was just as content.

Zhuo Fan walked with Chu Qingcheng on his back for seven days before she finally got better. She could pretty much walk on her own and be off on her merry way, but these short days had worked to get the destined couple to grow much closer, as well as Zhuo Fan’s persistent demand to guide her.

Chu Qingcheng thus let him do what he wanted, with some reluctance.

She ended up carrying him as they flew, reaching the gates of Mist City three months later.

The two entered the bustling city hand in hand. Everything drew Chu Qingcheng’s eyes, amazed at any sparkling or cute thing, being her first time outside the sect. Zhuo Fan acted natural, except for that eerie light in his eyes.

“Qingcheng, Mist City is known as gambling town in Sacred Domain, with a gambling game at every corner of every street. In the city center, the Treasure Hoarding Palace took the best spot of all gambling dens. The treasure deal you are all here for has to be held there.” 

“This is a gambling town? Isn’t it Seven Treasures Sect’s domain, where deals are made?” 

“It is, but the Sect Leader is a renowned gambler, dubbed the Gambling Emperor, making the deals made here resemble gambling. When conducting business with him, you either lose, or he loses. There’s no such thing as mutual satisfaction.”

“What?”

Chu Qingcheng gasped, “No fairness? Who on earth would bet with him for anything then? As one of the Eight Emperors, who’d win against him?”

Zhuo Fan smiled, “A true gambler knows when to accept a loss. Or there would never be anyone willing to risk gambling against such a man if there’s not a chance of winning. A gambler would be down without a buddy to gamble with. That’s why the Gambling Emperor is only letting luck decide. Regardless of the loss, he’ll never go back on it. This is the rule of all gambling. The moment he breaks it, no one will ever come to his town ever again.” 

Chu Qingcheng nodded and then her eyes shone, “Zhuo Fan, have you ever bet against him? Ha-ha-ha, nah, it can’t be. Why would he bet against someone like you? And you don’t look to be having anything worth his time either.”

“Oh, I did bet.”

Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed, “I offered a heaven grade cultivation method for his heaven grade martial art and won in the end. He ended up crying three whole days before he finally gave me the martial art.”

Chu Qingcheng gave him a long look.

[A Bone Tempering cultivator with a heaven grade cultivation method betting for a heaven grade martial art? If you’re going to boast, make it believable…]

Reading her like a book, Zhuo Fan held her gaze before finally chuckling, “Qingcheng, can’t believe you fell for it. Without me around, I fear someone’s going to cheat you out of your spirit stones, ha-ha-ha…”

“Y-you tricked me!”

Chu Qingcheng gaped, then started chasing Zhuo Fan around. He played along, enjoying the rare moment.

“Qingcheng, what are you doing?”