Gu Rong: We Should Have Killed Him Back Then

On the sixth night, above Heaven Dou City.

Thick Dark Clouds churned like ink, hanging low over the city as though they were within reach.

Blinding lightning danced like frenzied silver serpents, tearing through the darkness and illuminating the land in an instant, followed by deafening thunder that seemed capable of splitting the heavens!

Gales swept up dust and fallen leaves from the ground. A long-brewing, mighty thunderstorm had finally arrived.

Zhao Linchuan stood by the inn room's window, watching the apocalyptic scene outside with a gleam in his eyes. "What a thunderstorm!"

"With such force, it can easily last a day or two."

"Heaven truly favors me!"

He turned and called out, "Waiter!"

"Coming! Sir, what can I do for you?" The inn waiter hurried in, his face covered in smiles.

Zhao Linchuan looked at him with a gentle smile. "Erzi, after working yourself to the bone all year, how many Gold Soul Coins can you save?"

Rubbing his hands, the waiter gave an embarrassed dry laugh. "Hehe, sir, people in our line of work just barely scrape by."

"If I can save one Gold Soul Coin in a whole year, that's already pretty good."

"I have a job for you." Zhao Linchuan took out a sealed dossier and a letter. "If you get it done..." He held a Black Card glowing faintly between his fingers and waved it before the waiter's eyes. "The ten thousand Gold Soul Coins in here will be yours."

"Sir!!" The waiter's eyes instantly went wide, and his breathing quickened. Ten thousand Gold Soul Coins!

That was a fortune he would not even dare dream of!

He dropped to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling with excitement. "Just give the order, sir!"

"Even if I have to climb mountains of blades or plunge into seas of fire, I won't so much as frown!"

"It's not that serious." Zhao Linchuan helped him up, stuffed the dossier and letter into his hands, then took out a small but heavy pouch containing a full hundred Gold Soul Coins. "You only need to deliver this dossier and letter to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at noon tomorrow."

"When the time comes, just say this..."

"Once it is done, someone will naturally give you the rest of the Gold Soul Coins."

"Sir! Rest assured!" The waiter gripped the dossier, letter, and money pouch tightly, as though they were his very life. His eyes were filled with the resolve to risk everything. "Even if it costs me my life, I'll get it done perfectly!"

"Go on." Zhao Linchuan waved him away.

"Yes! Please rest, sir!" The waiter carefully backed out, gently closed the door, and swiftly vanished into the dim corridor.

The next morning, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Seven Treasure Grand Hall.

The Dark Clouds remained heavy, pressing the sky extremely low.

Pale lightning occasionally tore through the Clouds, while dull thunder rolled over Heaven Dou City, bringing an oppressive atmosphere.

Ning Fengzhi sat in the Sect Master's Main seat, leisurely sipping fragrant tea, with a trace of barely perceptible weariness between his brows.

Chen Xin sat with his eyes closed, resting as calmly as an old monk in meditation, his aura deep and still.

Gu Rong strode into the hall, his expression as gloomy as the weather outside. He heavily slapped a report onto the table before Ning Fengzhi.

"Fengzhi! That brat Zhao Linchuan is almost certainly planning to join Spirit Hall!" Gu Rong's voice carried suppressed fury.

"Look! He's gotten awfully close with that little Saintess from Spirit Hall. They're practically inseparable!"

"The people we sent to 'invite' him failed before. It was almost certainly that little girl's doing!"

Ning Fengzhi picked up the report and glanced through it. When he saw the words, "Zhao Linchuan defeated Spirit Hall Saintess Bibi Dong in one move," his pupils suddenly contracted, and even the hand holding his teacup paused slightly.

"One move... and he defeated Spirit Hall's Saintess?" Intense regret surged into his heart.

"What did you expect?" Gu Rong snorted, the killing intent in his eyes growing stronger. "A thousand-year first ring! A ten-thousand-year third ring!"

"I've lived all these years, and this is the first time I've seen such a freakish genius!"

"Back outside Litangding Town, we should have killed him at any cost!"

"To eliminate future trouble!"

"No matter which side such a monster joins, it would be like raising a tiger to invite disaster!" He felt incomparably vexed over his earlier appreciation for talent and hesitation.

Ning Fengzhi set down the report, the bitterness in his heart deepening.

When he had first received intelligence on Zhao Linchuan, he had still intended to recruit him and thought there was no need to rush.

Now, it seemed that one step late meant every step late!

If he had set aside his status and personally gone to invite him then, perhaps... He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, knowing that regret was useless now.

What worried him even more was that if Zhao Linchuan had learned that Gu Rong had secretly sent people to threaten and even assassinate him, then joined Spirit Hall... that would pose an enormous threat to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Just then, a guard stationed at the mountain gate ran through the rain to the entrance of the Seven Treasure Grand Hall, drenched from head to toe and panting as he reported.

"Sect Master! Someone has arrived outside the mountain gate. He claims... claims to be the person you've been yearning for, and demands to see you!"

Ning Fengzhi frowned. "Yearning for? Did he reveal his identity?"

Still gasping for breath, the guard answered, "He said... he said his name was Zhao Linchuan!"

"Zhao Linchuan?!" Ning Fengzhi abruptly rose from his seat. The gloom on his face instantly vanished, replaced by incredulous delight. "Quick! Invite him in! No, I'll go greet him personally!"

A twist of fate?

He had actually come to their door on his own!

"No need to invite me, Sect Master Ning. Zhao is already here." A clear voice rang out with a hint of teasing.

Azure Light flickered, and Zhao Linchuan's figure appeared silently in the center of the Seven Treasure Grand Hall like a Ghost Charm.

He casually shook off rainwater that was not actually on him. His movement seemed to bump against something hard, producing two faint clinking sounds.

Gu Rong narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze scraping over Zhao Linchuan like blades. He made no effort to conceal the hostility and scrutiny in his eyes, as though silently questioning his insolence.

Chen Xin also slightly opened his eyes, glanced at him, and let out an almost inaudible cold snort before closing his eyes again.

"Someone! Bring tea! The finest tea!" Ning Fengzhi suppressed his excitement, his face full of warm smiles. "Young friend, please sit! Take the seat of honor!"

He pointed to the guest seat second only to the Main seat, calculating that he had to seize this opportunity no matter what!

Yet Zhao Linchuan seemed not to hear him. His gaze swept over the hall, but his steps did not stop. He walked straight toward the Sect Master's Main seat where Ning Fengzhi had just been sitting.

Under Gu Rong's suddenly dangerous gaze and Chen Xin's sharp eyes reopening once more, he brazenly dropped into it!

"Brat! How dare you!" Gu Rong flew into a rage and stepped forward. A powerful Soul Power Fluctuation instantly filled the hall!

As the sect's guardian Douluo, both he and Chen Xin held exalted status, yet neither of them had ever sat in that position representing the Sect Master's authority!

And this brat dared to be so arrogant!

"It's fine! It's fine!" The smile on Ning Fengzhi's face stiffened for a moment, but he immediately returned to normal.