Chapter 1119: Old Friends
Chapter 1119: Old Friends
Proofreader: Papatonks
“Now that’s the voice of a girl in her prime, ha-ha-ha…” Zhuo Fan teased.
Qiao’er asked, “Then you’re meeting her, dad?”
“Have you seen me welcoming mortal guests this past hundred years?”
Zhuo Fan shook his head, sighing, “I’m done with trifles. I only want peace in my Sword Shack so that I can understand the paths hidden in the four swords.”
Zhuo Fan got comfortable leaning back in his chair.
Qiao’er was puzzled, “Father, since you want peace and quiet, why not go someplace else? You’ve been known far and wide as the blind swordsmith for decades now and hardly have a few years alone. Now that another came to die, maybe the next years you’ll be plagued by more suicidal fools.”
“Ha-ha, then I’ll continue killing them. I chose this spot so why should I avoid them?” Zhuo Fan disdained, “Qiao’er, drive them off, or just kill them if they insist.”
Qiao’er shouted, “Dad’s not seeing anyone. Beat it!”
“Hey, the villagers were right about the old coot. So cocky to drive us out without even knowing who we are. Humph, I bet hearing our names will give him a fright, ha-ha-ha…”
A youth started making noise outside, rude and brash. But then another voice sounded, colder, “Sister Sifan, shall I go in there and throw the geezer out at your feet for his transgression?”
“They’re dumb as rocks.”
Qiao’er chuckled in disdain, “Dad, we’ve seen enough of their type throughout these decades; prissy, cocky and suicidal. Whatever, I don’t feel like waiting for them to start. Let’s just get this over with.”
Zhuo Fan just lay back in his bamboo chair, quiet.
Qiao’er stepped out, out for blood, to teach these fools who not to mess with, who had real power here.
The girl’s voice turned angry this time around, “Quiet! How can you act like this? The Luo clan is all about honor and righteousness, while the Luo Alliance is a model of compassion in the western lands. It shall never besmirch itself by picking on the weak. Once father hears about this, he’s going to beat all of you to death!”
Zhuo Fan froze and his brow shook.
Qiao’er picked up on his change and halted. Her bloodthirst vanished and waited for his input.
“Sister Sifan, we’re just trying to help. Why so angry? You’ve come here dozens of times with earnest requests yet have been forced to come back sullen as the coot was away. Now that he’s finally here, he’s so stuck up that he won’t even see you, like some ignorant fool!”
“Yeah, sister Sifan, we’re only thinking of the toil you endured on these journeys and only want to help you achieve your wish.” The two pleaded.
Zhuo Fan was stern inside, “So Luo clan’s brats came here; go figure. Is this fate? Ha-ha…”
“Regardless, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s his choice to see us or not. We cannot force him like a bunch of thugs.”
Chiding the two, the girl requested again, “Senior Blind Swordsmith, I am Luo Sifan, coming to you with an earnest plea. Please allow me to meet the generous senior on account of the dozens of fruitful visits.”
Qiao’er stood before the door, waiting on Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan smiled, waving, “Have them enter. I’m quite curious to know how the Luo clan’s descendants turned out.”
“Come in!”
Qiao’er waved and the bamboo door opened while she returned behind Zhuo Fan. After a loud cheer, the three entered the shack.
The first was a chubby guy, of around eighteen of age, with harsh features that twisted in disgust at the base and crude lodgings.
The next was a lanky guy, holding a sword, gilded and gem-encrusted; a noble, no doubt. His angry and patronizing look turned into wonderment as he beheld the racks of dangling swords all over the place. They finally settled on respect as he looked at Zhuo Fan, even giving a bow.
The third and last to come in was a girl, adorable and innocent, with a hint of childishness in her features. Upon noticing Zhuo Fan, she gave a hasty bow, stammering, “S-senior…”
“I’ve overheard your nagging outside and you’re the only one to act humane.” Zhuo Fan smirked, nodding at her.
The chubby guy snapped, “Say that again, geezer!”
The lanky guy’s hand blocked him from trying anything. The girl glared as well, “Shut up or I’m telling your father!”
The chubby guy shrank, docile. Though his eyes spoke of the hatred he had for Zhuo Fan.
[Imbecile, the only reason you’re still breathing after making a scene is because dad knows your seniors.]
Qiao’er gave him a patronizing look. Zhuo Fan ignored him, wanting to know how related they were. If proved negligible, humph…
“Miss, I overheard you saying that you’re from Luo Alliance. The same one in the western lands’ nine sects?”
“Of course, which other is there?”
The chubby spoke from his high horse, “Well, old coot, afraid yet? The Luo Alliance is the head of the nine sects. Even Double Dragon Manor is giving us respect, yet you dare to be so rude to us not to see us? That’s a death, agh…”
The girl glared hard and stomped on his foot, making him squeal, “Quiet! Are you ignoring my warnings?
“Senior, please forgive us. I am Luo Sifan, daughter of Alliance Leader Luo Yunhai. They are my friends. I ask that senior overlook our rudeness.”
The girl cupped her hands again and bowed.
Zhuo Fan gasped and lowered his head in thought.
[Luo Sifan… as in Luo misses Fan?]
“So you’re Luo Alliance’s young miss, then what about those fools?”
“Who are you calling a fool, geezer?” They both barked.
Zhuo Fan said, “You, who else? Why, do you want to hit me?”
“Why, you…” The two were fuming mad, but restrained themselves on account of Luo Sifan. Though they shouted still, “We look nothing like fools!”
“And I look like a geezer?”
“They say you’re an old guy.”
“Then they say you’re fools.”
“Who?”
“Right, who?”
“Villagers!”
“Qiao’er!”
The brats and Zhuo Fan went back and forth, with the two holding the villagers as evidence and Zhuo Fan pointing at Qiao’er for the perfect counter.
[Since they say you’re something, then Qiao’er, as someone else, calling you a fool makes you one.]
The guys gnashed their teeth, faces red. How was using family as witnesses fair? Luo Sifan giggled, looking amused at Zhuo Fan, “S-senior, please don’t bother with them. It’s my first time seeing a senior arguing with a junior.”
“It’s my first time seeing such rude youngsters!”
Zhuo Fan shouted, “Spit it out! What are your names? You’re not going to say the Alliance Head is your dad too, are you?”
“Not exactly.”
[Eh?]
The two spoke in unison, glancing at the blushing Luo Sifan glaring at them. Zhuo Fan blinked and asked, “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you or aren’t… Oh, sorry, my eyes aren’t what they used to be and I didn’t notice.”
Zhuo Fan cleared his voice and said, “A match of equal status, they say. So who do you think you are to give you the right?”
“Humph, you really are blind as a bat, old coot. You wouldn’t have asked about my right if you knew who my dad is!”
The chubby guy stuck out his nose way high in supreme confidence, “Allow me to tell you. I am of Long, Long Jianshan. My father is a Luo Alliance elder, Long Xingyun. My grandfather is one of the seven founding elders of the Luo Alliance…”
“Long Yifei?”
Zhuo Fan finished, “Then you’re from Tianyu’s Veiled Dragon Pavilion?”
The chubby one started at his words, “What nonsense is that? There’s no such thing as Veiled Dragon Pavilion. I’m talking about Luo Alliance’s elder…”
“Long Jianshan, dad said to me once that your Long clan was Veiled Dragon Pavilion before entering the Luo Alliance.” Luo Sifan interjected.
Long Jianshan blinked in confusion, “Really? Why didn’t I know?”
“With the Luo Alliance’s resounding name, all those obscure factions have lost their worth. Ha-ha-ha…” Zhuo Fan shook his head.
The trio looked oddly at him. Who was he, really? These juniors hadn’t known for a century while he knew every detail, including their history.
Zhuo Fan was a complete mystery to them…