Chapter 385: Genius

"Hmmm..." Xie Lianzhen packed his baggage happily while humming his favorite song.

Who would have expected that he would get to see her so soon? After they parted, he thought it would be years before he ever saw her again, but he was wrong. He received a letter from her recently, telling him to drop by the Nine Jade Palace for a visit. ~Did she get so used to me so she can't live without me anymore? Haha.~

"Young master." Xie Zhanghui called before entering. "Your stuff."

"Just put it there."

Seeing how happy Xie Lianzhen was, Xie Zhanghui couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Young Master, have you informed the queen about you leaving for a trip to the Nine Jade Palace?"

"You haven't told her?" Xie Lianzhen turned around as his jaws dropped.

"Erm, no?" Xie Zhanghui blinked in confusion. "Didn't young master say that I'm only supposed to obey you...."

This made Xie Zhanghui smile in gratification and pat his shoulder. "Indeed the best guardian. Inform the queen later, I won't blame you for informing her late."

"When are you leaving, though?"

"Right now."

"..."

Xie Zhanghui forced down his urge to facepalm. "Is there any difference in letting the queen find out when you leave?"

"Timing isn't that important. She'll agree anyway, so why bother."

~Oh, of course!~Xie Zhanghui grit his teeth. ~Because you aren't the one left to face the queen alone after the culprit gets away! Oh lord, please have mercy on me, let the queen be in a good mood!~

"What about our clan if you leave now?"

"What about it?" Xie Lianzhen didn't even look up, totally unconcerned about whatever Xie Zhanghui brought up.

Xie Zhanghui took a deep breath to calm himself down. He plastered a smile on his face and tried to hide his irritation. "My dear young master, you are the one who said that you wanted to teach the seventh clan a lesson because they looked down on us. You are also the one who wanted to have some fun with the bookworms from the fourth clan. And seven days ago, you said that you would teach the brainless bitches from the sixth clan a lesson. Five days ago, you said that seeing the money faces from the third clan disgusted you, so you were going to steal their offerings for fun. Yesterday, you said you wanted to give the arrogant kids from the second clan a lesson because they were too arrogant. You haven't "punished" the second clan, yet you are leaving already."

"Hey, this is way more important than the idiots from the second clan." Xie Lianzhen shurgged. "Close an eye here and there, and your life will be easier."

"What on earth...." Xie Zhanghui stared at him in disbelief. "Then what about our disciples? You have offended four of the six clans, did you realize?"

~Oh god. If not for your "best" influence, why would our disciples follow you, going around to find trouble with the other clans? But now, at the crucial point, you decide to just leave because the Nine Jade Palace sent you a letter! Just one letter!~

Xie Zhanghui gritted his teeth. ~Surely the best young master, love over anything else! He is mad! And extremely biased!~

But Xie Lianzhen paid no heed as he continued to pack his bag. After he finished, he looked up to see Xie Zhanghui staring blankly, face full of worry. Xie Lianzhen sighed and patted his back. "Relax. They will be so happy celebrating my leaving that they won't remember to seek revenge."

"Oh?" Xie Zhanghui side-eyed him.

"Duh." Xie Lianzhen wiggled his eyebrows. "Everything we did was minor, so it would be taken as a childish game between the younger generations. If the other star lords were to find trouble just for that, it wouldn't look good on them either."

"Oh?"

"Secondly, I am sure that senior uncle Fu is on our side." Xie Lianzhen smiled.

Xie Zhanghui raised an eyebrow.

The seventh truth platform didn't have any sect leader. But as the clan leader of the first clan, he certainly held a superior position compared to the other six-star lords. Anything that wasn't serious enough to be brought up to the queen would be dealt with by him.

"Why is that so?"

"How old is senior uncle Fu now?"

"Around seventy.....I guess?"

"Senior Uncle Fu is older than the other star lords. Seventy and above. It will soon be his time to retire and go into seclusion to break through to the assimilation realm. Senior brother Wei is now around thirty-five too. He is the strongest in our generation, having fulfilled all the requirements. His cultivation, ability, experience, and more are all-sufficient; it will likely soon be his turn to take over soon."

"So what does this have to do with him being on our side?"

"Oh my god...." Xie Lianzhen stared at him as if he was an idiot, making Xie Zhanghui break into a cold sweat as he tried to understand Xie Lianzhen's point.

Luckily, Xie Lianzhen didn't tease him. Xie Lianzhen clapped his hands and continued his story. "Senior uncle Fu will be preparing an easy path for senior brother Wei so he can take over smoothly. If he moved against me, think about what the queen would do.....it's a suicidal move, no?"

Xie Zhanghui gulped on hearing what his young master said so confidently. He knew he was cunning, but he never expected Xie Lianzhen to be so cunning.

"And I am not going overboard either! Why not just close an eye so that senior brother Wei can take over happily?"

~What the fuck. I'm speechless.~

"So be at ease. Your young master isn't that bad to leave you with absolutely nothing. How am I an Alioth star-lord if I did so?"

"Young master is indeed smart." Xie Zhanghui gritted his teeth.

"Of course. I'm your young master." With that being said, Xie Lianzhen took out a stack of books and placed them in front of Xie Zhanghui. "Here."

"What's this?" Xie Zhanghui took out a book and flipped through it.

"Plans for our clan for the next five years."

"What on earth.....When did you do this!" Xie Zhanghui looked at him in utter shock.

"It's not a big deal." Xie Lianzhen waved his hands. "You are trustworthy and reliable, but you lack planning skills. I'm afraid you will die of work within the next six years if I plan to stay longer, so this is for you. Do whatever it says and keep a diary. I will check on it when I return."

"Wow, okay...." Xie Zhanghui heaved a sigh of relief.

Xie Lianzhen then threw another book at him.

"Huh? What's this?" ~Oh lord, I'm not a robot! How am I going to handle so much work!~

"A reward for you for being the best guardian these past few years."

"Reward?" Xie Zhanghui raised an eyebrow and laughed. ~Since when were you so nice?~

He then flipped open the book and started reading it.

When he finished, he looked up at Xie Lianzhen, almost unable to speak properly. "Is this ...really for me?"

Xie Zhanghui couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Oh my god, look at you." Xie Lianzhen smacked his head. "Why would I give you things not up to my standard?"

"I'll practice this well, thank you, Young Master." Xie Zhanghui hugged the book tightly and thanked Xie Lianzhen profusely.

But this still wasn't all. Xie Lianzhen took out two bottles of pills and threw them at him. "Here. There's a hundred inside. Take one every three days and make sure to breakthrough before you finish, or I'll skin you alive."

One every three days, which was equivalent to ten per month, and one hundred for ten months. ~Break through in ten months? You're kidding!"

It wasn't that Xie Zhanghui wasn't capable. But the thought of breaking through in such a short time made his legs shake and breaking through signifies that he'd be Xie Lianzhen and Wei Chunqiu's competition. ~Yikes.~

Xie Lianzhen picked up his bags and kept his mustard pouch carefully. He went to the mirror to check himself out again before leaving.

"Remember my words. See you soon."

He waved his sleeves and followed the path made of starlight. Soon, he was nowhere to be seen.