“All of you can leave as well.”
After the two sisters left the Rain Admiration Pavilion, the emperor waved his hand.
Bald Vulture, Bai Yuhan and the remaining Imperial Army soldiers bowed and left, leaving only the emperor and Su Zimo in the pavilion.
“Didn’t you have no spirit root and was unable to cultivate?”
“I had some opportunities and unexpected circumstances.”
“Who imparted your abilities to you?”
“I’m a disciple of Ethereal Peak.”
“Ethereal Peak. Good, how rare.”
The emperor nodded.
While Ethereal Peak was one of the five major sects, they had produced almost zero powerhouses in terms of weapon refinement.
If Su Zimo had not admitted it personally, the emperor would not have guessed that the current number one Weapon Refinement Master in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty came from Ethereal Peak!
“Su Zimo, Mo Ling. Fufu.”
The emperor laughed and said in a self-deprecating manner, “To think that someone whom I thought to be useless was actually creating waves and grand achievements right under my nose.”
To be fair, although Su Zimo’s reputation in the capital today was in part due to his own capabilities in weapon refinement, more than half of the credit belonged to the emperor as well!
Su Zimo had truly turned famous only after the emperor’s notice.
At that moment, Mo Spirit Weapon Workshop had trampled True Fire Weapon Workshop beneath its foot entirely.
Furthermore, all the cultivators in the capital knew that Mo Spirit Weapon Workshop was backed by the Emperor of Great Zhou – anyone who dared lay a finger on Mo Ling was challenging the emperor’s authority!
Thereafter, it was also thanks to the emperor’s protection that Su Zimo was able to walk out safe and sound despite killing someone on the streets.
That was the reason why the emperor harbored killing intents towards Su Zimo. Other than the anger he felt due to the embarrassment of finding out the truth, it was also because he felt that he was deceived and made use of.
As the emperor, the immensity of his wrath could be imagined when he discovered that he was being toyed with by someone he thought of as a useless person!
Nevertheless, Su Zimo had saved his two daughters before.
The emperor’s killing intent dissipated gradually and instead, he felt a sense of lament in his heart.
The fact that a young man in his twenties could be so composed in the face of such pressure, and even muster a slight intent to retaliate, was indeed rare.
Apart from his initial prejudice, the emperor admired Su Zimo.
However, the emperor had his worries about that admiration towards Su Zimo.
On the one hand, he was worried whether Su Zimo had motives for getting too close with the two princesses.
On the other hand, he could tell that both Yan’er and Xue’er had feelings for Su Zimo judging from their expressions – how should he make a choice?
There’s no way he could let this lad take the both of them as his Dao companions – how could he enjoy such a privilege?
The emperor asked, “What happened back in Chiyu City? Who were the six people who attacked Yan’er?”
“I don’t know.”
Su Zimo shook his head. “I came across it unintentionally and rescued Demo… Miss Ji back then.”
Since Demoness Ji chose to hide the truth, there was naturally no way Su Zimo was going to reveal it.
Nodding his head, the emperor asked in a seemingly casual manner, “There are no outsiders here. Tell me, what do you feel about Xue’er and Yan’er?”
Su Zimo replied, “The third princess helped both me and the Su family, so I view her as both a benefactor and a bosom friend. As for the little princess… I’m not close with her either. We merely met by chance.”
‘He took one of them as his bosom friend and was unfamiliar with the other?’
The emperor could sense that Su Zimo was indeed telling the truth.
In other words, both his initial considerations were no longer existent.
However, Su Zimo’s attitude caused the emperor to feel somewhat indignant.
His daughters were both gorgeous and elegant. There was no way they were incompatible to Su Zimo, and yet he had no stray feelings towards either of them?
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave, Your Majesty,” Su Zimo cupped his fists.
The emperor pondered for a brief moment before saying slowly, “Nothing is changed regarding the sect competition where I’ve invited you to be the judge for the weapon refinement segment.”
That sentence meant that the emperor no longer had any prejudice towards Su Zimo and had acknowledged all of the latter’s achievements!
Su Zimo nodded before bidding farewell.
Gazing at Su Zimo’s disappearing back view, the emperor smiled gently and lamented, “It’s fortuitous that Ethereal Peak produced someone like that to reclaim a position in terms of weapon refinement. Otherwise, they’re definitely going to be disgraced at the sect competition.”
He paused for a moment before shaking his head and muttering to himself, “However, other than weapon refinement, Ethereal Peak has no means of achieving anything for the other three ranking lists.”
…
“Yan’er, what happened in Chiyu City? Share with me how Zimo managed to save your life.”
Ji Yaoxue asked curiously outside the Rain Admiration Pavilion.
Demoness Ji blinked and surveyed her surroundings before tugging Ji Yaoxue’s hand and tugging the latter to a corner. She made sure that no one was around before whispering, “Sister, I made that up. I don’t know that Young Master Su at all.”
“Huh?” Ji Yaoxue was stunned.
Demoness Ji covered her mouth and chuckled. “I merely came over to help you because I heard that father was enraged. Hehe, to think that father couldn’t tell at all.”
“You!”
Ji Yaoxue tapped Demoness Ji’s fair and delicate forehead before laughing in an exasperated manner. “Father was not the only one. I bought your story too.”
Pausing for a moment, Ji Yaoxue retracted her smile and sighed softly. “However, if you hadn’t appeared, Zimo truly might not have survived.”
“That Su Zimo… he’s the one you fancy?” Demoness Ji blinked her eyes and asked.
Ji Yaoxue blushed slightly and chided softly, “Go away, don’t spout nonsense.”
“Hehe, it must be!”
“You’re asking for a beating, young lady!”
Just as the two of them were bickering, Su Zimo had already exited the Rain Admiration Pavilion and was heading in their direction.
When he approached, he cupped his fists. “Thank you, princesses.”
“Hey, Young Master Su! I’m called Ji Yaoyan! Remember that I’ve done you a favor and you must thank me if there’s a chance!”
After saying that, Demoness Ji gave Su Zimo an alluring smile and winked while Ji Yaoxue was not noticing.
Her smile was as beautiful as a flower and could turn the world upside down!
Her eyes resembled water, as though they could draw one’s soul into them!
Su Zimo closed his eyes hurriedly and took a deep breath of cold air as a burning sensation spread within him.
That was the fiend heir of the Pure Maiden Sect he remembered!
Ji Yaoxue was a little surprised and turned to look at Su Zimo before glancing at Demoness Ji.
By now, Demoness Ji had already returned to normal and that bewitching smile and seductive gaze disappeared in a flash as though everything was an illusion.
Demoness Ji waved and bid goodbye.
Gazing at Demoness Ji’s back view, Ji Yaoxue said to Su Zimo, “You’ve really got to thank Yan’er. She did not know you at all and specially made up a lie to deceive father.”
“Yan’er isn’t experienced in the world and she’s pure and kind. Someone like her doesn’t know how to lie at all. It was really hard on her this time round,” Ji Yaoxue sighed gently once more.
Su Zimo was speechless as he thought to himself, “If that younger sister of yours doesn’t know how to lie and is pure and kind, there would be no honest soul remaining on the face of this world.”
However, Su Zimo could not speak his mind.
After all, he had promised Demoness Ji that he would help her conceal her identity.
Furthermore, judging from the attitudes of Ji Yaoxue and the emperor, even if Su Zimo were to tell them that Demoness Ji was the fiend heir of the Pure Maiden Sect, neither of them would buy the truth at all…
“What does your sister usually do?” Su Zimo asked in a seemingly casual manner.
Ji Yaoyan shook her head. “Yan’er can’t cultivate and has been learning how to do business from Auntie Gu. She’s just all around the place.”
Demoness Ji had cultivated some sort of a technique that could conceal her cultivation realm completely, making her look like a mortal.
However, there was indeed no need for her to dirty her hands personally if she wanted to kill anyone.
She was always making use of others to do it for her!
A single gaze of hers would suffice!