Chapter 1098: Backlash
Proofreader: Papatonks
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, a mere precaution.”
Zhuo Fan had an evil grin, “I believe without a doubt that senior wants me dead while eager to help young Sanzi. The human heart, a complex concept, appears similar in some aspects to senior’s actions. As such, I am unable to confirm whether senior would keep his word or not, contradicting himself once more. While I’m most sure that people won’t readily give up their lives out of stubbornness. We all know that the true winner is the one living. You kill me then die yourself from a tantrum? What’s the point? Ha-ha-ha…”
Sea Ao stared hard, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng with bloodthirst, “Fine, now can I get on with it? Are you that willing to give your life for the young Qilin?”
“He’s my son. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do!” Zhuo Fan showed a bright smile.
Sea Ao’s brow shook and the claw resumed its savage descent, “Great, now die, human!”
Whoosh~
The thick bloodl.u.s.t bore heavy on Zhuo Fan’s shoulder.
“Father!” Qiao’er cried out, holding the Thunder Ring tight. Her body was shaking all over and her heart was ready to break.
Her father was about to die for young Sanzi’s sake.
Hu~
Zhuo Fan sat with his back straight at the coming winds, his eyes crystal clear.
The palm halted at the very end for some reason. Sea Ao s.h.i.+fted it back and looked coldly at the unfazed Zhuo Fan.
“Kid, there’s no chance of winning this fight. You won.”
Bam!
Sea Ao slammed the claw into the water, sending a huge wave all around.
Zhuo Fan smirked, “Thanks.”
“Father…”
Qiao’er was stunned. Sure, she was thrilled Zhuo Fan hadn’t been splattered all over the place, but a large part of her was plagued by confusion and doubts.
Sea Ao lowered his eyes and said, “Little Thunder Phoenix, I knew from the beginning this human was sly but you two children meant the world to him. Under my taunts, any other cunning man would fake sincerity and gain my sympathy. He acted like he was after something to provoke me into being savage and cast all my hatred on him while leaving you and the young Qilin out of it.”
“You’re wrong there. I really was after something. That never changed.” Zhuo Fan threw his two cents.
Sea Ao shook his head, “It takes a lot of nerve to admit it to my face. The fact that you were willing to take all my hatred for the children made you grow in my eyes.”
Zhuo Fan nodded.
“I never imagined you’d then come out of my seal and reduce me to such a state. I knew it was all to enrage me so you could give your life for Qilin’s, but you really went all out. You are one shrewd p.r.i.c.k. You almost had me fooled as well.”
Sea Ao continued, “It then occurred to me, wasn’t I making a mistake, perhaps? Weren’t you afraid I’d kill you then forget about saving Qilin? As you sacrificed yourself, I then realized all of it was nothing but a grand scheme to you. You angered me just so I’d give value to your death in exchange for Qilin.”
“Uh, with one minor detail.”
Zhuo Fan scratched his nose, “I did aim to garner senior’s rage, but when I rained havoc on senior, there was hardly any planning involved, doing it for Qiao’er’s sake. It felt great too, ha-ha-ha…”
Sea Ao stumbled and then glared at him, “It only proves your genuine feelings. Why get so angry if you never saw the children as your own? The victim in all of this is my weary old body, now wrecked. But with all of these, I still couldn’t believe you. What had me stop my desire to end you were your eyes.”
“My eyes?”
“Yes.”
Sea Ao sighed, “I once caught a youth who had the same look as you, calm, peaceful and steady. He only moved with the purpose of understanding the world, the Dao. He did it in the end, becoming a Sovereign, becoming a dear friend of mine. Then why would he betray this bond? I never fully understood and have been in constant search of this gaze. One after another, people came, soon turning into millions upon millions, but not one proved of help.
“On the verge of death, everyone has anxious looks to some extent. Those self-righteous zealots are no different. So how then could such a gaze exist in the first place? Human, why didn’t you have any hesitation beneath my palm? Did you truly believe I wouldn’t kill you? You may be an expert in mind games and seeing my intent, but is your heart that steady even in death?”
Zhuo Fan mused for a moment and shook his head, “An unsteady heart is borne out of regret. Regret gives rise to fear, anger and many more raw emotions. I had none as I sacrificed myself for my son. I had no true regrets, just some qualms. My promise to my wife and the promise to battle with another would not be fulfilled…”
“So that’s why.”
Sea Ao sighed, “The Dao can be split in two, obsession and detachment. The obsessed can’t achieve it unless they let go. You have detached yourself from life and death, but cling to your vows. It’s rare to find such a combination of characters. Kid, you have what it takes to become a Sovereign. I’m sure of it. Now it all comes down to you if you can grab one of The Ten Paths to Heaven.”
Zhuo Fan nodded.
Sea Ao raised its head and, with a rumble, something flew out of his mouth. A blue and clear ice landed on the ground.
In the one by two meters, young Sanzi rested.
“Brother!” Qiao’er cried in joy, with Zhuo Fan looked on with hope.
Sea Ao wiped his mouth, “He only survived by luck, I put him inside a pocket in my body or he’d have died from the dragon fire.”
“Senior…”
“My stomach makes the Heaven-sealing Coffin!”
Sea Ao said, “His Qilin s.h.i.+eld is damaged and to heal it I needed my gastric juices to permeate his body. The child will stay in the ice coffin for 49 days. The moment it thaws will be the day he is healed.”
Zhuo Fan bowed and cupped his hands in grat.i.tude, “Thank you, senior. I shall never forget this!”
Qiao’er bowed as well, all smiles.
“You were right. As a sacred beast myself, we’re unique, and it would bring me solitude in a world less of one. But us, old ones, are stuck in our prisons and can’t look after them and need someone reliable.”
“Uncle Sea Ao, weren’t you hating humans? Now you’re entrusting us to one?” Qiao’er started then giggled.
Sea Ao shook his head, “This is hardly a solution, forced into taking the lesser evil. Humans are hateful, but having been so close to them at some point, I could feel their deep love and sense of duty. For my hatred to be so strong, my love had to be just as strong. In any case, it’s better to give you over to someone I can trust than to some twisted people. Zhuo Fan, these two shall be in your care. In this whole wide world, there’s only five of us sacred beasts left.”
“Senior, be at ease knowing I only have them as children!” Zhuo Fan nodded.
Sea Ao nodded and smiled back.
[This human is similar to the first, both pursuing Dao. I hope he’ll never change.]
Pa!
A sudden sharp sound echoed and Zhuo Fan’s eyes bled out.
“What’s wrong, kid?”
“I don’t know…” Zhuo Fan’s brow shook, his face hard.
Pa!
The second time, Zhuo Fan felt his eyes burning in their sockets and held them. Again and again, cracking sounds echoed, with the black thunderflame leaking from between his fingers and going berserk. It spread like a tide of destruction as it covered Zhuo Fan, just how when he fought Sea Ao.
Only this time, the thunderflame was out of control, the pain growing so bad he had to wail.
“Aah!”
Apocalyptic thunderflame, something that should never be in this world ran amok…