Where's Your Integrity?
1566 Words
Upon hearing this, the lavishly dressed man was taken aback. He then turned to look at Chu Ran.
He saw a young man with jet-black hair and snow-white skin standing coldly ahead. Dressed in a dark-colored *quju* robe with wide sleeves cinched at the waist, he exuded an air of spiritual elegance and noble refinement.
A flicker of admiration passed through the lavishly dressed man’s eyes as he inwardly praised, *What a strikingly handsome and elegant young man!*
He wondered which family had so meticulously nurtured this young master. Just looking at his overall demeanor, ordinary people truly couldn’t compare.
The lavishly dressed man reined in his previously arrogant and overbearing expression. With a smiling face, he adopted a gentle and courteous demeanor as he addressed Chu Ran, “I am Zhao Sizhuo of the Pingcheng Zhao Family. Greetings, Fellow Daoist.”
He actually seemed intent on forging a friendly connection!
A look of surprise flashed in the eyes of the tall, thin man nearby. Though he didn’t understand why the lavishly dressed man’s attitude toward this young master was so different, his sense of guilt lessened somewhat because of it.
*Although diverting trouble onto him was somewhat underhanded, this young man is extraordinary and likely won’t come to harm because of it. The current situation precisely validates my guess. I was forced into this*, the tall, thin man thought to himself, a fleeting look of shame crossing his face.
Chu Ran stared back with an expressionless face, his gaze cold.
The lavishly dressed man looked calm and sincere, almost as if he had “I am a good person” written on his face.
After a long moment, Chu Ran finally spoke coldly, “Chu Ran.”
*Surname Chu? Could it be…*
Zhao Sizhuo’s heart gave a jolt as he recalled that behemoth in the capital, the Chu Family—one of the Ten Great Clans of the cultivation world!
The Chu Family had been making waves recently. The Little Tyrant of Chu, Chu Yuran, had ventured alone into the Blood Demon Cave, taking on hordes of demons by himself. In the end, he had even engaged in a three-day-and-night battle with the Blood Demon by the Blood Pool, ultimately slaying the demon within it!
The feat had shaken the world.
The Chu Family’s Dominant Physique had once again demonstrated its might across the cultivation world.
Zhao Sizhuo once again assessed the young man before him. He noticed that his robe was woven from Tianshan Snow Silk and dyed with Black Jade Qionghua Fruit juice, embroidered with gold-threaded flowing cloud patterns along the edges.
This single robe alone was worth over ten thousand spirit stones!
Moreover, it was something money couldn’t easily buy. Such rare materials were traditionally supplied only to renowned and powerful clans.
His gaze then shifted to the crown of Chu Ran’s head, landing on the peach wood hairpin holding his hair. Instantly, his pupils contracted, and a storm of shock raged in his heart.
*Ten-thousand-year Peach Blossom Wood!*
It was actually ten-thousand-year Peach Blossom Wood!
If the previous robe could still be valued in spirit stones, this ten-thousand-year Peach Blossom Wood was a treasure ordinary people wouldn’t even get to lay eyes on!
A ten-thousand-year-old peach tree would have long become a spirit.
In the current cultivation world, non-human races held great power, with the Yao (demonic beasts) and Wu (shamanic) races being the most prominent among them.
Who in their right mind would dare target the Yao race?
Even knowing that demon cores, pelts, and bones were top-grade materials for alchemy, clothing, and forging artifacts, few cultivators dared to use Yao race materials. Even if a forger dared to gather the materials and fire up the furnace, the cultivator wouldn’t dare use the resulting item!
Taking something like that out would be inviting hatred, wouldn’t it?
In this day and age, with Yao roaming the continent, if you bumped into one someday, you’d be turned into a human stick in minutes!
If Zhao Sizhuo knew that not only was Chu Ran wearing a ten-thousand-year peach wood hairpin, but also had a six-tailed fox pelt cloak stored in his spatial ring, he’d probably be scared out of his wits.
Ordinary people couldn’t obtain ten-thousand-year Peach Blossom Wood, and even if they did, they wouldn’t dare wear it openly. Yet this young man not only wore it but did so with complete nonchalance, as if it were nothing. He surely had powerful backing.
Zhao Sizhuo became increasingly convinced that Chu Ran must be from the capital’s Chu Family and held a high status within it!
*Perhaps even a direct descendant of the main family*, Zhao Sizhuo rapidly ran through the notable figures of the Chu main family in his mind.
However, it was futile; he still couldn’t determine exactly which one Chu Ran was.
This didn’t stop his awe towards Chu Ran—or rather, his awe towards the Chu Family behind him.
In an instant, he changed his attitude completely.
If initially he had intended to interact as an equal, still carrying a hint of aristocratic pride, he now lowered his posture, showing a degree of humility.
“Brother Chu, is this your first time visiting the Shores of the Eastern Sea?” Zhao Sizhuo said to Chu Ran with a warm, smiling face.
He didn’t bluntly point out Chu Ran’s suspected identity, instead pretending to know nothing.
*A young master like this, clearly pampered and doted on by his family, accustomed to being the center of attention since childhood, must be weary of a life of high status and power. So he hides his identity, wanting to live as an ordinary person and experience a normal life.*
Zhao Sizhuo maintained his smile as he looked at Chu Ran, thinking shrewdly, *Too many people try to curry favor with him normally. I must take a different approach!*
*I’ll treat him just like an ordinary person!*
*He’s sure to be moved by my sincerity, won over by my enthusiasm, and thus consider me a close friend. In the end, he’ll be touched by the genuine friendship between us! Then he’ll introduce me to the important figures of the capital’s Chu Family, and from then on, I’ll be on the bright path of promotion, salary increases, marrying… ahem, I mean, befriending great experts!*
Having an overactive imagination is a sickness that needs treatment.
Chu Ran was momentarily bewildered by this sudden enthusiasm and goodwill, his expression freezing for a few seconds.
After a moment, he finally said, “Yes…”
“If Brother Chu doesn’t mind, allow me to be your guide and play host,” Zhao Sizhuo said, his smile growing even more radiant, silently giving himself a mental thumbs-up. *Plan successful!*
“…” Chu Ran, who had already prepared himself for trouble and mentally rehearsed N different face-slapping and posturing scenarios, was completely dumbfounded.
*Director, he’s not following the script!*
*Bad review!*
Chu Ran stared at the face of this previously arrogant young master, now grinning like an i***t, for a long time before slowly saying, “Aren’t you from the Pingcheng Zhao Family?”
*Playing host…*
Zhao Sizhuo, who in his eagerness to cling to a powerful connection had committed a blunder, stiffened momentarily. Then, as if nothing were amiss, he calmly said, “My maternal grandmother is from the Shores of the Eastern Sea. I’m familiar with this place.”
“…” The group of lavishly dressed young men behind him.
*Young Master!*
*The Old Madame is clearly from Shanxi!*
*What to do when my young master is so shameless? Urgent, waiting online!*
Chu Ran’s expression remained unchanged as he said mildly, “Weren’t you trying to get the Lvluo Immortal Leaf in my hand?”
“Not anymore! I don’t want it,” Zhao Sizhuo immediately said. “If I had known earlier that the Lvluo Immortal Leaf belonged to you, Brother Chu, how could I have tried to seize what you love?”
With that, he turned his head and looked disdainfully at the tall, thin man, saying coldly, “Didn’t you say it belongs to Brother Chu? Hurry up and return it to him!”
The tall, thin man raised his head to look at Chu Ran, only to find him standing to the side, expressionless, staring back with an icy gaze.
None of the initial goodwill and mildness remained.
The gaze directed at him was as cold as if looking at something detestable and unpleasant.
The tall, thin man held the glowing green Lvluo Immortal Leaf in his hand, utterly bewildered.
*How did it come to this?*
*This isn’t what I imagined…*
Zhao Sizhuo looked scornfully at the tall, thin man before him. How could he not see through his little scheme?
It was nothing more than diverting trouble, wanting the young Master Chu to shoulder this mess for him.
*A despicable scoundrel.*
*You want to use someone and still be friends with them? How can such a good thing exist in this world?*
*Utterly foolish!*
Zhao Sizhuo snorted coldly in his heart, then felt happy again.
*If not for his stupidity, how would I, your humble one, have had the chance to get to know the young Master Chu, let alone cling to the young master’s powerful coattails?*
Young Master Zhao thought smugly to himself, *In fact, I should thank this fool!*
- Writer
