Chapter 270: Who Stays and Who Goes?
With all the enthusiasm of a man going to his execution, Zou Tian walked into the Alchemy Pavilion and climbed the stairs leading up to Wan Ai’s private lab. For all he knew, he metaphorically was doing just that.
When he arrived at his destination, however, his girlfriend wasn’t there. Which was weird. She spent over ninety percent of her time in that room, using it for eating, cultivating, and practicing alchemy.
A bit worried that something was wrong, he searched the building. His investigation didn’t last long. He found her on the second floor in one of the group labs with Bai Xinyi, Wan Ai’s second in command, and Cui Su, the best alchemist besides the other two girls in the room.
“Zou Tian,” Wan Ai said warmly. “You’re just in time. I explained to these two what the sect leader told us about the tournament.”
“She wants to leave the selection up to us, Senior Brother,” Bai Xinyi said. “And she refuses to compete herself. Will you please talk some sense into her!”
Everything that he’d learned as a street rat in Sixth Flawless Flowing City had taught him that the biggest threat to a leader was the person placed second in command, so he kept expecting the girl to try to usurp Wan Ai’s position. In fact, he kept a close eye out for any signs of treachery. If Bai Xinyi was making any moves of that kind, though, he certainly couldn’t find any evidence. Maybe there was a big difference in behavior and attitudes between people raised in a small village and those that came from the streets of a city, and his expectations needed to be reset.
Actually, he encountered far less backbiting and squabbling overall than he would have expected. The only true schemer he’d found was Sun Hua’s mother, but the girl herself seemed to be loyal and grateful as well as competent.
As for Bai Xinyi’s request, though, Zou Tian had to respectfully decline. “You do understand the danger, do you not? There is a definite nonzero probability that our sect members attending the tournament will be kidnapped or killed. I’d much prefer that Wan Ai remain behind, and the two of you should consider doing so as well.”
Of course, he was positive his girlfriend wasn’t planning on staying behind out of any worry about the hazards. No, she would simply desire to avoid the spotlight. The idea of people’s eyes on her as she competed was her ultimate nightmare. Well, second only to the thought of all the attention she’d get if she actually won.
“We shouldn’t go?” Bai Xinyi said. “But it’s the city. I’ve never even been a mile from this village my entire life, and we have an opportunity to travel to the actual city. It’s different for you since you grew up there. To us, it’s a literal dream.”
Beside her, Cui Su nodded emphatically. Only Wan Ai seemed dispassionate about the whole affair.
“I didn’t say you shouldn’t go. I said that you should weigh the risks.”