Chapter 185 – The Sacred Fire Palace’s Fifth Rank Elder, Blood Gold, Slipping Quietly into Northriver - Part 2
A slender young woman dressed in green led a tall man into the hall. The girl glanced at the highest seat and called out, “Father!”
Elder Zhu’s eyes softened when he saw her. “Qiao’er, I’ve already heard about everything that happened. Don’t worry. This time, I’ve come to purge all the foul creatures plaguing Northriver Prefecture and restore peace to these lands.”
With a sniff, Zhu Qiao’er said, “Father, I hope you’ll stand up for me...” She trailed off meaningfully, then looked at the man behind her. “I’ve already pledged myself for life to Mister Fang.”
At that, Elder Zhu’s gaze flicked toward the young fellow standing protectively behind his daughter.
Elder Zhu froze for a moment. He’d come rushing to Northriver upon hearing his daughter had nearly lost her life to those undying husks. But he never expected to be greeted with this new development.
Zhu Qiao’er was his only child, born just before he broke through to the fifth rank. She couldn’t practice martial arts, which both frustrated him and stirred his sympathy. Because she was so headstrong, she’d never taken interest in ordinary men, and here she was pledging herself to someone out of the blue.
Ignoring those around him, Elder Zhu narrowed his eyes at Fang Jianlong and asked, “Who are you?”
Fang Jianlong already knew Zhu Qiao’er’s father was an elder of the Sacred Fire Palace. Caught between nerves and excitement, he quickly said, “Fang Jianlong of the Blood Blade Sect, greetings Elder Zhu.”
“The Blood Blade Sect?” Elder Zhu scratched his chin. After reaching the sixth rank, one’s memory became exceptionally keen. So after thinking a moment, he recalled the Blood Blade Sect was a small faction in some remote county, cut off from communication in recent years.
He asked abruptly, “Boy, which technique do you cultivate, Earthfire, Bewitching Fire, or Heavenfire?”
Fang Jianlong quickly replied, “I practice Earthfire Roaming, Elder.”
“Hahaha!” Elder Zhu guffawed. “That’s the same lineage as mine, which makes you one of us. Fine, you can stay here. Get along well with my Qiao’er. As for your old sect, just send them a letter.”