Chapter 91: Unexpected Encounter

"If a brilliant genius like Helmsmaster Starlight had taken part in the Parasite Ascension Project, then his future accomplishments would be truly immeasurable," Zheng Yunqi sighed.

"I disagree. He's sorely lacking in cultivation resources, so it's hard to say how he would've turned out," Zhao Wushang objected. "I'll admit that he's quite a character, but I don't think he's as extraordinary as you make him out to be."

"Then let's wait and see," Zheng Yunqi said. "I have full confidence that Helmsmaster Starlight will make you eat those words in the future. In any case, for the foreseeable future, we're going to be relying on Helmsmaster Starlight much more than he does on us, so we have to do our best to appease him."

***

The next day, Fang Che was met with a chorus of congratulations upon his arrival at work.

His promotion to first-rank administrator was already set in stone, and everyone wisely decided not to bring up the subject of a promotion ceremony.

Zhao Ying'er was absent, having returned to her clan to recuperate.

Even though she had been saved by Fang Che's Cloud Spirit Pill, an injury to the arteries near the heart was no laughing matter, and she wouldn't be able to partake in any battles or any form of strenuous activity for quite some time.

The gashes on Fang Che's face instantly attracted the attention of several female administrators, all of whom gathered around him with heartbroken expressions.

"Look at your face! This is terrible!"

"I have some premium medicine for this exact type of thing."

"I do as well. It's medicine that can only be purchased from our headquarters, and it cost one thousand spirit crystals for this tiny vial, but it really does work wonders."

"We need to hurry! Once the scar sets, it'll be too late!"

"I'll clean up the gashes and apply the medicine, the rest of you hold him down..."

Despite Fang Che's protests, he was pinned to his desk by a bunch of women.

"Don't move! Just leave it all to us!"

"It may sting a little, but make sure you don't move."

"It'll be over really quickly."

"Hey! We told you not to move!"

"How does that feel? Nice and cool, right?"

"......"

By the time the women dispersed, Fang Che was left sprawled over his desk like a nearly drowned puppy.

His entire body reeked of perfume and makeup, and the gashes on his face had already healed!

Countless male administrators were glowering at him in envy, and even Zuo Guanglie was among them.

Why doesn't anything like this ever happen to us?

Cripple Hong couldn't help but heave a forlorn sigh.

"What the hell are you sighing for?!" Fang Che asked as he instantly turned to Cripple Hong with a hostile expression.

"N-Nothing!" Cripple Hong replied in a panic.

Fang Che lunged at him before punching him in the face, and that marked the beginning of another brutal beating.

Cripple Hong was completely bewildered.

I can't even sigh now?!

Fang Che refused to relent despite Cripple Hong's desperate pleas for mercy, only stopping once he was satisfied.

The female administrators were practically salivating over him at this point.

They knew why Fang Che had done this.

Cripple Hong wouldn't dare to say anything while Fang Che was still present, but as soon as he left for morning patrol, Cripple Hong would immediately begin harassing all of the female administrators in envy.

However, after this merciless beating, he would be sure to hold his tongue for att least the next few days.

Cripple Hong laid face-down on the ground for a long time, not daring to move, and only after he felt like Fang Che was gone did he begin picking himself up from the floor while cursing under his breath.

"What'd you just say?!" Fang Che snapped as he stomped onto his head.

Cripple Hong's head was slammed into the floor, and blood instantly spurted out of his mouth and nostrils as he howled, "I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

Fang Che continued to stomp him a few more times until he fell silent, and only then did he depart.

"Let's go, Tang Zheng! It's time for morning patrol!"

The administration hall was completely silent for a long while before Cripple Hong finally broke down into sobs.

However, he drew no sympathy from any of his colleagues, all of whom felt like he deserved these beatings.

The chief administrator made his way into the hall, pretending to be oblivious to what had just happened. "What's going on here? Are you causing trouble again, Cripple Hong?"

"No! Fang Che beat me up! I'm the victim here!" Cripple Hong wailed.

"Why would he beat you up if you didn't provoke him?"

"I didn't! I swear!"

"Then why didn't he beat anyone else up?"

"......"

Cripple Hong had no response to that watertight logic.

That afternoon, Fang Che's promotion ceremony was held in the Hall of Protectionists.

This time, Song Yidao learned his lesson and didn't invite anyone from the southeastern headquarters.

***

Deep within the Myriad Spirit Forest, roughly 2,500 kilometers south of the White Cloud Prefecture.

Two figures were locked in a confrontation high up above the clouds.

Neither of them had made a move, yet a projection of a saber and that of a spear were already duking it out in the heavens.

After paying a visit to White Cloud Warrior Academy, Xue Fuxiao's intention was to carry out Dongfang Sansan's orders and go beat up Fang Che, but he noticed some strange phenomena in the sky to the south of the White Cloud Prefecture, and thus, he decided to investigate after informing Dongfang Sansan of the situation.

Upon his arrival, he ran into a familiar face.

It was none other than Duan Xiyang!

Both of them were completely flabbergasted by this chance encounter.

Duan Xiyang's sources had told him that Xue Fuxiao was at the Guardian headquarters, so how had he suddenly appeared here?

"What are you doing here?" the two of them exclaimed in unison.

It immediately became clear to both of them that this was a complete coincidence!

Duan Xiyang felt like fate had orchestrated this encounter. He had completely concealed his aura and even spread some fake news of his whereabouts to cover his tracks, yet he had still somehow run into Xue Fuxiao!

Xue Fuxiao felt just as bewildered. He didn't even know that he was going to be coming here prior to setting off from the Guardian headquarters!

Could it be that Sansan predicted all of this?!

Xue Fuxiao was instantly enlightened, and a mysterious smile appeared on his face as he asked, "You look very surprised, Duan Xiyang."

"Are you not surprised as well?"

"Sansan already predicted that you would come here, so he sent me here to meet you. I didn't know why he had sent me here, but everything has become clear to me now."

Duan Xiyang's eyes instantly widened in astonishment.

"Dongfang Sansan can track my location? But that's impossible!"

"If it's impossible, then how do you explain my appearance here?"

"But that's impossible!" Duan Xiyang repeated. "I used the power of our deity to conceal my aura this time! How could Dongfang Sansan possibly have been able to track me?"

"You may have a deity, but we have Sansan!"

"You know that we have a deity?" Duan Xiyang exclaimed. "Weren't you always a skeptic?"

"Hold on, you guys

actually

have a deity on your side?"

"If you didn't know, then what are you talking about?"

"What are

you

talking about?"

Both of them fell into a bewildered silence, staring at each other with confused eyes.

Duan Xiyang was the one to break the silence.

"We're both here, we may as well battle it out!"

"Again?! Let's just have a chat. It's not like either of us can kill the other anyway."

Duan Xiyang pointed his spear toward the north as he threatened, "I'll massacre the White Cloud Prefecture if you won't fight me!"

"Fine! If you wanna fight, then I'll just have to beat some sense into you!"

Thus, a battle commenced, and the surrounding clouds were churned up violently by their almighty power.

At this point, the battle had already raged on for nine days, but there was still no decisive outcome in sight.

"You've improved, Old Man Xue," Duan Xiyang praised with fierce battle intent burning in his eyes.

"You're not so bad yourself," Xue Fuxiao harrumphed.

"I'm hungry from all this fighting. Whose turn is it to cook again?"

"I cooked last time!" Xue Fuxiao snapped.

"Fine, I'll cook this time then," Duan Xiyang sighed.

Over the past few days, the two of them had taken turns on cooking duty after their battles each day, and it just so happened to be Duan Xiyang's turn.

He descended out of the heavens in search of prey, and Xue Fuxiao also descended onto the summit of a snowy mountain to wait for him.

In the blink of an eye, Duan Xiyang returned with a cow-like Sovereign tier demon beast.

"There are two Overlord tier demon beasts over there, but they're not going to be as tasty as this one."