Chapter 3601 — Seeking Help

Ordinary disciples had no idea where Lu Bianren had gone, and the two pavilion masters who did know were hardly likely to grant an audience to a mere steward brother of Qingyun Pavilion like Kusheng.

Kusheng made the rounds, and in the end, with no other recourse, he could only take a chance and go to the steward brothers of the other two pavilions—and only then did he learn where Lu Bianren had gone.

"What's this? Junior Brother Ku, you have business with me? Didn't I tell you—just call me Senior Brother Lu. Pavilion master, indeed! That title doesn't carry any weight with me anymore. Come, have a glass of water, sit down, and take your time." Though somewhat taken aback, Lu Bianren calmly poured Kusheng a glass of water and even went out of his way to bring over a chair.

Once he had drunk his water, Kusheng could not hold back: "Senior Brother Lu, are you aware that new arrivals from the mortal world were teleported up this year?"

"I know. Pity I had already moved here before the welcome day. Without Steward Hu's orders I can't leave lightly—otherwise I really would like to see these newcomers and ask what the mortal world has become." Lu Bianren sighed with some regret.

Though born on Cloud Terrace Island itself, ever since Zhang Liju—that legendary figure who had fought his way up from the mortal world—emerged from the Northern Island, he had always been keenly interested in matters of the mortal world. Unfortunately, no new arrivals had been teleported up from there for a long time, so that for years there had been no word at all, and it had gradually faded into legend.

Only, Zhang Liju's time on the Northern Island had been far too brief. In those days Qingyun Pavilion had become a legend in its own right because of this outsider, but now, several hundred years later, Qingyun Pavilion had long since declined.

"Rest assured, Senior Brother Lu, you'll soon have a chance to meet them." Seeing that Lu Bianren was interested in the newcomers from the mortal world, Kusheng relaxed at once. If he asked for help after this, surely he wouldn't be refused. So he went on: "Our Qingyun Pavilion has also been assigned two newcomers from the mortal world, and both in strength and in character they are quite excellent—they would surely get along with you, Senior Brother Lu. Only, because they came up from the mortal world, Senior Brother Meng and the other local newcomers have joined forces to suppress them. Their days are very hard indeed."

"Joined forces to suppress them? Just because they are newcomers from the mortal world? This is outrageous!"

Lu Bianren's expression changed at once. Though he took things as they came and was content with poverty and simplicity, sharing much of Kusheng's temperament, on certain matters he held firm: "Our Qingyun Pavilion has been weak for a long time, and in competing with the local newcomers we cannot match the other two pavilions. What we need most now is fresh blood from the mortal world. If a legendary figure like Zhang Liju could arise among them, it's not impossible that we might turn the tables and take charge. That Meng Jueming—as senior steward brother, no less—actually takes the lead in suppressing mortal-world newcomers! Shortsighted and utterly foolish!"

Kusheng had known this third pavilion master for so long, and even in the worst of circumstances he had always borne it with equanimity—he had never seen him so angry. He said cautiously, "There's no need for undue worry, Senior Brother Lu. Though they are being suppressed, our two junior brothers from the mortal world are no pushovers. One of them in particular, a junior brother named Wei Zhao, because of the cave dwelling assignment, defeated Senior Brother Meng's cousin from his own clan in a single move on the very first day—and Senior Brother Meng was left red-faced along with him!"

"Oh? Is that so? Come, come, tell me the details!" Lu Bianren's eyes lit up, and his interest was instantly roused.

Kusheng wanted him to stand up for Wei Zhao, but there was no great hurry just yet; so he simply sat down and gave Lu Bianren a thorough account of the past few days' events, including the matter of Wei Zhao's final assignment to the dead Mine No. 10, and made clear the purpose of his visit.

"So this Junior Brother Lin of ours is quite a character. But after all, he has only just arrived, and being handled like this by Meng Jueming will cost him in the end. If he truly wastes three whole months in the dead Mine No. 10, that's effectively adding to the difficulty of his establishing his foundation within a year." Lu Bianren analyzed with keen interest. After Kusheng's account, his interest in this tough newcomer from the mortal world, Wei Zhao, was growing by the minute.

"Junior Brother Lin doesn't know the danger in all this, and his stubbornness plays right into Senior Brother Meng's hands. So after much thought, I can only come to you, Senior Brother Lu, to step in and help." Kusheng did not know about Wei Zhao's haul of eight fine pieces of jade the day before. In his view, every extra day Wei Zhao spent in Mine No. 10 was a day wasted, and the sooner the third pavilion master stepped in to rescue him, the better.

"Hmm... By rights, I now oversee Reflection Cliff, and without Steward Hu Yunfeng's orders I cannot leave at will." Lu Bianren mused. This was no excuse but the plain truth—otherwise, on the day of the welcome assembly, he would not have been denied even a chance to show his face.

At these words Kusheng's heart sank. The third pavilion master was the only help he could turn to now. If even he could not step forward, then there would truly be no way to stand up for Wei Zhao.

To his surprise, Lu Bianren's tone shifted: "However, this matter concerns newcomers from the mortal world and the grand plan of our entire Qingyun Pavilion. Even if it means a scolding from Steward Hu, I must make the trip."

"That's wonderful! On behalf of Junior Brother Lin, I thank you first, Senior Brother Lu. Shall we go see Senior Brother Meng right away?" Kusheng was overjoyed. Though Lu Bianren now had neither power nor prestige, he was, after all, the third pavilion master with backing of his own in Qingyun Pavilion. If he was willing to step forward, Meng Jueming would not dare defy him to his face.

"No. We go straight to the Spirit Jade Hall," Lu Bianren said, shaking his head.

He knew what Kusheng had in mind—to have him bring pressure to bear on Meng Jueming from above, so that Meng Jueming would never target Wei Zhao again. That would be a clean, once-and-for-all solution. But he knew Meng Jueming: a man of great ambition and utterly pragmatic. His pressure might work on others, but on Meng Jueming it would have no effect at all. Meng Jueming might agree to his face, but he would surely comply in appearance while opposing in secret—and might even target Wei Zhao all the more viciously behind his back, achieving the very opposite.

By contrast, going straight to the Spirit Jade Hall and drawing on the network of contacts he had built up over the years would be a faster way to free Wei Zhao from the dead Mine No. 10.

Seeing that Lu Bianren had made up his mind, Kusheng said no more. So long as Wei Zhao was helped, his purpose was served. RS

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