Chapter 2789 — Where Has Zhao Qibing Gone?

"Oh? Then why have I heard that Zhao Qibing is the young head of your Hidden Zhao family?" Wei Zhao asked lightly, frowning.

"Ah, well... the boy just came back to the Hidden Zhao family not long ago, I suppose his confidence swelled and he bragged about it out there," the old master Zhao said cautiously.

"Is that so?" Wei Zhao countered. "And where is Zhao Qibing? Why hasn't he come out?"

"Er—that Zhao Qibing has gone to visit relatives. He's not at home," old master Zhao said hastily.

"I see. Then never mind. I'd actually intended to help him break his legs, but since he isn't here, let it go," Wei Zhao said with regret.

"This..." Old master Zhao was taken aback. He knew well enough that Wei Zhao was most likely talking nonsense—that he had no real intention of breaking Zhao Qibing's legs, and said so merely to make him uncomfortable. Still, old master Zhao said, "It's no matter. Since it can't be done this time, I'll have Zhao Qibing come find you himself after he returns, and you can break his legs then. There's no rush."

"Opportunity knocks but once. If I don't break them now, I may not feel like it next time. We'll see," Wei Zhao said.

Old master Zhao was momentarily speechless, thinking to himself, So he really is just toying with me. Yet he did not dare argue, and could only say sullenly, "Then it can only be blamed on Qibing's bad luck. I'll have him try his luck when the time comes—who knows, perhaps when Young Hero Lin is in a good mood, he'll break them for him after all?"

Old master Zhao no longer bothered to conceal the matter of Zhao Qibing's broken legs. In his view, since Wei Zhao was connected to Yu Ning of the Hidden Yu family, he must certainly know about Zhao Qibing's cultivation of the Thousand Legs; this matter of leg-breaking was an open secret between them.

"Heh." Wei Zhao smiled. "Since Zhao Qibing has gone into hiding, then let it go."

Old master Zhao looked thoroughly awkward. But turning his head, he saw that Old Zhu had already brought Zhao Qilei in, and his spirits rose at once. "Qitan," he said, "Young Hero Lin has come to our Hidden Zhao family specially this time to take you along to the Mystic Pill Gate's trial. You must obey Young Hero Lin in all things along the way!"

"All right." Zhao Qilei glanced at old master Zhao and answered rather coldly. Over this period he had endured every kind of cold treatment from the Hidden Zhao family, and since that was so, there was no need for him to keep up appearances with them. He was only puzzled as to why his grandfather was so deferential to Wei Zhao, addressing him as Young Hero Lin.

Before the summit of the reclusive families, there had seemed to be deep enmity between Wei Zhao and the Hidden Zhao family, and the Hidden Zhao family had been scheming to put Wei Zhao to death. Yet now the situation appeared to have changed. Wei Zhao actually dared to come to the Hidden Zhao family alone, and his grandfather's attitude was entirely different from before. What did that mean?

"Boss, thank you for still thinking of me, I..." Zhao Qilei was deeply moved that Wei Zhao would come personally to collect him before going to the Mystic Pill Gate. He felt that this boss of his had more loyalty and honor than anyone in the Zhao family.

"We went to the Ice Palace trial together and came back together. For the Mystic Pill Gate trial, naturally we'll come back together too." Wei Zhao rose and clapped Zhao Qilei on the shoulder. "Let's go. It seems old master Zhao is rather afraid of my being here, so I won't stay and frighten people any longer."

"Er..." Old master Zhao gave a dry laugh. "How could that be? Young Hero Lin graces us with his presence—I can hardly welcome you enough. How could I be afraid?"

"Oh? Then you're not afraid I'll kill you?" Wei Zhao's expression turned grave as he asked lightly.

Zhao Qilei was badly startled too, never expecting Wei Zhao to suddenly ask such a question. Wasn't this an open falling-out with his grandfather? But this was the Hidden Zhao family's own ground—if it came to a fight, could he and Wei Zhao stand against the Zhao family? Yet old master Zhao's answer left Zhao Qilei dumbfounded.

"This..." Old master Zhao's face froze, and he stared at Wei Zhao in amazement. "Young Hero Lin jests. You and I have no grudge against each other—why would you kill me..."

"No grudge, is that so?" Wei Zhao smiled and paid him no further mind, only pulling Zhao Qilei along as they walked out of the Zhao family's reception hall together.

Watching the receding figures of Wei Zhao and Zhao Qilei, old master Zhao finally let out a breath of relief, clutched at his heart, and sat down on the sofa.

"Old Master, are you all right?" Old Mian was also drenched in cold sweat.

"I'm fine. Ah, who could have imagined Wei Zhao would be so formidable now? The pressure he put on me just now was simply too great. Whether Zhao Qilei's going with him to the trial this time is a blessing or a curse is still unknown..." Old master Zhao said with some worry.

"This... perhaps, Old Master, we should change our strategy? Toward Qitan..." Old Mian was not Old Bi; he held no particular fondness for Zhao Qibing, nor any particular dislike for Zhao Qilei. In his view, whoever was more useful to the Hidden Zhao family should be the one raised up—that was only natural.

"But that would be unfair to Qibing..." Old master Zhao was conflicted. In the past, facing Wei Zhao had not carried such pressure as now, but meeting him today had truly been more than old master Zhao could bear.

"But it's obvious Wei Zhao dislikes Zhao Qibing and is closer to Zhao Qilei!" Old Mian said cautiously.

"Ah, let me think it over," old master Zhao said, waving his hand helplessly.

Wei Zhao and Zhao Qilei left the Hidden Zhao family together. Zhao Qilei was full of curiosity about what had happened today, and once in Wei Zhao's car he could not help asking, "Boss, why does my grandfather seem so afraid of you?"

"I can kill him in a single blow, so of course he's afraid," Wei Zhao said with a smile. "You've probably had no other channels for news these past days, and don't know what's been happening out there."

"That's right, boss. You can kill my grandfather in a single blow? My grandfather is an early-stage Heaven Rank expert—could it be that your strength now..." Zhao Qilei's eyes went wide with shock. "You're a Heaven Rank expert too?"

"No, I'm only late-stage Earth Rank," Wei Zhao shook his head. "But I have the strength to kill Heaven Rank experts in a single blow. I can more or less kill any expert below mid-stage Heaven Rank outright."

"My god, boss, you're that incredible? Then aren't you the number one below Heaven Rank?" Zhao Qilei said in astonishment. "No wonder my grandfather was so afraid. No wonder they haven't been making things hard for me lately—so that's the reason!"

Zhao Qilei had been puzzled for a while now as to why the Zhao family no longer troubled him as they once had. He had assumed they simply meant to leave him to sink or swim and wanted nothing to do with him; it had never occurred to him that it was probably thanks to Wei Zhao.