Chapter 3166 — Terms and Favors
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Exactly!" Wei Zhao nodded. And that was precisely what puzzled him most. These three could have killed him with ease—so why were they still talking so much?
"In truth, the Ancestors of our Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect do not act lightly. That is the rule. The payment our employers give us is limited, and the most we may dispatch is a late-stage Heaven Rank expert. The fees never suffice to trouble the Ancestors themselves. Killing you might be no more than a lift of the hand for us, but we will not do it! Every trade has its rules, and we cannot break them!" Ancestor Gloom explained. "What is more—quite the opposite. Because our employer supplied us with false information, our Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect has suffered grievous losses. We mean to take some revenge upon this employer. We strongly suspect he deliberately set a trap for us!"
Most of these rules had been invented on the spot by Ancestor Gloom, all for the sake of winning Wei Zhao's trust. Yet his reasoning was plausible and well-founded, and Wei Zhao truly did believe what they said—otherwise, he could not for the life of him understand what these three had come for.
"Who is your employer? Who hired your people to kill me?" That was the question Wei Zhao most wanted answered.
"This employer is an old acquaintance of yours," Ancestor Gloom said. "Actually, we regard you as a young expert of boundless potential and wish to make your acquaintance—though that is a minor matter. Our Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect has young talents of its own. The main reason we have come to your door in person is to ask your help in teaching this employer a lesson. Otherwise, we cannot swallow this insult!"
"What? Does this employer have powerful backing? So powerful that even you dare not move against him?" Wei Zhao was taken aback.
"Not exactly!" Ancestor Gloom waved a hand. "After all, we are an assassin organization. Moving against an employer would be bad for our reputation. Besides, we only suspect this employer of setting us up—we have no proof, so it is awkward to act. And at present he is a disciple of an ancient sect, and we would rather not lay hands on a disciple of an ancient sect!"
"Pfft... a disciple of an ancient sect?" Wei Zhao was caught between laughter and tears. "You think that an ancient sect you yourselves shrink from—you think I would have a way to deal with them?"
"Of course you do. That is exactly why we came in person. Otherwise, what do you think—that your face is so great it would bring two Ancestors and this steward of mine to your door together?" Ancestor Gloom countered.
"Oh? Then who exactly is your employer?" Wei Zhao could not help but grow suspicious.
"Zhao Qibing!" Ancestor Gloom said. "He is currently a disciple of the Dark Night Palace. If we moved against a disciple of the Dark Night Palace, it would provoke conflict between the ancient sects. But you, Master Wei Zhao, need not worry about that. As far as I know, the present Palace Master of the Dark Night Palace, Gu Mengyao, is your woman, is she not?"
Wei Zhao was about to say that Gu Mengyao was not his woman, only a good friend, when he suddenly recalled Yaoyao's confession before she left. By that reckoning, she should count as his woman after all. So Wei Zhao nodded and said, "So it was Zhao Qibing..."
At long last, the doubt that had weighed on Wei Zhao's heart was resolved! He had been bewildered as to how he had provoked the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect. It turned out they had not come looking for trouble on purpose—they had simply been hired to do it!
With that, Wei Zhao's hatred for the Blood-Robe Huangquan Sect faded. Assassin organizations took money and did the job; the true culprit was Zhao Qibing!