Chapter 3603 — Xu Lingchong Arrives
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
That voice sounded a little familiar! The put-upon senior brother's heart lurched, and when he made out the features of the newcomers in the distance, his face fell altogether. Even Lu Bianren at his side could not help but draw a faint sharp breath.
Three people had come, all familiar faces that had appeared before at the Azure Cloud Pavilion's new disciples' caves—Kang Jingming and Zhong Yongliang, and striding ahead of them, the young master of the Heaven-Rushing Pavilion, Xu Lingchong.
"Young Master Xu! What wind has blown you here? Old Dai has failed to welcome you—forgive me, forgive me!" Dai Wuchang hurried forward at the sight.
Backed by the towering patron that was the third elder of the Heaven-Rushing Pavilion, Xu Lingchong was a young master who prospered wherever he went. As for a nobody of no background like Dai Wuchang—even one hailing from Azure Cloud Pavilion—he must by every means seize every chance to curry favor; for once one attached oneself to this Young Master Xu, a single good word from him would make one's rise to glory a mere matter of days!
Xu Lingchong waved a hand offhandedly, then turned his gaze upon Lu Bianren and sneered, "I thought it must be some great personage, shouting the odds in the Spirit Jade Hall and shifting folk from zone to zone at will—why, is this not the legendary third pavilion master of the Welcome Pavilion? I hear he has lately taken charge of the Reflection Cliff, with no small authority in his hands. No wonder he cuts such a figure!"
"The Reflection Cliff? Does the Welcome Pavilion even have such a place? It sounds rather formidable—could it be a legendary hidden level, and is this fellow, then, the legendary hidden boss? I had no chance to lay eyes on him at the welcome assembly, and never thought to meet him here. What a rare honor, ha ha ha!" Kang Jingming followed behind with a cold snicker. As new disciples, they had had the Reflection Cliff described to them by the steward senior brother on their very first day; his feigned astonishment now was, of course, meant to sicken Lu Bianren.
By rights the Reflection Cliff was one of the duties under the newcomer steward's charge, a place where nothing of consequence ever happened—but no newcomer steward had yet been appointed, so Lu Bianren had no choice but to keep managing it, with no way even to hand it off. Otherwise, however little power he held, he would have put a suggestion to the Azure Cloud Pavilion, for this touched upon the standing of the pavilion itself; even if Azure Cloud Pavilion ranked third, it could not simply surrender such authority.
Having latched onto a thick leg like Xu Lingchong's, Kang Jingming—a newcomer who was nothing at all—did not regard Lu Bianren, that hollowed-out third pavilion master, with the least respect. How awkward the third pavilion master's present position had become was plain for all to see.
Mocked to his face by a newcomer, Lu Bianren's expression stiffened, yet before a young master of the Heaven-Rushing Pavilion like Xu Lingchong he could not well erupt in anger. Even if in name he could rein in Kang Jingming, a single word from Xu Lingchong would parry it back, and in the end it was he who would come off the worse.
What was more, Kang Jingming was an outer-sect disciple of the Heaven-Rushing Pavilion, and any punishment of him must have the nod of the grand pavilion master, Hu Yunfeng. Otherwise this third pavilion master of his counted for no more than a fart—and a silent one at that.
Seeing Lu Bianren stand there with a face stiff as a board and not a word to say, Xu Lingchong's gaze grew all the more contemptuous.
Not even daring to answer a newcomer's jeers—this legendary third pavilion master of the Welcome Pavilion was every bit as spineless as the legends said. Xu Lingchong curled his lip and thought to himself: no wonder Hu Yunfeng kicked him off to a godforsaken hole like the Reflection Cliff, and he did not dare let out so much as a squeak!