Chapter 53: Sewn Tightly

Some words sound like rejection, but are actually agreement.

Watching Zheng Fa smile, Lady shook her head: "Don't smile yet. Though I don't know why that Nascent Soul True Person didn't simply take you into his sect—these great figures' actions are beyond my comprehension—but even if you truly summoned him, this spot is impossible to give you."

"Ten years ago, I gave one spot to my natal family, another to my own daughter—and those Zhao family members were already nearly rebelling." A deep sneer appeared on Lady's face for reasons unknown: "This time, both spots—one is for my foolish son, the other can only be used to appease them. It's impossible to give it to a mere book attendant."

Zheng Fa nodded, feeling no disappointment.

He raised the request merely to dispel Lady's suspicions.

Seeing Zheng Fa's calm expression, Lady suddenly said: "That fool's sister returned this time as an inner sect disciple."

"Young Lady?"

"According to Qingmu Sect's rules, inner sect disciples may select two attendants from the mortal world."

Zheng Fa began to understand Lady's meaning.

"But this isn't given to you for free." Lady pointed to the two books on the table: "I don't care what method you use, or whether you have any method at all—my foolish son must enter the Immortal Gate."

"If he enters, even if you did nothing, I'll still give you an attendant position."

"If he doesn't enter, either beg your backer, that Nascent Soul True Person, to take you away—or serve the Zhao family well."

"I only care about my own son. Do you understand?"

"Understood."

According to Young Master Seven's words, he had great confidence in entering the Immortal Gate—Lady had just granted him an attendant spot.

Lady suddenly spoke: "I actually considered killing you."

"I know."

Lady smiled: "You don't believe me? Do you know what cultivation level Zhao family's ancestor was?"

"I don't know."

"Nascent Soul." Lady lifted her teacup and took a small sip: "Don't be afraid—he passed away peacefully."

"What do you mean?"

"Though the ancestor is gone, he left behind a formation and a treasure. Guess—where is that treasure?"

Zheng Fa lifted his head, scanning the seemingly ordinary little tower.

"You're very clever."

Lady's praise grew more evident; her teacup slowly tilted, tea slowly spilling over the rim.

In an instant, the room before Zheng Fa transformed.

The carved beams and painted rafters above became swirling stars; the cushion beneath him turned into cold, damp rock, sending chill through his kneeling legs.

The low table before him vanished, replaced by a bottomless cliff—Zheng Fa sat at its edge, cold wind lifting his robes, nearly blinding him.

Lady's figure was gone; only the tea spilling from the cup remained, like a Tianhe river falling into a gorge, becoming a roaring, thundering waterfall, mist and clamor crashing against his face.

Amid the biting wind, Lady's voice, cold and clear, came: "The ancestor left this treasure to protect our clan. Though my cultivation is low, I can hold off one Nascent Soul long enough for the great formation to activate and Qingmu Sect to send aid."

"I'm actually curious—would that Nascent Soul True Person fight Qingmu Sect to the death for a mortal who hasn't even reached Qi Condensation?"

Only then did Zheng Fa understand why Lady had ruled the Zhao family for twenty years without anyone daring to rebel—she was a cultivator!

The Zhao mansion claimed they had immortals in every generation, but Zheng Fa had never seen a single true cultivator—until now, he realized it was her.

In another blink, the scene before him returned to its original state.

The warm, dry cushion, the steaming tea, Lady smiling lazily at him—as if everything before had been a dream.

"Do you know when I stopped wanting to kill you?"

"When?"

"The one sentence I least believed."

Zheng Fa immediately understood which sentence Lady meant—I regard the Young Master as a friend.

A flicker of disgust crossed Lady's face, as if the words were hard to utter: "This morning, a fool came running over, crying his eyes out, telling me the exact same thing."

The curtain in the corner stirred slightly.

Neither Zheng Fa nor Lady acted as if they had seen it.

"This fool—he's not clever when he should be, but when he shouldn't be, he sees clearly…"

Zheng Fa silently gazed at the tea before him; the steam rose gently, as if about to flow into his heart through his eyes.

"Last time, I made his sister leave him—he didn't speak to me for ten years." Lady shook her head, weary: "As his mother, I don't want my son to hate and avoid me for the rest of his life. Do you understand?"

Zheng Fa nodded: "Parents always lose to their children."

"I never believe what people say—I only watch what they do." Lady fixed her gaze on Zheng Fa's face: "Especially not what men say."

"But for this fool, I'm willing to believe you once—don't let me down."

Zheng Fa rose, bowed deeply, and repeated: "I regard the Young Master as a friend."

"I hope you mean it. Go now."

Watching Zheng Fa slowly descend the stairs, Young Master Seven stepped out from the corner curtain, puzzled: "Mother, you really planned to use the family treasure to kill him?"

Lady rolled her eyes: "I was just scaring him."

"Scaring?"

"Help me up."

"Mother?"

"With my level of cultivation, even a slight movement of this treasure would cost me half my life. To truly oppose a Nascent Soul? Do you believe I could die before he even raised a hand?"

Leaning back on the couch, pale-faced, Lady suddenly spoke: "Fan'er?"

"Hmm?" Young Master Seven stared blankly at his mother, seeing her watching him intently.

"Do you know why I met him and gave him the attendant spot?"

"Those two books?"

"Yes, and no. In two months, you will ascend to the Immortal Gate." The Lady stroked her child's head, revealing a rare trace of weakness and reluctance before her son, and voiced some of her inner thoughts: "The Immortal Gate is not a paradise either. He is a talent. Mother also hopes you will have an assistant in the future. If one day he can help you even once, Mother can tolerate him."

"Mother."

"Given your personality, I originally did not wish to send you to the Immortal Gate."

The Seventh Young Master lowered his head and said nothing.

"Zheng Fa is right; parents can never go against their own children." The Lady was not angry, merely gazing at her son with tenderness and greed: "The Immortal Gate is distant. In the future, Mother will no longer be able to protect you. All I can do is this."

Outside the small pavilion, Steward Wu was still waiting for him, and the two walked side by side.

Did the Lady want to kill him?

Zheng Fa did not believe it.

The Lady had brought the Seventh Young Master to the small pavilion, indeed appearing to have made the worst preparations.

But...

Just as the Lady said, was a mere little book boy, someone who had not even reached the Qi Refining stage, worth the Zhao Family offending a Nascent Soul?

This threat was probably just meant to tell him about the Seventh Young Master's affection for him, merely showing favor on behalf of the Young Master.

Thinking of this, Zheng Fa could not help but smile with a touch of self-mockery.

Who could have thought that having a life worth nothing could also be an advantage?

"Zheng Fa, when I first saw you, I never thought you would reach this day." Seeing him smile, Steward Wu said enviously: "The Young Master values you, and the Lady treats you differently. In these twenty years, I have not seen any man allowed into the curtains."

"The Young Master treats me extremely well, and the Lady is also very good." Zheng Fa nodded slowly.

I do not blame the Lady for her aloofness and her suspicious, overthinking nature.

It is just that I do not like this world where one must rack one's brains just to survive.

He looked at Steward Wu's face; Steward Wu's face faintly showed intimacy—ever since the warning upon arrival, this person had shown a desire to befriend him, and now his face held even more of a desire to please.

He pointed to the distant courtyard wall and asked Steward Wu: "Steward Wu, do you think that after ascending to the Immortal Gate, one can cross this Zhao Family courtyard wall?"

"Ascend to the Immortal Gate? The courtyard wall?" Steward Wu paused, looking at Zheng Fa with a strange gaze, seeming to think he was a bit foolish: "Once one ascends to the Immortal Gate, one becomes an Immortal. Let alone a courtyard wall, even these towering mountains and dense forests would be like walking on flat ground. Go wherever one wishes, fearless and unafraid, attaining great freedom."

"Yes, ascend to the Immortal Gate, fearless and unafraid, attaining great freedom."

Modern times, inside a classroom.

Wang Chen stared at Zheng Fa's face: "Zheng Fa, you didn't sleep well again? Watching videos again?"

Zheng Fa smiled and shook his head: "No, I had a nightmare."

"A nightmare? What did you dream about?"

"I dreamed of a world that was not very beautiful."

Wang Chen tilted his head, frowned, and thought for a moment: "I think there is no world less beautiful than this one where there is a monthly exam tomorrow."