Chapter 51: In a Word—“Exhilarating”

When the door to the secluded chamber swung open, Chen Wenfa, now rested, was stunned as he saw his master escorting Zhang Pu out like he was the boss. For a moment, he felt as though he'd been struck blind. Yet Zhang Pu's expression was calm, serene, as if he bore no grudge for Chen Wenfa's earlier hostility. And why wouldn't he? Chen Wenfa's own master had already fallen in line beneath Zhang Pu; it was clear what Chen Wenfa’s place was now. He hardly needed to think about it.

Though Chen Wenfa was initially bewildered, his master Liu Yingde soon called him aside and explained matters, making everything clear. Even so, Chen Wenfa found it hard to accept. He felt as if he were dreaming—since the underground auction at Moonlit Manor, he'd been trapped in a dream, and it hadn't ended yet.

A student he'd once brought in as a captive had defeated his own master, winning his master's wholehearted allegiance—good heavens, how could the world be so absurd?

Had Liu Yingde not been so stern with Chen Wenfa, he might have rashly challenged Zhang Pu again, unable to believe Zhang Pu had intentionally let himself be caught. But with his master so forceful in demanding he accept the facts, Chen Wenfa had no choice.

He began to wonder: did his master have hidden motives or burdens?

Openly challenging Zhang Pu was no longer an option. Outwardly, Chen Wenfa followed Liu Yingde's lead in submitting to Zhang Pu, but secretly, he resolved to one day strike at Zhang Pu behind his master's back, to see if Zhang Pu was truly as formidable as he seemed.

Chen Wenfa was not from an ordinary family—his clan held some influence in the Qingwu region. Due to certain matters of fate, his parents were deeply superstitious, believing in feng shui and the like. By chance, they'd met Liu Yingde, a specialist in such matters, and thus Chen Wenfa had come to apprentice under him in the Wu-Ghost Sect.

Liu Yingde, seeing a natural gift in Chen Wenfa, boasted to his parents that their son was fated for romantic misfortune and, without cultivation, might meet an untimely end. With Liu Yingde’s reputation in the area, Chen Wenfa’s parents couldn’t dismiss his words entirely.

Yet they hesitated to accept Liu Yingde's demand that Chen Wenfa become a Daoist priest, mainly because Chen Wenfa himself refused—the restrictions of Daoist life were too many for a carefree young man like him.

So the matter remained unresolved.

Despite his dissatisfaction with Zhang Pu, Chen Wenfa dared not treat him as he had before.

After spending a short while in the manor, Zhang Pu decided to take his leave; the recent events had already caused him to miss half a day of school without even notifying anyone. He felt he ought to return and explain himself to his homeroom teacher. He’d transferred schools thanks to Hong Guishan's connections, and didn’t want to put anyone in an awkward position.

Liu Yingde dared not hinder Zhang Pu's departure, and quickly arranged for someone to drive him back to Qingwu City, even delivering him straight to Modern High School as Zhang Pu requested.

Zhang Pu felt awkward, unsure how to explain his absence to his homeroom teacher, but unbeknownst to him, the matter had already been settled.

It turned out that Wang Gang, the attendant of the elder Zeng Guoxing, had already discovered that Zhang Pu was a student at Qingwu City Modern High School. Not only that, Wang Gang had contacted the school principal, using his connections to ask the principal and teachers to look after Zhang Pu.

With Wang Gang’s status in Qingwu City, the principal dared not refuse.

Thus, Zhang Pu had only just skipped class without leave, and the principal’s office was already aware. Zhang Pu’s homeroom teacher, Mr. Li, now fully understood Zhang Pu’s powerful background, far beyond what he’d previously known—indeed, the principal had just given him a solemn briefing.

Mr. Li, just out of the principal’s office and not yet back to his own, encountered Zhang Pu.

Zhang Pu had come to explain his absence, armed with a carefully rehearsed excuse, even considering recycling the old tale of helping an elderly woman cross the street.

Yet, to Zhang Pu’s surprise, the normally strict Mr. Li was exceptionally forgiving of his breach of discipline.

Mr. Li reassured him, saying everyone had emergencies and it was no big deal—he’d explain things to the school, and there would be no trouble. He urged Zhang Pu not to worry, and in the future, to simply send him a message on WeChat if anything arose.

After leaving Mr. Li, Zhang Pu was puzzled—

“Strange, Mr. Li seems different today!”

He muttered to himself; Mr. Li’s attitude was now akin to that toward the son of a mayor. It was Zhang Pu’s fault for skipping class, yet Mr. Li was practically tiptoeing around him.

Zhang Pu was no fool. He could sense that someone important had instructed the school regarding him. Henceforth, teachers—especially those who might interact with him—would treat him like the child of a high-ranking official, taking great care not to offend him.

Well, so be it! Zhang Pu thought. If people were willing to treat him like royalty, who wouldn’t enjoy it?

Whether it was Liu Yingde’s Wu-Ghost Sect or Modern High School, the attitude toward him gave Zhang Pu only one feeling: delight.

That afternoon, Zhang Pu resumed his classes.

His reputation had quietly grown within Modern High School; most people knew better than to provoke him. Zhang Pu was content to enjoy a little peace.

The afternoon passed uneventfully.

When school let out, Zhang Pu’s first thought was to buy more medicinal ingredients and refine the advancement elixir.

This time, things were especially gratifying—Liu Yingde not only returned the three-hundred-year-old Polygonum and five-hundred-year-old Snow Lotus that Chen Wenfa had seized from Zhang Pu, he also opened the Wu-Ghost Sect’s medicine vault at the manor, gifting Zhang Pu extra herbs.