Chapter Fifteen: Who Said Yes to You

Rumors claimed that his mastery of divination was unparalleled in the Su family, his talent so extraordinary that it could rival that of the legendary Immortal Meng. It was said that if Su Ye merely glanced at someone, bribed their servant to change the color of their clothes for the day, or even made the slightest gesture—such as offering them a cup of tea—he could alter that person’s fortune for the next half month, or even orchestrate their untimely and inexplicable death two weeks later!

Su Ye himself was startled by the sheer extravagance of these tales and ordered his men to investigate. To his dismay, he discovered that the source of the rumor was none other than his own father… Ah, the hearts of parents the world over! Yet, the rumor did not stop with those wise enough to see through it. Many believed it, and after he intervened a few times when his father found himself in trouble—using unlucky charms to deal with a few people—the legend grew until he was spoken of as a being both mysterious and omnipotent, unrivaled in heaven or earth!

He hadn’t realized that, after his mother’s death had caused a rift with his father and he had withdrawn from the world, refusing to show his abilities, he would only act when his father, bound by blood, was in peril. And every time he did, it was with such potency that lives were claimed!

The one who believed the exaggerated tales most devoutly was, ironically, his own seventeenth brother—endowed with both remarkable talent and legitimate birth. This left Su Ye helpless. For years, he had watched this younger brother treat him with such reverence that his amusement gradually turned to pity… that his own imagination could inspire such fear.

Having spent so many years secluded in his own chambers, seldom interacting with others, Su Ye’s manner was always unhurried. He said to Su Huaqing, “I’m leaving. From now on, the Su family will be yours.”

In fact, Su Ye was not wrong. There were only two legitimate young masters in the family: himself, born of his mother, and Su Huaqing, born of his stepmother.

Yet, to Su Huaqing, these words struck like thunder. For a moment, he truly believed his elder brother was finally going to eliminate him, the eyesore. Only after hearing Su Ye’s next words did he barely regain his composure. So it was just his own paranoia; his illustrious brother was finally stepping into the world!

Hearing that Su Ye intended to join the Fifth Prince, Su Huaqing felt as if he were in a dream. He had always believed that his brother, even without pledging allegiance to any power, could stir the entire Azure Realm. But learning that, within days of the Fifth Prince’s arrival, Su Ye had decided to serve him left Su Huaqing suddenly enlightened. His brother must have seen something in this prince!

Thus, Su Huaqing rose and bowed deeply to Su Ye. “May you take care, brother. The Su family will always be yours! I will watch over it for you. May you soar to the highest heights on this journey!”

Su Ye felt even more helpless, realizing Su Huaqing still didn’t believe he was a mere good-for-nothing. Yet, what Su Huaqing said was not wrong—once he arrived, he would surely be valued, for his father had packed nearly half of the Su family’s fortune into the storage pouch he had prepared for him!

This was all the resources his father could muster. Yet, the Fifth Prince’s foundation was still shallow; he was in dire need of assets and talent. By offering these resources with both hands, Su Ye would surely be elevated and protected for life, enjoying wealth and safety.

After all, lies are eventually unmasked. He didn’t believe he could remain an inscrutable figure in the Su family forever; sooner or later, someone would keep probing, and eventually, he would slip up. If he were just an ordinary clan member, the family might tolerate him. But as the clan leader’s son, how could the loser in a power struggle hope to keep his life?

Moreover, the Grand Demon Sect was, after all, a sacred and enigmatic force, beyond the comprehension of most. Su Ye harbored a glimmer of hope. This time, he was betting everything on the Fifth Prince!

Looking toward the direction of Beiqiong City, Su Ye wondered what kind of person the Fifth Prince truly was.

At that moment, his gaze burned like a torch, his whole bearing transformed, as if this almost tangible gaze could be felt by anyone upon whom it fell.

Aboard the Great-Bellied Ark,

Zhang Ning was entirely unaware of the torch-like gaze from his future right-hand man; he was on the verge of panic!

Since arriving in this world, for the first time, Zhang Ning recalled the frantic days of his youth, memorizing English vocabulary while brushing his teeth. He was right in the thick of such chaos now.

Zhang Ning had no idea when recruiting new disciples had become his responsibility. No one had even bothered to inform him! It was only after he woke up that Yu Zhong, standing at the door, read him the day’s schedule. Zhang Ning was so startled he nearly leapt into the doorframe like a child, saved only by Yu Zhong’s quick intervention.

What was he supposed to do now?

Zhang Ning wanted desperately to shirk this task. It was an abrupt assignment, and he knew he couldn’t perform it perfectly. Though he was quick to adapt, this was just too big, too complicated, testing his abilities on every front. He’d never done anything like this before—he had no experience in HR!

But Yu Zhong informed him that the cobalt-blue storage pouch at his waist, which did not require any recognition of ownership, was known by all as the Grand Demon Sect’s mobile treasury. Whenever the sect recruited new disciples—a rare event—any elder or esteemed figure charged with the task would carry it. It had become a symbol, and Zhang Ning, no matter how many excuses he made, would not be able to refuse!

Upon learning this, Zhang Ning nearly wanted to peel off his own face and throw it at Zhuge Yi. Appearing gentle and dependable, but in truth, his heart was black as pitch! Now he was truly in a bind. If he made even a single misstep, how many people would be waiting to watch him embarrass himself?

Aaaaaaaaaah!

Zhang Ning began rapidly skimming through past procedures, mapping out the distribution of nearby powers, noting the outstanding talents of recent years, the pre-selected candidates within the sect, the underhanded tactics other sects would employ, the covert security measures for this event, and the lone experts nearby who warranted caution—on and on.

He returned to the Fragrant Pavilion, transforming the first floor into his office. All his subordinates, each with their own unique skills, were set to work as his secretaries. Zhuge Yi, who had only just come to observe with due respect but offered no help, watched his junior brother, laughing quietly to himself. He had thought his junior was as patient and precocious as he had once been, able to swallow his teeth along with the blood. Yet at the very first stop, he was already flustered!

So, his junior was not always so far-sighted after all. He, too, could be as lost and teary-eyed as a child… Zhuge Yi couldn’t help but smile.

Seeing Zhuge Yi’s smirk, Zhang Ning grew even more anxious.

He couldn’t help but complain aloud, “Why am I responsible for something so high-level? I was supposed to still be in the rookie village, playing in the mud, not even on the path of the martial world yet!”

Zhuge Yi replied coolly, “No one ever promised you that.”

Zhang Ning was left speechless.

But his panic faded, and he settled down to work in earnest. Fortunately, his subordinates were all first-rate; though most were highly gifted in martial arts, their knowledge and resourcefulness were not lacking. Gradually, the mountain of tasks before him began to shrink, and everything fell into place.