Chapter Seventy-Eight: Bring Your "Fifth Junior Brother" Back!

Unlike Wang Yan’er, who acted without thinking, Wu Youshu was not so reckless as to make a move before the family’s intelligence on Zhang Ning’s identity returned. She could easily deduce that Zhang Ning’s background was anything but ordinary. Still, compared to her relationship with Wang Yan’er, these considerations fell into second place. After all, the Wang and Wu families had been close for generations, and Wu Youshu valued her family highly. Thus, she made a conscious effort to maintain her friendship with Wang Yan’er.

Having known Wang Yan’er for several years, Wu Youshu understood her temperament well—so impulsive that trouble would surely find her one day. Wu Youshu quietly made up her mind: after this incident, she might begin to distance herself from Wang Yan’er without leaving any trace. As for the present situation, there was danger, of course, but the odds were slim.

Within the Great Freedom Heavenly Demon Sect

Returning to the stronghold, Chu Hanyu looked over the reports delivered into his hands, listening to his subordinates’ briefings. His fury reached such a peak that it circled back to icy calm, like a flame burning so hot it turned blue, exuding an aura of extreme danger. “Why is it that I have taken on a fifth disciple without even knowing it myself? Zhang Ning, ha! He must not know the meaning of death!”

When Chu Hanyu first brought Zhang Ning into the sect, he was, truth be told, simply searching for someone to continue the vision once harbored by his eldest disciple. Zhang Ning was hardly a partner, nor did Chu Hanyu expect much from him. If he succeeded, all the better; if not, Chu Hanyu wouldn’t be surprised. Yet, he had not anticipated that Zhang Ning, holding a feather as if it were an imperial command, would parade about claiming to be his newly accepted fifth disciple. Such audacity was breathtaking!

But as Chu Hanyu’s rage cooled, he realized that Zhang Ning’s little mischief was, in truth, less significant than a sesame seed. His concerns lay elsewhere.

After sitting in silence for a while to absorb the situation, Chu Hanyu summoned his third disciple, Zhuge Yi, who had just returned from his errands outside. He questioned him about the new disciples, the placement of covert agents, and then inquired about Zhuge Yi’s injuries. Noting his disciple’s reluctance to let him interfere, and out of respect and trust for the young man’s growing independence, Chu Hanyu let the matter rest.

“Yi, you’ve spent the most time with your so-called ‘fifth junior brother.’ Bring him to me. I want him before my eyes at once!”

Startled by the severity in Chu Hanyu’s tone, Zhuge Yi bowed and replied, “Yes, Master!”

Wuning City

Zhang Ning had been lounging comfortably in his chair, watching Lin Feng participate in the auction, when he received a report that piqued his interest. He beckoned his fourth senior brother, Han Zhifei, and Han Zun to join him in reading it.

When he first joined the auction, his curiosity was lively—he wanted to see what such an event was truly like. On a whim, he bid on two items that caught his eye. Yet the auction was far more orderly than the passionate, dramatic scenes depicted in novels. Everyone obeyed the unspoken rules, and even those of obvious status interacted with careful politeness, leaving Zhang Ning both surprised and somewhat bored.

Instead, it was his subordinate, Lin Feng, whose occasional recommendations led to several unexpected wins. Whenever Lin Feng’s purchases arrived, they turned out to be treasures worth far more than their price. Even the few that seemed mundane hid deep mysteries and would prove invaluable in the future. Both Zhang Ning and his fourth senior brothers, Han Zhifei and Han Zun, were astonished, while Lin Feng remained nonchalant.

Zhang Ning was not greedy for these items and planned to reward them to others in passing—good things were always within his reach anyway. Yet Lin Feng’s uncanny luck was almost charming, prompting Zhang Ning to simply let him take charge of the bidding for fun. Each winning item gave both Zhang Ning, who had a “Library” system, and his well-traveled senior brothers ample material to study, a rare pleasure amid the otherwise uneventful auction.

Overall, the auction was a relaxing affair. So when the intelligence report arrived, Zhang Ning almost wanted to whistle in delight! The report revealed that the whereabouts of a sect enemy had been discovered—a female Martial Emperor, known as the Hidden Color Fairy, who once killed a low-ranked disciple of the Great Freedom Heavenly Demon Sect. (The parenthetical “White Lotus” was Zhang Ning’s own summary after reading her biography.)

She was present at the auction because the final item on sale was crucial to her cultivation. It was the perfect chance for an ambush.

However, Wuning City was not within the sect’s sphere of influence. The team responsible for tracking the Hidden Color Fairy was not equipped for a true pursuit, and since Zhang Ning was present (or so they believed), and they were not directly under his command, they lacked both the confidence and the authority to act. They also feared disrupting the Fifth Prince’s enjoyment or interfering with his plans. Thus, both reason and etiquette demanded that they report to Zhang Ning.

Coincidentally, Su Ye, who usually handled minor issues, was absent, so the matter came straight to Zhang Ning. For the first time, he found himself personally involved in sect affairs, and he could hardly contain his excitement.

He then called for Su Shangwen, whom Su Ye had left behind to handle chores, and instructed him, “What’s the story behind the final item of the auction? Can we get it ahead of time? We could always buy it for a high price.”

At that moment, Han Zun, who had been enjoying the festival like a carefree youth, snorted, “Why bother paying a high price? Just have their manager deliver the item to us directly!” To Zhang Ning’s surprise, even Han Zhifei, the usually prudent fourth brother, nodded in agreement.

In another private room at the auction

A timid young man asked, “Sister Ling, do you think we’ll succeed this time?”

The woman he addressed as Sister Ling clenched her fists and declared, “We will succeed this time! The Summer Glass Hollow Flower is a tremendous aid to the Hidden Color Fairy’s cultivation. She will surely appear, even though the sect is hunting her. But this city is beyond their reach—they don’t have enough people to lay an ambush! As long as we can approach the Hidden Color Fairy at the auction, our task is half done. As for what happens when the sect reacts… She is a figure of tremendous power—she’ll surely escape unscathed!”

Her expression was firm, but her voice betrayed a hesitation she herself did not notice.

The timid youth glanced at his sister’s bloodshot eyes. He opened his mouth to object but could not bring himself to speak. After all, what good would it do to make contact? Their enemy, Gu Feng, was an Immortal Lord—not someone who could be defeated by justice or determination alone.