31 So He’s That Useless Trash?

Zhou Yan met both Xiao Chaner and Xiao Liner when he was little, but he had not seen both his childhood friends all these years.

When the doors of the hidden chambers opened, he was unable to contain himself.

The once snot dripping, crybabies who used to hide behind him while crying out 'Brother Zhou Yan' were now fully grown, elegant young women.

Those two young women were almost uncanny. There were hints of shyness yet elegance on their faces.

Both their skins were soft and tender. They seemed to emanate a radiant glow from their bodies since they both wore the same white silk woven dresses. They resembled deities and they were absolutely stunning.

Zhou Yan had encountered a handful of mysteriously unique young ladies and he knew that the better one's progress was, the more beautiful one would be. This was all due to the mutation one had to undergo when one progressed and ascended into a higher realm. Besides, based on the foreign land known as 'Earth,' its 'science' had explained that this change as a genetic mutation, causing one's body to be gradually perfect.

However, both of them who were in front of him lacked training as they were only in the third rank in the realm of the Blade's Cardinal. Still, when the duo stood side by side, they could seemingly distract anyone away from their progress due to how beautiful they looked.

They both looked similar. However, their temperaments were distinctly different. One was as beautiful as the flowers in spring, and the other was as pure as the fall's moon. This stunned Zhou Yan when he first laid his eyes upon them.

As Zhou Yan took his time analyzing their looks, both of them stood at the same spot nervously and refused to come any closer to him.

"Brother Zhou Yan?" the spring flower-like young maiden said skeptically while staring at him nervously.

On the other hand, the fall's moon-like young girl stared at him with an emotional gaze while her breathing grew increasingly unstable.

"You're Liner, and you're Chaner, I presume. The both of you sure are pretty," Zhou Yan said while staring at them.

"Um... Brother Zhou Yan, you're finally in the City of Heavenly Prophecies?"

Xiao Liner seemed more distant than she was before and she was unsure of what to talk about. She was a little excited previously. However, now that she had finally seen him, she was uncertain of how to interact with him.

At the same time, Xiao Chaner's face blushed slightly as she was also unsure of what to say.

It seemed that they had plenty in mind to speak. However, they were unable to. The close-knit bonds they shared as children seemingly drifted apart as time passed.

"Brother Zhou Yan, Chaner, Liner, let's head out for some shopping," Gu Xi suggested at that moment, breaking the awkward tension between the trio.

"Hmm, if that's the case, then, Chaner, Liner, since it's been so long, I will buy you both a gift." 

Zhou Yan smiled as he noticed that it was more difficult than he had imagined when facing the duo. It felt like an invisible wall was built in between their relationship, and it felt significantly different when he first met Gu Xi.

Zhou Yan took no offense to this whole ordeal and the only thoughts that came to his mind were perhaps due to the passage of time and that the both of them had grown up, so a change in personality was expected. Hence, it was a natural and reasonable response.

"Brother Zhou Yan, you're still as elegant and casual as you used to be."

Xiao Liner smiled, revealing her beautiful pearly whites. 

…

The Complex of Treasures within the City of Heavenly Prophecies.

The management who ran the Complex of Treasures was an influential person, but not a single soul knew who this person was.

The Complex of Treasures existed in every city and every product that was sold there was unfathomably luxurious that not even any regular major family would be able to afford these products.

Zhou Yan had brought Xiao Liner, Xiao Chaner, and Gu Xi over to the Complex of Treasures.

"Brother Zhou Yan, this place... we shouldn't be here, I think we should leave…"

Before they could enter a strictly guarded cobblestone door, Zhou Yan heard Xiao Chaner's voice.

Zhou Yan took a quick, curious glance at her. He smiled and said, "It's fine, shopping here is something I can afford."

"But… the cheapest item in here is charged with Spirit Crystals... I... I…" Xiao Chaner looked down in guilt.

"It's fine. What's a little crystal going to cost me anyway?" Zhou Yan smiled compassionately at Xiao Chaner, who was blushing.

Xiao Liner, on the other hand, had a cold and uninterested expression on her face. She paid absolutely no attention to what Zhou Yan had said and even glared at her twin sister with disgust. That glare seemingly said, 'Wow you're a fool, how could you not see the obvious carefree attitude from Zhou Yan?'

"What's a little crystal going to cost me? You speak words of an arrogant fool. Do you actually think you're a Lord of the Zhou family? You're nothing but a walking breathing useless trash, an abandoned child of the Zhou family."

At this moment, the voice could be heard echoing through the air hence, breaking the stoic atmosphere they had built instantly.

Zhou Yan turned around, and noticed a slender looking man with a cold, tense gaze along with a mocking smile on his face.

This man was assaulting Zhou Yan with his words, while his perverted gaze seemingly violated both Xiao Chaner and Xiao Liner's bodies.

This gaze was filled to the brim with perversion and hints of intentional offense. This look had seemingly startled Xiao Chaner, and almost instinctively, she inched closer to Zhou Yan, sheltering herself from that man.

Xiao Liner, on the other hand was unaffected and glanced over to meet the man's gaze.

"Do you know me?'

Zhou Yan's eyebrows twitched while moving his arm subtly. However, he did not reach for the hilt of Sorrow's Breaker that was hanging by his waist.

Zhou Yan was more than capable of murdering with a single word. However, he willed himself to temporarily suppress his bloodlust.

"The trash of the Zhou family. This abandoned child is nothing more than an imposter using a false status just to give the true lord of the Zhou family some form of motivation... Everyone in Canglan City was talking about this, so tell me, why do I not know about it?

"We, the members of the Xie family, specializing in the trade of information through the blessing of the Sword's Master of Smelting. Tell me, do you think this entire ordeal could be kept hidden away from me?"

"So, you are from the Xie family. This explains your arrogance! However, does the Xie family dare to threaten the pupils of the Temple of The Frost Blade?"

Zhou Yan never said a word. Instead at this moment, Gu Xi stood up, and without hesitation, she used her status as a pupil of the Temple of The Frost Blade.

"You... you're the special heir, handpicked by the master of the Temple of The Frost Blade, Gu Xi?"

The young man from the Xie family was shocked while his expression morphed into a horrified look after hearing Gu Xi's reply.

"Exactly! If you dare offend brother Zhou Yan with your words again, I will not hesitate to unleash my blade!"

Gu Xi's words spoke volumes and it was filled to the brim with bloodlust. Judging from her progress, not even Zhou Yan was close to her current level. It did not matter how powerful this young man from the Xie family was and how far his training went. His entire face turned pale by the sheer pressure of Gu Xi's words and he swayed uncontrollably.

"Hmph, trash!"

Gu Xi scoffed, as she turned to Zhou Yan and said in a much gentle and compassionate tone, "Brother Zhou Yan, let's not be bothered by the likes of him, let's go!"

"Yes, indeed."

Zhou Yan nodded. However, this ordeal never affected him and was not even bothered by the slightest bit since the man was a solo traveler. 

As Zhou Yan turned around, his detection field had not been deactivated. Hence, he was able to sense a raging hatred and bloodlust coming from the man's body.

He was unsure as to why that man thought that way. However, it was not a difficult thing to imagine, since that man was certain that both Xiao Chaner and Xiao Liner would be his prisoners.

However, he was not too bothered by that, since all he had to do first was help treat Xiao Zhan's injuries. With the Lord of the Xiao family's status, he was not even worried about the insignificant brat of the Xie family.

When they approached the Complex of Treasures, at the same moment, a stunning looking young girl in a purple Armor of Spiritual Affinity walked out of the Complex of Treasures.

She glanced at Zhou Yan and a hint of surprise reflected through her eyes. She then looked at both Xiao Chaner and Xiao Liner and finally, Gu Xi. She bowed in absolute respect toward Gu Xi and said, "It seems the true heiress of the Temple of The Frost Blade had made her grand presence here. Lady Gu, please."

"Indeed, I have. Please, there is no such need for any formalities. After all, this was my brother Zhou Yan's proposal. He was about to buy us all a gift!"

Gu Xi cracked a gentle smile and it was evident that she was not affected by that young man from the Xie family.

"Oh, it is Lord Zhou... my apologies, my apologies. Lord Zhou, this way, please."

This young girl took another glance at Zhou Yan. Even though she made no effort to sense his level of training, she was staring at him in a very odd manner and she made no effort to hide it.

Zhou Yan knew that this entire ordeal was due to his exile from the Zhou family. It seemed that news had traveled from Canglan City all the way to the City of Heavenly Prophecies. It was apparent that most common-folk had also known about it, and it was through her eyes that she was utterly skeptical of his progress, his powers, his identity, and even his purchasing power.

However, he had the need to explain anything.

"Do you happen to have any better Armor of Absolute Invincibility in store? I would like to have three," Zhou Yan sadi in a casual manner.

The Armor of Absolute Invincibility was indeed something easy to obtain. Plenty of scholars were fond of the armor since it was capable of self-mending.

As a pupil from the Temple of The Frost Blades, Gu Xi was indeed worthy of such an artifact. However, she was currently short on funds.

Ever since Zhou Yan made his way here, he thought about giving the three young ladies the armor after he had first-hand experience with the benefits the armor had provided.

He was calm, however after he had made such a bold statement, even Gu Xi who had plenty of experiences was also stunned. Both Xiao Chaner and Xiao Liner were utterly shocked.

"This... this is way too expensive!" Xiao Chaner exclaimed shockingly.

"This... this…" Xiao Liner stuttered slightly while her gaze reflected her shocking and curious feelings.

"Brother Zhou Yan, please, there's no need for something so luxurious... truly. Look at the clothes we're wearing now, it's still fine. Besides, it has some form of resistance ability, too," Gu Xi said while covering her mouth.

Hints of skepticism and admiration reflected through the young lady dressed in purple who was their merchant guide. She thought if... that was, in fact, the legendary useless trash which had been given the identity of 'Zhou Wangchen's' son. Since this man was very different to that adopted and abandoned baby who had been given the name 'Zhou Yan' than she had imagined!