Stop Shuddering

Third elder Zihao De entered the room and saw Yang Zhai cultivating. 

Yang Zhai heard the noise of the door opening and opened his eyes. He saw the third elder Zihao De standing in front of him. He stood up and greeted the third elder. 

"Elder, greetings, I wonder if you need me for something?" 

"No, no, I don't need you to do anything. Sit down, I just wanted to talk to you." Third elder Zihao De sat down and then asked Yang Zhai to sit down as well. 

"Tell me, how's your cultivation going?" Third elder Zihao De inquired. 

Oh, I wonder if I can obtain benefits from this: Yang Zhai thought inwardly, but he still showed a saddened expression. 

"Elder, I am ashamed to say this, but I am stuck in my cultivation and can't seem to advance. It's like a chain, binding me and restricting me." Yang Zhai stated. 

"Oh, don't worry, everything will be alright. I wonder if I can do anything to help you?" 

"No, Elder, I can't. I have already done something unforgivable, but you still forgave me. I can't repay you no matter what. So, how can I ask for more?" Yang Zhai refused to accept any help. His morals came in his way. How could he obtain benefits from the one who helped him? No, this was against his morals. Uh, uh, cough… cough.

"We did nothing, you did everything for the clan, so how can anyone punish you? Still, do refrain from now on. But, it doesn't mean that you can't ask for help from us. Go ahead and tell me if I can be of help to you." Elder Zihao De resisted helping Yang Zhai. Even Yang Zhai was not as desperate as elder Zihao De was to help him. 

"But," 

"No buts, tell me if I can be of help in any way." 

"Elder, the thing is that I am not sure myself. I wonder if you will allow me to visit the clan's treasury and see if something there can help me." Yang Zhai tossed the card out. He got straight to the clan's treasury and did not ask for anything else. 

When Elder Zihao De heard Yang Zhai, his eyes looked at Yang Zhai with a calm expression, as if he was trying to see through Yang Zhai. 

"No, it's not possible, Yang Zhai. I can help you with something else you need." But elder Zihao De rejected Yang Zhai's request without even thinking. 

"Don't worry, Elder, I will try my best to break through. After all, even though it's been months since I broke through, I am still trying hard. I won't give up even if it takes me years. And don't worry, the third elder, I will win against Jun Haru even without advancing, and will also kill him." A determination appeared on Yang Zhai's face and started talking nonsense. Well, that was what it seemed like to elder Zihao De. 

How could Yang Zhai win against Jun Nie without advancing, let alone killing him?

He was just telling indirectly to the third elder that there was no way to win without advancing. And, the third elder even wanted to kill Jun Nie. He even added that he had been trying hard for months and still couldn't advance, indicating that he had really gotten stuck in his cultivation. 

Maybe, his talent is at its limits. If this is true, then he wouldn't be able to advance in a few months, no matter how much he works hard:Elder Zihao De thought after listening to Yang Zhai. 

"Forget it, I will think of something. Also, the competition has been canceled by the Clan leader. We will resume it after the competition with the Ma clan ends. I wanted to give you a treasure that could have helped you against Jun Nie: after all, he had two treasures on him in the last fight. But, after listening to you, I think that it will be useless to give you a treasure if you cannot advance. We first need to solve the issue of your advancement. We need to make sure that you reach rank 3 before the final round starts." Elder Zihao spoke to Yang Zhai. 

"Also, I will talk to the Clan leader to let you cultivate in the spirit garden. Until then, cultivate hard."

"Okay?!! I will do my best, elder." 

Yang Zhai did not reject this time. The spirit garden was something that could help him even at rank 3. 

Third elder Zihao De left after saying this. 

Sigh, what I came for and what I did: Zihao De sighed. 

He had come here to get some answers from Yang Zhai, or more accurately, he had come here to get some answers out of Yang Zhai by manipulating Yang Zhai into talking without realizing it. Such as, he wanted to know whether Yang Zhai had killed the disciples on purpose or not, or whether he had poisoned Ai Hao. 

But instead, it was he who kept on listening to Yang Zhai. He had not come here to promise Yang Zhai or something like this, but he did. 

"This Zihao De is really cunning, he avoided my requests really cleverly. Entering the clan's treasury would be difficult, for sure." 

Yang Zhai thought. He had an idea why Zihao De was here. Now that Ai Hao was dead, Yang Zhai and Si Kim had become important to them, and at that, they could not even put someone after Ai Hao died. 

Yang Zhai was about to sit and cultivate again when he heard the door opening. 

The door opened and Eun Woo entered the room. 

"Greetings elder," Yang Zhai greeted Eun Woo respectfully. 

"Hmm, first, I want to know if you were the one who killed Ai Hao, second, how dare you run away without handing me the full Red Poison technique?" Elder Eun Woo said seriously. 

"Uh, what? Ai Hao died?!! But how?! I am sure she was not killed by the Cougar and was just fine yesterday, so how could she die?!" Yang Zhai was shocked to hear this. 

He does not even know about Ai Hao's death. Could it be that he really is innocent? But, he might be lying. However, it does not seem like it from how he reacted: Eun Woo was contemplating after seeing Yang Zhai's reaction.

"How, how could she die? Could it be that someone is targeting us? First, the Cougar, and then, Ai Hao." Yang Zhai began to mutter. A fear began to appear on his face. His body was starting to shudder. 

What the hell?!!! I just said only two things, and his body is shuddering. Is he that big of a coward?!!! Then why was he talking so big when talking to the Clan leader?!!!: Eun Woo was shocked to see Yang Zhai shudder. She had just asked two things, but Yang Zhai assumed everything else on his own and began to shudder. 

"Okay, okay, enough. Who am I to ask if even the Clan leader did not? Anyway, give me the full Red Poison technique. Moreover, you had promised me another technique for helping you meet with elder Cu Gil, I want that technique as well. It would be much better if you teach me yourself instead of just handing me the scroll."

Elder Eun Woo was now somewhat sure that Yang Zhai did not kill Ai Hao. So, she got to the point she came here for. 

However, Yang Zhai was still shuddering from fear and did not answer. 

"Hey!!! Stop shuddering already and listen to me!!" 

When Elder Eun Woo saw that Yang Zhai was still shuddering and was not listening to her, she shouted. 

"Nothing will happen to you."

"But, but," 

"I already said that nothing will happen to you, the clan leader asked the third elder to protect you, so stop fearing."

"Huh, really?" 

"Yeah, really."

When Yang Zhai heard this, he became normal and stopped shuddering. 

So, it's Zihao De this time.

!*****!*****!