Chapter 67: Fortune Favors Fools

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Fortune Favors Fools

With no evidence to the contrary, even if Su Han pretended to be Elder Gongyang’s former lover, no one would be able to expose him. Not a single person in the entire Celestial Demon Sect knew the specific inside story. He could basically spin whatever tale he wanted about what had happened back then. However, for some unknown reason, he felt an inexplicable resistance toward such a thing. So much so that even though logic told him that acknowledging it would only bring benefits and no harm, emotionally, Su Han still chose to deny it.

However, what he didn’t know was that his momentary struggle and helplessness as he pondered the decision had been interpreted in a completely different way by Yu Su and Zhao Yang. They reasoned that since he clearly couldn’t hide the pain in his heart upon hearing Elder Gongyang’s name, yet insisted on denying it, there had to be a hidden story. Seeing the struggle on Elder Guo’s face before his response, it was evident he had undergone an intense mental battle. In that case, he must have some unspeakable difficulties for refusing to admit it.

After some thought, Yu Su didn’t press the matter further. She nodded in understanding. "Although I don’t know what difficulties you face, Elder Guo, this junior understands your feelings."

Su Han was speechless. Understand?

He thought, "Do you understand the heartache of watching a golden opportunity vanish before my eyes? The pain of having a huge benefit right in front of me, yet inexplicably refusing to seize it? Do you understand the caution I have to take because my image as a senior expert could collapse at any moment? Understand, my ass! You don’t understand a thing."

Cursing inwardly, Su Han glanced at Yu Su and Zhao Yang. "I am a bit tired. If there is nothing else, please excuse yourselves."

Yu Su opened her mouth. Despite having countless questions she wanted to ask, one look at Su Han made her obediently swallow them back. She glanced at Zhao Yang, then cupped her hands in a salute. "Then... this junior will take her leave."

Su Han stared at their departing figures for a long time.

"Elder?" It was only after a long while that the old beggar called out cautiously.

With a sigh, a faint trace of melancholy hung on Su Han’s face as he turned to instruct the old beggar. "In the future, if these two... no, if anyone else from the Celestial Demon Sect comes, tell them I’m not here."

The old beggar gave him a strange look but didn’t ask any questions. He simply nodded and replied, "Understood."

"Good." Su Han nodded and walked out with his hands behind his back, leaving the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yang walked at a leisurely pace with his head bowed, following behind his ancestor. After walking for a long time, he could no longer hold back the doubts in his heart.

"Ancestor Master, Elder Guo..." He still couldn’t understand. Elder Guo had personally said he had a confidante named Rong, so why did he claim not to know Elder Gongyang Rong? Could it be that the elder’s confidante wasn’t Elder Gongyang, but someone else? But in the entire Celestial Demon Sect, the only person who fit the description of "Rong" that the elder mentioned seemed to be Elder Gongyang.

Yu Su looked back at Zhao Yang, showing a rare, kindly smile. "Zhao Yang, you did well. You have made a great contribution to the sect this time."

Zhao Yang was completely dumbfounded. Didn’t Elder Guo say he didn’t know Gongyang Ancestor Master? When did he make a great contribution?

Seeing Zhao Yang’s bewildered expression, Yu Su opened her mouth but ended up sighing helplessly. She really couldn’t figure it out. How could someone so endearingly foolish gain Elder Guo’s favor? Yet, the fact remained that he truly had received Elder Guo’s guidance and obtained a significant fortunate encounter. After racking her brain and failing to identify any of Zhao Yang’s outstanding merits, she could only chalk it up to dumb luck.

Lamenting inwardly, Yu Su shared her speculations with Zhao Yang.

After hearing Yu Su’s explanation, Zhao Yang couldn’t help but scratch the back of his head. "So, Ancestor Master, you mean... Elder Guo actually knows Gongyang Ancestor Master, but due to some unspeakable reasons, he can’t admit it?"

Yu Su nodded. "Judging from the change in his expression when he heard Gongyang Ancestor Master’s name, and the struggle on his face when he denied knowing her, this is most likely the truth."

Zhao Yang blinked. "But... Elder Guo is so powerful. What could possibly prevent him from telling the simple truth that he knows her? Besides..."

Besides, the elder had previously told him that he knew a confidante named Rong from the Celestial Demon Sect in his youth. However, his girlfriend always called him silly, and he knew his brain wasn’t the sharpest at times. Therefore, he kept this thought swallowed down and didn’t voice it aloud.

Yu Su looked at Zhao Yang and shook her head. "A figure at Elder Guo’s level is beyond our ability to fathom. Whatever reservations he has are not for us to guess."

With that, Yu Su glanced back in the direction of the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch. "Since Elder Guo has his reservations, we will pretend we don’t know. Anyway, hasn’t he guided you before? You should use this connection to visit the Beggar Gang more often in the future. You can also bring along some fellow disciples. Who knows, someone else might catch the elder’s eye, which would be another stroke of good fortune."

Zhao Yang nodded to show his understanding, but in reality, his mind was a muddled mess; the more he tried to sort it out, the more tangled it became. After thinking for a long time, he ultimately gave up pondering this overly difficult question. Elder Guo had been kind to him anyway. Regardless of whether the elder was an old acquaintance of Gongyang Ancestor Master or not, he just needed to treat Elder Guo with the respect due to an elder. With this mindset, Zhao Yang felt the chaotic thoughts in his head instantly clear up, bringing him a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Over the following half-month or so, Zhao Yang visited the Beggar Gang Lingzhou Sub-Branch almost every two or three days. Sometimes he went alone, and other times he brought his fellow disciples. During this time, Yu Su also visited twice. However, following Su Han’s instructions, the old beggar entertained them but never allowed any of them to meet the "Elder Guo" they were looking for.

Time flew by, and another half a month passed in a flash.

One day, Su Han was in his room, manipulating his Divine Thought to strike the gray fog hiding the second ball of light inside his body. After nearly a month of effort, the light within the gray fog was already faintly visible. It wouldn’t be long before he could successfully break through the fog’s seal and release the second ball of light.

After weakening the density of the gray fog with his Divine Thought for the umpteenth time, the Jade Talisman stored in Su Han’s Storage Ring vibrated slightly. Retracting his Divine Thought, Su Han took out the Jade Talisman and saw the word "Wang" carved into its glowing surface. The sender was undoubtedly the old beggar, and the word "Wang" on the Jade Talisman indicated that this time, the old beggar was looking for the other elder—Wang Jiantong.

He thought, "There should be news about that middle-aged Daoist Nun. Since this concerns the ruins and fortunate encounters, I wonder what kind of news she will bring me?"

With this in mind, Su Han injected his Spiritual Power and connected to the old beggar’s transmission.