THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
Chapter Twenty-Three — Another Breakthrough

A streak of crimson flashed through the darkness.

The Blood Infant slipped through window cracks and shadows, crossed the silent inn, and shot directly back into Zhuo Fan’s body.

He slowly exhaled a long breath and opened his eyes.

Lucky.

If the Blood Infant had been even a little slower escaping the Cai estate, that bald old man would have destroyed it.

Zhuo Fan had never expected to encounter a monster like that hiding inside the Cai family.

He still could not determine the old man’s cultivation realm, but the pressure he carried felt no weaker than Long Jiu’s.

That alone was enough to be terrifying.

If the Blood Infant were destroyed, Zhuo Fan would die with it.

Their souls and life force were connected.

But as long as the Blood Infant survived, even blowing apart his own heart meridians could not truly kill him.

Because from the moment the Blood Infant was refined—

It became his heart.

Zhuo Fan narrowed his eyes slightly.

“I need to increase my strength immediately.”

For the first time since his rebirth, he felt genuine pressure closing in from every direction.

At the moment, Nether Valley and Hidden Dragon Pavilion still maintained a fragile balance. Neither side wished to start a war openly.

But Black Wind Mountain’s involvement could easily become the spark that ignited everything.

And when that happened, the Luo family would be trapped directly in the middle.

Before that day arrived, Zhuo Fan needed to raise the Blood Infant to the Bone Tempering Stage.

Only then would he possess the strength to fight monsters like Long Jiu head-on.

Without hesitation, he closed his eyes and began refining the vitality and origin energy the Blood Infant had brought back.

A crimson glow flickered across his lower abdomen.

Streams of blood-red energy rushed through his meridians and gathered toward the hole in his chest. Under the pressure of that monstrous vitality, the torn flesh began repairing itself visibly.

The shattered heart meridians slowly pulsed again.

Stronger.

Steadier.

In less than half an hour, the massive wound across his chest had healed completely.

No scar remained.

No trace.

If someone had not seen Zhuo Fan detonate his own heart meridians earlier that day, they would never believe such an injury had ever existed.

Once the damage was repaired, Zhuo Fan immediately circulated the Heavenly Demon Great Transformation Art again, refining the Blood Infant’s harvested energy into streams of black spiritual force.

Part of it flowed into his own dantian.

The rest returned to the Blood Infant to strengthen its cultivation.

More than fifty Qi Gathering cultivators’ worth of origin energy surged through him.

The breakthrough came quickly.

Too quickly.

Boom.

The barrier around Qi Gathering Stage Three shattered.

Then the next bottleneck cracked almost immediately afterward.

Another explosion echoed through his meridians.

Both Zhuo Fan and the Blood Infant advanced simultaneously into Qi Gathering Stage Four.

Zhuo Fan’s eyes snapped open.

Even he could not suppress the satisfaction rising in his chest.

This speed was absurd.

When he first broke into Qi Gathering Stage Two, it had not even been ten days ago.

Now he had crossed two more stages consecutively.

He immediately tried to push higher.

But after reaching Stage Four, the Blood Infant’s stored energy finally ran dry.

Zhuo Fan exhaled slowly.

Still not enough.

Yet even with that lingering hunger, he was already more than satisfied with tonight’s gains.

He rose from the bed and stretched slightly.

Outside the window, dawn was beginning to break.

Black Wind Mountain was moving.

That meant he needed to find the Luo family a safer place to stay immediately.

Creak.

He opened the door.

Then something suddenly slammed against his legs.

Zhuo Fan looked down.

Luo Yunshang blinked awake groggily from the floor.

The two stared at each other.

“…What are you doing outside my room?”

Zhuo Fan frowned.

Last night, his mind had remained connected to the Blood Infant almost the entire time. After it returned, he immediately entered cultivation.

He had not noticed anyone outside.

That realization made his expression darken slightly.

Careless.

If an enemy had stood outside instead of Luo Yunshang, he could already be dead.

Luo Yunshang noticed the irritation on his face and lowered her eyes awkwardly.

“I was worried your injuries might worsen,” she muttered quietly. “So I stayed outside to keep watch.” She turned away quickly. “Now that you’re fine, I’ll leave.”

“Wait.”

Zhuo Fan paused.

“You mean you stayed here all night?”

Luo Yunshang’s cheeks reddened faintly.

She said nothing.

She simply turned and walked away — though noticeably faster than usual.

A moment later, Commander Pang approached from the corridor.

When he saw Zhuo Fan standing unharmed, his eyes widened with relief.

“Brother Zhuo, thank heavens you’re alive. Do you know how terrifying your injuries looked yesterday?” He shook his head repeatedly. “The young miss stayed outside your room all night. She was terrified something might happen to you.” He looked around. “Hm? Where is she?”

“She left.”

Zhuo Fan touched his nose lightly.

For some reason, an unfamiliar warmth stirred in his chest.

His expression immediately darkened.

Damn heart demon.

How could a Demon Emperor feel moved over something so small?

It had to be the lingering obsession left behind by the Luo family servant’s heart demon.

That was the only explanation.

“Old Pang,” Zhuo Fan said suddenly, “come with me to Hidden Dragon Pavilion.”

Commander Pang hesitated.

“But what about the young miss and young master?”

Zhuo Fan smirked coldly.

“After yesterday, nobody in Windforest City dares touch them.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Not unless they want to offend Hidden Dragon Pavilion.”

Commander Pang froze.

Then understanding dawned on him.

Everything happening now — the city believing the Luo family stood under Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s protection — had been created entirely by Zhuo Fan.

Commander Pang looked at him with open admiration.

“Brother Zhuo…” He shook his head in amazement. “This Old Pang truly submits now. If you aren’t fit to be the Luo family steward, nobody is.” He laughed bitterly. “Back when they had you sweeping courtyards, they really wasted a genius.”

Zhuo Fan laughed quietly and patted his shoulder.

The previous owner of this body wasn’t me.

A short while later, the two arrived outside Hidden Dragon Pavilion.

The same two guards stood at the entrance.

But the moment they saw Zhuo Fan approaching, both immediately bowed deeply.

“Honored guests. Please enter.”

Zhuo Fan smiled mockingly.

“No need to stop us for inspection this time?”

One guard forced out an embarrassed laugh.

“We were blind before, sir. Anyone capable of making a million-spirit-stone transaction is naturally a distinguished guest. We wouldn’t dare obstruct you now.”

“Hmph. Dogs only recognize status.”

Zhuo Fan sneered and walked inside with Commander Pang, leaving the guards bowing repeatedly behind him.

Their smiles looked polite.

Their eyes did not.

The moment they entered the Pavilion, they encountered Long Kui directly.

Unlike before, she immediately turned her head aside with an angry snort.

Commander Pang blinked.

“…Did we offend her somehow?”

Zhuo Fan smiled faintly.

He understood perfectly.

“Miss Long,” he said calmly, “is this how Hidden Dragon Pavilion treats its guests?”

“Guests?” Long Kui glared at him. “People who manipulate us deserve to call themselves guests?”

Commander Pang looked completely lost.

Zhuo Fan only smiled wider.

“You really are still too young.”

The words were soft.

But Long Kui heard every syllable clearly.

Since childhood, she had always been praised as a prodigy. A jewel among her generation.

No one had ever spoken down to her like this.

Especially not someone her own age.

“Zhuo Fan,” she snapped, “who are you calling immature?”

“You.”

He answered immediately.

“In business. In politics between the Seven Houses. Everything revolves around interests.” His gaze remained calm. “If being outplayed once is enough to make you angry, then how will you survive in this world?”

Long Kui froze.

“Compared to you,” Zhuo Fan continued, “Long Jie is much more mature. After realizing he’d been used, he said nothing and left.” A faint smile touched his lips. “Knowing how to accept a loss is also a form of strength.”

Silence.

Those words struck Long Kui harder than she expected.

At the main house, the elders had always praised her talent but never entrusted her with true responsibility.

Here, Long Jiu treated her the same way.

Meanwhile Long Jie, whose talent was supposedly inferior, received real trust.

She had never understood why.

Now, for the first time, she felt like she understood something.

“Hatred and pride won’t help you survive,” Zhuo Fan said lightly. “Only interests matter.”

Then he smiled.

“So. Shall we put aside personal resentment and discuss another business deal?” His eyes narrowed slightly. “You can even use it to prove your talent.”

Long Kui hesitated.

Then slowly nodded.

But before she could speak—

“Let this old man negotiate instead.”

An aged voice interrupted calmly.

Everyone turned.

Long Jiu approached slowly with Long Jie beside him.

The moment Long Jie saw Zhuo Fan, surprise flashed through his eyes.

Yesterday, he had watched Zhuo Fan detonate his own heart meridians.

Yet now the man stood there looking completely healthy. No weakness. No unstable aura. Even his breathing was perfectly steady.

Had he really recovered overnight?

Impossible.

“Elder Jiu,” Zhuo Fan said with a smile, “won’t you give the younger generation a chance?”

Long Jiu shook his head and laughed.

“After getting tricked by you once already, how could I still dare use these children for practice?” His single eye narrowed. “If I hadn’t already investigated your background thoroughly and confirmed you’re under twenty years old, I would think some thousand-year-old monster had hidden himself inside the Luo family.”

Zhuo Fan nearly laughed.

That guess was dangerously close to the truth.

“You flatter me, Elder Jiu.”

“Enough nonsense.”

Long Jiu’s expression suddenly turned serious.

“What are you here for today?”

“I need a residence,” Zhuo Fan replied directly. “Somewhere the Luo family can settle safely. Does Elder Jiu know of a suitable place?”

Long Jiu stroked his beard.

“And why should Hidden Dragon Pavilion help you?”

“Simple.”

Zhuo Fan smiled strangely.

“Because Hidden Dragon Pavilion owes us.”

Then his eyes darkened slightly.

“And because keeping the Luo family in one place makes it easier for you to monitor us, doesn’t it?”

Long Jiu’s pupil contracted sharply.

This boy…

He had already guessed everything.

After You Quan’s death, Hidden Dragon Pavilion had been dragged into a passive position. Their relationship with Nether Valley had become dangerously unstable.

Meanwhile, the Luo family had become an unpredictable factor.

Because of Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s apparent backing, no one in Windforest City dared touch them anymore.

Which also meant the Luo family now had the freedom to ignite trouble anywhere.

Long Jiu had already planned to place them under surveillance.

And now Zhuo Fan had walked directly into the Pavilion and said it openly.

For the first time in many years, Long Jiu felt something close to discomfort.

He had spent nearly a century navigating power struggles.

Yet this young man kept pulling him into situations where he could not even see the full board.

And that feeling—

He hated it.

[End of Chapter Twenty-Three]

Chapter Twenty-Four — Formation Master

Long Jiu was hesitating.

Zhuo Fan saw it immediately.

So he smiled.

“How about this,” he said. “I’ll take the loss and sell you another piece of information.”

Long Kui lifted her chin.

“What information could you possibly have that Hidden Dragon Pavilion doesn’t?”

Zhuo Fan’s smile remained unchanged.

“Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s reach may cover the empire, but cats have their paths, and rats have theirs.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “What I know may not have reached your ears yet.”

Long Kui curled her lip, clearly unconvinced.

Long Jie only shook his head lightly.

Only Long Jiu kept his single eye fixed on Zhuo Fan, his expression grave.

If anyone else had said those words, Long Jiu would have dismissed them without a second thought.

But Zhuo Fan was different.

Over the past few days, this young man had shocked him too many times. Every word, every move, every glance had to be treated with care.

“Say it.”

Zhuo Fan’s smile turned faintly sinister.

“Do you know Nether Valley has already sent someone here?”

Long Jiu’s expression changed.

Windforest City belonged to Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s territory. Since the founding of the empire, the Seven Houses had divided their spheres of influence clearly. For one house to send stationed experts into another’s domain without permission was provocation.

Enough to start a war.

Disciples traveling outside were different. Someone like You Quan could appear here, and Hidden Dragon Pavilion would not interfere.

But family elders were another matter.

A true expert could not simply step into another house’s territory without approval.

Zhuo Fan had heard enough from Luo Yunshang about the rules of the Seven Houses to test the matter now.

Judging from their reactions, they had not known.

“Impossible,” Long Jie said, his face serious. “Windforest City’s eyes and ears are under my charge. No one could enter freely without me knowing.”

“Hmph. Don’t listen to him,” Long Kui said, glaring at Zhuo Fan. “He’s probably trying to trick us again.”

Only Long Jiu remained silent.

After a moment, he asked, “Do you have proof?”

Zhuo Fan shook his head.

“No proof.”

Long Kui immediately rolled her eyes.

“So you’re making it up.”

Zhuo Fan laughed softly.

“But I saw him clearly. Bald old man. Cai Rong and Patriarch Sun both called him Elder Jian.”

Long Jiu’s single eye constricted.

“Bald Eagle Jian Fan?”

The name landed like a blade.

In the next instant, Long Jiu’s aura erupted.

Raw killing intent flooded the room.

Everyone’s breath caught. Even Zhuo Fan felt his chest tighten under the pressure. For one brief second, it felt as if the old man’s murderous intent had physical weight.

Then it vanished.

Zhuo Fan drew a slow breath.

Interesting.

“Elder Jiu,” he said carefully, “you have history with him?”

“History?” Long Jie sighed from the side. “Uncle Jiu’s divine eye was destroyed by Jian Fan.”

Zhuo Fan’s heart stirred with satisfaction.

Good.

Hatred made everything easier.

“My condolences, Elder Jiu,” Zhuo Fan said, sounding almost sincere.

Long Jiu waved a hand.

“If you can describe him, then I believe you.” His eye still carried a cold, dangerous light. “There is a courtyard roughly a hundred yards from here. Move the Luo family there.”

“Many thanks, Elder Jiu.”

Zhuo Fan cupped his hands, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. Then he turned and left with Commander Pang.

They had only taken a few steps when Long Jiu’s voice sounded behind them again.

“Boy.”

Zhuo Fan stopped.

“Where did you see that old ghost?”

“At the Cai estate,” Zhuo Fan said without turning around. “Though by now, he may be at the Sun family’s residence.”

“I understand.”

Long Jiu nodded slowly.

His fists tightened, bones cracking audibly beneath his skin.

Only after Zhuo Fan and Commander Pang left did Long Jiu speak again.

“Ah Jie. Send word to the main family. Tell them to dispatch more elders here.”

His voice turned cold.

“I don’t want Jian Fan leaving Windforest City alive.”

Long Jie hesitated.

“Uncle Jiu, he’s an elder of Nether Valley. If he dies here, war between the two houses may become unavoidable.”

“Hmph. He broke the rules first by entering my territory.”

Long Jiu’s single eye burned with old hatred.

“If I let him leave alive, then I will have failed the eye he took from me.”

Long Jie knew there was no use persuading him.

He sighed quietly and withdrew with Long Kui.

As they left, Long Jiu’s furious laughter echoed behind them.

The next morning, Zhuo Fan led the Luo family out of the inn and into the courtyard Long Jiu had arranged.

It was no simple residence.

The estate had been built for Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s honored guests, and in scale alone, it was no smaller than Cloudbound Villa had been. In Windforest City, it was the finest courtyard available.

There was no second.

The spies from every major family watching the Luo family immediately carried the news back.

Within hours, the entire city knew.

The Luo family had moved into a Hidden Dragon Pavilion estate.

That meant the rumor was no longer rumor.

Hidden Dragon Pavilion was backing the Luo family.

And not casually.

They had given them a private estate and surrounded it with guards.

The Cai family and Sun family felt cold sweat after hearing the news. Both secretly rejoiced that they had not accepted Elder Jian’s request. Judging from this treatment, anyone who touched the Luo family might as well be slapping Hidden Dragon Pavilion in the face.

The moment the Luo family stepped into that courtyard, they became, in the eyes of Windforest City, its new first family.

Even if there were only four of them left.

“Are we really living here now?”

Luo Yunshang stood just inside the gate, stunned by the scale of the place.

The courtyard was vast, orderly, and guarded so tightly that every few steps stood another expert. Most were above the Qi Gathering Stage.

More than twenty guards in golden armor held key positions around the estate, each one radiating a pressure similar to what she had once felt from her father.

Bone Tempering experts.

This level of security could only come from one of the Seven Houses.

Luo Yunhai stared around with wide-eyed curiosity.

Commander Pang was simply frozen.

The aura of so many experts pressing from every direction nearly made him forget how to breathe.

Zhuo Fan patted him on the shoulder.

“Old Pang, when the Luo family is rebuilt, how about I give you a unit like this to command?”

Commander Pang laughed awkwardly and shook his head.

“Any guard here is stronger than me. If I could become one of them, I’d already be satisfied. How could I dare command experts like this?”

That was what he said.

But there was light in his eyes.

Hope.

Zhuo Fan smiled.

“That day will come.”

A mocking laugh interrupted them.

“Mister Zhuo, it seems you don’t only deceive outsiders. You even lie to your own people. Did you trick your way into becoming steward too?”

Everyone looked up.

Long Jie and Long Kui were approaching.

Ever since learning that Hidden Dragon Pavilion had been used by Zhuo Fan, Long Kui had shown him no pleasant expression. Now she spoke with open disdain.

“With Commander Pang’s talent, he’ll be lucky to reach Qi Gathering Stage Six. In our Pavilion, that only qualifies him as a low-level guard, not a commander.” Her eyes swept over them. “Weak little clans should stop dreaming like great families.”

Luo Yunshang and Commander Pang both lowered their heads slightly.

Zhuo Fan’s expression cooled.

“Miss Long,” he said quietly, “there is a saying: do not look down on the poor and weak. Your words are excessive.”

“Hmph. Do not look down on the poor and weak?” Long Kui sneered. “That’s something people say to comfort themselves while dreaming in daylight.”

She lifted her chin.

“Every true great family is built through hundreds or thousands of years of accumulation. Do you think hiding under Hidden Dragon Pavilion because of a few clever tricks makes you powerful?”

Her eyes sharpened.

“To me, Windforest City is nothing more than a speck of dust. Even if you dominate this place, you’re still frogs at the bottom of a well. You have no idea how vast the world truly is.”

Zhuo Fan nearly laughed from anger.

He had no idea how vast the world was?

A frog at the bottom of a well?

He, the Demon Emperor who had descended from the Sacred Domain, was being lectured by a little girl from the Tianyu Empire.

In his eyes, the entire empire was barely a grain of sand.

Hidden Dragon Pavilion included.

“Zhuo Fan.”

Luo Yunshang gently tugged his sleeve, her brows tight with warning.

They were relying on Hidden Dragon Pavilion now.

They could not afford to offend them.

Long Jie also seemed to realize Long Kui had gone too far. He tapped her shoulder lightly and shook his head.

She turned away with a cold snort.

“My lady,” Zhuo Fan said, his voice suddenly calm, “lend me the spirit stones.”

Luo Yunshang blinked, unsure what he intended, but still handed him a storage ring.

Zhuo Fan took it.

Then he leapt.

In one motion, he landed on the highest rooftop in the courtyard and looked down over the entire estate.

“Hey!” Long Kui shouted. “This isn’t your house. What are you climbing up there for? Come down.”

Zhuo Fan ignored her.

His eyes swept across the courtyard, tracking lines no one else could see.

After a moment, he said lightly:

“Third-grade defensive formation. Coiling Dragon Array.”

Long Jie and Long Kui both froze.

Because Zhuo Fan was right.

This was the defensive formation Long Jiu had personally laid around the estate.

And Zhuo Fan had seen through it at a glance.

Before they could recover from the shock, Zhuo Fan moved again.

Spirit stones poured from the storage ring like rain.

They scattered in every direction, falling into precise positions across the courtyard. In less than a minute, nearly ten thousand spirit stones had vanished into the earth.

Zhuo Fan dropped back down.

Long Jie and Long Kui stared at him.

“What did you just do?” Long Jie asked.

Zhuo Fan did not answer.

He formed a seal with both hands.

The ground shook.

A deep dragon roar rolled beneath their feet.

Then another.

And another.

Nine golden dragons burst from the earth and soared into the sky.

Their roars shook all of Windforest City.

Across the city, people looked up in terror and confusion as the golden dragons coiled through the heavens.

Inside a secret chamber at the Sun estate, Elder Jian opened his eyes sharply.

“Who is laying a formation?”

His expression darkened.

“Is it that old ghost Long Jiu? No. Impossible. He doesn’t have the ability to create an array of this scale.”

At Hidden Dragon Pavilion, Long Jiu stepped outside in a flash and stared toward the courtyard.

“That’s my Coiling Dragon Array?”

His face changed.

“No. Not anymore. My array never had this kind of power.”

At the entrance of Black Wind Mountain, a sinister young man looked toward Windforest City, brows drawn tight.

“What happened in the city? Has the plan begun early?”

After a moment, he shook his head.

“No. Elder Jian would never be that reckless.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Then what exactly is going on?”

All eyes in Windforest City were drawn to the phenomenon.

A minute later, Zhuo Fan changed the seal.

The nine golden dragons roared once more, then dove back into the courtyard and disappeared beneath the ground.

A visible layer of golden light slowly rose around the entire estate, enclosing it like a barrier.

Long Kui stared.

“What… what did you do?”

Zhuo Fan still ignored her.

Instead, he returned the storage ring to Luo Yunshang with a respectful bow.

“My lady,” he said calmly, “I saw that the original Coiling Dragon Array was only a third-grade formation and feared it might not be enough to protect your safety. So I acted without permission and upgraded it to a fifth-grade formation: the Nine Heavens Coiling Dragon Array. It consumed many spirit stones. Please punish me as you see fit.”

Fifth-grade formation?

Long Kui and Long Jie went completely still.

In the entire Tianyu Empire, only a handful of people could arrange fifth-grade formations.

Even among the Seven Houses, such talent was not guaranteed.

Yet Zhuo Fan had casually upgraded one right in front of them.

Was he a fifth-grade formation master?

Luo Yunshang saw the shock on their faces and immediately understood what Zhuo Fan was doing.

He was humiliating them.

And for once, she decided to cooperate.

After all, seeing Zhuo Fan behave this respectfully toward her was a rare pleasure.

She drew herself up and let her expression turn cold.

“Steward Zhuo,” she said, “you used so many spirit stones without permission. By rights, you should be punished.”

Long Kui’s face twitched.

Punished?

A fifth-grade formation master would be worshiped even by the Seven Houses.

Who would dare punish him?

Luo Yunshang continued, voice steady.

“But considering your loyalty, I will overlook it this once. Go.”

Zhuo Fan bowed again.

“As you command, my lady.”

Then he followed Luo Yunshang inside with perfect composure.

Commander Pang and Luo Yunhai trailed behind them, both shocked, though Commander Pang could not quite hide the laughter in his eyes.

Long Kui and Long Jie remained where they stood.

Neither spoke.

The weight of what they had just witnessed settled heavily between them.

They had thought Zhuo Fan was only a schemer.

A Qi Gathering cultivator with a sharp tongue and dangerous tricks.

But now they knew.

He was also a fifth-grade formation master.

And no weak little clan from some remote corner of the empire should ever have been able to possess someone like that.

[End of Chapter Twenty-Four]