One of the nine Outer Sect Stewards, Niu Yuanshan, appeared in the dungeon.
Chu Huaixu's Little Housekeeper was right by his side, looking at the young man with a face full of concern.
Upon seeing the wound on his arm, her already icy face was further covered with frost.
"He's hurt!" Han Shuangjiang's heart tightened.
Chu Huaixu breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Niu Yuanshan.
Before crossing over, the foolish players had already laid the [organization] bare.
Later, many players started making jokes, memorizing the [organization]'s "Precepts" backwards and forwards, and kept saying "fellow Daoist" and "loyal——ty!"
Just not long ago, Chu Huaixu had jokingly thought: "Fellow Daoist, save me! Loyal——ty!"
But once in the dungeon, the environment changed, and the atmosphere became tense.
He actually felt a bit nervous.
Old Niu, don't be late for me!
Luckily, Niu Yuanshan appeared just in time.
This made Chu Huaixu secretly vow: "From now on, I won't joke about people."
Old Niu, you are commendable.
What touched people was that Niu Yuanshan immediately stood in front of Chu Huaixu as soon as he approached.
This middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, had a righteous face, but was actually half a head shorter than Chu Huaixu and slightly hunched.
But somehow, it felt very secure.
Before shielding the young man behind him, he even gave him a gentle smile.
It really felt like one's elder.
Han Shuangjiang quickly stepped forward, asking with concern: "You're hurt."
"It's fine, just a little scrape." Chu Huaixu was indifferent.
The old man named Liu Tianfeng frowned: "Niu Yuanshan?"
He never expected that the other would actually come here.
Moreover, the tone was unfriendly!
This was very different from the Niu Yuanshan he remembered.
There's nothing to be done.
The real Daoist Steward: Slacker at work, bossing around subordinates, abusing power, unrestrained.
The fake undercover Steward: Responsible at work, diligent, just in conduct, always at service.
Niu Yuanshan had been undercover at the Daoist Sect for year after year, truly like an Ox.
Ironically, the more the undercover works, the less others do.
Honestly, without Niu Yuanshan, the Outer Sect would fall apart!
Liu Tianfeng, also an Outer Sect Steward and having worked with him for many years, understood Old Niu's temperament.
This guy is just a good old guy.
Therefore, he couldn't imagine that someday this old ox would say something like this!
"He said I have quite the dominating presence!" Steward Liu felt an unnameable fire rise in his heart.
Very bizarre, a good old person who has done so much work for you suddenly insults you, your first reaction is frustration.
Liu Tianfeng and Niu Yuanshan's strengths were about equal, both at the Third Realm Great Perfection, never having sparred, so who's strong and who's weak was unknown.
Both Stewards, Liu Tianfeng was the more senior, or rather, he was the veteran among the nine Stewards.
He looked at the unusually defiant Old Niu with displeasure and said in a deep voice, "Niu Yuanshan, are you standing up for him?"
The aura surged, and the pressure of the Third Realm spread in the dungeon, seemingly solidifying the air slightly, making it hard to breathe.
"So what if I am?" Niu Yuanshan's eyes narrowed slightly under his thick brows, and spiritual power began to ripple out from his body as well.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the dungeon became extremely tense.
Liu Chengqi and Liu Chenggong, the two brothers, exchanged glances.
The former gnashed his teeth in anger, not expecting that dog Chu still had someone to protect him.
The latter, besides being surprised, was also marveling at Han Shuangjiang's beauty, truly a national beauty!
—"Can't blame my cousin for that!"
The atmosphere had escalated to this point, making it hard for both Stewards to back down.
Liu Tianfeng shouted angrily: "Niu Yuanshan! Think properly, this child has gravely injured my son!"
"I know the ins and outs of the matter, it's clearly Liu Chengqi's fault first." Niu Yuanshan was unyielding as well.
In his eyes, this newcomer to the [organization] did no wrong.
Though he was unaware that Han Shuangjiang possessed the Profound Yin Body, and needed to verify with blood on the Spiritual Embryo, he could see Li Chunsong's attention to the girl that day.
Old Niu wasn't foolish. He realized that the Sixth Elder's regard for this girl was above the newcomer to the [organization].
Thus, he believed she was definitely a prodigy.
Sure enough, she had already broken through two acupoints just after entering the sect.
Being on friendly terms with Chu Huaixu wasn't harmful.
"I deliberately arranged their residences together as a hint."
"Surely he understands now." Old Niu was gratified.
In his view, although Chu Huaixu acted boldly and injured someone upon entering the sect, it wasn't without reason; at least he maintained a righteous persona.
A character such as this might be appreciated by some high-ranking Daoist officials.
Niu Yuanshan had seen the ruthless side of this fox-faced youth.
The deceased even had their face slapped a few times.
In his opinion, since his son was still alive and able to seek revenge, it already meant Chu Huaixu had restrained himself.
At this moment, Liu Tianfeng, stared down by his beloved son and nephew, found it hard not to act tough.
"Niu Yuanshan, even if you protect him, you can only ensure his life is untouched, but the punishment still stands!"
The elderly man suddenly lunged forward, reaching out to seize Chu Huaixu.
Niu Yuanshan, with thick brows and big eyes, raised an arm to block, like a rock.
After a brief clash, he retreated with Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, unwilling to expose too many of his methods, and said:
"Steward Liu, are you sure you want to act? Will you not ask for my reasoning first?"
Liu Tianfeng snorted coldly in response: "Spit it out then!"
Niu Yuanshan used a Transmission to speak to the old man, audible only to him:
"I give you a hint, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang were brought up the mountain by the Sixth Elder himself."
"What!" Liu Tianfeng, with half-white hair, shivered suddenly, his face pale.
...
...
In the Daoist Sect, the Inner and Outer Sects seemed separated by an insurmountable chasm.
Li Chunsong, as an Inner Sect Elder and an unparalleled powerhouse of the Seventh Realm, could crush Liu Tianfeng to bones with a flick of his fingers, and a single word could strip him of his steward position.
The old man had thought Niu Yuanshan was Chu Huaixu's support, and was already shocked.
In the end, who would've thought that his support was even higher than imagined!
One of the highest in the entire Daoist Sect, even the entire East Continent!
Liu Tianfeng, having been in the Outer Sect for many years, was the oldest and slipperiest of stewards.
If Chu Huaixu was an extraordinary genius, a talent unseen in a century, his fear might have been less.
But he happened to be just a Lower-grade Spiritual Embryo!
"What a shabby Spiritual Embryo, worth the Sixth Elder personally bringing him up the mountain?"
The more it was so, the more Liu Tianfeng felt there was a deep connection between them.
The lesser his talent, the stronger the ties!
"Knowing Niu Yuanshan's laid-back nature, if he's standing up now, could it be the Sixth Elder had long instructed him to take good care?" The old man kept imagining, and the more he thought, the more he felt something was amiss.
He even started scrutinizing Chu Huaixu to see if he resembled the Sixth Elder...
Well, he was far more handsome.
"Could he be the son of an old friend of the Sixth Elder?"
Liu Tianfeng's expression became unpredictable, filled with suspicion.
Niu Yuanshan, seeing his demeanor, spoke up: "Steward Liu, may I take him away now?"
Liu Tianfeng dared not hinder.
He even cupped his hands towards Niu Yuanshan and said: "Thank you, Steward Niu, for the earlier hint."
Old Niu was indeed still Old Niu, a good old man, he was saving me!
Niu Yuanshan nodded in satisfaction, turned to look at Chu Huaixu, gesturing for him to leave together.
But his gaze fell on Chu Huaixu's arm.
"You're hurt?" he asked.
Before Chu Huaixu could answer, Niu Yuanshan turned back toward Liu Tianfeng and the others again.
This middle-aged man with thick eyebrows and big eyes showed an honest smile on his face.
"I'm afraid we can't just leave like this now," he said.
...