Chapter 3151 — The Matter of Those Years

A flicker of doubt crossed Xiao Taohong's eyes, but she said all the same, "Elder Kang, you are already betrothed to another. Please conduct yourself with some dignity, and do not come teasing... Xiao Taohong again..."

"Ha ha, Xiao Taohong, there is no one else here!" At this point Kang Zhaoming's expression changed, and he heaved a sigh. "Xiao Taohong, you know as well as I do that above the Xuandan Sect there stands the Five Luminaries Sect. You count yourself among the Tian Can Bian young sect master's closest people, so you understand how things stand in there! Your Brother Kang here has no say in the matter!"

"Wh... what do you mean..." Though Xiao Taohong had already given up all hope in Kang Zhaoming, hearing him say this now stirred a measure of pity in her, and curiosity as well, so she said, "Brother Kang, why are you telling me this..."

"Xiao Taohong, I tell you this only to make you understand—Ancestor Xuanchen's daughter, Little Eleven, has taken a fancy to me and insists that I marry her. You know how formidable Ancestor Xuanchen is; even the young sect master Tian dares not defy his orders. What am I, a mere elder, to dare defy him?" Kang Zhaoming said with a helpless, bitter face. "There was no help for it. I could only say those cruel things to you before, but they were never what I truly meant!"

"Is... is that so?" Xiao Taohong was a simple soul, with little guile in her. Though she had already despaired of Kang Zhaoming, had even hated him to the bone, hearing his explanation now left her at a loss. Could it be that Kang Zhaoming truly had no choice?

As for what Kang Zhaoming had said, Xiao Taohong understood it well enough. Ancestor Xuanchen was a domineering old man whose word was law; within the Xuandan Sect his say was absolute. So if matters truly stood thus, then Kang Zhaoming would never dare defy Ancestor Xuanchen's words.

But was any of it true?

"Of course!" Kang Zhaoming nodded. "I had no choice either! Xiao Taohong, you know the saying—a man in the jianghu has no say over his own fate. That is exactly the case here. If I did not wish to die, did not wish to bring harm upon you, I could only agree to this match!"

"I... I understand." Xiao Taohong nodded. "Brother Kang, Xiao Taohong does not blame you. I can only blame Xiao Taohong for not having the fortune. I wish you and Sister Eleven happiness."

"Xiao Taohong, do not say such things!" Seeing that Xiao Taohong had misread his meaning, Kang Zhaoming hastened to say, "In truth, you and I can still carry on in private just as before—so long as Ancestor Xuanchen does not catch us!"

"Brother Kang, that will not do. Xiao Taohong cannot bring harm upon you! If that were known, you would surely come to grief!" Xiao Taohong shook her head at once.

"Xiao Taohong, I say this because I am sure of it. That is only the worst-case plan. But there is one thing—if you do it well, then we can be together openly and honorably. You may not be able to be my principal wife, but you can still be my lesser wife!" Kang Zhaoming said. "If you do this thing well, then when the time comes I will have Ancestor Xuanchen on my side—he will surely agree, and even act as matchmaker for you himself!"

"Truly... truly?" Xiao Taohong had grown up in an ancient sect, so the notion of one husband to one wife had never taken root in her mind. In her eyes, so long as she could be with Kang Zhaoming, principal wife or lesser wife made no difference at all.

"Of course it is true," Kang Zhaoming said with a nod. "But this matter is rather difficult, and it may require letting a man take a small liberty. Though I care for you and can overlook such things, I fear it is you who will mind."

"Ah?" Xiao Taohong was startled for a moment. Let a man take liberties with her? To speak plainly, Xiao Taohong was unwilling at heart. She was a very conservative person; though she and Kang Zhaoming had not yet gone through the final step, her heart already leaned toward him. How could she be willing to have any skin-to-skin contact with another man?

Yet Kang Zhaoming had said he would not mind, and, most important of all, once this matter was done, she could be with Kang Zhaoming! At that thought Xiao Taohong felt a stir of excitement, and also of hesitation; for a moment she could not make her choice.

"Xiao Taohong, think on it—so long as you are willing, you can be with me for the rest of your life!" Kang Zhaoming said temptingly.

"All... all right, I will do it!" Xiao Taohong gritted her teeth and nodded.

"Wonderful, Xiao Taohong! Then we can be together for a lifetime!" Kang Zhaoming said. "Go back and make your preparations; I will take you out. As for the reason for your leaving, do not tell the young sect master Tian. I will have Ancestor Xuanchen ask for leave on your behalf!"

"Ah... all right..." Xiao Taohong nodded. Though she loved Kang Zhaoming, and this time believed what he said, she no longer possessed that former unthinking, blind obedience and trust toward him.

This time Kang Zhaoming had told her not to tell Tian Chan, but Xiao Taohong resolved that once she returned she would tell Tian Chan everything! Because she did not wish to hide it from Tian Chan! However much she loved Kang Zhaoming, Tian Chan was still her mistress, and that would never change.

Kang Zhaoming, however, did not know that Xiao Taohong harbored thoughts of her own. Seeing her nod, he took it that he had once again talked her round until her head was spinning, and so he went off happily to make his preparations and draw up his plan.

And Xiao Taohong went straightaway to report to Tian Chan.

In Tian Chan's room, she was refining elixirs together with Ancestor Xuanzhen for the Cloud-Tier Island plan. Another elixir had just been completed; Ancestor Xuanzhen put it away, then wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "If only we could make a few third-grade automatic elixir cauldrons. That first-grade automatic cauldron is plainly far more advanced than mine. With that first-grade automatic cauldron, anyone who knows how to refine elixirs can do so, whereas with this one you cannot—it still demands a certain skill."

"Master, who exactly is that person? Since she is so formidable, why did you not take her as your disciple?" Tian Chan was puzzled. Since this person had a gift for elixir refinement as well, would it not be far more convenient, having taken her as a disciple, to study these matters of automatic elixir refinement together in the future?

"She has a master..." Ancestor Xuanzhen said with a bitter smile. "And her master is the sort of person I cannot afford to provoke!"

"She has a master? Who is her master?" Tian Chan was slightly taken aback. This was the first time Ancestor Xuanzhen had spoken to her of bygone matters; in the past he had never mentioned such things.

"In those years, there were two very formidable people in the jianghu, known as the Twin Vajras. I trust that is not unfamiliar to you?" asked Ancestor Xuanzhen. (To be continued)

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