Chapter Thirty-Nine: Repaying Kindness

"Since you disappeared, Xiaofang has changed. She barely acknowledges us, her friends, and her behavior has grown increasingly extreme. After the upheaval, she’s become even more withdrawn, as if warning strangers to keep away. To be honest, it makes me feel like dying," Xia Cheng’s words left Zhang Xiao in silence.

Whether what he had done before was right or wrong no longer mattered; now that he had returned to find her, the past needed some kind of resolution. He owed her, after all.

Zhang Xiao stood and asked Xia Cheng, "Do you know if she’s ever mentioned me?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he’d asked a foolish question.

Sure enough, Xia Cheng shook his head. "No, she’s never spoken of you. Whenever we bring you up, she turns and walks away. We’ve learned not to mention your name around her."

Zhang Xiao nodded, picked up the information about her from the table, and said, "I’m going to see her. Don’t tell her I’m back."

Xia Cheng had originally wanted to accompany him, but seeing the sorrowful expression on Zhang Xiao’s face, he let go of his curiosity.

Walking along the streets of Z City, Zhang Xiao noticed how the chaos of the past had faded. With the rise of sects, people had learned new skills, and famine and fear were now distant memories. What remained was a new order.

"Come, come, take a look at our Tiger and Dragon Apothecary’s latest offerings—Tiger and Dragon Revitalizing Pills, Hemostatic Powder, perfect for treating injuries while leveling up outside the city!" "Try our Maoshan-forged weapons, sharper than any blade, unmatched in power—hold one and the world is yours!" The streets were lined with all kinds of shops: medicine vendors, equipment dealers, restaurants, and taverns. The city brimmed with life, and Zhang Xiao sometimes felt that this new world, for all its changes, wasn’t so bad after all.

He entered an equipment shop. The owner, sharp-eyed, immediately noticed Zhang Xiao’s robe was anything but ordinary and hurried over. "Young master, you have an extraordinary presence. Is there anything in my humble shop that interests you? Please, take whatever you like."

Zhang Xiao’s silver-threaded Daoist robe was not a spiritual treasure, but its defense was remarkable—ordinary blades could not pierce it. While such garments weren’t rare within the inner sect, outside they were priceless.

If the owner could establish a connection with someone like this, he’d bankrupt himself to do it. Zhang Xiao picked up a mask, noting the simple array within that could alter the wearer’s voice.

Though it didn’t even count as a low-grade spiritual item, it sold well enough; everyone had secrets, and a mask like this was useful. The quality left much to be desired, however—if experts battled, it would shatter quickly. But since Zhang Xiao wasn’t planning on fighting masters, it would suffice.

"How much for this mask?" The owner smiled at Zhang Xiao’s choice. "It’s just a little trinket, young master. If you like it, please take it."

Zhang Xiao knew the owner was trying to curry favor, but he had no interest in accepting such flattery. He took a piece of beast hide from his bone ring, placed it on the table, and strode out.

The owner was disappointed, sensing he’d missed an opportunity. But when he examined the beast hide, his expression changed dramatically.

He hadn’t just missed a chance—he’d missed a miracle. The hide was from a level 40 beast, which could fetch a fortune at the outer sect’s branch. Seeing Zhang Xiao’s generosity, the owner realized he was dealing with a powerful figure, and regretted his lack of foresight.

Zhang Xiao donned the mask. Its silvery sheen lent him an air of mystery. He reviewed the intelligence on Lan Fang; she was scheduled to return to Z City from an assignment today, but the city was vast—where should he even begin searching? He decided to head outside the city and trust to luck; if he failed, he could always seek her at the Kunlun branch.

"Headed for the Valley of Herbs, looking for party members, need one more, preferably Shaolin!" As Zhang Xiao approached the outskirts, he saw groups of people issuing party requests.

He remembered how, before his rebirth, he’d often done the same. Without belonging to a major organization, venturing out to hunt monsters meant standing here, asking strangers to form a party. There were no guarantees; anyone might stab you in the back when it mattered most. Even within a team, intrigue was constant. Now, looking back, he felt a complex nostalgia.

As Zhang Xiao walked by, many eyes followed him—his silver robe was simply too conspicuous. Yet no one invited him to join their party. People knew their limits; experts never grouped with novices. That was an iron law.

But today was an exception. Zhang Xiao, intent on going his own way, spotted a familiar face.

Ni Weilan—graceful, with large, shining eyes that warmed the heart. Before his rebirth, Zhang Xiao had owed her a favor; she’d helped him escape a deadly pursuit. He had wanted to repay her, but they lost touch, and now fate had brought them together again. He couldn’t let this chance slip by.

He approached Ni Weilan’s group. From afar, they noticed him—someone of his caliber wasn’t likely to join them. Yet he was heading their way, and they grew nervous. Despite the restored order, violence was still common. Some had even been harassed for being women. If not for the world’s rules protecting females, the early days after the upheaval would have been unimaginable for girls like them.

So as Zhang Xiao drew near, the girls tightened their grip on their weapons, ready for anything. But to their surprise, Zhang Xiao simply sent a party request.

Ni Weilan stared at the request on her attribute screen, incredulous. Party members couldn’t harm each other, and after leaving a party, you couldn’t attack your former teammates for 24 hours—a safeguard of the world’s rules. It wasn’t absolute, but it offered some reassurance.

Ni Weilan wavered, unsure whether to accept. Her teammates began to whisper, one bolder girl asked, "You seem really strong—why do you want to party with us?"

"Nothing important. I need a guide. I saw you’re headed for the Valley of Herbs, so I thought I’d join," Zhang Xiao replied, his masked voice sounding unnatural.

Ni Weilan couldn’t tell if he was sincere, but experts like this were rare and it would be a shame to let him go. She eyed his mask and asked, "Why do you wear it? Can you take it off so I can see your face?"

Zhang Xiao understood her suspicion, but with so many people nearby, he didn’t want to reveal his identity. "I can, but not here. Too many people. If you party with me, I’ll remove it once we’re outside the city. If not, forget it," he said, preparing to leave.

Ni Weilan glanced back at her friends, steeling herself. "If he refuses to take it off once we’re outside, I’ll just lead everyone back," she thought, finally accepting the request.

But Zhang Xiao’s level and information remained hidden from her team—the Mantian Ring given to him by Kong Xuan concealed all his stats. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent the request so casually.

Other teams noticed Zhang Xiao joining Ni Weilan’s party and were stunned. Some recognized his extraordinary aura, knowing he was nothing like them. For someone like him to join a party, it was either for amusement or he needed a guide—scheming against them was out of the question. Such an opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck, and Ni Weilan’s group of girls had snatched it before the seasoned veterans could react, leaving them full of regret.

Zhang Xiao walked with the group until they reached a deserted area. Ni Weilan stopped. "Now can you take off the mask? Also, I can’t see your level, or your name—nothing at all. Why is that?"

"Troublesome. Repaying a favor really isn’t easy," Zhang Xiao thought as he removed the mask, revealing his face.

He considered his looks unremarkable, not even as handsome as Wang Yanbo, but his eyes were bright and clear, like stars shining within. Ni Weilan had never seen such pure eyes and found herself staring, entranced, until a companion tugged her back to reality. Her cheeks flushed, and she stammered, thinking, "He can’t be a good person—his eyes are too cunning."

Fortunately, Zhang Xiao couldn’t read minds. If he knew Ni Weilan suspected him despite his intentions to repay her kindness from his previous life, he’d be exasperated. It was pure luck he didn’t know, or he’d have turned and left already.

"My level is much higher than yours, so it’s normal you can’t see it," Zhang Xiao replied, glossing over the matter.

Ni Weilan remained suspicious but could find no flaw, so introductions began. "I’m Ni Weilan, the captain. The three girls behind me are Liu Xin, Yang Jiajia, and Gao Lili."

Zhang Xiao smiled lightly at his own name. Since all four were disciples of Kunlun, he couldn’t guarantee they didn’t know Lan Fang, so he didn’t use his real name—he casually invented one: Xiao Yiran.