Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 985: Friend or Foe

Chapter 985: Chapter 985: Friend or Foe

Just when Gu Fan was certain that the leader of Xuanjian Sect wasn’t inside the room, and he had readied himself to leave, the door unexpectedly opened, and out walked an imposing leader of Xuanjian Sect.

"Do you need something?" The leader of Xuanjian Sect gazed at Gu Fan with a proud look, putting a certain pressure on him.

Gu Fan unabashedly pointed in the direction of the campfire, "Tonight we’ve all gathered for a rare chance to drink and be merry. I’d like to invite you, Sect Leader, to join us."

The leader of Xuanjian Sect glanced over indifferently and then nodded his head. That stern expression made one feel that he was not easy to converse with.

To everyone’s surprise, as soon as the Sect Leader arrived, he lifted a bowl of alcohol, "I am late tonight, that’s my fault. I shall punish myself with three bowls, how about that?"

Hearing this, everyone’s spirits were lifted again, and Northern Desert Sword Jiang Tie even took the initiative to pour drinks for the leader of Xuanjian Sect. True to his word, the Sect Leader drank three large bowls in one go, looking dissatisfied after finishing and displaying what a capacity for liquor really was in front of everyone.

Lu Bei couldn’t help but exclaim, "My goodness, not only is his martial arts formidable, but his drinking is also impressive!"

The leader of Xuanjian Sect glanced at Lu Bei without responding and went to greet others, making Lu Bei very embarrassed.

Witnessing this scene, Gu Fan found it strange and asked Lu Bei, "Brother, have you offended the leader of Xuanjian Sect in the past? He seems to really disregard you."

To which, Lu Bei could only give a bitter smile, "I was once part of Xuanjian Sect, and because I offended the Sect Leader, I was expelled. It’s a past I’d rather not look back on."

"So there’s that history." Gu Fan glanced at the leader of Xuanjian Sect and then at Lu Bei, suddenly thinking of something crucial, and immediately asked, "I heard that Jian Shen is also from Xuanjian Sect, and he and the Sect Leader don’t get along. Are you familiar with him?"

Lu Bei shook his head, "I was just an ordinary disciple of Xuanjian Sect, while Jian Shen was an elite disciple. We’re worlds apart; how could I ever get to know him?"

Hearing this, Gu Fan felt somewhat disappointed. He had initially wanted to ask the leader of Xuanjian Sect about Jian Shen, but seeing how unapproachable the Sect Leader was, and considering the bad blood between him and Jian Shen, Gu Fan dismissed the idea.

Lu Bei grew puzzled, "Why? You seem very eager to know about Jian Shen. Are you looking for him for something?"

Suddenly, Gu Fan thought of something, "Of course, there’s something. Not to hide it from you, when I first started venturing into the world, I did something unethical, and as a result, Jian Shen gave me a lesson. I’ve been training hard in martial arts to save face, and who wouldn’t want to defeat a swordsman of his caliber to make a name for themselves in the Martial Arts world?"

Lu Bei and the others also expressed understanding since everyone harbored such goals in their hearts.

"Brother Gu, not to discourage you, but with your martial arts prowess, you probably won’t be able to seek revenge on Jian Shen in this lifetime," Lu Bei patted Gu Fan’s shoulder, signaling him to let go.

Gu Fan looked adamant, "I know my martial arts aren’t as good as Jian Shen’s, and relying solely on my own efforts won’t be sufficient. But maybe one day a master will impart their knowledge to me and my skills will surge forward, giving me a chance to defeat Jian Shen."

This wasn’t impossible, but the hope was slim. No one wanted to dampen Gu Fan’s spirit.

The leader of Xuanjian Sect saw resentment in Gu Fan’s eyes, as he seemed to hold a grudge against Jian Shen, which was very much to the Sect Leader’s liking.

Lu Bei found it very plausible since Gu Fan was from the Devil Cult and had been reprimanded by Jian Shen before. It made sense for him to hold a grudge and to be determined to overcome Jian Shen and wash away his past humiliation.

By the time it was late into the night, some who had gotten drunk simply collapsed on the ground and fell into deep slumber, while Gu Fan, pretending to be completely intoxicated, was supported into the room by Mo Yun.

The moment Gu Fan fell onto the bed, he acted as though he were too drunk to stay upright, which angered Mo Yun enough to punch him, "You idiot, if you can’t drink, then don’t drink so much. Now that you’re drunk, I have to carry you back, and I’m a woman, you know."

"What’s the difference, since your martial arts are better than mine?" Gu Fan said casually, which nearly sent Mo Yun into a rage, "I really don’t get it. Why on earth did you have to put on such an act and bring everyone together?"

"I just wanted to find out if there was a problem with anyone," said Gu Fan, a faint smile showing his interest.

Hearing this, Mo Yun suddenly realized, "Well, did you notice anything peculiar?"

Gu Fan nodded, "Leaving aside the Xuanjian Sect Leader and myself, there are six remaining martial arts experts. I believe one of these six must be in cahoots with the Sect Leader."

"Oh, have you figured out who it is?" Mo Yun’s curiosity piqued, she urged Gu Fan to continue.

Gu Fan kept talking, "At first, we all gathered to eat, drink, and chat about everything under the sun, but the Sect Leader of Xuanjian was the only one who remained inside, not even taking a glance outside. Is it just a matter of being unsociable?"

Mo Yun frowned, "Are you suggesting that the Sect Leader wasn’t in the room at all?"

Gu Fan’s expression grew more solemn, "That’s why when I went to find the Sect Leader, I was stopped by people from the World’s Number One Gambling House, which made me even more suspicious that the Sect Leader wasn’t in the room."

After pondering, Mo Yun felt something was amiss, "But when you knocked on the door later, the Sect Leader came out."

"That’s exactly the issue. The first time I wanted to go, I was stopped, but the second time, no one stopped me," Gu Fan said, clenching his fists, "I believe that the people from the World’s Number One Gambling House knew that the Sect Leader had returned, so they didn’t deliberately stop me."

This left Mo Yun even more puzzled. "Their behavior was different before and after; that’s your reason for suspicion. But we already knew that the First Gambling House is colluding with Xuanjian Sect."

"No, there’s another person who behaved just like the people from the First Gambling House," Gu Fan said, his smile carrying a deeper meaning.

Mo Yun snapped to realization, "Right, Northern Desert Sword Jiang Tie at first discouraged you from disturbing the Sect Leader, but the second time you tried to go, he didn’t say anything. Could it be..."

But Mo Yun felt something didn’t add up, "It’s odd though. Clearly, we all saw that the door to the Sect Leader’s room was shut tight, no one saw anyone go in or out; how could they know that the Sect Leader had returned?"

Gu Fan pondered a possibility, "If you were the Sect Leader and you wanted to leave without being seen, what would you do?"

"Dig a tunnel inside the room. After all, it was the people from the World’s Number One Gambling House who built this place; achieving that wouldn’t be difficult," Mo Yun finally understood. But all this was just speculation and still needed verification.