"How?" Tuoba Liufeng asked.
Tuoba Tieshan explained, "Stalling. I don't know what the kid's game is but one thing is certain, he's buying time for something. Liufeng, whenever you encounter a situation like this, you don't chat your enemy up and be firm in your decision. Fear is the mind killer."
Tuoba Liufeng nodded, "Should we… tell him?"
"Absolutely not!"
Tuoba Tieshan and Han Tiemo spoke in tandem and then burst out laughing.
The others were clueless to the inside joke. From what they saw, the commander and Imperial Tutor were worried Tuoba Liufeng might spill the beans.
All of them grumbled at the old foxes.
Han Tiemo said, "Liufeng, what do you suppose will happen by going to Elder Lang and telling him he's stupid to his face?"
"I'll be ground to a pulp." Tuoba Liufeng said, puzzled.
Han Tiemo added, "And that's the truth of it. The elders are selfish, rash and on a high horse. Reminding them that they've been fooled again, is the same as calling them dimwitted. They'll see the light alright, but only after taking your life. That being said, Zhuo Fan's one smooth talker, prepping Elder Lang in just a few short words to attack you if you ever try ruining his plan."
Tuoba Liufeng was soaked in sweat, bowing many times in thanks.
Tuoba Tieshan said, "These three are foul men. They may be our helpers, but one should stay as far away as possible from them. The worse they are the better. Just look at Zhuo Fan making them suffer at every turn."
[Our great Commander wants Zhuo Fan to take these foul bastards down a peg.]
They all sported a sneaky smile, like first row seaters to a great show. They were even rooting for Zhuo Fan.
[Marshal Zhuo, hold nothing back, don't even show us respect. Waste 'em, he-he-he…]
Han Tiemo shook his head at their stance…
Anyways, back to the fight, the power couple versus Elder She was in progress.
Qiu Yanhai and Xue Qingjian touched palms as they used the Life and Death Art, gathering an incredible power in between.
Not that Elder She had a mind to care, getting hot and bothered over Xue Qingjian's body. Even wiggling his eyebrows.
Xue Qingjian batted her eyes in reply.
Qiu Yanhai was outraged and with a swing of his arm, he shot the soul power attack.
The white light warped the air as it shot for Obscene Snake's chest.
Elder She was still grinning, surrounded now by snake images woven into a net.
Pff!
The white light stopped dead in its tracks and its power faded.
It thinned down from a bowl-thick width all the way to that of a spear.
Qiu Yanhai saw the snakes sucking on his ray.
"He-he-he, foolish juniors, peak Radiant Stage is worlds below Ethereal Stage. You use soul power, while Ethereal Stage can use their very soul. It's beyond your comprehension. Surrender if you know what's good for you. "
Obscene Snake laughed and resumed leering at Xue Qingjian's perfect form, "Especially you, my pretty, I'd hate to kill you. You'd make a much finer contribution as my disciple. What do you say?"
"You dirty old man, she's my hag, so don't waste your friggin' breath!" Qiu Yanhai blustered.
Elder She waved a python at him. It coiled around him, and opened its maw and spat miasma.
Qiu Yanhai's eyes grew hazy, making him lethargic. His mind started drifting.
"Old codger!" Xue Qingjian shouted.
Obscene Snake snickered, "Deary, your old man is fine. But since my soul is the King Python, now that he's poisoned, it will rot his soul to death. No one can save him."
"No!" Xue Qingjian panicked.
Obscene Snake curled his finger at her, "I can spare him, sure, but you have to become mine. So what do you say to coming over?"
Xue Qingjian saw Qiu Yanhai in the clutches of the python and sighed, walking over to that wretched Obscene Snake.
Jackal laughed, "One battle we've already won. When Fierce Tiger finishes that old guy, I will deal with you. I'll give you a taste of living hell, ha-ha-ha…"
Zhuo Fan opted for silence, his eyes focussed on Xue Qingjian.
"Come, my pretty, hi-hi-hi…"
As she got close, Obscene Snake yanked her into his embrace. Xue Qingjian struggled to shake him off, to no avail.
Her eyes darted around, her voice soft and soothing, "B-be gentle. You're hurting me…"
"Bag of dead bones, let my hag go!" Qiu Yanhai should've been put under from the python's poison.
Obscene Snake gave him a taunting look, turning back to his prey, "My pretty, I'll let you go but don't go anywhere."
"Where can I go, I'll always be with you, ha-ha-ha…" Xue Qingjian giggled.
Obscene Snake let go of her and Xue Qingjian's eyes turned cold, striking his chest.
Obscene Snake easily held her palm, grabbing Xue Qingjian tighter, "Ha-ha-ha, I just knew you're sassy. I like you. Plenty of sassy girls have wanted to kill me or kill themselves, but all of them ended up in my hands. You're no different."
"Go to hell!" Xue Qingjian lashed.
That only got Obscene Snake more excited, "My pretty, the feistier you are, the more you turn me on. Now give me a big kiss."
Obscene Snake puckered his lips, closing in on Xue Qingjian's pristine face.
"Stop, pervert!" Qiu Yanhai roared, still trapped.
Obscene Snake's lips did touch a face, but when he looked at that face, the sight scared him to death.
"What are you doing here?" Obscene Snake, hugging Zhuo Fan, felt like taking a bite out of something foul and rotten.
Elder Lang was dumbstruck, finding Xue Qingjian in Zhuo Fan's place.
"Old coot, how do you like my eyes? Are they nice?" Zhuo Fan cooed.
Obscene Snake was all shaken up, to the point of parting with his lunch. [I'm here to kiss a hottie, not a guy!]
[And you're asking me about your eyes? Shove off!]
Zhuo Fan was glued to him before Obscene Snake could shake him off. Zhuo Fan grabbed his head and stared into his eyes in a touching moment, "Hey, are little old me's eyes pretty?"
"You damn pervert, you like playing around, is it? See how I'll knock you dead!"
Obscene Snake roared, his rage breaking the vault of heaven, as if Zhuo Fan had killed his momma and then asked him if he liked it.
Zhuo Fan stuck to him like a koala, his eyes flashing golden, "They are pretty you know, look closer."
"Look at your…."
Obscene Snake's head simply vanished.
It was all part of Zhuo Fan's clever ploy. Xue Qingjian was the honey pot, then they'd use the old switcheroo to catch him on the wrong foot, or with the wrong beauty. All that was left was for Zhuo Fan to use that eye of his, Void Annihilation, and deprive the old man of the useless decoration on his shoulders.
Blood spurted like a fountain and his body hit dirt…