"What are you all staring at? You saw them ask for it even after I went to such lengths to apologize. I even had their well-being in mind when I challenged them to not get the sect's punishment. How is it my fault they were too weak and died off? I've done it by the book and in an open manner, so glare elsewhere."
Zhuo Fan noticed the stink eyes he got from the inner sect's oldies and shouted, "Keep this up, and I'll challenge you!"
Whoosh~
The threat worked like a charm, and all those malevolent glares lost their target.
They all saw what Zhuo Fan could do, and from the looks of it, he had it easy just now.
Zhuo Fan didn't even get to take his soul out to play, giving them no way of guessing his limits.
The unknown held the greatest fear, especially when a soul showed its true power when it came out. So no one was about to mess with a freak that left two elders as nothing but smears on the ground.
Though it didn't save them from resentment.
[So damn strong, yet only a freakin' laborer is outrageous.]
One just had to look at him the wrong way, and he'd smash them dead. It was the least this law-abiding disciple could do to uphold the rules. Hey, that rule about challenging a superior holding no consequence for both parties shouldn't be left gathering dust.
[There will be tough times ahead of us.] These oldies' conflicts were all handled within reason. Now this freak showed up, and he was just a mere disciple whom no one wanted to do anything with.
It was a guillotine hanging over them, waiting to drop.
They sighed. It was the inner sect's turn now to be humiliated, to be pissed on, and no way to be able to deal with it.
The Labor Office looked at them with scorn, and even the outer and inner disciples had contempt.
[The Labor Office is still the best by the looks of it. The inner sect is off its game.]
Whoosh~
Zhuo Fan landed, and Kui Lang's group came over with glee.
"Steward Zhuo, you're so strong! You're truly the best disciple in the sect to even swat Ethereal Stage experts like flies." Kui Lang gave a thumbs up.
The others bobbed their heads.
Zhuo Fan dissed them with a smile, "First, cut the ass-kissing. I saw your long faces before. Did you actually think I'd apologize for their fault?"
Ugh!
They all sheepishly scratched their heads.
"Ha-ha-ha, Steward Zhuo, since you didn't tell us…"
"You'd have let it slip!"
Zhuo Fan cut Kui Lang off, "This great scheme of mine was all psychological. To make those two take the bait, I had to unbalance them. It worked to allow challenging and weakening them easier. Consumed by anger, I bet they didn't even give half of what they could do. You think it's that easy to kill an elder once his soul is out? "
"Playing mind games is the best solution. The swift shift from glee to anger to grief did them in. Thanks to you, I had them reach the highlight of their happiness, setting the stage for me to come in and smack them down to earth and fall for my ploy. Demons come from the heart, always remember this."
"Yes!" The four bowed.
Gui Hu was still frowning behind them, "Steward Zhuo, you should know why I've come to the Labor Office. Where am I to begin training my heart? It was first Chi Feng that told me I was weak because of my weak heart, then you come and tell me one grows weaker as their heart's in chaos. How then…"
"I'll tell you here and now, the heart isn't trained, but tempered." Zhuo Fan's tone was serious.
Zhuo Fan saw his doubt, "The heart isn't cultivation, using spiritual energy to train your soul and body. All its levels come from insight and experiences. Without experience, there will be only ignorance and no way to come to gain insight into the world. That is the meaning of enlightenment. The world is filled with people going through a wide range of experiences, which makes everyone's hearts different."
"Does that mean I'll never be able to train it?" Gui Hu didn't want to give up.,
Zhuo Fan pondered, "I'll be honest with you. I never cared much for you, so never mention this little secret. You are the product of your environment, the same applies to your heart. Following wise people will give you insight, but how much depends on you. You should stick closer to Elder Yuan instead."
"What could a Bone Tempering old coot possibly do?" Gui Hu was stumped.
Zhuo Fan's finger moved left and right, "Ignorant fool, Elder Yuan is a man with a vast wealth of experiences. He is wise and thoughtful. Here I am going to him many times to debate the world's meanings, and you're just taking him for granted. Learn to appreciate things. Besides, do you really take him at face value? Humph, the only reason I'm kind enough to explain his worth is that you're on our side and did so much for the Labor Office. "
Gui Hu tried to blink the confusion away without avail, though one thing he did get.
[The old man is more than he seems for even such a great talent to speak of him like that.]
"Senior brother Gui Hu, the old guy is quite nice. Go to him." Kui Lang spoke.
Gui Hu asked, "How do you know?"
"Because nothing he says makes sense to me."
Gui Hu's face fell. [That makes him more of a wise guy than a wise man. How is that logical?]
Though Kui Lang made him exclaim, "Though Steward Zhuo can understand it, that's why I think we're far from the level of these two."
Gui Hu gave a solemn nod.
Master told him Zhuo Fan's heart was in high places, and since Elder Yuan came at his recommendation while Kui Lang bearing witness, the old guy ought to have some use.
[He might have something that can help me with my heart problem.]
Gui Hu ran for the Labor Office, "Steward Zhuo and everyone, see you later."
The others chuckled, and Zhuo Fan laughed, "This guy's so simple, quite like Elder Li. I knew ages ago he wasn't cut out to be a spy, yet I still watched him all this time. Haaa~, I still have a long way to go to reach the fourth stage of human nature, or I'd have seen through his worth at a glance. I'll need to get more experience under me, ha-ha-ha."
"Don't be modest. More experience? Any more and you'll become a demon…"
Fiend Yang laughed, coming over with the other fiends. Gone was his grumbling hearing Zhuo Fan messed up the elite area and was now beaming with joy, "Sonny, you're a tough one. Facing two elders alone and still killing them. Becoming an elite and joining the Double Dragon Gathering will definitely get us among the middle three sects. Your feats will become legends! "
Fiend Yang patted his shoulder, though Zhuo Fan's face was cold, "Sorry, I don't do well with being elite."
"H-how can…" Fiend Yang was stumped, "What are you playing at? This fight alone sets your status in the sect. Now no one will object to you entering the elite area, yet you refuse? Isn't this the whole reason why Wuyue brought you?"
Zhuo Fan smiled, "Xie Wuyue had me over for Double Dragon Gathering, not to be an elite."
"How else are you supposed to participate? The elite area's sole purpose is to rear disciples for the Double Dragon Gathering."
"Then you'll just have to change the rules. The disciples going to Double Dragon Gathering will only be from the Elite Labor Office. None of the others will come from the elite area!" Zhuo Fan shouted his conviction.
Everyone was baffled by him.
Zhuo Fan scratched his nose, "When all is said and done, it was the elite area that taunted us, even if instigated. I've said that I'll take back the Labor Office's glory, and I will. First was the inner sect, and now all that's left is the elite area. Didn't you all say we're not worthy of becoming elites? Fine then, to join the Double Dragon Gathering, you'll just have to come to us and do menial tasks. Though it's up to me to see if you're worthy of being a laborer."
"H-how can you say that? We didn't say anything like that. Why should we pay the price for those two brats' crimes? And aren't they dead already?" Fiend Yang advised, "Zhuo Fan, your amazing talent has us on your side but learn when to back down."
"I need to be tough since it concerns my disciples' dignity." Zhuo Fan said, "Tell Xie Wuyue, if he accepts, I'll join Double Dragon Gathering. And if he refuses, I'll just stay here as the laborers' steward."
The fiends' faces fell while Kui Lang's side was awed.
[He's the best manager the Labor Office has ever seen.] Going as far as to talk back to the powers that be for them.
[That's why those Four Scheming Demons follow him. It's not just their interest in him, but his worth too.]
The trio turned apprehensive, not wanting to accept Zhuo Fan's request yet unable to refuse.
Zhuo Fan was an irrefutable participant in the Double Dragon Gathering. It was his worth, worth none of them could ever replace.
"Steward Zhuo, congratulations, this time the entire sect will hum with your name. I bet tomorrow will be busy for the Labor Office with its new recruits. Ha-ha-ha, even becoming elite will be a cinch. None of those inner sect oldies will make a peep." Venerable Bai praised.
Venerable Qi said, "I bet there's no one else like you in the nine sects to kill two Ethereal Stage elders as a disciple. You've topped them all. The disciples must be worshiping you by now, their role model. They'll all want to get closer to you. We had to work hard to get those that left back so they wouldn't offend you, he-he-he… "
The other oldies of the Labor Office nodded, all a smile.
Zhuo Fan gave a thin smile back, turning to the fiends, "As I said, I won't enter the elite area. Though venerables sirs can do what they think about my conditions."
Zhuo Fan grinned, spun on his heel, and walked away, not before flipping a nasty smirk back a few steps after, "By the way, your elite disciples are in a world of pain, you know. Shouldn't you be hurrying back?"
"What?!"
They all cried out in shock, noticing Zhuo Fan's gaze.
[Oh, shoot!] They forgot the kid burst into the elite area, and there was no way he'd take it easy on anyone.
Venerable Qi and Bai's grandchildren were still there as well.
Everyone was anxious, "Steward Zhuo, were you that hard on them?"
The two were even more concerned than the fiends, but they also grew nervous at the prospects.
While no one liked those leeches, they were the strongest disciples of the sect meant to go to Double Dragon Gathering.
Zhuo Fan just shrugged, "Ha-ha-ha, lighten up. I'm not one to get rid of anyone I do not know, or I'd be making too many enemies for nothing. Though not too easy either, or they could've just gotten up and reported me…"
Whoosh~
Venerable Bai and Qi shot for the skies in panic, followed by other venerables and elders with kin in the elite area.
On the other hand, the fiends eased a breath the minute Zhuo Fan assured them they were still breathing.
Fiend Yang eyed Zhuo Fan, "We will consider your condition. The rules the sect has been built upon for thousands of years aren't changed overnight. No matter how great a display you pull, some rules just won't bend."
"Ha-ha-ha, people make the rules. And they will change as long as the people want them to."
Zhuo Fan threw a box with a snicker, "Venerable Fiend Yang, take this to Xie Wuyue with the words 'a favor for a favor'. If he can't do it, return it."
Fiend Yang's face twitched, "T-this is plain bribery."
"Is it that bad?" Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, "With you at the top of the sect, you have priority in taking your pick from the pile of wealth. Who can ever bribe you? You finally have me, the magnate, here to get a little something at long last. If you don't want it, then return the earlier demonic treasures as well. Take the Elite Labor Office as the enemy of the elite area. I don't need peace."
"Now wait a sec. These matters aren't the same. You beat our disciples and apologized. That ends that."
The fiends glanced at their storage ring and the trinkets they got and didn't quite feel like giving them up, rethinking Zhuo Fan's proposal and the demonic treasure within this new box.
It was part of Zhuo Fan and Xie Wuyue's agreement to annex the elite area and make the Labor Office the only faction, though it didn't come with outright acceptance from the three. When he fought the inner sect, they didn't give a hoot no matter how many burned or how many fell since the cream of both parties would end up in the elite area.
Now Zhuo Fan wanted the elite area abolished, aiming for their bread and butter. No matter how much they cared for the sect's future and liked Zhuo Fan as a talent, no one would be that happy to throw away their livelihood.
[We're digging our own grave.]
[Should we just… take these treasures for ourselves and leave Wuyue to decide?]
The trio pondered a good while, then nodded with a sneaky smile.
They not only came out one treasure richer, but they also had a way out.
[We're not as selfish as the inner sect to block the sect's growth. We will leave it to Sect Leader to be fair and just in his ruling, to avoid despicable methods such as bribery.]
Zhuo Fan grinned, "Sugarcoat it with as many excuses you want, it's still selfishness. You need but take this single step, and you'll be falling in the inner sect's footsteps. I held my end of the bargain, and it's up to him to decide what to do with you when you stole his gift…"
The trio shuddered and faltered, covering the fear with anger, "Are you a mind reader?"
"Ha-ha-ha, of course not. All I see is your greedy eyes, oblivious to anything else." Zhuo Fan added, "No gain satisfies a greedy mind. One wrong move and death awaits. It's best you think this through, sirs. Ha-ha-ha…"
Zhuo Fan left with a laugh, the trio lost at what to do and looking from the box to themselves.
[Are we just going to give this to Xie Wuyue and dig our elite area's grave?]
While they were at an impasse as to what to do, a mile out, Xie Wuyue saw everything.
"The kid just entered the Radiant Stage and already formed his soul, so strong too; an abomination. Since I last saw him in Tianyu a decade ago, he has become a new man in character and strength. But this will only make the Demon Scheming Sect's rise come faster. He's a true gem."
Xie Wuyue was full of praise for him but scowled as he eyed the Three Fiends of Hell, "Don't tell me the fools are going to take Zhuo Fan's respectful gift for me for themselves. I even came over to see if the kid could handle the elders, lest everything would go to waste."
[You better be damn sure you three bring me that gift, or else…]
Xie Wuyue squinted before leaving.
Venerable Bai's gang stepped into the devastation around the elite area, and the disciples were strewn about.
Each of the oldies found their target and breathed easier the next second.
[They're only hurt. If they died, with how savage Steward Zhuo is, the sect will run with blood.]
"Lian'er…"
"Changlong…"
"Grandpa, we're here."
As Bai and Qi called out, Bai Lian and Qi Changlong replied. The two went over and breathed easier too.
"Inner organs are shaken up and only sealed vessels. You'll be back on your feet in a few days. The kid was truthful. He only killed Chi Feng and Yujuan." Bai Lian hugged Bai Lian.
Venerable Qi nodded, "Old Bai, should we have these two go to him? He has to know his allies or the next time he flips…"
"With his glorious reputation now, making friends is the best thing for these children." Venerable Bai's eyes flashed.
Bai Lian asked, "Grandpa, you mean… that wild beast?"
The venerables nodded.
"Venerables sirs, he wrecked the elite area and breached the rules. You should uphold the sect's laws and not let him off."
Lu Xie was outraged, "Two elites are killed, and the three venerables won't stand for it. Venerable Shi will surely make use of it and fight. Sirs will do well not to make the wrong choice…"
Venerable Bai laughed, "What a foolish disciple. What do you think the rules are for, to raise the strong! With enough worth and strength the sect itself will pave your way!"
"As for the three venerables, they must be grinning right about now from the demonic treasures they got from the kid. As for Venerable Shi… his two prized helpers, the second and seventh elders were challenged and killed by the kid; in plain sight too. There's not even the chance of getting revenge. With the inner sect's elders and venerables cowering, who will stir up more trouble?"
[No way?!]
Bai Lian, Lu Xie, and Qi Changlong gasped in disbelief.
Venerable Bai shook his head, "Disciples all the same yet so much above everyone else. He twisted the rules to his will, and there's nothing you can do about it. His worth trumps anyone else's. You better sit down if you know what's good for you."
The three were speechless…