"Venerable Shi, this is horrible…"
Venerable Shi enjoyed some fine wine under a pavilion, a smile tracing his lips as his plans came to a head.
That was until the shout ruined his mood. Grand Elder scrambled over in a panic.
Venerable Shi dissed him, "Grand Elder, you've been through a lot at your age, yet a trifle riles you up?"
"Trifle?" Taken aback, Grand Elder asked, "You know, Venerable Shi?"
Venerable Shi grinned in pride, "I planned for it."
Ugh!
Grand Elder stammered, [You had those two… go to their deaths?]
"Grand Elder, how can you still not understand?"
Venerable Shi raised an eyebrow at his dumbstruck face, "Think about it, the second and seventh elders went to make a mess of things in the Labor Office. I bet the place must be in turmoil right about now. But it's all fine, with how loose they are, giving them some incentive will have most of them back with us. We'll then use the excuse of disturbing the sect to crush the Elite Labor Office for good. Since they held the apology banquet, the chaos ensuing will be on them!"
Grand Elder nodded, "Oh, that's what sir means."
"Isn't that why you're here?" Venerable Shi sipped his wine.
Grand Elder scratched his nose, "These matters are different, yet surprisingly the same…"
"How come?"
The two elders did make a scene at the banquet per your orders…" Grand Elder began.
Venerable Shi nodded all naturally.
And Grand Elder softly continued, "Though… they ended up killed."
Bang!
The wine cup slipped and scattered to pieces on the floor. Venerable Shi turned an incredulous eye to Grand Elder.
"G-Grand Elder, c-can you repeat that?"
"I said the two elders ended up getting killed at the banquet."
Grand Elder's repeated disillusioned Venerable Shi, "How? W-who had the gall… to do such a thing? No venerable has such a right!"
"A venerable would've been much better, at least would give us an excuse. But…" Grand Elder shook his head in sorrow, "The one to do the deed was a disciple, in plain sight too. He used the rules to challenge and kill them so that we can't touch him."
Venerable Shi trembled like a leaf, "A disciple? Who was it? Who can kill Ethereal Stage elders? Since when did our sect have such a disciple?"
"Who else but Zhuo Fan." Grand Elder shrugged as he explained everything.
Venerable Shi slumped in his chair, "A bloody feast, it was premeditated, a trap all along. There's no such thing as apologizing in advance. This was done with full intent of the crime!"
"In regards to this, Zhuo Fan planned on killing the two from the start. But he did it flawlessly."
Grand Elder sighed, "He first went to challenge the elite area using the same rule that states in a duel between different statuses there are no repercussions. No matter how much damage he caused, it'll be those three venerables dealing with it, not us. But Zhuo Fan soothed them as well. Then the kid challenged the elders and under the eyes of everyone, they died, all for nothing too. We can't use this to get to him."
Venerable Shi's face sank in rage, "That devious punk played us. But that pales when he has the power to threaten us. He even killed two Ethereal Stage elders to prove it. This never happened in the history of the sect. It will make him the single most important figure in the sect. And with the Double Dragon Gathering on our doorstep, he'll have the sect at his whim."
"He is a great genius that might even get us in the middle three sects at the Double Dragon Gathering." Grand Elder sighed.
Venerable Shi's eyes glinted, "What's the point if it's not on our side? We'll only suffer for it."
"Then…" Grand Elder probed.
Dang~
The meeting bell answered for him and Grand Elder's words were drawn out, "It's the inner sect meeting. The Sect Leader must've called for it!"
"Who the hell else is there that would have the gall to mess with me and strike the bell?"
Venerable Shi felt more and more suffocated, "Xie Wuyue saw his dog got some awe under him and wants to promote the punk for it. He wants to send him to the elite area! "
"What do we do?" Grand Elder asked.
Venerable Shi sighed, "Nothing. By killing our two elders, he established his worth and might. Now even some elders and venerables from the inner sect see hope for the sect in him. The brat has earned great merit and advancement is imminent. All we can do is bide our time."
Grand Elder's brow shook.
Venerable Shi spat, "I know Xie Wuyue like the back of my hand. He's uplifting Zhuo Fan for the Double Dragon Gathering. But once it passes, Zhuo Fan's talent will threaten his status. We just have to wait for when they'll be at odds and each other's throat. While we will be laying low until they do…"
Grand Elder pondered and nodded with glinting eyes…
An hour later, in the grand hall, Xie Wuyue was on his throne bearing a majestic vibe, with the elders and venerables on either side of him.
Even Three Fiends of Hell were among them.
The sour Venerable Shi looked at Xie Wuyue's wide grin, laughing in the end, "Something amazing happened today; the new replacing the old. A disciple challenged two inner sect elders, a testament to the promising new generations, to the Demon Scheming Sect's great new future and glory."
The oldies' faces twitched on cue. [We just had two of our elders killed in cold blood, and you call that an achievement? It's brazen humiliation, is what this is!]
While the Labor Office's oldies were smugger than ever, joining in Sect Leader's joy.
Xie Wuyue saw Venerable Shi was still brooding and continued, "Now all of you know of Zhuo Fan's might, and I can assume there'll be no objections in having him participate in Double Dragon Gathering, will there?"
"No!" The Labor Office's side echoed and the inner sect remained silent, their eyes converging on Venerable Shi.
Yet Venerable Shi was like a stone.
"Zhuo Fan doesn't want to be elite while requesting for the Double Dragon Gathering's participants to be from the Labor Office. That is the only condition for joining the gathering." Xie Wuyue eyed Venerable Shi in doubt.
The entire hall exploded with noise. The Labor Office's side supported Zhuo Fan of course, while the inner sect was totally against it.
"Sect Leader, it's against every rule!"
"Sect Leader, the brat is conceited and should rein him in instead of indulging him!"
"Sect Leader, the rules are clear and must be upheld!"
…
They all voiced their strong objections to this outrageous proposal.
"Enough!"
Venerable Shi sneered and the hall was silent.
Venerable Shi's eyes flashed, "The rules have always been made to pave the way for the strong. Since it was Zhuo Fan's request, I agree!"
[No way!]
Everyone was slack-jawed, Xie Wuyue included. [What is the old weasel up to this time.]
Silent as the grave.
[Did Venerable Shi wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Why is he on Zhuo Fan's side?]
Allies and enemies alike were stunned, watching the old timer as a cow looked at a new gate.
"Have I said something wrong?" Venerable Shi smiled at the rest, "Only a blind man can't see Zhuo Fan's talent. He is the best chance our sect has in Double Dragon Gathering. We have to remove all obstacles for him to join it, including this quaint rule."
Ugh!
The stunned silence persisted for a good while. Wuyue had to blink again and again to gain some semblance of reasoning back.
"Venerable Shi is quite right. I agree. The Double Dragon Gathering's candidates shall be chosen from the Elite Labor Office, with Zhuo Fan in charge. The inner, outer, and elite areas are to cooperate!"
"Er, that is good and all, but we guide the elite area's disciples for the Double Dragon Gathering. With how the candidates are chosen from the Elite Labor Office, do we still hold our posts?" Fiend Yang asked.
Having received Zhuo Fan's good-natured gifts, they never opposed such a decision, and Xie Wuyue had planned for the kid to be the team leader from the start. All the more, since Zhuo Fan had such a wild reputation and everyone's side. No matter what ruckus he stirred, it'd be swept under the rug. He even got the right to choose his teammates. All this old fiend could do was fall in line.
As long as there was no conflict of interest or principles, Xie Wuyue would be behind him all the way.
This was the power of bribes. Why else would a Sect Leader accommodate some guy by even changing the rules?
All rules were, at the end, made by the strong for the strong.
Xie Wuyue scratched his nose, "The kid can take you in, and it'll be all the same. Having the three of you in the Labor Office where there are already so many more venerables won't harm it."
The trio shrugged. The day had come that these venerable coaches had to balk at the whims of a disciple.
It never happened in the history of the Demon Scheming Sect, not once.
While the inner sect's oldies' hearts jumped. No matter how godlike Zhuo Fan was, he was still a disciple. With such authority behind him, he could even affect the other oldies' fate. That was a bitter pill to swallow.
Though a glance at Venerable Shi told them they had nothing to worry about and sighed in the end.
If their boss was silent, all they could do was follow.
The decision came to pass, and after ironing in some more details, the meeting came to a close.
"Ha-ha-ha, how times have changed. The lowest rung of a sect, a mere Labor Office, has now become its center, even above the elite area. Yet those rotten laborers are still sweeping the disciples' and mine lodgings…"
"What's so hard to accept? That side had sported a sudden monkey that even challenged the elite area. The entire sect sees him as the apple of their eye, even fonder than their ancestors. And all to regain the sect's dignity and interests in Double Dragon Gathering. I reckon you'd be flaunting him by now if he was your disciple. When all is said and done, might makes right."
…
The elders and venerables gossiped in groups of three or five, grumbling and complaining as they left the hall.
Left alone with Venerable Shi, Xie Wuyue turned a quizzical eye at the old man, "Did the world flip, Venerable Shi, to take my side?"
"Ha-ha-ha, Sect Leader, you jest. When have I ever gone against you? I only ever argue for the good of the sect. I hope Sect Leader is kind enough to overlook my past transgressions. Zhuo Fan is beyond anything anyone could expect, earning the public's favor. I only hope he can take our sect higher." Venerable Shi bowed.
Xie Wuyue eyed him with the complete skepticism his position came bearing.
Venerable Shi chuckled, "If that is all, Sect Leader, I shall take my leave."
Xie Wuyue had never said anything all this time.
But the old man turned just as he was about to cross the door with a crafty smile, "Ha-ha-ha, Sect Leader, you were right about one thing. The new replaces the old. But his drive may be too strong. Today he has the sect change the rules for him, tomorrow, he'd have a certain someone's chair…"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Xie Wuyue roared.
Venerable Shi grinned, "Just the ramblings of an old man, Sect Leader."
Venerable Shi left laughing with another bow, "With the new replacing the new, I wonder just how far it will go, how decrepit will the old become? Ha-ha-ha…"
"Damn geezer."
Xie Wuyue spat, his knuckles white. The more he thought about it, the more he saw Zhuo Fan's power within the sect taking root. His speed was too fast even for this Sect Master's comfort…
The decision spread to the entire sect leaving inner and outer disciples dumbstruck.
The Elite Labor Office had only been a lure so far for a shift in power in the sect, yet its status was still in the lowest rung. The only reason disciples forwent its bad name was because of free stuff.
Yet it hadn't been long since it formed, and it already stood above the elite area, holding the right to judge Double Dragon Gathering's candidates.
It meant there was no getting into the Elite Labor Office without strength any longer.
Only the best of the best entered the elite area, but now that the Elite Labor Office had authority, the entrance would be all the harsher.
The chances were next to nothing.
The ever spectating inner and outer disciples were now hating their guts for the previous indecision of joining the Elite Labor Office.
It took just a couple of months for the lame Elite Labor Office to become all the rage.
While laborers grew cockier and more confident, especially when the three coaching venerables led a gaggle of elites to join Elite Labor Office after passing Zhuo Fan's strict testing. if they were any more stuck up their heads would reach their ass.
It was they who used to resort to any means to get into the elite area.
But lo and behold how the tables had turned, with the elites' turn to do the same thing.
And all of this came to be by the grace of one laborer, Steward Zhuo Fan, the manager of the Elite Labor Office.
His popularity spiked then and there, to the point of being worshiped. But while the Labor Office was enjoying the high life, the inner and outer disciples were down in the dumps.
All because of Zhuo Fan's order. 'Even elite laborers are to sweep the floors.' The entire sect couldn't afford to mess with him.
Bam!
A vase crumbled to pieces as it made intimate contact with the hard cold floor. Kui Lang picked up the broom and swept the remains while looking sullen at a corner, "Your vase."
"That's a high-class China worth a hefty sum!" The youth cried.
Kui Lang barked, "What's a damn cultivator wasting spirit stones on these damn decorations? You've soured my mood, now get out and let me clean!"
"Oh no, no, no, senior brother Kui Lang, this is my fault. I could never have you…"
"Shut it. Steward Zhuo gave us a job, and we're to sweep the sect clean. Are you trying to make me slack on the job and get punished? Scram!" Kui Lang glared.
The youth ran like the wind, though just outside the door, watching in anxiety and nervousness.
The room ended up eliciting a wondrous symphony of sounds, from the dullest to the sharpest.
In under fifteen minutes, Kui Lang strutted out with the broom in tow, "Now it's spotless. I'll leave the rest to you."
"Thank you so much, senior brother." The youth bowed and Kui Lang left with a puffed-up chest.
The youth went in to watch a horror show. The table was only good for tinder now, and the walls sported extra-large breathing holes.
[This is not sweeping, but demolition!]
Thinking about how he'd get his room 'cleaned' every day brought a dark cloud over his face. The guy was on the verge of tears.
[Is there no presentable laborer out there?]
Well, the good ones were sent to the oldies, while the best of the best, the elite laborers went to inner and outer disciples' homes.
Having never done this, they tended to put too much oomph into it, resulting in this wonderful work of art yet unique every time.
Though the demolition men knew full well no inner and outer disciple would dare make a peek as they went to work. Since the Elite Labor Office was the cream of the crop in the sect, everyone was dying to join.
No matter how they grumbled, they couldn't even fight back, not when it would only get them killed.
Laborers had the sect rules at their back yet the power of elites. It was so ridiculous that not even oldies messed around.
"I will definitely get in the Labor Office tomorrow!" The youth couldn't take it anymore but then recalled his meager strength and sighed.
[With so many vying to get in, the Labor Office now holds a test to take in only the best…]