Tracing his fingers over the wall, Zhuo Fan was mulling over something. Then he opened his eyes wide, and two golden halos flashed in his right. "Divine Eye of the Void's 2nd stage, Void Annihilation!"
Bam!
The spatial power struck the wall loudly. Then it was over. The barrier didn't even shake.
Though it did flash a bit after as if to mock Zhuo Fan that he was all bark and no bite.
Zhuo Fan sighed.
[This array is ridiculously strong. Not even Void Annihilation, specialized in breaking arrays, can do a thing to it.]
He would never get it open as he was now, a mere ant against the world.
[My only choice is to wait until after I go beyond the mortal domain to try again.]
Zhuo Fan gave up the search and was about to return to the valley. However, he made sure to spruce this place up with how messy it was.
And so, without further ado, he picked the walls clean of any and all sacred stones.
By using Shift now and then, Zhuo Fan popped all over the mountain as he avoided the hundreds of monitoring arrays.
All he left behind was now a bare, dark cave like he was some thief who couldn't get enough.
It was a good thing the Exalted Double Dragons didn't see him, or they'd be spitting blood right about now. Those sacred stones were tens of times the reward the Double Dragon Gathering offered the nine sects this time. It took a thousand years to form, and yet they were gone just like that.
[May you rot in hell, Zhuo Fan!]
How fortunate indeed, the two exalted were oblivious. Of course, Zhuo Fan could never let them know, though his wounded right arm was a giveaway.
Zhuo Fan frowned and held it close. It was its first wound, and he was a little worried.
In the last few fights he had, no one could even scratch it, so coming out wounded all of a sudden would definitely attract the exalteds' gazes.
[That'll be bad for sure.]
Squinting, Zhuo Fan was pondering on a solution…
Whoosh!
An hour later, Zhuo Fan reappeared in the valley. Alas, gone was the natural beauty and lush scenery, now covered in ever-flowing blood that gave it a nasty stench.
One should not forget the constant symphony of wails and cackles that accompanied such a view. It brought this work of art to life.
Bang~
"Don't hit me, please. I give, I give! Just let me go!"
"Damn you. Now you know when to surrender? What were you doing before then? Where'd your arrogance go? What about yesterday's cockiness? Hi-hi-hi, if I don't set you straighter than an arrow now, then I'm no Demon Scheming Sect's disciple!" Kui Lang's laughter echoed through the valley, filled with the promise of brutality.
Zhuo Fan looked around, and he saw punches and kicks raining down on one helpless victim. Gui Hu, Kui Lang, and the rest were dishing out all the beatings they could, like a master lashing out at his servant. As for the one who wailed beneath their feet, that was Ren Cong.
Yue'er and the girls stood aside with a thick, loathing gaze on their faces. When they noticed Zhuo Fan, they bowed, "Steward Zhuo, welcome back."
"Did you get the prick?" Zhuo Fan asked.
The girls turned to the others and nodded.
Bai Lian bowed a bit as she reported, "Steward Zhuo, Heaven Trailing Sect's disciples have all been killed, except Ren Cong. Based on his status, we can't kill him. So we captured him, sealed his cultivation, and let the others thrash him until now."
"As you should have. Ren Cong can't be killed, or it will force Heaven Trailing Sect to desperate action." Zhuo Fan nodded, then he showed a nasty smile, "Though that doesn't mean we shouldn't put him in his rightful place. Since he liked showing off yesterday, he-he, let's show him how it's truly done. By the way, how come you aren't enjoying the kicking festival along with those guys?"
The three girls blushed and fell silent.
Zhuo Fan paused, but then he noticed something. "Ha-ha-ha, I get it. A lady is to be reserved and shouldn't lower herself to such barbaric and vile actions. But as someone treading the demonic path, you should learn to let go. Come, let's kick him a couple of rounds. It'll make us feel better."
Zhuo Fan waved as he strutted over. But the girls still hung their heads in the same spot.
"This isn't like you at all."
Zhuo Fan looked back with an odd gaze, "Especially you, Yue Ling. When you were the boss of the Labor Office, you were more arrogant than ever. Why the sudden shyness over kicking someone?"
"Steward Zhuo, uh, it's better if you see for yourself."
Yue Ling blushed harder and pointed at the crowd.
Zhuo Fan was intrigued now. Going over, he looked from behind the kicking frenzy, "A-he-hem, brothers, please make way. Allow me to join!"
"Steward Zhuo is back! Make way. Steward Zhuo wants to let off steam!" Kui Lang looked back, and his eyes lit up when he saw Zhuo Fan.
The others moved away with bright smiles, letting Zhuo Fan have his fun.
Now the scene was revealed in all its glory to him that had him stumped. He gave an odd look to the rest, especially those 'shy' ladies.
Now he got the gist of their reluctance.
Ren Cong was nothing more than a curled-up ball of bruises and wounds, twitching and even whimpering. That wasn't the least of it, though, he was stripped of clothes, and blood was also gathering underneath him.
Zhuo Fan couldn't help sneering at them, "You should know not to take it too far in your games. You even stripped him naked! He is, after all, the young master of the Heaven Trailing Sect. Doing this in front of thousands of people, he won't have the shame to get out of his room!"
"He-he-he, that's just what I wanted. I bet he won't be able to get out of his home even back at his sect." Kui Lang snickered. He pointed at the blood under Ren Cong and followed the trail of blood. "Look, Steward Zhuo!"
Zhuo Fan did look and was speechless before crying out, "You sure have… unique tastes." He gave them a funny look, then gave a loathing handshake. "Next time, don't talk to me. I am not a sicko but a perfectly normal human being. No wonder even Yue Ling, with her nasty temper, stood behind. You guys just aren't normal."
The three girls from afar shook and covered their ears, trying anything to stop hearing his words.
The curled-up Ren Cong twitched on cue, and his sobbing increased.
Kui Lang's face twitched, "Steward Zhuo, who do you take us for? We're not sick, at least not to that degree. Didn't we vent for you? The prick had gone overboard yesterday, so… we used a club to…"
Kui Lang lifted a bloody wooden stick. Zhuo Fan hurriedly held his nose and jumped back a couple of steps. He glared at them in disgust, "Put that away, you filthy animals!"
"Animals, animals, wu~"
Ren Cong shook as he cried. For the first time ever, he agreed with Zhuo Fan.
Giving him a long look, Zhuo Fan shook his head, sympathizing with him. Then he turned to Kui Lang and the others, barking, "You're the ones who've gone overboard! Ever heard the saying, death before dishonor?"
The guys were stumped. They did not get Zhuo Fan. Didn't they do what he asked? Why was he angry?
Ren Cong lifted his wretched and crying face and gave Zhuo Fan a strange look. Was he the rescuer among this band of scumbags?
However, Zhuo Fan's next line made his mouth twitch.
"Couldn't you have just gotten rid of the flesh and taken a round with his soul? That kind of pain is the most exquisite. Moreover, it's far less nasty and messy."
[I should've known that all vile demons are the same!] Ren Cong thought.
With a plop, the club fell to the ground. Zhuo Fan spoke with deep loathing.
The others were stumped for a moment, then cackled.
"That's the Steward Zhuo we know. Even if left alive, it won't do without scarring him good. You're the best team leader ever!" Kui Lang snickered and patted his chest, "Rest assured, sir! We shall have no compassion, no shred of sympathy, and will be sure to make him pay. Thrashing him was going too easy on him. It's just that you said we should take our sweet time, so there's plenty of stuff we haven't yet tried, ha-ha-ha…"
[I told you to take your time so you could buy me time! It wasn't so you could turn him into your punching bag.]
[Then again, the result ain't half bad.]
Recalling his haul, Zhuo Fan grinned. Then he looked at the shivering mess on the ground, afraid the act was about to resume, and Zhuo Fan shook his head.
[This beating will leave a deep trauma in Ren Cong's psyche. He's done for.]
[Well, not my fault he had to prance in my face.]
[Hold on…]
Zhuo Fan squinted suddenly. Then he looked at his right hand.
"Alright. Brothers, get rid of his body, and let's have a go with his soul. One last push, and we're done for today!" Gui Hu looked at everyone. He got Zhuo Fan's implied meaning and acted accordingly.
With a nod, everyone returned to Ren Cong with a sinister smile.
Ren Cong was so scared he was shaking like a leaf.
However, with a spatial ripple as the only sign, a white pillar sprouted in front of everyone. At the same time, an aged voice echoed, "Alright, kids, that's enough playing around. The six hours are up. The team battle between Demon Scheming Sect and Heaven Trailing Sect is over!"
"Over? Isn't it too fast?" Kui Lang looked baffled. "We still haven't destroyed this prick's body. How come it's over when we're just getting started?"
The others' interest fell at this point since the time was up.
Zhuo Fan snickered at Ren Cong's scarlet butt and added. "Good things never last long. Now that the time is up, we must abide by Double Dragon Gathering's rules and stop. When it's all said and done brother Ren, you are still the young master of the Heaven Trailing Sect, the head of the Tianyu's three guardian sects. We're rivals on the battlefield but friends outside of it. Friendships come first and rivalry second. Do you think you can make it back, or do you need me to get someone to help you?"
[Hypocrite!]
Every face in the audience twitched, scoffing at him on the inside.
They bore witness to the true essence of a demonic cultivator, cruel to no end and a hypocrite to the core. And Zhuo Fan seemed to be the culmination of all evil.
Ren Cong's face sank, silently taking out a shirt from his ring to put it on. Then he barely got his feet under him. He clenched his ass cheeks as he wiggled towards the saving light, soon vanishing.
Looking at each other, Zhuo Fan and Kui Lang laughed at his expense.
The girls only blushed harder and glared at them with a shake of their heads.
Zhuo Fan's gang followed into the light right after. Their vision shifted from the mountains to the Double Dragon Manor's arena.
Yet the welcoming committee was not in the least bit happy, showering them in scornful looks rather than applauses.
The team battle between Demon Scheming Sect and Heaven Trailing Sect was not as intense as the crowd hoped. Instead, it was completely one-sided. And at Zhuo Fan's behest, it devolved even more into a sick chase for torture and pain.
[No, a sick game is more accurate!]
Because Heaven Trailing Sect's people weren't killed but toyed with instead. If one could still call it that, this fight was nothing more than a show of Demon Scheming Sect's endless capacity for brutality and savagery.
Heaven Trailing Sect's young master Ren Cong would have gone through even more cruelty if not for that title shielding him from death.
Not like this outcome was any better…
Shuddering, Ren Cong, with Elder Qi's support, stood opposite of Demon Scheming Sect's team. But his head was still lowered, fear having twisted his character from an overly proud man to the shell he was now. He was unable even to look his torturers in the eye.
Elder Qi saw his young master's appearance and gnashed his teeth in hatred, glaring at those demons.
Not like Zhuo Fan and co. ever cared. They still bore that twisted smile from before. [Bring it, if you dare!]
The judge's cold eyes swept both sides as he spoke, "In this team battle between Demon Scheming Sect and Heaven Trailing Sect, the former had sent in ten people and ten returned while the latter had sent ten and only one returned, a battle won by an absolute margin. Demon Scheming Sect, do you wish to keep challenging? Your next opponent is the second place in the middle three sects, Demon Soul Sect!"
"Damn right we are!"
Zhuo Fan blurted out without even thinking.
Judged had expected this kind of answer and continued, "Then you are free to decide whether it will be right now or after a rest of three days."
"We didn't even break a sweat. We fight now, of course!" Zhuo Fan snickered.
The judge nodded and turned to Demon Soul Sect. "Do you accept the challenge? If you don't, it will automatically declare Demon Scheming Sect as the winner and you the loser!"
Han Yunfeng squinted in thought.
Zhuo Fan paused, giving him a long look. [Didn't he say he'll give up earlier? Why the hesitation?]
"We accept!" However, at this moment, Demon Soul Sect suddenly decided to fight. Turning to Zhuo Fan, Han Yunfeng was filled with battle intent. "The best choice is not to fight, but it will only leave us with regret. But don't think for a second you can humiliate us as you did to Heaven Trailing Sect. Demon Soul Sect is filled with battle demons. We'll rather die than be shamed!"
"Humph, we'll just see about that…" Lu Xie snorted in contempt but was stopped by Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan gave him a long look and nodded, "Good, but you better come prepared. We're not ones to go easy!"
"Humph, we don't need your pity!" Han Yunfeng scoffed.
Zhuo Fan's nasty grin resurfaced, turning to his team, "Demon Soul Sect is unlike the Heaven Trailing Sect. They won't balk under fear. We can't mess around with them and have to take them seriously."
"But they only have two Ethereal Stage experts. Why so serious?" Kui Lang paused and gave the opponent an odd stare.
Zhuo Fan smiled, "Look at their eyes, and you'll see they have made peace with death. You might want to have fun, but they are serious. They won't let it go your way. That is why it's better to face them head-on and give them proper respect. They have come to the gathering fully aware that they might never return and are ready to go all out if they do; the true spirit of a cultivator. They are nothing like kicking around some wastrels. We need to act according to our opponents, some are to be toyed with while others should be shown respect!"
Startled, the gang turned in Demon Soul Sect's direction.
Sure enough, although they were around the level of the Heaven Trailing Sect, they were determined to see this fight through, one way or the other. Despite witnessing how they trashed Heaven Trailing Sect, they still showed no fear.
"They really must be taken seriously!" Kui Lang took a deep breath and nodded. His face was solemn.
Looking at them, they were suddenly reminded of themselves from before. If not for Zhuo Fan bumping their strength, they would probably be at the level of Demon Soul Sect and could only throw their measly lives away in this Double Dragon Gathering.
They all let out a sigh of lament.
The judge turned from one team to another. "Disciples, please enter the Sumeru Dimension. The second challenge of the middle three sects challenge round begins!"
Zhuo Fan led his team towards the gateway. Han Yunfeng followed as well. Whether intentionally or not, Zhuo Fan paused for Han Yunfeng's team to catch up.
Just like that, the two walked abreast, entering the valley simultaneously.
"The prick sure has his charm, not always an insufferable bastard." Wu Qingqiu couldn't help but smile.
Yan Mo's eyes shook at the side, and he had to nod. "Indeed, Demon Scheming Sect is at its peak, and he should be brash and wild. But when he entered the valley, he chose to wait for Han Yunfeng to catch up and go in at the same time. It is a sign of respect."
"That is true. Respect me, and I shall do the same. Insult me, and I'll make you pay a thousand times over. It seems to me the fact that he drove Demon Scheming Sect into butchering Heaven Trailing Sect is justifiable. But all we saw in that battle was Demon Scheming Sect's cruelty and not Heaven Trailing Sect's arrogance. That is why we all labeled the Demon Scheming Sect's men as thugs. This is why demon cultivators earned their bad name, ha-ha-ha… What a world!"
Eyeing him, Yan Mo nodded, "Who'd have thought a righteous disciple would know the toils of us demonic cultivators?"
"Ha-ha-ha, it's because I'm a righteous cultivator that I need to have tolerance. Demonic cultivators are paranoid yet not necessarily wrong. I will not be prejudiced."
Wu Qingqiu chuckled and said to Yan Mo, "By the way, I don't find this Zhuo Fan that unreasonable. Just that he acts differently depending on the people and situations, while also a bit heavy-handed. You said he almost got you killed. How did you manage to piss him off?"
"Uh, well… it's none of your business!" Yan Mo turned red and shifted his head away.
Wu Qingqiu snickered at his reaction.
[Demonic cultivators love to make a scene, are narrow-minded, and must have what they want. Therefore when the two of them meet, sparks fly. Sigh, while righteous cultivators love to don the mask of hypocrisy. That should level things out, right?]
Wu Qingqiu shook his head at this thought.
[Demons are frank and irritable, while the just are fake and calm. Though who can tell who is the demon and who is just?]
Meanwhile, when the two teams entered the valley, they stood across from each other. Zhuo Fan jumped and landed behind his team.
Han Yunfeng and the others frowned. Zhuo Fan, however, smiled, "I'll say it again, who can get on my level? Pass all nine of them. Then you can face me!"
Han Yunfeng's eyelid twitched, and he stared at Zhuo Fan furiously…
"That's odd. How come the prick is up to his old tricks and won't fight this time either?"
Wu Qingqiu's side was puzzled as they watched Zhuo Fan. Hadn't he always treated Demon Soul Sect with respect? Why the acting? Why the antagonistic display?
By not fighting in a team battle, he clearly looked down on them, holding them in contempt. His action was a hard and cold slap to Han Yunfeng's team's face!
Leaving the slapping aside, why lift their hopes just now only to knock them down again?
[Just what is that prick thinking?]
They would never have guessed that it wasn't that Zhuo Fan did not want to fight. It was because he couldn't.
His right hand got hurt from the brief encounter with the sacred sword. If misfortune had it that he exposed it, the Exalted Double Dragons would see it, and he'd be finished. As for his left, it was nowhere near that strong.
Favoring his weak left instead of that strong right would incur the same suspicion.
So the best way to avoid it all was to show off and stay out of it.
[If Demon Soul Sect had just forfeited and let me fight Sword God Sect's Wen Tao straight out, then with his strength similar to a superior three sects disciple, it would fit my plan perfectly. Then I wouldn't have to hide from anyone and not be so passive!]
[But just what the hell got into Demon Soul Sect all of a sudden? While I do admire their guts, they're just too weak. I can't fake it with these weaklings. It'll only get seen through.]
[The only choice is staying still.]
Scratched his nose, Zhuo Fan sighed inwardly.
Han Yunfeng witnessed his action and was fuming mad, gnashing his teeth in hatred.
[What the hell's the meaning of this? I get you look down on us, but did you have to do it in front of everyone? Won't you even give us a few moves? Since you're so stuck up, what's with the show of respect from before in walking side by side? Are you toying with us?]
Han Yunfeng glared and said, "Zhuo Fan, I will make you fight!"
"Humph, to fight our Steward Zhuo, you'll have to go through me first!" Qi Changlong stood in Han Yunfeng's way. "This is a team battle, but we won't take advantage of your weakness and will go one-on-one. If you have what it takes to beat our six Ethereal Stage experts, then there will be no one to stop you from fighting Steward Zhuo!"
[What, a round robin of one against six?]
Third young master Han cursed, "You have no shame at all. My brother is in the 2nd layer of the Ethereal Stage, while just three of you are in the 3rd layer. Why not ask him to stand still so you can beat him…"
"Quiet, brother!"
Han Yunfeng cut off the third young master Han's rant, "If it's a team battle, with only two Ethereal Stage experts, they could have two of theirs hold us back while the rest would kill our teammates. Then it will turn into six versus two. How long do you think we will hold on then?"
Third young master Han paused, then let out a long sigh.
Han Yunfeng's eyelid twitched and said, "That's why this round robin looks like one against six. The fights will never be one on one. This is in our favor. I accept! "
"Great, then let's go!" Qi Changlong walked forward.
Giving Zhuo Fan a look from beyond the others, Han Yunfeng's eyes narrowed. His body shook, and with a reverberating roar, a blue hundreds of meters tall winged lion appeared in a flash of light.
With its appearance, the temperature dropped sharply, and a biting wind formed that chilled one to the bone.
The crowd cried out.
[That's Han Yunfeng's soul?]
At once, the audience was boiling.
Everyone knew the soul was an Ethereal Stage expert's strongest weapon but also its weakness. So unless they had no choice, the fight was to the death, or they did not fear a heavy injury, the average man would not take it out.
Since if the soul was finished, so were you!
So even in the middle three sects round, the audience had not once seen Ethereal Stage experts taking out their souls. Even when Ren Cong was being pummeled from all around, he would rather have his cultivation sealed than show his soul in fear of having it crushed.
No one imagined that in the second stage of the middle three sects challenge round, Han Yunfeng would actually lay his soul bare at the very start. He was ready to go all out!
"Elder brother!" His younger brothers cried in panic.
Han Yunfeng waved them not to worry, his face hard, "They are all tough opponents. I have to go all out from the start, or if the time drags out, it will work against me."
"Ha-ha-ha, what a brave man you are, eldest young master of Demon Soul Sect. Then allow me to accompany you with my own soul." Qi Changlong laughed and felt as if he had met a kindred spirit. His body shook, and yellow light spilled from him.
In a blink, a huge seal of sixty meters appeared overhead, giving an oppressive feeling.
Wu Qingqiu's brow shook, and he cried, "It's actually a rarely seen tool soul, the Seal of Upheaval!"
"Correct. Souls are commonly divided into beast souls, elemental souls, and domain souls. As for this tool soul, despite being rare, it is on the same level as a beast soul. And Han Yunfeng's soul is that of Ascending Howling Lion. Of bitter cold and extreme yin, the opposite of the seal's extreme yang. This makes it that the match will be decided on the strength of their souls!" Yan Mo nodded as he analyzed.
Ye Lin looked from the side, bored. "It's Han Yunfeng's win."
"Why?" Startled, the two turned to him. Reason dictated it should be Qi Changlong who won since he had the higher cultivation.
Ye Lin huffed, "Because he stakes his life!"
Bam!
The loud sound came just as Ye Lin finished. Ascending Howling Lion and the Seal of Upheaval clashed in a terrifying rumble.
However, in that short exchange, the Seal of Upheaval had five claw marks, with ice spreading around them.
Pff!
Qi Changlong shook all over and spat blood. At the same time, he took back his soul. He cupped his hands in admiration. "Respect!"
"You're too kind." Han Yunfeng returned his gesture even as his brow was soaked.
Should this be his victory? He was, in fact, the more injured party of the two.
Zhuo Fan's brow shook, and he admired Han Yunfeng.
[The kid is a damn feisty guy. He's unlike those fake young masters from sects and even staked his life on the first attack. His upbringing must have had a heavy role to play in it.]
[Demon Soul Sect is remarkable.]
Wu Qingqiu's brow shook as well, "How can there be a fight like this in this day and age? As the forefathers say, 'pride comes before the fall.' Even in a life and death struggle, one holds back some energy just in case, to change the tides and win or escape. But this guy had put up all he had and more, cutting off all his paths. If he couldn't have shaken off his opponent in the first strike, he would have been dead by now. The guy is ruthless! "
"He is staking his life just for the chance to fight him. How can you guys even understand him?"
Ye Lin mocked, "He has to fight six people, even in rounds. Even if he comes out victorious, he will be exhausted to death. The only way to save energy is to go out in full force. While he gives his life in every exchange, his opponent doesn't have the nerve to meet him. This leaves him with a margin to win and conserve his strength. But even so, one cannot say just how much energy he'd have left in the end.
"By the way, Yan Mo, you said you wanted to spar with senior brother. But do you have the courage and thirst as he does?" Ye Lin asked Yan Mo.
Yan Mo's brow shook as he watched the next fight. This time Bai Lian went forth only to be defeated in one strike. But even though he saw Han Yunfeng panting, Yan Mo shook his head with no admiration for the man.
[This guy is consumed with cultivation.]
[Doesn't the demonic path contain obsession as well? This is the road he is walking!]
Huff~
Despite having only struck twice in the valley, Han Yunfeng was breathing heavily, his head soaked in sweat.
His brothers rushed over to help him. "Brother, are you alright? Let's just forget it. They're making it hard for you and toy with you. With the way you are now, what's the point of defeating the six of them when you won't be able to even stand? This is pointless!"
With a slight twitch of his eyebrows, Han Yunfeng slowly looked at Zhuo Fan, only to see his solemn face and bland look. As if he looked down on him.
Taking risks despite knowing it would fail was useless!
But when Wen Tao's words came to him, that cultivation meant going against the natural order. If he lost this chance to fight the strongest, he would feel regret for the rest of his days.
Han Yunfeng once again straightened his back and took a deep breath as he stared at Zhuo Fan.
[Even if you do not put me in your eyes, mine will always be on you. My cultivation will never stop!]
"Yes, that's the way, demonic young master!"
Wen Tao spoke as he witnessed the fights. "This fight isn't to defeat him but to prove you fear no challenge. This is the only way you can go further!"
Xie Tianshang, next to him, looked at Han Yunfeng and then at Zhuo Fan. He nodded.
Just like when he set Zhuo Fan as his rival, it wasn't to surpass him per se, but for himself to never stop pushing forward…