“One, two… one, two…”
Under the glorious rays of the morning sun, announcing the beginning of a beautiful day, Kui Lang and the stiffs were fighting a bitter battle with their own bodies, trudging through the flat and open road with every toiling step.
Zhuo Fan and the fiends were on a scenic tour, a sharp contrast to the tortured souls behind them.
The only difference this morning brought was they got company. Mystical Heaven Sect was dragging itself a hundred meters off like some butt beetles.
What should’ve been a smooth flight, free and refreshing, became a slow and boring pace on the ground, that of the stiffs.
Xuan Shaoyu was fuming, “If anyone sees us, a great righteous sect, stuck behind the Demon Scheming Sect, we’ll never hear the end of the humiliation.”
Elder Yun sighed.
[Young sect leader has changed so much, his temper has gotten worse.] Everyone got sick of explaining the obvious to him for the umpteenth time. They had to stick to the Demon Scheming Sect, for their safety.
Though in through one ear, and out through the other.
The elders gave up in the end, taking the disciples and lagging behind the Demon Scheming Sect while ignoring the brat’s blatant discontent.
Elder Yun was still worried seeing Xuan Shaoyu’s sinister look.
[Yan Mo has pushed the young master deep down the demonic path. I fear he might be in a demonic abyss, with no way of coming back…]
“Little brother, enough with your complaining. It’s hard enough to find someone to help us, and now they’ll even protect us. Always criticizing them will only mean we bite the hands that feed us. This will be the greatest dishonor to our sect.” Shui Ruohua advised with a smile.
Xuan Shaoyu wouldn’t hear it, his eyes becoming twisted, holding Zhuo Fan’s back in his vile sight, “Demonic cultivators are miscreants, evil, vile, sinister and they’re only helping us for their own gain. Tagging along will at any time get us in a danger we can never overcome.”
“Young master, such potshots are unfounded. We have nothing they could ever want.” Dan’er turned a smile to Chu Qingcheng, “If there ever was some hidden plan, that’d be sister Qingcheng.”
Everyone laughed, their gazes on her teasing.
Blushing, Chu Qingcheng glared back, then shook her head, “If he was after me, that’d be a wish come true…”
“Doesn’t he care about you? Defending you with his very life is the best proof.” Shui Ruohua eyed her oddly.
Chu Qingcheng shook her head, “One-sided. He is ruthless and cold, powerful and bold in his actions. I’d be happy for even a small fraction of time in his life…”
The women were perplexed.
[Aren’t they close? Why is she so sad?]
Xuan Shaoyu’s face grew twisted, his nails digging in his palms and watching Zhuo Fan like a hawk.
“Sisters, let’s help sister Qingcheng.” Dan’er proposed.
The girls lit up and nodded while Shui Ruohua hesitated.
An angry rebuke welcomed them, “Ignorant girls should stop gossiping and not do something so ridiculous and easily misunderstood. Have you all forgotten your senior sister’s fate? Take the lessons of others to heart.”
The women turned a cautious look to Elder Yun’s heavy face.
Elder Yun said to Chu Qingcheng, “Keep yourself strong against that playboy, or you’ll be thrown deep down the demonic path from which you’ll never return.”
[If only he was a playboy.]
Chu Qingcheng nodded, “I understand.”
Back to the front, Fiend Yang snickered behind him, “You call them righteous cultivators? Butt beetles are more like it. Now they’re dragging behind us, needing our protection, yet still cuss us. Ridiculous!”
All gave a firm nod.
“Zhuo Fan, you aren’t one to have anyone follow you around. Why the change?” Fiend Yang growled.
Zhuo Fan shrugged, “The road is meant to be walked. They can follow all they want. Besides, they aren’t interfering with us.”
“A bunch of butt beetles; pisses me off.”
Fiend Yang snorted, “Kid, are you after keeping that woman safe? He-he-he, the sect has a rule against love. This won’t do at all.”
Fiend Yang rubbed his wretched fingers in front of him, in the universal sign of [Pay or I snitch.]
“What are you doing?” Zhuo Fan had a dumb look.
Fiend Yang snickered, “Brother, come now, show a little appreciation. We won’t make a peep. Give each of us a thousand sacred stones and we’ll turn a blind eye.”
“A thousand sacred stones? Go rob Double Dragon Manor!”
“Bro, you’re wrong. We’ve seen the extent of your wealth, and so much in the hand of a single man would only bring danger to you. It’s your palls’ duty to look after it…” Fiend Yang saw his first attempt fail, he used the carrot and the stick this time.
Zhuo Fan shrugged, “Bro, sacred stones are the rarest in the world. Do you think I am that rich? I did have a few, planning to use them in Double Dragon Gathering to save me from danger, but now I had to use them all, leaving me just two poor stones. Here, take them.”
Zhuo Fan took out two glittering rocks and threw them at them like he was the victim.
The fiends were dumbstruck, [Is the punk holding out on us or not?]
They just didn’t want to believe he was out. Though thinking how rare sacred stones were compared with spiritual herbs…
[It’s not like the punk can take out a pile.]
The trio sighed, lamenting their misfortune.
Zhuo Fan snickered inside.
He was no pushover to let others walk all over him. In this case, balking under the first threat would mean balking at the second and third. On and on it went.
He would not let anyone get anything out of him, no matter how many sacred stones he had.
The fiends would’ve cussed and blustered to high heaven if they heard him. [Dude, just how filthy rich are you? You make yourself so inconspicuous, it’d be a miracle if anyone doesn’t fall for you and get milked instead.]
In this way, the two sects, keeping their distance of course, walked this wide road.
Blissfully unaware just a way away, a pair of sinister eyes glared at them.
Covered in blood and nasty wounds, he was more like a walking corpse than a human.
Elder Yun was right on the money when he said demonic cultivators were spiteful. Yan Mo itched for that sweet revenge even before he got healed.
Since the Demon Scheming Sect possessed a monster, he let them slide, turning to Mystical Heaven Sect as the victim of his tantrum.
Though he just caught up only to feel like crying.
[This blasted Mystical Heaven Sect is on the Demon Scheming Sect’s tail!] His hope at revenge was shot dead.
Watching Zhuo Fan’s carefree walk, Yan Mo’s fists tightened.
“Ha-ha-ha, a nobody from a lower three sect made a fool out of a disciple from a superior three sect. The best in western lands is sure to have a laugh at your expense, ha-ha-ha…” An old man laughed.
Yan Mo barked, “Who’s there?”
“Just a drunkard.” A shadow came into view, revealing the same guy Zhuo Fan showed such respect back in the inn.
Yan Mo’s heart sank, “Y-you!”
This old guy was the only one unaffected by his array when he took hold of all the town folk. He got closer to look into the old man, only to be flung a mile away by his aura.
He knew then and there the old guy was a freak he couldn’t ever touch.
He only lived because the old man allowed it. So he treated him with respect.
When Shui Ruohua caught the drunkard, he didn’t make a move until the old man left. With the Double Dragon Gathering getting closer, he had to move fast.
Yet this same old guy was back…
