Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yun Yang chuckled. “Whether or not you admit it, the point is moot. Time and reality shall be the only evidence to vouch for the authenticity of this opinion!”
Lan Ruojun paused for a moment before replying sombrely. “That is the truth. It was as if fate itself was playing a prank with us… After we were chased out from our apprenticeship, almost every disciple who sought to engage us in battle experienced an awakening in the midst of it…”
“Until today, we still couldn’t grasp how they could attain such an awakening! Nonetheless, they had truly attained it in the midst of our fight.”
“A situation like this isn’t unfamiliar to the likes of those who were cast out of their sects or those whose sects have been destroyed. After all, picking on the weak is an evil trait of mankind… yet this situation was most obvious when it came to the ten of us. This became a disaster, a disaster belonging to a select handful…”
Shi Wuchen wore a speechless expression on his face. “Me too… During three consecutive battles, my opponents achieved an awakening… every single one of them. I felt truly speechless and helpless in the face of such phenomenon…”
“Me too. In my case, it was five of them, on a continuous basis…” Ren Qingkuang could not bear to recall that particular memory.
Yun Yang came to a sudden realization. “It’s no longer important whether or not you fellows acknowledge your existence as innate whetstones; the most important part is how others perceive it. However, there’s one thing that I’m curious about — how did you all come to gang up and stick together? Is it just because of the rumors of being innate whetstones?”
“Of course not. We were not related or associated with each other back then, and rumors of being innate whetstones were only whispered within a certain area or vicinity. As long as we traveled towards unfamiliar lands, we could avoid conflict; the chances of being challenged were dramatically lessened. However… after that fated coincidence, the ten of us entered the Land of the Demiurge-Flawed, all coming from different directions… The most outrageous and unbelievable fact was that the ten of us found our destiny there — an extraordinary destiny related to the Demiurge-Flawed and the Earth-Bereaved.”
At this point, Shi Wuchen’s expression started to shift slightly.
“This so-called Demiurge-Flawed and Earth-Bereaved were as if they were fated to be non-existent.”
Ren Qingkuang sniggered. “The successors of the Demiurge-Flawed and Earth-Bereaved are usually individuals with impressive comprehension skills… Those who are quick on their feet in battle…”
Yun Yang seemed to grow even more interested in the topic. “Now I can’t help but suspect that you fellows are really the innate whetstones; how else could you fellows have such an interesting destiny fall upon you?”
Lan Ruojun shook his head and replied sombrely. “I’ve thought about it and came up with an inference. The disciples from sects with Celestial Luck Banners do not lack resources, techniques or spiritual strength — the only thing they lacked was the essence of spirituality in a battle. Even if they lost a battle to us, surely they would find this sort of enlightenment in it…”
“Perhaps this was how our reputation as innate whetstones was further affirmed…”
When the two of them lapsed into silence, Yun Yang felt that he was introduced to a whole new world of information. To imagine, such a strangely marvelous thing could exist in this world! This was startlingly new information to his ears!
Demiurge-Flawed and Earth-Bereaved… they sounded incredibly powerful.
“Shi Wuchen, tell us about your journey so far,” prompted Lan Ruojun. “Rumors of you being severely wounded by experts and you going into hiding — was all of that untrue? How did you so coincidentally happen to appear here and save us? How did this come to be?”
“This is my current boss!” Shi Wuchen declared proudly. “I’ve pledged myself to my boss’s sect, we do everything together now. Do you folks want to come on board?”
Their eyes grew even rounder. “Your boss? Sect? Can it be trusted?”
“Only reality can determine whether this sect is worthy of your trust; I have already seen the evidence of it!” Shi Wuchen promoted with grand vigor. “I’m not spouting lies just to trick you, my brothers. Take a good look at the Bound of Universe — only our leader can take us to the pinnacle, and as for the rest… After being so many years of being brothers, we must be already familiar with each other’s antics and natures, am I right?
“Think about it — how would it feel, to have a sect you can depend on? What sort of feeling would it be to work and strive for the peak together as brothers? Don’t you look forward to it? Don’t you crave for it?”
Shi Wuchen was completely out of character as he transformed into a glib orator, dutifully casting his charm and working his magic.
Yun Yang, standing in a corner, was looking at this man in a completely new light.
He had never expected this man to be such a smooth-talker. He spouted words like a river… no, not like a river, it was as if he had five lakes and four oceans strung onto the edge of his tongue…
His smooth-talking abilities were second-to-none, even compared to that little fatty Qian Duoduo — the silver-tongued expert. Yun Yang had truly underestimated this man!
“Of course, for us, joining the sect and using its luck accompanied by the power of God’s will is the only way to compensate the hole left behind by the Demiurge-Flawed and Earth-Bereaved. I believe you all would already have known about this?”
Shi Wuchen’s eyes were crystals of hardened concentration as he urged, “What are you still hesitating about? It’s either you’re in, or you’re not!”
Lan Ruojun hesitated. “Truth be told, you’re acting exactly like swindler now — there’s no difference between you and those common swindlers who would talk big in crowded, public places…”
Ren Qingkuang nodded feverishly as he fixed an extremely suspicious glare onto Shi Wuchen.
This man… had he been possessed?
Those sentences were clearly that of a veteran swindler that had swindled his way throughout the entire martial world — how is he still the Tri-Autumn Swordsman from the past?
“How can you even think of me in such a manner?” Shi Wuchen replied unhappily. “I, Shi Wuchen, am only thinking on behalf of you folks. We were brothers after all — why would I even seek you out if it’s not for the best deal in the world? I just risked my life to save your hides just now. Both of you are really…”
He sneaked in a side glance and added condescendingly, “You actually have the nerve to accuse me of cheating you while you look poor as heck. Great, then tell me, what exactly can I get out of you both?”
The two of them gave it some thought, as this statement of his was perfectly reasonable. They had nothing on them at all as they were absolutely impoverished — what could anyone possibly cheat off them?
Lan Ruojun stared at Ren Qingkuang and spoke hesitantly, “Now that we’ve nowhere to go… and we didn’t manage to die even if we originally planned to die fighting to our deaths today… why don’t we…”
Ren Qingkuang was also hesitant. “… Why don’t we join Shi Wuchen… for a bit?”
It was obvious that the two of them were in a dilemma.
Shi Wuchen grew infuriated. He felt that he was losing face before his new boss, but there was no time to coax those two further! It was plainly embarrassing!
“Sigh… fine, I won’t force you, fellows…” Shi Wuchen was clearly disappointed. “Do whatever you like then… you are really mistaking my goodwill for malicious intent…”
“Hey, hey, Brother Shi, we’ll do it!” Lan Ruojun blurted out quickly.
“We’re in!” Ren Qingkuang was afraid that there would not be another chance like this if he passed this opportunity up. He would do it; if he got cheated, at least it was by his own brother.
“You’re really in for it? Don’t force yourselves — what if I am truly planning to dupe all of you?”
“We’re in, we’re in!”
“Then, take an oath towards the heavens and make the pledge to join the Residence of Nine Supremes.” Shi Wuchen swiftly prompted to conclude this matter once and for all. “As long as you’re acknowledged by God’s Will, we brothers shall be stuck together for life and death and share a similar fate.”
“If we die, we’ll die together, if we ascend, we’ll ascend together — we’ll do it together till the very end!” Shi Wuchen proclaimed passionately.
