Chapter 158 – The Soft Spot in His Heart
The hall master of the Hall of Sword Heart shook his head and said, “All these days, the duels and battles are getting staged non-stop in the inner hall, the disciples’ prowess have already improved greatly, Elder Feng is being too strict to them.”
“It’s not strict, but these inner hall little brats lacks the sharpening from life and death situations! What are we Qi practitioners? Ages ago, the ancestors of Swords Gate came to the Great Wilderness that crawled with monsters and demons. They fought with their lives to protect the humans, tempering themselves through countless life and death situations. With a thought, their wills to kill surged and billowed a million feet high into the sky, and the demons and monsters would stay a thousand miles away — these were the true Qi Practitioners!”
Feng Shouzhu raised his withered hand and pointed at Zhong Yue, saying, “This little brat from the Zhong Shan Clan is good. His killing intent could render his opponents defenseless against him. Of all the other disciples of the inner hall, who could be of his match?”
However, the eight hall masters were dismissive, Feng Shouzhu glanced at them and saw their attitudes. He sneered coldly and said, “Not long ago, there was news from the East Barren. The monster saint city lord Shi Buyi took in a dragon by the name of Long Yue as his closed door disciple. This Qi Practitioner is also only at the level of Rebirth, but in the bloody massacre in the saint city, over hundreds of monster Qi Practitioners died by his hand. Among which, there was even one at the level of Awakening! Of all the disciples of our Swords Gate, which Rebirth disciple is able to accomplish such a feat? And word kept coming in, this Long Yue has returned to Gu Xia City from the saint city, slashing and killing every obstacle along the way. In the end, he was responsible for the death of a total of fifty-eight Awakening Qi Practitioners!”
The eight hall masters shouted out in involuntary shock, “Rebirth killing Awakening, how is that possible?”
“Elder must be joking right? A battle that resulted in the massacre of two hundred Qi Practitioners, moreover, monster Qi Practitioners, even the dragon race couldn’t have done it right?”
“That’s true! People get tired, and defense could never be flawless, except if you wrapped yourself in like a cocoon, perhaps only then, would you be able to block down most of the attacks. But this is also useless against sonic and soul attacks, as long as there are a few Qi Practitioners that are proficient in the sonic and soul attacks, his defense would be broken through!”
“Nearly two hundred Qi Practitioners, how could it be that easy? One would invariably receive innumerable small wounds that would eventually deteriorate into severe life-threatening wounds – it’s a sure death situation! The monster race must be boasting!”
“Definitely boasting! The disparity between Rebirth and Awakening level is too great, other than the five elemental innate spirit bodies, no one else could battle across higher realms! And it is still very difficult to win against the Awakening level even if one had the five elemental innate spirit bodies, let alone killing fifty-eight Awakening Qi Practitioners!”
“We of the elder council have only received the news a few moments ago. Even the elder council was shocked when the news arrived!”
Feng Shouzhu sighed, he said, “Not long ago, the celestial race visited us. The few high priests were also talking about it. Clearly, they’ve also received the news, knowing that Shi Buyi has taken in a very formidable closed door disciple. The high priests were talking to us — if Long Yue were to make his appearance, he will be of the highest priority to be exterminated, so that he wouldn’t develop into a larger issue in the future! Can you all find me a Qi Practitioner from Swords Gate, one that can stand match evenly with this Long Yue?”
The eight hall masters just stood rooted at their positions in stunned silence.
On the Swords Gate’s Tiger and Dragon Challenger Board, there were countless experts at the Qi Practitioner level, especially the top three — Yu Zhengshu of the You Yu Clan, Shui Qingyan of the Shui Tu Clan and Qiu Jin’er of the Qiu Tan Clan. But if speaking of killing the Awakening level Qi Practitioners and slaughtering over hundreds of other Qi Practitioners in a battle, they all did not think that any one of them would have the ability to do so.
Shui Qingyan’s identity was kept concealed, the hall masters did not know that she was the Tian Myriad Mother, hence, they evaluated her as a normal Qi Practitioner.
“In actual fact, Qi Practitioners like Long Yue still exist in all of the races.”
Feng Shouzhu was disheartened, “All of the Qi Practitioners nurtured by the races have been through strict and ruthless selections, they only cheer and crowned the winner; while we of the Swords Gate are still messing around like juveniles. As such, we can never nurture a dominant overlord that can stand above the world … Have a look, this is how Long Yue looks like.”
He took out and opened a picture art which depicted the image of Long Yue. The images illustrated the bloody massacre he incited. It appeared as if a human spy had recorded the event in the monster saint city and sent it the intelligence back to Swords Gate.
The eight hall masters’ faces changed drastically. On the image, they could see over hundreds of monsters falling under Zhong Yue’s indomitable strength – swift and fast. The street became paved with corpses, and the cobbled ground became flooded with streams of blood. He appeared just like a god of death!
“Each of you, make a copy of this image, and request the disciples to remember this Long Yue’s face when the teaching classes are on.”
Feng Shouzhu gave his orders, “If this dragon comes out for a training trip and our disciples become so unlucky so as to meet him, they must know that they can only run, run for their lives immediately and do not think of engaging him in battle! Following which, they must inform the hall masters and elders immediately so that this dragon can be exterminated before he evolves into a bigger problem in the future!”
The eight hall masters’ hearts quivered as they quickly made copies of this ‘Long Yue’.
This Zhong Shan Clan member….
Feng Shouzhu’s spirit shuddered in zeal and his eyes shone brightly as he gazed at Zhong Yue. He murmured to himself, This Zhong Shan Clan member’s killing intent is thick enough, he might just be able to match with that Long Yue. But I wonder how significant his improvements on cultivation base are now. However, even if he is not as strong as Long Yue, he is still a talent worth nurturing, only by going through hundreds of battles could one obtain such a thick and heavy killing intent!
The master of the Shield Wall Hall said, “Long Yue, Zhong Yue … both have the same character of ‘Yue’. If this Zhong Yue has been nurtured properly, then it would be like the contention of the Twin Yue’s of the Great Wilderness and East Barren. Sadly….”
He lamented, “This brat Zhong Yue, ever since he has entered the inner hall, he has never once attended a single class! He has never been to my Hall of Shield Wall at all!”
“Neither did he come to the Hall of Sword Heart!” The hall master of Hall of Sword Heart was also saddened.
“He has also never appeared in the Hall of Sword Qi!”
“He didn’t attend the classes for Hall of Array Carvings either, half a year’s time but not even his shadows came!”
….
The hall masters all blurted out their complaints, Feng Shouzhu who was initially holding high hopes for Zhong Yue also hesitated for a moment after hearing it. He thought, Could this Zhong Yue just be impressive-looking but useless, only his killing intent is strong but his prowess is subpar? He has entered the inner hall but didn’t attend any of the classes of the eight halls, I’m afraid that his achievements will be very limited….
Zhong Yue’s immense killing intent erupted out, instilling fear and terror in the inner hall Qi Practitioners that came looking trouble. However, there were so many things happening in Swords Gate at the moment; this was merely one of the little tiny ripples of the vast ocean. Feng Shouzhu and the other elders were burdened with a multitude of matters, all of the elders from the elder council could not spare a single second to other trivial things. Other than the Xiao Mang Celestial Race coming forward asking for duels, and the other celestial race guests coming over to alleviate the tension, there was another issue that needed attending to; that was, the investigation on the identity of who killed Xiao Chuqing.
This time, the Swords Gate elder council has marshaled all of the power at their disposal; searching for the slightest hints in the battlefield, but they always came back empty-handed.
Not long later, the eight hall masters displayed ‘Long Yue’’s image to all eight inner hall disciples, the scene the disciples witnessed instantly instigated a furor among themselves; one could easily tell how tyrannical he appeared in their eyes!
‘Long Yue’ was thereby unanimously acknowledged as the strongest Rebirth Qi Practitioner!
All of the inner hall disciples viewed him as their strongest enemy, even the attention of the Swords Gate higher-ups were grasped. However, when Zhong Yue heard their depiction of himself in their words and news, he became lost on whether to laugh or cry.
He was a tiny and inconspicuous character in the Swords Gate. but who knew that his other identity would become a symbol of fear and terror in the same eyes.
All these days, all the inner hall disciples were just gossiping about the bloody battle he had on the street, the great event about him fighting his way back to Gu Xia City. Especially the incident where he fought his way back to Gu Xia City. Because Swords Gate did not have much information regarding that, it was gradually twisted to something far from the truth. Even Zhong Yue would blush with shame after hearing these stories of ‘himself’.
These dudes, they didn’t describe me as a dragon but more like an evil king that eats monsters like carrots….
Zhong Yue stayed in his cave dwelling, not participating in the battles of the inner hall disciples. He spent his passing days sculpting. Soon, there were over hundreds of Jiao Dragons with different postures and different auras. He carefully studied the Jiao Dragon totem patterns given to him by Ao Fenglou through this sculpting method he learned from the old man, attaining an increasingly profound understanding of it.
Suddenly, knocking sounds started coming from the door. Zhong Yue stood up and answered it — Grandmother Lu was standing there with a dark and gloomy countenance; a meek and soft voice sounded out from behind her, “Senior martial brother….”
A young lady walked out from behind the cover of Grandmother Lu. Dressed in an elegant blouse of verdant green, she lowered her head and stopped a dozen feet away from Zhong Yue. She proceeded to snatch covert glances at Zhong Yue while her face continued blushing with ever-deeper shades of red.
“Ah, so it’s Junior Martial Sister Jin’er!”
Zhong Yue was surprised and overjoyed, “Your legs are fine now? Quick, quick, come in!”
Grandmother Lu rolled her eyes at him and said furiously, “My missy knew that you were back a long time ago. She thought that you would visit her and spent nearly a whole day dressing herself up, waiting here and there. More than two or three days and you’re still nowhere to be found. My missy wanted to see you but then she was afraid any unsavory gossips; and so she continued waiting for you, and yet your dense head didn’t think to come! See, she has cracked her head for nearly half a day and finally still decided to come!”
“Grandmother——”
Qiu Jin’er pulled Grandmother Lu’s sleeves as she walked cautiously trying to follow Zhong Yue’s pace, her voice was soft and ear-smoothening, “My legs are nearly recovered, but it’s just that, I’ve never walked before since birth. My legs are thin and weak, they are still quite unstable at times. Grand Elder Yu had a look, he said that the Wood Qi in my body is still fairly thick, it’s not so easy to get rid of it from the roots. And the muscles are not strong enough too, I need to train them more. It’s still more advisable to sit in the wheelchair during normal cultivation or engaging in a fight.”
She nearly fell down onto the ground, but Zhong Yue quickly supported her by her arms. Qiu Jin’er heart immediately sweetened while Grandmother Lu faked a cough behind them which was ignored. She gave another cough, and Zhong Yue turned back and said, “Rest assured grandmother, I’ll support junior martial sister, I won’t let her fall down.”
Grandmother Lu’s eyes were furious as if they were about to spit fire as she remarked, “Men and women should keep a distance….”
Qiu Jin’er then replied seriously, “Grandmother, my legs aren’t too inconvenient, senior martial brother is only holding me as he is worried that I might fall down.”
Zhong Yue held the young lady’s hands and brought her into his cave dwelling, Grandmother Lu quickly followed behind with vigilance to prevent him from taking liberties with Qiu Jin’er.
Qiu Jin’er turned her head and said, “Grandmother, can you leave us for a moment, Senior Martial Brother Zhong is here, I have something I’d like to ask him.”
Grandmother Lu’s face turned dark like metal as she refused, “No! I’m worried that he will not be able to control himself, you’ll end up like madam!”
Zhong Yue’s expression was between laughter and tears while Qiu Jin’er was also feeling helpless. They could only acquiesce to Grandmother Lu’s demands and allow her to follow them as they walked to the bridge under the waterfall in the cave dwelling. They could see a colorful rainbow forming from the water vapors in the air, looking utterly spectacular.
Qiu Qin’er glanced at Zhong Yue with her expression filled with worry. Moments later, she gritted her teeth and asked, “Senior martial brother, Junior Martial Sister Xiao Chuqing is dead, the joke you made that day….”
Zhong Yue startled, then he laughed out loud, “Wouldn’t junior martial sister be thinking that I’ve killed Xiao Chuqing?”
The young lady quickly waved her hands and said, “Senior Martial Brother Zhong will not do that, I’m just asking only, senior martial brother you are so kind-hearted….”
Zhong Yue thought to himself, It’s not that I’m kind-hearted, it’s that you are overly kind and benevolent…
There was also a soft spot residing in the depths of his heart, a place that the innocent young lady beside him had managed to touch upon.
He had changed his appearance and identity in the outside world, fought like a savage beast in the monster race, and contended exchanged moves with magnates. But when his eyes fell upon this young lady, he was able to see something in her that he never had, or rather, something that he intentionally chose to forget.
He relaxed his mind, and the din and chaos of the blood-soaked battles faded away, further and further….
