“Exalted Double Dragon?”
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow, “It sounds like it’s connected to the Double Dragon Gathering.”
Elder Yuan nodded, “Ha-ha-ha, the Double Dragon Gathering is something Double Dragon Manor set up. You’ll know of its importance in due time. Exalted Double Dragon is the leader of Double Dragon Sect. Be it the Nine Dragons Diamond Body, or Ten Dragons Opening the Heavens, they all came from them. It is the source of the highest martial arts in western lands. Calling them the top of western lands isn’t without reason.”
“What about Danqing Shen then? Wasn’t he the best in western lands?” Zhuo Fan asked.
Elder Yuan shook his head, “What if I told you Danqing Shen was Exalted Double Dragon’s only disciple?”
“Danqing Shen came from Double Dragon Manor?”
“Those two were visionaries that never took disciples. Even to otherworldly talents, all they did was guide them. The only exception being Danqing Shen, the genius seen once every ten millennia, to whom they both poured their heart and soul into teaching. He exceeded his masters and became the best in western lands. But because of a falling out which threw western lands in chaos, Danqing Shen left without a word. That’s why the best in western lands is Exalted Double Dragon!”
Elder Yuan sighed, “Exalted Double Dragon might not even want this title having lost such an amazing disciple they might never meet again.”
Zhuo Fan eyed Elder Yuan and nodded.
[Few are those that can see the diamond in the rough. While a true eye for talent might not even find the most dazzling gem of them all.]
Having been a master himself, Zhuo Fan understood the desire to pass on one’s legacy.
Elder Yuan calmed his sorrow and said, “Steward Zhuo, by seeing the earth dragon soul on you last time I surmised you’d want to attain the Ten Dragons Opening the Heavens. The dangers are great and even your soul might be at risk of annihilation from the dragon power, but with your talent you can give it a try. It’s lucky that you’re in the Profound Heaven Stage and will take some time to reach Ethereal Stage. Just gather the ten dragon souls…”
“Uh, I got nine.” Zhuo Fan scratched his head.
Elder Yuan was flabbergasted, “Y-you have nine earth dragon souls?”
“All tucked away in my body. Now all I have to do is get the 10th and see if the Ten Dragons Opening the Heavens is worth it.” Zhuo Fan rubbed his chin in thought, disregarding the incredulous look from Elder Yuan as he said, “You have nine dragon souls inside you yet you still have not refined them? Don’t you fear being devoured?”
“By who, those cowardly reptiles?”
Zhuo Fan snorted and revealed the azure flame, “Elder Yuan, I’ve told you before, this soul flame targets the soul. I just use it to turn those reptiles into meek little earthworms. You might as well say they’re sealed.”
Zhuo Fan grinned and Elder Yuan was speechless. The great nine dragon souls were actually chilling in his body…
[That’s the same as caging nine dragons. No matter how sturdy the cage they’ll still lash out like savage beasts and tear you from the inside.]
Yet Zhuo Fan had them standing in the corner like weak lambs.
Elder Yuan was still out of it. [What is this azure flame to quell the deadly earth dragon soul?]
“I got them back in Tianyu, from someone training in Nine Dragons Diamond Body. I was considering using the Nine Dragons Diamond Body to enter the Ethereal Stage but abandoned the thought as it made my cultivation unstable. Now that I’ve heard of the Ten Dragons Opening the Heavens, I can only rejoice at my right decision to wait it out.” Zhuo Fan smiled.
Elder Yuan nodded and sighed, “Steward Zhuo, your farsightedness is beyond anything I know. I would’ve long since entered the Ethereal Stage if I were you. “
“Why, thank you.” Zhuo Fan felt much freer now.
In his past life, he never thought of achieving the heaven dragon soul but now that he had the dragon souls, his luck truly was off the charts…
In a fortnight, a shocking event took the Demon Scheming Sect by the storm.
Venerable Qi and Venerable Bai as well as hundreds of oldies petitioned Xie Wuyue to be transferred to the Labor Office to supervise it. Their disciples were to follow as well.
Venerable Shi suffered a crushing blow, finding himself in an inner sect with a third of his original forces.
It followed with many known inner disciples requesting Sect Leader to leave their brutal disciple killing masters for the Labor Office. They were in the thousands!
The requests of the disciples and the old timers was explosive news, crushing the inner sect oldies’ agreement of working together.
The peace had held for two weeks and then crumbled so fast Venerable Shi’s faction had no way of retaliating.
Xie Wuyue was over the moon. His ever sour and grumpy mood uplifted as he stamped the requests with his seal of approval.
The giddy look coming from him screamed ‘I’m the mastermind!’. Since he never showed such a bright smile to anyone.
It only attested to how right they were in taking this course. With the Sect Leader behind them, their ex-masters couldn’t touch them.
The inner sect’s new trend was such a rage that it infected the outer sect as well and the disciples marched into the Labor Office’s open arms regardless of the executive’s meddling.
It resulted with the executives being split into two camps: pro migration and against it.
The sect was on the brink of war. What was once a united group for the common good and benefits, some of them just took off leaving the rest hanging…
Crack!
An exquisite piece of China lay there in pieces, suffering the wrath of Venerable Shi, “Venerable Qi, Venerable Bai, damn them all! They threw us all away and went to that damn Labor Office in public!”
“The inner sect’s rise and fall depends on all of us. The two might hate us but they aren’t so stupid to not see the bigger picture. Why then…” Grand Elder mused.
Venerable Shi’s face was a mask of rage, panting and confused how it had come to this.
Second elder rushed in with panic, “Those that have changed sides in public are all tied to those wretched venerables. While Kui Lang, Yue Ling and a few other known disciples organized in secret and waited for the right chance to explode into action. They played us!”
“What’s the use of stating the obvious now? I only want to know who put them up to this? It’s been so long under wraps that it had to be premeditated but Sect Leader’s character is known to be watched within the sect. No one wants to play with the bull and get the horns. He always does things with an iron fist and forgoes subtleties. Who is responsible for setting them on this path? Find him out!” Venerable Shi glared at the second elder.
Shuddering, the old man reported, “Venerable Shi, I have been listening and Sect Leader isn’t the one who got them to act. It was Zhuo Fan, the one everyone calls Steward Zhuo, the founder of the Elite Labor Office.”
“The same one who interfered with the inner sect competition?” Venerable Shi asked.
Second elder bobbed his head, “Yes, him. They say he is incredible, a power unlike any Profound Heaven cultivator should have. We’ve caught a glimpse of it in that ring. But what is even more frightening is his calculative mind, his insidious plots, paling even Sect Leader’s. While Sect Leader uses force, he employs a softer touch. The carrot and the stick. Besides the two venerables, regardless of who he meets, elder, venerable or disciples, anyone who had even a modicum of discontent with us were incited to turn on us. Through rewards and threats, they all caved in the end to his mind games.”
“How is it that you know so much about what they talked about?” Venerable Shi eyed him.
Second elder sighed, “I went to visit an elder that switched to the Labor Office to find more information only to be cursed and berated. Saying something about taking his female disciple a decade ago and that I even flaunted it in his face. That we are now enemies. He also has a vile temper and in his rant he revealed how the kid antagonized him against us with a few honeyed words. I then realized that the kid not only uncovered past grudges but also gave them an 8th grade pill. I reckon that was what sealed the deal.”
“An 8th grade pill. Why didn’t he come to me as well? I’d come willingly.” Second elder sighed in greed.
Venerable Shi snorted, “Why would he come to you when he was after those unreconciled people. He’ll never trust you knowing you stuff your pockets by emptying mine. We are the true winners in the inner sect, it is our turf. Or would you rather be without a home and at another’s mercy?”
Second elder chuckled.
Yes, he’d go for the pill but would soon be coming back recalling where he left his cash cow.
“Zhuo Fan, a mere laborer of exceptional skill. I have no choice but to meet you myself!” Venerable Shi squinted.
