“Acid Rain, Lu Xie!” Bai Lian shouted.
A laughter came, “Junior sister Bai Lian, let’s all take it easy so we might meet again. The two juniors are only going out to get some fresh air. What’s the harm in that?”
Whoosh~
A youth in green floated down, his smile twisted, and his power making even Bai Lian falter back five steps.
[He got even stronger!]
Bai Lian squinted.
Chi Feng was overjoyed, “Senior brother Lu Xie, you’re out of seclusion. What great timing!”
“Ha-ha-ha, I’ve been out for a while now and I’m only here now to help.” Lu Xie snickered, “You do your job and I’ll handle mine. And that’s to get you out of here.”
Chi Feng bobbed his head, “Ha-ha-ha, senior brother Lu Xie is Venerable Shi’s prized pupil. We’re on the same side!”
Lu Xie nodded and turned to the frosty Bai Lian, “Junior sister, with me in the 9th layer of Radiant Stage and you being in the 8th, there’s no way you can win. I am not one to be lenient in my attacks but out of respect for Venerable Bai, I hope you won’t fight me and will let them go.”
While each one of them had a bigshot behind them, neither wanted to take things too far. As disciples, incurring the wrath of an elder or venerable, even when under Sect Leader’s protection, they would still suffer the consequences.
The sect’s rule stating they couldn’t kill disciples might protect them if they went after some nobody disciples.
While killing the precious kin of some elder would leave them with no place to hide.
All that was left to do against a madman bent on taking you down with him was to give in and die.
That being said, while all elites were savages and cruel, they knew when to stop.
Like now for instance, Lu Xie had Venerable Shi behind him, but killing Venerable Bai’s granddaughter would render Venerable Shi’s protection useless.
Bai Lian took a deep breath and shouted, “Lu Xie, the three venerables have asked us to patrol the barrier and stop anyone who exits it. You know me well enough to know that I’m not going to stop just because of a few words.”
“Ha-ha-ha, true.”
Lu Xie chuckled, “I’d have let this one go if it were any other time, but oh well.”
Lu Xie’s eyes hardened and he shot a green whirlwind at Bai Lian.
The pressure took her breath away, even more so when the acid within could even melt her bones.
The caustic scent spread its foul odor everywhere.
Bai Lian faltered three steps, coming to an impasse.
She knew Lu Xie was going easy or he’d be striking with something she couldn’t cope with, without even giving her a chance to breathe.
Lu Xie wanted her to get lost. [If you can’t even stop this, scram!]
Bai Lian felt even more morose, just this first strike showed the gap between their levels.
Lu Xie snickered at her difficultly, the mockery enraging Bai Lian.
“Lu Xie, your arrival won’t change a thing!”
The shout announced the arrival of a yellow light shooting from the ground, meeting the green whirlwind and scattering it.
Earth Canopy!
Crack!
Lu Xie was pushed two steps back with a dark face.
Whoosh~
A youth in gray with sharp features, blue eyes, pointy nose and thick lips, as well as large ears, stood next to Bai Lian.
The mood of the other three sank.
Lu Xie gnashed his teeth, “Qi Changlong! You’re out too?”
“Just in time too. Who else can stop your murderous tendencies, Lu Xie?”
Qi Changlong snorted and barked at the pair, “You two, I know what you’ve done and Fiend Yin warned me that you’ll be up to something. You won’t get to touch Labor Office again! “
“Big words for someone who’s alone. You can’t stop all of us.”
Lu Xie glared, “Qi Changlong, it’s time for me to take that best elite title from you, here and now!”
Qi Changlong mocked, “Lu Xie, you’ve been after it for a while now, a shame you’ll never have it.”
“We’ll know after we fight. You’re no match for me after my seclusion. I will take that best elite title and after the Double Dragon Gathering, I’ll become the Sect Leader’s successor!”
“Go ahead and try!” Qi Changlong snorted.
The two were at odds, ready to come to blows at any second.
Chi Feng and Yujuan tensed. This was a fight to settle the next Sect Leader. Lu Xie was always one step short of beating Qi Changlong but had always worked hard to overcome this small gap.
The two ended up as Lu Xie’s supporters, [Give him hell, senior brother!]
Then they thought better of it.
[Wait, we gotta go humiliate laborers, not join this bustle!]
“Uhm, senior brother Lu Xie, maybe you should first figure out how to get us out…” Chi Feng began.
A loud bang cutting him off was the answer for him as the barrier above them shook and broke, as the bright sun’s rays shined on the five elites.
Eyes twitching, the five’s hostilities ceased right away, “Someone broke the barrier!”
Whoosh!
A thin figure came over while they were still out of it, “Uhm, pardon me, but could you point me in the direction of Chi Feng and Pang Yujuan?”
After another round of eye twitching, they looked at the sloppy guy in shabby clothes, carrying a broom and smiling kindly.
“W-who are you?” Bai Lian sized him up, but all she got was a 1st layer Radiant Stage’s vibes and that made her relax.
The guy scratched his nose, “Ha-ha-ha, oh where are my manners. I am the boss of Labor Office, Zhuo Fan. You can just call me the coolest, best laborer the Demon Scheming Sect has ever seen, Steward Zhuo. We’re holding an apology banquet, you know? With seventh and second elders already present, how can we miss the stars of the show, Chi Feng and Yujuan? Ha-ha-ha, the feast will never achieve its height without them. “
“So you’re that rotten waste Zhuo Fan! Did you not get your face slapped hard enough that you thought to turn the other cheek forward?”
Yujuan mocked, “The guiding venerables feared that we’ll make a scene at the banquet and had us stuck here. Yet you punk, have just waltzed in. Ha-ha-ha, you’ve come right into my lap!”
“You’ve really opened my eyes as well!” Chi Feng pipped in.
Zhuo Fan smiled back, “I take it that you’re the two brats?”
“And what if we are? Are you going to bang your head and beg yours truly to go to that dump again and smack you some more?” Pang Yujuan snickered.
Chi Feng laughed alongside her.
Zhuo Fan grinned, “Oh, you’ve understood it all wrong. This apology banquet is for second and seventh elders in particular.”
“Ain’t that the same? They’re our grandpas and we’re the main stars here.” Yujuan stuck her chin out.
Zhuo Fan shook his head with a smile, “Oh no no no, you’ve completely misunderstood me. We’re apologizing to the elders alone. Because, you know, their precious grandchildren are about to die at my hand.”
Zhuo Fan’s eyes took on a savage glint, his face hardened as he looked at his prey with a grin…
