“We’re here, the Double Dragon Manor!”
Before a quaint courtyard, Elder Yun shouted. Mystical Heaven Sect’s group grew lively, itching to go in.
The Demon Scheming Sect turned a blind eye to the excited looks, even mocking them.
[This is the thanks we get tucking you in from danger all the way here? Nothing but a bunch of ungrateful swines.]
And proceeded to turn their stiff bodies, taking one painful step at a time.
Chu Qingcheng came to Zhuo Fan, her smile slipping, “We will now part ways.”
“Once inside, we are enemies!” Zhuo Fan didn’t look her in the eye.
Chu Qingcheng nodded with a sad smile, “I may sound overconfident when I say this, but I won’t hold back.”
“Nor I!” Zhuo Fan spoke flatly.
Chu Qingcheng walked past him, avoiding looking at him in fear of never leaving.
Zhuo Fan looked unphased, not showing any trace of emotion.
They’d been like this the whole trip yet content knowing they were by each other’s side.
The two had different paths ahead of them with but a rare crossing.
Xuan Shaoyu snickered inside. [We’re finally done with those demons.]
Shui Ruohua took the disciples to Zhuo Fan, “We are grateful for you looking after us on our way here, young master Zhuo. I won’t forget it.”
“It’s fine. We were going the same way anyway.” Zhuo Fan waved her off.
Shui Ruohua smiled.
Chu Qingcheng and Zhuo Fan were evasive all the tripe, needing Shui Ruohua to be the go-betweener. It didn’t take her long to figure out Zhuo Fan’s character.
[He sounds harsh but doesn’t mean it.]
While being truly evil would mean a wide smile, like that of a tiger.
Dan’er giggled, “Young master Zhuo, will you let us off in the Double Dragon Gathering? “
“Ha-ha-ha, what do you think?” Zhuo Fan snickered.
Dan’er stuck out her cute tongue, flustered, “Don’t smile, or I’ll really run out of luck. Everyone knows your smile means you’re about to jump them. I don’t want to live through that fear.”
Everyone laughed, Mystical Heaven Sect and Demon Scheming Sect alike.
[The lass got it in one try, having Steward Zhuo’s temper down pat.]
Zhuo Fan had to roll his eyes, [Am I that fake?]
Shui Ruohua left with the girls following the rest of their group.
Fiend Yang shook his head, “They’re not half bad, at least they know to say thanks, unlike the old coots.”
“Mystical Heaven Sect is such a phony sect, but the women, mm-mm.” Kui Lang sighed.
Zhuo Fan eyed them with a cold gaze, “Step lively boys, full speed ahead for Double Dragon Manor. Once you get there, you can move again!”
“Yes!”
They all cheered, pushing forward the last trek with small steps.
After three months of hard work, they finally resembled normal people.
Zhuo Fan was proud of it.
[Their bodies should be tougher by a whole lot and once they’re cured, their cultivation… ha-ha-ha…]
They soon arrived before the courtyard, plain and with just a meter tall door and no one guarding it.
[Is this Double Dragon Manor or some nobody’s home? Where are the elders, the disciples?]
[Are you sure this is the right place?]
The venerables laughed at their obvious puzzlement, “Don’t mind it and step inside to see the real world!”
They took the lead, with Zhuo Fan giving them a look.
They soon passed the weary door and soon arrived before a hall with one elder on each side sitting cross-legged.
The two opened their eyes, “Who comes? State your name!”
“One of Tianyu’s three guardian sects, Demon Scheming Sect, has come to participate in the Dual Dragon Gathering. I ask that the elders let us through.” Fiend Yang spoke with respect.
The two nodded, “Demon Scheming Sect’s two 4th layer Ethereal Stage cultivators, one in the 5th layer, three in the 2nd layer Radiant Stage, one in the 3rd layer, two in the 5th layer, two in the 8th layer, and two in the 9th. You may pass.”
Zhuo Fan gasped inside.
[They got our cultivations on the spot just using perception.]
He even noticed that every disciple went up a layer, even himself.
While he and the fiends could pick up on the stiff’s sealed cultivation, these oldies must have some strong souls to do it with such ease.
The two held their palms together and a powerful soul strength was released, then they pushed behind them at the door, with veins showing on their scrawny arms.
The thick spiritual energy from within hit the group hard even from just a crack, leaving all of them stunned.
There were lush forests surrounding towering peaks, with birds dancing around lakes; paradise.
[This is no hall, but a whole new world!]
[The Double Dragon Manor is behind a barrier!]
Zhuo Fan bowed in gratitude at the two elders and took his group inside.
Fiend Yang bowed as well, “Elders, may I ask which ones we are?”
“The last.” The two spoke in unison, “The other eight are here, with Mystical Heaven Sect arriving just moments ago.”
“Them? They’re only here with our protection.” Fiend Yang scoffed.
Then again, how could a pack of stiff zombies ever arrive on time?
Fiend Yang was about to go when one of the elders asked, “Did your disciples take the Zombie Pill?”
“How did you know?” Fiend Yang was stunned.
The elder’s brow shook, “Demon Scheming Sect must’ve put it all it had in this gathering. Using the Zombie Pill is wondrous but costly. Not even superior three sects would take such a price lightly.”
“Isn’t it just a 7th-grade pill?” Fiend Yang played Zhuo Fan’s bossy and rich stance to a tee.
The old man chuckled, “7th? Then you’re not the one to have used this method on them. If you want to poison someone, using 7th-grade pills is more than enough. But to increase the cultivation of disciples, you need the antidote too. That one’s 10th-grade!”
Ugh!
Fiend Yang was stunned, then mocked, “So what, we have a moneybag!”
And he just strutted in, leaving the two dumbfounded.
One said in amazement, “Demon Scheming Sect must’ve struck gold, to use pills even superior three sects would hate to. I wonder who has their back and if they have found another sacred mine.”
“Ha-ha-ha, don’t speak nonsense. Why would they be coming here if they did?” The other sneered.
The two burst out laughing soon after.
They stood up and walked in as well, “The sects are here and we should go in as well.”
The gate slowly closed behind them.
In that moment of neglect, they missed a ragged person slipping right in.
Scratching his red nose, the man took a mouthful of his flask, his smile positively evil…
