“What’s wrong, elder?” Shui Ruohua asked.
Elder Yun’s brow was locked in a tight frown, glaring at the Demon Scheming Sect, “Good for you, Fiend Yang, you had me fooled.”
It only worked to get the others more confused.
“Don’t tell me you don’t see it. Demon Scheming Sect and Beast Taming Sect’s fights ended with no wounded.” Elder Yun sighed.
Shui Ruohua looked at the rest and laughed, “At their disparity, it’s only natural.”
“Yes, the gap is abyssal, leading the round with ease. Such a case hasn’t ever happened in Double Dragon Gathering. Since everyone would fight to their dying breath, all to make their sect proud and earn more resources. Not one sect could ultimately control the situation because of this.”
Elder Yun squinted, “It was this that blinded me to Demon Scheming Sect’s scheme.”
Shui Ruohua asked, puzzled, “Elder, what do you mean by their scheme?”
“You really can’t see it? Demon Scheming Sect has rigged the fights.”
Elder Yun spat, “They let every Beast Taming Sect’s disciple leave unharmed to keep their strength, to face us at full power.”
“What?” Shui Ruohua looked over the ring closer, “But Beast Taming Sect’s disciples are all begging for their lives and that is why they come unharmed. There’s no reason to shed blood for nothing.”
“Ruohua, that’s one of our rules. Demonic cultivators don’t have it. Those crazy bastards are both degenerates and twisted. One of them feeling pity I can understand, but all of them? They planned this from the start, and all for us.”
Elder Yun huffed, “Damn those rotten demonic cultivators, they want us to end up last in the rankings.”
The girls’ faces turned heavy.
Xuan Shaoyu dressed his voice to get attention, cursing, “No demonic cultivators are ever trustworthy, filled with schemes and debased. “
“Senior brother, you’re wrong. They’re just using the rules to control the situation. How are they degenerates? And don’t we owe them? We just kicked them when they were down so now they want revenge. It has nothing to do with the path we each take.”
The sudden voice had everyone start and turn to Chu Qingcheng.
They have brought this on themselves, so of course, the Demon Scheming Sect would get back at them.
If it were them instead, they’d do it all the same.
With anger laced heavier on Xuan Shaoyu’s face, he said “Junior sister, why do you always have to take those demonic cultivators’ side? Is it because of him?”
“That’s only half.”
Chu Qingcheng smiled, “He is an old friend, and no matter when or where I’d stand by his side every time. Leaving that aside, the situation calls for using every trick in the book, so long as we are playing by the rules. We are after all adversaries here. Trying to look superior by accusing the other’s morality when you have fallen into a disadvantage is the weak’s way out. And I, for one, despise such people.”
Their blood ran cold, and everyone considered Chu Qingcheng’s words to find them true.
Xuan Shaoyu was outraged, “Junior sister, then does that mean you’ll stop thinking about him if he stoops so low?”
“He will never do such a thing.”
Chu Qingcheng smiled, her gaze firm, sinking into her memories, “None of you know him. In a pill competition, he had the speed to finish much sooner, yet despite the superior advantage, he resorted to petty tricks to keep his adversary back. He forced his opponent to use blood essence just to qualify. And right then, someone spoke up, that he was one second faster in finishing, yet had a much poorer quality so he should have the spot instead. Tell me, which do you think it’s right?”
The girls were deep in thought, then Dan’er voiced, “Though he had a better pill, even if they were at a draw, he’d still come last.”
“Ha-ha-ha, everyone thought so as well. Only he stood up for his adversary. Speed was of the essence in a competition, but here, quality took precedence.”
“Is he a fool? Didn’t you just say he wanted to get the other to lose? Why would he use this chance and help him instead?” Dan’er blinked her purdy eyes in doubt.
Chu Qingcheng explained with a smile, “That’s just how he is, admitting his defeats and being generous with his wins. He is evil but with style. I also thought of it as a good chance wasted, but thinking back, he did the right thing. He would do anything to reach his goal but within principle. I knew then and there it didn’t matter if he was good or bad, because he was a true man.”
The hearts of the girls quivered, watching Zhuo Fan with a dreamy look.
[Young master Zhuo looks so sloppy but has such a great character?]
Xuan Shaoyu was close to blowing a gasket. Chu Qingcheng was humiliating him. [Zhuo Fan is a real man so that means I’m not?]
Being told by the woman he loved he wasn’t a man was the heaviest blow one could take…
“Sister Qingcheng, did he win?” Dan’er blinked her doe eyes, eager to know the end of the tale, like the rest of the girls.
Chu Qingcheng smiled, “Of course.”
“What of the adversary, did he die?”
“Ha-ha-ha, you might not believe it even if I tell you. I thought he did kill him as well, only to later find out when I came to the sect that his adversary was on his side now, both of them in cahoots.”
[For real?]
The girls were stunned. [Weren’t they enemies?]
Chu Qingcheng said, “Righteous cultivators say that heroes know other heroes. So why can’t two devious demonic cultivators gang up? Besides, they’re both top alchemists…”
“Qingcheng, righteous and demonic are clearly defined. You’d best remember that.” Elder Yun had enough of this and interfered, afraid she would steer the girls along the wrong path.
Chu Qingcheng shrugged while the girls sighed annoyed, but now they saw Zhuo Fan with different and much deeper eyes.
Just out of earshot, where the boring round was ongoing between the two sects, all fights if one could call them that, ended the same way. Demon Scheming Sect’s side stood on stage with pride and dignity, while Beast Taming Sect’s disciples pleaded every time, in hope of receiving the same saving flick their brothers got.
What started off as mockery, the crowd grew bored as well, taking to yawning as a much better alternative than wasting their contempt on something worthless.
The insurmountable distance between the sects had turned the competition into a ceremony of respect to their lord savior. Only Kui Gang and Yue’er, still in the Radiant Stage, had to work a bit to get their win, though just a couple of moves. The extra wide meridians did wonders to bridge cultivation gaps.
Until it came to a head, the fight between Zhuo Fan and Hui Xiong.
“Bunch of good-for-nothing cowards. Let me show you how it’s done, how you fight for the Beast Taming Sect.” Hui Xiong roared, mocking his fellow disciples as he went on stage.
Like a mighty and unbeatable general, he walked on with his head held higher than ever thought possible.
Elder Lu was already numb from the humiliation each round inflicted, but now seeing Hui Xiong on stage, his hope rekindled.
“The name of Beast Taming Sect rests solely on your shoulders. Make sure to make him suffer.”
“Ha-ha-ha, of course, master. Leave it to me. I’m not like those sniveling fools. I will bring back all the glory!” Ha-ha-ha roared with laughter.
The other disciples’ faces fell, giving him despising grins.
[What does winning against such a weak opponent give you? Pride? Anyone of us would’ve been just as bold in your stead!]
Zhuo Fan got up and walked on stage, with the same calm expression as always.
Fiend Yang shouted in worry, “Zhuo Fan, hold back, you hear? Don’t hurt him.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. What’s the fuss about rigging a match?” Zhuo Fan mocked and waved him off.
Fiend Yang felt not in the least reassured, in fact, his worries mounted.
Gui Hu advised, “Venerable, Steward Zhuo has the sharpest mind among us. If I could learn to hold back, he is sure to be a master at it.”
“What do you know? Your cases are different!”
Fiend Yang sighed, “Showing off your Ethereal Stage expert vibes got your opponent running scared and begging for mercy. Of course you went easy, but look at Hui Xiong and that grin he has like he wants to play. So you tell me, can you hold it in?”
Thinking about it, no, he probably couldn’t. Hui Xiong was begging to be trashed, plastered, and broken into tiny little pieces, and the on-and-off taunts weren’t helping his case. He was looking at Zhuo Fan like he was the king of the world. Who wouldn’t be pissed off at that?
“No way.” Everyone shook their heads.
Gui Hu gnashed his teeth, “This guy just doesn’t know when to quit his bragging. If it were me up there, I wouldn’t kill him, I’d cripple every bone in his body.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying. I can only hope Zhuo Fan’s patience runs deeper than the earth. If the guy dies, our plan’s effect is cut in half.”
Fiend Yang was praying now, hoping for a miracle, the miracle of patience…
