Proofreader: Papatonks
Zhuo Fan had been standing there for a long time before his eyes finally shined. He gasped, “I see it now, senior. Ye Lin might have the purest heaven dragon soul, while mine is the most jumbled up. He has the most orthodox soul, and I have a second-rate one. But my second-rate dragon soul does not mean it’s weaker than the real deal. It might be even stronger, right?”
“Uh…”
Danqing Shen shook his head, “Your words are right but can’t you choose your words better? You make it sound like since you have a second-rate dragon soul, that makes mine, which is meshed up with a sword, sound ugly! In any case, this is called evolution!”
Zhuo Fan nodded, his heart understanding.
[That’s right.]
In this world, there might not be anyone who understood the power of dragon souls like Decimating Dragon Ancestor. He taught Ye Lin, so he knew the strongest way to use a dragon soul.
But that use was limited to the dragons.
[And it’s not dragons who are the strongest, but humans!]
So while the ancient times had the five great sacred beasts, it also had the ten great emperors. These emperors all comprehended the Dao, working their way from weakness to strength in overlooking the masses.
They did not rely on talents or gifts but on their insights to create arts and cultivation methods to make humanity strong.
They used constant adaptations to overcome the natural talents of the five great sacred beasts.
In other words, the fact that the dragon ancestor knew how to use the dragon soul was nothing much. Zhuo Fan could also create an even better way of using it. This meant the changes that one goes through as he comprehended the Dao.
Zhuo Fan’s confusion cleared up in an instant. His eyes were filled with confidence. Ye Lin had the dragon race’s rightful inheritance, but so what? He had all kinds of powers mixed into this dragon soul, and he would use them all to create an even better one, stronger than the rightful inheritance.
This thought filled Zhuo Fan with battle spirit. He could not wait to fight that guy!
Cupping his hands, Zhuo Fan spoke with the utmost respect, “Thank you, senior, for waking me. Now I know how to fight!”
“Ha-ha-ha, I haven’t done much to help you. It’s your realizations that did so. I hope that in three days, you will create an extraordinary move, refine your heaven dragon soul, and make that boy see the truth, that your demonic dragon will be much stronger than his orthodox one, ha-ha-ha…” Danqing Shen laughed, looking at Zhuo Fan like he was his disciple.
Danqing Shen pointed at Zhuo Fan’s ring. “Although I didn’t help you, I will take it since you accepted my favor. So will you help this old man…”
“Ha-ha-ha, of course. Going into danger for senior is all worth it. After you, senior!” Zhuo Fan waved and opened his ring. Danqing Shen laughed and slipped right in.
Next was waiting for Zhuo Fan to enter that realm again and look for a chance to slip out.
Two hours later, in the dusk’s fading glow, Zhuo Fan returned to the Demon Scheming Sect’s lodgings. His mind was filled with thoughts on how to adapt the heaven dragon soul in these three days.
However, he was met with familiar faces just as he entered the courtyard. Chu Qingcheng, Yongning, Shuang’er, and even the girls from Mystical Heaven Sect were here.
Startled, Zhuo Fan felt suspicious.
[What are these broads up to now?]
Fiend Yang saw him arrive and ran over, “Just where did you run off to? We haven’t seen you since the superior-three sects stage was over. I thought something happened to you.”
“Whatever could happen? I’m more curious about what you all are up to.” Zhuo Fan eyed them all.
Fiend Yang shrugged, “You’re usually fine, but isn’t there another freakish guy out there? I feared you two freaks would blow up with your nasty tempers, fighting god knew where. These girls were worried as well. I must say, you sure are a ladies’ man. He-he-he, you came to Double Dragon Gathering and coming out, you have a whole entourage of women…”
“Venerable, please be more serious. W-we are only coming along with Qingcheng…” Shui Ruohua flushed red at his words and glared at him.
Shrugging, Fiend Yang just smiled.
Chu Qingcheng was the picture of tranquility throughout the teasing, with a faint smile on her face. “Ye Lin isn’t normal and might be even stronger than you. Are you still going to fight him?”
“Of course, that’s all the more reason I must fight!” Zhuo Fan let out a breath as he looked at Chu Qingcheng, “Do you believe I can win?”
Chu Qingcheng gave him a deep look and smiled, “Of course.”
“Truly? Not even I believe I can.” Zhuo Fan looked at her oddly, “To be honest, I’m not in the least confident in this fight. I’ll definitely lose.”
Chu Qingcheng giggled, “What’s this? The great Steward Zhuo lacking confidence for once?”
Zhuo Fan recalled Ye Lin’s terrible golden flame and orthodox heaven dragon soul. Then he thought of how to beat him and whether it would work, and his face became serious.
“Do you really want to fight? From the bottom of your heart…” Chu Qingcheng asked.
Zhuo Fan gave a firm nod, “Even when it is so hopeless, I must overcome this obstacle. I have to fight. This is fate!”
“Then you will win!” Chu Qingcheng beamed.
Zhuo Fan started and didn’t know how to answer. Chu Qingcheng turned to the rest, “Let’s go. He needs time to get ready. We better not disturb him.”
Chu Qingcheng did not look at Zhuo Fan again, leisurely leaving. The girls looked baffled.
[Leaving just like that? You barely talked.]
[Meeting after so long, you should be closer than ever!]
Yongning and Shuang’er were even more stunned. They had come with Chu Qingcheng to learn from her how to get closer to Zhuo Fan.
But from what they saw, there was not an ounce of friendliness in their chat. Zhuo Fan just stood there as well, watching Chu Qingcheng go. He didn’t say anything to stop her or go after her.
As if the two were purely platonic, everyone doing whatever.
Yongning rushed after her, “Sister Qingcheng, is that all you came here to ask? Only if he will fight? Just how close are the two of you?”
“There’s nothing going on.”
Chu Qingcheng smiled, “I just wanted to know what he wanted to do so I could support him. Nothing else matters.”
The girls exchanged glances, feeling baffled.
[How is it not important? The least you can do is give him some words of encouragement. Let him know your feelings!]
Only Yun Shuang remained thoughtful. Then she said, “Sister Qingcheng since not even Steward Zhuo is confident of winning, why are you so sure he will win?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Since he is earnest in fighting, he will win. Even if he doesn’t believe it himself, I believe without a shred of doubt. Because whatever he really wants to do, I trust that he will succeed.” Chu Qingcheng smiled as she said.
The girls found it somewhat understandable.
[Qingcheng is Zhuo Fan’s greatest support, always believing in him. Maybe this is the best kind of encouragement. They might not speak, but their intentions are clear.]
[This is mutual understanding.]
The two might not admit it, but the girls could see that it was another kind of love, simply at the range of soul mates…
Back with Zhuo Fan, the girls had now left, and he was just standing there confused. “This girl is so good at reading people it makes me vexed. She’s always so perfect in her actions, even understanding me more than I do myself…”
“Zhuo Fan, she said you’re getting ready for the fight. Is that true? You’ve fought so many times in the Double Dragon Manor so far, yet not once have you made any preparations. When it came to fighting, you shirked it off, not wanting to. This time, winning will be very hard for us. So are you getting ready? Are you really going to fight that freak, Ye Lin?”
Fiend Yang looked him in the eye and sighed, “Leaving others aside, I can see he isn’t normal. I advise you not to fight Ultimate Clarity Sect and end up wasting men for nothing.”
Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed, and he shook his head, “No, I didn’t fight before because I didn’t feel like it. Those guys were just too weak. But this time, I must fight with my life on the line. If I fall back now, it’ll be just like Wen Tao said. My success in the future will fall short, if not stop completely. A cultivator has to sometimes face obstacles head-on, to the death!”
Zhuo Fan laughed and entered his room, closing the door behind him.
“Tell everyone I’ll be in seclusion for three days. I vow to defeat Ye Lin!”
Fiend Yang’s heart shook. Looking at where Chu Qingcheng was going and chuckled, “These two sure understand each other. He just said he wasn’t confident, and now he’s pumped to try. Like the girl said, Zhuo Fan does not believe it, but his heart wants to win all the same.”
“In that case, all of Demon Scheming Sect’s elites will brave the dangers with him. They would not hesitate to go in even if it came to their deaths at the hands of that monster!”
Fiend Yang’s shouted, filled with zeal himself…
