Proofreader: Papatonks
Shaking all over, the three elders’ expressions turned heavy. They might have not gone to Double Dragon Gathering, but they heard of him from Zhao Dezhu’s report.
Ye Lin, Double Dragon Gathering’s runner up. He fought with Zhuo Fan on the same level, even being able to push Zhuo Fan back for a while.
Such an expert had to be on the same level as Zhuo Fan. Zhuo Fan alone was bad enough, reducing them to this state, but adding Ye Lin into the mix and their hearts sank.
However, they were not about to let Zhuo Fan, who was barely even alive, go. They had paid too much already, and if they did not achieve some manner of success, they would be too ashamed to return to the sect.
So, one elder flicked his spiritual weapon and stepped forward as he urged, “Ultimate Clarity Sect is a righteous sect like the Universal Righteous Sect. Ye Lin, we have heard of your great name, the future of our righteous path. Why then would you have come to save a demonic cultivator whelp? If we don’t get rid of him now, he will be a calamity upon the righteous sects, you included. I’m sure you don’t want to be beneath another, to let western lands’ strongest man title fall in the hands of a vile demonic cultivator!”
“He-he-he, today, the Universal Righteous Sect stepped in to eliminate him, to purge demons and protect western lands’ righteous path. Just turn a blind eye and leave him here. You won’t be reprimanded for it, being called cynical or jealous. You won’t get your hands dirty and you’d get famous as well. Two birds with one stone…”
“Shut your trap!”
The elder appealed to his devotion and on his practical side, thinking Ye Lin would surely agree since he’d be the biggest winner in this.
However, the elder was rudely cut off.
He stared at Ye Lin’s dark look as the young man raged, “A loss is a loss, a win is a win. I will never lower myself to these filthy schemes and stain my name as a sacred beast inheritor.”
[Sacred beast inheritor?]
The others looked at each other puzzled.
[What’s that?]
“Humph, nothing but a bunch of despicable dirtbags from the mortal domain. It’s like talking to retards.”
Ye Lin mocked them, then looked at Zhuo Fan on his shoulder and sighed, “This man might be the only one like me in the world…”
Ye Lin’s hand shone golden and a fist sized ball appeared, releasing golden flames that burned hot.
The others jerked back in fear.
They did not know what that was, but it released a true power of destruction.
They could feel it in their bones that it was terrifying. Not even the three elders could take it on. They gulped and sweated as they looked at it.
“Ye Lin, what is that?” Zhao Dezhu shook backward, finally working up his courage.
Ye Lin snickered, “The dead don’t need to know. And who the hell would be on the same side with you? In this world, only one man is worthy. The rest are worthless!”
Ye Lin flicked his shoulder and the golden ball shot into the crowd.
Their instinct screamed at them to flee, not that they could.
Boom!
In a huge explosion that scattered the clouds, even the earth cracked.
The golden ball exploded in everyone’s faces unleashing its scorching flames everywhere. In a blink, an inferno was born. The fire burned high and warped the air as it did, on the verge of breaking space itself.
Zhao Dezhu and his hundred experts, the three elders included, had no time to even cry out, obliterated down to the last vestige.
The inferno spread for a thousand miles, burning everything and turning it into hell. Nothing living remained.
Ye Lin looked coldly and then faded away from this place…
Meanwhile…
Whoosh~
In the dead of night, three girls fled, with the leading one showing signs of crying.
“Sister Qingcheng, it’s been three days. They shouldn’t chase us now. Let’s rest.” Dan’er saw Chu Qingcheng’s weary look and proposed.
Shui Ruohua nodded, “Qingcheng, in your sadness you gave all you had and are hurt. It’s best we rest for now. Maybe Zhuo Fan would even catch up.”
“No, Zhuo Fan is using his life so we can escape. How can we fail him?”
Closing her eyes, Chu Qingcheng gnashed her teeth, her eyes tearing up again, “We’ll only stop when we get to Double Dragon Manor.”
Chu Qingcheng’s voice was firm. The girls shook their heads and sighed.
Boom!
A huge explosion came from far away, followed by towering flames. Such an intense heat spread everywhere as it scorched everything.
The girls were flying yet could still feel the heat wave reaching them, pushing them into the ground.
When they finally got up, they stood dumbstruck. The inferno reached the heavens, like a gateway to hell. Nothing alive was spared. Even though they were thousands of miles away, they could still feel its scorching heat lick their faces.
“Gods, what happened there? Where did this fire come from?” Dan’er gasped and then cried out, “Isn’t that where brother Zhuo is…”
“Dan’er!”
Shui Ruohua shouted and glared at her.
Startled, Dan’er noticed Chu Qingcheng looked at the fire with a stunned look, her eyes shedding tears, “Zhuo Fan!”
With a wail, Chu Qingcheng flew onward but Shui Ruohua stopped her, “Qingcheng, are you crazy? With such a raging fire, you’ll die if you go!”
“I don’t care. Zhuo Fan!” Chu Qingcheng lost her calm, giving a mournful cry and struggling to go.
Shui Ruohua steeled her heart and struck her neck, rendering her unconscious.
Looking at Dan’er, the two sighed at the crying Chu Qingcheng.
They had never seen the always dignified girl be so frantic. She really cared for Zhuo Fan.
Heart in pain, Dan’er pitied Chu Qingcheng, then she asked, “Senior sister Ruohua, what do we do now?”
“What else can we do? Get Qingcheng to Double Dragon Manor. Only there will we be safe.”
“A-and brother Zhuo?” Dan’er asked.
Looking back at the blaze, Shui Ruohua sighed, “This inferno is not something we can handle. I hope he’s alright. But…”
Shui Ruohua shook her head and her eyes were filled with sorrow.
Dan’er lowered her head, her eyes moist. She knew that under such devastating destruction, Zhuo Fan had no chance at all…
The two took Chu Qingcheng with a heavy heart and resumed their journey to Double Dragon Manor.
In Windgaze City, Luo clan.
“Zhuo Fan!”
Shuang’er was sleeping when she suddenly jolted awake and shouting. Her eyes were shining like the clear starry sky, her face a mask of fear.
Creak~
The door opened and Luo Yunhai with Luo Yunchang entered.
Luo Yunchang sat next to her and asked, “Shuang’er, what happened? Why did you shout with all your strength? You have everyone scared. What exactly is going on? “
“Sister Yunchang, Z-Zhuo Fan is… dead.”
Shuang’er’s lips quivered as tears fell.
Luo Yunhai shook in disbelief, “Shuang’er, what are you saying? He is married to Edifice Lord Chu and a Sect Leader. He should be happy right now, not…”
Luo Yunchang’s eyes teared up, her heart frantic.
“I don’t know.”
Shuang’er shook her head, “I just saw, really saw how Z-Zhuo Fan fell in a pool of blood, then the golden flames…”
“Clan Head, sister Shuang’er is the Holy Maiden of the empire, peering into the workings of the world. Steward Zhuo might be outside such machinations, but this premonition might not be unfounded.” Leng Wuchang analyzed, “It seems it has gone as I feared, and so quick at that…”
Luo Yunhai flicked his hand and shouted, “Guard, send a spy to the Demon Scheming Sect to feel them out. Report back at once!”
“Yes, sir!”
A shout came from beyond the door…
