Chapter 646: Four on Four

[Such cra.s.s!]

The disciples of all sects glared in fury, while Universal Righteous Sect was positively berserk about it. Zhao Dezhu even rained down profanities, “Accursed demonic degenerate, where do you come from talking like this? My Universal Righteous Sect will crush you where you stand, pulverize your every cell!” 

The other sects, who on a good day would be revolted by Universal Righteous Sect’s incessant and unsound zealotry, had to agree with them on this point, with a most outstanding thumbs up.

[The punk is too outrageous. He needs some sense beaten into him, hard!]

Wu Qingqiu chuckles,” He won’t fight yet wrote those taunting words. He wants everyone to fight him!”

“‘Witness the peak and the pinnacle—me,

Gathering geezers three by three

The wine shall be endless, all night we could revel

If only there was one who could get on my level?’ I am ready, having set the wine, so throw your pesky ants at me if you got what it takes. I’ll take them all on! 

Ye Lin translated the lines, “Senior brother, that’s his intent.”  

Wu Qingqiu nodded, “Ha-ha-ha, ‘who can get on my level’. Junior brother won’t go on stage unless there’s someone challenging him. But you won’t be drinking wine with him, instead, you’ll have to endure all he gives you. Alas, now all sects’ experts are itching to put him in his place.”

Just as he said, Wen Tao and the others exploded with bloodthirst.

Yan Mo noticed as well, but he disdain, having already fought with Zhuo Fan, “Who among them will make it? It’ll be easy to get him on stage, but to fight him? Wu Qingqiu, even you’ll have a hard time.”

Wu Qingqiu gave him a deep look, his heart tense.

It was a first to see this proud man say such words. Then he smiled, “That hardly matters. What’s important is that we have someone to fight him.”

Wu Qingqiu patted Ye Lin with a vague smile. Ye Lin did not mind, his eyes fixed on Zhuo Fan. 

Zhuo Fan shuddered and looked among the crowd, searching.

[Him!]

The two’s eyes finally met…

This feeling of meeting an age-long enemy filled them with the joy of reunion, hostility, and thirst for battle.

“I’ll wait for you on the superior three sects stage!” Ye Lin mouthed.

Zhuo Fan’s brow shook and nodded.

Yan Mo shuddered, noticing their fixed gazes. This only happened among people of similar power.

It only proved that this guy was as strong as Zhuo Fan, if not stronger.

Yan Mo’s heart felt heavy as he sighed.

[Curses, another abomination cropped up…]

The Exalted Double Dragons chuckled on the inside.

[This kid is more outrageous than Sheng by a mile. I told him he can’t go on stage yet and the brat set the stage for others to do it for him, and all by merely taunting the other eight sects.]

Such dauntless courage had them admiring him. [Only a man with true aspiration can pursue the truth!]

“Bai Mei, is he good for Double Dragon Manor now?”

“Ha-ha-ha, more than good.” Exalted Bai Mei took out a roster and wrote Zhuo Fan on the very distant line. 

And so, the first candidate for Double Dragon Manor’s disciples was set.

“Let the drawing begin!”

The judge brought the boxes with numbers back, unaware of the exalteds’ agreement with Zhuo Fan, “Demon Scheming Sect, you only have nine fighters?” 

“What’s the point of all fighting against them?” Fiend Yang mocked. Mystical Heaven Sect gnashed their teeth in hatred. [They’re after us!]

Unaware Fiend Yang and his disciples’ brains were mush.

Ever since Zhuo Fan came back with the girls, he decided all by himself that he would not go up there unless the challenger was worth his time. This stumped the three venerables. 

They did not force the issue, since even without Zhuo Fan, their team had enough oomph to get them through most fights. 

[Who the h.e.l.l was strong enough to fight him anyway?]

“That would mean one of your fights will be a forfeit and minus two points on the evaluation.” The judge reminded, “Leaving Beast Taming Sect’s incident aside, Mystical Heaven Sect’s fight would be an automated win. That would make their score equal to yours, at 20 points.”

“It’s fine.”

Like a true bigshot, Fiend Yang did not care and laughed, “Let them have those measly points, we’ll just get them back with interest. We’ll win the remaining 18 points and that is that. 18 vs 2 points would hardly make a difference in the long run.”

Mystical Heaven Sect’s team was itching to punch Fiend Yang into the ground.

Though all they could do was sigh.

[They do have the power to back it up.] Only Elder Yun squinted with an insidious plan cooking in his eyes.

The judge shook his head, “Since you’re so great, please draw first.”

Each sect’s disciple got his opponent in no time. But looking at the lineup, Elder Yun lit up, “Good, we might still have a chance. Qingcheng, I’ll propose a four-on-four fight to the judge, so you can use the formation you’re most familiar with. You need to pay attention to Lu Xie the most, the other three won’t matter. “

Chu Qingcheng tightened her grip on the sword and nodded.

Fiend Yang was frowning, “Tie Ying, Kui Gang, Yue’er, you’ll be up against their strongest fighters. The odds aren’t certain of success. Then there’s Jade Sword Fairy Shui Ruohua, the leader of Mystical Heaven Sect’s four swords, in the 9th layer Radiant Stage. Kui Gang, can you handle it?”

“No problem, we are geared up!” Kui Gang sounded a bit forced but was not going to back down.

Fiend Yang shook his head and sneered, “And you think they aren’t? Shui Ruohua’s Dipper Sword is a 7th-grade spiritual weapon. In the end, it’ll come down to strength after all.” 

Ugh!

Kui Gang paused.

Zhuo Fan smiled, “It’s fine since we have six in the Ethereal Stage. We just need six wins and you three losing won’t matter.”

“Yes, master!” Kui Gang and Yue’er lit up, relaxing.

Fiend Yang rolled his eyes, “Speaking of, our odds would be the best if a certain bigshot would go up there, wouldn’t you think?”

[What am I supposed to do after being threatened?]

Zhuo Fan rolled his eyes. He could not just spill the beans on this, or the Exalted Double Dragons would wipe them all out.

That would mean breaking their rules and, while not important, it affected their name. 

Western lands’ strongest’s reputation had more weight than thousands upon thousands of lives.

Zhuo Fan kept mum about it, taking upon himself the role of the arrogant b.a.s.t.a.r.d and waving them to get a move on.

“Don’t hold back, crush these ingrates!” Fiend Yang roared.

Demon Scheming Sect’s team went forward with cold smiles, filled with the intent to kill. Mystical Heaven Sect’s side felt a chill on their backs.

Bam!

Qi Changlong struck once and sent a Mystical Heaven Sect disciple out of bounds and out of this world.

The judge shouted, “The first fight goes to the Demon Scheming Sect! “

The Mystical Heaven Sect’s team’s face fell. They could feel the Demon Scheming Sect was out for their blood. 

[They must be p.i.s.sed for throwing them away earlier.]

“Young master Qi, what are you doing? Who told you to cut it so short? You’re supposed to torture them, grind their bodies until they’ll think again about crossing us!” Fiend Yang raved as Qi Changlong came off the stage.

Qi Changlong shrugged, “Sorry, I’m not a sicko with weird hobbies.”

“s.h.i.+t, and you call yourself a demonic cultivator? Where’s your pa.s.sion, the drive?” Fiend Yang sighed.

“I have none.” Bai Lian came over, patting his shoulder and walking on stage. She kept it just as brief and just as casual in taking the other’s life and coming back down.

“I used to be like that, but not anymore, sorry.”

Gui Hu in the third match was much more reserved, no longer leaking his savagery all over the place. His heart was calmer as a result. He did not even kill his target, just send him off with a heavy wound.

Coming back he was met with Fiend Yang’s baffled face. He shrugged, “I didn’t feel like doing it.”

“What the h.e.l.l does that mean? What’s that got do to with killing?” Fiend Yang was stumped.

Zhuo Fan smiled. [Elder Yuan’s teaching didn’t go unheard. A tiger hunts with all its strength when it’s hungry. So why go all out if the situation doesn’t demand it?]

“Fourth match, Mystical Heaven Sect’s Chu Qingcheng against Demon Scheming Sect’s Lu Xie!” The judge announced.

Elder Yun jumped to his feet, “Elder, Mystical Heaven Sect requests a four-on-four battle!”

[Four?]

Fiend Yang started, “Does that mean he has a formation for four people to use?”