Chapter 649: Heartless
[This can’t be!]
Lu Xie wasn’t the only one so shocked. Wu Qingqiu, Yan Mo, and all geniuses from the superior three sects bore the same incomprehensible look.
Exalted Double Dragons eased a breath.
“It’s incredible how the la.s.s controlled the entire world’s energy all by herself.” Exalted Bai Mei sighed.
Exalted Hei Ran nodded, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Most of the people below had no clue what just happened, or what incredible feats Chu Qingcheng could do.
A mere Radiant Stage cultivator yet had an uncanny control over her strength.
The formation required four members to run it, four people that had complete trust in each other to unleash its power. But since four people meant four wills, it was impossible for them to always work with one mind.
That was where Lu Xie struck, using explosions to exploit their weakness by attacking all of them at once. He needed just one of them to feel fear, panic, and not cooperate with the others, and the whole thing would fall apart.
That was the truth of it too. Shui Ruohua and the other two’s heavy wounds proved it. The formation had fallen that instant the bombs went off.
That’s when Chu Qingcheng came in, taking it all onto herself, availing herself of her Empty Spirit Body to take and give the power as she wished to keep the formation up.
At that sole moment, the three girls had no other use than as batteries, supplying Chu Qingcheng with Yuan Qi.
They turned a shocked and dull gaze towards the upright and gentle figure. The Four Elements Cycle Array needed four of them to use, but now it seemed, Qingcheng was enough.
The trio was filled with admiration and disheartened like someone stole something from them.
Lu Xie glared in hatred at Chu Qingcheng, but as he noticed the endless roaming world power, fear crept in.
[This woman is a frickin’ monster as well!]
How the h.e.l.l did a person like her exist on this G.o.d’s green earth?!
Lu Xie gnashed his teeth, glancing at the people doing a poor job at hiding the sneers, and his heart blackened.
The cold blade edge was still breathing down his neck as Chu Qingcheng said, “You lost. You did hurt my sister, but since you are with Steward Zhuo, I will keep my hand from doing the same.”
Chu Qingcheng glanced over to Zhuo Fan, who just happened to find the clouds far more interesting. He was sulking like a little child, thinking the fact a woman was looking up to him was shameful.
His mind, however, eased up on the worry. [She won at last.]
Fiend Yang was outraged, “That rotten Ol’ Yun played us. Now we’re at a d.a.m.n draw! Sigh, guess luck wasn’t with us. Six in the Ethereal Stage yet only one ended up fighting those broads. If only one more was around, there was no way they’d win.”
“Patience is also a weapon.”
Zhuo Fan smiled, “Ol’ Yun was waiting for this moment, one that had little chance of pulling off. If four Ethereal Stage experts ended up being drawn against the girls, the formation was worth nothing. He had everything in place, lacking only luck. Now that luck has sided with him, nothing can be done, ha-ha-ha.”
Fiend Yang glanced at him, “Our win just fell through so why are you so calm about it? I knew from the start that you had no intention of winning this round. If you had just gone up there, with four more points, the loss of this match wouldn’t matter.”
“What’s the big deal anyway? We still have a team match that we’ll surely win.”
“Oh please, individual battles, team battles, and overall scores are rewarded differently.”
“All the more reason it doesn’t matter. Worst case scenario, we’d end up tying in individual battles.”
“I don’t want to tie up with them and split the reward! Ugh…” Fiend Yang ranted and grumbled, “I just can’t take it seeing them win anything…”
[Petty much?]
Zhuo Fan smirked.
The judge noticed the outcome on stage and said, “The four individual fights go to Mystical Heaven Sect!”
The din of the crowd grew louder at the outcome, with some even openly jeering. Was this Ethereal Stage expert the weakest of the Demon Scheming Sect? The weakest? Weakest?
Lu Xie’s face was twitching all over from rage, his fists tight. Chu Qingcheng withdrew the blade at the judge’s declaration and let the world’s energy scatter.
Lu Xie struck Chu Qingcheng’s shoulder with a palm attack then and there.
She spat blood as she got thrown away by the impact.
“Qingcheng!” Shui Ruohua cried, rus.h.i.+ng over to help her. Only to see her white as paper and in a heavy frown from pain.
The judge jumped in front of Lu Xie, blocking him from attacking again, “Boy, what do you think you’re doing? I already gave the verdict!”
“I haven’t lost yet!” Lu Xie roared.
The judge glared, “The outcome was obvious, and fighting after that will only mean death. What’s there to be so indignant about?”
“Who wouldn’t be?”
The shout this time came from the Demon Scheming Sect, and everyone turned to see Zhuo Fan’s dark face coming over.
Lu Xie woke up at that moment and shook all over.
Patting his shoulder, Zhuo Fan looked at the judge and then at Chu Qingcheng, “The true winner is decided by death. As long as there’s still a breath in the opponent’s body, he can make a comeback. So on this particular stage, unless the other side killed this one or knocked him out of bounds, there is no winner. Elder, haven’t you been a little hasty with the verdict?”
“Well…” The judge had no idea how to answer.
Dan’er was outraged, “Sister Qingcheng spared him because of you! Why else do you think he’s still standing?”
“For me you say? I am from the Demon Scheming Sect, you are from the Mystical Heaven Sect. Once we entered the Double Dragon Manor, we were nothing more than bitter enemies. The slightest weakness will get you killed, your fault not mine!”
Zhuo Fan snorted and turned away while hinting to Lu Xie to follow, “We are in the Double Dragon Manor and follow their rules. Since the elder judged the match so, we also shall accept it. But the next time they end up dead cause of their mercy, don’t come crying to me.”
“b.a.s.t.a.r.d…” Dan’er was furious. Chu Qingcheng held her hand and shook her head.
She turned one last delicate smile for Zhuo Fan as her world darkened.
“Qingcheng, Qingcheng…” Shui Ruohua cried, seeing Chu Qingcheng’s right shoulder seeping black smoke, “Oh no, she’s been poisoned…”
Faltering, Zhuo Fan’s fists clenched, and his eyes turned cold. But only for a moment, as he took back his seat with the same tranquility.
The ever nervous Lu Xie breathed easier at last. [It seems Steward Zhuo doesn’t care so much about those women.]
Shui Ruohua glared back at Zhuo Fan, filled with fury. [ Every demonic cultivator is heartless. We were wrong for thinking otherwise!]
Holding Chu Qingcheng’s unconscious body, the Mystical Heaven Sect team was overcome by anger.
They could understand the Demon Scheming Sect’s anger of before, but this time, they were lenient only to receive a despicable blow. This was not something they could just swallow.
Elder Yun took this chance to admonish them, “See that? That is how a demonic cultivator operates! Changing their att.i.tude in a blink of an eye. You must never go easy ever again, let Qingcheng be a lesson to all of you.”
They looked at the pale Chu Qingcheng and nodded, their eyes burning with anger.
“The fighters for the 8th match walk on stage!”
After a short commotion, the judge declared once more.
Mystical Heaven Sect had a handsome youth fighting in this match, vowing to take revenge for senior sister Qingcheng as he took firm and large steps on stage.
Only when he met face to face with Yue Ling in the Ethereal Stage did reality come cras.h.i.+ng down on top of him and was this close to begging for mercy.
His puny skills were worth jack squat to get Qingcheng’s revenge.
Bam!
Yue Ling slapped him out of bounds, never to get up ever again.
Yue Ling strolled away, bored to death from the opponent being so weak. Fiend Yang was barking, “That’s more like it, no mercy! They cheated eight points from us and now we’ll make them pay for it!”
“No worries, Venerable, the next fight will be a cinch. They don’t have any Ethereal Stage experts after all. There’s no way they can pull another formation, ha-ha-ha… “
Kui Lang laughed, ready to go on stage. Fiend Yang nodded.
But seeing who it was, Elder Yun’s face bloomed in a nasty grin…