Chapter 678: The Only Team

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Zhuo Fan gave the ten of them a long look, taking in their determination and the blood around their mouths with a slight nod, “Since that is the case, I can only oblige. Wraith Style’s 2nd move, Ghostly Dragon Claw!” 

Zhuo Fan’s hand made a gesture, and the heaven dragon soul roared, increasing the power of its claw.

Crack!

The huge sword soul sported a hairline fracture, causing the ten disciples to tremble once more and spew blood.

Even so, they held on, and the sword soul kept sliding downward.

Zhuo Fan’s gestures continued, and heaven dragon soul’s claw’s power was increased again. When he finished going through the signs, the heaven dragon soul used the Ghostly Dragon Claw, further amplifying the damage to the sword soul, which was on the verge of shattering.

The Sword G.o.d Sect disciples were about to have their souls purged in that instant!

However, as Zhuo Fan’s signs came to a close, he suddenly stopped right at the end. He grumbled and relaxed his hands before making a different sign.

“Wraith Style, 3rd move, Necro Dragon’s Screech!”

Roar!

The power of the claw abated, and the dragon opened its maw to release a roar at the sword soul.

A powerful sound wave carried heaven dragon soul’s soul power and slammed into the sword soul, making it tremble.

With a bang, the huge sword soul split into ten souls as they flew back to their bodies.

Wen Tao and his fellow disciples shook and spewed blood before collapsing.

The audience was shaken by this outcome, filled with complex emotions.

This showed them in no uncertain terms that Zhuo Fan, this demonic cultivator, had spared their lives at the last moment.

This same ruthless and vindictive demonic cultivator let righteous cultivators live. It was beyond baffling.

While there could be friends.h.i.+p, everyone knew that the demonic path was pitiless. The fact Zhuo Fan had urged them to give up was already kind enough, and even if he had killed them, no one would call it into question.

The ending, however, was when Zhuo Fan was about to doom them for eternity. That last moment made him change his mind, opting for splitting their combined soul and sparing them. He only left them with a heavy wound. This made the audience baffled as to his intentions. 

“A demonic cultivator is a twisted and deceitful individual. He is making Sword G.o.d Sect owe him. He’s making sure that Demon Scheming Sect will now have a middle three sect ally after this. Humph, vile demon sp.a.w.n, you may be able to deceive others, but you’ll never succeed in pulling the wool over my eyes!”

Leader of the Universal Righteous Sect’s team, Zhao Dezhu’s eyes shone, having seen through his play. He turned to his fellow disciples and admonished them, “See that? See how cunning a demonic madman is? Now the Sword G.o.d Sect would be moved to tears. Sigh, this is how another righteous sect degenerates.”

One disciple started sucking up to him the minute he finished, “Senior brother is right. I only hope the Sword G.o.d Sect disciples can be as wise and open-minded as senior brother to see this vile sp.a.w.n’s treachery. But how can there be someone as righteous and outstanding as senior brother all around us? I fear that they would fail to understand this truth.”

“Exactly…”

Rubbing his chin, Zhao Dezhu felt elated at this guy’s skill in flattery taken to the rank of art. He sighed most dramatically. “That’s what worries me. Without someone like me in their sect, they would be easy prey to these demons’ hypocrisy. That’s why I keep telling them not to come in contact with demonic cultivators, or they will one day fall prey to their machinations. Especially that Ultimate Clarity Sect, as the head of the superior three sects, should take it upon itself to root out all evil, demonic cultivators in particular. But they…”  

“Senior brother, please calm your anger. I can see that such a righteous cause will soon be squashed in the hands of these undivided sects. It’d be better if we become the head of the superior three sects and a just model for all the righteous sects out there.”

That disciple was laying on as thick as possible. “Especially that best disciple in western lands. That t.i.tle should be senior brother’s by right. Only senior brother and his righteous conviction can lead the western lands!”

Zhao Dezhu nodded at every word with a natural face like it was all a given. But then his face sank as he turned to Zhuo Fan, “That may be, but I can’t defeat Wu Qingqiu, nor Yan Mo. Now that another monster with a heaven dragon soul appeared… Sigh, it just had to be a demonic madman. Is this the omen to the doom of righteousness?”

“Senior brother, history shows us that evil never triumphs against good. Sooner or later, the best in western lands can only be senior brother, he-he-he…”

That guy’s flattery just wouldn’t stop. Zhao Dezhu was feeling much better for it too, but he also knew the truth. 

[Screw your ‘evil never triumphs against good.’. When it’s all said and done, it’s all a matter of whose fist is bigger!]

They were last in the superior three sects rankings, and now that the Demon Scheming Sect came challenging, the odds were they couldn’t even keep their spot. So what head of the nine sects? 

[I’d be happy if we keep just our status!]

Grumbling on the inside, Zhao Dezhu shook his head, thinking of ways to make that happen…

Wu Qingqiu rubbed his chin, giving Zhuo Fan a long look, “Is he doing this for the future of his sect? Demon Scheming Sect is just a lower three sect. Rising to the rank of middle three sect and crus.h.i.+ng Sword G.o.d Sect’s team in the process would only earn their hatred. It would only make things worse. It’s one thing to become a middle three sect and another to grow into one. That takes time, even with Double Dragon Manor’s resources.”

“I think it is a straightforward decision. When with me, he didn’t even care I was from a superior three sect, so why would he care about a middle three sect?”

Yan Mo shook his head. “Moreover, demonic cultivators are known to be volatile and rash. When they say they’ll strike, that’s what they’ll do. So why change tunes midway? The way I see it, he just didn’t feel like killing them, nothing more.”

Wu Qingqiu raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t feel like it? The blade was at their throat, yet he didn’t feel like swinging it? Since when can demonic cultivators easily withdraw their bloodl.u.s.t?”

Yan Mo fell silent.

As a demonic cultivator himself, he knew it far better. His thirst to kill had to be satiated fully when it was brought out. Otherwise, it would stifle and work against him, harming his soul. The chance was it might even make a hole in one’s convictions.

As for why Zhuo Fan did it in stride, it was beyond him.

“Ignorance makes you amazed.”

Ye Lin b.u.t.ted in with his mockery, “Be it demonic or righteous cultivators, they all want to elevate their heart and mentality to an unrestrained degree. What’s so odd about Zhuo Fan restraining his desire for blood? This only proves his heart has reached an incredible level, even above many of our elders, even beyond mine. What I find odd, though, is why he did it. Is it really out of friends.h.i.+p? That’s not the demonic path.”

Ye Lin frowned, his mind filled with countless thoughts…

High above the stands, the two exalted shared a glance and beamed.

“Bai Mei, see that? This boy is just like us back then.” Exalted Hei Ran chuckled.

Looking at the baffled looks of the crowd, Exalted Bai Mei nodded as well, “Yes, this is a reason not many can see. While demonic and righteousness are conflicting, they’re all paths leading to the same destination. Among those that seek it, a kind of kins.h.i.+p forms, which is natural. Like us, Zhuo Fan and the Sword G.o.d Sect’s team also have it. “

“Right, mortals pursue glory and riches, something even cultivators can’t completely separate themselves from. How few are there, those pursuing the end of the road with their whole being? They won’t understand while the rascal refrained from killing them. Only we know. Seeing Wen Tao’s team so driven on the path of the sword, it’s like I’m seeing myself and my determination. Even to a demonic cultivator, as long as he has this pursuit at heart, he will never deal the last blow to a fellow path traveler.”

“The demonic path is cruel, but they value heroes just as much. I want all of those ten boys! Ha-ha-ha…” Exalted Bai Mei took out the roster and scribbled down ten more names. 

Hum~

A white pillar burst into view, conveying the judge’s words, “The victor is decided. You all can now return.”

Zhuo Fan pulled the heaven dragon soul back inside and looked at Wen Tao’s team to see their wane faces filled with unwillingness.

“We lost, so let’s just go. We lost, after all, ha-ha-ha…”

Wen Tao shook his head with a bitter smile as he got up. He turned to his team with blood dripping from his lips, “Junior brothers, let’s go. Don’t be discouraged. We might have lost this challenge, but it’s not our swordsmans.h.i.+p that did. Our path can move on! One day we will defeat this monster and wash away this shame!”

“Are you… sure?” Raising an eyebrow, Zhuo Fan smiled.

Glaring at him, Wen Tao stabbed his finger as he shouted, “Next time, we will win!”

“I’ll be happy to meet you again in battle!”  Zhuo Fan turned serious, “The next time we fight, though, I hope it will be all ten of you.” 

Wen Tao clenched his fists and spoke with power, “Don’t you worry, you will!” 

The disciples cupped their fists, still filled with fighting spirit like this was their victory.

Sword G.o.d Sect’s team walked through the white pillar, but before they did so, they helped up Demon Scheming Sect’s disciples and went together.

Zhuo Fan looked on with a smile.

When it came Xie Tianshang’s turn, he looked at Zhuo Fan, “Although this might sound brazen and ignorant, I’ll still challenge you the next time. It’s not just to defeat you but so that my sword would grow on. And I won’t be challenging you alone, but with those nine senior brothers you defeated with me.”

Xie Tianshang left through the pillar, but then he heard Zhuo Fan chuckle just as he went through.

“Xie Tianshang, Sword G.o.d Sect has now caught my eye. The only team! You won the team battle. I only won the singles.”

Hearing this, Tianshang grinned as he moved through the white curtain…