The Steward Demonic Emperor

To the shock of all present, three people, all bearing similar features, strolled in with an evil smile. None other than Demon Soul Sect's brothers.

Glancing at the two teams on stage, eldest young master Han frowned, "Demon Scheming Sect isn't here yet?"

"It doesn't look like it, brother. Should we wait for them?" Third Young Master Han spun his eyes around for that familiar and infuriating figure and proposed this once he didn't find him.

Eldest young master gave a curt nod as he walked on stage, "I was dying to see this freak that got you both so tense."

"Ha-ha-ha, brother, he'll make a great adversary." The other two chipped in.

While they were walking to the highest seat like they owned the place, the rest of the crowd was dumbfounded.

"What is Demon Soul Sect's best seed, Han Yunfeng, doing by coming to a meager scramble between the lower three sects? It can't be that someone caught his attention, right?"

"No way. Demon Soul Sect is a middle three sect, as strong as ever, and by no means could someone from the lower three sects contend. I reckon Young Master Han alone can take on all of the lower three sects."

"That makes sense. But how do you explain his presence here?"

"He got bored, so he went out for a stroll. What else is there, ha-ha-ha…"

"That simple?"

The people were bustling with scenarios and thought about the situation, why the trio just waltzed in and their purposes here, yet missed the target by a mile.

They weren't the only ones taken aback, even the judging elder frowned in suspicion. The sects had a clear hierarchy where strength meant everything. The superior three sects disdained the middle three sects, and the latter scorned the lower three sects. It had always been this way for the thousands of years the Double Dragon Gathering had been holding.

Yet this time, the Demon Soul Sect, came on its own to watch the lower three sects fight.

[Why? Is Demon Soul Sect's strength on the lower side this time, and do they fear someone from the lower three sects is going to take their place, so they came to scout?]

The judge's frown deepened, and he eyed the trio's cultivation and shook his head in even more puzzlement.

[Nah, it can't be. At their level, they have no worry about their place being taken. That only leaves boredom, but are they really bored?]

All in all, the presence of such a mighty power at this meager stage gave the lower three sects a glorious honor.

[No matter how bored they get, these are the core of Demon Soul Sect's disciples, there's no way they'd lower themselves for others' benefit.]

The elder's skepticism was in full bloom to understand the crux of it all. Shui Ruohua and the other girls just glared at the trio. They gnashed their teeth, and flames sparked in their eyes at the sight of them.

When they fought for a spiritual herb, Shui Ruohua ended up with a heavy wound by that third young master's hand which turned out to be a pain to heal. She wouldn't soon forget such a grudge, and the Mystical Heaven Sect's girls wouldn't either.

Third Young Master Han picked up on the growing hate he garnered and snickered at the girls' powerless glares. He rolled his pinkie around with a mocking smile.

[Bunch of broads not even worth hating.]

Shui Ruohua's face twisted in rage, her fists bunched tight.

Elder Yun spoke coldly, "Ruohua, calm down, our goal is the head of the lower three sects, not the middle three sects. Don't make a scene."

[Are you that confident?]

With some anger still obvious on the girls' faces, they cooled down somewhat, watching the elders with an odd look.

Elder Yun mentioned this three months ago. [Yet you still have such high expectations? And where are you putting the Demon Scheming Sect then?]

Recalling Zhuo Fan's brutal power, Elder Yun coughed with red cheeks, changing the subject, "Uh, the second place isn't that bad either. Do your best!"

That was more like it, and everyone breathed easier. They feared the elder was going to sic them on the Demon Scheming Sect. That would be plain suicide, giving their lives away for nothing.

"Ha-ha-ha, good, so you do know your limits. You know the head of the lower three sects can only belong to the Beast Taming Sect. You are wise to back down and take second place."

The incoming mockery caught their attention. They all frowned and saw the infinitely arrogant Hui Xiong. Snickering, they all wrote him off from their memory.

Yet Hui Xiong, in his infinite wisdom, saw it as a sign of weakness, balking under his awesome presence. His laughter grew even more outrageous, "A wise man knows when to quit. There's no shame in knowing your place beneath me, no need to be so downcast. You still have that Demon Scheming Sect filled with cripples under you. I am someone the Demon Soul Sect's three young masters had their eye on."

"You caught their attention?" Shui Ruohua eyed Hui Xiong skeptically, like the fool he was.

The judge's beard shook, sizing Hui Xiong up and down, then shaking his head.

[Beast Taming Sect's disciples have the right attitude, but perhaps too right…]

Oblivious to the weird looks he received, Hui Xiong puffed up his chest in pride, "After my master and I challenged the Demon Scheming Sect's elites and wiped the floor with them, on our way down, we stumbled upon Second Young Master Han. After hearing of my glorious feat, they had only respect for me, singing praises of me. My master bore witness as well. You can just ask him."

Elder Lu grinned from ear to ear, nodding all the while. Even he believed that the Demon Soul Sect's praises at that time were completely and utterly genuine.

Second Young Master Han stood up, his face twitching and lost for words.

[Is this pair of master-disciple dumb or dumber?] Sure, one didn't always get the thick irony even if it was pointed out to them, but this was absurd. [So much time passed, yet you still haven't figured it out? Is it the empty heads or utter ignorance at fault here?]

"Sigh, such are the trappings of greatness. But to think my brilliant aura would be so blinding, for even the young masters of the Demon Soul Sect to see me as their match, I am getting nervous."

Hui Xiong gave a theatrical sigh, cupping his hands at the said figures in the stands, "Young masters, rest easy, I know your thoughts perfectly. As the one you recognize the strongest, I will take the leading position of the lower three sects and defer to you, to show my undying respect for the grace you bestowed upon me."

A clamor rose among the audience. They were all taken in by Hui Xiong's heroic display and recognition of other heroes as he addressed the high-placed young masters.

[He's but a peak Radiant Stage, yet he garnered the attention of the three young masters to the point they came to see him fight?]

[We better keep an eye on this Hui Xiong, he might very well be a dark horse.]

(StarReader: yes, his name literally means grizzly bear)

The people gesticulated and pointed, with all eyes on this black bear. Han Yunfeng's face twitched, and he eyed Second Young Master Han.

"Brother, where did you meet this moron?"

"Uh, we barely exchanged a couple of words, yet he took them at face value. But what's even more ridiculous is his master believing them too…"

"Humph, like master, like disciple. Getting used by these ignorant and oblivious morons leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Han Yunfeng grumbled.

Second Young Master Han was getting angry as well, "Should I go down and sort it out?"

"Sort what out? The bigger he is the harder he'll fall. He'll soon get the reward that it's coming to him, don't you worry." Han Yunfeng grinned.

His brothers snickered…

Whoosh~

A flash of red spiked the temperature around the stage. A redhead youth towered before the crowd, just a hundred meters from the Han brothers, his cold eyes staring at the stage, "Hasn't that freak arrived yet?"

"Superior three sect Hellion Flame's best seed, Yan Mo?" Han Yunfeng watched the redhead with a shocked look.

He wasn't the only one, everyone here was stunned as he was such a heavy name and showed his presence here.

What was going on here? [First is the best seed from the middle three sects, and now it's the best disciple from the superior three sects. Do the lower three sects have some kind of inhumane being?]

Did the lower three sects have someone that could threaten the superior three sect's disciples?

[T-this was too astonishing!]

Superior three sects and lower three sects were worlds apart and the same applied to their disciples.

Yet Yan Mo came here. How would they explain that? Was he just as bored as the rest of them?

[Just how bored can you be, coming to the Double Dragon Gathering?]

"Brother, what's this freak doing here?" Second Young Master Han frowned.

Han Yunfeng shook his head, just as curious, "How should I know? There's no way he came by chance either. I just hope he didn't come to see the same guy we have our eyes on. That would be the pits."

"What?" Third Young Master Han gasped.

Han Yunfeng squinted, "Can't you tell? For Yan Mo to be so serious in looking after his target, that man must be truly powerful."

His brothers shuddered in shock…