The Steward Demonic Emperor

A deafening silence took over. Be it the crowd of royal dignitaries or the other teams, all watched the center figure with slacked jaws and dumb looks. He appeared to them more and more like a demon from hell.

Elder Yun and his two other elders from Mystical Heaven Sect gulped, sweat pouring out of them like rain.

[Where the hell did the Demon Scheming Sect find this monster? Fighting that thing is plain suicide!]

Their eyes went to the floating soul of Elder Lu, having lost it in his ravings as he searched and searched, yet not a piece of his body was left, and they shivered.

Shui Ruohua was startled, to say the least. [How is that a disciple's power?]

"If I pick him up for an opponent, I'll rather forfeit than mess with that freak. I don't care what anyone says!" One Mystical Heaven Sect disciple was shaking like a leaf.

The others were not far behind in agreeing.

That thing out there was an abomination, but the worst of it all was his savage temper.

When disciples met on the stage, they fought as adversaries not enemies, but this freak actually went as far as wiping his opponent and the enemy sect, elder and all.

They looked at Zhuo Fan like a behemoth opening its rotting maw at them.

"S-senior brother Yan Mo, who the hell is he?" Yu Mei gulped.

Yan Mo spoke in a heavy tone. "You don't need to know, just remember not to test him. Yu Mei, you think I can't tell what you're cooking in that head of yours? Give it a rest."

Yu Mei shuddered. She noticed Yan Mo's intense gaze on Zhuo Fan and wanted to get some info out of him about this freak, but that hardly seemed likely. She understood then and there the reason for Yan Mo's interest, this person could challenge the superior three sects. Yu Mei was now looking at Zhuo Fan on stage with a serious gaze.

[We must get one of the top two positions in the superior three sects stage, or the Demon Scheming Sect will kick us into the middle three sects. We'll never live down the shame if it happens!]

This guy had the power to put any genius to shame. No wonder Yan Mo was feeling trepidations. Looking back at her senior brother, Yan Mo noticed his hard expression yet tense fists.

She had never seen him so scared in her life. "Senior brother, how do you think he'll fare against Wu Qingqiu?"

"Unknown!"

Yan Mo shook his head. "One is a demonic cultivator, the other righteous. One comes from hell, the other from a land of bliss. One is brutal, the other is just. There is no comparison between people walking different paths. Though in terms of strength, I do believe Wu Qingqiu would feel the brunt of this guy's punch."

Yu Mei's heart sank. Yan Mo did not like to belittle himself to his opponents, but this was only more proof that said this guy could fight them, the top talents of the superior three sects.

[Wu Qingqiu might even be weaker.]

Yu Mei sighed, "The Double Dragon Gathering this time is bound to make waves…"

As for the three Hans, they were shaken to the core, resigned to let out a saddened sigh.

"That settles it. We need to come out 1st or 2nd in our fights if we do not want to suffer at the guy's punches…" Han Yunfeng warned his brothers.

The two lowered their heads. The might of that punch had them running scared, they wanted nothing to do with Zhuo Fan.

[When we fought him, he never even saw us as target practice!]

Just a little bit serious, and this was the result, scattered in the wind.

The two were lamenting their shabby fate. [Woe is me, for bumping into this maniac.] They found it a miracle to have come back alive from the jaws of death.

[That was way too close for comfort…]

The judge was still having a hard time processing Zhuo Fan's inhuman feat, he worked his mouth, yet words failed him.

Though it couldn't go on forever, shouting, "Given the abnormal direction the lower three sects stage had taken it is hereby suspended. I shall report it to the two exalted for how to proceed. All imperial delegations are to withdraw!"

"Elder, you can't just let it end with that!"

Elder Lu's blue mote hovered over, complaining all the while. "All my disciples are dead. He killed them in one strike, and you're going to gloss over it?"

The judge's beard shook, but Fiend Yang got ahead of him, his voice booming as he stomped onto the stage, "Death can creep at any moment while up on stage. What's all the fuss about losing a couple disciples? From what you're saying, we should just stop Double Dragon Gathering here and now. Wanting a life for a life? Who the hell would go all out if that rule came into effect? How then will the sects' disciples be judged? "

"Bullshit, how were my disciples on stage? They were killed outside of it!"

"You're the shit here! Zhuo Fan's fist had been unleashed on stage, killing the disciple on stage. It's just that he got a bit too into it and broke the barrier and took the rest of your team as collateral damage. You should be blaming the frail barrier here, for cracking under pressure. Take it up with the Double Dragon Manor if you're so indignant!" Fiend Yang dumped all the blame on Double Dragon Manor, knowing no one in their right mind would complain to them.

The effect was immediate. Elder Lu was choking on his words, not knowing how to retort. The judge's cheek twitched as well and a-he-hemed for good measure. Who else but he put up the barrier, ergo, Fiend Yang was saying Elder Lu should go complain to him. Though why the hell would the lower three sects stage require a stronger barrier than even the superior three sects. It was all that freak's fault for showing up.

[And why did he just have to blow out like that against some nobodies? Ugh, how annoying.]

The judge gave the main culprit a glare then sighed, "Please withdraw and wait for my visit after I receive an answer from the exalted. You will both be satisfied with the resolution. Or do you not believe in Double Dragon Manor's name?"

The two's hearts sank, and they knew when to give up.

Since he name-dropped Double Dragon Manor, they had no choice but to leave it to them. And so, Elder Lu left in anger, but not before he gave Zhuo Fan one last glare. Fiend Yang merely waved it off, not minding the floating, bodiless guy at all as he took the disciples back.

Though moments later he was lamenting and sighing, "Brother, you were the picture of tranquility in the sect, even when going after those elders, you made sure to plan every little detail. How come you blew up the minute you got on stage? Did those lame words strike a nerve? You reacted so strongly that you scared even me. Were you that furious?"

"Did he taunt me that much? I didn't notice." Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow.

The others were taken aback. "Since he wasn't the issue, why explode, even taking all his sect down with him. Did you forget the plan?"

"Not at all."

Zhuo Fan sighed, recalling having seen the shadow at the entrance. "Moreover, that punch wasn't for that blowhard. He wasn't worth it."

[What does he mean…]

Back at the stage, the bustling crowd was leaving, and a youth in gray robes followed along with a bright smile.

Whoosh~

A person in blue robes came by, bearing a handsome face, "Junior brother, I haven't seen you all day. I thought you ran off somewhere but you were instead watching the lower three sects' fights. Ha-ha-ha, did someone from the lower three sects actually catch your interest when you didn't feel like answering the challenges of all the experts back at the sect?"

"Ha-ha-ha, that's not it, senior brother. I didn't come to see the fights, but to look for someone."

The youth in gray smiled. "Suddenly, do you remember the feeling I had a few days ago? I felt my destined rival had appeared and indeed he has."

The second youth was puzzled. "In the lower three sects?"

"Yep, I found him right here."

The first youth's eyes flickered with fire and excitement. "He's just like I imagined, just like me. Half-man and half-beast, yet the body of an emperor. The power within us draws each other close, like an unending spiral we cannot escape. "

The youth in blue robes eyed him, "Junior brother, this is the first time I see you so excited."

"Who wouldn't be when meeting a worthy rival?"

Taking a deep breath, the youth in gray watched the endless sky, "Just like how a day can only be one, so too there can only be one of us. Same types of beasts are bound to clash and come to a resolution on who is better. This is karma. Sorry, senior brother, it seems I'll be taking the best talent in the western lands title from you. Scratch that, it'll be the winner between the two of us beasts."

The second youth frowned and nodded solemnly. "Congratulations!"