The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

"That's odd. How come the prick is up to his old tricks and won't fight this time either?"

Wu Qingqiu's side was puzzled as they watched Zhuo Fan. Hadn't he always treated Demon Soul Sect with respect? Why the acting? Why the antagonistic display?

By not fighting in a team battle, he clearly looked down on them, holding them in contempt. His action was a hard and cold slap to Han Yunfeng's team's face!

Leaving the slapping aside, why lift their hopes just now only to knock them down again?

[Just what is that prick thinking?]

They would never have guessed that it wasn't that Zhuo Fan did not want to fight. It was because he couldn't.

His right hand got hurt from the brief encounter with the sacred sword. If misfortune had it that he exposed it, the Exalted Double Dragons would see it, and he'd be finished. As for his left, it was nowhere near that strong.

Favoring his weak left instead of that strong right would incur the same suspicion.

So the best way to avoid it all was to show off and stay out of it.

[If Demon Soul Sect had just forfeited and let me fight Sword God Sect's Wen Tao straight out, then with his strength similar to a superior three sects disciple, it would fit my plan perfectly. Then I wouldn't have to hide from anyone and not be so passive!]

[But just what the hell got into Demon Soul Sect all of a sudden? While I do admire their guts, they're just too weak. I can't fake it with these weaklings. It'll only get seen through.]

[The only choice is staying still.]

Scratched his nose, Zhuo Fan sighed inwardly.

Han Yunfeng witnessed his action and was fuming mad, gnashing his teeth in hatred.

[What the hell's the meaning of this? I get you look down on us, but did you have to do it in front of everyone? Won't you even give us a few moves? Since you're so stuck up, what's with the show of respect from before in walking side by side? Are you toying with us?]

Han Yunfeng glared and said, "Zhuo Fan, I will make you fight!"

"Humph, to fight our Steward Zhuo, you'll have to go through me first!" Qi Changlong stood in Han Yunfeng's way. "This is a team battle, but we won't take advantage of your weakness and will go one-on-one. If you have what it takes to beat our six Ethereal Stage experts, then there will be no one to stop you from fighting Steward Zhuo!"

[What, a round robin of one against six?]

Third young master Han cursed, "You have no shame at all. My brother is in the 2nd layer of the Ethereal Stage, while just three of you are in the 3rd layer. Why not ask him to stand still so you can beat him…"

"Quiet, brother!"

Han Yunfeng cut off the third young master Han's rant, "If it's a team battle, with only two Ethereal Stage experts, they could have two of theirs hold us back while the rest would kill our teammates. Then it will turn into six versus two. How long do you think we will hold on then?"

Third young master Han paused, then let out a long sigh.

Han Yunfeng's eyelid twitched and said, "That's why this round robin looks like one against six. The fights will never be one on one. This is in our favor. I accept! "

"Great, then let's go!" Qi Changlong walked forward.

Giving Zhuo Fan a look from beyond the others, Han Yunfeng's eyes narrowed. His body shook, and with a reverberating roar, a blue hundreds of meters tall winged lion appeared in a flash of light.

With its appearance, the temperature dropped sharply, and a biting wind formed that chilled one to the bone.

The crowd cried out.

[That's Han Yunfeng's soul?]

At once, the audience was boiling.

Everyone knew the soul was an Ethereal Stage expert's strongest weapon but also its weakness. So unless they had no choice, the fight was to the death, or they did not fear a heavy injury, the average man would not take it out.

Since if the soul was finished, so were you!

So even in the middle three sects round, the audience had not once seen Ethereal Stage experts taking out their souls. Even when Ren Cong was being pummeled from all around, he would rather have his cultivation sealed than show his soul in fear of having it crushed.

No one imagined that in the second stage of the middle three sects challenge round, Han Yunfeng would actually lay his soul bare at the very start. He was ready to go all out!

"Elder brother!" His younger brothers cried in panic.

Han Yunfeng waved them not to worry, his face hard, "They are all tough opponents. I have to go all out from the start, or if the time drags out, it will work against me."

"Ha-ha-ha, what a brave man you are, eldest young master of Demon Soul Sect. Then allow me to accompany you with my own soul." Qi Changlong laughed and felt as if he had met a kindred spirit. His body shook, and yellow light spilled from him.

In a blink, a huge seal of sixty meters appeared overhead, giving an oppressive feeling.

Wu Qingqiu's brow shook, and he cried, "It's actually a rarely seen tool soul, the Seal of Upheaval!"

"Correct. Souls are commonly divided into beast souls, elemental souls, and domain souls. As for this tool soul, despite being rare, it is on the same level as a beast soul. And Han Yunfeng's soul is that of Ascending Howling Lion. Of bitter cold and extreme yin, the opposite of the seal's extreme yang. This makes it that the match will be decided on the strength of their souls!" Yan Mo nodded as he analyzed.

Ye Lin looked from the side, bored. "It's Han Yunfeng's win."

"Why?" Startled, the two turned to him. Reason dictated it should be Qi Changlong who won since he had the higher cultivation.

Ye Lin huffed, "Because he stakes his life!"

Bam!

The loud sound came just as Ye Lin finished. Ascending Howling Lion and the Seal of Upheaval clashed in a terrifying rumble.

However, in that short exchange, the Seal of Upheaval had five claw marks, with ice spreading around them.

Pff!

Qi Changlong shook all over and spat blood. At the same time, he took back his soul. He cupped his hands in admiration. "Respect!"

"You're too kind." Han Yunfeng returned his gesture even as his brow was soaked.

Should this be his victory? He was, in fact, the more injured party of the two.

Zhuo Fan's brow shook, and he admired Han Yunfeng.

[The kid is a damn feisty guy. He's unlike those fake young masters from sects and even staked his life on the first attack. His upbringing must have had a heavy role to play in it.]

[Demon Soul Sect is remarkable.]

Wu Qingqiu's brow shook as well, "How can there be a fight like this in this day and age? As the forefathers say, 'pride comes before the fall.' Even in a life and death struggle, one holds back some energy just in case, to change the tides and win or escape. But this guy had put up all he had and more, cutting off all his paths. If he couldn't have shaken off his opponent in the first strike, he would have been dead by now. The guy is ruthless! "

"He is staking his life just for the chance to fight him. How can you guys even understand him?"

Ye Lin mocked, "He has to fight six people, even in rounds. Even if he comes out victorious, he will be exhausted to death. The only way to save energy is to go out in full force. While he gives his life in every exchange, his opponent doesn't have the nerve to meet him. This leaves him with a margin to win and conserve his strength. But even so, one cannot say just how much energy he'd have left in the end.

"By the way, Yan Mo, you said you wanted to spar with senior brother. But do you have the courage and thirst as he does?" Ye Lin asked Yan Mo.

Yan Mo's brow shook as he watched the next fight. This time Bai Lian went forth only to be defeated in one strike. But even though he saw Han Yunfeng panting, Yan Mo shook his head with no admiration for the man.

[This guy is consumed with cultivation.]

[Doesn't the demonic path contain obsession as well? This is the road he is walking!]

Huff~

Despite having only struck twice in the valley, Han Yunfeng was breathing heavily, his head soaked in sweat.

His brothers rushed over to help him. "Brother, are you alright? Let's just forget it. They're making it hard for you and toy with you. With the way you are now, what's the point of defeating the six of them when you won't be able to even stand? This is pointless!"

With a slight twitch of his eyebrows, Han Yunfeng slowly looked at Zhuo Fan, only to see his solemn face and bland look. As if he looked down on him.

Taking risks despite knowing it would fail was useless!

But when Wen Tao's words came to him, that cultivation meant going against the natural order. If he lost this chance to fight the strongest, he would feel regret for the rest of his days.

Han Yunfeng once again straightened his back and took a deep breath as he stared at Zhuo Fan.

[Even if you do not put me in your eyes, mine will always be on you. My cultivation will never stop!]

"Yes, that's the way, demonic young master!"

Wen Tao spoke as he witnessed the fights. "This fight isn't to defeat him but to prove you fear no challenge. This is the only way you can go further!"

Xie Tianshang, next to him, looked at Han Yunfeng and then at Zhuo Fan. He nodded.

Just like when he set Zhuo Fan as his rival, it wasn't to surpass him per se, but for himself to never stop pushing forward…