The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

The two great powers clashed and released constant explosions as they were in deadlock. Even so, the powers slowly weakened as time passed.

With a crack, Danqing Shen's sword soon vanished, while the Exalted Double Dragon's black and white dragon crumbled away.

Yet just as the attacks collapsed, a trace of power zipped between sides.

Pff!

A powerful dragon force hit Danqing Shen in the chest, making him groan and forcing him back as he spat blood.

Whoosh!

While two sharp sword waves whistled into the exalted. Unable to react, the waves passed through the exalted's shoulders and left two red lines.

As masters and disciple fought, it ended up with both sides suffering and neither getting the upper hand.

The crowd was astounded. Danqing Shen was the best in western lands for a reason. Now, two against one, and against his old masters, he still fought to a draw.

This however, left the three feeling complicated.

Exalted Hei Ran glanced at his shoulder and sighed, "Shen, just leave."

"Old timer…" Exalted Bai Mei looked at them then at the sacred mine having lost its familiar feel and sighed.

Danqing Shen's eyes shook. He wiped his mouth and looked at the imprint in his chest. He could feel his innards close to boiling as he sighed.

He and the exalted would only end up hurting each other. He could not defeat them, thus he could not take the sword.

[The Exalted are still thinking of western lands' peace, ha-ha-ha…]

Danqing Shen shook his head, giving a deep bow to the Exalted Double Dragons before vanishing. Seeing him leave, Exalted Double Dragon frowned, "Old timer, will you just let him take the sword?"

"With no trace of it coming from the cave, that means he must have it. He made a big ruckus and called us out just to prove that he could take the sword openly. However, even if he loses, I don't think he'll leave the sword behind."

Exalted Hei Ran shook his head and looked at his wound, "Two against one yet we're evenly matched. If he had taken out the sword, we'd have lost. Why didn't he?"

Exalted Bai Mei was worried, "Old timer, you're right. We had planned on giving him the sword, but just like he said, that old freak from the central area is on the move. If we don't have the lands' treasure…"

"What comes, will. So what if we had it, won't the old freak have one as well?"

Exalted Hei Ran shook his head, "When the old freak takes the central area's divine sword over to us, we'll still be of no match. It's better if we give it to Sheng, letting him fight for his beliefs. We'll have no regrets regardless of the outcome, since he's already stronger than us."

Exalted Bai Mei sighed as he agreed, "Yeah, last time we didn't protect his beliefs and forced him to leave. At least now, we can make amends by letting him take the sword. We sealed the entrance at the Heaven Reaching Pavilion yet never believed he would come out in the open and take the sword like this. Ha-ha-ha, what does it have to do with that old freak from the central area anyway? He just took it and left!"

Exalted Bai Mei seemed to have accepted this truth but then frowned, "But how on earth did he sneak in? Did he really slip in under our noses?"

"Ha-ha-ha, he took the sword so what difference does it make?" Exalted Hei Ran vanished, "We need to get in touch with the other three lands' experts, get ready for that old freak."

Exalted Bai Mei raised an eyebrow and nodded, vanishing as well.

Unfortunately, neither Danqing Shen nor Exalted Double Dragons figured out that it was just one giant misunderstanding.

The Exalted Double Dragons thought they lost so they left Danqing Shen thinking he already had the sword. But Danqing Shen always thought the exalted knew he came here so they took the sword on purpose, keeping it with them.

Adding to that the draw, Exalted Hei Ran let him leave, making him think this was their way of driving him away. Since he couldn't beat him, he wouldn't get the sword. That was why he left sadly.

Thus, the prized Atlas Sword of the western lands became an enigma. Danqing Shen thought it was with the exalted, while the exalted thought he had it.

They were both wrong though, as it was on Zhuo Fan all along.

When the exalted returned, they had the crowd disperse. Looking back at the screen, Zhuo Fan sighed.

[The misunderstanding took hold between them, and I am left getting away with it.]

Danqing Shen was still oblivious he'd been made the scapegoat.

[Nothing but the lack of communication!]

Zhuo Fan sighed inside.

Even though the two sides were master and disciple, since they broke it off, meeting again was a tense experience. The trio had to stick their pride out as well, so of course they ignored the trifles, leaving simple communication out of the equation.

It was the perfect setup for a big misunderstanding, what Zhuo Fan had hoped all along.

If Danqing Shen had heard Exalted Hei Ran's words after he left, he would've asked more about the sword and Zhuo Fan's plan would've unraveled.

While it wouldn't happen on the spot, the doubt in Danqing Shen would grow and would find him out sooner or later.

[A shame this expert is too prideful, too nice.]

Not winning meant he had no right to get the sword. Danqing Shen thought so and admitted defeat, leaving without a word.

[Ha-ha-ha, this way I can move about without a care.]

Zhuo Fan snickered inside as he stuck his chin out.

The fiends found it odd, "What's got you so perky all of a sudden?"

"Being the top middle-three sect isn't a cause for celebration? Ha-ha-ha…" Zhuo Fan quirked an eyebrow.

Ugh!

Fiend Yang looked lost, "But Exalted already announced our spot. How come you're happy only now?"

"Uhm, I just came to!" Zhuo Fan's eyes darted all over as he smiled.

Fiend Yang's eye twitched and rolled his eyes.

[This guy is being weird again. It's been said for an hour now and you're just reacting?]

[There's no way he's happy over that. But if he doesn't want to say it, whatever.]

The guys shrugged, then shook their heads. Sometimes, Steward Zhuo was just plain weird and sometimes mysterious.

They helped Zhuo Fan to get back to his room, planning on leaving once he recovered.

They had completed the Double Dragon Gathering mission and would be rewarded once they got back to the sect. The fiends couldn't wait to break the news back home.

"Zhuo Fan, get better while I settle the details with others about our bragging speech once we get home, ha-ha-ha…" Fiend Yang closed the door and laughed.

Zhuo Fan merely smiled.

The instant he was alone he heard someone, "Kid, you'd best leave as well in a few days. I find it hard to leave you even though we met for a few days."

Zhuo Fan jerked in fright. He wiped his head around to see Danqing Shen disappointed and drowning his sorrow with wine.

"S-senior, what are you doing back here?" Zhuo Fan's heart skipped a beat and gulped as he forced a smile.

[He didn't find out anything, right?]

Zhuo Fan was worried the old guy might have spotted something that gave him away.

Danqing Shen watched him through drunken eyes and sighed, "I failed in the end. The Exalted were on guard and took the sword. I could not take it."

"That can't be. I saw senior wounding the Exalted. Who else in western lands but senior is fit to have that sword?" He gave him a thumbs up and good flattery while being on guard as to why Danqing Shen was back here again…