Chapter 22: The Competition Begins
Tang Feng walked towards Xiao Yao after deactivating the technique he almost activated. He had initially planned on taking Xiao Yao's life and robbing him of his cultivation too, but he thought of using him to cultivate.
On getting to Xiao Yao, Tang Feng heard Xiao Yao muttering, "Ying'er, Ying'er..."
He said, causing Tang Feng to begin wondering, "Who is Ying'er?" He couldn't afford to think any longer about it, so he decided to wake Xiao Yao up and ask him.
When Tang Feng touched Xiao Yao, a punch—so fast an ordinary cultivator wouldn't be able to see it—headed towards Tang Feng. But Tang Feng had already predicted this would happen, so he raised his hand and held the punch.
The punch was so heavy that Tang Feng could barely hold it. He noticed that the strength behind it was many times more than the strength Xiao Yao had fought with earlier.
"This kid is still so strong even when unconscious?" Tang Feng said out loud, laughing hysterically, while pondering if he should take Xiao Yao in as his disciple. But the thought of reliving his past life experiences weighed on him and ate away at his soul, causing his face to darken.
He had no time to think further because another punch was coming his way—this time, harder and heavier than the last.
Irritated, Tang Feng blocked the attack and broke the hand, causing Xiao Yao to wake up with a jolt and scream in pain. Still seething, Xiao Yao realized he couldn't faze the man before him. He was about to attack Tang Feng again but froze when he saw the chilling look in his eyes.
"Come on, hit me again, I dare you," Tang Feng said, his voice cold and emotionless.
Xiao Yao, now frightened by the man in front of him, slowly withdrew his attack—a chill running down his spine.
Xiao Yao just sat there unmoving, like someone who had just had his life sucked out of him. Tang Feng used that time to compose himself. Turning around, he placed his hands behind his back.
"Stand up," he said coldly.
His words shook Xiao Yao to his feet. His head was bowed and his eyes were shaking from fear, but also because of rage.
"Something you want to say?" Tang Feng asked, his gaze boring a hole into Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao took a deep breath, hesitant to utter the words he intended to, but he braced himself.
"Senior, I don't care what happens to me, but I ask that you spare my little sister," he said, his tone soft and shaky.
"Your sister? Was it her name I heard you mumbling earlier?" Tang Feng asked, his gaze still cold.
"Answer to Senior, yes. She's suffering from a severe illness that has no cure," Xiao Yao said, his head still bowed.
"That's none of my business," Tang Feng simply said, brushing off the request and walking away.
But Xiao Yao wasn't giving up.
Xiao Yao held onto Tang Feng's robe, gripping it with all his strength.
"Get lost," Tang Feng said, exploding his chi, which sent Xiao Yao flying.
"Be grateful you get to keep your life. Chase after me again and I won't be so merciful," Tang Feng said, his voice cold, before flying off—leaving Xiao Yao alone to wallow in despair.
Xiao Yao got up, holding one of his arms—apparently broken during his fall. His eyes were blood red, and his expression was filled with rage as he squinted.
"Luo Zeng, this isn't over," he said, his voice thick and coated with anger.
---
Tang Feng headed back to the sect. The match was beneficial to him, but he also suffered a loss, considering he couldn't walk away with a new set of techniques. His face was down and his expression sour, but he kept a straight face and walked around the sect.
He couldn't put up with Zuo Hai, so he took the north gate. He sighed when he got in but heard a couple of outer disciples running.
"The competition is starting, come let's go take a look!" one of them said, running and pulling his companion along to where a crowd had gathered.
Tang Feng was curious as to what was causing the commotion, so he went to check it out.
There was a huge crowd ahead, with countless people cheering and yelling in anticipation.
"I heard that two of the sect's core disciples have personally come to take charge," one of the spectators said.
"That's true! And I also heard that the Twin Ivy Dragons are among them," another added.
When he said this, his companion was shocked.
"Oh my God! Is that true? Then there's bound to be a good show!" he said.
A female outer disciple who overheard their conversation pitched in. Tang Feng wasn't able to squeeze through the path, so he looked around for a platform he could climb to get a good view. He sighted a statue on the other side and decided to watch from there. He flew to the statue and sat at its base, which was high enough for him to see the huge platform—clearly used for fighting competitions.
"Quick, look, they have come!" one of the spectators shouted, alerting the crowd and causing an uproar.
Everyone looked in the direction the man pointed and saw two people flying toward them. Tang Feng also looked, watching as they flew so fast that only their silhouettes were visible. He was marveled by their strength but kept a straight face and watched.
The two figures—a male and a female—flew in at top speed. As they landed midair, they released their pressure, sending a huge wave that shook the surroundings and affected those below.
"Oh my God, they're so strong! As expected of the sect's core disciples," one of the spectators said.
"Welcome to the 83rd Inter-Sect Competition. My name is Qin Qingyin, and my companion's name is Bai Dong. I believe we all know what the rules are?" Qingyin began, earning a cheer from the already excited crowd.
She raised her hand, and everyone quieted down.
Then, after a short pause, she continued,
"The winners will move to the next round, while the losers will battle each other to fight for another chance in the competition. So even if you don't win, you can still fight for a spot."
She paused again, observing everyone's reaction. A smile lit up her face as she finally declared:
"Let the competition begin."