After I knocked Cultivator Aiden unconscious and won the duel, I took stock of my current condition. The smell of burning flesh, my flesh, clogged my nostrils. My body ached all over and the wound I received from Cultivator Aiden’s final attack made it difficult to breathe. Every time I inhaled and exhaled, pain lanced through my chest. The copper-and-salt taste of blood coated my tongue.

  I stopped using Living Candle. The moment I did, exhaustion washed over me. The duel with Cultivator Aiden had been short, but intense. Right now, I needed a meal and a nap. However, that would have to wait until later.

  I looked around at the crowd of disciples that surrounded Cultivator Diana’s barriers. It was even larger than when the duel started. More must have arrived while Cultivator Aiden and I fought.

  A shocked silence filled the air as the crowd stared at me with varying expressions on their faces. Some looked impressed, others looked horrified, and a few regarded with wariness, as if I were a potential threat.

  Cultivator Diana just gaped at me with her mouth hanging open. Elliot looked at me with an impatient expression on his face. Meanwhile, Cultivator Aiden’s two companions, Ratty and Fatty, stared at him with undisguised concern.

  “Well?” I said, looking at Cultivator Diana. “Aren’t you going to call it?”

  My words snapped her out of her daze.

  “The winner of this duel is Darian Wind Dance!” She said. At first her voice was weak, but grew in strength as she spoke.

  No one reacted to her declaration right away. They all stared at me in silence, until one person started to cheer. It spread like wildfire, until almost everyone joined in. The sound washed over me like a wave. A few, I noticed, remained silent. There were three of them. They were the ones who regarded me as a threat earlier.

  Cultivator Diana took down the barrier created by her array. The moment she did, Elliot rushed over to me while Ratty and Fatty rushed over to Cultivator Aiden.

  “Young Master!”

  “Senior Brother Aiden!”

  Elliot started fussing over me, but I waved him off.

  “I’m fine.” I said.

  Elliot narrowed his eyes at me, before he poked my wound. I sucked in a breath at the pain, which just made things worse.

  “You call this fine?” He demanded in a cold voice.

  “It’s not bleeding,” I pointed out. “The fire cauterized the wound.”

  When I saw the look in his eyes, I took a few steps away, to avoid getting poked in the side again.

  “Don’t worry,” I said, “I’ll be fine after taking a few Healing Pills.”

  Elliot continued to watch me through narrowed eyes, not saying a word. I sighed.

  “Fine,” I said, “I’ll go see Harlow. Happy?”

  After a moment, Elliot nodded with a satisfied expression on his face. I shook my head. Who was the master and who was the servant here?

  “Let’s go.” I said.

  I removed a Healing Pill from my storage ring and popped it into my mouth. Warmth filled my body as the pill started healing my injuries. Afterwards, I started walking off. However, I stopped before I took more than a few steps.

  “Oh. Right. My prize.”

  I walked over to Cultivator Aiden’s red saber, which lay on the ground next to him, and picked it up. Ratty, who was tending to Cultivator Aiden, ignored me. Fatty, on the other hand, noticed my actions.

  “Hey!” He protested.

  I snarled at him. Fatty’s expression faltered and he backed away. I snorted, before I placed the red saber in my storage ring. Right now, I couldn’t use it, since it was still bonded to Cultivator Aiden. It would take time to sever that bond, unless he severed it for me. Somehow, I doubted he would.

  At first I intended to sell the flaming red saber, since high-grade magic treasure fetched a good price. However, now that I knew it was a flying magic treasure, I intended to keep it for myself. While I had zero talent with weapons, I could still direct flying swords and the like.

  After retrieving my prize, I moved to leave the Dawnfire’s top deck. However, three cultivators intercepted me and stood in my way. It was the same group of three who remained silent earlier and regarded me as a threat. Elliot placed himself in front of me and hissed at them. The other disciples on the top deck, realizing that there might be another confrontation, gave us a wide berth.

  I studied the trio. All three were in early Foundation Establishment, and each of them belonged to a different hall. The one in the lead was a thin young man with pale skin, short dark hair, and dark eyes. He was handsome, but there was something sinister and off-putting about him. He wore the black uniform of Black Heart Hall.

  Two women stood behind him. One was a young woman, who was even thinner and had even paler skin than the young man, with long blond hair and emerald green eyes. Her features were rather plain, and the air of desolation and death that surrounded her did little to improve her appearance. She wore the black and gray uniform of Restless Grave Hall.

  The other woman looked a bit older, in her early to mid thirties. She had a toned physique, with tanned skin, medium length brown hair, and brown eyes. In terms of appearance, she looked more beautiful than the blond young woman. It helped that she didn’t have a deathly pallor. She wore the five-colored uniform of Five Divine Pillars Hall, with gray and blue being the most predominant colors.

  Black Heart Hall. Restless Grave Hall. Five Divine Pillars Hall. And then there was Cultivator Aiden, who belonged to Celestial Warrior Hall. All in all, I suspected that this trio, and Cultivator Aiden, were disciples of the elders who opposed my family. Unless they had a death wish, or wanted to make a name for themselves, who else would blatantly provoke me like this?

  “What do you want?” I demanded.

  I was tired and injured, so I forewent the usual formalities. The two young women bristled at my tone. The young man in the lead, however, maintained his composure.

  “Greetings, Cultivator Darian,” he said, plastering a fake smile onto his face, “I’m-…”

  “I don’t care who you are.” I growled, cutting him off. “Tell me what you want, or get out of my way.”

  The young man’s expression stiffened. The woman from Five Divine Pillars Hall reared up, her nostrils flaring.

  “How dare you show Brother Desolate Gale such disrespect?” she demanded. “Who do you think you are?”

  I barked out a laugh, which I regretted right away since it agitated the wound in my side.

  “Why would I show respect for cowards who decided to wait until I was injured and tired before confronting me?” I asked in a mocking tone.

  Cultivator Desolate Gale’s expression darkened, while the two young women behind him looked ready to attack me. However, to my surprise, the former took a deep breath and put on a composed expression. He gestured for the other two to back down. After a moment, they complied, though they looked unhappy about it.

  “Cultivator Darian,” he said, speaking in a polite tone, “You misunderstand. My companions and I aren’t here to confront you.”

  I snorted.

  “Then what do you want?” I asked. “Hurry up and tell me so I can leave.”

  Anger and frustration built up in my heart. Thanks to the Healing Pill I took earlier, I felt better than before. However, I still wasn’t in the best condition. The sooner this conversation ended, the better. A part of me considered just pushing past them, but I decided against it. There was only so much blatant disrespect I could get away with. I was already pushing the line, if I hadn’t crossed it already.

  “Simple,” Cultivator Desolate Gale said. “Please return Brother Aiden’s Crimson Scorching Saber to him. It was a gift from his master.”

  I scoffed.

  “Why would I do that?” I asked.

  “You already defeated Brother Aiden. There wasn’t any need to rob him as well.”

  The woman from Five Divine Pillars Hall clicked her tongue.

  “Not that I expected better from a brute.” She muttered under breath.

  Considering that cultivators had sharper senses than mortals, she intended for me to hear that. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said anything at all. The anger and frustration in my heart grew even stronger, though I kept them in check with great difficulty.

  “You are laboring under a misunderstanding, Cultivator Desolate Wind.” I said, keeping my voice calm despite the situation. “I didn’t steal Cultivator Aiden’s Crimson Scorching Saber. I won it from him fair and square in a wager.” I nodded to the disciples on the top deck. “If you don’t believe me, ask anyone here. They’ll say the same thing.”

  “It’s true.” Cultivator Diana said, nodding. She wore a riveted expression on her face, as if she were watching a drama. Well, that wasn’t far from the truth.

  I smirked at Cultivator Desolate Wind.

  “If Cultivator Aiden didn’t want to lose his Crimson Scorching Saber, he shouldn't have accepted my wager.” I said. “No one forced him to.” All mirth drained from my face. “Now, get out of my way. I have no more patience to spare for you people.”

  Cultivator Desolate Gale and his two companions didn’t move. A part of me was tempted to order Elliot to force them aside. While they were no doubt elites and prodigies, they were still only at early Foundation Establishment. They were no match for Elliot, who was at late Foundation Establishment.

  “Are you sure about that?” Cultivator Desolate Gale asked. “After all, your family has a certain reputation within the Dawn and Dusk Sect. Brother Aiden must have felt pressured to accept your wager. He might have even feared for his safety.”

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  His words added fuel to the fire burning inside me. My anger and frustration exploded almost beyond my control. It took all of my willpower to not attack him right then and there. How dare this bastard accuse me of such underhanded behavior? I wanted to rip out his tongue and rend his limbs from his body.

  Wait a moment. Cultivator Desolate Gale’s words shouldn’t have angered me to this degree. Something wasn’t right. I tried to figure out what, but the anger and frustration made it difficult.

  “You go too far, Cultivator Desolate Gale.” Cultivator Diana said in a cold voice. “Cultivator Aiden accepted the wager of his own free will. There were no threats or coercion involved. I witnessed it myself.” She gestured to the other disciples on the top deck. “So did everyone here.”

  While they talked, I fought through the anger and frustration to figure out what was wrong with me. However, it proved elusive and difficult to pin down.

  “Did you witness their entire conversation?” Cultivator Desolate Gale asked.

  Cultivator Diana faltered at that.

  “No.” she admitted with some reluctance.

  “Then the threats and coercion may have happened before you and everyone here started paying attention to the conversation.”

  The other disciples on the top deck started murmuring to one another with uncertain expressions on their faces.

  “Even so, to accuse a fellow disciple like this without any proof goes beyond the pale,” Cultivator Diana said.

  “In that case, why don’t we wait until Brother Aiden wakes up?” Cultivator Desolate Gale asked. “I’m sure he will tell us the truth then.” He looked at me. “What do you think, Cultivator Darian?”

  I ignored him and continued to search for whatever was wrong with me.

  “Cultivator Darian?” Cultivator Desolate Gale asked.

  Wait a moment. Black Heart Hall. While I knew little about them, according to Big Sis Sidra, their techniques and arts focused on heart demons. What if…?

  I used my Soul Aegis Shield mystic art. The moment I did, clarity washed over me like cold water, dispelling my anger and frustration. While they didn’t disappear completely, they were no longer as strong as they were before.

  I searched around with my spirit sense and noticed a black thread connecting me to Cultivator Desolate Gale. It was so thin that I almost didn’t sense it. Cultivator Desolate Gale must have manipulated my emotions through this thread.

  Rage and disgust filled me.

  I used Soul Thorn Dagger, shaping my spirit sense into a barbed blade, before cutting the thread. Cultivator Desolate Gale stumbled back and stared at me with wide eyes.

  Before he could react further, I activated my Wind-Fire Boots and rushed towards him. When I reached him, I grabbed him by the throat and dashed backwards to my original position. He tried to pull free from my grip, to no avail. His two companions, caught off guard by my sudden attack, belatedly reacted.

  “If they interfere, cripple their cultivation.” I commanded in a harsh voice.

  “Yes, Young Master,” Elliot said, drawing his twin yellow sabers from his storage ring.

  The two women paused and stared at me with horrified expressions on their faces. Meanwhile, I slammed Cultivator Desolate Gale onto the ground. He let out a pained groan.

  “Cultivator Darian!” Cultivator Diana exclaimed. “What are you doing?”

  However, before I could answer, another voice rang out.

  “How dare you lay a hand on my disciple!”

  Shadows coalesced in the air above the Dawnfire’s top deck, forming into a man wearing in the Nascent Soul realm. He looked middle-aged, with pale skin and dark hair streaked with gray. His eyes were solid black, giving him an unnatural and eerie appearance. He wore the black robes of Black Heart Hall. Cultivator Desolate looked ecstatic to see him.

  “Elder Boundless Sorrow!” The woman from Five Divine Pillars shouted, a relieved smile on her face.

  Pressure slammed into me as Elder Boundless Sorrow released his aura, forcing me to my hands and knees. The gash in my side exploded with pain. I couldn’t breathe. My vision wavered and I almost fell unconscious. Despite this, I fought to stay awake and maintain my grip on Cultivator Desolate Gale’s throat. Elder Boundless Sorrow snorted when he saw this and raised his hand.

  “This has gone far enough. I have seen everything I needed to.”

  In the blink of an eye Sect Leader Twinheart stood beside me, as if appearing out of thin air.

  The moment Sect Leader Twinheart appeared, the pressure on me eased and I could breathe again. I took a moment to regain my composure, before I examined my current condition. I was fine, for the most part. However, a warm liquid dripped down my side and the smell of blood filled my nostrils. I realized that when Elder Boundless Sorrow slammed me down with his aura, he ripped open the gash in my side.

  While keeping on hand on Cultivator Desolate Gale’s throat, I reached into my storage ring and pulled out a Healing Pill, before swallowing it. Together with the one I took earlier, the two Healing Pills worked to mend my body. The bleeding stopped. After taking care of that, I cast my spirit sense out to take stock of the situation.

  Sect Leader Twinheart looked up at Elder Boundless Sorrow, who remained hovering in the air, with a stern expression on his face. The other disciples around us looked between the two with fearful and uncertain expressions on their faces. The situation escalated from a conflict among disciples, to a stand off between seniors within the Dawn and Dusk Sect. I doubt any of them had expected something like this to happen when they arrived at the Dawnfire’s top deck.

  “Everyone leave,” Sect Leader Twinheart ordered, “Except for those directly related to the matter at hand.”

  Everyone rushed to obey his command with relieved expressions on their faces. Cultivator Diana gave me a concerned look, before she joined them. Soon, the only ones left on the top deck were those related to this conflict, including Cultivator Aiden and his two friends.

  As soon as everyone else was gone, Sect Leader Twinheart raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A privacy barrier sprang into existence around everyone here, to ensure that no one overheard our conversation.

  “Elder Boundless Sorrow,” Sect Leader Twinheart said in a low voice, “What do you think you are doing? Someone of your status attacking a junior of our sect? You should be ashamed of yourself!”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow floated down, until his feet touched the top deck.

  “That junior attacked Desolate Gale!” he said, glaring at me with those solid black eyes of his. “I was merely defending my disciple.”

  Sect Leader Twinheart scoffed.

  “Don’t try to lie to me, Elder Boundless Sorrow.” He said. “I know exactly why you did what you did. However, even if I took you at face value, involving yourself in a conflict between juniors is still shameful.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow faltered at the sect leader’s words.

  “But Sect Leader!” The woman from Five Divine Pillars Hall cried out. “That brute attacked Brother Desolate Gale unprovoked! Any master in Elder Boundless Sorrow’s position would have reacted the same way.”

  I snarled.

  “It wasn’t unprovoked.” I growled, glaring down at Cultivator Desolate Gale. “This piece of trash tried to manipulate my emotions. That was clearly an attack upon my person.”

  The woman from Five Divine Pillars Hall sneered at me.

  “Do you have proof?” she asked. “Or are you merely trying to excuse your own vulgar behavior?”

  I looked up at the sect leader.

  “I’m sure you would be able to find traces of Cultivator Desolate Gale’s meddling if you looked, Sect Leader Twinheart,” I said. “After all, you were an elder of Black Heart Hall. You know what tricks they like to use.”

  With my spirit sense, I noticed the panicked expression on Cultivator Desolate Gales face.

  “Just admit your fault and stop wasting the sect leader’s time!” Elder Boundless Sorrow snapped.

  Sect Leader Twinheart cut him off by raising a hand.

  “May I, Martial Nephew Darian?” The sect leader asked me.

  I nodded. Sect Leader Twinheart walked over before putting a hand on my head. I felt his spirit sense search my being in a non-intrusive manner. There was something both benevolent and sinister about it, both sacred and profane. It felt familiar, even though this was the first time I ever felt the sect leader’s spirit sense. Was it because he was also a divine demon?”

  “He’s telling the truth,” Sect Leader Twinheart said in a grim voice, before looking at Elder Boundless Sorrow, “Your disciple attacked Martial Nephew Darian first.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow looked like he swallowed a lemon.

  “Even so, he shouldn’t have-…”

  “Enough!” Sect Leader Twinheart snapped. “Do you think I am blind? I know about what you and your cohorts have been doing. I know about your petty schemes. The only reason I haven’t interfered until now was because they were just that: petty. However, you forced my hand the moment you intervened in a conflict between juniors.” He scoffed. “Look around. Why do you think Vice Hall Master Sidra isn’t here? It’s because I asked her to give me a chance to speak some sense into you and your cohorts. Stop picking a fight with Hall Master Nova’s family.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them again.

  “Someone needs to keep them in check.” He said. “Hall Master Nova and her family took over Flame Fiend Hall in a mere six hundred years. If they had ended things there, that would have been fine. However, now they’re attempting to do the same with Celestial Warrior Hall. If nothing is done, they may end up controlling the entire Dawn and Dusk Sect. Is that what you want, Sect Leader Twinheart?”

  The sect leader let out a sigh.

  “I understand your concerns.” He said. “It’s your methods that I object to.” He gestured to everyone still on the top deck. “What was the goal here? Have your disciples provoke Martial Nephew Darian and use that as grounds to ban him from participating in the Rising Heroes Tournament?”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow didn’t respond. However, his silence was telling.

  “I thought as much.” Sect Leader Twinheart said. “Enough with the petty schemes and underhanded tactics. They won’t work. You’ll only provoke Hall Master Nova. Just stop, before it’s too late.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow narrowed his eyes at the sect leader.

  “Is that an order?” He asked.

  “A warning.” Sect Leader Twinheart said. “You sealed your fate the moment you harmed Martial Nephew Darian. However, if you stop now, you’ll only receive a beating. Otherwise…” He paused. “Well, you’re old enough to remember the last time Hall Master Nova went on a rampage.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow snorted.

  “I’m not afraid of Hall Master Nova,” he said, “Especially since she isn’t here right now.”

  Sect Leader Twinheart sighed.

  “I tried.” He said in a sorrowful tone. “With the ancestors as my witnesses, I tried.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow opened his mouth to reply. Before he could, something fell from the sky and landed in front of him. It took me a moment to realize it was a pile of bodies, all tangled together. There were three in total. They were battered and bloodied, with their limbs bent at odd angles. One of them let out a pained groan, and I realized that they were still alive. I didn’t know if this meant they were lucky or unlucky, given their current condition.

  After a moment, I realized that one of the bodies-… people in the pile was Elder Petrina of Restless Grave Hall. The other two were from Celestial Warrior Hall and Five Divine Pillars Hall. Wait a moment. Were these…?

  “Master?” The woman from Five Divine Pillars Hall said, staring at the pile of people in shock and horror.

  The young woman from Restless Grave Hall, who had faded into the background until this point, mirrored her. Their reactions confirmed my suspicion. The people in that pile were the elders who opposed my family. However, I doubted that would be the case after today.

  Elder Boundless Sorrow stared at the pile of people, which consisted of his cohorts, before he looked around in a blind panic; a far cry from bravado he displayed earlier.

  “Nova’s here!” He shouted. “Why didn’t you say she was here, Sect Leader Twinheart?”

  I looked around as well, but saw no traces of my mother.

  “I shouldn’t have needed to.” The sect leader said in a dry voice. “You should have behaved in the first place. Now, you can only blame yourself for what is about to happen.”

  Elder Boundless Sorrow flew up into the air, while also forming hand seals and speaking an incantation. However, before he could finish, the sound of a slap thundered out and he slammed into the ground. The shock wave from the slap and subsequent impact made everyone stumble back, except for Sect Leader Twinheart.

  Elder Boundless Sorrow tried to get up, but then my mother appeared out of nowhere and put a foot on his chest, pushing him down. The look on her face chilled me to my core. I had never seen her wear such a cold expression.

  “Hall Master Nova, mercy!” Elder Boundless Sorrow cried out in a strained voice. His face was swollen.

  My mother shook her head.

  “There is a saying that originates from a land far from here,” she said. “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” A malicious smile spread across her face. “How are you supposed to learn your lesson if I don’t etch it into your bones?”

  What followed was the most brutal beating I had ever witnessed in my entire life. My mother broke Elder Boundless Sorrow. That was the best word to describe what she did to him. He alternated between fighting back and begging for mercy, but neither worked. Most chilling of all, my mother laughed as she broke Elder Boundless Sorrow. I began to understand why they called her the Frenzied Fiend.

  Everyone who witnessed the beating, myself included, could only watch in horror. By the time my mother finished with him, Elder Boundless Sorrow resembled his cohorts. I even felt a little bad for him.

  ‘This should go without saying, Martial Nephew Darian,’ Sect Leader Twinheart said to me through telepathy, ‘But make sure not to anger your mother to this degree.’

  I nodded and vowed to never do something that stupid.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7