Chapter 103
Chapter 103: The Little Boat of Friendship Capsizes Just Like That
The two giant ships advanced at a steady pace as if by tacit agreement, drawing ever closer.
Cheng Xiao Feng flew out from his ship, and from the Sky Piercing Sect’s ship there rose to meet him a white-haired elder.
Seeing who had come, Cheng Xiao Feng laughed heartily and greeted him: “Elder Wu, long time no see. How have you been lately?”
“Haha, all is well enough,” Elder Wu replied with a smile, stroking his beard lightly. “An old set of bones such as mine needs to get out and move around now and then.”
Cheng Xiao Feng kept things cordial and offered: “Since we have run into each other by chance, why not travel together. It is good to have company on the road.”
“Naturally,” said Elder Wu with a nod.
After a few more pleasantries, Elder Wu steered the conversation elsewhere: “I hear your esteemed sect has recently produced a formidable Outer Sect disciple who, while only at the Qi Refining Stage, fought Foundation Establishment Stage direct disciples and won three matches in a row. A genius young man indeed.”
Cheng Xiao Feng’s expression flickered for the briefest moment. He disguised it with an even tone: “Just rumors growing legs as they run. Why, Elder Wu, are you paying attention to the little squabbles among juniors?”
Elder Wu shook his head: “It is not that I pay them heed. It is that a few new disciples of mine are extraordinarily talented and rather proud by nature. When they heard your sect had a genius like that, they very much wished to exchange pointers.”
He smiled slightly and continued: “Might your sect grant the chance to meet him first?”
Cheng Xiao Feng was thinking how to refuse when Elder Wu added with meaning: “It seems that disciple is called Cheng Bu Fan. The name is identical to Elder Cheng’s beloved son.”
Cheng Xiao Feng’s face showed nothing, and he still chuckled pleasantly: “Is that so? I only just returned to the sect and do not usually involve myself in the juniors’ scuffles. Since your disciples are keen to spar, let them come over and meet him.”
He smiled on the surface, but inwardly he was amused. [Well now. That brat’s trouble has arrived sooner than expected.]
Cheng Xiao Feng agreed to let a few Sky Piercing Sect disciples come aboard the Heaven’s Evolution Sect’s giant ship.
Elsewhere, Cheng Bu Fan suddenly sneezed.
“Damn it, who is plotting against this young master,” he muttered, then went right back to playing cards with Rong Shu and Fu Yong Kang.
A short while later.
As the three of them were deep into a game of Fight the Landlord, a commotion sounded from the bow. Someone was calling for “Cheng Bu Fan.”
“Which one of you is Cheng Bu Fan!”
“Bring out Cheng Bu Fan. I want to see him!”
Fu Yong Kang glanced over at Cheng Bu Fan and said curiously: “Cheng Bu Fan, I think someone is looking for you.”
By now, over twenty slips of white paper were stuck to Cheng Bu Fan’s face. Rong Shu and Fu Yong Kang also had a few, but Cheng Bu Fan had lost the most and wore the most.
Eager to play another round, Cheng Bu Fan scowled at hearing someone shout his name and immediately felt annoyed. [Which bastard is yelling for me? Can’t you see this young master is in the middle of serious business?]
“Shall we go and have a look?” suggested Fu Yong Kang.
Rong Shu blinked. [It has nothing to do with me, but I do not mind watching.]
“Go,” said Cheng Bu Fan, tearing off the slips from his face. He stood first and strode off toward the source of the voices.
Rong Shu and Fu Yong Kang followed.
On the foredeck, three Sky Piercing Sect disciples were questioning the nearby Heaven’s Evolution Sect disciples: “We heard your sect has an exceptional Outer Sect disciple who could defeat a direct disciple across realms, and he did it three times in a row. We want to meet this Cheng Bu Fan.”
At that, the Heaven’s Evolution Sect disciples looked at one another with peculiar expressions.
Though months had passed since the incident with Rong Shu and Cheng Bu Fan, the disciples still remembered it clearly.
After all, in recent years the sect had gone to the trouble of amending a sect regulation purely because of those two.
That leaves an impression on anyone.
So when the Sky Piercing Sect disciples spoke with such gravity about “defeating a direct disciple across realms as an Outer Sect disciple,” the Heaven’s Evolution Sect disciples could only feel more awkward.
What do you mean, defeating a direct disciple across realms?
Cheng Bu Fan, that brat.
He was obviously bullying the weak. He was a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator. No matter how much of a slacker he might be, how could he possibly lose to a first-level Qi Refining cultivator?
It was hardly something glorious, and yet the Sky Piercing disciples spoke as if it were.
For a moment, some of the Heaven’s Evolution Sect disciples even wondered if there might be another Cheng Bu Fan with the same name.
Had the Sky Piercing disciples simply come to the wrong person?
“Hey, do you lot know where Cheng Bu Fan is or not?” snapped the Sky Piercing disciple who had been shouting, patience wearing thin.
Just then, Cheng Bu Fan arrived.
“Who is looking for this young master?” he said, emerging from the crowd and giving the three Sky Piercing disciples a casual once-over.
Two were late-stage Foundation Establishment, one was early-stage Foundation Establishment.
The leader of the Sky Piercing trio looked at Cheng Bu Fan and asked: “You are Cheng Bu Fan?”
“Exactly,” said Cheng Bu Fan, hands on his hips.
“Good,” the Sky Piercing disciple said with obvious delight. Then, without preamble: “I challenge you.”
Cheng Bu Fan’s mind went blank for a beat.
Challenge… what challenge?
A step behind, Rong Shu had already sensed that something was off.
These people were Sky Piercing Sect disciples.
To board the Heaven’s Evolution Sect’s giant ship, they must have received permission from Peak Master Cheng and the others.
The Sky Piercing disciple explained solemnly: “Are you not the genius who defeated a direct disciple? We came admiring your name to ask for guidance.”
“Huh?” said Cheng Bu Fan, instinctively turning his head toward Rong Shu.
No one.
He spun around to look for her and discovered that at some point Rong Shu and Fu Yong Kang had retreated far away, wearing the look of spectators who “did not know Cheng Bu Fan” in the slightest.
Cheng Bu Fan’s mouth twitched.
Fu Yong Kang was one thing.
But you too, Rong Shu!
[The little boat of friendship capsizes just like that!]
“Hey, are you scared?” the Sky Piercing disciple needled. “Do you not dare to compete?”
“Ha,” Cheng Bu Fan shot back without thinking. “Scared, this young master? It is just inconvenient to fight on a ship. If you have any guts, wait until we reach Cloud Link City and challenge me then.”
“Fine,” said the three Sky Piercing disciples as they exchanged looks. The leader added, “However, I am late-stage Foundation Establishment, while you are merely at the Qi Refining Stage—”
“What Qi Refining Stage?” Cheng Bu Fan cut in with an eye roll. “This young master is a genius. I already broke through in the past few months. I am early-stage Foundation Establishment now.”
The Sky Piercing disciple’s face sank: “What a big mouth you have.”
“Why not?” Cheng Bu Fan puffed out his chest. “This young master has defeated a direct disciple.”
To the Sky Piercing disciples, that sounded perfectly reasonable. Generally, a direct disciple would indeed be at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
But those Heaven’s Evolution Sect disciples who knew the inside story felt a pang of secondhand embarrassment as they watched Cheng Bu Fan brag on and on.
He could really blow hot air.
He could make the false sound so true.
“It is only a late-stage Foundation Establishment,” said Cheng Bu Fan loftily. “I can handle you in the blink of an eye.”
He had decided to go all in. First, put them in their place.
If he could be smug for a second, he would be smug for a second.
As for whatever came after… who cared.
“Hmph,” the Sky Piercing disciple snorted. “Then we will be waiting for you in Cloud Link City. Do not turn into a turtle hiding in its shell.”
“I should be the one advising you,” Cheng Bu Fan retorted with a roll of his eyes. “Do not bully the weak and then lose anyway, only to feel so ashamed you slit your own throat to atone.”
The Sky Piercing disciples’ faces darkened. Knowing they could not win with words, they had no choice but to leave.
On their way back to the Sky Piercing ship, the three discussed Cheng Bu Fan in low voices.
“He broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage in a short time and is representing Heaven’s Evolution Sect in the competition. He must be extraordinary.”
“Good thing we came to probe him. Otherwise we would still think he was only Qi Refining Stage.”
“If we can defeat him, then by a fair rounding, it means I, too, have defeated one of Heaven’s Evolution Sect’s direct disciples, a heaven-favored genius.”
“Haha, we will challenge him one after another when the time comes.”
“Agreed.”
Back on the Heaven’s Evolution Sect’s foredeck, after finishing his exchange of barbs, Cheng Bu Fan turned to settle accounts with his so-called friends.
Rong Shu clapped briskly, eyes bright: “Wow, Senior Brother Cheng, you were so handsome just now.”
“Too awesome, bro,” echoed Fu Yong Kang.
“When I am on stage being beaten black and blue, I will look handsome then as well,” said Cheng Bu Fan, rolling his eyes.
Rong Shu gave an awkward little smile.
“Come on, come on, back to cards,” Fu Yong Kang called.
The promise of cards cheered Cheng Bu Fan up at once: “Let’s go. This time I will definitely beat you.”
As for having appointments to fight… he had expected that before he ever came.
If he had been afraid, he would not have come to the grand competition at all.
Elsewhere, in a shadowed corner of the giant ship, three Heaven’s Evolution Sect disciples at the tenth level of Qi Refining stood stiffly before a mysterious masked man.
They had no idea who he was. Not long ago, he had suddenly sought them out to propose a deal.
His features were hidden behind the mask, and he kept his voice low when he spoke: “Do you understand what you must do?”
The three nodded: “We understand.”
“There will be an opportunity very soon,” the masked man said. “So long as you do this cleanly, you will have all the cultivation resources you want afterward.”
The three brightened and promised in quick succession: “Got it, got it. We will get it done.”
The masked man gave one final reminder: “Remember, do it quietly. When it is over, push everything onto the Demonic Cultivators.”
“Understood, understood…”
After the three left, the masked man removed his mask, revealing the face of Huo Yi Han.
From a darker, more hidden corner, Feng Lin stepped out and asked: “Have you made contact on the Sky Piercing side? Is Elder Wu’s precious granddaughter truly reliable?”
Huo Yi Han’s expression did not change: “Do not worry. She will do exactly as we wish.”
Even with the reassurance, Feng Lin still did not spare Huo Yi Han a pleasant look: “That face of yours has duped quite a few women.”
Huo Yi Han paid it no mind and went on: “When the time comes, those three must be dealt with as well. Senior brother, you will not get soft, will you?”
Feng Lin held his gaze for several seconds, then said: “I will act as if I know nothing of this. What you do, you must clean up. Leave no traces that could implicate Ruan Ruan.”
With that, Feng Lin turned and left.
Huo Yi Han watched his back for a moment, then tilted his head and looked off into the distant sky, eyes faint and unreadable, thoughts known only to himself.
Two days later, Elder Wu sought out Cheng Xiao Feng again.
Being told that Elder Wu was looking for him, Cheng Xiao Feng was a little surprised: “Elder Wu? What can I do for you?”
Elder Wu got straight to the point: “Not far ahead there is a small town called Black Wind Town. The folk there are simple and honest, the people live in peace and contentment.”
“However, investigations have revealed a Demonic Cultivator stronghold in that area. Black Wind Town is merely their facade to the outside world, a place made to seem like a carefree Peach Blossom Spring to lower their profile.”
At this, Cheng Xiao Feng’s demeanor grew a shade more stern.
“What is the current situation with that stronghold?”
Elder Wu continued: “It is not a major Demonic Cultivator base. Not long ago, we learned that the only Nascent Soul Stage Demonic Cultivator stationed there left. At present, there are only a dozen or so Golden Core Stage Demonic Cultivators sitting in garrison.”
“Shall we send disciples down to get some practice? Consider it a warm-up before the grand competition.”
Cheng Xiao Feng thought for a moment, then asked: “Is the information accurate?”
“Naturally,” Elder Wu said with certainty.
Inwardly, Elder Wu felt both helpless and proud.
His precious granddaughter had uncovered this by accident during her training outside.
He had been startled when he learned of it, afraid something might have happened to her during the investigation.
Cheng Xiao Feng nodded: “Alright.”
“Send the Golden Core Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage disciples. Have them act in teams, each team led by at least five Golden Core cultivators to ensure safety.”
“In addition, both sects must dispatch several Nascent Soul Elders to protect these junior disciples from the shadows.”
“Agreed,” said Elder Wu.
“There is a Maple Leaf City not far from Black Wind Town. The remaining Qi Refining Stage disciples can go there to look around,” he added.
Cheng Xiao Feng nodded: “Mn.”
The disciples had been cooped up on the giant ship for quite some time. It would be good to let them off to move around.
Even so, for the Qi Refining disciples, elders should still watch over them in secret against any contingency.
After that, Cheng Xiao Feng went to consult Jun Xiu Ran and several elders about the matter.
Jun Xiu Ran did not normally bother with such mundane affairs, which was why Elder Wu had approached Cheng Xiao Feng first.
But this was important, and Cheng Xiao Feng had to inform Jun Xiu Ran.
Cheng Xiao Feng looked to Jun Xiu Ran and said: “Immortal Venerable, follow those disciples heading for the stronghold from the shadows. If anything unexpected occurs, you can respond immediately.”
Jun Xiu Ran gave a small nod: “Alright.”
Ruan Ruan was now also at the Foundation Establishment Stage and would be going to exterminate the Demonic Cultivators.
He would not feel at ease letting her go alone.
Even if Cheng Xiao Feng had not asked, he would have volunteered.
“Good. The rest of you will protect the Qi Refining disciples…”
“…”