Whoosh!
The metallic and lightning sounds came to an abrupt stop. Zhuo Fan’s expression was one of focus as he halted his wings while You Guiqi was nowhere in sight.
A sound broke the silence and Zhuo Fan’s heart seized, he instinctively bent his wings.
Ding!
His wings blocked the sneak attack of the chains from behind but a cold needle was speeding at his back.
It was You Guiqi with his 3rd-grade demonic treasure, Twisted Needle!
“He-he-he, runt, what are you going to do now?” You Guiqi snickered.
Zhuo Fan’s wings were occupied with the Yin Yang Chains. The 3rd-grade demonic treasure’s attack came at an impeccable timing, right when Zhuo Fan’s movement was sealed.
Not even You Guiqi could get out of this one if he was in Zhuo Fan’s place.
But Zhuo Fan only muttered, “Mystifying Phantom Step!”
Whoosh!
He vanished from his place and the chains along with the Twisted Needle lost their target, throwing You Guiqi off-balance.
Then Zhuo Fan came from behind using his wings as axes aiming for You Guiqi’s neck.
Ding!
With a crisp sound, the wings and Yin Yang Chains clashed again. But this time, their roles were reversed.
The situation flipped in a blink, with Zhuo Fan now pressing his advantage!
Even Jian Suifeng was affected by this sudden turn. Hell Valley’s number one sage, You Guiqi, was driven to a corner by a youth.
“Seventh elder, how does it feel to be on the receiving end of a sneak attack?” Zhuo Fan’s wings pushed against the Yin Yang Chains until You Guiqi leaned backward, “If I also had a 3rd-grade demonic treasure, you’d be dead by now. Yet despite your efforts and the golden opportunity, I’m still alive and kicking, so to speak.”
You Guiqi’s face flushed and was gasping heavily to ease the rage within him.
Zhuo Fan’s words were an affront to his title.
You Guiqi wasn’t powerful because of his cultivation, but because of his title as Insidious Demon, the number one sage of Hell Valley.
Yet Zhuo Fan was mocking his pride. The same as saying [If I were you, I would’ve long killed my opponent with a sneak attack and wouldn’t need to waste time chatting them up!]
This was the worst humiliation You Guiqi ever suffered.
One may mock his character, his devious nature, yet he would take them all as badges of honor. But never ever would he allow one to insult his intelligence. That was where he drew the line.
Anyone who mocked him for a fool, he would make sure to give them a fate worse than death.
Yet Zhuo Fan had him beaten at every corner and kept mocking him, with him powerless to prevent it. This brought a never felt feeling of resentment.
“Don’t get too cocky, damn runt!”
You Guiqi’s anger reached a breaking point. His Yuan Qi exploded, flinging Zhuo Fan’s wings aside.
Then, he swirled his chains at Zhuo Fan leaving behind afterimages.
You Guiqi was at peak speed and with the added effect of the Yin Yang Chains, he reached a new height.
Zhuo Fan remained calm as he laughed. His figure darted around with the help of Mystifying Phantom Step and his wings, moving even faster than You Guiqi.
The people were once again bearing witness to afterimages and metallic sounds clashing with streaks of lightning, but never a clear image of any of the two’s bitter fight.
They flashed across the entire plaza, one moment to the east, the next to the west. Flashing in every direction possible and even around the Bone Tempering guards.
But since the people could only hear them and not see, they stood there in fear. One slip, one errant move from their part and only pieces would remain of them.
“Eighth elder, how does it look?”
When You Guiqi and Zhuo Fan were at a standstill with demonic treasures, Xie Tianyang could grasp some of the situation. But as the matter devolved to such a state, he was unable to see them and had to defer to Jian Suifeng’s assessment.
Jian Suifeng however gestured for Xie Tianyang’s silence as he focused his all on the fight.
After one huge boom, two figures reappeared.
Zhuo Fan crossed his hands casually, standing in the same spot, while You Guiqi was gasping for breath. Zhuo Fan’s nonchalant attitude left not only him but also Jian Suifeng, in shock.
“W-who won?” Xie Tianyang knew but still couldn’t help ask.
Jian Suifeng was solemn, “Soon you will know.”
Thunderous booms echoed and a score of Bone Tempering guards were struck down by lightning. It burst their heads and liquefied their organs.
The other guards fled for fifty meters in anxiety while You Guiqi and Zhuo Fan stood across each other, having known of this long ago.
“W-what’s happening?” Xie Tianyang darted his eyes to the corpses in fear.
Jian Suifeng’s eyes never left Zhuo Fan as he spoke in a grave tone, “Tianyang, your friend is terrifying. I’ve never seen anyone like him. That You Guiqi, he has never suffered as much as he has now.”
Xie Tianyang didn’t understand, but Jian Suifeng continued, “In their clashes, You Guiqi was giving his all. They attacked each other again and again and made me believe Zhuo Fan was also fighting with everything. Then suddenly, his speed jumped. But…”
“But what?” Xie Tianyang seemed impatient.
Jian Suifeng revealed an imperceptible smile, “But instead of ending this battle, he dragged You Guiqi around, killing guards right under You Guiqi’s eyes.”
Xie Tianyang was startled, “Why do this? Why didn’t he finish the old man off if he had the chance?”
“Ha-ha-ha, this is where the kid is truly terrifying.”
Jian Suifeng’s eyes shook and he turned serious, “He did it to mock that old fool. An elder was led by the nose by a snot-nosed brat, killing a score of his men yet powerless to stop it. You Guiqi, known as the Insidious Demon, was played around by a Bone Tempering kid as a cat plays with a mouse. Will there be any pride left in him after this?”
“Zhuo Fan and You Guiqi are the same. Offending such a person would invite a world of suffering. Because their revenge isn’t limited to killing you, but robbing you of all you hold dear, including pride. Death only comes after there is nothing left to plunder.”
Jian Suifeng suddenly laughed, feeling all his grievances get washed away, “Only evil can fight evil! You Guiqi was despicable in his ways for too long, and today he met his match in a little demon who has a heart just as black as his! How refreshing!”
Jian Suifeng’s laughter rang in everyone’s ears and jarred You Guiqi’s. The later was burning with rage and was close to spewing blood. He felt miserable every time he saw Zhuo Fan standing smug.
Zhuo Fan’s power exceeded his predictions by far.
In the first move itself, he discovered that Zhuo Fan had surpassed him. He not only treated this fight as a spar but also had the leisure to kill his men.
Zhuo Fan left him powerless. Especially when it came to schemes, where Zhuo Fan was at his level, if not higher.
You Guiqi felt his head hurt, feeling weak and feeble for the first time.
[No, this can’t end like this! If this gets dragged on for long, he will kill me. I need to end it in one blow!] You Guiqi had a plan in mind but didn’t know if it would work, especially in Zhuo Fan’s case. But he was left with no choice.
His eyes flashed and flung the chains at Zhuo Fan.
“This thing won’t work on me.” Zhuo Fan smirked, readying his wings.
But the Yin Yang Chains veered off from him at the last minute, aiming for Xue Ningxiang.
Xue Ningxiang was rooted in fear, but Zhuo Fan appeared before her in a flash of lightning and flung the chains with his wings.
“Ha-ha-ha, I see it now!”
You Guiqi laughed hysterically, “Zhuo Fan, oh Zhuo Fan, I found your weakness. In the Allbeast Mountain Range, you ingrained a deep fear in these old bones with your constant attacks, so I thought you came this time seeking revenge. But now I see it was all for her.”
“And you think this changes anything? You will die just as well.” Zhuo Fan stated.
“Humph, if you bore the same ruthlessness you showed before, I would have some misgivings. But you care for this girl and placed victory in my grasp, ha-ha-ha…”