(102) Strict Old Hags
1040 Words
Ye Zen stood on his place. He made a stance, raised the sword in front of his chest and placed the tip on his other hand. It was just on time when the wave of qi reached him. A loud booming sound resonated. Some parts of the stage fell but Ye Zen appeared on the same place where he stood. His previous clean wisteria uniform was a bit ragged. Even his tied up hair went scattered below his waist region. Ye Zen find it troubling. He tore a portion of his sleeve and tied his hair upwards again.
"I thought only Zi Yingjun can push me to the edge. This Zi Gu Bo have some talent as well." he thought and quickly dodged another wave. Countless wave of lightning qi rushed to him. Ye Zen have to avoid them all. He cant risk countering it with a weapon made of steel. It will just transfer a current to him. Ye Zen kept sending wind forces to Zi Gu Bo but he can repel them. The rune symbols were still bright but Ye Zen knew it have a limit.
"Tsk. This cant go on." Zi Gu Bo kept vigilant. The rune symbols are quickly consuming his qi. If he cant defeat Ye Zen, he will be the one to lose in the end. Zi Gu Bo reached to a decision. He has to make his final move. Thus, he straightened the halberd as the lightnings returned to it. Zi Gu Bo gathered enough qi and there was barely enough energy left in his dantian. He rushed to Ye Zen who is also going to him.
"Give up!" they both shouted. Ye Zen thought Zi Gu Bo had exhausted most of his qi. Their weapons clashed and a spark erupted. Zi Gu Bo lifted a smile, took a step back and thrusted the halberd forward. Ye Zen stepped on the side when Zi Gu Bo waved the halberd horizontally.
Bzzt!
A wide wave of lightning spreads through the arena. Ye Zen was astounded. He have no time to dodge at all. The anticipation and suspense made the audience gasp. A loud explosion happened after Ye Zen got hit. The arena cracked but not enough to be destroyed. Dusts slowly dispersed and to everyone's surprise, Ye Zen is still standing.
"This..." the teachers and elders stood up to feel his aura change. His rank rose from the seventh level of Qi Refinement till the second level of Foundation Building.
Ye Zen spat out blood and calmly wiped the red stain on the corner of his lips. Zi Gu Bo froze in place. How did Ye Zen survive that? Moreover, he felt that Ye Zen's cultivation is no longer discernable.
"Well..." Zi Gu Bo knew his limit. He have no chance of winning. The halberd vanished and entered his qiankun bag. Zi Gu Bo turned to the teacher area. "I forfeit."
Another uproar rised. The stage lowered and Zi Gu Bo went down. He raised his head and met Zi Yingjun's unreadable gaze.
"Heh. Good luck defeating him." Zi Gu Bo said as if Zi Yingjun can hear his voice.
"This Shi Zhao, he surpassed Zi Gu Wen and Zi Xian!" Headteacher Zi Lao Shui exclaimed. The teachers nodded in agreement. Zi Xian, at Ye Zen's age, she's still in the seventh rank. When she turned sixteen, she entered the Foundation Building. At seventeen, her cultivation level rose till the sixth rank but its a pity Ye Huai killed her. Now, there is Ye Zen who can replace Zi Xian. How to rope him in Zi Clan?
Zi Ming Yun has been watching with the leading elders behind his chair. His eyes narrowed on Ye Zen. After all, Ye Zen came here to investigate Zi Yingjun. Does he have another agenda? Is he a spy of Jin Clan?
"Good fight." Zi Yingjun said as Ye Zen came to their side. The young man grinned and sat next to him while the teachers are looking at Ye Zen in wonder.
"What rank are you now?" Ye Zen asked. He have been travelling with Zi Yingjun for almost half a year but he never knew what level did he reach. It will be disadvantageous of him if Zi Yingjun is a level above him.
"You'll know." he chose not to answer directly. Zi Yingjun enjoyed his rest and no longer payed attention to anyone else. He slept soundly. Even the teachers cant help but compare him to Ye Zen.
"Many thanks." Ye Zen smiled to a servant girl. She blushed fervently and continued to feed him grapes. The teachers sighed at his schooled behaviour before looking at Zi Yingjun who woke up.
"No, take that away." Zi Yingjun showed an impatient look and waved his hand in refusal when a servant girl brought tea. "Bring some wine instead. Im not a scholar so take that tea away from me."
The teachers' face turned black. He's still a boy but he prefers wine? Look at Ye Zen! He's satisfied with tea but Zi Yingjun asked for wine! Is he planning to get drunk?
What they thought the worse was not even the worse. As Ye Zen conversed and laughed with the servant girl on his side, Zi Yingjun took a step further.
"Name?" he asked the new servant girl that was prettier than the previous one. Zi Yingjun smiled in a sly flirtatious way. The servant girl's face burnt after noticing how he look at her.
"W-Wang Lin, Young Master."
"Oh. You're cute." Zi Yingjun bravely pulled her to his lap and encased an arm around her waist. All eyes set on them. Finally, someone can no longer take it.
"Student Zi Yingjun, this is an arena, not a brothel." Headteacher Zi Lao Shui said after clearing his throat. Zi Yingjun gave him a glance and whispered something to the girl. Her abashed look intensified.
"Cant even enjoy a companion. Old hags are really strict." Zi Yingjun lamented after the servant girl left in hurry. Headteacher Zi Lao Shui's face turned grim.
"He's ultra shameless." Ye Zen thought while suppressing his laughter. He turned to the servant girl next to him and no longer said a word.
- Writer
