Chapter 32: CH 32

Translator: transcendentwings

Editor: teaff 

Xu Xingzhi’s outrageous behavior the day before caused Cheng Ding quite a bit of shock. After taking the stage, Xu Xingzhi had only directed a brilliant smile at Cheng Ding and the spear in Cheng Ding’s hand already trembled three times distinctly.

Seeing this, Zhou Beinan formed a conclusion in his heart: “. . . Cheng Ding may be finished. I bet that he won’t even last fifteen rounds under Xu Xingzhi’s hands.”

Wen Xuechen agreed: “Fifteen rounds.”

As he said that, he stretched his palm out flatly and collided with Zhou Beinan’s fist, indicating that he concurred with the other party’s judgment. 

Yet Qu Chi raised an objection: “. . . I don’t think so. At least fifty rounds.”

Zhou Xian also conformed to Qu Chi’s opinion: “It’s not like you guys don’t know what kind of person Xu-shixiong is. His vindictive personality won’t allow Cheng Ding to lose so easily.”

With this reminder, Zhou Beinan suddenly saw the light: “. . . B*stard. I should’ve suggested shaving him bald yesterday.”

Xu Xingzhi’s malicious intentions were plainly revealed after the official start of the duel.

—He didn’t transform “Xianbi” into any kind of weapon and just waved his fan leisurely, making a polite “please” gesture to Cheng Ding.

The moment Cheng Ding lifted his hand, the four on the sidelines immediately knew that there would be no suspense in this match.

Cheng Ding should be eager to win, but when facing Xu Xingzhi, the first gesture he made was defensive.

Obviously, Xu Xingzhi’s actions yesterday was extremely traumatic for him. 

Zhou Xian had no interest in a one-sided cat-and-mouse game and simply began to let her eyes roam around.

With a sweep of her gaze, she found that among the uniform style of the all short-haired team from Fengling Mountain, there was still one person whose tall, slender body was cold and isolated like the night. Among the male disciples he was the only one who was still adorned with the hair ribbon and crown, thus even if he stood at the rear of the team, he was still very eye-catching.

Zhou Xian was curious, leaned down to Wen Xuechen and whispered: “There’s still one person from Fengling Mountain who hasn’t shaved his hair ah.”

Zhou Beinan followed his sister’s gaze and locked on the man without any difficulty. 

After seeing that person’s face clearly, Zhou Beinan was reticent and acted as if he didn’t recognize the other.

Qu Chi shook his head and replied: “. . . I’m not too familiar with the Fengling Mountain disciples. However, looking at his uniform, he should be an intermediate disciple of Fengling Mountain, on the same level as Jiu Zhideng and Meng Chongguang.”

Wen Xuechen also looked at the maverick male disciple and commented after a moment of silence: “Unfamiliar.”

Zhou Xian understood Wen Xuechen well. After hearing the tone of his voice, she declared with certainty: “. . . You definitely know.” 

She bent over and nudged Wen Xuechen with her arm, “Tell me ya.”

Wen Xuechen’s frosty, pale face flushed scarlet and he barely managed to respond evenly: “. . . You’re too close.”

Zhou Xian wasn’t a first-class beauty, but she had a pair of dark eyes that were intense and dazzling. When she smiled, she had a pair of dimples which would brighten people’s day with merely a single glance.

Leaning on her knees, she smiled at Wen Xuechen: “I’m closer to you so that I can hear your words more clearly ya.” 

Qu Chi: “. . . Cough cough cough.”

Zhou Beinan carelessly inserted himself between: “It’s not necessary to be that close. I’m standing over here and I can almost hear someone’s heart about to beat out of their chest. Xuechen, do you need some medicine? Be mindful of your heart ailment ah.”

Wen Xuechen pursed his crimson lips tightly, forcibly turned his eyes away from Zhou Xian’s face and stated steadily: “I don’t know the identity of that person, but I’ve seen him argue with Xu Xingzhi once before.”

“Why, does he have conflicts with Xu-shixiong?” Zhou Xian was curious, “Xu-shixiong has a good temper, how would he. . .” 

“He seems to be called Xu Pingsheng, or Xu something Sheng, I can’t remember.” Wen Xuecheng interrupted, “I overheard Xingzhi once call him ‘Xiongzhang’ during their dispute.”

Zhou Beinan remained silent.

Zhou Xian was taken aback: “Xu-shixiong has a brother? Why haven’t I heard him mention it before?”

Qu Chi was also baffled: “I’ve also never heard Xingzhi talk about his familial situation. I only know that he was brought back to Fengling Mountain by Qingjing-jun from the market and that he had suffered a lot since childhood. If Xingzhi had an older brother, given his character, he would definitely treat him well, so how can he not have mentioned this person at all?” 

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“Is that really the case?” Zhou Xian pondered thoughtfully, “Speaking of which, Xu-shixiong is a really strange person. If I recall correctly, he was promoted to be the head disciple under Qingling-jun after entering Qingling Mountain for not even half a year. Although Xu-shixiong currently is all-powerful, because of his rapid improvement and progress that year, he was also subject to a lot of criticism. . .”

It was known throughout the four sects that Qingjing-jun always acted without so much emphasis on propriety. However, Xu Xingzhi, who was only twelve years old at the time, was also merely a child from the market and had only entered the sect for half a year when Qingjing-jun gave him the honor of being the leading disciple. Thinking about it now, it may have been a show of excessive favoritism.

Zhou Beinan had remained noncommittal until now and didn’t respond to Zhou Xian’s questions. 

The bunch of them were all preoccupied with their own concerns when they heard an exclamation from the direction of the competition stage.

When they looked up one after another, Cheng Ding’s body had already broken through the guardrails and was thrown off the stage in a sorry state.

During the fifty-four exchanges in the match, Xu Xingzhi didn’t use “Xianbi” to conjure up any tricks from beginning to end. It was to the point that he hadn’t even unfolded the fan.

And the person he easily defeated with just a folded fan was Cheng Ding, who was the one most anticipated to win fourth place on the rankings this year. 

Amidst the exclamations of shock and the sound of the gongs and drums signaling the end of the match, Xu Xingzhi squatted down using the handle of the fan as a support. He fixed his gaze on Cheng Ding who couldn’t get up, and remarked: “Brat, Zhou Beinan and the others placed more emphasis on you, the rising star, so usually when they exchange pointers with you, they were mostly full of praise weren’t they?”

He divulged mercilessly: “Then I’ll disclose some ugly truths for you, listen well: Your offense is overly strong, but your defense is a mess. Your head, neck, and waist are all spots easy to exploit. If I had any intent to kill you, you’d have died at least a dozen times by now.”

Even though he lost miserably, Cheng Ding was still unwilling to accept defeat when he heard those words.

Xu Xingzhi noticed that he didn’t believe it and continued to analyze for the other: “My first move would’ve swept your spear aside and struck your Shenting point; The sixth strike could have attacked your Fengchi; the seventh at the Juque. I’ll only explain up until here, as for the intended assault points of the sixteenth, seventeenth, twenty-first, twenty-sixth, thirty-seventh, forty-fourth, forty-seventh, and fifty-second moves, I’ll let you mull it over on your own. Once you’ve understood it, you can cultivate with a peace of mind.” 

Cheng Ding was stunned and after briefly combing through the moves that Xu Xingzhi had used against him individually in his mind, cold sweat soaked his back instantly.

Xu Xingzhi generously ran a hand over the other’s short stubble: “You are a good seedling, I am reluctant to destroy you as it would result in such a pity.” He paused, “. . . But don’t take other people’s flattery too much to heart in the future. They are just being polite to you and you took it so seriously, such foolishness. You need to be more self-aware of whether or not you have the capital to be arrogant.”

After finishing, Xu Xingzhi straightened, flicked the tail of his clothes confidently and waved casually at the place where the female disciples were gathered, inviting their excited calls as each cupped their own faces and twittered endlessly.

Meng Chongguang and Jiu Zhideng under the stage had a dark expression simultaneously. 

Zhou Beinan watched on until his veins twitched: “Which shishu or shibo does he think he is? Doesn’t he know any shame that he’d guide my Yingtianchuan disciple.”

Qu Chi laughed and placated him: “He’s right ah. Besides, it’s always been like this. He wholeheartedly loves talent, so he’d instruct Cheng Ding like this.”

Zhou Beinan couldn’t help observing Xu Xingzhi with displeasure as he bit between his teeth: “. . . This flamboyant peacock.”

Probably because of the principle that enemies are bound to cross on narrow paths, Peacock Xu drew Zhou Beinan as his opponent for that very same afternoon. 

Strength was particularly important for the Heavenly Ranking competition, but good luck was also indispensable. If someone had good luck in the beginning, the opponents drawn for several battles would all be of a similar strength to their own. Then with a steady performance, even if they encountered a person with superior strength in the later stages, they would still have a chance to triumph; If someone directly drew Xu Xingzhi or Qu Chi as an opponent, then they’d have stumbled on rotten luck covered in blood and it was very likely that it’d interfere with their momentum and mood in their later matches.

Only by winning all the way to the end, could one seize the top spot.

In the opening battle of the Heavenly Rankings competition, Xu Xingzhi drew Cheng Ding, a rising star and in the afternoon, he was met with Zhou Beinan, an old opponent who knew him very well. His luck couldn’t be regarded as decent.

Yet Xu Xingzhi’s mood wasn’t affected at all. As soon as he took to the arena, he greeted Zhou Beinan familiarly: “Beinan, it really appears that one day apart, makes it seem like the passing of three autumns ah.” 

Zhou Beinan: “. . . Scram.”

Xu Xingzhi chummed up with him skillfully: “We’re already so familiar with each other, why fight ah. How about you just admit defeat directly then let us go down for a drink?”

Zhou Beinan hated that he couldn’t just skewer Xu Xingzhi’s head with a strike of his spear: “Why don’t you forfeit?”

Xu Xingzhi spun the folded fan in his hands masterfully: “I wouldn’t lose.” 

Zhou Beinan was annoyed to the extent that he clenched his teeth so hard, his jawline was pulled taut: “. . . You just wait. Let me tell you, your fan that conjures up trickery is of no use against me this year.”

Xu Xingzhi chirped happily: “I won’t play any tricks this year.”

Zhou Beinan: “Did you think I’d believe you?”

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Xu Xingzhi tapped the back of his neck with the folded fan, grinning: “I really won’t. Whoever does, is a dog.” 

After that declaration, he held the folded fan, bowed slightly, and gestured to Zhou Beinan: “Come ba.”

“Then transform it into some kind of weapon ah.” As soon as those words left Zhou Beinan’s mouth, he abruptly felt that something wasn’t right and two or three veins bulged on his forehead: “. . . What do you mean by this Xu Xingzhi?! You want to use the fan to fight against me directly? Do you take me for Cheng Ding?!”

Cheng Ding, who had sorted out his emotions and was sitting below the stage to spectate, suddenly felt like he was hit in the crossfire.

Xu Xingzhi replied calmly: “. . . It’s about the same ma.” 

Qu Chi, who was observing the battle from a distance heard this and sighed: “Why does Beinan have to talk so much with Xingzhi? Getting aggravated every time, why bother.”

On the other hand, Zhou Xian wasn’t nervous: “The more irked my brother is, the calmer his blows will be. He has been studying spear techniques for the past few years in order to outperform Xu-shixiong. Xu-shixiong is taking his opponent too lightly if he is being this rash.”

However, Wen Xuechen had a different opinion.

He leaned on the edge of the wheelchair and pinched his chin lightly: “. . . Xingzhi isn’t such a person. Qu Chi, you’ll have to be cautious, Xingzhi is most likely aiming for that spot at the top of the rankings this year.” 

“The top spot is nothing more than an external label.” Qu Chi smiled broadly, “No matter what condition Xingzhi is in, I just need to do my best and take him on seriously.”

A quarter of an hour later, the spear that was in Zhou Beinan’s hand was flicked into the sky by “Xianbi” and plunged straight into the testing stone located to one side of the arena.

Before he could summon his spear back, Xu Xingzhi flipped his wrist lightly like a swallow and snapped the fan open abruptly. Between the sparks of light and electricity, the edge of the fan was brought against Zhou Beinan’s throat, forcing him to the ground, while the spear that returned was also caught by Xu Xingzhi’s left hand where it drew an arc in the air and was then pointed towards Zhou Beinan’s heart.

The gongs and drums clanged to indicate the end of the match. 

Xu Xingzhi smirked: “Good fight.”

Xu Xingzhi really didn’t utilize any trickery this time, so Zhou Beinan genuinely accepted his defeat, but naturally his mouth wouldn’t spare the other so easily: “Good your face. Quickly pull me up.”

Xu Xingzhi was amused. Inserting Zhou Beinan’s long spear into the ground, he stretched out a hand and pulled him up.

The two’s shoulders tacitly and intimately collided. 

Zhou Beinan raised his head proudly: “You will be the one lying on the ground next time. Just you wait.”

Xu Xingzhi scoffed: “I’ll believe it if Xiao-Xian’er proclaimed this. If it’s you, forget it ba.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Xu Xingzhi was chased by Zhou Beinan with his spear in hand all over the arena, making the scene chaotic for a while. It wasn’t until Guangfu-jun scolded them that the two ceased their nonsense and exited the stage with their arm around each other’s shoulders.

It seemed that Xu Xingzhi’s crappy luck didn’t end just yet. 

Adhering to the rule that the winner drew lots first, Xu Xingzhi rummaged through the lottery cylinder and fished out a bamboo stick. Glancing at the name upon it, he narrowed his eyes and waved casually at Zhou Xian who was not too far away, greeting intimately: “Xiao-Xian’er~”

With such an attitude, Zhou Xian naturally understood which name he drew for the next round. She laughed and waved back at him.

However, the disciples who spectated the matches the entire day couldn’t help but feel a bit of anticipation in their hearts.

Today, Xu Xingzhi first faced off with the rising star from Yingtianchuan, then the young master of Yingtianchuan. Both of these opponents were ranked relatively high up on the rankings in the bets, yet Xu Xingzhi won against them easily. 

Now in this next round, he drew Zhou Xian as his opponent. It was truly a veritable bloody storm of matches all the way.

Everyone thought in unison, if Xu Xingzhi were to draw Qu Chi for the following battle, then things would really become lively.

In addition, in this match against Zhou Xian, or even against Qu Chi later, would he still only brandish his fan like he has all along?

If he was able to defeat those two with his ingenious folded fan, then all of the following fights would hold no obstacle for him. 

If Xu Xingzhi really triumphed consecutively until the end, then this Heavenly Ranking would be enough to go down in history. After all, in the previous ranking competitions, no one had ever dominated the top seat with just a folded fan.

Those outer sect disciples opened up another set of gambling tables that day, betting on whether Xu Xingzhi would still fight with the folded fan in the competition against Zhou Xian the following day.

While the wagers were in full swing, Xu Xingzhi snuck out as the disciples of Fengling Mountain gathered together to celebrate his victory and returned to the Eastern hall where the disciples of Fengling Mountain were arranged to rest.

He peeked into the hall from the window and found Xu Pingsheng sitting alone inside the hall. He tiptoed to the entrance, stuck his head in, and called out softly: “Xiongzhang? Xiongzhang?” 

Xu Pingsheng only briefly raised his head to give him a glance before he lowered his head again, rolling up his sleeves to copy scriptures again. His expression was cold and indifferent: “What is it?”

Xu Xingzhi strode into the hall and took out a package of oiled paper from inside his robes: “I saw that there was mung bean cake that Xiongzhang likes to eat on the table, but didn’t see you at the celebration so I brought it to you secretly.”

Xu Pingsheng didn’t deign to lift his head again: “That’s your celebratory banquet. It’s unsuitable for me to go there.”

Hearing him say this, Xu Xingzhi felt a little sorrowful: “Xiongzhang. . .” 

“I’ve told you before, don’t call me that.” Xu Pingsheng seemed somewhat impatient and put the brush down on the porcelain holder, “You are the head disciple of Fengling Mountain, I’m just an intermediate disciple. I don’t want others to only know me as ‘Xu Xingzhi’s older brother’ when addressing me and not know that I am Xu Pingsheng.”

Xu Xingzhi was rarely berated until he couldn’t raise his head: “. . . Only Beinan knows about this matter and he will help me conceal it.”

Xu Pingsheng was reluctant to continue this topic and picked up the brush once again: “If you don’t have anything to do then leave first ba.”

Xu Xingzhi heeded with an en and put the mung bean cake on the corner of the desk. Seeing that Xu Pingsheng was engrossed in transcribing the text, he craned his neck to take a peek, and read the title out loud: “The Miraculous Scripture of the Northern Emperor in Subduing Demons, Gods, and Curses as told by the Respected Founding Heavenly Master. . .” 

Xu Pingsheng’s shoulders suddenly stiffened as he hurriedly stretched out his hand to cover it: “Who told you to look at it?”

Xu Xingzhi instantly brightened and couldn’t help revealing a childlike expression: “Xiongzhang, are you copying it for me?”

Xu Pingsheng turned his face away: “I’m replicating it for fun, to cultivate myself.”

Xu Xingzhi was still eager to receive a gentler answer: “. . . But you’re clearly mimicking my handwriting. You see, this is how I usually write. . .” 

Xu Pingsheng was so embarrassed that he rolled up the bamboo slips, ripped them apart mercilessly and tossed them on the ground. Then he stalked out the door of the hall in only his socks and left Xu Xingzhi behind alone in the middle of the hall.

Xu Xingzhi crouched down and in the same spot. After staying there for an unknown time, he reached out to pick up the torn bamboo slips, cherishingly wiped them with his cuff and slipped them into his sleeve.

Just as he was about to get up, he felt a cloak of warmth shroud him within from behind without warning.

After holding him to sleep for a few years, Xu Xingzhi was already familiar with whom this embrace belonged to. 

He laughed bitterly, then turned his face around, smiling frivolously as always: “Yo, Chongguang, why did you run over here la?”

Meng Chongguang hugged his back, his arms tightly wrapped around his chest, and clung to him fondly as he nuzzled against him a little distressed: “Shixiong, everyone is waiting for you ne.”

Xu Xingzhi smiled: “That’s true, I’ve left the banquet for too long. Let’s go ba and return swif. . .”

Meng Chongguang continued to embrace him tightly without letting up in the slightest. 

Xu Xingzhi: “. . . Chongguang?”

The shadows cast by the mountains outside were imprinted upside down. Bits of the afterglow fell on them through the window, dyeing their white clothes in a hazy red glow.

The author has something to say:

After a long while, a soft object touched Xu Xingzhi’s hair: “. . . It’s okay, Shixiong doesn’t need to care too much about other people’s opinions about Shixiong. Chongguang will accompany you, always. I will never leave even for a moment.” 

Xu Xingzhi was stunned.

He couldn’t tell if it was a kiss that fell upon his hair, but that ambiguous and indulgent touch startled him, making his face burn up gradually.

He laughed dryly before saying: “Let’s go ba, off we go ba. If we don’t leave soon, then the wine will cool down. When I come back in the evening, I have to finish transcribing the scriptures that Guangfu-jun punished me to copy ne.”

Author’s Chapter Summary: 

Competition, estranged brother, Xu Pingsheng

The translator has something to say: I have mixed feelings about his brother right now. . .

The editor has something to say: Xu Xingzhi OP!

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