Chapter 303 - Be in a Pickle

“B*stard! Oh, what a b*stard!”

Zuoqiu Yang could not control his anger. He smashed the tea table next to him as well with one hand. It was obvious that for Xiao Chen and his group, most people placed their bets on Xiao Chen as the winner. You could say that 9 out of 10 people wagered that Xiao Chen would win the fight.

“Listen to my order! Contribute 3 million Spirit Stones! And use it all to place the bet on me winning!”

A disciple carefully raised his head and whimpered, “Young Master… It won’t end well if the House Master finds out about this…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Zuoqiu Yang glared at him piercing eyes. That disciple trembled and then was flown out by an invisible force that smashed the room door entirely.

This frightened out of the wits of the other two disciples. “Yes, Young Master! We will get it done now!” they said hurriedly and left the room with haste. They did not dare to stay in the room any longer.

Fuming with rage, Zuoqiu Yang squeezed his hand and burnt the gambling ticket into ashes.

At this moment in Xiao Chen’s yard, Murong Xian’er and Zhiluan were playing together happily. Xiao Chen however, had his eyebrows tangled in a frown. Then, footsteps that went “Ta-ta-ta” could be heard coming from outside of the yard. It was the arrival of Yu Yifeng.

“Brother Yifeng, what’s up?” said Xiao Chen as he stood up and walked towards Yu Yifeng.

Yu Yifeng smiled and said, “Nothing much, it is just that… Martial Uncle Xiaoyao had asked me to tell you that tomorrow will be the Summit Finals. Eh… Martial Uncle said he wishes that you don’t go missing again…”

Xiao Chen forced a smile and thought, “This Zi Mo…” Then he said, “Oh right, Brother Yifeng. I wanted to look for you earlier regarding the battle between Xiaoyue and you.”

Yu Yifeng frowned slightly and said, “Xiaoyue’s cultivation is above me, but I will do my best. What do you want to talk about?”

Xiao Chen nodded and said, “Xiaoyue’s Coalesced Colors Equal to Dust isn’t unbreakable…” Then he revealed the way to break Thousand Feathers Sect’s Coalesced Colors Equal to Dust to Yu Yifeng. He also revealed to him the weakness of the highest martial arts style of the sect—As Kind As Water.

Yu Yifeng was surprised after hearing that and asked, “Lil Chen, why do you know Thousand Feathers Sect’s martial arts so well?”

Xiao Chen smirked. Thousand Feathers Sect’s martial arts? That so-called Coalesced Colors Equal to Dust was the Immortal-override Steps of his master. That so-called As Kind As Water was Mystic Cyan Sect Tianxuan School’s martial art, the 3,000 Weak Water. How could he not be familiar with them?

Yu Yifeng saw that his expressions suddenly became a bit weird and even consist of a little resentment and anger. So he stopped asking for an explanation and said, “I saw that you were deep in thoughts when I came in just now. Was it because of Junior Sister Li?”

Xiao Chen looked up and sighed. He then turned to look at a flowering tree in the yard and said, “Muxue can never win Huangfu Xin’er, but I’m afraid that she…” He paused and then turned his head to Yu Yifeng and said, “I’m going to look for her now. Is she with Qingyu and the other girls?”

Yu Yifeng nodded with his eyebrows tangled in a frown.

About half an hour later, Xiao Chen came to a place that was 1.5 kilometers away from the male disciples’ hostel. It was a place of serenity with plum flowers planted everywhere. Farther up, in half a kilometer’s distance, Xiao Chen saw bouquets of withered flowers lying all over the place. The building in front that looked solemn with red walls and the green roof was the female disciples’ hostel. Males were not allowed to enter at free will.

At this moment, a crisp voice was heard from behind, “Oi! You’re the disciple from which family? Guys are not allowed near here. What are you doing here sneaking around? I warn you, I will call for people!”

Xiao Chen turned around and saw a young girl in a red dress with a long sword hanging by her waist. He had no idea how long she had been behind him for. The young girl was pretty. Her hair was neatly tied up behind her back and she wore a pair of purple crystal ear studs.

Xiao Chen bowed and said, “This Senior Sister, may I trouble you to get Li Muxue from Jade Qing Sect for me?”

The younger tittered and smiled like a flower. She said, “So you are a playboy. Such a shame that you actually looked handsome and righteous.”

Xiao Chen puzzled, he frowned and said, “What?”

The young girl shook her hand and said, “Oh stop it, recently there has been so many playboys like you who came to look for Senior Sister Li. You should leave soon. If you were seen by the sisters later, they are going to tie you up and bring you to the elders for sure.”

Xiao Chen frowned again. Could it be that during the days he was away, lots of people had looked for Muxue? He said, “Senior Sister, I do need to see her regarding a matter. Could you please help me to get her?”

The young girl glanced at him. Then she smiled and said, “That’s what everyone said, but Senior Sister Li doesn’t ever meet anyone. Do you see these flowers on the floor?” She pointed at the bouquets that were lying all over the place and continued, “All of these were asked to bring in by the playboys and then they would all be thrown here on the second day.”

After she finished saying, she went around him and walked towards the hostel in front. She shook her hand and said, “Leave quickly! Or I will call people over for real!”

Looking at the shallow footsteps in the snow left by the young girl, Xiao Chen shook his head helplessly. A few moments later, he took in a deep breath and shouted at the direction of the hostel, “Muxue! Muxue!”

His voice echoed throughout the valley. It was so loud that it shuddered off the snow on the side of the cliff. Not long after, a hubbub could be heard coming from the direction of the hostel. Immediately after, countless of sword radiance came chopping at Xiao Chen. The sky was full of Sword Qis in red, purple, blue, and green. What a magnificent view!

Xiao Chen leaped 50 to 60 feet back hastily. Those rays of Sword Qis fell on the snow and flakes of ice flew everywhere. He did not dare to take another step forward. He was afraid that it would be the different types of Immortal’s Sword magic treasure coming at him next.

“Which playboy is it this time? Bugger off! Or I will slaughter you later!” disses could be heard from the direction of the hostel.

Xiao Chen took a few steps back and took a deep breath. His efforts did not go to waste as he finally saw a white shadow flying towards him. Li Muxue landed beside him. She blushed and said, “Brother Xiao, what are you doing here?”

Xiao Chen forced a smile and said, “Why are the female disciples here as fierce as tigers, leopards, and wolves. So unfriendly…”

Li Muxue glared at him. She looked down and said, “And you have the guts to say that. Who goes around shouting other people’s name as you did?” Then she looked up and asked, “So what do you want from me?”

“Hmm… Let’s go. We will talk as we speak just in case we attract a sky full of Sword Qis again.”

Both of them made their way to the cliffside of the quiet valley where the plum flower blossomed everywhere. On the way there, Li Muxue laughed and chatted non-stop. She told him about the interesting things that had happened in the past few days. But she mentioned not a single word about the Summit Finals happening on the following day.

“Brother Xiao, did you know? Senior Brother Zhou Li was so hilarious. He sneakily came here the other time to look for Senior Sister Qingyu. Then he was tied up by a group of people and taken to the elders. Hahahaha…” she said as she shook with laughter.

“Oh, oh. And the other time I saw a Senior Brother from Xianyong Sect…”

Xiao Chen suddenly turned around and looked at her. He said, “Muxue, how about you call it off and don’t enter the competition tomorrow?”

“There was a Senior Brother who sneaked here every day to guide his Junior Sister on her sword practices just so that she would win…” Li Muxue did not stop talking. But the smile on her face had long ceased. She looked at Xiao Chen and asked, “Why?”

Xiao Chen sighed as he looked at a plum branch swinging with the wind near the edge of the cliff. He said, “The martial art that Huangfu Xin’er is practicing is very powerful. You’re not her match…”

“I don’t want!” Li Muxue said suddenly.

Xiao Chen frowned and said, “You listen to me…”

“Say what? You went missing for so long, I was worried about you every day. But what did you do? Did you look for me after you came back? It was either for the evil spirit or the mystic domain. What do these things get to do with me?”

As she spoke, Li Muxue started tearing up. She looked up at the sky and did her best to stop the tears from falling. She thought Xiao Chen came here today for her about other matters. She did not expect him to be telling her to call off the competition. It would not matter if her opponent was someone else. However, of all people, her opponent happened to be Huangfu Xin’er!

Xiao Chen did not know what to say anymore. Li Muxue smirked and said, “Ha-ha. Your heart is tied to the lives of the world. But when was it ever tied on me? Xiao Chen, tell me, what am I to you in your heart…”

Then, she flicked her sleeve and went back to the hostel riding on sword radiance. Leaving that question, “What am I to you in your heart…” echoed within the quiet valley. The words filled with pain and heartbreaking sorrows.

“Mu…” Just as Xiao Chen was about to stop her from leaving, and before he could finish his sentence, a piercing pain spread throughout his limbs and then to the rest of his body.

The pain came so abruptly, and his face went as white as a sheet in an instant. His entire body broke out in a cold sweat. Then he suddenly remembered something. It was the Heartless Curse! It was the effect of the Heartless Curse!

He was at the Heartless Palace previously with Li Muxue to invite Huashang. However, Huashang placed the Heartless Curse on him instead. The curse was never on Xiao Chen’s mind and it was only till today, then he realized how powerful it was.

He was only slightly moved by Li Muxue’s words just now and it was already this painful. He felt like his body was scrapped by ten million knives, one after another. So much so that it was as if he was drenched in blood and that his flesh was unrecognizable.