Zhao Feiyun's Fury: The Stakes of the Duel

Zhuge Xiang's praise brought Niu Geng not the slightest joy. He sat down on the grass beside them, deep exhaustion written across his face, and instead asked an irrelevant question. "Zhuge Xiang, why did you come to the Asura Sect?"

Without waiting for Zhuge Xiang to answer, Niu Geng began speaking on his own, a trace of remembrance in his eyes. "I was originally a menial servant in the Tang Sect of Shu. The Tang Sect had always excelled in mechanisms and poison arts. Though I was only a servant, constant exposure meant I knew a little about both mechanisms and poisons. But because I was merely a lowly servant, no one looked up to me, so I did not have a single friend. Fortunately, Ninth Miss never looked down on me for being a servant..."

His low voice made it clear that he was a man with a story. Sitting beside Niu Geng, Zhuge Xiang played the role of a fine listener.

Niu Geng's story was simple, yet moving. He had not had a single friend in the Tang Sect of Shu, making him withdrawn by nature. But Ninth Miss of the Tang Sect was cheerful by nature and treated Niu Geng, a mere servant, with courtesy. Thus, though the young Niu Geng was only thirteen or fourteen and had just begun to understand matters of the heart, unable to tell whether it was affection between man and woman or simply because she was his only friend, he placed his entire unyielding heart upon her.

However, a little over a year ago, the Tang Sect of Shu arranged a marriage for Ninth Miss. Ninth Miss fiercely opposed it, and Niu Geng naturally stepped forward as well.

He, Niu Geng, was only a servant, yet he dared to step forward without knowing life from death. Naturally, this drew endless criticism. To stop the gossiping mouths, the Tang Family directly sentenced Niu Geng to death. Yet at the final moment, Ninth Miss secretly let him go. Before he left, Ninth Miss told Niu Geng to be more cheerful and make a few more friends.

"Ninth Miss told me to make more friends, and I wanted to gain great power before returning, so I joined the Asura Sect. Whether it was you or Li Bin, I regarded both of you as friends. No matter how much I suffered a loss, I never got angry. But in the end, Li Bin still wanted to kill me..." Niu Geng's voice was low, and by the end, it carried a deep sense of helplessness—one part from the heavy memories of the Tang Sect, the other from Li Bin's betrayal.

Zhuge Xiang had seen the sacrifices Niu Geng had made over the past year. If he had truly been a foolishly loyal man, that would have been one thing. But after his true face had been revealed today, Zhuge Xiang knew that beneath Niu Geng's seemingly honest, foolish loyalty was a mind as clear as a mirror. Naturally, Zhuge Xiang also knew how much Niu Geng had endured for Li Bin, this so-called friend, over the past year. Yet in the end, Li Bin had even wanted to kill him. No wonder this had dealt Niu Geng such a crushing blow.

"I only wanted a few friends. I never did anything to wrong him. I even served him tea and water without a word of complaint. Why did he still want to kill me..." Lowering his head, Niu Geng's voice trembled slightly.

"Friends should help each other. Someone like Li Bin, who only took while you gave and then betrayed you without hesitation in the end, does not count as a friend at all. Don't you still have me? Haven't we always been friends?" Zhuge Xiang gently patted Niu Geng's shoulder as he spoke.

Niu Geng's ruthlessness had given Zhuge Xiang quite a fright, but at this moment, Zhuge Xiang realized that Niu Geng was also a pitiful man.

Zhuge Xiang did not doubt his words. With Niu Geng's methods of poisoning, if he had been willing, neither Zhuge Xiang nor Li Bin would have dared provoke him. Yet for more than a year, he had willingly allowed others to order him about. That was enough to prove the truth of Niu Geng's words.

"Someone you keep giving to, only for them to betray you without hesitation in the end, does not count as a friend..." Niu Geng carefully chewed over those words. A thoughtful expression appeared on his honest, straightforward face. Clearly, those words had stirred him deeply.

Zhuge Xiang sat down beside Niu Geng as well, his tone becoming somewhat subdued. "Didn't you ask why I came to the Asura Sect? I was originally just a little beggar. I had always followed an old beggar around, begging for food..."

Zhuge Xiang's story also drew Niu Geng's attention. When he heard how the old beggar had been bitten to death after someone set dogs on him, Niu Geng sympathized with Zhuge Xiang's plight. When he heard that Zhuge Xiang had secretly killed all thirteen members of that wealthy household at night, Niu Geng was both astonished by Zhuge Xiang's ruthlessness and greatly satisfied.

"So my purpose in coming to the Asura Sect was simple: to gain great power, become someone above others, and also because there was meat to eat here and I would never have to worry about food or clothes."

That was why Zhuge Xiang had come to the Asura Sect. It was simple, yet heavy. His original intention had merely been that he would not have to worry about food or clothes here, that he could eat meat here. With such a reason and such an upbringing, it was no wonder that no one could compare to Zhuge Xiang's desire to cultivate.

"You're still better off. You've already comprehended Qi Energy, but I still haven't," Niu Geng said with a sigh. After speaking so openly for so long, the distance between them had invisibly narrowed greatly. With only a dozen or so days left before the Assessment Assembly, he clearly felt enormous pressure.

"Don't worry about that. Have you forgotten the Blood Spirit Fruit? I'll help you get it. You helped me with Li Bin's Heartbreak Powder before; this time, it's my turn to help you. We're friends, so we should help each other." Hearing Niu Geng's sigh, Zhuge Xiang rose to his feet, flashed a brilliant smile, and looked at Niu Geng sincerely.

"Help each other? Friends?" Looking at Zhuge Xiang's sincere eyes and radiant smile, Niu Geng was momentarily speechless.

With Li Bin, he had always been the one giving, and what he received in the end had been betrayal. Zhuge Xiang's willingness to give for him was something he had never experienced before. Touching his chest, Niu Geng felt a warm current sweep through his heart. Only now did he vaguely understand the true meaning of friendship...

The golden crow sank in the west, and the jade rabbit rose in the east. Deep in the night, within Zhao Feiyun's courtyard at the center of the Asura Sect's buildings, Zhao Feiyun's face was livid. Li Bin lay on a stretcher in the middle of the courtyard, his face blackened; he had clearly died from poison. Several disciples who had yet to comprehend Qi Energy stood nearby with lowered brows and bowed heads, not daring to make a sound.

"Zhuge Xiang! I'll kill you!" Zhao Feiyun's face was livid, his expression so dark it seemed ready to drip water. Looking at Li Bin, poisoned to death, he let out a harsh roar. The dense hatred and killing intent made the disciples who had carried in the stretcher tremble all over.

"Hmph, that brat comprehended Qi Energy today? Even better. I'll make him beg for life and death beneath the gaze of all." After roaring, Zhao Feiyun's eyes gleamed with vicious light as he spoke cruelly. Then he looked at the disciples who had yet to comprehend Qi Energy. "Go notify Zhuge Xiang. Twelve days from now, at the Grand Tournament, I will fight him in a life-and-death duel before everyone."

Watching the disciples hurry away, Zhao Feilong had Li Bin's corpse buried, then returned alone to his room. There are still twelve days. Before the Grand Tournament, I must achieve another Breakthrough and raise my strength to the Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer. Only then can I secure a better ranking.

Zhuge Xiang filled Zhao Feiyun with hatred, yet Zhao Feiyun did not feel that he posed any threat. He had only just comprehended Qi Energy; against Zhao Feiyun, who was about to Breakthrough to the Qi Cultivation Realm Second Layer, he had no chance of winning whatsoever. Besides, twelve days were nowhere near enough for him to master any Martial Art, while Zhao Feiyun's Ghost Step had already reached Entry Level.

"A life-and-death duel? Fine, but there should be some stakes added. Go back and tell him to have the Blood Spirit Fruit ready. Make sure he doesn't use it." On Zhuge Xiang's side, he stopped practicing the Blood Thunder Slash. Upon hearing Zhao Feiyun's challenge, he was not surprised in the slightest. Instead, he told them to make sure Zhao Feiyun's side had the Blood Spirit Fruit ready.

"Don't worry. I definitely won't lose." Seeing the concern on Niu Geng's face, Zhuge Xiang cut him off before he could speak.

No matter what, over the past year, Li Bin had always used Zhao Feiyun to boast. Under that subtle influence, Zhao Feiyun's strength had already taken deep root in Niu Geng's heart. However, Zhuge Xiang had confidence in himself.

The Bloodthirsty Technique, the Blood Thunder Slash he was cultivating, and the Steel Secret Medicine he had yet to use—Zhao Feiyun was preparing to contend for a place in the Grand Tournament, but was Zhuge Xiang not doing the same?