The Steward Demonic Emperor

Proofreader: Papatonks

"Father, he's amazing. I clawed him with all I had but only managed to take two scales off. There's no real damage either!" Qiao'er had flown back to Zhuo Fan in disappointment.

Zhuo Fan's brow shook, his eyes grave, "And this was from a sneak attack. For him not to have gotten a heavy wound even from that, shows his body is tough beyond measure. No average spiritual beast can scratch him."

Squinting, Zhuo Fan looked at Ye Lin, who had been flung into the air like a ragdoll after the attack, yet his heart tensed.

Qiao'er's attack was his last ace. If even that failed, all that was left was to fight head-on, the worst option from how he saw it.

He knew fully well that would mean using a very dangerous move not just for his enemy, but for him too. It was the last thing he wanted to resort to.

After all, he only came up with it a short while ago and didn't even have time to test it…

Hu~

As the wind whistled, Ye Lin flipped into the air, spitting out blood on the ground.

Whoosh!

Ye Lin halted his movement and looked down at his chest and the exposed flesh. His face was a mask of rage, his eyes turning cruel.

"Ever since I inherited master's drop of blood, having been implanted with one of his reverse scales to refine this golden dragon body, I have never been reduced to this state. Zhuo Fan, you're the first!"

Ye Lin glared back at Zhuo Fan, his eyes sometimes darting at Qiao'er filled with bloodthirst. "A dragon's scales are his dignity, and you just crushed it. Zhuo Fan, you've really gone and pissed me off!"

Zhuo Fan's heart shivered and now knew why this guy's body was so hard that even Qiao'er could barely harm him.

[He's just like me, having received a part of a sacred beast's body.]

His Qilin arm came from Soaring Qilin's leg. That was what gave him such power. Ye Lin's scale armor came from Decimating Dragon Ancestor's reverse scale, which is harder than anything.

Dragons were covered in scales, but only that particular one at the back of their necks, the reverse scale, was the toughest and the best to draw out its power.

In simple terms, touching it was the same as crossing the line no one could tolerate.

Since he placed the reverse scale into him and forged his body with a drop of dragon blood, he had made him nigh indestructible. No wonder he was so tough in this state. This was how much he valued the scales.

Zhuo Fan just got two of those pulled off. It was no different than slapping him hard on the face. No wonder he said that he was just like Zhuo Fan and only wanted to defeat Zhuo Fan. Now though, he really wanted him dead.

Zhuo Fan's heart sank, knowing this had stopped being a simple match to see who was stronger. Now his life was on the line.

It was either one or the other.

He wanted blood now, and if he won…

[My head will fly.]

So Zhuo Fan took a deep breath, and his eyes went cold. Qiao'er, next to him, noticed the change in mood and grew serious as well.

Silence fell between the two sides, one of death.

They no longer cared about a winner now, only to kill!

Startled, Wu Qingqiu seemed to have sensed the shift as well, "What's going on? Why do I feel a thick killing intent? Does that mean junior brother really wants blood?"

"Can't be, senior brother. That kid has always been carefree. He's been acting like he wants to kill but never going that far. Even when he was blindsided, he was only enraged…"

One disciple spoke confidently, but Wu Qingqiu waved him off, "I've yet to see junior brother truly wishing to kill someone. Maybe because he never met anyone worthy enough to go that far. This time though…."

Wu Qingqiu frowned, filled with worry.

As the team leader of the Ultimate Clarity Sect disciples, he did not want to see something happening to Ye Lin or Zhuo Fan.

In the fights seen the past few days, everyone's style and character were laid bare, and everyone had an understanding of each other. They saw how they related, how similar they were. Just as Zhuo Fan wanted to go further as they did on their path. That was why he didn't want to see him fall.

Seeing how this shifted into a deathmatch, his heart was hesitating…

The Exalted Double Dragons noticed the shift thanks to their years of experience.

"This stillness… is eerie." Exalted Hei Ran spoke heavily.

Exalted Bai Mei nodded, "The two kids are going for the kill. No matter what, these two are western lands' future. They can't fall here. If it comes to it, we old timers will have to violate Double Dragon Gathering's rules for the first time."

"It will be a severe blow to our impartial image, but worth it." Exalted Hei Ran nodded, but then sighed, "Old timer, when Sheng went through so much trouble, we pacified the lands in the name of fairness. Have we turned soft or… have our principles changed?"

Exalted Bai Mei shook his head in silence.

Exalted Hei Ran did not speak anymore. He knew well about the regret the two felt about how they handled Danqing Shen's matter. It had festered for so long and so much that they felt the fairness they had groomed all these years no longer looked as important…

"Qiao'er, attack!"

Zhuo Fan shouted and rode his dragon soul as he shot for Ye Lin. Qiao'er shrieked alongside him.

Zhuo Fan had run out of tricks and schemes. All that was left was to meet blow for blow.

The two men and one bird clashed!

Ye Lin, in his new form, was a mighty challenge. He didn't suffer even against Zhuo Fan and Qiao'er. The screech and clanging of metal resounded as the dangerous shockwaves traveled everywhere.

Ye Lin's body was harder than steel. No matter how hard Zhuo Fan hit, it didn't do much. At the same time, he was having a hard time resisting the incoming blows.

Since he was combined in soul and body, all the strikes were packed with not just the golden dragon's power but its searing flames as well.

Zhuo Fan had no choice but to keep shifting his dragon soul. The four variations could take an occasional hit or two, but Zhuo Fan's soul was under threat once more.

Fortunately, he had a helper, Qiao'er. Being born out of purple lightning and imposing like the Thunder Phoenix, she would meet the golden flames without fear. The purple lightning rained down on Ye Lin's body and exploded when meeting the flames. Ye Lin had no choice but to shift some of them for defense.

Qiao'er's purple lightning was unlike the junk Zhuo Fan's purple dragon used. That was a power gained after being trained for years. It had reached such a degree, and Qiao'er might just be the new Thunder Phoenix.

Ye Lin could not ignore the power of a 6th Heaven purple lightning and had to defend with his golden flames, thus giving Zhuo Fan some breathing room.

Even so, the pair had yet to do any real damage ever since that last sneak attack. In fact, the two were being pushed back under Ye Lin's onslaught.

The fight had entered a stalemate. Despite the obvious discrepancy in strength, the two sides had no way of defeating the other for a while.

Zhuo Fan knew he was at a disadvantage but still kept his cool. He knew the time was almost up, and the fight would be judged as a draw. While he wanted to win, he was not that desperate.

He knew Ye Lin wanted to win much more than him. When Ye Lin was restless enough, he would get an opening to use. That was why good things happened to those who waited.

Seeing through Zhuo Fan's intent, or maybe he showed it on purpose, Ye Lin was getting tense and impatient.

He wanted to strike Zhuo Fan down for good, but Qiao'er would not let him. Time was running out…

Bang~

Ye Lin threw a bunch of scales, and Zhuo Fan used the azure dragon to mitigate the explosions. Ye Lin wanted to claw the azure dragon, but Qiao'er butted in, and the impact of the purple lightning sent him flying and refocused on defense.

He might have the advantage, but his hands were tied.

[Blast it! I have to get rid of that damn bird and fast!]

Ye Lin gnashed his teeth…

"Yin Yang Dragon Claw!"

Ye Lin's eyes flashed and shot for Zhuo Fan. His hand turned into a claw enveloped by raging flames as he aimed at Zhuo Fan's heart.

Zhuo Fan used the Qilin arm to block, but behind it, he grinned, "Kids these days have no patience, ha-ha-ha…"