I Am Supreme

Although Shi Wuchen was aware that someone had set up a sect above him by the most random of chances, and that it was pure coincidence, it was undeniable that the ground meridian that he was benefiting from was being taken away, and he was being tortured in the process. Moreover, he could no longer restore himself through the ground meridian in the future, not to mention the fact that he had lost any chance to practice and enhance his cultivation…

Affected by so many negative emotions, Shi Wuchen was naturally angered beyond belief, fuming with a towering rage.

Do you think it’s easy for me to find even the slightest bit of hope?

After enduring this earthquake, Shu Wuchen crawled to the surface at the very first chance he got. Firstly, he wanted to find out who had caused this ruckus and would make him pay for it; secondly, he knew this a long time ago: the preliminary steps of setting up a sect involved putting up a defensive formation!

If he waited for this person to complete the casting of the Hill Protective Formation, triggering a corresponding force that would reinforce the body of the mountains, then not only would he lose his chance to seek revenge, he would probably never see the light of day again!

He would be buried underground!

Therefore, he dug and dug as if his life depended on it, reaching the surface just as Yun Yang was about to start casting the formation.

Yun Yang looked on, wide-eyed with disbelief, as a man emerged from the initially flat surface with a sudden, loud whoosh.

“Who are you? Why are you trespassing upon my spiritual land?”

Shi Wuchen shouted a torrent of abuse. “How dare you ask who am I? I’m the one who’s supposed to ask who the hell are you! Bloody bastard, disrupting my peace when I was practicing — how are you going to pay for this affront?”

Disrupting you?

Where the hell did that come from?

Although this fellow standing before him was horribly filthy from head-to-toe and his looks were completely indiscernible, he did not seem very old. However, Yun Yang felt that it was strange given the fact that he was fuming with such indignant rage which was entirely directed at him.

Did I frighten you?

As they argued and finished laying out their individual points, they finally understood each other’s standpoint and how this entire matter came to be, but they could not refrain from slapping their hands against their heads. How in the world would there be circumstances as coincidental as this? A plot like this would not ever happen, even in a fictional novel!

I chose to set up a sect here, but I almost tortured this fellow to his death?

“If you wanted to set up a sect here, that’s none of my business, but why did you pick this place?”

Even if he was perfectly aware of how this entire thing came to be, Shi Wuchen’s anger did not abate in the slightest. “Who wouldn’t choose to set up a sect at a location that is easily accessible, or somewhere geographically strategic? At least pick somewhere at the edge of a town so as not to inconvenience yourself! Why did you pick somewhere in the middle of the wilderness? Do you think you’re some kind of legendary recluse?”

Yun Yang let out a dry cough. “Brother Shi, I am truly sorry and regretful for whatever that has befallen you. However, you still can’t hold someone accountable if he wasn’t aware of his wrongdoings. Whatever this humble one did was unintentional, so please pardon me. As for why I chose to set up the sect here, I definitely have my own considerations — I don’t owe you an explanation in any sense, good sir.”

Shi Wuchen pulled his sword out of its sheath. “According to the laws of the martial world, the strong will be the kings of the jungle — and reason is always governed by the strength of the fist. If you win, that simply means I am wrong, and I will be on my way. However, if you lose, you have to come up with some sort of payment for my loss of the ground meridian! I don’t want to take away your life, so please, get out of my sight immediately and find somewhere else to set up your sect.”

Yun Yang stared intently at this fellow standing before him, his eyes filled with amusement.

Why, this fellow with his principles was quite the character! He might seem thuggish, but he didn’t necessarily force someone to go his way. Instead, he even allowed them a way out — that quality itself was quite hard to come by.

“What’s your cultivation base like?”

“If I am completely restored to the original level of my cultivation base, do you think you still have the right to speak to me face-to-face, like this? My meridians may be hurt and sealed, and my wounds have not yet healed completely, leaving me with only ten percent of my actual strength, but I still have some fight left in me. Brat, you’re terribly fortunate this time!” Shi Wuchen roared furiously.

Yun Yang nodded. “That’s a pretty honest way of putting it, good sir — it’s a pleasure to hear that. Instead of simply fighting it out, why don’t we gamble with high stakes — now let’s talk about the matters of losing and winning.”

“What sort of gamble with high stakes? How?”

Yun Yang chuckled. “Since we’re talking about a gamble with high stakes, of course, we need to place each other’s futures and fates as a wager. If you lose, good man, you shall join my sect immediately, never to abandon it and pledge unwavering loyalty to me. However, if I lose, I will restore the ground meridian to whatever state it was before. I will sincerely offer this land back to you and top it up with a piece of Ethereal Amethyst. How does that sound?”

When he uttered these words, Yun Yang looked deeply into Shi Wuchen’s eyes with a neutral expression.

Now that Lord Supreme Cloud was completely alone, he was growing rather impatient to recruit some men. Coincidentally, this chap had sent himself right up his doorstep, so of course, he would try his luck at soliciting him.

“Ethereal Amethyst?” Shi Wuchen’s eyes flashed with interest as he licked his lips subconsciously.

If I have the Ethereal Amethyst, why would I need that ground meridian?

His thoughts churned mightily and greed stirred within his heart. He was barely able to suppress it. “You have an Ethereal Amethyst? You’re really using that as wager?!” He asked, a hint of hesitation and uncertainty in his tone.

“If I don’t, what would become of this gamble?” Yun Yang replied nonchalantly.

Shi Wuchen muttered to himself for a bit before replying, “If that’s the case, there’s no need to fight. Just give me a piece of that Ethereal Amethyst and I’ll be on my merry way. This would put an end to everything, I’ll simply write it off. How’s that?”

“That doesn’t sit well with me at all. If we do it that way, I will be the only one contributing to this, and that’s not fair in any way. Contrary to your suggestion, I am more willing to engage in a high-stakes gamble… unless, of course, you are afraid of losing?”

Shi Wuchen laughed in a conceited manner. “Although my body is wounded and my strength is lacking, my eyes and senses still work. Your cultivation base is way lower than mine — where is the fairness in a fight like this? If I really hurt you, and take the Ethereal Amethyst from you, not only will this make me seem unkind, I seriously have no heart to do such a thing. So, why don’t you just give me a piece of that crystal, and let’s be friends, there’s no need for mindless killing… perhaps, I will even sweeten the deal for you — if you need assistance in the future, you can enlist my help, and I’ll never reject whatever that’s within my capabilities. How does that sound to you?”

Yun Yang narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t sound like a go from me. This fight hasn’t even started, and there’s no victory or defeat yet, so why does it sound like you’ve already won and I’ve already lost? If you have really wounded me, that would simply mean that I am defeated. You would’ve done your part and obtained the ground meridian rightfully, and you’ll also get the Ethereal Amethyst — what’s there to be unhappy about? I firmly insist that it has to be this way — even if I’ve lost, I’ll have nothing to be resentful about!”

“Why you’re a bloody hard-headed little brat, aren’t you? You disrupted my healing process — my anger is perfectly justified. However, I understand that you were unaware of my presence below, so although I’m boiling with rage, I won’t intentionally take it out on you. A piece of Ethereal Amethyst as repayment may seem a little too much to ask, but I am a Saint-level practitioner after all, so that’s something for you know — I’m not even taking too much of your advantage. Do you really want to leave me with no choice but to give you a good beating? I, Shi Wuchen, am not a totally unreasonable man — I can’t commit myself to this atrocious deal!” Shi Wuchen roared.

Yun Yang nodded. “That’s how it is. You are truly virtuous, good sir.”

More brownie points were added to Yun Yang’s silent judgment of this man’s character.

He threw out the information about the Ethereal Amethyst intentionally as a test to probe the man’s character; Yun Yang did not want to recruit simply anybody. If that man had wicked intentions… Yun Yang would never let him join the Residence of Nine Supremes, no matter how strong his cultivation base is, or even if he groveled and begged.

However, from this man’s performance, although there was greed, he was still able to restrain himself. His conscience was unusually clear, and there was no way he would take another step beyond his boundaries.

Yun Yang had to admit that this was a rather unusual trait.

It precisely this very reason that truly made Yun Yang want to take this man under his command.