Chapter 239: I Can"t Afford to Feed You
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
Shortly after w.a.n.g Lu mentioned his proposal, it received support from the other three sects.
It was not that w.a.n.g Lu’s proposal was a novel proposal since many of them have heard of the fox divide the cake fable, and in reality, something like this happened quite often. The reason why no one raised this proposal previously was that, on the one hand, the t.i.t for tat atmosphere on the negotiation table was too thick, and no one would be willing to retreat even half a step. On the other hand, the premise of this method was that both sides must be on equal standing. However, Kunlun Immortal Sect and Ten Thousand Arts Sect did not have enough weight to counterbalance Shengjing Sect, only by adding Spirit Sword Sect could they barely able to. However, w.a.n.g Lu didn’t make his stand, and Hai Yunfan and Zhou Mumu also couldn’t speak for him. While Shengjing Sect, who was anxious to monopolize all benefits, was unable to let the other three parties fight among themselves, they didn’t want to share the cake with the other three sects.
Now that w.a.n.g Lu has made his stance and put forward a practical plan, the other three sects no longer insisted.
w.a.n.gyue Luanyu said, "Since it is your proposal, then we will determine who get to shuffle the cards and who get to pick the cards, okay?"
w.a.n.g Lu said, "Feel free to do it."
w.a.n.gyue Luanyu smiled. "So fast to agree? Then we’ll also be generous a bit generous and let you choose them."
w.a.n.g Lu was surprised. "So generous? Okay then, we’ll pick who’s who. We’ll let you know as soon as the results are negotiated."
For the extraordinary generosity of the Shengjing Sect, w.a.n.g Lu’s response was to unceremoniously accept it. If there were problems, they could be dealt later on.
Since the deal has been set, the three sects’ people immediately began to discuss the countermeasures.
"Brother w.a.n.g, it’s best for us to shuffle the cards and let them pick." Hai Yunfan transferred his voice through primordial spirit. "Shuffling is the illusion-making test, while picking is the illusion breaking test… It’s really a pity that Senior Brother Ziye who is the most adept at breaking the illusion is not here. However, Senior Sister Feifei and I have studied illusion casting. With the two of us collaborating, we can cast Hundred Illusion level spell, like reversing any two cards…"
Before he could finish it, Zhou Mumu interrupted, "If it’s only Hundred Illusion level spell, you might as well not. Though in the heretical way, Shengjing Sect couldn’t be compared with Ten Thousand Arts Sect, their elites disciples have the ability to break that Hundred Illusion level spell."
Having his skill belittled by the other, Hai Yunfan didn’t get angry, and just asked a rhetorical question, "Then does Kunlun Sect has any bright ideas?"
Zhou Mumu said, "Let them shuffle, and we pick the cards. Although my illusion casting and illusion breaking skills are severely lacking, as it happens, my Junior Brother possess the Subduing the Devil True Eye, which can break Thousand Illusion level spell. Unless Shengjing Sect is truly a galaxy of talent and has one who is an illusion expert, otherwise, no matter what kind of trick would they do in the process of shuffling the cards, all of them would be useless."
Hai Yunfan looked at the cultivator beside Zhou Mumu in surprise. That always uncommunicative middle-aged cultivator actually possessed the Subduing the Devil True Eye!? Truly, you can’t judge a person by their appearance.
Subduing the Devil True Eye belonged to cultivators with innate magical ability. As one of the thirteenth levels of magical ability, it was exceptionally rare. Coupled with the proper Immortal Cultivation, they would have an extremely strong ability in suppressing the evil spirit and eliminating illusion spell that even if they were just in Xudan Stage, they have the ability to break the Thousand Illusion level spell—in general, even among Daoist Master of Jindan Stage, it was rare for someone who was skilled in Thousand Illusion level spell...This was indeed the most fitting magical ability in this current situation.
"Well, since Kunlun Sect has the Subduing the Devil True Eye, then it’s better for us to pick the card. However, in comparison, shuffling the cards is more like defense, while picking the card is like offense, but, for Shengjing Sect people’s style, they should excel at attacking."
w.a.n.g Lu said, "But it doesn’t matter. Since they were so generous in letting us choose, we’re not afraid of any of their tricks."
"Hey, your statements seem to contradict each other."
"It’s all the same… In any case, whether it’s illusion-casting or illusion breaking, it doesn’t have anything to do with me. I’ve tried to help you as best as I could, now I’ll just have to see how powerful your two sects are."
—
Their final decision was for Shengjing Sect to shuffle, while the three sects would be the picker. Shengjing Sect has no objection to this.
In charge of shuffling was a young cultivator with pale countenance and tall and lean figure. According to w.a.n.gyue Luanyu’s introduction, his name was Teng Fei. This guy was all the way reticent and didn’t give any deep impression to other people. This time, only because he was selected by w.a.n.gyue siblings to shuffle the card that he attracted everyone’s attention.
"Only middle-level Xudan Stage and not natural spirit root, moreover, there’s clearly a trace of external stimulation, not entirely relying on his own cultivation… Shengjing Sect unexpectedly accept this kind of disciple?"
Zhou Mumu was somewhat in disbelief; she shook her head and then said, "Even if artificial spirit root is the invention of Shengjing Sect, as far as I know, their inner court disciples selection is very strict, almost never accepting cultivators without natural spirit root. What’s going on here?"
w.a.n.g Lu sneered. "Isn’t it obvious? It’s either through back-channel connection, or he has some special abilities. And since w.a.n.gyue siblings selected him to be their shuffler, most likely he is the latter. There would definitely a good play to watch later. Senior Sister Zhou, does your Junior Brother Zhang Li have the confidence for this?"
Before Zhou Mumu could answer, the one name Zhang Li, a cultivator the with the look of a middle-aged man, coldly humphed. "There’s no need for you to trouble for this."
While speaking, he began to launch his Subduing the Devil True Eye. His two profound eyes suddenly changed; the black pupils rapidly spread until they covered the whole eyeb.a.l.l.s, becoming jet-black! Within that boundless darkness, no evil spirit or illusion could hide.
The nearby Hai Yunfan secretly nodded. "This is the dark system of Subduing the Devil True Eye...This is the first time I saw it before my eyes."
w.a.n.g Lu said with a smile, "Wait until after we finish this sword tomb exploration, I’ll help you make a specimen out of him, what do you think?"
Zhang Li looked back at him. It was as if a monstrous tide hid in those black pupils. w.a.n.g Lu’s heart felt cold, as if he was trapped in endless darkness, but the G.o.d of darkness was high above, and under the cover of darkness, he gazed at him.
This dark system of Subduing the Devil True Eye was actually using a greater darkness to suppress the other darkness. Which was a good idea, and moreover, it has both the attack and returning the attack nature; it was indeed a rare innate magical ability.
However, although the magical ability of Subduing the Devil True Eye was quite a strange ability, it was still too far from being able to deal with w.a.n.g Lu. w.a.n.g Lu lightly launched his Non-Phase Immortal Heart and expelled that strange feeling out. That cultivator also retrieved back his ability, no longer entangling with him.
After all, Kunlun and Spirit Sword was currently in a secret ally relation.
Then, under the gaze of Subduing the Devil True Eye, Shengjing Sect cultivator calmly picked fourteen cards from the two piles of cards on the stone table. During which, his magical power fettered the air, forming a part.i.tion between his palm and the metal round cards, preventing a direct touch. Afterward, one by one he revealed the fourteen cards to the crowd.
Zhang Li nodded. "Correct, please shuffle them."
With that, his jet black eyes became even more profound. The Subduing the Devil True Eye has been exercised to the extreme by him so that he was able to thoroughly examine each and every movement of the opposite party, not leaving any shred of chance.
Under Subduing the Devil True Eye, any shady trick was meaningless.
Towards this, Teng Fei revealed a faint smile, divided the fourteen cards into two piles and then began to shuffle them. Although his finger movements were flexible and agile, there was no fancy skills or tricks.
In other words, the way Teng Fei shuffle the cards was simply incredible. Zhang Li deeply frowned, yet he was unable to believe that the other side would be so sincere! However, it happened that his Subduing the Devil True Eye didn’t find anything unusual!
Except for the crisp metal sound when the cards collided each other, silence descended upon the stone chamber. Each sound caused many people’s heart to become even more nervous.
After a moment, the shuffling ended. Teng Fei combined the two stacks of cards into one pile and held them in his hand.
Then, Teng Fei put them one by one on the stone table with their character name downward and back upward. However looking at the back, all of these round cards were exactly the same, no difference whatsoever. Nevertheless, who could rely only on the appearance to judge a round card?
Zhang Lu pa.s.sed his voice through primordial spirit, "Strange, just now, when he was shuffling the cards, I can clearly see each of the cards, what the h.e.l.l is he doing?"
Zhuo Mumu, Hai Yunfan, and Ye Feifei also didn’t find anything strange. Only Liu Li who suddenly uttered a slight cry, which attracted everyone’s attention, only for them to hear her said, "These round cards looks like the bread brought by Master the last time!"
"…"
Were it not for looking at w.a.n.g Lu’s face, they would’ve scolded her: sesame cake your a.s.s!
At this time, Teng Fei had put the thirteenth of the fourteen cards on the stone table.
There was no suspense, each card was exactly what it looked. With this, Zhang Li and the others could easily pick seven cards with the children sign on them and thus obtain the qualification to pa.s.s the trial.
"This is the last one."
At this time, Teng Fei paused, looked up at the three sects’ cultivators, smiled, and then put the fourteenth card on the table.
Seeing this card placed on the table, Zhang Li could not help but relax. However, the next moment, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of an object, which pushed him into the abyss and his body cold!
Several other cultivators’ reactions were not that inferior to him as they all immediately saw that creepy thing.
Fourteen cards have all been put on the table, however, there were still yet another pile of fourteen round cards in Teng Fei’s hand!
In the horror of everyone, Teng Fei revealed a smile as he placed the fifteenth card, the sixteenth card… one by one on the stone table. Finally, on the stone table, there were hundreds of piles of round cards on the table; the table was filled to the brim!
"Ah, unfortunately, there’s no more place."
Teng Fei faintly said, and then retrieved his hand, releasing the round metal cards that were previously still in his hand. Like rain, they piled up on the ground into a mound.
The total number was tens of thousands.
"These are the cards. Fellow daoists of the three sects, please choose the card. In accordance with the agreement. You guys pick seven cards, and the rest of the cards are us."
A shocking silence descended upon the stone chamber.
Teng Fei’s meaning didn’t seem too fancy, just producing unlimited cards; let alone cultivators, even in the mortal world. there was such a trick. The problem was, he was able to turn the fourteen cards into thousands under the gaze of Subduing the Devil True Eye, this...
"This is beyond Thousand Illusion level spell!"
Zhang Li looked up and stared at that seemingly ordinary cultivator of Shengjing Sect with a look of disbelief. Unexpectedly, a Xudan Stage cultivator was actually able to cast the Thousand Illusion level spell—this was a genuine expert of illusion!? Moreover, previously, w.a.n.gyue siblings told them that this guy was merely an abandoned child in Shengjing Sect—because the quota to pa.s.s was insufficient, w.a.n.gyue Luanyun told them that Shengjing Sect team would let their Junior Brother Teng to sacrifice his place.
w.a.n.gyue Luanyu sneered and said, "Shengjing Sect has a galaxy of talent. If there’s anyone who thinks that with their three-legged cat skills they can show off before Shengjing Sect people, then that is indeed viewing the sky from the bottom of the well, making a fool of oneself!"
This was an impolite remark, but other people did have the capital to be impolite. Zhang Li felt that his face was burning from shame as all of his confidence and conceit from his Subduing the Devil True Eye went down the drain.
There were tens of thousands of cards in front of him, yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t see which one was true which one was false...
In the ensuing silence, Hai Yunfan asked, "Senior Sister Zhou, do you guys have another way?"
Zhou Mumu shook her head strenuously.
Hai Yunfan then turned around and looked at w.a.n.g Lu. The latter held out his palm to stop Hai Yunfan. "I’ve said before, illusion casting and breaking are not my specialties, so I really can’t see it."
Hai Yunfan felt even more at a loss. If even w.a.n.g Lu was powerless, could it be that they really have to...
However, just at this time, w.a.n.g Lu added, "I must say, the barley bread brought back by Fourth Uncle that little Liu Li mentioned just a moment ago is indeed impressive."
Hai Yunfan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, why do you have to mention sesame seed cake at this time? However, he immediately remembered, was w.a.n.g Lu a kind of man who didn’t have the sense of priority like Liu Li? He must have some purposes in saying this!
"At that time, Fourth Uncle has just returned from the Western Continent, bringing back barley bread. He said that the bread was a holy object made by a Western Continent holy man. In that time, the holy man fed more than five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fishes… That bread has no other magical ability other than: no matter how much it was divided, it would not finish."
w.a.n.g Lu then sighed. "If I"m not mistaken, that bread finally seems to have been eaten by Liu Li, no?"
Liu Li immediately protested. "No! It’s just that master said it could not be divided again, that’s all!"
"Hehe."