Chapter 22 Cold and Empty
Zi Yang Palace
Zi Yang Palace rests on Wu Dang’s northeast direction, while Chun Yang Palace is on the northwest direction. The two palaces are quite far apart from each other. Wu Dang is known for their balance of Yin and Yang. Therefore, even the architectures here have to be balanced. However, the ba gua diagram cannot be totally balanced (since it is round).
Xuan Luo did not realize Zi Yang Palace was in such a bad shape until he had arrived. However, he has never seen Chun Yang Palace either; so it wasn’t like he had something to compare with. But this sight alone was already blinding to his eyes.
Old and rusty. Everything was covered in dust. It seems like no one had bothered to sweep the place. Xuan Luo fixedly gawked at Tian Yu Zi. He is able to understand though. After all, Tian Yu Zi was a sloppy man. The place a sloppy man looks after must be sloppy as well. Unconsciously, Xuan Luo’s respect for Tian Yu Zi went down a couple levels.
“Hi Master!” As Tian Yu Zi walked inside, the disciples acknowledged him. At the same time, their tone sounded very feeble. Xuan Luo saw a familiar figure at the corner.
Zi Yang Palace’s courtyard is much bigger than Tian Yu Zi’s. But the place was cold and empty. It is quite likely that the few people that were present were all these is.
Tian Yu Zi was appalled by the disciples’ att.i.tude. There were no fire within them. They weren’t even practicing their daily routines. He angrily stormed, “What the f*** are you guys doing? We have a big battle up ahead and you guys are just slacking?!?!!!” (I added the swearing to make him sound more angry, haha)
Tian Yu Zi was honestly enraged. Even Xuan Luo has never seen him this angry.
No one was practicing in the courtyard. But it wasn’t like they were slacking either. Instead, everyone just looked unmotivated and weak; as if they have suffered from a trauma of some sort.
“Master, Chun Yang Palace’s people came again. We are no match for them!” A disciple stepped up and helplessly stated.
“Yes, they bully us whenever they feel like it. But…” Other voices started chirping in.
Tian Yu Zi could feel his anger boiling up inside of him. They already have such few disciples, yet the other group still comes to pick fights!? It’s intolerable. He could already tell who was behind all this. The conflicting views between the two groups have been here for ages. Neither side is willing to budge or back off.
“It’s Wu Ya Zi, the old b.a.s.t.a.r.d, isn’t it?” Tian Yu Zi bitterly screeched.
The disciples did not know how to respond to their Master’s question, and thus, did not utter a word.
At that moment, Xuan Yuan Duan Ai stood up from his corner. “Wu Ya Zi didn’t come. But Wu Di came. For the past two years, he frequently comes to pick fights!”
Wu Di and Xuan Yuan Duan Ai’s hatred towards each other began two years ago. As a result, whenever he has an opportunity, Wu Di would come to Zi Yang Palace to create chaos. He especially targetted Xuan Yuan Duan Ai.
However, based on the Clan’s rules, disciples are not allowed to kill each other. But, if you harm a disciple during a contest or practicing, that would be considered “an accident”. Hence, Wu Di found every reason to fight Xuan Yuan Duan Ai; which ended up affecting the whole Zi Yang Palace.
“Hehe. Xuan Yuan xiong! Long time no see!” As Xuan Yuan Duan Ai got up from his corner, Xuan Luo smiled and he approached him.
Clearly, Xuan Luo recognized Xuan Yuan Duan Ai. However, Xuan Yuan Duan Ai seemed to have no recognition of Xuan Luo. He was confused. “Me? Do I know you?”
Xuan Luo wanted to bang his head on the wall. Acting like a dogskin plaster, he pressed, “Don’t you remember? Two years ago… you were fighting Wu Di at the Ba Gua stage! I approached you afterwards…”
“I do not remember.” Xuan Yuan Duan Ai coldly replied.
Xuan Yuan Duan Ai’s att.i.tude caused Xuan Luo to feel discouraged. That day, when he first saw Xuan Yuan Duan Ai, for some strange reason, his heart felt a tingle. The tingle wasn’t something that occurred between a man and a woman. Instead, it was as if they have some type of relationship (I swear, it’s his long lost bro. lol)
“Wu Ya Zi doesn’t even know how to properly discipline his own disciples! I am so mad!” Tian Yu Zi exploded like lightning, with exaggerated movements.
“What really happened, Duan Ai xiong?” Xuan Luo disregarded Xuan Yuan Duan Ai’s reaction towards him. He could understand a bit through Tian Yu Zi, but he still wanted a more thorough explanation.
Xuan Yuan Duan Ai rolled his eyes at Xuan Luo and ignored him. It wasn’t that he was pretending not to remember Xuan Luo though. He honestly could not recall at first. However, after Xuan Luo prompted him, his mind faintly remembered who he was.
“Elder, Chun Yang Palace’s people have always been like this. Our conflicts have been here for ages. You also know about this!” Xuan Yuan Duan Ai continued to ignored Xuan Luo and spoke directly to Tian Yu Zi.
“Humpt! I’m going to go find Wu Ya Zi in a bit!” Tian Yu Zi exclaimed. “You guys better help me win this battle that is taking place three days from now!”
Everyone stared blankly at Tian Yu Zi, and the atmosphere was quite awkward.
Win the battle? Is he nuts? Everyone knows Chun Yang Palace is a big group. Pretty much anyone who could cultivate nei li would join Chun Yang Palace. Each year, they have new blood coming in continuously. It’s incomparable to Zi Yang Palace.
“The compet.i.tion is just a one on one battle and a group battle. Why are you all looking so stressed and depressed? You seriously think we have no one to represent us?” Tian Yu Zi then pointed to Xuan Luo, “This is the disciple I directly taught. Tell him the compet.i.tion rules. I don’t care, the battle that is happening three days from now, even if you are risking your life, you better help me win! If not, you guys know what is coming!”
All the disciples revealed their forced smiles and anxious expressions. Tian Yu Zi was furious. “Don’t give me that kind of face. We have already lost for so many years. We have to win at least once! This boy is yours!”
Then, with a blink of an eye, Tian Yu Zi disappeared.
“Oh G.o.d, help us!” The moment Tian Yu Zi left, Zi Yang Palace was no longer quiet. Cries could be heard everywhere.
“What’s going on?” Xuan Luo asked Xuan Yuan Duan Ai.
“Haha. You shall find out!” Xuan Yuan Duan Ai clearly did not want to say anything else. He forced a smile and went inside the building.
As for the disciples that were still outside, all of them had a stiff smile on their face. Their pain cannot be expressed through words.