A Demon's Path Volume 1 Chapter 30

Ling Xiao was a changed man. He normally didn't like talking all that much back in the Northern Jade Sect, but he was even more withdrawn now. He would only vaguely respond to Cheng Qiantai and Li Yuanhuan whenever they approached him with questions. He ignored the others without exception.

Everyone knew Ling Xiao was in a foul mood, so they gave him his space. They'd seen how he was intimately glued to Tang Yingying during the 10 days they spent together. He'd also treated her with extreme care all the way from the Northern Jade Sect to the Moon River Sect. They understood the feeling of having such a beauty disappear on them without a word's notice.

Cheng Qiantai felt responsible. If Ling Xiao wasn't in a rush to save them all, Tang Yingying wouldn't be missing. But when Cheng Qiantai brought this up to the youngster, Ling Xiao calmly looked him in the eyes and said, "Master, this has nothing to do with you. No one can stop Yingying from leaving. She did so out of her own free will."

The procession, or rather what was left of it, didn't run into any more trouble throughout the remainder of the journey. Four days later, they arrived in Sunken Wind City.

"Woah, it's really fucking huge!" Ling Xiao viciously swallowed his saliva. Everyone thought he was marvelling at the size of Sunken Wind City, but Cheng Yu followed Ling Xiao's line of sight and realised his eyes were glued to a mature woman's voluptuous bosom. She immediately flared up and raged, "Hoodlum! Can you stop embarrassing the Northern Jade Sect?!"

Li Yuanhuan patted Cheng Yu's shoulder and hinted at her with his eyes to leave Ling Xiao alone. After everyone had seen what the city was like, Li Yuanhuan found a chance to be alone with Cheng Yu. He explained, "Junior Sister, Junior Brother Ling Xiao's heart is aching with Maiden Tang Yingying's sudden departure. He's just venting. Don't misunderstand him."

"How pathetic! For him to be so listless after spending only 10 days with her… He's really an embarrassment to all men!" Cheng Yu disdainfully exclaimed.

Li Yuanhuan seemed to have come to a realisation as he softly sighed. "There are some who spend a lifetime together, but might not develop feelings for each other. And then there are those who find their everything in someone from the first glance."

"Humph!" Cheng Yu pretended she didn't understand what he was talking about and continued looking around, admiring the customs and culture of Sunken Wind City.

The Sunken Wind Sect, one of the Seven Grand Holy Lands, resided near Sunken Wind City. The city was flourishing with activity and just its streets alone were more than a hundred meters wide! Even so, heads were still huddled together, making this enormous street seem a little crowded. How very lively!

Cheng Yu finally relaxed a little, letting go of her emotions that she'd repressed for so long as the stores selling toys, snacks, and jewelry fell in her line of sight.

Girls would be girls.

Just as the group wanted to head toward the Sunken Wind Valley through another gate, 10 disciples from the Sunken Wind Valley walked up to them and blocked their path. A guy wearing a cloth vest that revealed his trained muscles spoke with his nostrils flaring up to the sky, "Report which sect you're from!"

Such arrogance! The disciples from the Northern Jade Sect and the Everlasting Pool Sect had indignant looks on their faces. Qian Hai even wanted to slap the guy across his face. Not once, but twice! However, he wasn't stupid. He knew full well that if he stepped out of line, he would be asking for a good beating.

The Sunken Wind Valley didn't accept disciples who hadn't reached the yellow rank. Not only were they the elites handpicked from smaller sects, they had also undergone rigorous training at the Sunken Wind Valley. This sect specialised in the Strength Soul and had a large variety of techniques in their possession. Taking all of that into account, these disciples really had the capital to be arrogant.  

Four years ago, Li Yuanhuan was also invited to join the Sunken Wind Valley. But this matter was quickly dropped since neither Li Yuanhuan nor Cheng Qiantai were interested. Valley Master Shen Nanfeng wasn't amused by their response and as such held an unfavourable impression of the untactful Cheng Qiantai. That was the reason why he'd handed over the important duty of accepting garbage like Ling Xiao to Cheng Qiantai.

Youngsters were easily agitated. Cheng Qiantai and Qian Gui had long since gotten used to the countenance of the disciples from the Sunken Wind Valley and so didn't really care for his attitude. "I am Cheng Qiantai from the Northern Jade Sect."

"Qian Gui, Everlasting Pool Sect."

The Sunken Wind Valley disciple glanced at their group and snorted. "Where somewhere in the middle of nowhere is that countryside sect? Humph! You country bumpkins are crowding the city. As per the Valley Master's orders the tournament will be held in three days to reduce the stress your numbers put on the city. During these few days, admittance into all the hotels in Sunken Wind City is free of charge. You're not allowed to have brawls or cause trouble in the city. Violators will be thrown out after a good thrashing! These are your tokens. All expenses are covered with them."

The muscular disciple simply flung two tokens half the size of a palm on the ground, not sparing Cheng Qiantai's group another glance.

Everyone was furious. Are they really such bullies? Then again, what could they do? They were guests, after all. The hosts were brutal and unreasonable, but it was their home turf. They could act as they pleased!

No one knew what to do with these two tokens. Were they to drop to their knees and pick them up? Wouldn't that be too humiliating? However, they did need those tokens! It really was a predicament.

Cheng Yu got angry and was about to explode when Cheng Qiantai restrained his daughter's well-known temper. He blocked her, but never expected Ling Xiao who was a man of few words along the way to step forward and stand in front of these two tokens.

Cheng Qiantai didn't know what Ling Xiao was going to do, but he believed Ling Xiao would behave appropriately. However, Ling Xiao's foul mood from the past few days foolishly slipped his mind.

Ling Xiao took off one shoe along with his smelly sock. He clipped the token between his toes and wrapped it around with his smelly sock before flinging it at Qian Hai who stood behind him. "Here, this is the Everlasting Pool Sect's token."

Qian Hai quickly flung Ling Xiao's sock away when he felt a stench as intense as rotten salted fish penetrate his nostrils, quickly grabbing ahold of the token. Even so, the token was stained with the nauseating stench of Ling Xiao's feet. Qian Hai coughed from the fumes before wrapping the token tightly with his own cloth, viciously glaring at Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao seemed to be oblivious to the fact that Qian Hai was currently glaring at him. He calmly guided his foot to clip the second token between his toes.

"Preposterous! You're asking for a beating!" The disciple from the Sunken Wind Valley was so angry that the fierce-looking muscles on his face twitched. He rushed up to Ling Xiao in three steps and was about to throw a violent punch when Ling Xiao's words caught him off guard. "You're not allowed to have brawls or cause trouble in the city. Violators will be thrown out after a good thrashing. Aren't these the words of the Valley Master? You dare to disobey his orders?"

The disciple paused and really didn't dare to make a move. Fuming with rage, he spoke between gritted teeth, "Brat, you better not come out at night. We're not responsible if you're so unfortunate as to end up falling down somewhere!"

Ling Xiao provocatively looked the muscular disciple in the eyes. "Got it. Don't you worry, I won't give you a chance to trip me up."

Somehow, the muscular disciple managed to keep his rage in check. He said, "Brat, my name is Wu Tan. You better remember it."

Ling Xiao placed the token he had clipped between his toes in his bag. "Why do I care what your name is? Master, I'm hungry. Let's go and eat! It's free! Haha! I need to feed my inner pig for the next three days and nights!"

Cheng Qiantai was itching to leave. So when he finally heard Ling Xiao express his desire to leave, he exhaled deeply in relief. He didn't want to rebuke Ling Xiao and snub his disciples' hearts on one hand, but on the other he was terrified that his disciple would really start a fight. There would only be one winner if Ling Xiao did fight, and that was the disciple of the Sunken Wind Valley! But against all expectations, everything was settled just like that.

When the group left the city gates, Wu Tan's eyes resembled a viper as a malevolent glint flashed in them. "Xiao Wu, follow them and see which hotel they're staying at."

After everyone made themselves comfortable in the Joker Hotel, Ling Xiao supposedly retreated to his room for a good rest. Cheng Yu wanted to take a stroll outside, so Li Yuanhuan assumed his duty of being her bodyguard. Qian Hai shamelessly followed them, expanding the two-man band to three.

Cheng Qiantai frowned. "Sect Master Qian, the situation has turned to what it is now. Why are you still fixated on that item in my Northern Jade Sect?"

Qian Gui bitterly smiled and said, "I really did have such intentions before we set off. As long as I can get that treasure, even the Valley Master won't dare to touch a hairsbreadth of my Everlasting Pool Sect. I asked Hai'er to approach Respectable Niece with that intention in mind. However, I've long since banished that idea from my mind after the disturbances we've faced along the way. I reckon Hai'er really fancies Respectable Niece. I too can't do anything about it."

Cheng Qiantai fell silent for a moment before he suddenly said, "I wonder why Sect Master Qian didn't follow Sect Master Luo and Sect Master Chen here."

Qian Gui thought on his answer before pensively saying, "They think I lack ambition, so they pushed me away from their plans. I reckon they have something huge up their sleeves."

Cheng Qiantai looked out the window at the bustling crowd below. He thought out loud, "Could it be that there really are changes in store for all of us?"

Chapter end