Chapter 88 – The Strongest in the Outer Sect

  His name was Zhao Wuxian, and to the misery of nearly everyone in the Outer Sect, he absolutely loved being Zhao Wuxian. He was one of those people who, if given the option to be anyone or anything in the universe, would undoubtedly choose to remain himself.

  Standing nearly two heads taller than most other Disciples in the Outer Sect, Zhao Wuxian was built like a war god sculpted from bronze and filled to the brim with arrogance.

  His bare chest was almost always on display, glistening in the sunlight with spiritual oils and medicinal salves from herbs so rare that most Outer Sect Disciples had only read descriptions of them in the Sect archives.

  The Qi in Zhao Wuxian’s body pulsed with raw physical power, and as a pure body refinement cultivator, he had long surpassed the mortal restrictions of the flesh thanks to daily soaks in beast marrow baths and absurdly expensive fortifying elixirs obtained from his wealth Clan which dedicated everything they earned to their most talented prodigy.

  Zhao Wuxian was in the 7th Level of Qi Condensation, and he made sure absolutely everyone knew it. He would constantly bring it up unprompted, despite it being obvious to a cultivator’s senses. His voice boomed like thunder throughout the Outer Sect, bragging about how the Elders had praised his physique.

  When he trained, he would allow his fellow Disciples to strike him with their strongest attacks, promising them that he would not move or retaliate in any way. And when he emerged uninjured from these training sessions, he would laugh and proclaim himself the strongest in the Outer Sect.

  Zhao Wuxian struck poses every time he moved, whether he was lifting heavy boulders over his head, doing one-handed push-ups with weights draped over his body, or sparring against entire groups of Outer Sect Disciples while offering loud, detailed commentary of his own techniques and belittling his opponents.

  Fortunately, Zhao Wuxian had a face as handsome as his personality was unbearable. He had long, flowing black hair, piercing eyes, and a sharp jaw. He would wink at every woman who crossed his path, whether they wanted him to or not, and had loudly declared his intention to take multiple Dao Companions.

  As he put it, ‘The heavens clearly didn’t mean for this body to be bound to just one, or even three, women.’

  Strangely, despite his horrible personality, many Outer Sect female Disciples did trail behind him, sighing dramatically and giggling at everything that he said. Many people speculated that they were just enchanted with his body, or interested in his unique bloodline, but some thought it had to do with his Clan’s wealth.

  Everywhere Zhao Wuxian went, a crowd would follow as they knew there was going to be a spectacle. The man himself loved it and thrived in the attention. He even cultivated in the open so people could witness his ‘unparalleled body refinement technique’ which consisted of flexing his muscles while he had servants slather him with elixirs and oils. He even had a giant wooden tub brought from his clan and placed in the training grounds so that he could take his medicinal baths in the presence of others.

  If it were just his unique personality and his tendency to showboat, no one would comment much beyond the occasional rumour. But there was one other thing about Zhao Wuxian that was well known in the Outer Sect, and it was something that very few people agreed with him on.

  Zhao Wuxian hated Jun De.

  He would readily admit that he had never met Jun De, hadn’t seen his face, heard his voice, or so much as caught a glimpse of his shadow. Zhao Wuxian hadn’t entered the Inheritance Site, and he had been visiting his Clan when the Tower of Tempered Will first opened, so he had missed seeing Jun De for himself.

  Despite the two men being complete strangers to each other, Jun De had still managed to become the single most irritating presence in Zhao Wuxian’s life.

  Ever since Jun De had entered the Sect, all Zhao Wuxian had heard from others was how ‘Brother Jun De did this,’ or ‘Senior Brother Jun De said that.’

  For Zhao Wuxian, Jun De had committed a cardinal sin that deserved death. Jun De had taken the attention away from Zhao Wuxian.

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  Jun De cultivated fast, was supremely talented, extremely handsome and had the backing of Elder Mu Yanyu. It was even said that Jun De was chosen by the heavens and that he was a reincarnated immortal.

  All Zhao Wuxian saw was a name that was constantly getting in the way of his. Zhao Wuxian was not the type of person who shared the spotlight with others.

  One day, during Jun De’s third month inside the Ninefold Refinement Array, Zhao Wuxian was lounging in the Outer Sect’s training hall, surrounded by his usual gaggle of admirers. He enjoyed the feeling and would imagine himself as a lion amongst mice, even proclaiming it loudly multiple times to ensure everyone else knew it as well.

  His upper robes were nonexistent, and his perfectly oiled torso gleamed like polished steel in the bright sun of the training grounds. Feeling particularly pleased with himself at the moment, he stood in the middle of the duelling ring and spread his arms wide.

  “Come! Anyone who lands a single strike and manages to leave a mark on this flawless body will get a hundred spirit stones!” Zhao Wuxian shouted, laughing as he flexed his biceps.

  One by one, Outer Sect Disciples attacked, only to watch as their strikes bounced harmlessly off of Zhao Wuxian’s muscular frame. Each time it happened, Zhao Wuxian would laugh louder, flex harder, and shoot smirks at the crowd.

  Occasionally, one of the girls in his entourage would run forward and reapply the oils to his skin to make sure he was glistening at all times.

  “I am the strongest in the Outer Sect!” He declared, and his voice echoed throughout the training grounds.

  “When the Inner Sect entrance ceremony occurs and I officially ascend, I will dominate there as well! Let all who hear my name tremble! Zhao Wuxian will reign supreme throughout the Tranquil Mountain Sect!”

  His words were just ending when someone in the crowd snorted in derision. Silence followed as everyone’s eyes found the source of the sound. A young Outer Sect Disciple was shaking his head in disgust at Zhao Wuxian.

  “Jun De is the strongest in the Outer Sect!”

  Zhao Wuxian’s smile faltered, his eyes twitched, and a vein bulged on his forehead.

  “Senior Brother Jun De completed the inheritance trial, and even Vice Sect Master Mu Yanyu personally approved of his use of the Ninefold Refinement Array. Who else but Jun De would be allowed to spend months inside of it, when all of us have to make do with mere hours!?”

  The young Disciple took a deep breath after his gushing about Jun De, and was about to speak again when Zhao Wuxian screamed.

  With a furious roar, Zhao Wuxian raised his fist and punched out toward the tall walls of the training yard. The barrier flickered in response, trying to halt the force of the blow, but it was too much for the formation, and it shattered before the wall behind it was reduced to rubble.

  Dust rained down as the Outer Sect Disciples scattered, but Zhao Wuxian didn’t care. His long hair whipped behind him like a banner as he stormed out of the training hall and marched toward the Nine-Treasure Pagoda.

  His massive form parted the crowd like water parting around a stone, and he soon drew an entourage that began to follow behind him in order to watch the show. Word soon spread throughout the entire Outer Sect that Zhao Wuxian had lost his mind regarding Jun De and was about to do something extreme.

  Once he was inside the Nine-Treasure Pagoda, he stomped up to the Elder who was on duty and slammed his fist onto the counter.

  “Where is Jun De!?” Zhao Wuxian barked out, uncaring of the status of the person he was speaking to. While an Outer Sect Elder deserved respect, they were still in the Qi Condensation Stage, and Zhao Wuxian was both talented and favoured by a powerful Clan.

  The Elder blinked in shock at the sudden question, and his eyes slid away from Zhao Wuxian to the crowd that had formed behind the muscular Disciple who had come to see the show.

  “Disciple Jun De is still within the Ninefold Refinement Array.” The Elder responded, and he was already considering whether he should send someone to Elder Hua to deal with this, when Zhao Wuxian interrupted his thoughts.

  “Drag him out immediately! Tell him that Zhao Wuxian, the strongest Disciple in the Outer Sect, is here to challenge him!” Zhao Wuxian said, and he was sure to flex his muscles dramatically as he did so.

  The Elder’s mouth opened silently, and no words emerged as the statement drove away everything he had planned to say.

  “Disciple Jun De’s punishment will end in three months. He is not to leave until then. I suggest you come back later.” Another voice said, and the Elder sighed in relief to see Elder Hua emerge from the stairwell behind him.

  As the Elder responsible for overseeing the Nine-Treasure Pagoda, her authority extended beyond just cultivation, and she could make things very unpleasant for Zhao Wuxian if he was disrespectful.

  Zhao Wuxian’s eyes blazed, but he had enough sense not to push the matter further.

  “I will wait here, inside the pagoda, until the coward Jun De comes out of the Ninefold Refinement Array. The moment he does, I will challenge him in front of the entire Outer Sect! I will crush him with my own hands and wipe his name from the hearts of every foolish girl who thinks he is worth remembering!”

  Then, as if that statement settled everything, Zhao Wuxian planted himself right in the centre of the entry hall and waited. The Disciples who had followed him stared at each other in awkward silence.

  One of the girls who was part of his entourage approached and whispered in his ear.

  “But, Senior Brother Jun De will be inside the array for another three months. Elder Mu Yanyu is even delaying the Inner Sect entrance ceremony for him. She may become angry if you delay Senior Brother Jun De further.”

  Zhao Wuxian’s eye twitched at the way she called Jun De ‘Senior Brother.’

  “I will wait.”