THE GUIDE AND PROTECTOR, VOLUME 7 - Season 10 Episode 42

“Coughcough.” You Mingdeng deeply coughed, then said in a mental message, “What are you three hesitating for? Don’t you know there are so many people waiting?”

“This…” Xuan Xiaochao and You Tonghan were speechless. They knew You Mingdeng was forcing them in.

“Let’s not make it so distant between ourselves. If we’re going, let’s go in together,” Fu Fengming said with a faint smile.

“That’s not a bad idea. Then, let us brothers enter together.” Xuan Xiaochao and You Tonghan nodded their heads in agreement.

Afterwards, they walked together, shoulder-to-shoulder, towards the formation.

Everyone fixed their gaze on them. There were even many heartbeats that quickened.

They knew very well that the future sect head of the Crippling Night Demon Sect would be born from one of these three.

*whoosh* Xuan Xiaochao and the others advanced with large strides, and easily entered the tenth layer. That shocked everyone, because that proved how powerful their aptitudes were.

Their speed decreased slightly upon entering the ninth layer, but their expressions remained unchanging. They still, with relative ease, passed through the ninth layer and entered the eighth layer.

However, upon entering the eighth layer, not only did their speed drop, even their complexions changed. Two words could briefly represent their condition: great exertion.

In spite of that though, the three of them still successfully passed through the eighth layer, and arrived at the seventh. However, every step became difficult when they reached that layer. When they drew farther inward, perspiration drenched their foreheads.

Their breathing started turning erratic. Their complexions turned pale. They walked with so much difficulty it was as if there were several mountain peaks tied with their legs.

One step. Two steps. Ten steps. Twenty steps. They had then, finally, arrived at the border of the fifth layer.

However, all three of them stopped moving. Not a single one of them stepped forth. Instead, they looked at each other as a hint of a smile surfaced onto their faces.

As for the observer, they couldn’t help but hold in their breaths. The lumps in their throats felt as large as their hearts. With such a scene occurring before their eyes, they could see that Xuan Xiaochao and the others were indeed dragons amongst men. Every single one of them had the potential to succeed the position of sect head.

However, there could only be one sect head. Since the sixth layer was already so difficult, the fifth layer was definitely the concluding layer.

“Come! Let us go together. No matter who becomes sect head, we will remain good brothers!” Fu Fengming said.

Xuan Xiaochao and You Tonghan nodded their heads. Then, a tinge of resolution flashed into their eyes. They took a large step, and entered the fifth layer simultaneously.

“Ahh!” However, just as he entered the fifth layer, Xuan Xiaochao let out a painful cry and he flew out.

*whoosh* Xue Xiyue frowned. She then flew up and took Xuan Xiaochao into her embrace, then landed back at her previous position.

“Ahh, you brat, why didn’t you try your best?” Xue Xiyue scolded disappointedly after inspecting Xuan Xiaochao.

“I’m sorry, Master, I’ve embarrassed you,” Xuan Xiaochao admitted his wrongs with an apologetic face.

“Ahh, whatever. You put too much emphasis on camaraderie. In the future, even if you become sect head, you won’t be decisive. Rather than letting you, it’d be better to let one of those two to become sect head so the Crippling Night Demon Sect wouldn’t fall by your rule.” Xue Xiyue waved her hand. Although she had quite unsightly expression, she didn’t blame him too much.

Many were confused at that exchange of words, but Chu Feng saw the truth: Xuan Xiaochao had intentionally backed out. If he persevered, he could have continued, but he just didn’t want to fight over this position.

Though Xuan Xiaochao had no interest, You Tonghan and Fu Fengming were clearly different. At that moment, they were gnashing their teeth and even their eyes turned blood-red. One could really imagine the immensity of the formation’s pressure.

However, they weren’t really desiring the position of sect head. It was just difficult to go against their masters’ orders. They were struggling right now, not for themselves, but for their masters.

For their masters, who had put great effort into raising them, the two of them would not easily give up. They decided to continue until the very end.

However, one of them was fated to fall before the other, and the fifth layer was their end. With the strength they had, they could not step past the fifth layer.

“Dammit!” Fu Fengming’s complexion suddenly changed. Then, a mouthful of blood sprayed out. His body trembled slightly, and he slipped. Like an arrow that had just left a bow, he shot out from the formation.

*whoosh* Fu Liansheng willed a soft power to emerge, which brought Fu Fengming to his side.

“Master, I have been useless. Please grant me punishment.” Fu Fengming immediately knelt after landing.

“It’s a fair competition, so what crime have you committed? Besides, I know that you’ve done your best.” Fu Liansheng faintly smiled, then helped Fu Fengming up; he was quite a bit gentler than Xue Xiyue.

At that instant, You Mingdeng was elated. He knew his disciple, You Tonghan, had won. So, he didn’t care whether he held his composure or not. He said, “Han’er, you’ve won. There’s no need to continue; come out!”

You Tonghan was completely focused on withstanding the enormous pressure. He didn’t even notice Fu Fengming had lost, and he only came to his senses after hearing You Mingdeng.

*whoosh* After flying out of the formation, he first wiped the sweat off his forehead, then asked with a bit of doubt, “Master, I’ve won?”

“Han’er, you’ve won! You will become the Crippling Night Demon Sect’s sect head,” said You Mingdeng as he nodded. This ugly old thing could not even hide his grin.

You Tonghan’s face also brimmed with an incomparably excited smile. He knew he had finally made his master proud.

“Lord Protector, I feel that this position of sect head cannot be decided just like this.” But suddenly, someone had spoken.

Looking in the direction of the speaker, they discovered it was the head of the Ten Gold-cloak Brothers, Old Liu. He said those words just now.

“What do you mean?” There was a bit of displeasure on You Mingdeng’s face.

“Lord Protector, since the substitute sect head is to be chosen from the outstanding younger generation, how could Chu Feng be excluded?

“Everyone knows that Chu Feng is a member of the Crippling Night Demon Sect. He is also a publicly acclaimed genius in the Eastern Sea Region. Even Murong Xun stands no chance against him. If I may ask, which youth in the Eastern Sea Region can defeat Chu Feng?

“Besides, Chu Feng had come up to the Demon Sealing Sword and even touched it! Lord Earth King can attest to this.

“So, although I feel the sect head can come from the younger generation, it cannot be selected without Chu Feng because that would not be fair,” Old Liu fiercely said. From his attitude, one could tell he spoke bravely only because he had made his resolve. He was risking his life to demand some fairness for Chu Feng.