"Leader, are you sure we're doing this?" Teng Xuegang asked as everyone started making their way out of the forest where they had made their home for the past 2 months.
Zhao Boqin didn't even look back when he answered. "What else are we going to do here?" he asked. "We have no more than 5 days remaining. It is about time for us to get as many points as we can."
Teng Xuegang said nothing and looked around at the others who were preparing to leave as well. Formations were being undone, and barriers were lifted. The fog that had surrounded them for the better part of the past 2 months had vanished already.
"Very well," Teng Xuegang said. "Let us leave then."
No more than 22 people flew out of the forest. No one else remained.
They had barely flown for a dozen or so kilometers when they sensed someone arriving. Spreading their spiritual sense, they quickly realized who it was.
"God damn…" Zhao Boqin muttered under his voice, not daring to let the words continue for much longer. He let his rage simmer as the figure became visible to his eyes.
Alex flew directly toward the group of 22 figures, smiling as he arrived not far away from where they were. They had all come to a stop.
"Your Majesty," Zhao Boqin spoke and gave a small bow. A cacophony of greetings floated from the group that stood behind the man.
Alex nodded. "Greetings," he said and then said nothing. An awkward silence fell on the crowd as Alex looked through everyone, and everyone turned to hide from his gaze. They had surely thought he was looking for people to challenge.
They had heard he had started being rather forceful about it for the past week or so.
"I don't see brother Mao or sister Fang," Alex said. "A quite a few more people."
"They lost, Your Majesty. They left the secret realm months ago."
Alex looked toward the middle of the group. The voice belonged to the old man who had the royal bloodline in him.
"I see," Alex said. "I'm not sure why I thought they would last longer. I'm surprised so many of you did."
"They were unfortunately one of the ones that fell under your tyranny, back when you didn't care for who you challenged. We had to stay back and they were forced to give up their loss for us," One of the women at the back said in a snarling voice before hurriedly remembering who she was talking to. "Your Majesty," she added.
"No matter," Alex said. "If they were weak, then they deserved to leave."
"Challenge who you wish to challenge and be done with this, Your Majesty," Zhao Boqin spoke in an almost rude tone. "We have things to do."
Alex gave a grin. "I wish to fight you, brother Zhao," he said. "But I will have to keep that thought aside for a day. I wish to see what else happens here first."
The man gave a look of confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Alex simply pointed behind him. "Let's just wait for them to get here, shall we? They're close enough."
Zhao Boqin wasted no time in spreading his spiritual sense and even extended it beyond its regular capability. Nearly a hundred kilometers away, he sensed a handful of people, flying in the direction of the forest they had just left.
Soon enough, one of them would sense their group and adjust their route toward them.
"Hongxi," the man growled a little before taking a deep breath.
15 other people, mostly youths, arrived a few minutes later, and most looked at the gathering with an odd look.
"Leader," Shang Honxgi, or Sarah, gave a deep deep bow as a legionnaire would give her battalion leader. That irritated Zhao Boqin quite a bit.
"Your Majesty," she gave a slight bow toward Alex, almost as if he was an afterthought. But anyone who could see knew that this greeting held more respect than the one she had made to her leader.
That made Zhao Boqin even more angry.
Everyone remained vigilant where they hovered. With so many strong individuals in one place, anyone could start fighting at any time. They came here for that, but Alex's presence made a difference.
Everyone here knew that he was strong enough to handle everyone but their two leaders. And of them, Zhao Boqin had once lost to him. Although most of them believed he could only do it once each battle.
Zhao Boqin also knew that if he had been prepared, he could've dodged the final attack. He was sure of it.
"So, who wants to fight me?" Hongxi asked without waiting for anyone to challenge her first. Her eyes drifted between the two men she knew would want to fight her. No one else would.
Zhao Boqin looked at the two of them as well and gave some thought. "I'll fight you," he said. "If His Majesty wanted to fight me, he would've already challenged me, and I want to fight you while you're at your best so there is no doubt that I fought somebody that was weakened."
He turned to look at Alex. "If that is alright with His Majesty," the man asked.
Alex shrugged. "I will fight whoever wins here tomorrow," he said. "I expect the battle to last long." He looked toward Sarah who simply smiled. Her fighting method was more running than fighting, so Alex expected it to take some time.
"And the day after tomorrow, I will fight with whoever loses," Alex finished.
Zhao Boqin gave a contemplative look, while Sarah didn't show a hint of what she was thinking on her timeless face. "Leader, we will be the ones to fight first then," she said.
She turned around toward her group and spoke in a loud voice. "Our partnership is voided and the group is dismantled," she said. "Do whatever you want from henceforth."
Everyone behind her looked with surprise. They hadn't expected the gathering to be finished just like that. Quite a few of them looked at each other, knowing that they were no longer allies as they were before.
Hidden rivalries started showing face and one person even challenged another that they were flying right next to.
Chaos spread through the group and soon everyone was challenging everyone.
"Right, we don't need to be allies anymore," one of the voices behind Zhao Boqin spoke, and without stopping challenged another person.
One man challenged another man. A woman challenged another woman. A man challenged a woman, and a woman a man. The chaos kept spreading.
Soon enough, there were sounds of battle from all around them with only a few staying put without fighting. Those who remained watched the many fights with slack jaws.
Alex was simply amused by the fights and wondered if he should challenge someone too. He saw a woman staring up, a faint Saint Transformation realm cultivation base spreading from her that she seemed to have tried hard to hide.
"Lady Feirong," Alex called out to her. He hadn't talked to her much back when he was staying amongst them, but just enough that he knew who was who.
The girl gave a start when she turned around to find Alex looking directly at her. "Yo-Your Majesty?" she called out hesitantly as if hoping he was going to send her on a chore and forget she existed.
Alex's amicable smile looked anything but to the girl. She was properly horrified. When the words she wanted to hear the least came, the double buzzing of her talisman gave all the answers she needed to make.
Alex turned toward Zhao Boqin and Sarah and gave a quick nod. "I'll see one of you too tomorrow. I'll look forward to it," he said and flew away, with the woman flying behind him to quickly catch up.
Sarah watched Alex fly away and looked down at her leader. The smile on her face dropped a little and her emotions seemed colder. "We can not do this if you want to, Leader," she said. "Just give me the leader role. You know I'll beat you in just a few years. Why spend your precious few years debating on when that will be?"
"You!" Zhao Boqin hated that Shang Hongxi always knew exactly what to say to get him to become mad. If he allowed her to be the leader, he would have to step down and become her subordinate. And he didn't want to be a subordinate. Anything but that.
"If you want to fight, just fight. Win and we'll see. Without it, you're just a dog that does nothing but bark," he said, clearly wanting to rile her up.
"Of course, that is what I want," she said as she brought out a spear from her storage bag. "Let us begin."
Zhoa Boqin brought out his spear as well, and the two of them danced.
Two attacks landed on the two of them at the exact same time.
Sarah with her Saint Transformation 3rd realm managed to block an attack from Zhao Boqin. Zhao Boqin with his Saint Transformation 5th realm was once again surprised by just how strong Shang Hongxi was.
Despite the difference in cultivation base, she was on equal footing with him.
Still, he was sure he would win this fight.
Neither of them used their Immortal Qi, as that would be kept for when one couldn't dodge it. That was the only way for either of them to win instantly.
Alex watched from the distance as the two of them fought and their fight took them further and further away.
