Starting Point

Long chapter

**

There was a rumor circulating around the populace about the genius ZI Shuang of the Boulder Sect.

It was said that, Zi Shuang had fallen for Yu Da-Xia's beauty when he first saw her years ago, although the rumors died down almost immediately as it appeared many still remembered it and seeing how ZI Shuang protected Yu Da-Xia against Wang Xue's attack the people in the city square was able to get the answer they wanted.

Zi Shuang had a very intent glare, his eyes were bloodshot from anger and his domineering spiritual energy continuously kept coming out his body "Take one step further and I will fill you with holes." He said to Wang Xue.

Checking Yu Da-Xia behind him ZI Shuang said in worry "Miss Yu Da-Xia please get out of here, I will take care of him get proper treatment of your wounds for now."

Plop!

Yu Da-Xia's knees had been shaking after realizing her mistake and losing what that strength have Yu Da-Xia fell down on her knees.

"Get out of here, I don't need your help Zi Shuang!" although she was still down on the ground, Yu Da-Xia still had her pride even when her fellow disciple came up to assist her she rejected their offer and stayed there as if she was showing she was prepared to face Wang Xue even in her current state.

Seeing her reaction Zi Shuang only smiled at her before turning his gaze to Wang Xue, he didn't let the beast in front of him moving to do a sneak attack.

The many young maidens in the square saw ZI Shuang's action and they themselves could not help but feel admiration for him, it also goes without saying for the men around the square.

"Zi Shuang you are so manly, protecting your woman like that from danger, you are so admirable! Kill that Wang Xue person for being too ruthless to a woman!"

"Miss Yu Da-Xia please take cover from that place that savage man may not stop until he gets you!"

Zi Shuang was treated with respect, Yu Da-Xia with kindness and thoughtfulness, but Wang Xue was treated with disgust and hate. Even the people who cheered for him earlier for being some kind of dark horse in the competition were badmouthing.

"Get out of there! You dirtied the name of the Jade Province competition if you continue to fight, you do not even have the right to stand there. Leave, leave, leave, get out of here…..."

A young girl yelled from the crowd, it was the diehard fan of Yu Da-Xia who scolded that middle-aged man earlier for having lustful thoughts about her idol. From her shouts, the people around her were all riled up and started to chant together with her.

"Leave, leave, leave, leave, get out of here. How dare you do that our goddess, Zi Shuang cut off his arms for us, and throw him out of the city."

"That kind of punishment is too light for him, just kill him now. Leaving a scourge like that in our Jade Province will only create future troubles, cut his head off Zi Shuang!"

"Senior disciple Zi Shuang nice going, take the head of that man from his shoulders and throw it out for the wolves!"

It wasn't only the disciples who were shouting the disciples except for the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect both the Nine Flower Valley and the Boulder Sect were shouting on the top of their lungs, the disciple who got his spot taken by Wang Xue was the one shouting the loudest and the fiercest.

Wang Xue became the villain, however, even when he heard the countless shouts and insults around him his gaze didn't leave Yu Da-Xia and ZI Shuang hate and loathing at this level did not have any effect on him, he wouldn't even faze if all of the Jade Province people started badmouthing him at the same time.

His intention did not falter even when Zi Shuang stood in front of him, he wanted to make that woman learn her lesson. Although he may not kill her he wanted to at least take an arm or a leg from her, and this goes for Zi Shuang who got in his way.

"Stoooooooop!!!!!" A loud voice rang around the whole city square, Dongfang Qianyin's body was overflowing with spiritual energy, and the pressure he emitted was strong to the point that everybody around the 15 miles wide city square of the Cloud city all felt their hearts started to beat faster than before.

"How dare you people start a fight on your own on the Jade Province Competition fighting stage!? The fights that are only allowed in that stage is the competition rounds if you want to duke it out with each other wait for your turn! Wang Xue stand down!" Dongfang QIanyin shouted.

He didn't blame a specific person, he was a smart person. Although he could pin all the blame on Wang Xue at the time Qianyin didn't do it, because he didn't want to tarnish his reputation of being bias to anybody who wasn't affiliated to a sect.

Zi Shuang didn't lower his weapon and he also didn't took his eyes away from Wang Xue, his instincts told him that the moment he put away his Martial Spirits and ax Wang Xue would pounce at him and Yu Da-Xia without hesitation.

"Senior disciple Donfang please forgive me for doing this, but I don't think this guy plans on giving up his plans of taking out Miss Yu Da-Xia, I have a proposition please hear me out senior disciple Dongfang, my fellow Boulder Sect disciple, and disciple of the Nine Flower Valley who was able to reach the second round." His voice was clear attracting the attention of the people around the city square.

"Please let me fight this young man right now, my heart is burning with rage for this man right now, a fellow contender of the competition I implore you to let the two of us right now!" ZI Shuang shouted.

The disciples of the three great sects and the audience around the city square were all surprised to hear ZI Shuang's proposal.

"Doesn't that mean this fight will decide the whole competition already!? That brat from the Red River State may be strong that he could even beat Yu Da-Xia so it would also mean his level of strength is the same for Wu Feng and Zi Shuang so like the two he would not have any match with the other disciples."

A man from the audience said, other people also started thinking about what he had said and they also agreed to what he was saying. Wang Xue was strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the top contenders of the three great sect so he didn't have anyone equal to him remaining in the competition except for Zi Shuang.

"Even so do you even think the other disciples will agree to this? Making their way up to this point they won't be will—"

Before that man could even finish his words a loud voice suddenly sounded out around the city square.

"I will step down right now, but Zi Shuang you must let that trash know his place and give him the appropriate punishment of trying to hurt Sister Yu Da-Xia."

The one who spoke out was the young girl from the Nine Flower Valley who took the fourth place on the Trial of the Heavens earlier, her eyes were full of hate when her gaze turn to Wang Xue who stood near Zi Shuang.

She was also one of the top running contenders in the competition, this girl saw Yu Da-Xia as a rival and seeing Yu Da-Xia being humiliated by Wang Xue earlier the flames of anger burned inside her heart.

"I also step down, and agrees to brother Zi Shuang's proposal!"

"I am also willing."

From that young girl who belongs Nine Flower Valley, everyone also chose to back down and let Zi Shuang face Wang Xue to the fight. All of them had been affected by the wave of hate place on Wang Xue and now they were hoping to see him humiliated and hopefully even killed!

After a short, while everyone who still had the rights to fight in the competition all steps down one by one even the disciples from the Heavenly Sword Sect all chose to step down because if they didn't they will be swept up the wave of hate.

Dongfang Qianyin was put in a deep contemplation but he didn't take long before raising his hands and announced "The fight between Zi Shuang of the Boulder Sect and Wang Xue from the Red River State is about to begin, both contenders prepare yourself."

"Zi Shuang of the Boulder Sect ready!"

His voice was loud and clear, he was pumped up with his blood boiling from anger and hate.

"Wang Xue of the River State ready."

Wang Xue steadied his footing and started circulating his spiritual energy around his body the out. Drawing power from the Golden Pagoda, Wang Xue didn't waste time he drew his right fist backward then, unleashed a powerful punch aimed to Zi Shuang's face.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

His punch actually created a booming sound due to the friction it created.

Clang! Boom!

Wang Xue's punch was met with Zi Shuang's Martial Spirit, the metallic sound rang out in the air. Zi Shuang felt his right hand going numb from the shockwave that he felt through the handle of his shield, from that punch Zi Shuang had focused on defense but he was still forced to take a few steps backward.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

He was only able to steady his footing after taking three steps backward. But Wang Xue didn't stop his attack, jumping upwards Wang Xue pointed his left leg to the heavens doing a somersault midair he started descending from above like a meteor.

Zi Shuang raised his head and saw the kick coming for him, he didn't have any time to counterattack with his ax so raising his shield up he poured his spiritual energy to his Martial Spirit in order to raise his defense.

The engravings on the surface of his Engraved Round Shield started glowing in a deep blue color, "Immovable Deep Sea Barrier!"

Bang!

Wang Xue's leg and ZI Shuang's Engraved Round Shilled met once again, the fighting stage wade of Fire Stones started to shake the rounds shield didn't move and with ZI Shuang's steadied footing he was not blown away by the force.

His body was strong and his Martial Spirits defensive capabilities was amazing but the fighting stage was not like Zi Shuang and his Martial Spirit. Cracks started to appear on his feet.

Creak! Crack! Crash!

The fighting stage made of Fire Stone was begging to shatter, Zi Shuang was being nailed down on the fighting stage. Wang Xue was like a mountain pressing down over him from above and from where he stood he was slowly started to be nailed down on the ground as if he was being hammered.

'How can someone at level 1 of the Jade Palace realm have this much power, this is not possible.' He was complaining inside his mind, then when he was pressed down all the way to his knees the pressure from above him suddenly disappeared.

Whoosh!

A white shadow moves from above him that, it was quickly making its way towards Yu Da-Xia who still hadn't got out of the fighting stage. Wang Xue saw the two disciples around her and gave them a punch to the stomach that was enough to send them flying out of there but not enough to kill them.

Zi Shuang saw this and tried getting out there, however, both of his legs were buried on the ground, "Ha!!!" with a fierce shout he placed all his strength on both of his legs and forced his way out of there were even some remaining Fire Stones still attached on one of his legs.

But he was still too late, seeing Wang Xue going for her Yu Da-Xia lost meager strength that she had accumulated inside her, and when that cold gaze of Wang Xue's graze her body she started trembling from fear, Yu Da-Xia was even willing to crawl away if she could so she could get away but that familiar steel pliers like grip latched onto her neck while simultaneously lifting her out up the ground.

Watching her flailing around in the air like a fish that was took fished out the water, Wang Xue heard Zi Shuang screaming behind him.

"Released her!!!!!" With a shout he grabbed the ax with both hands and aimed for Wang Xue's head, his attack was fierce like a rhinoceros charging in full strength but for Wang Xue it was useless as the movements of his ax was simply too slow, this was the clear effect of pressing making him used up his spiritual energy in those earlier exchange.

With Yu Da-Xia being on her left hand, a curve appeared on Wang Xue's mouth as he took out his ice steel sword. When the ax was about to touch him, Wang Xue's body swayed and evaded the attack, then a slashing sound was heard as Wang Xue swung his Ice Steel sword towards Zi Shuang directly cutting his left arm off his body.

With the battle ax still held by the severed left arm of Zi Shuang blood sprayed all over the place like a fountain, a small part of the Fire Stone stage was dyed red with Zi Shuang's blood.

"Aaargh!! My arm, you cut my arm!" Zi Shuang placed a pressure on his left shoulder where the cut was made. Yu Da-Xia's face and body were then sprayed with Zi Shuang's blood and her flailing body stopped any prior movements, instead, her body only trembled from fear and her mind didn't have any thoughts of even resisting in fear of having the same end as Zi Shuang.

"Shut up!" Wang Xue's cold voice entered everyone's ears as they watch him step over Zi Shuang's face, his tone was still cold and his eyes were even colder it was as if he was looking at something insignificant.

The audience was stunned, they were too shocked to even let out a squeal and as for those who were all badmouthing Wang Xue earlier all of them had their shut while some even had their pants and skirts wet from fear of what will happen to them if this maniac learns how they badmouthed him.

Dongfang Qianyin stared at the bloody scene created by Wang Xue, and seeing his junior disciple being stepped on by Wang Xue his anger also peak "Wang Xue get your hands off him right now…"

But even before he could finish the words he wanted to say Si Niang beside her had already moved against Wang Xue "You f*cking brat, get your filthy hands off Da-Xia."

Si Niang took out a sword out from her storage bracelet, the sword on her hands was clearly out of the ordinary as spiritual energy of the world was constantly being absorbed by it.

SI Niang was fast as lightning, even Wang Xue with his full strength would not be able to get away from her if he tried to run away now, but Wang Xue wasn't planning on running away from her. He waited for her to come closer at him and when her sword was about to slash down on him Wang Xue also swung his left hand to guard against that attack.

"Senior sister wait!" Si Niang's hands stopped in midair when she heard those words, Wang Xue had used Yu Da-Xia as a shield against Si Niang.

Yu Da-Xia was an exhausted genius of the Nine Flower Valley, it could be said that the future of the Nine Flower Valley depends on them and Yu Da-Xia was a personal disciple of an elder back in the Nine Flower Valley if something were to happen to her here without Si Niang trying to resolve the problem she would be in problem, this is also the same for Dongfang Qianyin's situation with Zi Shuang.

"Despicable bastard! And you call yourself a man? Using a woman as a shield, how shameless can you get!? Si Niang was fuming with anger, Wang Xue's method was too despicable and shameless.

"And attacking a level 1 Jade Palace warrior when you're already a level 9 Jade Palace warrior is honorable?" Wang Xue scoffed at Si Niang while looking at her with disdain.

Upon hearing Wang Xue talked to her like that, she could kill him with a single slap but with Yu Da-Xia in his hands controlling her faith, Wang Xue was untouchable, not only that Wang Xue also had Zi Shuang below him and that meant he had two powerful shields.

Dongfang Qianyin wanted to slap Zi Shuang to death right now. 'Fighting someone out of your league and having your right arm cut off like that, useless!'

But his face still held on to that calm look, Dongfang Qianyin process that situation and said to Wang Xue "What do you want? I will give you anything that you want if you were to let them go."

Wang Xue turns to look at him and said "You're pretty easy to get along with, okay I only joined this competition for the reward. Just give the prize to me and give me time."

Dongfang Qianyin tossed a storage bracelet to him without hesitation then said "That's the prize, now give them back to us and we will let you leave here without any problem."

Wang Xue caught the storage bracelet and checked its content, after making sure that everything was in there Wang Xue smiled and said "Now give me five days, I will leave now and for every people that follow me I will cut a finger on this little girl's little hand, if the people who followed me are enough I will start cutting her arm like how a butcher cut off pig meat."

"What did you say!? Did you really think I will…"

"Argh!!!"

Even before Si Niang could complete her words a gut-wrenching was heard all over the city square. One of Yu Da-Xia's fingers were cut off by Wang Xue's Ice Steel Sword, tears flowed down her pretty face upon feeling the pain, Si Niang immediately shut her mouth off.

"Shut up! I was planning to compete here honestly without raising any ruckus, but she disregarded my warning and tried attacking from behind if I had to say this is all her fault." Wang Xue kept his Ice Steel Sword to his storage bracelet.

With his right feet, he lifted Zi Shuang who was in pain and gave a quick strike to three of pressure point located on his neck, knocking him out cold. The bleeding was also stopped by Wang Xue for by halting the blood flow in his veins that were directed to his left arm.

"I will also take him with me if someone objects I will cut his arm if someone follows I will cut his d*ck and legs." Wang Xue said those words for everyone to hear.

With two geniuses from the three great sects on each hand Wang Xue left the city square, all eyes were on him and everyone was either hating him or fearing him, but no one dare to get closer to him nor stop him, Zi Shuang and Yu Da-Xia were like a charm that wards off others to him.

Just like that Wang Xue left the Cloud city without any problem, he entered for a clean fight but left with a brutal and bloody one, he entered alone but left with two people with him, the other had blood all over his body while the other was trembling from fear.

This image of him walking out of the city square became the starting point, this is the starting line when his name would be heard by everyone once again.

**

Alright, this is volume one.