Chapter 14: The Annoyance of Acting as a Substitute

In an instant, the training grounds erupted into battle. Night Nine Demon darted among the eight, with Luo Yuanhuang receiving his special attention, though the others fared no better.

"Luo Yuanhuang, look at yourself—are you using your elemental technique to hunt birds? You clearly have strength to spare, yet you don’t dare to unleash it. And when you channel your energy to your palm, can’t you make it erupt in a flash?"

"Are you laughing? Look at you! Star Shattering Fist—turned by you into Egg Shattering Fist. Are you aiming for people’s eggs, or what?"

Night Nine Demon battled each person, adapting his elemental techniques to match theirs. Dozens of exchanges left each opponent utterly astonished.

Half an hour later, eight people lay on the ground, gasping for air, unable to muster another ounce of strength. Only then did Night Nine Demon relent.

Those who remained watched with growing anxiety, until Night Nine Demon pointed out another dozen challengers.

Soon, these dozen too were sprawled on the ground, breathless and terrified, fear flickering in their eyes.

Night Nine Demon’s talent was simply monstrous. Initially, the matches seemed evenly matched, but within seconds, everyone realized he had mastered their techniques to perfection.

Round after round, everyone conceded defeat. Even Night Cold Province began to doubt his own existence.

Is this really my son?

Who is my son?

Is my son truly this powerful?

A cascade of doubts flooded his mind. As the last opponent fell, Night Nine Demon sighed in relief.

"Ah, what a bitter fate! Acting as the temporary emperor and still responsible for training a bunch of losers—truly a life of toil..."

"Father, you should never have taken me in all those years ago. If only you’d let me die, the world would have gained many happy souls..."

"I wouldn’t be that child everyone talks about... How can someone as outstanding as me keep a low profile and remain unnoticed?"

Night Nine Demon sighed repeatedly, sorrow thick in his voice, his whole demeanor seeming wearier by the moment. Bai Yijian, seeing this, immediately caught on.

"Master, don’t be like this! Your disciple’s heart aches for you. Their incompetence isn’t your fault. Maybe you should go home and rest, and check their progress tomorrow?"

"Ah? Would that be alright?"

"Look at them—all collapsed, surely unwilling to train more," Bai Yijian said, giving the group a pointed look, while Night Nine Demon flexed his hands, eager to continue.

"Yes, yes... The Emperor is too exhausted today. We’ll train on our own."

"Exactly, exactly... Nephew Nine Demon is worn out. Cold Province, just let him go and rest..." The group, worn to the bone, lay on the ground with ingratiating smiles, terrified he’d drag them up for more ‘special training.’

And so Night Nine Demon went off to sleep, as he put it, leaving early to recharge for tomorrow’s battles.

Once their strength returned, everyone realized Night Nine Demon’s words made sense, and began refining their techniques, even teaming up for sparring matches.

"Luo Yuanhuang, brother, let’s practice so I can see if that brat was bluffing."

"Hahaha! King of Shoulder to Shoulder, we’re on the same wavelength—heroes think alike!"

The two unleashed their best elemental techniques, their battle exploding in a surge of energy that swept across heaven and earth.

Thunderous currents roared, shaking the skies. The more they fought, the more excited they became, their mastery of the techniques growing purer.

"Bang!"

A moment later, a huge crash signaled the end as they reluctantly separated, joy on their faces as they sat cross-legged to reflect.

Soon, their aura shifted, and their elemental techniques broke through—what had been mastery now reached perfection.

From novice, to proficiency, to mastery, and now perfection—their journey had been long, but now they succeeded.

Little did they know, Night Nine Demon had only watched a few times and already stolen their techniques, practicing them to perfection himself.

But Night Nine Demon kept a low profile—after all, Night Cold Province was always nearby with a stick, so discretion was essential.

"Hahaha! A breakthrough! Ten years of frustration finally ended!"

"Hahaha! Me too. That kid’s got some talent—still a bit short of my old self, but not by much..." Night Cold Province laughed shamelessly, earning disdainful looks from the crowd.

Night Nine Demon slept soundly, while Bai Yijian fiddled with a battered, ancient book, drowsy and half-asleep.

"Trying to slack off? Finish reading so I can teach you the art of grandstanding. The first requirement is strength—if you’re not strong enough, you’ll be dead before you can show off, so what's the point?"

"Master speaks wisely," Bai Yijian replied, realizing the truth in his words.

Just like today—if not for Master’s strength, a single insult would have ended them all. So Bai Yijian got serious.

He studied diligently, but soon slumped over the table, snoring louder than Night Nine Demon.

Yet Night Nine Demon’s ‘sleep’ was not real; he entered the Canglang Diagram to discuss cultivation methods with Lady Xuan.

Bai Yijian, poor child, truly slept, drooling onto the table.

"Lady Xuan, have you seen that bear cub? Is he fit for cultivation? I’d like to take him as a disciple for fun..."

"Well... let’s put it this way, he has a certain constitution—a noble’s constitution, so he’ll do."

Night Nine Demon was stunned. He’d never heard of such a constitution—was it another rare oddity? Was his luck really that extraordinary?

"Give him this cultivation method. Perhaps he’ll become a god one day..."

"A god of what?"

"A Divine Artificer, yes, a Divine Artificer!" Lady Xuan paused, but then continued seriously.

"Then I’ll thank you on Bai Yijian’s behalf."

"No need. From now on, you don’t have to go through so much trouble to enter the Canglang Diagram—just a thought, and you’ll enter."

Night Nine Demon grinned, relieved he wouldn’t have to find a place to sleep every time.

"Off you go. Let him train well."

"Alright."

As Night Nine Demon left the Canglang Diagram, Lady Xuan was joined by several women, each as stunning as a goddess, with beauty to shame the flowers and the moon.

"Sister Xuan, you fooled him again! Isn’t that just the trickster’s cultivation method?"

"Giggle... I felt everyone around Nine Demon is weird, so I gave him Master’s old footstool method..."

"Hahaha... Sister Xuan, you’re so naughty—but I love it!"

The women burst into laughter, not caring for decorum. Meanwhile, Night Nine Demon, unaware, woke and hurriedly roused Bai Yijian, handing him the Divine Artificer’s cultivation method.

"This is the method for Divine Artificers. If you don’t understand, ask me tomorrow. From now on, train with the others in the arena."

"But Master..."

"No buts. Ah, my fate is bitter indeed! Acting as emperor, worrying about everything—all because there are too many weaklings. If everyone were like me, how beautiful the world would be..."

Bai Yijian knew at once that his master was grandstanding again—the familiar air of pretense radiated from him, unmistakable even without looking.

Ps: Two chapters every day, updates ongoing! Please recommend!