Kapitel 129: Fill a Cup with Wind and Snow
The wind in the depths of winter, mixed with rain, blew slowly.
Chen Xia held a small oil-paper umbrella and stood in the pavilion, leaning slightly against a pillar.
There was actually no need to hold an umbrella in the pavilion.
But holding an umbrella created a certain artistic conception.
The howling wind that passed through the pavilion brought snow and rain. Chen Xia stopped it with one hand and gently rubbed it with his fingers.
The snow turned into water. It was hard to say if it was rain or not.
Chen Xia's fingers got wet. He gently flicked them against the edge of the teacup, putting the entire deep winter into the cup.
He picked up the teacup while still holding the umbrella.
The wind and snow grew stronger and even blew into the pavilion.
So Chen Xia's umbrella came in handy, though not very effectively.
The fierce wind and snow still poured back into the pavilion, falling everywhere.
The teacup was held high. Chen Xia tilted his head slightly and drank it all in one gulp.
He had put all the snow from this year, this month, and this day into his stomach.
Suddenly, the wind and snow outside stopped, as if they had been drunk up all at once. For a while, no more rain or snow fell.
Chen Xia put away the oil-paper umbrella and left it in the pavilion instead of taking it away.
His steps were slow, and his back looked lonely.
The snow on the oil-paper umbrella in the pavilion melted, and the water dripped down, staining the pavilion.
Suddenly, the wind and snow grew stronger again. The vast expanse of white buried Chen Xia's departing back, and he could no longer be seen.
He was a passer-by in the deep winter.
And not just in the deep winter.
————
The formal disciples had noticed something.
It seemed that Chen Xia didn't really like going out, and he wasn't as fierce and terrifying as the rumors had it.
Things like having a fondness for eating the nascent souls of cultivators, loving to take the golden cores of cultivators as marbles, and casually beheading people at the slightest disagreement.
There was no truth to these rumors at all.
After such a long time had passed, there was still no news of Chen Xia beheading anyone or eating someone's nascent soul.
Nor had they heard that anyone was missing from the sect or that someone had mysteriously disappeared.
The formal disciples thought that the rumors had made Chen Xia out to be too terrifying. Maybe Chen Xia really had a bad temper, but saying that he liked to eat nascent souls and take golden cores was really going too far.
As for the matter of casually taking people's heads, only Qiong Qi could have given an opinion on that.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to ask him.
"I told you so. How could there be such a fierce and terrifying existence in the Heavenly Sword Sea? If he really liked to eat nascent souls and take golden cores, all the disciples would have been killed by him."
One disciple commented.
"Indeed. And have you seen the pitch-black ring on his hand? Do you know what it is?"
Another disciple asked.
"According to Chen Xia himself, it seems to be his medal, but I don't know what kind of medal it is."
"Bullshit medal. The elders have revealed that it's a restriction placed by the Heavenly Sword Sea specifically on disciples who have made big mistakes. It can prevent Chen Xia from harming other disciples."
"So, Chen Xia is just a paper tiger now?"
"Exactly. So we don't need to be too afraid. Just act as usual. Don't deliberately provoke Chen Xia, but if he comes looking for trouble, we won't be afraid either."
When the several disciples talked about this, they became more and more excited, and their eyes sparkled.
"How many people know this news now?"
"Probably not too many. After all, it's internal news among the elders. I also spent some money to get it, just to be able to seize the opportunity."
What opportunity?
Naturally, it was their old business of collecting spirit stones from the preparatory disciples.
Before, fearing Chen Xia's reputation, they had never dared to go to the preparatory disciple area to collect spirit stones, for fear of losing their lives.
But now that they knew Chen Xia was just a paper tiger, they couldn't hold back anymore and were ready to set off.
Those who can fill their bellies are often the first to pick up their chopsticks.
They wanted to be such people. At the moment, smiles were on their faces, and they had already envisioned making a fortune.
If Chen Xia dared to stop them, they wouldn't be afraid either. They would have to have a good argument with him.
Even the King of Hell would be left speechless upon hearing their thoughts.
————
Inside the cave.
Chen Xia yawned. Lately, he had been feeling a slight fluctuation in his heart, as if someone was thinking about him.
He just didn't know who was so kind-hearted.
He stretched again, neatly arranged the chess pieces on the table, and then opened the door, ready to go out for a stroll.
The current situation in the Heavenly Sword Sea tended to be quiet. Some elders rarely showed up, and there was no news about the potential Great Emperors among the formal disciples.
The only ones still standing out were Di Du and Qiu Li, who had just become formal disciples in the previous batch.
If these two wanted to establish their positions among the formal disciples, they couldn't just concentrate on cultivation and attaining enlightenment like others. They also had to form their own forces and build good relationships with some elders.
This was the struggle between factions.
Before the potential Great Emperors truly rose to prominence, they all had to rely on some external forces.
Someone as abnormal as Chen Xia was truly one of a kind.
The formal disciples now showed signs of making a move on the preparatory disciples again. It wasn't just about collecting spirit stones but also dividing the territory.
For example, you collect the spirit stones from these few preparatory disciples, and I collect from those. Let's not conflict with each other and make money harmoniously.
The preparatory disciples had no choice but to be divided up like pigs and sheep, obediently handing over the spirit stones.
However, there were also exceptions among them. Not every preparatory disciple was so weak and obedient.
Represented by Li Yang, they began to openly oppose the oppression and demands of the formal disciples and refused to give out spirit stones.
Who was Li Yang? A potential Great Emperor at the Mountain-Moving Realm, qualified to not give out spirit stones. The formal disciples hadn't even thought about collecting spirit stones from Li Yang.
After all, potential Great Emperors were indeed exceptions in the Heavenly Sword Sea. They had the strength and the privilege.
These formal disciples who came to ask for spirit stones were also at the peak of the Mountain-Moving Realm. If they were to have a one-on-one fight with Li Yang, who was at the initial stage of the Mountain-Moving Realm, it was really hard to say who would win or lose.
So the formal disciples didn't say much before. If you, Li Yang, don't want to give them, then don't.
But the problem was that the members of that alliance following Li Yang also didn't give out spirit stones.
If only a dozen or twenty people in the alliance didn't give them, it could be overlooked. After all, making friends with a potential Great Emperor could be considered a privilege.
But there were fucking a hundred people in this alliance!
And the number was still increasing. Many preparatory disciples chose to join Li Yang's alliance and not pay spirit stones to the formal disciples.
Li Yang's alliance was now the largest organization among the preparatory disciples, dominating the scene.
Moreover, she had even declared that as long as the preparatory disciples were in her alliance, they could receive her protection.
And the price was to pay some spirit stones as membership fees, which were much less than what the formal disciples demanded.
The preparatory disciples were also happy to pay.
But the formal disciples were not happy. Li Yang was blocking their business and taking it over for herself.
If it was just blocking a little, it would be okay. But looking at the current situation, it seemed that she intended to take it all for herself.
So some formal disciples sent out a message.
"The matter of collecting spirit stones was the idea of many senior brothers. You, Li Yang, have taken care of it all by yourself. Isn't it a bit too disrespectful to your senior brothers?"
Li Yang also replied.
"Let the senior brother who came up with the idea come and talk to me directly."
So on a sunny day.
Fifteen formal disciples arrived at the preparatory disciple area.
With Supreme Seeds as the foundation, they were going to have a talk with Li Yang.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein