The Female Cultivator In The World Of Men

"Heed my words," said Lao Ling. "Make sure she doesn't see you," Le Lao Ling threatened with a murderous intent evident in his eyes and voice. The aura around him got a bit thicker and suffocating as he hovered over the boy's face.

A few people around looked at them upon feeling the sudden heavy energy that had surrounded them. Le Lao Ling was no fool. He immediately cut off his malice and replaced the smirk on his face with a smile.

He smiled at Lady Shen who had turned around to look at him.

'Damn, what a spot-on sense,' he cursed inwardly and nodded his head. Lady Shen said nothing. After observing him for a bit, she turned around, pretending she had not seen anything.

"Brother Le," the boy called out to him. Le Lao Ling turned to face him, but the smile on his face disappeared as soon as his face was hidden from the other people around him.

"…."

"Make sure three is no mistake," he said in a low whisper as he handed him the paper. The boy took the paper with a slight nod.  It had Le Fang ling's portrait in it, the current Le Fang Ling who was full of life and vigor. Unlike the girl that he had seen 1 month ago, the Le fang Ling now seemed a bit different.

"Is she the one?" he asked, his mouth moved before his brain did. "Your sister?"

Only after he had asked about her did he remember that Le fang Ling and anything related to her was taboo. It was an unspoken rule in the sect and those who broke it were subjected to unknown punishment by le Lao Ling.

"I uhh-" he stopped speaking midway when he saw the unusual look on Le Lao Ling's face. He was not angry but he also was not showing any expression. This alone was more than scary for him.

"Err…"

This was making him a tad bit anxious in his heart.

Contrary to his expectation, all he heard was a low grunt and nothing more. Le Lao Ling looked weirdly calm even though he broke the unspoken rule. He just stared at the exit through where Le Fang Ling had just passed.

'Am I alright?' the boy wondered inside his head; a new ray of hope lightened in his heart. Since he had already got the task and there was nothing more left to say, he decided to quickly go out of his sight…the farther the better!

"What's your name anyway?" Le Lao Ling asked as the boy was about to head out. He halted on his step when he heard the young master speak. "I should at least know what to call you when I ask for a report later,"  Le Lao Ling said as he sat down on the chair. He could no longer see that wretched fool of his sister anyway.

"…."

They had been studying under the same master for years. They were brothers and people who had trained alongside each other. But this guy here…he did not even know his name!

Just how much arrogance one could have?! He was speechless at him.

Nevertheless, he took a deep breath and sighed. "My name is Fei Yichen," he said as he bowed slightly.

"Yichen, I will see you later," Le Lao Ling sent him away. He was pretty sure his match was going to be the next one. He could not afford to mess things up in the first round. There was a long way to go and he had to show his qualification to certain someone.

Le Loa Ling slightly lifted his head to look at the place where the sect leaders were seated. He frowned as his sight landed on the face of a man dressed in a blue robe. That man was his father.

The sect leader aka Le Zuan felt a piercing gaze coming from the audience's section. Holing the cup of tea in his hand, he turned his head sideways. His line of sight fell on Le Lao Ling who was staring at him. Even after meeting his gaze, Le Lao Ling showed no sign of looking away.

'What is with that kid?' Le Zuan raised his chin and continued looking at him. As for Le Lao Ling, he curled up his lips in a smirk before finally looking away. 'You will regret many things, old man,' muttered Le Lao Ling to himself. He clenched and unclenched his palm in an attempt to control the adrenaline rush in his body.

'Today, you will regret sending that stupid here, instead of me,' Le Lao Ling sighed, finally calming down. He unclenched the palm- freeing him from the continuous stress he was facing. He noticed his father finally looking away from him.

"Well, whatever," he shrugged as he turned his attention to the arena. There a girl and a boy were facing each other. Judging from the robe, he found out that An Cheng, the girl was from the Eternal Blossom Sect.

Although he had seen two people fight already from this sect, it was the first time seeing a girl disciple from here. Although he could not exactly point out her strength he could more or less see that she was stronger than the two people before.

"That girl is An Cheng huh?" he mumbled to himself as he thought how familiar the name sounded. He was scraping through his memories- only to snap back to reality because of the uproar in the arena. Elder Shen had already left the stage and now there were only two people on the stage- facing each other in silence.

Although both of them were standing in stalemate condition, their eyes, ears, skin, each pore in their body were a hundred times more alert than ever. They continued to observe each other, their stance, the position of their hands all the while looking out for the slightest movement from their opponent.

With their divine sense at the peak, they could even hear the slow and steady breathing of each other.

Zheng Pao looked at the lady in front of him- a bit mesmerized by her beauty but more cautious about her strength. She was nothing like the wimps he had fought in the past. She was a real cultivator-a refined one and he was facing her solely relying on the strength he cultivated himself.

After losing the last match with someone from a well-known sect, he was made conscious of his lack of skill. He learned how different it was to fight the thugs of the dead village as compared to a real cultivator.

I cannot afford to lose this fight. He said to himself as he tightened the grip on his sword. This time, he was going to fight like a true cultivator, and not only his brute physical strength.

Meanwhile, An Cheng cleared off everything inside her head. The bitter sadness she was feeling- she threw it at the back of her head. This sadness; was a useless emotion for the battle right now…and she knew it. As to why Le Fang Ling left as soon as her match began- she could ask her after she won this match!!

After assessing her opponent for a bit, she knew it was time to attack. Her hands gripped around the white sword she was holding and sprang forward. At the same time, Zheng Pao too unsheathed the sword at the speed of light before charging towards her.

Clang!

Nobody saw anything, but a loud sound of swords striking against each other echoed in the stadium. The only thing that the people saw was two glitching shadows rushing towards each other- and the gust of wind that was rising due to the continuous surge of qi in the arena.

"It has started."

**

The sun was high in the sky, indicating that it was mid-day. A figure walked on a path full of dead leaves and branches as she continued walking holding something in her arms.

"You are being followed," Feng Po Po suddenly said as they were walking. The sound of dead leaves crunching under the feet stopped as soon as Le Fag ling paused.

Fei Yichen, who was following closely behind by hiding his presence into oblivion stopped as well. He immediately hid behind one of the largest rocks there.  'Why did she suddenly stop?' he thought. A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead. This was the first time he was spying on someone and it was making him as nervous as hell!

He simply was not cut out to do something like this! He complained in silence.

Le Fang Ling looked at Feng Po Po and gestured with her eyes to show the location of the one following them.

"Right behind that rock," Feng Po Po said as she floated in the air. She had been noticing this guy ever since they were halfway through the journey. Although she had doubts, she was sure after a bit. 

Someone was indeed following them. What was the use, Feng Po Po could see him as clear as day.

"Also, he is wearing a blue robe, the one from Astral Sky sect," Feng Po Po described. "And, he doesn't seem to have anything suspicious with him." 

Le Fang Ling nodded her head. After hearing that the boy was from her home place, she already saw the answer to every question in her head.

She was to meet her father after the match today but her brother was not going to wait that long, now could he? A smile crept upon her face.

"Let him follow," said Le Fang Ling as she continued her steps.. "I will prepare something good to return to him."