Chapter 95: Brawl

Zheng Fa never imagined that his first lesson at the Jiushan Sect would be learning how to fight in a group brawl.

This situation was hard for Zheng Fa to understand—it completely exceeded his expectations for the intensity of the rivalry between the two factions of the Jiushan Sect, and he also found it hard to understand why the Jiushan Sect's high leadership would allow such a situation to occur.

He had long heard that the two factions of the Jiushan Sect had some discord, but he never expected it to reach the point of fighting upon meeting.

Even Master Zhuang could get into a fight just by standing outside for a while.

Han Qi, however, seemed quite accustomed to it.

He stood before the hall, his face flushed with passion, swinging his right arm in the air, and shouted loudly to the others in the room: "We are all of the same faction; can we watch Master Zhuang fight alone?"

"No!"

"Then good, junior brothers, follow me to reinforce!"

Having spoken, he charged forward with heroic spirit toward the battlefield where Master Zhuang was.

Following his valiant advance, half the people in the room ran out; especially several senior disciples, who were so practiced they casually pulled out talismans and incantations as they walked, their faces even wearing excited smiles.

On the opposite side, some disciples seemed to have arrived as well; how to describe the expressions on their faces? —a sense of gratification, as if they had come to class specifically for this.

Zheng Fa did not move; he lingered inside the room to observe, mainly assessing the severity of the battle.

If it truly escalated into a real fight, he would have no choice but to go to Shijie Zhang to call for reinforcements.

But after watching for a long time, Zheng Fa confirmed that this was a fierce yet united contest.

How to describe it?

The special effects were excellent, the losses were minimal.

The noise was loud, the power was poor.

Those two senior brothers were fighting with every technique at their disposal yet stopping short of causing harm, ensuring the match was exciting while simultaneously protecting the physical safety of the participants.

Zheng Fa now understood that this group brawl was likely actually a custom at the Talisman and Incantation Pavilion—they were almost fighting to demonstrate skill and forge friendship.

Most importantly, none of them used talismans and incantations with lethal effects.

Those who did not go out were new disciples; they had not expected such an event to occur suddenly and were all at a loss.

An even more important reason was that these people were not foolish; they knew that with their current cultivation, joining the fray would only be a drag on the team.

Zheng Fa thought for a moment, took out a piece of talisman paper, picked up a brush, and began drawing a talisman.

He drew a Water Prison Talisman, and then the spiritual energy within his body was completely exhausted.

After all, he possessed only such meager spiritual energy, and he had already consumed most of it practicing the Jin Jiafu earlier.

He placed the Water Prison Talisman in his sleeve and began to sit in meditation on the spot.

Seeing his actions, the others exchanged glances and also took out talisman paper, beginning to sharpen their spears at the eleventh hour—no, to forge spears.

Only after the magic power within his body had recovered by about ten percent did Zheng Fa walk out of the door and rush toward the battlefield.

Above the Talisman and Incantation Pavilion, streams of light danced, created by talismans and incantations streaking through the air; below, figures flew about, coming and going, the scene quite fierce.

Looking closer, he saw Master Zhuang being beaten.

He was truly being beaten; Zheng Fa had seen clearly just now that in terms of wielding... in terms of talismans and incantations, Master Zhuang was not inferior to the opposing senior brother.

But Master Zhuang had one greatest disadvantage—he had too many teammates who were like pigs.

Mainly those new disciples who charged out with Han Qi.

Just now, Zheng Fa had discovered that on this day of comparing talismans and incantations, about twenty new disciples came to Master Zhuang's side—that was more than half of all the new disciples of the Jiushan Sect this time.

It was to be expected; Shijie Zhang's reputation was widespread, naturally attracting a large crowd of new disciples.

Under normal circumstances, having more people would certainly be a good thing, but at this moment it was not.

This group had been incited by Han Qi's two sentences to roar and charge forward together.

The result was that upon reaching the front lines, they realized they had no function other than serving as targets.

These people not only failed to become an aid to Master Zhuang but instead became a burden to him.

As for the opposing side, although they appeared to have fewer people, the number of new disciples was actually not high, while the number of senior disciples was two more.

Between this increase and decrease, the disadvantage on their side became even more obvious.

Zheng Fa saw Master Zhuang, wearing a Jin Jiafu, standing in front of a somewhat bewildered new disciple and taking a hit from a Withered Vine Talisman for him.

Blocking with his body was not enough; he also bestowed a Jin Jiafu upon another new disciple who stood at a loss on the spot.

Acting as both main attacker and main defender, he looked very busy.

Seeing this, Zheng Fa shouted loudly: "Those without talismans and incantations in hand, retreat!"

Those new disciples, who were like headless flies, heard these words and finally woke from the chaos, beginning to run backward.

At this moment, the other new disciples in the room who had finished drawing their talismans also ran out; although the talismans and incantations in their hands had just been drawn, were few in number, and had low power.

They were still a fresh force, quickly helping Master Zhuang's side stabilize their formation.

Zheng Fa did not rashly advance; instead, he squatted behind the crowd, and then he saw a familiar yet sly figure squatting in front of him, poking his head forward to peek.

"... Didn't you charge quite quickly just now?"

He looked at Han Qi, his face full of confusion.

Just now you shouted so loudly and charged so fiercely; I thought you were going to lead from the front.

But you are squatting here?

"Ahem..." Han Qi straightened his waist, his face slightly red: "This... you are new and do not understand; this is tactics! Clearly we are at a disadvantage; I must seek an opportunity, wait for the opponent to reveal a flaw, and then strike with a surprise force to settle the battle!"

"Is that so?" Zheng Fa looked at him skeptically.

"Of course!" Han Qi said, raising his head: "No, why are you here too, junior brother?"

"Seeking an opportunity, waiting for the opponent to reveal a flaw, and then striking with a surprise force!"

"..."

Zheng Fa was truly not being sarcastic toward Han Qi.

He had only one talisman in hand, so he naturally had to wait for the right opportunity before throwing it.

At this moment, Senior Brother Zhuang had managed to regain a slight advantage, yet he was still at a disadvantage.

Zheng Fa understood clearly—Senior Brother Zhuang had no talismans left.

Especially with the Jin Jiafu, a talisman leaning toward defense, he had used several at once just moments ago to protect these new disciples, and now he was likely stretched to his limit.

Having lost his defensive capability, Senior Brother Zhuang became constrained and hesitant.

In contrast, the Senior Brother on the opposite side gradually seized the initiative in this duel, becoming increasingly effortless.

This scene made Zheng Fa deeply feel that having no money meant having no confidence; this was an absolute truth in any world...

As the talisman reserves gradually ran dry, Zheng Fa saw signs that Senior Brother Zhuang was about to lose—the opposing Senior Brother flung out a Water Prison Talisman, and Senior Brother Zhuang had no talisman left to block this strike.

Sure enough, Senior Brother Zhuang was wrapped by a massive column of water; this water column seemed extremely viscous, coiling around Senior Brother Zhuang, rendering him utterly unable to move, forcing him to exhaust his strength merely struggling.

The opposing Senior Brother could not help but smile, his hand gripping the talisman gradually loosening, and the golden armor protecting his body gradually vanished—after all, a single Jin Jiafu was quite expensive.

He asked the Senior Brother Zhuang, who lay collapsed on the ground, with a hint of pride:

"Junior Brother, does the taste of this Water Prison Talisman feel good?"

An identical column of water answered him.

After the water column vanished, he fell to the ground, looking around in shock and suspicion, shouting: "Which Senior Brother attacked from the shadows?"

Seeing no one answer, he gritted his teeth and said to Senior Brother Zhuang: "Surnamed Zhuang, are you bullying the few with the many?"

Senior Brother Zhuang looked utterly confused: "I... I did not..."

"You still claim to be a gentleman, yet you resort to such despicable tactics! Pah!"

This Senior Brother was probably so furious that he just kept scolding him.

"I truly did not!"

"Who cast that mystic-grade Water Prison Talisman just now?"

"..."

"Junior Brother, you won't answer?" Beside Zheng Fa, Han Qi, with a strange expression, asked him.

"He didn't call my name."

"?"

"He was calling for a Senior Brother; I am a Junior Brother; do not confuse the hierarchy of seniority and respect."

"..."

Looking at Senior Brother Zhuang, who lay on the ground, unable to retort to the scolding, filled with confusion mixed with incomprehension, and in that incomprehension, a hint of self-doubt.

Han Qi pressed his lips together and spoke dryly: "Junior Brother, I admit that on the ship, I was a bit too unrestrained..."

"What are you all waiting for?"

A streak of light flashed across the sky outside the Talisman and Arts Pavilion, and a middle-aged Daoist Priest in black robes landed before Zheng Fa and the others.

Several panting Senior Brothers also ran in from outside the courtyard gate.

"It's over! An Elder from the Jielutang!"

Han Qi muttered quietly from the side.

"Jielutang?" Zheng Fa was stunned: "Does our Jiushan Sect forbid private duels?"

That was rather absurd.

Everyone fought so skillfully, only to find out it was illegal?

"Not exactly; as long as no one is injured, it does not violate the precepts," Han Qi explained: "It's just that the Head of the Jielutang is True Person Pang, so we often suffer a few losses."

Understood; the other side had called for reinforcements.

"Then us?"

"Zhang Shijie's master, True Person Huang, oversees the Shuwu Pavilion."

Zheng Fa remembered that extremely polite middle-aged man in the Shuwu Pavilion from before.

Only then did he understand the reason behind it—it turned out they were truly family.

The moment the middle-aged Daoist Priest landed, he first checked whether any disciples on either side were injured.

There were: one disciple on Zheng Fa's side, too excited and charging too hard, had sprained his ankle.

But due to the veteran disciples' rich experience in brawling and the new disciples' weak talisman-cultivation cultivation, overall the result of this brawl was quite perfect—it could basically be said to be a fight with no casualties.

"Tell me, why did you two start fighting?" This middle-aged Daoist Priest did not let the matter go lightly; instead, he said with a stern face: "These new disciples have just entered the sect; this is precisely the time for proper instruction. You two, as Senior Brothers, how can such conduct serve as an example?"

Senior Brother Zhuang remained silent, head bowed, not speaking.

However, the Senior Brother on the opposite side spoke up: "I didn't say anything much, just asked about the situation of a Junior Brother, and was then lectured by this Senior Brother Zhuang."

"And then you all started fighting?"

"Yes, I just said a couple more words, and Senior Brother Zhuang attacked."

"Reporting to Elder," Senior Brother Zhuang could not help but speak up: "Li Shixiong's words and deeds were improper; his words, both inside and out, also insulted the purity of Zhang Shijie and that Junior Brother..."

"That is still no reason for you to attack!" The Elder from the Jielutang directly cut him off, asking him: "Which Junior Brother are you defending so fiercely?"

Senior Brother Zhuang pressed his lips shut and said nothing.

However, Li Shixiong, as if reporting a grievance, spoke up: "It was that Zheng Shidi Fa."

"That Zheng Fa?" A look of realization flashed across the Elder from the Jielutang's face.

Zheng Fa was stunned, looking at Senior Brother Zhuang, not expecting this person had attacked because of him.

At this moment, the Elder from the Jielutang had probably figured out who Zheng Fa was, and the look in his eyes directed at him was quite unfriendly.

Zheng Fa could not judge how much of this was due to the conflict between the two branches, and how much was due to this duel.

And how much was due to having heard of his talent.

Just as this uncle-senior, face grim, was about to say something to Zheng Fa, a voice he recognized rang out: "I'd like to hear what this junior brother has to say about me."

Zheng Fa turned to look behind him; Zhang Shijie's graceful figure stood right behind him, perfectly blocking the uncle-senior's mouth, which had been opening to scold.

Hmm, his face looks a bit strained.