This chapter has been brought to you by me, and WanderingGummiOfDoom.

Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Seven Unexpected

When Zuo Mo, Wei Sheng, and Luo Li saw the sect leader and the other shishu, they instantly became obedient.

“Humph, you guys are very good. Went to attend a Sword Test Conference and not one of you came back whole.” Shi Feng Rong who had been working tirelessly saw these three and her already bad mood became even worse. The responsibility to heal the three had all landed on her head.

The three shook in fear. Shi Feng Rong might be the youngest of the sect elders, but in reality, the outcome to having offended Fourth Shigu was very bad.

Pei Yuan Ran and the others did not have good complexions. Everyone that was dragged to Dong Fu Hall had to shout and sort out the mess naturally were not in good moods. Even more, these three disciples were seriously wounded. The expenses were very high.

“Alright, alright.” Yan Le came out to smooth things over. “Really, you guys got yourselves into this state. As your elders, how can we not worry? You have to remember there is no meaning in one victory or defeat. As long as you are alive, you always have the chance to take it back. But if you don’t have a life, what does victory mean?”

The three murmured.

Pei Yuan Ran’s expression relaxed slightly and took over, “Your Shishu is right. You have to remember this. You are the hope of the sect. In the future, the prosperity of the sect rests on you. If you do not take care of your body, you will fail the teachings the sect has given you. Ha ha, but you guys were very good this time. The rankings for the Sword Test Conference have been finalized. The situation was special so the final rankings were calculated using the jindan elder’s judgement. All three of you are in the top ten. Wei Sheng second, Zuo Mo third, Luo Li seventh.”

Luo Li couldn’t help ask, “Didn’t we lose and were unconscious?”

Pei Yuan Ran narrated the situation after the Sword Test Conference had ended before Wei Sheng and Luo Li understood. When they looked at Zuo Mo, it was like they were looking at a monster. This guy was the true criminal for the ending of the competition!

Zuo Mo’s head was dazed, his eyes was blank. Kun Lun introductory formation jade scroll. He had given up hope on obtaining it for for a long time now, but the sect leader was telling him that he was ranked third. This meant that the jade scroll was basically his!

“Who’s first?” Wei Sheng asked.

“It’s Gu Rong Ping.” Pei Yuan Ran glanced at Wei Sheng. Afraid the other couldn’t bear it, he explained, “Gu Rong Ping’s level might not be as high as you, but he suppressed you. If it really was truly a matter of life and death, the likelihood of him winning is bigger.” In reality, he still had something he didn’t say. Heart Lake Sword Sect was the first ranked major sect in Sky Moon Jie, how could the others not give them some face?

“That’s right.” Wei Sheng nodded, unconcerned. “Gu Rong Ping really is the strongest opponent I encountered. I learned many things this time.”

Seeing Wei Sheng’s mind was so open, Pei Yuan Ran was very comforted.

Luo Li wanted to speak when he suddenly saw Xin Yan Shibo stare with icy eyes at Zuo Mo. He instantly didn’t dare to speak.

Did Xin Yan Shibo have some opinion about Zuo Mo Shidi? He was slightly puzzled. Rationally, Zuo Shidi’s performance this time could be labeled spectacular. Why wasn’t Xin Yan Shibo satisfied?

He peeked at Zuo Mo and found the other’s eyes were unfocused as though the other had wandered away. These few days, the three of them had grown their relationship. Luo Li couldn’t help but panic on Zuo Mo’s behalf. He wanted to speak to remind him, but the words shrunk back when it came to his moth.

Xin Yan Shibo’s gaze was really sharp, even sharper than a flying sword!

Zuo Mo gradually came out of his shock and instinctively asked, “What time can we get the prizes?”

Once the words came out, the four elders stopped speaking, their faces becoming dark.

Zuo Mo finally came back to his body. Seeing the sect leader and others have faces blacker than the bottom of a pot, he shook.

Not good!

The four of them stared unkindly at Zuo Mo, causing him to have goosebumps.

No one expected the first person to break the pressuring mood was Xin Yan Shibo. However, once he opened, it was like the wind of the tundra sweeping through the room, the temperature freezing, “Good! Very good! Extremely good!”

After three “good”, without another word, Xin Yan Shibo turned and left.

Pei Yuan Ran and Yan Le did not have good expressions. The two turned and left. Shi Feng Rong’s face was black. Her eyes looked as though she was going to skin Zuo Mo alive.

Zuo Mo was very good at deciphering people’s expressions. Seeing Master’s expression, the bad feeling inside shot up, and he murmured, “Master … …”

“Very good!” Shi Feng Rong snorted coldly, turning to leave.

Zuo Mo was dumbstruck.

The suddenly change also scared Wei Sheng and Luo Li. When had the two ever seen the elders so angry?

Wei Sheng hesitated before asking, “Shidi, what did you do?”

“Yeah!” Luo Li couldn’t resist. “Everyone’s angry at you! You’re going to die!”

Anyway Zuo Mo heard it, this guy’s words were full of laughter at his misfortunes. However, he wasn’t in the mood to attend to that guy. Thinking about the “good” that Xin Yan Shibo had said, his heart trembled.

Just offending Master, his days would be difficult. This was good. In one stroke, he had completely offended all the elders, and from the tone, it seemed to be pretty severe.

What made Zuo Mo even more depressed was that, up until now, he didn’t even understand where the problem was.

Theoretically, his display this time wasn’t bad. Zuo Mo’s heart shook.

Only Wei Sheng looked thoughtful.

Zuo Mo had no solution to the anger his Master, shishu, and the sect leader held. However, he was extremely easy-going. Knowing that it was useless to worry, he didn’t think about it any further. Thinking about the Kun Lun introductory formation jade scroll that was going to be in his hands soon, the worry in his heart was washed away.

 

———

 

As Shi Feng Rong had come back from Dong Fu Hall, the speed the three healed at increased greatly. After a few days, they could all stand and move. They only needed to calm down and rest for a while before they fully recovered. Already sick of lying on the bed, the three went to take a breather outside.

On the mountain peak, the wind was very strong. The three of them enjoyed it immensely. Only after being stuck on the bed for so long did they knew how pleasurable it was to have the cold wind blowing like this.

Looking at the figures hard at work below, Wei Sheng sighed, “Our sect is going to prosper!!

The mood of Wu Kong Sword Sect had transformed completely. Along the mountain valleys and in the woods, there were always figures of Wu Kong Sword Sect disciples working hard. All the disciple’s eyes were full of admiration and respect when they saw the three of them.

The present Wu Kong Sword Sect was full of vitality and growth. The faces of the disciples were filled with confidence and motivation that they never had before. In their eyes this vitality Wei Sheng and the others could see hope, hope and longing for the future of their sect!

As they walked through the mountain, the three of them deeply felt it.

Luo Li nodded. “Not bad, after this Sword Test Conference, our sect’s position in Sky Moon Jie is set, we are unable to be stopped!” His eyes also flashed with yearning and hope. The prosperity of the sect meant the core disciples would get the greatest benefits. Cultivation was not an empty building. Without jingshi, without materials, without spells, it was impossible to catch up to other people’s cultivation speeds.

Zuo Mo was slightly unfocused, his thought wandering.

“Shidi, what are you thinking?” Wei Sheng noticed Zuo Mo’s absentmindedness.

Zuo Mo focused and disguised, “I’m calculating what time I can get the prize.”

Wei Sheng couldn’t help but grin.

Luo Li’s face was also helpless. But he then asked curiously, “You are so greedy, but why did you pick such a crappy item. There are so many good talismans.” Wei Sheng and Luo Li had been very surprised by the jade scroll that Zuo Mo had picked. They had all assumed that Zuo Mo would pick a fourth-grade talismans, or at the very least, the finest third-grade talisman. They hadn’t expected that he would be a non-descript jade scroll.

Zuo Mo rolled his eyes. “If you don’t understand, don’t talk.”

Luo Li was not angry. He remembered just how ugly the sect leader and the others looked when Zuo Mo had requested the jade scroll, and managed to understand why the sect leader and the others were so angry.

He met Wei Sheng’s eyes and smiled. The two of them did not warn Zuo Mo.

 

———

 

Able to walk and move around, the three of them quickly moved back to their own residences. No one was willing to keep staying in Fragrant Ginger Yard.

Zuo Mo moved back to his Little West Wind Yard.

Lazily soaking in the sun, when he occasionally raised his head, he could see Silly Bird on the roof top posturing and showing off. If it was any other time, Zuo Mo definitely would have thrown a stone. But there was a period of time since they saw each other. He found it was quite endearing.

Xiao Guo was slicing up all kinds of fruits for Shixiong. Li Ying Feng Shijie had brought over the fruit. Li Ying Feng and Zuo Mo were chatting.

“Ha ha, Shidi should quickly recover. This time, Shidi really shocked everyone. Everyone was left speechless when the ranking came out.” Li Ying Feng suddenly thought of something. She smiled and said, “Nan Men Yang entered Dong Fu Hall and became Yu Bai’s shidi. As to Zong Ming Yan, supposedly he is very seriously wounded. Shidi has become the most unwelcome person of Dong Qi Sword Sect. Dong Fu has been very boring recently. Everyone is healing. The prices of recovery medicines of the market have been skyrocketing … …”

Zuo Mo chomped at the fruit, the juices flying as he mumbled, “Doesn’t matter, it has nothing to do with me… …”

Li Ying Fengsmiled and said, “Shidi needs to recover faster. There’s many people that have come to my shop to ask if Shidi is taking orders. Shidi’s reputation in formations has passed through all of Sky Moon Jie. Adding on your fame from the Golden Crow Pill, there has been many people that have placed orders.”

Zuo Mo became alert. No news other than this could make him more excited!

Right now, he was penniless!

The gigantic formation belt he set up in the Sword Test Conference had almost taken up all the materials he had bought from the Hundred Treasure Flying Pavilion. The prize he had picked was a jade scroll, and there wasn’t one piece of jingshi there.

So when he heard Li Ying Feng’s news, his eyes became green.

However, he thought and then shook his head. “This has to wait until my wounds heal.”

“That’s natural.” Li Ying Feng said. “Shidi needs to rest and recover. When your body is good, you will have everything. Right, Elder Tian Song Zi suddenly announced two days ago that the local xiuzhe who entered the top one hundred are allowed to enter the secret realm.”

“Secret realm?” Zuo Mo’s eyes were wide. He said in disbelief, “Dong Fu Hall has a secret realm? They can bear to let us enter?”

“Yes! Supposedly, it is to nurture the local younger generation. Elder Tian Song Zi especially made the decision,” Li Ying Feng said.

The two chatted for a bit more but Zuo Mo wasn’t interested in chatting after Li Ying Feng’s weighty news. Seeing the situation, Li Ying Feng left behind a lot of healing lingdan and left.

Seeing off Li Ying Feng, Zuo Mo pushed Xiao Guo to practice the sword. He then sunk into thought.

That same day, he made a decision –– seclusion!

Translator Ramblings: Zuo Mo just keeps digging himself deeper and deeper.

I remember someone predicting Zuo Mo would be in the top three a few chapters back. I can’t remember who it was but there were some of you who were very close with your predictions.