When a Fanfic Protagonist Transmigrated into the Original Novel

Chapter 25: Deception

Zhangsun Zijun knew that he had misspoken and quickly covered his mouth with his hand, afraid that he would continue “humph”ing. He wrote helplessly on the table, “My bad.”

Yi Xichen almost started to laugh. He really didn’t expect Zhangsun Zijun to make such a careless mistake. Now that the bug was dead, he thought for a second, and said, “Whatever, it’s okay, maybe what you said will provoke him even more. Regardless whether he’s happy or regretful, I’m sure his state of mind is in total chaos right now. He won’t be able to exert his full strength tomorrow.”

Zhangsun Zijun could only shrug.

An hour ago, Yi Xichen walked in with an eavesdropping bug in his hand. He made a “shhh” motion with his hand, and then wrote on the table, “This is Xiao Kui’s, let’s scare him.”

–In terms of these heterodox tricks, Yi Xichen was an experienced professional. Want to play dirty in front of him? Xiao Kui messed with the wrong guy! Therefore, Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun went with the flow and said a lot of things purposefully for Xiao Kui to hear. Sure enough, Xiao Kui became extremely irritated.

Yi Xichen yawned. As he thought of tomorrow’s match, he started to smile, “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. Master said that he has repaired the Black Firestone, and after tomorrow’s match, I can go check what spiritual tool he made for me.

“What spiritual tool?”

“I dunno, that’s why I can’t wait!”

The two could tell that tomorrow’s match would be very interesting, so they went to sleep without worry.

Early the next morning, the disciples gathered beside the battle plain. The moment Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun arrived, they noticed Xiao Kui. His face was a mix of yellow and red, and there were two large panda eyes. It was obvious he didn’t get a good rest last night.

However, although Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun knew they had irritated Xiao Kui, they didn’t know how irritated he was last night.

At this moment, even though the whole night had passed, the emotions in Xiao Kui’s heart were still agitated.

So that year Zhangsun Zijun entered the Forbidden Land to save me? So I’m that important in his mind? So important that he’s willing to risk his life? Even though it’s been so long since that event, I’m still more important than Yi Xichen, who’s beside him all day every day?

Xiao Kui has always treated people with usage, so how would anyone treat him sincerely? In his twenty or so years of life, he never had a reliable friend beside him, and definitely not anyone who would sacrifice their life for him. After learning what Zhangsun Zijun did for him, his emotions were indescribable, and he started to rethink about himself.

–Is Zhangsun Zijun an idiot after all?

–Am I really worth him to save?

— I think all I’ve been doing is causing trouble for him, is it really to get his attention? It seems… actually yes…

Xiao Kui floated around the battling plain mindlessly. Suddenly, he raised his head, and happened to meet Zhangsun Zijun’s eyes. He then immediately turned his head away in a panic.

— He’s looking at me! So he’s been noticing me this whole time!

On the other side, Zhangsun Zijun didn’t notice Xiao Kui’s weird expressions at all. His attention was only at the sword that Xiao Kui was stepping on to float. Sword cultivation required unity with the sword, and so when a cultivator had any troubles on his mind, it would be immediately reflected through his sword. At this moment, Xiao Kui’s sword seemed weak and faint, almost as if it was a piece of tofu, barely keeping Xiao Kui afloat.

The order of the matches were out, and Xiao Kui and Yi Xichen were the contestants of the first match of the day.

Zhangsun Zijun pinched Yi Xichen’s nape. Yi Xichen turned his head to give him a smile, and then walked to the edge of the platform, preparing to start the match.

Xiao Kui took note of their intimate actions and gritted his teeth in anger.

When the bell rang, Yi Xichen confidently and eagerly walked up to the battling plain. Xiao Kui, on the other hand, walked up with heavy steps.

Soon, the watching disciples all noticed the two’s abnormalities.

“What’s up with Xiao Kui today? Why is his sword trembling so badly?”

“No way? Could he be afraid of Yi Xichen?”

“Brother Yi seems extraordinarily confident. Does he really think he can beat Brother Xiao?”

Just as everyone was saying, on the platform, Xiao Kui, who had the higher cultivation, looked extremely nervous, and yet Yi Xichen didn’t seem worried at all, as if he knew he was going to win already – The more he was like this, the more nervous Xiao Kui grew.

After the match started, neither Xiao Kui nor Yi Xichen initiated an attack. The two fell into a stalemate.

“What is Xiao Kui doing?” Jin Cheng, who was also from Sword Refining Hall, shook his head repeatedly, “Why isn’t he attacking yet?”

Jin Cheng had carefully observed Yi Xichen’s previous two matches, and knew that the best tactic to use against him would be to attack quickly and fiercely. Yi Xichen was too agile, one mustn’t give him time for him to set his tricks up. Fortunately, Sword Refining Hall’s usual style was to attack immediately, so as long as Xiao Kui used his most accustomed sword method, it would be a piece of cake to beat Yi Xichen.

This was also what Xiao Kui was planning! But after hearing Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun’s conversation last night, he started to grow worried and was afraid to attack first. Yi Xichen was planning for him to use up all his spiritual energy, he wouldn’t be foolish enough to fall for it!

Yi Xichen finally attacked first. He threw a fireball beside Xiao Kui’s feet, which Xiao Kui easily dodged.

Xiao Kui thought to himself, “It’s starting, Yi Xichen is starting to step up his array! He needs to connect seven fireballs together to form a Seven Star Formation, that is the foundations of a Chaos Array. All he needs after that is the limits and some spirit stones to activate it!”

Xiao Kui became more alert as he stared carefully at Yi Xichen’s every move. In fact, he planned to figure out how to beat Yi Xichen last night, but his whole brain was full of matters about Zhangsun Zijun, so he didn’t have any time to consider the match at all. Right now, at least he knew Yi Xichen’s next steps, and he also knew how to get out of the array. Doesn’t he want me to be humiliated in his array? Well I’ll break it in yer face!

Yi Xichen continuously attacked Xiao Kui, but Xiao Kui didn’t fight back and only defended. As their positions changed on the platform, Yi Xichen continuously launched fireballs. In those phantom-like fires, Yi Xichen’s shadow was dancing in them.

Xiao Kui sneered. These weren’t even techniques, there were merely low-level deceptive tricks. Yi Xichen was making a fool out of him! Of course I can see through these lowly tricks, who do you think I am? An idiot?

As the two went back and forth, Yi Xichen had already laid out his formation. Xiao Kui had been observing, and sure enough, Yi Xichen has been doing exactly what he said he would do yesterday. Hehe! Xiao Kui couldn’t wait to see Yi Xichen’s surprised face when he easily broke out of his array!

Yi Xichen lifted his sword and launched a Thunder Sword towards Xiao Kui. Seeing that he finally used his sword aura, Xiao Kui started to grow nervous. He was worried that while in the state of Taking Consciousness, his sword aura would be too strong for him to handle, so he condensed his whole body’s sword aura to block this attack.

There was another uproar in the audience, and even Wang Qingqiao, who had been defeated by Yi Xichen, couldn’t stand still anymore, “Yi Xichen isn’t use a fraction of strength from what he used against me. What is Brother Xiao doing? Why is he so afraid of even a Thunder Sword?”

After Xiao Kui blocked the attack, he was also surprised. This attack was much weaker than he had expected, this was nothing but a scratch!

At the same time, Yi Xichen threw a paper bird at him!

Xiao Kui immediately reacted. With his cultivation, he could easily sense, see, and hear everything around him. His heart skipped a beat: So this is his true intentions! Don’t think that this will stump me!

Xiao Kui thrusted a ray of sword light towards that paper bird, shredding it into pieces. He thought that he had seen through Yi Xichen’s plans, but before he could be complacent, he saw that the exploded paper bird turned into a cloud of white powder and instantly trapped him inside!

Xiao Kui was shocked, but it was already too late for him to burn this powder – He fell for the trick!

After breathing in Yi Xichen’s specially made powder, Xiao Kui immediately became trapped in his array. Just now, every reflection made by the fire seemed like a real person, he couldn’t tell which one was the real Yi Xichen. Under extreme desperation, he started to swing his sword around like crazy, “Yi Xichen, you asshole!”

But to the audience, he looked just like a ridiculous psycho swinging his sword at balls of fire.

Yi Xichen stood at the corner of the platform and smiled to look at Xiao Kui’s funny moments.

After a moment, Xiao Kui calmed down. He knew that he was in Yi Xichen’s array, but it was a bit different from what he described yesterday. Regardless, he still knew how to break out of it. Yi Xichen must’ve never expected that he used a eavesdrop bug last night and heard many of his sneaky plans!

Xiao Kui sneered and steadily walked towards the east. People who had fallen for the Chaos Array would see and hear illusions, so wouldn’t be able to tell where the edge of the platform was. After a few steps, he suddenly saw that there was a cliff leading to an endless abyss. If he continued, he would fall into it. But he was certain that this was just an illusion formed by Yi Xichen’s Chaos Array, he would be able to exit right after he passed this cliff!

Xiao Kui stepped forward without hesitation!

“Ouch!”

After not stepping on solid ground, Xiao Kui knew he messed up. He wanted to pull his feet back and jump, but something kicked him on the back, making him fall down headfirst!

Xiao Kui fell out of the battling plain!

Everyone watched speechlessly. From their eyes, this match looked like this: Xiao Kui didn’t release a single attack throughout the match, and then he was covered in Confusing Powder, then he jumped off the platform himself! And what did Yi Xichen do? He released some weak fire, used a deceptive trick, and then kicked him in the end. Cultivation? Sword aura? Those weren’t even used!

As for the Chaos Array Xiao Kui saw? What Chaos Array? All Yi Xichen used was a simple deceptive method that even seven year olds knew how to use. Any cultivator could see through easily! 

It was because of what Xiao Kui heard yesterday which made him didn’t believe his senses and only went with what he thought, causing his defeat!

Xiao Kui sat on the floor at a loss for a while, not knowing what happened at all. In the end, Wang Qingqiao went forward and rubbed his finger in front of Xiao Kui’s eyes, clearing the Confusing Powder for him. He looked around, and after realizing he had already lost, he shouted angrily, “This… how is this possible!”

Qiu Jian’s voice came from above, colder than a sheet of ice, “Winner, Yi Xichen.” He felt too embarrassed to even announce the results, and even started to regret why he accepted Xiao Kui this idiot into his hall! This was even more shameful than Sword Refining Hall’s previous loss to Yi Xichen!

Yi Xichen gave a big smile and looked up at Qiu Jian. But he was surprised to find out that not only was Qiu Jian up there, Sect Leader Yu Ying was also watching the match. This was the first time he appeared at a match these days.

At this moment, Yu Ying was looking at him with a complex expression. It was neither appreciation nor disgust. Yi Xichen couldn’t really tell exactly, but he knew that what he did was not what he wanted to see.

Yi Xichen shrugged, he didn’t know what was going through Yu Ying’s mind when he said to accept him as a disciple either. Now that the match was over, he hopped down from the platform and walked to Xiao Kui’s side.

“Brother Xiao,” Yi Xichen said with a smile, “What’s up with you today? I thought you’d try and break out of my array, but I didn’t even do anything and you had already jumped off?”

Xiao Kui’s face went from black to red as he stared at Yi Xichen suspiciously. Thinking back to what happened just now, he started to realize something wasn’t right. Yi Xichen didn’t use an array at all!

But after all, one couldn’t predict what would happen during a match. It must be that he was too strong, causing Yi Xichen to change tactics. Thinking of this, Xiao Kui’s face sank and sneered, “So what that you won the match, you shameless brat? You must be very annoyed in your heart!”

Yi Xichen raised his eyebrows.

Xiao Kui continued, “You only know how to use lowly tricks, and after trying so hard for so many years, still no one thinks that you’re worthy!” As he said it, he took a glance at Zhangsun Zijun.

Yi Xichen suddenly realized. He kept the bright smile on his face and leaned to his ear, then whispered, “Chaos Array? I don’t know how to activate that, I’m just scaring you.”

Xiao Kui took two steps back in surprise, “You! Last night! You!”

Xiao Kui’s face started to change colors like a rainbow again as he realized he was tricked! Since last night, everything has been a trick! And he fell for it like an idiot!!!

Yi Xichen has always been a person who knew when not to go too far, but not towards Xiao Kui. For every step that Xiao Kui took back, Yi Xichen stepped forward. He looked sharpelly at him, “Brother Xiao, don’t be too happy, you deserve it. There will be many more opportunities like this in the future.”

Xiao Kui’s mind was completely dazzled from the anger. He clenched his fist and suddenly let out a roar, then pushed a palm towards Yi Xichen’s chest.

Yi Xichen didn’t expect that Xiao Kui would attack. He quickly stepped back, but his reaction was a bit late. He saw the black like forming on Xiao Kui’s hand. Although he didn’t know what it was, he knew it was too late.

Then, out of nowhere, a ray of red fire smashed towards Xiao Kui’s head!