Whoosh!
Thunder cracked across the bright sky, announcing Zhuo Fan’s lightning-fast flight, his face pleased as punch.
What was that saying? One good deed deserves another. [Yeah, that’s the one. I saved that annoying lass and nature replied in kind from her bountiful bosom. I’ll have to rethink my approach and spread kindness from now on, ha-ha-ha…]
Zhuo Fan cackled.
Then he spotted the same girl not far ahead. She figured he was going to take off and waited for him outside.
“Oh, miss, do you need something?” Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow.
Fuming mad, she said, “Hand it over!”
“Hand what over?” Zhuo Fan played dumb.
The girl barked, “Shaping Spring and those herbs! Think I am so stupid not to realize what you’ve been doing in there? But I am a woman of morals so I won’t bicker. According to the laws of the cultivation world, half belongs to me by right!”
“Bint, no can do.” Zhuo Fan shook his head, “You said giving you half is fair, but why would I ever do that?”
The lady played the kicked puppy card, “B-but I found it!”
“First come first serve!”
“If it weren’t for me, you’d never get them! So give me my fair share!” The girl panicked.
Zhuo Fan smiled, “Did you forget I saved you? To repay me you showed me the treasury. Now we’re even, buh-bye.”
Zhuo Fan left laughing, but the lady blocked him again with a snarl, “You damn bastard! Out of respect for saving me, I wasn’t going to argue with you and split the haul evenly. But you just don’t know when to quit!”
Her 2nd layer of Profound Heaven cultivation exploded, glaring at Zhuo Fan with the clear intent to fight him over it.
Zhuo Fan yawned, “Missy, power isn’t always limited by cultivation stages. Once we fight, your hopes are dashed.”
“Humph, damn egomaniac, enough bluffing! You may have subdued the 6th level spiritual beast but I’m no spiritual beast. I also know taming arts and they only work on spiritual beasts. Stop trying to scare me, it ain’t going to work.”
She then punched straight for Zhuo Fan’s face. The fierce power of the fist came barreling down towards him, backed by her 2nd layer of Profound Heaven cultivation.
It had no effect on Zhuo Fan, however, still calm and uncaring as he vanished. The girl was left speechless.
The next second she found her wrist yanked behind her back.
“Ah!”
She then started crying from pain, “Y-you’re breaking my arm. Let go…”
Zhuo Fan shook his head and let go.
She jumped ten meters away and looked at him perplexed.
[How did he do that?] He was clearly in the 9th layer of Bone Tempering Stage yet overpowered a 2nd layer of Profound Heaven cultivator in both power and speed. She felt like a mouse in the claws of a hawk. [This doesn’t make sense!]
[It’s too damn freaky!]
Only now did she recall Zhuo Fan’s words.
[This guy is a bloody monster!]
The girl gnashed her teeth and a flick of the hand revealed three roaring 4th level spiritual beasts ready to pounce at Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan raised an eyebrow curiously, “You’re not half bad, I’ll give you that. You don’t see that everyday, a lady having three 4th level spirit animals.”
“He-he-he, scared?”
She stuck her chin out in her boasting, “Let me tell you, I have a dozen spirit animals, but these three are my most cherished ones and they even know how to fly. I would have drowned you in my spirit animals if we were on the ground instead!”
Zhuo Fan looked at her oddly.
Most people in Tianyu focused on personal power, with hardly any interest in rearing beasts. That made spirit animals a rarity. You were hard pressed to find even high stage experts having one.
But this girl here was quite average in cultivation yet had over ten spirit animals. It was Zhuo Fan’s first time meeting someone who specialized in rearing beasts.
His odd looks however were taken as fear by the lass, who cackled, “It’s too late to be scared now. But if your apology is heartfelt enough and you give me those items, I may be inclined to spare your miserable life. I will even forgive your earlier transgression!”
“Whatever gave you the idea that I’m scared? Did you forget how that 6th level spiritual beast acted in front of me? Just like a kitty. And you think some 4th level spiritual beasts will do? Ha-ha-ha…” Zhuo Fan sneered.
The girl snapped, “C-cut your boasting! Who knows what you really did to that serpent? But it can only be something similar to my own taming art, a soul attack. But these three pets of mine are linked with my soul. Their master’s orders are paramount. It will be impossible for you to tame them!”
“Oh, shall I give it a shot?” Zhuo Fan snickered.
The naked contempt he showed only earned her ire, “Attack! Show him your power!”
Roar!
The three beasts were extremely loyal, jumping on Zhuo Fan the moment they were given the go signal. Yet nothing could unnerve Zhuo Fan.
The three were right on top of him, ready to tear him to pieces when his eyes flashed azure.
And, just like the 6th level spiritual beast before, the three pets froze and starting sweating like pigs.
[Mommy! Who the hell is this big shot? Why is he so scary?]
Without further ado, the scared witless beasts bolted with tail between their legs, swift as the wind.
It took a long time for the truth to worm itself into the girl’s mind, sheer absurdity of it all. She then shouted for her pets to come back.
But would they listen?
What master’s orders were paramount? Life was infinitely more precious!
[Blast it, is the master’s brain on the fritz? Why would we ever face such horror? To die?]
The girl shouted herself hoarse, but her pets were long gone, infuriating her.
Then she sobered up and shuddered from fear.
Zhuo Fan drifted towards her with his mocking smile, “It seems being linked with your pets ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. With the three of them horrified, their master is ought to feel some of that fear herself.”
“W-who the hell are you?” The girl froze, watching him in horror.
Now she knew why the 6th level spiritual beast held this man in such fear, and her pets were no different.
Because this man didn’t use something as trifling as his soul to subdue them, but instilled a sense of utter dread in their very being, that even robbed them of the thought of fighting back.
[But how?]
Why would vicious beasts show such fear towards one simple man? Such a ludicrous story was never heard anywhere in the world.
But this guy did it with ease! [Just who is he?]
Zhuo Fan smiled and answered her doubts, “I will one day rule this world!”
With a laugh and flap of his wings, he was gone. He left the girl shivering and staring dumbly in shock.
This mystery man had tangled with her so many times and left her with a bone deep impression. Those final words were etched in her mind.
She would scoff if it was anyone else saying them, but for some reason, hearing them from Zhuo Fan made her believe he could do it.
[How could Tianyu have such a dreadful man?]
The girl was filled with trepidation.
Whoosh!
Two black-robed men flashed in front of her.
“Lian’er, is something wrong?” One asked, while the other followed with, “Young miss, are you alright?”
She only looked at them with fear in her eyes, “Brother, Tianyu isn’t something we can just attack. It’s best that we fall back…”
Then her vision blurred and she fell unconscious. The two held her in worry, calling out to her.
[What did she mean?]