The black dragon stared at Ye Xuan, silent.
Its gaze was anything but friendly.
Ye Xuan was speechless.
This fellow clearly did not trust him.
Ye Xuan said earnestly, “I’m telling you, making good karma now is worth it. Everyone says my son will be extraordinary.”
The dragon rumbled, “I’m a dragon, not a pig. My brain works, understand?”
Ye Xuan shrugged, then turned to An Lanxiu. “Let’s go.”
They nodded and walked away.
The dragon watched them depart, brow creased. Suddenly it barked, “Hold on!”
Ye Xuan turned. “What?”
The dragon intoned, “You’re the King of Backers, Ye Xuan?”
Ye Xuan’s face darkened at once.
The dragon studied him. “So it is you.”
Ye Xuan pondered, then asked, “I don’t get it. The lower worlds are cut off from here. How do you know me?”
The dragon stared. “Who doesn’t?”
Ye Xuan pressed, “Why?”
The dragon said, “Never mind that…”
A golden light shot from its body and stopped before Ye Xuan. Inside was a storage ring.
Exactly one million Void Truth Crystals.
Ye Xuan froze.
The dragon declared, “A loan. But you write an IOU and record a video. I’ll keep both.”
Ye Xuan thought, then said, “My reputation should suffice, no?”
The dragon stared. “You don’t look very reputable.”
Ye Xuan’s face blackened.
Bloody hell!
He inhaled deeply. For one million crystals, he endured.
He wrote the note and recorded the video.
The dragon nodded, then asked, “Will your son honour it?”
Ye Xuan replied, “That’s between you and him.”
He grabbed An Lanxiu and left.
Behind them, the dragon’s face turned even darker.
After a long while it shook its head. “Having a dad like that… truly tragic.”
It flipped and sank into the deep sea.
Far ahead, Ye Xuan and An Lanxiu continued.
On the way, An Lanxiu suddenly asked, “Who are you having this son with?”
Ye Xuan’s smile froze.
She watched him, waiting.
He laughed. “With you.”
A blush bloomed across her cheeks.
Seeing her shy, Ye Xuan’s heart raced. He slid an arm around her waist and kissed her.
Her body trembled, but she did not pull away.
A long while later he released her, smiling. “I was always too busy cultivating.”
An Lanxiu nestled into his arms, hugging him tight, silent.
Ye Xuan breathed deep, gazing ahead. At the horizon loomed a city shrouded in black mist, eerie and strange.
He frowned.
Why all these flashy tricks on the Void Truth Path?
Surely not the work of the Avenue Pen Master?
Soon they approached the city.
The closer they got, the graver their faces. Danger prickled the air.
Here, they dared not relax.
Suddenly a woman appeared atop the wall. Crimson gown, waist-length hair, perfect figure. Yet her face was hideous, criss-crossed with tiny cracks, features twisted and mismatched.
Angel body, demon face.
Ye Xuan frowned. Another freak?
The woman stared, then grinned. The smile was chilling.
If Plain-Skirt Qing’er saw her, she wouldn’t last one round.
Qing’er was a looks supremacist.
Ye Xuan asked, “Your name?”
She flashed a toothy grin, then vanished in a blood streak.
Ye Xuan’s eyes narrowed. His thumb nudged the hilt.
BUZZ!
Azure Abyss Sword screamed forth.
BOOM!
The blood streak halted, pinned by the sword. Yet she seized the blade and hurled it back.
HISS!
Space tore.
Ye Xuan opened his palm. The sword quivered, shattered her force, and returned.
She was already upon him. An Lanxiu thrust her spear.
The woman vanished.
Empty air.
An Lanxiu spun, fist exploding outward.
BOOM!
Blood-light burst. An Lanxiu flew a thousand zhang.
The woman whirled, spinning kick.
BOOM!
Ye Xuan and sword shot another thousand zhang.
She blurred, reappearing before him.
Ye Xuan’s heart jolted. Terrifying speed. Mortal Sword Intent surged, but she was faster. One punch crashed onto Azure Abyss.
BANG!
He rocketed away.
She pivoted, sweeping leg.
BOOM!
An Lanxiu retreated again.
Left, right, she dominated them both.
One against two, yet she overwhelmed them completely.
Inside Ye Xuan, Little Tower growled, “Bloody hell! She reminds me of Lady An!”
Lady An!
An Nanjing!
First-generation War Goddess!
Little Pen whispered, “Her martial path is insane. Beyond reason.”
Little Tower rumbled, “Sword or fist, reach the pinnacle and it’s all absurd. This woman… pure martial devil.”
In the field, even together they were suppressed. Yet excitement rose.
This was pure exhilaration.
One hour later.
BOOM!
Two explosions. Ye Xuan and An Lanxiu retreated a full thousand zhang.
The woman reappeared atop the wall.
She grinned, silent.
Ye Xuan stared, solemn.
Her martial intent had crushed his Mortal Sword Intent outright.
Absurd.
On the wall she produced a spirit fruit and munched.
Ye Xuan glanced at An Lanxiu. Her face was stormy. First time her martial path had been utterly dominated, and alongside him.
Ye Xuan smiled. “A good thing.”
This fight revealed his flaws clearly.
An Lanxiu nodded slightly.
Ye Xuan called up, “Your name?”
She grinned. “Ghostess.”
Ghostess.
Ye Xuan asked, “How much do they pay you yearly?”
She raised five fingers. “Five million.”
Five million.
Ye Xuan frowned. “That salary just to block people?”
She shook her head, pointing inside the city. “Also to suppress a god.”
Suppress a god.
Ye Xuan blinked. “A god inside?”
She nodded.
He thought, then asked, “If I applied, what salary would they offer?”
Ghostess sized him up, then said seriously, “They might pay me to refuse.”
Ye Xuan: “…”
…
Foot massages are seriously addictive!!!
