I sighed: “Did you steal from someone again?”
The people from the Qingyun Sect looked a bit embarrassed.
That female cultivator whispered: “Our Junior Sister wanted to form a contract with it…”
Upon hearing this, the eyes of the Beast Taming Sect members nearly popped out of their heads.
—— “What?”
—— “Form a contract with a high-tier demon beast?”
—— “Have you lost your minds?”
Li Bufan’s voice even changed pitch: “A high-tier demon beast! Even our Beast Taming Sect elders wouldn’t dare provoke one! A tiny Qi Refining stage brat actually dares to set her sights on it?”
Qing Liuliu added a twist of the blade: “Did you cultivate so hard that you ruined your brains?”
Another disciple from the Beast Taming Sect chimed in: “Tired of living and wanting to experience the thrill of being swallowed whole in one bite, are you?”
The faces of the Qingyun Sect members turned green.
They were so embarrassed they wished they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Over on the battlefield, their Eldest Senior Brother was swatted by another paw strike, flying backward through the air.
I looked over at the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion.
It was furious.
Extremely furious.
So furious that all three of its heads were spitting fire.
So furious that all six of its eyes glinted with ferocious malice.
If you were chased around by a swarm of ants claiming they wanted to make a contract with you, you’d be furious too.
But when it saw me, it froze.
All three of its heads froze.
Six eyes stared intently at me.
It sniffed the air.
And then, its fury turned into confusion.
Seeing this scene, the eyes of the Qingyun Sect members lit up.
That female cultivator rushed over: “Little sister! How much money! Name your price!”
I held up one finger: “One thousand! High-grade!”
“Deal!”
This time, they agreed lightning fast.
Gu Chenguang took the storage bag and checked inside with his divine sense.
Then his entire body began to tremble.
It wasn’t just his hands trembling.
His whole body was shaking.
Like being electrocuted.
Like seeing a hundred Eldest Senior Brothers breaking through at the exact same time.
I was a bit worried: “Sixth Senior Brother, are you alright?”
Gu Chenguang’s voice trembled: “N-Nothing… it’s just the first time in my life touching this many spiritual stones… I feel a bit dizzy…”
I silently pulled my gaze back.
A bit embarrassing…
I turned to look at the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion.
My heart was beating like a drum.
A high-tier demon beast.
Equivalent to the peak Nascent Soul stage of a cultivator.
Combined with its innate divine talents, it could even go head-to-head with those at the Soul Formation stage.
Even though I am the Demon Monarch’s daughter…
Would it actually be afraid of me?
I didn’t know.
I took a deep breath.
And then I walked toward the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion.
Shen Qingchen tried to pull me back.
But Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Senior Brothers held him back him.
—— “Eldest Senior Brother, let her go.”
—— “It’s fine.”
—— “She has her own way.”
Shen Qingchen: “…”
I walked up in front of the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion.
Looking up at it.
All three of its heads lowered down to look at me.
The picture was bizarre yet hilarious.
I spoke up: “Um… Lion Bro.”
The six eyes of the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion blinked.
I probed: “Are you very angry?”
It didn’t move.
I continued: “They were indeed in the wrong. You’re a high-tier demon beast, yet being chased around by a bunch of bratty kids claiming they want to form a contract with you—anyone would be furious.”
Its tails flicked back and forth.
I kept persuading: “But you just beat them up and vented your anger. That Eldest Senior Brother was swatted several times by your paws, he’ll probably be bedridden for half a month.”
The three heads of the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion looked at one another.
I struck while the iron was hot: “How about this, give me some face and let them go. I’ll make sure they never come to bother you ever again.”
It looked at me.
Silent for a moment.
And then~~
Its middle head spoke up.
Its voice was deep and low, like rumbling thunder: “On your body… there is the aura of sacred beasts.”
I froze.
Sacred beasts?
Those twin stone lions at the entrance of the Demon Palace?
I probed tentatively: “Do you know them?”
The three heads of the Three-Headed Green Flame Lion simultaneously showed a bizarre expression.
A bit like disdain.
A bit like respect.
A bit like fear.
It took a step back: “Are you… That Lord’s…”
I didn’t know whether “That Lord” referred to my dad or those twin stone lions.
But I nodded my head: “You could say that.”
The Three-Headed Green Flame Lion fell silent for a moment.
Then it turned around.
And left.
Taking its three tails, six eyes, and its body full of green flames.
Walking away without looking back even once.
Walking lightning fast.
Almost as if… it was afraid I might ask it to stay?
The people from the Qingyun Sect slumped on the ground, gasping heavily for air.
The look the Beast Taming Sect members gave me had turned from awe into… I don’t know how to describe it.
Except it was identical to the look in my eyes when I see braised pork belly.
Eldest Senior Brother walked over and picked me up in his arms.
He didn’t say a word.
He just held me very tightly.
I patted his shoulder: “Eldest Senior Brother, I’m fine, it’s very easy to talk to.”
Shen Qingchen looked down at me, his eyes full of complex emotions.
Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Senior Brothers crowded over, patting Eldest Senior Brother’s shoulder.
Su Ning said earnestly: “Eldest Senior Brother, you’ll get used to it.”
Yan Chuan chimed in: “Right, right, right, you’ll get used to it.”
Murong Zhuo blinked his peach-blossom eyes: “We weren’t used to it at first either, but now we’re used to it.”
Gu Chenguang flipped through his notebook: “According to our Phantom Beast Ruins diary, this is the fifth time Junior Sister has successfully conducted a ‘friendly negotiation’ with a demon beast. Everything is recorded in detail; it can be classified as standard procedure—no need to make a big deal out of it.”
Shen Qingchen remained silent for three breaths.
Then, the corner of his mouth curved up slightly.
Just a tiny bit.
But I caught it.
…………………………
Over there, the people from the Qingyun Sect finally caught their breath.
Supporting their Eldest Senior Brother, they slowly walked over.
That Eldest Senior Brother was covered in injuries, his magical robes clawed to shreds, yet his gaze remained cold.
He walked up in front of me and cupped his fists.
“I am Situ Che. I owe you a favor.”
I blinked: “No need, our transaction is paid in full.”
After all, they gave me one thousand high-grade spiritual stones, and I helped persuade the demon beast to retreat on their behalf.
Fair and square.
Honest dealing for young and old alike.
Situ Che let out a cold laugh: “Is my life only worth a thousand spiritual stones?”
I scratched my head: “Uh… then what do you want?”
He pulled a box out from his chest pocket and tossed it to my Eldest Senior Brother.
“Now we’re even.”
Then he led his people, turned around, and left.
His walking posture was a bit wobbly—after all, he had just been swatted several times by a high-tier demon beast.
Yet his imposing aura remained.
Worthy of the Nascent Soul stage.
Shangguan Haitang turned back to look at me once more.
Her eyes were complex.
There was fear.
There was resentment.
And a tiny bit of… something I couldn’t quite name, but definitely nothing good.
I waved my hand at her.
“Remember to bring more spiritual stones next time!”
Her face turned red again.
Whether flushed with anger or embarrassment this time, I didn’t know.
Either way, it looked pretty good on her.
That female cultivator also turned back to look at me.
In her eyes, there was gratitude as well as dread.
I didn’t care.
We’d cross paths again next time anyway.
After all~~
This was already the third time.
“Third time’s a charm” or “no more than three times”?
Applies to others.
For this group from the Qingyun Sect, I think an exception can be made.
…………………………
After they had walked far away, I opened the box.
Inside the box lay a single medicinal pill.
The size of a longan fruit, completely golden, with fine, intricate patterns on its surface, giving off a rich, dense fragrance of medicine.
Just taking a whiff made me feel the spiritual energy inside my body stirring restlessly.
Suddenly, I heard a chorus of sharp gasps from behind me.