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nBang~

nZhuo Fan pummeled the entrance wall. The gonging sound was eerily similar to someone knocking on a metal door.

nThe girl looked on dazed, from a very safe distance. This punk has nerves of steel, I’ll give him that. Or is he plain indifferent to the 6th level spiritual beast just waiting for him inside.

nSpeaking of his insensitivity, was he that easily taken in by my charm?

nThe girl looked at him closer, Something isn’t right here.

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nSplash~

nThen, the sound of water was heard and a meter long water serpent swam out of the cave. It shook as its body expanded.

nIt was back to its five hundred meters long size in a blink, which created a huge splash as he hissed at the two humans.

nHiss!

nThe stench licked his cheek and Zhuo Fan clutched his nose as he sized the snake.

nThis guy ate Shaping Spring alright.

nThe girl was waving her hand down yonder in panic. Not out of worry for Zhuo Fan, of course, but his death would mean her venture would abruptly end with a big fat zero haul.

nWhy is this brat just standing there? Is he scared **less? God damn it, why did I fail when I’m so close?

nThe girl gnashed her teeth in annoyance.

nThe venomous serpent thought the same, laughing out loud and looking with contempt.

nThis brat must be so naive to knock at my home. Now that he has basked in my royal glory, he’s scared witless. Ha-ha-ha, it’s only natural. Even I am in awe of my glorious self most of the time, ha-ha-ha…

nGlancing at the delusional snake, and its wagging tail, Zhuo Fan could read him like a book. He grinned as he simply flew inside the cave.

n“Guard this place and don’t come in without my say.” Zhuo Fan belittled this useless thing and just waltzed in.

nThe venomous serpent was out of it from shock. What did he just say? To watch the door?

nThe serpent was enraged. No one ever ignored it, least of all claim its cave like he owned the place!

nOy, punk, do you have any idea whose home this is? Do you have a death wish?

nHiss!

nThe venomous serpent got closer to Zhuo Fan and hissed in his face. Covering him in drool, it hoped to knock some sense into him with its almighty majesty.

nThe girl was soaked from fear. Run you fool!

nYet Zhuo Fan only had disdain in his eyes. He wiped the drool from his face, and glared, “Behave.”

nPff!

nThe venomous serpent almost spat blood. It had never met someone so full of themselves to ignore it and even belittle it. It was royally pissed.

nThe girl was scared witless.

nYou behave, brat! You’re pissing it off by telling it to watch the door. I get you want to die but could you at least do it down yonder? Some of us still need to get in, you know?

nThe guy’s brains are on the fritz!

nShe sighed. She could practically see the kid torn into pieces by the angry venomous serpent.

nAnd that was what the serpent was about to do.

nHoly friggin’ balls! I’ve seen many dauntless, but none so boneheaded to not even care for their lives. They look for death or, better yet, they deserve death with such an idiotic stance.

nYou’re dead meat, so cut the act. Humph, as you wish, this king will send you off.

nLicking its sharp fangs, the venomous serpent hissed and went on to swallow him whole. With how the red mouth was covered in poison, Zhuo Fan would find himself melting the instant he touched it.

nThe girl closed her eyes and looked away. She couldn’t bear the horror that followed.

nYet Zhuo Fan was cool as a cucumber as the azure flame flashed in his eyes.

nHum~

nA ripple wracked the venomous serpent.

nScared, the huge serpent froze in its place.

nHe was soaked in sweat, even as his maw was right on top of Zhuo Fan, with fangs bared and all. And yet he just didn’t chomp.

nThe look in Zhuo Fan’s eye got him so terrified, it started shivering.

n“You’re so feisty to not listen when you’re ordered.” Zhuo Fan shook his head as he went in like he owned the place.

nLeaving the venomous serpent behind like a statue, scared and dumbfounded.

nW-what power was that?

nThe serpent’s heart was frantic.

nSpiritual beasts cared a lot about levels, more than the strength even. A 6th level spiritual beast’s pup was no stronger than a 3rd level spiritual beast but no 4th level spiritual beast would dare attack it.

nIt was their inborn majestic aura doing its thing. No low level spiritual beast messed with a higher one, ever. It was etched in their bones, blood, and the like.

nAs a 6th level spiritual beast, it was invincible here. A king lording over the masses. It had the right to pick on others, not the other way around!

nBut it finally got his due in the form of Zhuo Fan. The guy flexed his power for a blink and scared the living daylights out of the snake.

nIt had no clue what level of spiritual beast that power was equivalent to, but its blood told him to surrender and lay down all hostilities against Zhuo Fan.

nDamn it all to hell! What was that? He held such power that it made even a 6th level spiritual beast shake in its own skin.

nWhat savage beast could have such power? And why is it with a human? Is he perhaps a dreadful beast’s young?

nThe venomous serpent was sweating buckets. It was just like a beggar meeting an emperor, with only obedience in his heart.

nIf it was told to guard the door, that was what it’d do. What was so bad about it anyway?

nIt went to such an extent that the snake swam out of the cave and didn’t even have the gall to look behind him.

nWhile the girl who had struck Zhuo Fan off as a dead man, sneaked a peak all this time and was now dumbstruck.

nWhat the hell? Since when were vicious venomous serpents so meek? It’s not only not entering the cave, but was even posing as a damn watchdog!

nHow in bloody hell did a Bone Tempering cultivator do this? Does he also have a secret beast taming art?

nThe girl cocked her head, glancing at Zhuo Fan going further in with amazement and more than a little curiosity.

nThis brat isn’t as dumb as he looks. He may very well not have needed my help with the 4th level spiritual beast as well. Wait, if he’s so strong and all, why is he hiding it? Is he planning to take it all for himself?

nThe girl panicked and stomped in anger. Her wish to go in there herself was curbed by the venomous serpent guard at the door.

nThis time she was close to blowing a gasket. She had wasted a month staking out this place, only to let another person reap the reward.

nI was hustled!

nShe then pouted and slumped on the ground, sulking…

nBack to Zhuo Fan, the man in question soon arrived at the end of the cave. The view here shocked him senseless.

nThe cave was your average hole in the mountain, opening into a room a thousand square meters in size, but the dazzling scene was breathtaking.

nHe came here for Shaping Spring and actually found so many high grade herbs. There were a hundred 8th grade and at least a thousand 7th grade herbs!

nSuch haul could contest with the seven houses’ stores.

nIf not even imperial family’s!

nHoly mother of god! True wealth truly comes from nature. He assumed these were all gathered by the snakey, but why didn’t he eat them? To last him through the winter?

nMore for me, I guess! He-he-he…

nWithout further ado, and not caring for the beast outside, he pocketed all herbs with a wave. He even went to every corner and made sure he didn’t miss anything.

nZhuo Fan cackled like mad for such a great haul.

nIt echoed along the cave walls and traveled outside.

nVenomous serpent’s heart sank and tears fell from his eyes.

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nThe girl heard the cackle as well and almost sank into depression. Those were supposed to be mine!

nHaving already scouted the cave with her pet fish, she knew what a jackpot that cave held. She didn’t tell Zhuo Fan about it in fear he’d want a bite as well.

nAnd now? He didn’t just take a bite but swallowed it whole.

nThe girl was wallowing in misery, tears threatening to burst out of her clear eyes…

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