CHAPTER 23

 — Qianyu Sect—

"Beast?" Tong Tong asked incredulously, holding the little creature by the scruff of its neck with one hand and pointing at her own nose with the other. "Me?"

Indeed, the man before her—draped in a few bright scraps of cloth, bare-chested, with painted face and feathers in his hair, as if he had escaped from some Indigenous tribe on the African savannah—glared at Tong Tong with righteous indignation, like an animal rights activist confronting a cat abuser.

"It's you I'm talking about! Let go of this esteemed young lady at once! By the Beast God, you will pay for your actions!" Behind this man stood another, older man, whose appearance and attire were nearly identical—the only difference being that the former wore a green feather in his hair, while the latter sported a blue one.

"This? Young lady?" Tong Tong twitched the corner of her mouth. Under the furious and shocked gazes of the two men, she gave another shake to the hand holding the little creature—the one referred to as the "esteemed young lady." The little creature innocently twitched its ears. Though displeased at being held by the scruff of its neck, the swaying motion felt unexpectedly pleasant, causing it to instinctively wag its long tail. Its golden eyes narrowed into half-moons, brimming with a hint of delight.

"Clang—" An arrow whistling toward Tong Tong's face was intercepted by a flash of crimson sword light. The shaft snapped in two, still gleaming with a dark, ominous sheen—a stark reminder of the gruesome fate that would have awaited her had it struck.

"Gulp—" Tong Tong swallowed nervously in hindsight. She scooped up the little creature into her arms and swiftly ducked behind Su Yan, only then regaining some of her courage. Glaring at the man who had shot the arrow, she snapped, "Hey! What's wrong with you? Shooting arrows without even asking for an explanation—that's really dangerous, you know?"

Holding the little creature up beside her face, she continued indignantly, "Besides, I haven't even addressed your earlier personal attack yet! Please, if your eyesight is poor, get yourself a pair of glasses, will you? If you don't have glasses, eat more goji berries to improve your vision—they're quite tasty!" Realizing she was veering off-topic, she straightened her expression, adopting a serious and somewhat pained tone as she questioned, "Compared to this little thing, I'm clearly the young lady here! If you suffer from species recognition deficiency or same-species identification disorder or something, you really should get it treated! Don't hide it—if it gets worse, it might turn into something like Parkinson's or whatever, and that wouldn't be good..."

She was about to continue her earnest persuasion when a magnetic, husky female voice suddenly interjected, "Everyone, please grant me a word."

—Her upper body was clad in a sexy leopard-print crop top, revealing elegantly shaped collarbones, while her lower half was wrapped in a matching miniskirt, leaving her long, slender legs fully exposed. Her honey-toned skin added a touch of wildness, yet her clear amber eyes held the softness of a young woman. If not for the blue feather adorning her hair, identical to those worn by the two men, Tong Tong might have mistaken her for a lingerie model who had somehow crossed over.

Ding Ding couldn't help but whistle unconsciously—only to have his waist pinched hard. Needless to say, from that angle, only He Gu could have done it.

"Ah... hey! Just who are you people?" Trying to cover up the awkwardness of his pained yelp, Ding Ding preemptively snapped, though the way he rubbed his lower back somewhat undermined his imposing tone.

"My name is Xue'er, from the Qianyu [Thousand Feathers] Sect. These two are my fellow disciples... I believe this is all a misunderstanding." The alluring beauty who called herself Xue'er wore a gentle, almost saintly smile on her face, which gave Tong Tong and Ding Ding—both products of the 21st century, accustomed to channels like TVB, KBS, and CCTV8—a sense of dissonance. It was as if a top-tier actress, who should have been starring in Japanese adult films, had switched careers to play an innocent, impossibly virtuous female lead in a mainland Chinese idol romance drama. Perhaps it wasn't entirely fair to describe this kind-hearted girl in such terms, but that was the reality.

—The Qianyu Sect, one of the five major cultivation sects, was renowned for taming spirit beasts to battle enemies. The Sect leader's contracted spirit beast, the Jade Gold-Devourer, was a sixth-tier auspicious beast, nearly the pinnacle among demonic creatures.

For disciples of the Qianyu Sect, contracted spirit beasts were not only weapons of attack but also partners in battle, much like how Chonghua sword cultivators were spiritually connected to their lifebound swords, sharing glory and disgrace. Thus, their attitude toward demonic beasts was closer to that of fervent members of a modern animal protection association.

"What misunderstanding? They clearly intended to seize it by force!" The green-haired man glared fiercely at Tong Tong, as if harboring an irreconcilable grudge. "How could an auspicious beast, treated as an honored guest by our Qianyu Sect, be toyed with like this?"

Tong Tong held the so-called auspicious beast in her arms, swaying it left and right. The little creature being "toyed with" in this way actually half-closed its eyes in contentment, swinging its long tail left and right in rhythm, thoroughly enjoying its human-shaped swing.

The girl and the beast were having fun on their own, completely unaware that the green-haired man's face had turned pale with anger, making his bronze skin appear several shades lighter.

"Senior Sister, what are they even talking about? It's just a little kitten, no need for all this fuss..." Ding Ding turned and tugged on He Gu's sleeve, asking in a voice he thought was quiet but was actually audible to everyone present.

Before He Gu could respond, Su Yan sneered coldly, "Ignorant... This isn't a cat. It's an auspicious beast—a Zouyu."

A vein throbbed on Ding Ding's forehead, but he reminded himself: 'Don't get angry, don't get angry. Anger causes wrinkles, anger speeds up aging... How could he not be angry, d@mn it! Su Yan, you dead iceberg! You just happen to know a tiny bit more than me! If you weren't older than this Young Master, you wouldn't know so much either! Just you wait! One day, I'll get Tong Tong to seduce you and then dump you! Let's see you cry then! Hmph...'

Lost in his endless fantasies, Ding Ding didn't notice Su Yan's glance toward him, which held even more disdain than before. Even He Gu, who had always been gentle with him, quietly pulled her sleeve back and took a small step away.

"Zouyu? What's that? Is it tasty?" A clueless voice broke the awkward silence, causing the three—including the wild beauty Xue'er—to stiffen. Especially the green-haired man, whose pale face instantly turned green, gradually matching the color of the feathers in his hair.

With a light sigh, Su Yan explained calmly, "Zouyu is an auspicious beast from ancient times. There is an old poem that says: 'In the mountains of Weijun, within the borders of Zhou, a wondrous beast was born. Its body is pure white with black patterns, its ears pointed and tail long. It resembles a tiger yet is gentle, feeds not on living creatures, and possesses the benevolence of a qilin.' In simpler terms," a flicker of mischief suddenly flashed in her eyes, and in a corner where no one could see, the corner of her mouth lifted almost imperceptibly, "it's essentially a picky eater that looks like a white tiger."

Tong Tong didn't notice her teasing expression, her attention entirely captured by the last two words. She couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle: "A picky eater? Pfft, haha, that's right, that's right! You little thing, you ate a whole plate of duck palms! Tell me, besides eating, what else can you do? Hmm?"

She shook the little creature she was holding, cradling it with one arm while freeing her other hand to lift its chin, her face full of mockery. Just as the little creature opened its mouth in displeasure, about to bite, she reached out and scratched the soft fur under its chin, successfully soothing it.

—'Seriously, you're the last person here who has the right to mock it! And that other one too! Could the favoritism be any more obvious...' Ding Ding rolled his eyes in annoyance, silently grumbling to himself.

"You, you, you! Don't push your luck! Zouyu is among the top eight auspicious beasts on the monster rankings, and they're nearly extinct in the cultivation world today! This cub was brought back by our sect members from the Cangliao Secret Realm after risking their lives, as a gift for our young master! Give it back to us now!" The green-haired man couldn't stand seeing Tong Tong mock the auspicious beast they held in such high esteem, nor could he bear to see the "gift" they had gone to such great lengths to obtain fall into someone else's hands. If it weren't for his fear of Su Yan's overwhelming presence, which clearly suppressed the three of them, he would have lunged forward long ago, without wasting so many words.

"Huh? Is that so... Then I'll give it back to you." Tong Tong shrugged indifferently, extending her arms holding the little creature to hand it back to him—though it was quite adorable, after all, it was someone else's pet! She couldn't just snatch it away...

"Wait, you haven't explained clearly! Why is it a 'young lady' while I'm a 'beast'? Apologize first!" Just as the green-haired man excitedly reached out to take the little creature from her arms, Tong Tong suddenly pulled her arms back, frowning as she spoke.

"..." The green-haired man's smile froze on his face, his hand still extended, his lips twitching. He wanted to lash out but held back due to the circumstances. "This is a female Zouyu. Our sect reveres the Beast God, so we hold the auspicious Zouyu in high regard..."

He rambled on with a lengthy explanation, essentially emphasizing the little creature's esteemed status in their Qianyu Sect. Tong Tong impatiently cut him off: "Cut! I get it, it's a noble, beautiful young lady, alright! But," she pulled the little creature closer, glaring at him defiantly, "that's no excuse for your rudeness! You still owe me an apology!"

Prodded by the blue-haired man beside him, the green-haired man reluctantly squeezed out a few words: "S-sorry!"

"Hmph..." Tong Tong rolled her eyes, turning her face away while holding the little creature, clearly still unsatisfied.

"This young lady is bright-eyed and fair-skinned, naturally beautiful, gentle and reserved, wise and virtuous... It's all our fault for failing to recognize your worth and offending you. Please forgive us. This auspicious Zouyu is of great importance to our Qianyu Sect. We hope you'll be gracious and let it go. Xue'er here has a Haolan Night Pearl—a small token of goodwill, nothing much, but please accept it as a gesture of friendship." A lustrous pearl, about the size of a quail egg, emitted a brilliance that rivaled that of a diamond over a hundred carats. Even in broad daylight, its radiance was undeniable.

It had to be said, Miss Xue'er would have made an excellent diplomat with her talent for twisting words!

Tong Tong was left dazed as she listened, her vanity greatly satisfied, and the last of her resentment vanished into thin air—especially when Xue'er presented her 'sincerity' in the form of the gift.

Women's weaknesses are few, and shiny jewelry undoubtedly ranks among the top three—how many fair and delicate young women have thrown themselves into the arms of wealthy, rotund men for the sake of a sparkling diamond that can't be eaten but can be exchanged for money, sacrificing their best years?

So, as a shallow and weak-willed ordinary girl like Tong Tong, it was only natural that she hesitated for a few seconds between the adorable little creature and the beautiful night pearl before resolutely choosing the latter.

Her eyes shining with a brilliance no less than the pearl's, Tong Tong stepped forward, holding the little creature, ready to hand it to Xue'er, who was smiling and reaching out. But then, the little creature, which had been quietly curled up in her arms, suddenly let out a low, hoarse growl in its childish voice, and a golden mark appeared on Tong Tong's forehead.

"This is—the Golden Covenant Sigil!" Xue'er exclaimed in shock, looking at Tong Tong with nothing but disbelief, as if she weren't an ordinary Foundation Establishment stage girl but a thousandfold destructive Godzilla.

"You actually made it acknowledge you as master? That's impossible!" Even more shocked than her were the two men from the Qianyu Sect. The green-haired fellow instantly transformed into a furious Sect leader, roaring hoarsely with spittle flying. If not for Su Yan blocking him with her sword, he would have lunged forward to grab Tong Tong by the neck and shake her three hundred times.

—The more noble the bl0odline of a demon beast, the more unruly and proud its nature. Unless one was a powerful cultivator of profound strength, it was difficult to force them to compromise and form a contract.

And this contract golden sigil served as proof of acknowledging a master. Once established, it was a bond of life and death—only by k!lling the contract holder could the pact be dissolved. If the demon beast actively k!lled its master, it would perish together with them.

"Huh? Wh-what acknowledge as a master..." Tong Tong tilted her head in confusion. The Zouyu she was holding unexpectedly twisted its body, breaking free from her grasp. It swallowed the night pearl Xue'er was holding in one gulp, then swiftly turned and leaped, its furry little paw tapping Xue'er's wrist before immediately jumping back onto Tong Tong's shoulder. It clung steadily to her collar, its long tail swishing proudly back and forth, completely unaware of the disastrous consequences its actions had caused among the crowd.

Su Yan averted her gaze, hiding the helplessness in her eyes. The Changhong sword shimmered, blocking the two men who were glaring with fury. She coldly addressed the stunned and speechless Xue'er: "Su Yan of the Chonghua Sect. I seek your guidance."

T/N: [In the world of cultivation and martial arts (Wuxia/Xianxia), the phrase "I seek your guidance" (请指教 - qing zhijiao) is a classic bit of "polite combat" terminology. It almost never means the person actually wants a lesson. Instead, it is a formal, ritualized way of challenging someone to a fight.]

"Hiss—this looks like a fight is about to break out at the slightest disagreement! The big iceberg is indeed cool, arrogant, and domineering!" Ding Ding felt as if he had discovered something and immediately gleefully pulled over a small stool and table. Holding a small plate of melon seeds, he assumed a posture of intense observation, even inviting the equally helpless He Gu to sit with him. He showed no intention of trying to mediate or lend a hand.

"So it's you... I've long heard of your reputation. Seeing you today, it truly seems... this Zouyu was simply not meant for our Qianyu Sect." Xue'er smiled bitterly and shook her head, addressing the two men: "Liang Hui, Liang Yao, let's go back."

—The Chonghua Fierce Deity and the Bingyan K!llng Star were known as the two most unapproachable figures among the younger generation of cultivators. Everyone knew of them, and no one dared provoke them.

"No, I can't accept this! If you want to leave, go ahead!" The green-haired man, Liang Yao, retorted loudly, seemingly not taking Xue'er seriously. Although Su Yan's reputation made him somewhat fearful, he stubbornly refused to back down.

"I will explain to the young master, and I will take responsibility for losing the Zouyu... but if you two provoke Chonghua and ignite conflict between our sects, no one will be able to protect you!" Unexpectedly, the gentle and soft-spoken Xue'er showed some authority when angered. Her willow-like eyebrows furrowed, and her almond-shaped eyes widened, revealing a different kind of charm.

"This..." The green-haired Liang Yao glared hatefully at Xue'er, then shot a hundred times fiercer glare at Tong Tong, who was blinking innocently behind Su Yan's back. Finally, under the persuasion of the blue-haired man, he was forcibly dragged away.

Thus, the grudge between them was formed.

From then on, Su Yan's formidable reputation gained another label: "Forcible Plunderer." But that was a story for later. For now, the tricky situation they faced was the intense interrogation from the enthusiastic onlookers surrounding them in layers.

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