Chapter 28: Take Action, Confiscate

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Take Action, Confiscate

Jin Fang’s eyes burned with desire as he lunged forward, reaching to grab the Spirit Vein Fruit.

Tan Hu pulled his arm back, dodging the hand, and looked at him with a smile that wasn’t a smile. "Senior Brother Jin, what about what I asked for?"

"This..."

An unnatural expression flashed across Jin Fang’s face. He hesitated. "Junior Brother Tan, look... would a Spirit Vein Fruit of a different attribute work instead?"

Tan Hu’s expression immediately darkened. "Senior Brother Jin," he said, his face grim, "that’s not what we agreed upon."

"A different attribute? Heh."

Jin Fang’s brows knitted together. Suppressing a flare of anger, he forced a smile. "It’s not that I don’t want to, but the wind-attribute Spirit Vein Fruit was taken by someone else. You see..."

He felt helpless, too. It was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Tan Hu stood up and said coolly, "Senior Brother Jin, let’s talk again when you get your hands on a wind-attribute Spirit Vein Fruit."

Reaching the doorway, Tan Hu suddenly turned back and said with a mocking grin, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. This particular Spirit Vein Fruit is soul-aspected."

"Tsk tsk. If the attribute wasn’t incompatible, I’d have consumed it myself."

He let out a sigh of regret, then turned and walked downstairs.

When Jin Fang heard it was soul-aspected, his expression changed drastically. He yelled at Tan Hu’s retreating back, "Junior Brother Tan, let’s talk about this!"

Without turning his head, Tan Hu waved a hand dismissively. "Come find me when you have it, Senior Brother."

"You!!" Jin Fang was furious. He blurted out, "Junior Brother Tan, we’re both guardians of this Beast Valley! Surely I’m entitled to a share of this Spirit Vein Fruit!"

Tan Hu froze. Whipping his head around, his face turned to ice. "You want a share? I spent a full ten years cultivating this fruit, pouring countless resources into it, and you think you’re entitled to a share?"

"Are you sure about that?"

The words seemed to be squeezed from between his teeth, showing his fury. The character for "King" materialized between his brows, and a savage aura began to emanate from him.

In truth, Jin Fang regretted the words the moment they left his mouth.

’How could I expect to get a share of a Spirit Vein Fruit he painstakingly cultivated with just a few words?’

’But the words are already out, and I have no bargaining chips. There’s no way I can trade for this Spirit Vein Fruit.’

Jin Fang’s expression grew cold. "Spirit Vein Fruits are creations of heaven and earth. Since it was discovered in the Beast Valley, I’m entitled to a share."

Tan Hu’s face went black. He laughed out of sheer anger. "Hah. I’m curious to hear how you plan on splitting it."

As he spoke, the bones in his forehead protruded, and a dense layer of fine fur sprouted across his face.

The "King" character between his brows flickered with spiritual light.

CROAK...

Not to be outdone, Jin Fang reacted with a thought. A Three-legged Golden Toad, its body covered in markings that looked like Copper Coins, materialized behind him.

An aura, no weaker than Tan Hu’s, erupted forth.

Jin Fang stated flatly, "Since there are two of us, we each get half."

"Fuck! In your fucking dreams!"

Tan Hu’s rage exploded. With a curse, his body instantly transformed into a colossal Mountain Monarch, its limbs wreathed in swirling wind. It let out a furious roar and lunged at Jin Fang.

"Hah! Golden Blade Technique!"

Jin Fang hadn’t expected him to attack without warning, but his reflexes were lightning-fast. His hands flew into a seal for the Technique as he let out a silent roar in his mind.

A jet of golden light shot from his palm, merging into the body of the Three-legged Golden Toad behind him.

CROAK...

The Three-legged Golden Toad gave a low croak, and the dense Copper Coin markings on its back pulsed with Spiritual Power.

In the next instant, the markings transformed into countless Copper Coins glowing with golden light. Like a torrential flood, they shot toward the Mountain Monarch that Tan Hu had become.

ROAR...

The Mountain Monarch roared, and a pale green vortex of wind suddenly swirled up around its body, forming a protective cyclone in the span of a breath.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The Copper Coins slammed into the vortex, creating a series of sounds like clashing metal.

On closer inspection, the vortex surrounding the Mountain Monarch was revealed to be made of countless tiny Wind Blades.

The torrent of Copper Coins crashed against the vortex of Wind Blades. For a time, neither could gain an advantage, and wild Spiritual Power radiated outwards.

In the space of a few breaths, their clash reduced the entire rooftop to rubble.

Immense pressure from their Spiritual Power spread out in all directions.

And just as the two prepared to get serious, a faint voice drifted down from the heavens.

"Stop!"

The voice wasn’t loud, but to their ears, it was like the tolling of a great bell that shook their very souls.

Tan Hu and Jin Fang looked up.

In the sky, a jade boat shimmering with a soft white light was slowly descending.

With a flicker of thought, Jin Fang recalled his beast soul. He cupped his fists and bowed. "Greetings, Steward Lu."

’So he’s the new Steward sent by the sect?’

Tan Hu sized him up for a moment, then hesitated before retracting his demonic bloodline form. He quickly threw on a robe and bowed. "Greetings, Steward Lu."

Lu Ping acted as if he hadn’t seen them fighting at all. "No need for such formalities, you two guardians," he said with a chuckle. "Please, rise."

"Thank you, Steward." "Thank you, Steward."

The two thanked him again and rose, looking at Lu Ping, unsure how to explain themselves.

But to their surprise, Lu Ping didn’t even ask.

Lu Ping smiled. "Shall we start collecting this year’s Spirit Beasts?"

Jin Fang and Tan Hu glanced at each other.

Jin Fang hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Steward Lu, there’s something you don’t know. The reason the two of us were fighting... it’s because... because..."

Lu Ping frowned at them. "Just say it."

Jin Fang said bitterly, "While I was on my way to receive you, Steward, a Vein Condensation Realm Blood Wolf appeared from nowhere and brought a wolf plague down on the Beast Valley."

Beside him, Tan Hu’s face went pale, clearly unnerved by the mention of the wolf plague.

Lu Ping frowned and snapped, "Get to the point. How many died?"

’He couldn’t just pretend he didn’t hear that. While the Beast Valley was filled with people who had useless or damaged Spirit Veins, they weren’t completely worthless.’

’The Beast Soul lineage only managed to recruit a few hundred people from the mortal world each year.’

At that moment, Tan Hu opened his mouth to speak.

But Jin Fang quickly cut in, "About two hundred casualties..."

Tan Hu, standing to the side, froze. He stared at Jin Fang, his mouth opening and closing, but ultimately said nothing.

Hearing the number, Lu Ping inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. ’Two hundred people... that’s a loss of less than ten percent of the harvest. Acceptable.’

’But the sect can’t be the one to bear this loss.’

Lu Ping said grimly, "I will report this to the sect upon my return. You two will compensate for the losses here."

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jin Fang nodded. "Of course. That’s only right."

Tan Hu’s heart sank, and a bitter smile touched his lips. ’Looks like I’ll be forced to go expand the sect’s territory now,’ he thought grimly.

He then shot a glance at Jin Fang and sneered.

’If I have to go, then Jin Fang can’t escape either,’ he thought. ’So what if his family has a Dao Foundation Great Cultivator? He’s not even a direct son.’

Jin Fang glanced over at Tan Hu just in time to see the sneer forming on his lips, and he froze for a second.

Just then, Lu Ping waved a hand. "Let’s go."

Jin Fang and Tan Hu boarded the jade boat and, under his guidance, arrived at the first beast pen.

The beast pens were enormous, ten in all, and from within came the faint sound of low tiger roars.

As the group arrived at the pens, they made no effort to conceal their powerful auras.

A large, bloated man, easily over two meters tall, walked out from the beast pen. His expression changed the moment he saw the jade boat.

He bowed deeply. "Qingqu greets the Seniors."