Chapter 75: Gale Leopard

Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Gale Leopard

Two small, dark green insects wriggled onto the palms of Hong Hai and Xue Yong. They quickly pierced the skin, and two drops of crimson blood welled up. The dark green insects burrowed into their palms, traveling along their blood vessels toward their hearts.

"Ah! What is this? What just entered my hand?! It’s crawling up my arm!"

"It’s reached my heart! Ah! It hurts so much!"

The two Squad Leaders of the Great River Gang, Hong Hai and Xue Yong, were terrified. A piercing pain stabbed at their hearts. They clutched their chests, their foreheads beaded with cold sweat, their faces twisted in agony.

"Relax, it only hurts for a moment," Ye Xing said, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I’ve just planted a Poisonous Insect in each of you. Two Heart-devouring Worms followed your bloodstreams back into your hearts. It might be a little uncomfortable and painful as they first settle in, but it’ll be fine in a moment."

"Huh, the pain really does seem to be fading."

"It doesn’t hurt as much as before!"

Hong Hai and Xue Yong looked at each other, wiped the cold sweat from their brows, and asked with suspicion and uncertainty, "What are these Poisonous Insects for? Why did you plant them in us?"

"Heh, you’ve only just pledged your allegiance. I don’t exactly trust you. Did you think I’d feel safe using you without some way to control you?" Ye Xing grinned, revealing a menacing set of white teeth. "Listen closely. The two Poisonous Insects I placed in you are called Heart-devouring Gu. They will reside in your hearts. If you ever perform your duties poorly, have second thoughts, or do anything to displease me, I can make the Heart-devouring Gu slowly devour your hearts at any time. You will die in extreme agony as your hearts wither away, and the pain will be ten times what you just felt!"

The moment Ye Xing finished speaking, both Xue Yong and Hong Hai shuddered. They had already personally experienced that heart-stabbing pain. If it were ten times worse, even if they didn’t die, they would go insane.

"Definitely, definitely! We will serve you with all our hearts!" the two men hurriedly pledged their loyalty. They had originally surrendered only because they were threatened with death, so naturally, they each had their own schemes and ulterior motives. But now that Ye Xing had planted the Heart-devouring Gu in them, neither dared to have second thoughts again. Otherwise, their fate would be worse than death. They didn’t think for a second that the young man before them was a kind person.

Ye Xing gave Hong Hai and Xue Yong a cool glance and said, "Come with me to the Beast Taming Pavilion. Qiao’Er, Aunt Qiao, you come too."

After speaking, Ye Xing immediately led the group of four down White Cloud Mountain, heading straight for the Beast Taming Pavilion in Phoenix Town. He didn’t want to waste a single moment. The situation earlier had been incredibly dangerous; if he hadn’t killed the Great River Gang’s Gang Leader, he would be in for a world of trouble. A powerful sense of crisis gripped Ye Xing’s heart. He had to increase his strength, right now. Since his internal strength couldn’t be significantly boosted in a short time, he would have to improve his external capabilities.

Although Phoenix Town couldn’t compare to Sunset City, it was still a fairly bustling town. Pedestrians came and went on the streets in a ceaseless flow.

The Beast Taming Pavilion was located in the most prosperous district of Phoenix Town. As one of the top factions on the Martial Arts Continent, the Beast Taming Pavilion held a very high status. Even if this was just a small branch in Phoenix Town, no Martial Artist dared to cause trouble here.

Although there were many Martial Artists in the shop and plenty of chatter, everyone was very well-behaved.

Demon Beasts were locked in one iron cage after another, and several clerks were introducing the features and prices of various Demon Beasts to customers.

"Hey, welcome, esteemed guests! Are you looking to buy a Demon Beast?" A clerk spotted Ye Xing’s group entering and immediately came over to greet them warmly.

"Has the Gale Leopard in your shop been sold yet?" Ye Xing asked directly.

"The Gale Leopard? You mean our shop’s main attraction, the Eighth-level Demon Beast Gale Leopard?" The clerk was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Ye Xing to ask about the Gale Leopard right away. After all, the Gale Leopard was an Eighth-level Demon Beast worth sixteen thousand Gold Coins—not something just anyone could afford. Even some Martial Artists in the Sixth and Seventh Realm of Martial Arts might not be able to afford it. And from what he could see, this guest’s Cultivation didn’t seem particularly high.

"Yes, that’s the one. The Eighth-level Demon Beast, the Gale Leopard. It hasn’t been sold, has it?" Ye Xing said in a low voice.

"No, it hasn’t been sold. It’s still in the shop. Would you like me to take you to see it?" the clerk asked, a trace of doubt in his eyes. He didn’t seem to think Ye Xing could afford the Gale Leopard.

"Yes. Lead the way," Ye Xing said.

"Very well, then." The clerk hesitated for a moment before leading Ye Xing toward the third floor. Although he didn’t really think Ye Xing could buy it, his professionalism as a clerk of the Beast Taming Pavilion compelled him to guide his customer.

The Beast Taming Pavilion was divided into three floors, with each floor housing Demon Beasts of different levels. The first floor was the largest, holding Level 1 to Level 3 Demon Beasts. These were Low-tier Demon Beasts, and they were the most numerous, with the highest number of buyers. Even some Martial Artist merchants bought their beasts on the first floor. After all, a single Demon Beast could easily cost several hundred Gold Coins; even a rich man would find it hard to buy several. For instance, the cheapest Level 1 Demon Beast cost one or two hundred Gold Coins, a Second-level Demon Beast cost several hundred to a thousand Gold Coins, and a Level 3 Demon Beast was even more expensive, affordable only to great merchants and nobles. As for the second floor, although it was smaller than the first, it was more exquisitely decorated and housed Middle-tier Demon Beasts from Level 4 to Level 6. There were tigers, leopards, and lions, all with ferocious auras. If you owned a beast of this level, you could basically do whatever you wanted in a town like Phoenix Town; no one would dare provoke you. You could even live comfortably in Sunset City. The entire second floor of the Beast Taming Pavilion only had eight or nine iron cages, holding eight or nine Demon Beasts between Level 4 and Level 6.

Led by the Beast Taming Pavilion clerk, Ye Xing’s group arrived on the third floor. This floor was for Demon Beasts from Level 7 to Level 9.

The layout of the Beast Taming Pavilion was clearly stratified by level: the first floor sold Level 1 to Level 3 Demon Beasts, the second floor sold Level 4 to Level 6, and the third floor sold High-tier Demon Beasts from Level 7 to Level 9. However, Phoenix Town was a small town, after all. Taking the purchasing power of its clientele into account, this branch had originally only kept a Level 7 Gale Leopard as its main attraction. Just a short while ago, this Level 7 Gale Leopard had broken through to the Level 8 Realm. Now, even fewer people could afford it, though many coveted it. The Shopkeeper of this branch was already planning to ship the Gale Leopard to Sunset City in a few days.

The third floor of the Beast Taming Pavilion was smaller in area than the first and second floors, but because it held only a single Demon Beast, it actually felt more spacious.

In the center of the third floor stood an iron cage about the height of a man. Inside the cage, a leopard with entirely cyan-colored fur lay prone on the ground, its eyes closed as if in deep sleep.

Its body was streamlined, its fur as smooth as silk. It had powerful muscles, and the claws on its limbs were as sharp as steel hooks, glinting with a cold, metallic light. With every breath it took in its sleep, the air around it swirled, and it exuded an incredibly powerful aura.