18 I’ll Pick a Better One for You! (1/2)

“Damn it!” Ximen Wandai growled as he stood up fiercely, flinging his palm up in a frenzied strike. A ray of gold flashed across the clearing, followed by weak cries of pain. The six Lightning Cats that had been running gleefully towards Yun Yang were flung bodily aside by the attack, their blood spraying like tiny raindrops drizzling from the sky.

“Stop it!” Yun Yang screamed as he rushed out into the open space. Fast as he was, his cultivation base was still miles away from Ximen Wandai’s. He only managed to catch one of the kittens before the devastating mystical Qi enveloped him as well, wracking him with pain.

Cough!

Trembling, Yun Yang spat saliva flecked with blood, his face pale as a sheet. Even as he stood swaying, his eyes sent razor-sharp daggers in the direction of his opponent, “Young Master Ximen, can’t you accept defeat?”

Ximen Wandai literally shook with fury, his eyes glaring at Yun Yang with rage of equal intensity. He was reluctant to accept the outcome of the challenge, but their wager had been witnessed by heaven, earth and the many people who had gathered to watch. There was simply no way he could get himself out of this.

“If it’s laid, it’s played!” Ximen Wandai’s expression was as vicious as a vengeful ghost, “These things… are all yours!”

Everyone present was still in a daze at the totally unexpected outcome. Ximen Wandai thought about the possessions that he had to surrender and his heart trembled with trepidation while his eyes remained dead.

Two seventh grade mystical beast pills, five hundred mystical stones, thirty mystical crystals, and one treasured saber!

Wealthy as the Ximen family was, the loss of these hefty assets would still cause significant damage to their coffers. Other than the blade that had only become his own after much begging to his father, everything else had belonged to the family treasury. He could foresee arduous days ahead of him after giving out these items; it would be impossible to maintain his current status now.

Yun Yang smiled wanly despite his pale face, “Young Master Ximen is indeed credible. Thank you, thank you! And as for the safety of my family, I’ll leave it to the Ximen family then…”

Ximen Wandai was tempted to spit a mouthful of blood at the insolent man, and his eyes bored holes into Yun Yang as he said, “Of course, as stated in our wager, I will do my best.”

The crowd’s gaze towards Yun Yang was that of mixed emotions.

Did he just win?

How? Why?

Ximen Wandai’s beast pills remained scattered on the ground, like everyone’s doubt. Members of the Ximen family left quickly, and eventually, the crowd dissipated as well. A few young masters observed Yun Yang with undecipherable expressions before they too took their leave.

Yun Yang held a Lightning Cat cradled in his arms, the same one he had saved earlier. It was heavily injured, in a weakened state, and its eyes were closed tightly as it mewled weakly in pain. Yun Yang fed a flow of mystical Qi into its tiny body to help it maintain its tenuous grasp on life.

The other three snowy kittens gathered by his feet as they looked at Yun Yang with tilted heads. Yun Yang grinned, happy for successfully getting hold of them. Beyond his expectations, he had managed to secure four of these kittens!.

“Young master, this…” the shopkeeper, however, was not as exhilarated at the outcome.

“Do not worry, I will pay for all of them, including the dead ones.” Yun Yang continued, “But I would ask a question of you.”

The shopkeeper heaved a sigh of relief. Ximen Wandai had killed his kittens and left without paying for them. He knew that he could not afford to further offend Ximen Wandai and was ready to accept this misfortune. Who would have known that Yun Yang would be so generous as to cover his losses? He gratefully replied, “Young master, you may ask anything of me.”

In reference to the kittens with exceptionally white fur, Yun Yang asked, “Where did you get those four kittens from?”

The shopkeeper’s face took on a flush of embarrassment, “Well, around half a month ago, someone fainted in front of my door just before dawn. I took him inside and in his arms were these four kittens. Since they were also Lightning Cats, I figured I’d just put them on sale together with the others…” The shopkeeper gave an abashed cough.

Yun Yang became increasingly intrigued, “Where is this man now?”

The shopkeeper sighed, “He’s been unconscious ever since I saved him. I could only force him to consume some soup or water every day to make sure he stays alive. I would have called for a physician to check on him but… I can’t afford the large medical fee. I don’t think he can last much longer though…”

“Bring me to him,” Yun Yang replied.

If his assumptions were correct, a man who could carry four mystical creature’s offspring with him must have returned from the deeper parts of the mystical beast forest and faced unimaginable dangers. This man might have even killed a pair of adult mystical beasts to have been able to bring back the young. An individual with such abilities would definitely be a formidable presence. Ironically, this paragon had fainted outside a mystical beast shop and had to be saved by the shopkeeper who had mistakenly sold off his captured treasures as Lightning Cats.

The shopkeeper led Yun Yang inside.

Yun Yang held the injured Lightning Cat cradled in his arms as the other four kittens obediently tailed him in a beeline while the Thousand Illusion Monkey sat dutifully on his shoulder. The man was beginning to look like a street performer.

Ji Ling had already rejoined him some time ago and was now looking at him with a grin that said “Young master, I’ll need an explanation for all of this when we get home”. It may not have been widely known, but Ji Ling was absolutely certain that Yun Yang had indeed dealt a terrible blow to the Ximen family this time around.

However, she was puzzled about the rationale behind his actions. Yun Yang and Ximen Wandai were from two different worlds. With the status he currently held, why would he want to offend the Ximen family?

...

The scent of medicinal herbs greeted them as they entered the room at the back of the mystical beast shop. Inside, a man made only of skin and bones laid down, his breathing shallow and his face ashen.

“He can’t last long but I am truly unable to save him. I wished to let him pass easily without prolonging the pain, but I just couldn’t do it…” The plump shopkeeper was woeful, “I have been full of worries these days.”

Yun Yang stood beside the man to study him. Frowning, he exerted his skill and delivered some air of vitality over to him.

Then, he spoke, “You won’t be able to revive him here. Allow me take him from your hands.”

The shopkeeper was thrilled and incredibly delighted over Yun Yang’s willingness to take over; he had been worrying about this invalid for far too long. “Thank you young master, thank you.”

Yun Yang nodded, “I will let him know that you were the one who saved him when he wakes up.”