Chapter 0174

Chapter 174: Enough of Your Bratty Habits!

Zhang Chu Qiao looked a little helpless, and said: “Master is really something, she always draws the hunger of these beasts. Is she a born temptress?”

Zhou Tong raised a purple-gold red gourd and aimed it ahead, and said coldly: “They have chosen the path to die.”

He shouted toward the enemies: “Beastmaster Sect beasts,” and from within their ranks someone reflexively barked: “Who is calling me?” Caught off guard, more than half of the Beastmaster Sect answered back.

A terrifying aura swept out with screams, and over a hundred people, including the Beastmaster Sect chief, were sucked into the gourd in an instant.

The Beastmaster Sect elder felt his hair rise as if a savage predator stared at him, and he demanded: “Who is it?!”

Zhou Tong answered with a taunt as he and Zhang Chu Qiao strode into view: “Your ancestor.”

Shang Guan Wu Gou cheered, leaped into Zhou Tong’s arms, and cried: “Big brother!”

The Beastmaster Sect elder froze, then started laughing wildly with a cruel look, and said: “Little punk, you dare ambush me. There is a road to heaven and you refuse it, yet you come knocking at Hell without a door. There is no Array Arts to protect you here, so today is your death day.” He lifted a staff, ready to command the strange creatures nearby to attack.

Chu Ran hurried to warn, and said: “Young Master Zhou, be careful. The Beastmaster Staff in his hand is a near half-saint treasure. It has a bit of intelligence, and it is very tricky.”

Zhou Tong smiled, and said: “It has a mind?” He raised the red gourd again and called out: “Beastmaster Staff.”

With a hum, the staff flashed as if it heard his call, and the next moment it too was drawn into the gourd.

The elder blurted a curse, trembling like a sieve, and said: “Your grandmother! Give my treasure back, or else…”

Zhou Tong frowned in impatience, and said: “Enough. Say whatever you want inside my Human Sovereign Sword.” He ran the Earth Sword’s Nether Furnace, and a long sword oozing black smoke appeared in his hand.

He gave the sword a light swing, and rolling black mist billowed out to cover every enemy.

Cries rose from within the fog, and they shouted: “What is this… you are using evil means. Are you not afraid that the world will scorn you?”

Zhou Tong sneered and said: “Who decides what is righteous or evil? I do.” He poured on the power. Wraiths drifted in the gloom, and three terrifying figures, mad for blood, began to kill without mercy. They were the remnant souls of three Devil Kings, the commanders of his wraith army, and cutting down these enemies was like slicing melons.

Chu Ran’s legs cramped with fear, and he thought: [No wonder the sect master warned us a thousand times never to offend Zhou Tong. He is a god of slaughter.]

The last Beastmaster Sect elder threw away his pride and begged, and said: “Zhou Tong, grandfather, do not kill me. I know a big secret. Please give me a chance.”

Zhou Tong’s brows drew together, but he withdrew the black fog, and said: “Speak.”

The elder dropped to his knees with desperate hope shining on his face, and said: “If I tell you, will you spare my life?”

Zhou Tong’s face stayed cold, and he said: “You have no right to bargain.”

The elder clenched his teeth to fight for himself, and said: “If you cannot promise my safety, I will not talk.”

Zhou Tong lost patience, put a hand on the crown of the elder’s head, and said: “Enough of your bratty habits.” He activated his Soul Search.

The elder howled and tried to threaten him, and said: “You cannot do this to me. We have formed an alliance with the Blood God Sect. They sent three Samsara Realm experts this time. Even if you kill me, you will not end well.”

Zhou Tong said, “Fool,” and after a moment the elder’s soul burst, his flesh dissolved, and he died beyond saving.

Zhou Tong’s mouth curled with a satisfied smile, and he said: “So there really was a secret.” He had confirmed that Spiritlight Coins were the currency of this world. Once you reach the second layer, you can trade Spiritlight Coins for treasures. The most valuable of all is the Four Symbols Pool.

The Four Symbols Pool is made of four training pools, each one aligned with one of the four Divine Beasts. Soaking in them lets low-realm disciples rise in cultivation very fast. This is not useful to Zhou Tong, but for the disciples of the Joyous Union Sect it is a great chance.

He made up his mind, and said: “I am taking it.”

From the Soul Search he also learned: to open the Four Symbols Pool, you must obtain a legacy key on the first layer, and to get that key, you must perform a blood sacrifice.

Zhou Tong frowned in frustration, and thought: [Again with sacrifices? I am always kind and never make enemies. Where am I supposed to find so many foes to sacrifice?]

At that moment, a soul mark drifted up from the blood on the ground and formed an image.

Several furious faces appeared in the air, and judging from their robes they were from the Blood God Sect. One of them snarled, and said: “Damn you, little punk, you again. We did not want to bother with you, but you keep crossing our line, and now you killed our allies. We will kill you this time. If you have guts, come to the eastern Azure Dragon Secret Realm.”

The image shattered and vanished.

Zhou Tong drew a sharp breath, and thought: [Ask for it and it comes. Enemies… no, sacrifices are here.]

Shang Guan Wu Gou looked up at him with bright eyes, and said: “Big brother, can we travel with you?”

Zhou Tong glanced at Chu Ran, who led the Upper Clarity Sect team, and said: “What about you?”

Chu Ran agreed without a pause, and said: “Yes, of course.” Following this lord was the safest choice.

Zhou Tong took command of the group and gave the order, and said: “Good. We go east first.”

Chu Ran suddenly remembered something, showed his forearm with tiny points of light clinging to it, and said: “Young Master Zhou, please wait. Do you know what these are? They matter a lot. Please collect as many as you can.”

Zhang Chu Qiao covered her smile with her hand, and said: “We know.”

Chu Ran brightened, and said: “Great. We have already gathered six thousand. The two of you are very strong, and though you are few, you must have three or four thousand, right?”

Senior Sister’s smile turned odd, and she said: “Sorry. I gathered sixty thousand.”

Chu Ran almost popped his eyes out, and said: “What?!”

Zhang Chu Qiao tilted her head and teased, and said: “Do not be shocked yet. Why not ask Junior Brother?”

Everyone turned to stare at Zhou Tong. He cupped his hands and said humbly: “I am not as good as Senior Sister, only a bit more: one hundred ninety thousand.”

With a plop, everyone from the Upper Clarity Sect dropped to their knees.

…

In the east of the secret realm, azure light suddenly flared so bright it almost lit the whole first layer. By the time Zhou Tong and the others arrived, the place was packed with people.

Zhou Tong frowned, and said: “We are a step late.”

A sharp killing intent rolled from the front. Three Samsara Realm experts and nine Life-and-Death Realm experts showed themselves, and most people went pale.

A man shouted from the front line, and said: “We are the Central Continent Treasure-Raiding Group. This road is ours. If you want to pass, leave two-tenths of your Spiritlight Coins.”

Grumbles burst from the crowd.

A burly man with a savage aura snapped, and said: “Shut up.” His presence made hearts tremble. He swept the crowd with a cold gaze, and said: “These are our rules. Who agrees and who objects?”

A brave soul stepped out and glared at him, and said: “I object.”

The burly man moved like lightning and slapped him unconscious, and said: “Then die.” Faces changed and feet shuffled back.

He grinned with pride, and said: “Who else objects?”

Zhou Tong stepped forward, and said: “I object.”

The burly man did not waste words and lunged, and said: “Then you die too.”