Chapter 00085: The Wise Know When to Yield (Additional Chapter for Alliance Leader Liu Lang Gu Zhu Yi Zhi)
# The Wise Know When to Yield (Additional Chapter for Alliance Leader Liu Lang Gu Zhu Yi Zhi)
Chapter 85
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 85: The Wise Know When to Yield (Additional Chapter for Alliance Leader Liu Lang Gu Zhu Yi Zhi)
The shop assistant was very worried that Ding Huan would leave immediately.
Although threats were threats, if Ding Huan decided to leave, they would have to forcefully restrain him.
The Tongmao Shopping Mall was crowded with people.
If they made a move, word would spread quickly.
Currently, the global crisis of ferocious beasts had left almost every country in a state of chaos.
The relevant departments in Puhai were too overwhelmed to deal with the Beast King Association.
However, once the ferocious beasts were repelled, the actions of the Beast King Association would likely be scrutinized.
Therefore, it was best to keep a low profile, as per the association's teachings.
The shop assistant's phone rang again.
He answered it, his eyes still fixed on Ding Huan.
After a while, he put down the phone and said to Ding Huan, "The value of your beast core might be more than ten thousand, but I can't determine that here. We have a specialized appraiser. Would you like to go there, or wait here?"
Ding Huan replied indifferently, "Isn't it obvious? Send someone to pick me up. I'll go now."
The shop assistant had assumed Ding Huan wouldn't agree to go.
His words were merely a stalling tactic.
Now that Ding Huan was willing to go, he was stunned.
It took him several seconds to respond, "Alright, I'll take you there now."
A car pulled up to the entrance.
Worried that Ding Huan might try to escape midway, the shop assistant called over a security guard to sit in the back with Ding Huan.
Ding Huan didn't get in the car immediately.
Instead, he waved towards Fei Tongtong's parked car in the distance.
Seeing Ding Huan's signal, Lao Liu quickly rushed out of Fei Tongtong's car and came over to Ding Huan.
Ding Huan gestured to Fei Tongtong, indicating that she should leave first.
The shop assistant noticed Ding Huan had a pet but didn't pay it much mind.
In this era of ferocious beasts, some people still kept pets.
However, keeping a ferocious beast as a pet was no easy task, as there were frequent cases of pets turning on their owners.
After leaving the Tongmao Shopping Mall, the car drove further and further into a remote area, finally stopping at a villa district just a few kilometers from Puxin Park.
Ding Huan had been to Puxin Park before.
He had even practiced his Wind Blade Technique there for a few days.
The wetland park had been abandoned after the ferocious beast outbreak before it was fully constructed.
It was rarely visited, with only the occasional ferocious beast passing through.
Ding Huan hadn't expected the leader of the Beast King Association to live in such a place.
It was indeed a good spot for cultivation, free from disturbances.
This further confirmed that he had made the right choice.
If he had gone directly to the headquarters of the Beast King Group at Yinhe Tower, that old fox Nian Jinqing would have surely noticed something was amiss.
As soon as the car entered the villa district, Ding Huan was certain that the residents here were all high-ranking members of the Beast King Association.
It seemed this villa district was also built by the Beast King Group.
When the car stopped in front of an unremarkable villa, Ding Huan's spiritual sense had already detected Nian Jinqing standing by the window.
Although he had never met Nian Jinqing before, he could guess that this man's cultivation level was not low.
From what he could see now, Nian Jinqing was likely at the Earth level or a Postnatal martial artist.
"We're here. You can go in and talk. I'll leave now," the shop assistant said to Ding Huan.
Ding Huan replied indifferently, "You have to come in with me. This is your business deal."
He had no intention of letting this shop assistant go.
The shop assistant was taken aback, but before he could respond, a voice came from inside the car, "Do as he says. You come in too."
"Yes," the shop assistant replied immediately, his tone now respectful.
Ding Huan thought to himself, "Nian Jinqing has installed surveillance and intercoms in the car. I didn't notice that."
The villa looked ordinary from the outside, but the interior was opulent, adorned with the finest stone materials.
Nian Jinqing was seated in a large chair, with two burly men standing behind him, likely his bodyguards.
Ding Huan could tell at a glance that these bodyguards were merely for show.
Nian Jinqing could easily kill them himself.
"Young man, you've got guts. I heard you brought a fourth-level beast core? Show it to me," Nian Jinqing said as soon as Ding Huan entered.
As for inviting Ding Huan to sit down and chat, that was out of the question.
Once someone entered this place, they would disappear without a trace.
Nian Jinqing did, however, glance a few more times at Lao Liu, who was following Ding Huan.
It wasn't that he wasn't cautious; Ding Huan just looked too young.
Ding Huan ignored Nian Jinqing and instead waved his hand, sending out over a dozen wind blades.
Several screams echoed as the two bodyguards behind Nian Jinqing, the shop assistant who had brought Ding Huan in, and six other thugs from the Beast King Association hidden in the corners were all killed by Ding Huan's invisible blade energy.
Blood splattered everywhere.
"Ghost Crossbow?" Nian Jinqing's expression changed.
He immediately realized he was facing an enemy.
He grabbed a sharp axe and lunged at Ding Huan.
He knew of a type of hand crossbow called the Ghost Hand Crossbow, produced by a mysterious family in Bashu.
This crossbow could kill silently and swiftly, making it nearly impossible to defend against.
Ding Huan's technique reminded him of this crossbow.
However, the Ghost Hand Crossbow had a flaw: after firing all its bolts, it needed to be reloaded with thin blades, which was a cumbersome process.
Nian Jinqing intended to strike while Ding Huan was reloading.
But as he leaped into the air, his heart turned cold.
He saw two of his men sliced in half, something the Ghost Hand Crossbow couldn't achieve.
Unfortunately, he was already committed to his attack and couldn't retreat.
A surge of violent energy rushed towards Ding Huan, who was slightly surprised.
"Is this all a Postnatal martial artist can do? Is the Innate level a qualitative leap?"
Ding Huan felt that Nian Jinqing's energy was only enough to slightly slow him down.
It was far from being able to stop him.
With such a disparity in strength, Ding Huan didn't even need to move.
And that's exactly what he did.
He stood still, not even bothering to dodge the descending axe.
This time, he didn't even use his wind blades.
Instead, he simply threw a punch.
The true energy of a fourth-level gene cultivator condensed in his fist, launching like a cannonball.
"Boom!" Ding Huan's true energy collided with Nian Jinqing's energy, causing a violent explosion that shattered the lights and furniture in the living room.
"Crack!"
Nian Jinqing felt as if all the bones in his body had been crushed by Ding Huan's punch.
A pain akin to being hit by a bulldozer in the chest overwhelmed him.
Nian Jinqing lost control of his body and was sent flying, crashing into a large white jade screen in the living room.
The priceless jade screen shattered into pieces, and Nian Jinqing fell to the ground.
His axe had flown off to who knows where.
He could only sit on the ground, vomiting blood and gasping for air, his eyes filled with terror as he stared at Ding Huan.
As the founder of the Beast King Association, he had experienced many storms and seen many strong individuals.
Ding Huan's strength was clearly that of an Innate expert.
Lao Liu's eyes were filled with disdain.
With such meager skills, how dare he challenge Ding Huan?
"Who are you? I, Nian Jinqing, have never offended you..."
Nian Jinqing started, but then realized his words were wrong.
If he hadn't offended the other party, they wouldn't have come here.
He regretted it now.
It was normal for someone who could produce a fourth-level beast core to not know its value.
When he was just an ordinary martial artist, he had obtained a technique more valuable than a fourth-level beast core.
What wasn't normal was that the other party dared to come here alone.
Perhaps they were taking a chance, but Nian Jinqing shouldn't have gambled.
In the end, it was he who had provoked the other party, leading them to his doorstep, and he had even invited them in.
"I'm sorry. This time, it was my Beast King Association's fault. Whatever compensation you need, I, Nian Jinqing, will not refuse."
Nian Jinqing's tone was pleading.
He knew that with someone like Ding Huan, there was no room for luck.
From the way Ding Huan had entered and killed everyone in the room without hesitation, it was clear he was ruthless.
In a way, Nian Jinqing was the same.
When he killed, he showed no mercy either.
Ding Huan removed his mask and sunglasses and said, "You know why I'm here, don't you?"
"Ding Huan?" Nian Jinqing immediately recognized the man before him.
He had never met Ding Huan, but Ding Huan's reputation was immense, especially after the incident at the Gene Alliance's Puhai headquarters.
How could he not have researched such a person?
"That's right. I'm Ding Huan. You should know why I'm here, right?" Ding Huan said.
"Teacher Ding, I, Nian Jinqing, may be arrogant, but I know who to provoke and who not to. I have never offended you."
Nian Jinqing desperately tried to recall how he might have wronged Ding Huan.
Ding Huan walked up to Nian Jinqing and chuckled, "Not long ago, I heard that a beast core I had stored at Haiyun Variant Materials was stolen by you? And my friends Mu Tingyun and Zhao Quan were captured by you?"
Upon hearing this, Nian Jinqing's mind went blank.
He finally understood what had happened.
It was that third-level beast core.
He had interrogated Mu Tingyun, who had only said the core was bought from a down-and-out hunter and hadn't mentioned Ding Huan at all.
"Teacher Ding, I was greedy. Mu Tingyun and Zhao Quan are still alive. I'll have them brought here immediately," Nian Jinqing said without hesitation, his words crisp and clear.
He knew his life might end today.
He also knew that if he were in Ding Huan's position, anyone who tried to negotiate or make excuses would only die faster and suffer more before their death.
"Release Mu Tingyun and Zhao Quan immediately, then gather all the leaders of the Beast King Association here. My time is limited," Ding Huan said coldly.
Nian Jinqing smiled bitterly.
He knew Ding Huan intended to wipe them all out.
It had nothing to do with him; he was going to die anyway.
Doing these things was just to avoid being tortured by Ding Huan before his death.
As Nian Jinqing made the call, Ding Huan walked over to a map hanging on the wall.
It seemed to be a map of the Kunlun Mountains?
After finishing the call, Nian Jinqing noticed Ding Huan's interest in the map and quickly said, "This is a map of the ruins in the Kunlun Mountains. I've been there. If Teacher Ding is interested, I can take you there."
Ding Huan's heart stirred.
Having this guy as a guide might not be a bad idea.
He nodded, "Not bad. If you perform well, I might spare your life and let you guide me. I heard you obtained a Starry Sky Blade? Where is it?"
This was Ding Huan's second objective in coming here.
(End of Chapter)