Lin Zhi folded his arms, his expression smug.
"I still rember," he mused, tilting his head. "Back in the village, the mighty village chief—your father—looked down on you. No matter how hard you tried, you were always just a disappointnt."
He chuckled, shaking his head.
"He gave you so many chances, didn't he? To prove yourself. To ta sothing great."
Lin Zhi's eyes glinted with mock sympathy.
"But all you ever managed to get were… normal, weak creatures."
He let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head.
"Truly pitiful."
Zou Fang remained silent.
His expression was calm.
Lin Zhi's gaze flickered toward Bashawk, who stood proudly beside Zou Fang. The beast's piercing gaze t Lin Zhi's, unblinking and unwavering.
Lin Zhi smirked.
"But I suppose even trash can get lucky sotis."
His tone dripped with condescension.
"This beast of yours… Bashawk, was it?" He tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Not bad. Not bad at all. But…"
His voice lowered, just enough to sound patronizing.
"It's wasted on you."
Wei Long's golden eyes narrowed.
"This guy…" he muttered, his claws twitching slightly.
Red'Ribbon sighed again.
"He's just trying to provoke him."
Wei Long clicked his tongue.
"And yet, Zou Fang still hasn't responded."
Back in reality, Zou Fang simply stared at Lin Zhi.
Once, a long ti ago, these words would have stung.
He would have flinched at every reminder of his past failures.
He would have gritted his teeth in frustration.
But now?
Now, he felt nothing.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Not even the slightest irritation.
Lin Zhi's words were nothing more than empty noise.
Because Zou Fang knew the truth.
He was no longer the sa boy from the village.
He was no longer just a beast tar with average aptitude.
He had Bashawk.
And more importantly—
He had Red'Ribbon.
A Quasi-Unique Class beast. A creature that even the strongest sects would fight to control.
And beyond that?
Beyond that, he had Wei Long.
A beast so monstrous, so unfathomably powerful, that even Red'Ribbon himself was overshadowed.
Zou Fang's lips curled into a small smile.
Lin Zhi's eyes flickered with irritation.
"What's so funny?" he snapped.
Zou Fang leaned back, completely relaxed.
"Nothing," he said simply.
Lin Zhi's brows furrowed.
"You think you've already won?" he scoffed. "Just because you tad one good beast, doesn't an you're suddenly better than . Do you really believe you can surpass ? After all this ti?"
Zou Fang's smile didn't fade.
He stood up.
His eyes t Lin Zhi's.
Calm. Steady. Unshaken.
Then, with quiet confidence, he said—
"Let's see later."
Lin Zhi narrowed his eyes.
Zou Fang's gaze sharpened.
"Let's see who cos out on top."
Lin Zhi felt annoyed. "What do you an by that? Are you implying that you will be placed higher than ?"
Zou Fang looked at him. "If that's what you think, and this is what it is, I cannot understand it for you, so you can interpret it however you like."
Lin Zhi beca even more furious. "Is that so, huh? It seems you are hiding sothing. A Tar who can only ta normal temporal beasts acting haughty? Let see what you've got later."
Zou Fang just sneered.
…
Inside Zou Fang's spiritual sea, Wei Long lazily stretched his claws, glancing at Red'Ribbon, who was still fixated on the unfolding interaction outside.
Lin Zhi's arrogant sneers had been dismissed effortlessly by Zou Fang, yet the situation was far from over.
Wei Long, however, was more interested in the general sect matters—after all, he had been gone for quite so ti.
With a casual flick of his tail, Wei Long turned toward Red'Ribbon. "So," he drawled, "what exactly happened while I was gone?"
Red'Ribbon sighed, rubbing his temples like a scholar forced to explain basic arithtic to a clueless student. "You really are out of the loop, aren't you?"
Wei Long snorted. "I was busy and you never explained this to ."
Red'Ribbon crossed his feathered arm wings or whatever chick stuff this was. "Fine, listen up. The sect made an announcent that sent shockwaves through the disciples. Apparently, a once-in-a-lifeti opportunity arose—the chance to beco a core disciple under Elder Fu."
Wei Long's ears perked up at that na. "Elder Fu?"
Red'Ribbon nodded solemnly. "Yeah, that Elder Fu. The one who never takes disciples."
Wei Long chuckled. "And now he's suddenly changed his mind? Suspicious."
Red'Ribbon rolled his eyes. "Let finish. Elder Fu is one of the most respected figures in the Autumn Dragon Sect. So even say he's only second to the sect patriarch in terms of status and influence."
Wei Long let out a low whistle. "That big of a deal, huh?"
Red'Ribbon nodded. "He's known for his terrifying strength, his unshakable authority, and, most notably, his extre pickiness when it cos to taking in disciples. In fact, it's not just that he never takes them—he outright rejects almost everyone."
Wei Long smirked. "So why the change of heart?"
Red'Ribbon exhaled. "Because all his disciples are gone."
Wei Long narrowed his eyes. "Gone?"
Red'Ribbon nodded gravely. "Every single one of them—vanished from the sect."
Wei Long leaned back, crossing his arms as a slow, knowing grin spread across his face. "Ohhh. I see."
Red'Ribbon tilted his head. "What?"
Wei Long chuckled darkly. "The old bastard probably wanted to see again."
Red'Ribbon blinked, confusion evident on his face. "What do you an?"
Wei Long's grin widened, his sharp teeth glinting in the ethereal light of the spiritual sea. "You see, those 'missing disciples' of Elder Fu? I killed them all."
Silence.
Red'Ribbon's expression froze. "...What?"
Wei Long leaned forward, eyes glinting with pride. "Back in the Demonic Cultivator's hidden place, those disciples ca looking for trouble. They thought they could hunt down. Thought they were the hunters." He chuckled. "Turns out, they were the prey."
Red'Ribbon's mouth fell open. "You—you're saying you actually took out all of Elder Fu's disciples?"
Wei Long nodded smugly. "Every. Single. One."
Red'Ribbon's mind raced. Elder Fu's disciples weren't just ordinary cultivators—they were elites. Talented, powerful, and equipped with top-tier cultivation techniques. And Wei Long…
He had killed them all?
"How?" Red'Ribbon croaked out. "How did you do it? Their cultivation was leagues above yours at the ti!"
Wei Long smirked. "Ah, that's the interesting part."
He tapped his own head. "Technically, it wasn't ."
Red'Ribbon stiffened. "What do you an?"
Wei Long's eyes darkened, a flicker of sothing primal and unnerving lurking beneath his casual deanor. "I wasn't in control."
Red'Ribbon's breath hitched.
Wei Long's grin didn't falter. "The dangerous instinct took over."
Silence stretched between them.
Red'Ribbon swallowed, staring at Wei Long with a mixture of horror and fascination.
Wei Long shrugged. "One mont, I was fighting—strategizing—holding my own. The next? Everything went black."
His claws flexed slightly, golden eyes glowing with a faint, eerie light. "And when I ca back to myself… they were all gone."
Red'Ribbon felt a shiver crawl down his spine. This wasn't just strength. This was sothing else. Sothing far more terrifying.
He nodded slowly. "I… see."
Wei Long smirked. "So, practically speaking… it wasn't who killed them." He leaned back with an amused chuckle. "It was instinct."
Red'Ribbon didn't reply.
He simply stared.
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