The cascade of earth-rumbling steps was a prelude to the arrival of feral howls and raspy snarls. The large group of canine beasts gathered by the Myriad Monarch Sect was responsible. Their crushing rush was led by a handsome figure. This figure emanated a dense aura of ferocity and fighting intent.
Wei Wuyin observed this figure and a faint smile surfaced on his lips. Accompanied by this smile was a slight headache. While Zuhei wasn't the first to arrive in the area, he had the grandest of entrance and utter lack of hesitation to appear. While the other participants were already observing from afar with caution, steering away from the group of beasts and Wei Wuyin.
After all, Wei Wuyin couldn't possibly be alone. Those with a bit of intelligence would expect him to have an army of beasts or top-tier beasts at his beck and call. The only means to obtain Spirit Points were to capture or tame the marked beasts. Their thinking wasn't wrong, but it also revealed a lack of confidence.
Zuhei, however, lacked such cautious thoughts. His scarlet eyes were focused and his aura was dense and primed for action. The faint Sky Pressure and Bloodline Pressure he exuded was daunting, and caused an unnatural feeling of inferiority and fear to emerge in the more inadequate cultivators' hearts.
Wei Wuyin walked forward in greeting. In the matter of seconds, Zuhei was within five feet of Wei Wuyin. He seemed calm, but if everyone was aware of the thoughts in his mind, as well as the pace of his heartbeat, they would realize he was anything but.
"Master," his voice was low. His handsome visage and fierce aura was subdued and it revealed a sense of reverence and respect that couldn't be ignored. Considering that his life had been reborn by Wei Wuyin's efforts and mercy, it was hard for someone like him to not display this.
Those in the surroundings who were expecting to patiently wait for things to play out, to fish in troubled waters, were startled by Zuhei's action and tone.
Wei Wuyin inspected the rampage of beasts that were behind Zuhei. They weren't expertly unified or in formation, but they were a force that couldn't be ignored. While they lacked a Gold Star Beast, their advantage in numbers were absolute. Even if Wei Wuyin sent the White-Blaze Tiger against this horde of canines, it would be an epic battle without a clear result.
Wei Wuyin gave a nod of approval. Zuhei was his chosen and expected challenger for the title of first in the Grand Spirit Trials. If it wasn't for various reasons, he wouldn't have participated and relied on only Zuhei's ability to claim victory. Having received his carefully curated menu of alchemical products and a regime for cultivation, he was at an unfathomably terrifying state in comparison to this era's geniuses.
Just his Soul Idol alone was beyond the reach of these top geniuses. Even Tuo Bihan, someone who's a purist and top-class alchemist, was only able to accomplish the sixth-ring with his fullest efforts. If this didn't define the limitations of this era there was nothing that could.
Within Zuhei's scarlet pupils were surging waves of battle intent. It was unfathomably pure, and while reflected in his calm expression, Wei Wuyin could tell that he was holding back.
Wei Wuyin's smile widened. "Zuhei, did you come to challenge me?" While this question was shocking to hear, Zuhei didn't hesitate to nod. To him, Wei Wuyin was his master and savior. But he was also something more: his goal.
Wei Wuyin had come to him, his words and purpose clear. He wanted fangs, he wanted claws, and to dutifully be such things, wouldn't he have to be stronger? As someone who comprehended Battle and Slaughter Intent with the Bloodline of the Silver Wolf, he was a natural alpha predator, but he was an even greater loyal soul who unhesitantly puts his all into everything. Be it killing, fighting, or protecting.
"Haaa…" Wei Wuyin lightly sighed. He didn't need Zuhei to be his shield, but fangs and claws. This meant weapons used to gouge his enemies eyes, hearts, and souls out. He never had the intention of acting as a full-time fighter nor a person who acted himself in small matters. For example, if Wei Wuyin wanted Wu Jiao dead, Zuhei's purpose was to accomplish that feat.
In the end, he didn't immediately decline Zuhei's interest to fight. He too was interested in his current level of strength and Zuhei's. Zuhei had a cultivation stage beyond him, a nine-ringed Soul Idol, and a foundation built with seventh and eighth-grade products. Despite merely a few years having been invested into his cultivation, he was curious about Zuhei's upper limits.
It would be best to understand this so that he could assign appropriate assignments. After all, it would be ridiculous if he sent Zuhei to fight a Grand Imperial Sage-level figure and be utterly crushed due to his presumptions of this era's weakness.
Unfortunately for Zuhei, the trial prevented those of mismatched cultivation from directly fighting. If he broke this rule, his jade tablet would be forcefully activated and the world-sized formation would send him away. As for fighting after the trial? While sound, Zuhei was always on assignments.
In fact, Wei Wuyin had never given him a moment of break, be it in cultivation or assignments to be performed since his recovery. Furthermore, it was an order that Wei Wuyin gave, so he would never question or act on his own selfishness. Moreover, what does it say about him that he was desirous of fighting his master and savior in a standard setting? Would he not be labeled as a violent dog wanting to bite the hand that saved, cared, and fed him?
But the trial was different.
It was within the rules. Even though the logic was a little lacking, Wei Wuyin didn't believe someone who had comprehended the Battle and Slaughter Intent, willing to lay waste to members of the Myriad Monarch Sect while in the sect, breaking every single rule and almost ensuring his death, was filled with patience and logical decisions.
If Zuhei was that type of intelligent and crafty figure, it would be impossible for him to act as Wei Wuyin's fangs and claws. He saw things as they were. Since the trial allowed it, he wasn't busy with his duties, then it was within his means to act. Perhaps if it wasn't for the rule of mismatched cultivation battles being prohibited without acceptance of both sides, then Zuhei might've already attacked.
"I guess if you claimed my Spirit Points, it would be a huge benefit in obtaining victory," Wei Wuyin ruefully smiled. To think the first cultivator that wanted to act against him was his own subordinate. How hilarious was this? However, he didn't disrespect Zuhei nor decline him. Just as he was about to agree and Zuhei's scarlet eyes brightened with a flicker of happiness, a ray of saber light penetrated through the void.
The ray was thin but dangerous and it was piercing towards Zuhei at a remarkable speed. Zuhei's expression changed slightly, a sensation of crisis blared within his mind as he took action. With a twist of his hip, his hand turned claw as he swiftly swiped towards the ray of saber light.
Boosh!
The two forces, claw and saber, clashed with unrelenting might and caused an explosion of air and dirt. But whether it was the force within the claw or power of the light, neither was directed towards Wei Wuyin, so the resulting explosion was oddly sent in a very incomplete manner.
Wei Wuyin was startled as he eyed the direction of the light. A tinge of shock suffused his silver eyes. °She's already achieved the Soul Idol Phase?!° He couldn't help but be shocked as he observed this attacker.
From afar, a young woman stood atop the head of an azure-colored snake. Its scales rippled like oceanic waves and emanated an unfathomably dense level of water energies. She stood on the Gold Star symbol and valiantly held a saber before her body. Within her pure black eyes was a flash of anger.
"..." She didn't speak, but her actions spoke volumes. Zuhei's handsome face slowly frowned as he regarded the young woman that rode upon a Gold Starred Beast with utter ease, her aura wasn't concealed as it revealed her Soul Idol Phase cultivation. He couldn't help but be somewhat startled by Su Mei's pace of development. But only for a moment, because Su Mei was cultivating her foundation with Wei Wuyin's support long before him.
It wasn't shocking after some thought. He had to spend much time restoring his original cultivation, repairing his body, and then firming up his foundations. To him, Su Mei was Wei Wuyin's most loyal subordinate and had been with him since his time in the Myriad Yore Continent, so she was unlikely to be inferior to him.
Su Mei jumped off the snake, arriving between Zuhei and Wei Wuyin. There was only five feet of space before, but with Su Mei occupying this limited space, she was directly facing Zuhei with little space between. Her eyes were firm and affixed on Zuhei. It seemed as if a twitch from Zuhei would receive her most aggressive response. They faced off against each other in silence, their firm gazes revealing their emotions.
"Are you trying to protect me? From Zuhei?" Wei Wuyin didn't know whether he should laugh or cry.
Zuhei scoffed. A tinge of frustration in his heart, but with Su Mei here, he was unwilling to push the issue. That being said, while he wouldn't push it with Wei Wuyin, that didn't mean Su Mei, who was his cultivation equal, wasn't a good opponent. This thought caused his Battle Intent to effuse from his pupils. Even his lips lifted into a feral smile that seemed as if a beast had found fresh meat.
However, Su Mei's next words shook him. "No, Lord Wei. I'm protecting him from you."
"..." Zuhei.
"..." Wei Wuyin.
A moment of silence later, and Wei Wuyin couldn't help but chuckle. That being said, Su Mei and Zuhei didn't consider it a joke. Especially Zuhei. His eyebrows furrowed as he regarded Su Mei, and then Wei Wuyin who was like a lighthouse. But his trepidation only lasted for a moment before his desire for challenge overwhelmed his heart. He wanted to fight.
"If you want to fight, then my saber will accompany you. As for fighting Lord Wei, you're a few cultivation levels too low." She spoke earnestly and honestly. While she said this, the army of wolves stood in one direction and the azure-scaled snake in the other.
Between them, the three figures stood in a semi-oddly devastated area.
ROAR!!
The roar of a tiger resounded, accompanied by a faint rising of the ambient temperature. The white mountain of fur unfurled and revealed a ferocious head with a gold star. Its feline eyes directed towards the gathering and yawned out a roar.
RUMBLE!!
The ground and lake quaked slightly, nearly causing an earthquake and inducing immense ripples.
CAW!!
From the sky, a black crow with three eyes cried and seemed to emit a dusky and dark aura. Its humongous body seemed capable of blotting out the suns in the sky.
The cascade of sounds caused a descent of bloodline pressure that caused the canine army to snarl and growl, their legs bent and their eyes sharp. They were fearless. The azure-scaled serpent hissed and opened its mouth towards the sky as if wanting to gulp the figure in the sky whole.
Four Gold Starred Beasts and an army of canine was roused and ready. It was terrifying and those in the surroundings gave the area a wide berth, observing from even further away and unwilling to fall into conflict with the group.
Wei Wuyin swept his eyes around and shook his head slightly. "If it continues like this, wouldn't the trial become pointless?" Wei Wuyin remarked as he realized that if they combined their forces, slaughtering all competitors wouldn't be impossible. It wasn't just him who came to this realization.
The Myriad Monarch Sect and various sects who had done immensely thorough research into Wei Wuyin knew of Zuhei and Su Mei's background as well. They were his subordinates and they were all conveniently gathered. Furthermore, they all had respective forces that weren't remotely weak. Who could contest their combined might?
If before they had some hope for others in this tournament, this removed all their thoughts.
"Fine. Let's fight," Wei Wuyin finally said.
