Fourth update! A furious fire rose in Zhan Qingfeng’s heart; he simply couldn't fathom why both these naturally belligerent Tiger-bodied Cats had suddenly changed demeanor. Today’s events were utterly bizarre. But, if he didn't send one up, where would he save face? And how could he possibly live down the humiliation? Thus, Young Master Zhan let out a sharp cry, seized a Tiger-bodied Cat with one hand, and hurled it over, his mouth wide in a toothy snarl as he roared, "Go bite it to death! Go tear it apart!" If the Tiger-bodied Cat could understand, it would probably weep: Master, please stop causing trouble! Are you seriously joking?
With a plop, Zhan Clan’s Tiger-bodied Cat finally landed. Zhouzhou looked up and saw its counterpart across the way—the undisputed king among the Tiger-bodied Cats—Xiao Zi, whose icy gaze was fixed upon it with ruthless intensity.
With a jolt, this Zhan Clan Tiger-bodied Cat immediately felt it had shrunk by half. It panicked instantly, hastily raising its front paws to gesture frantically while letting out a series of muffled, chaotic sounds…
Speculation ran wild. All the Tiger-bodied Cats inside the cages were comfortably sprawled out, watching the spectacle, gazing upon their kin with eyes brimming with pity. Every single gaze held the same message: Idiot! You dare try to play pitiful when facing our King in the fighting pit? Explain yourself? You must have cracked your feline skull! This is just terrible luck for you… Kid, accept your fate!
To everyone’s utter astonishment, the two Tiger-bodied Cats meeting in the center of the arena did not engage in a vicious, tearing brawl. Instead, they raised their paws, exchanged gestures, and emitted guttural sounds, seemingly… conversing?
What was going on with these two? Could they be long-lost siblings, meeting by chance in this very fighting pit? Otherwise, how could one explain it? Beast fights always exclusively selected males to compete, precisely to avoid any unexpectedly awkward situations arising on the battlefield between (Mystic Beasts)!
In an instant, everyone watched the two Tiger-bodied Cats in the arena as if caught in a dream, feeling that the world was suddenly filled with an indescribable sense of the fantastical…
“Old Brother… Waaah… I was forced, truly, I was,” whimpered the Tiger-bodied Cat with the white circle painted on its head.
“No need to explain. I understand you,” came the deep voice, filled with kingly majesty, from Xiao Zi.
“Waaaah… Boss, tell me what to do? Tell me how to act, and I’ll do it!”
“I have no choice either. Once we reach this stage, a victor must emerge.”
“Waaaah… But how dare I try to win against you? Look at me, my tail is drooping from fear. Furthermore, fighting you isn't about determining a victor; it’s just you dominating me…”
“That’s a fair point. A one-sided affair is truly unavoidable,” conceded Xiao Zi.
“Waaaah… I am so pitiful, so utterly miserable… That bastard from the Zhan family, I don’t know what demented idea he cooked up. Damn his ancestors… completely inhuman…”
“Nonsense! There isn't a single good one in his entire lineage. Everyone in the Mystic Beast world knows that,” Xiao Zi retorted.
“Waaaah… Ugh…”
“Damn it! Are you going to fight or not? If you don't move, I’ll strike first…”
“Waaaah…” “Here I come! I’m really coming!”
“Waaaah…”
“Forget it, let’s fight! This is the first battle I'm fighting for my Master, and I must win! Kid, just accept your fate. Who told you to be so unlucky as to be chosen by that imbecile? Cackle, cackle, cackle…”
“Waaaah… Waaaah…” “Cry! Why are you crying? Even if you scream until your throat is shredded now, it’s useless. Let’s fight… I might consider holding back a little…”
“Boss, please, you must hold back… Please don’t kill me!”
“I’ll try my best. This newly grown immense power seems a bit difficult to control.”
“My life! Help! Boss, try to control it! Why is my life so bitter?!”
Amidst everyone’s anticipation, the two Tiger-bodied Cats finally concluded their discussion. Just like two martial arts masters facing off, they exchanged cautious glances, slowly circling each other, displaying every air of a top-tier expert—well, displaying every air of a "top-tier beast"...
“Whoa… Isn’t this too chivalrous? Today I’ve seen something truly rare!” a young master in the crowd exclaimed in utter astonishment. The fellow’s eyes were nearly popping out of his head, his face flushed with excitement as he pointed a finger at the arena.
“Guh—!” Xiao Zi leaped up, transforming into a streak of light, signaling: Here I come! I’m truly attacking now!
“Guh-whimper~” meaning: Waaaah… Dear Boss, I… I’m so miserable. You must, you absolutely must, control your strength!
Under the gaze of all present, the two Tiger-bodied Cats tumbled and wrestled into a single mass! Back and forth they went… neither gaining the upper hand…
This scene was the result of Xiao Zi deliberately going easy; otherwise, it would have been an instant kill, no suspense attached.
The battle grew increasingly fierce. Patches of fur drifted down from the air like willow catkins. Finally!
With a great cry, “AWOOOO!” Xiao Zi sprang upward, its two sharp claws gleaming with a metallic luster as they extended…
“Awooo… Gu-gu…” The other Tiger-bodied Cat also cried out: Boss, remember your promise! Please don’t let me die!
Following the succession of howls and whimpers, the victor was immediately clear…
Xiao Zi emerged entirely unscathed, climbing off its opponent with a strutting gait, circling the arena once with smug satisfaction, fully displaying its kingly aura. Xiao Zi seemed to have some restraint; the other Tiger-bodied Cat hadn't died, but it was trembling violently on the ground, gasping for breath, its body covered in gruesome wounds—blood had already stained a patch of the ground beneath it. This was only because Xiao Zi remembered its promise to show mercy, sparing its vital organs and bones. However, the superficial lacerations covering its entire body were a horrifying sight.
To anyone watching, it was obvious the Tiger-bodied Cat had lost and was utterly incapable of continuing the fight!
The victory was undeniable. The large black circle on Xiao Zi’s head clearly signified Jun Moxie’s triumph!
Zhan Qingfeng’s face turned ashen!
It was over! Everything was finished!
“The wager has now reached its conclusion, officially ended! Mo Junye, Young Master Mo, has won five consecutive matches. Mo Junye wins, the Zhan family loses!” As Miao Xiaomiao’s crisp voice announced the result, on the opposite tea house balcony, two elderly Zhan family members simultaneously sighed heavily, lowering their heads in deep disappointment.
With such a clear outcome, even an immortal couldn't possibly twist the truth or distort right from wrong.
“Elder Brother, look… this result… this… this one elder cautiously began.”
The other, who had been closing his eyes, remained silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke, “Today’s battle was utterly unexpected! It is not a fault of the Zhan family! This match proves one thing: the owner of that Ethereal Body constitution… is by no means as simple a person as we initially imagined. Even an unparalleled genius wouldn't know so much, understand so much… Especially the performance of the Tiger-bodied Cat in the final match; there was absolutely some hidden mystery…”
“Indeed. How could a Tiger-bodied Cat suddenly possess such high intelligence in a matter of moments? And it was just brought over by the fighting arena; it couldn't possibly have been raised by a person…” The elder gasped sharply as he finished speaking.
The eyes of the seated elder also flashed with cold light: “Are you suspecting collusion between the fighting arena staff and them? Hmm… that is not impossible,” he mused. “Issue orders. Immediately launch a full investigation into the personnel of this fighting arena. If even the slightest hint of suspicion is found, do not inform anyone else—deal with it directly!”
“Yes!”
“Furthermore, arrange to acquire that Tiger-bodied Cat and send it to me; I want to see what secret lies within.”
“Yes…”
“One more thing—Mo Junye. We previously only knew that Cao Guofeng of the Illusionary Mansion had found a successor to the Ethereal Body constitution, a person destined to be an unparalleled genius in Mystic Qi cultivation. Now, it seems… he is far from simple. Through today’s competition, it’s evident that this Mo Junye… is dangerously formidable.”
The elder thoughtfully summarized his thoughts: “This person possesses a calm mind and clear thinking, and his adaptability is unrivaled. Moreover, his decisiveness and ruthlessness are apparent. In every previous match, even when victory was assured, he deliberately pushed Qingfeng and Yushu to the absolute limit before formally beginning the contest… By doing this, those two brothers were left with no room to maneuver… Such seasoned tactics, such profound scheming…”
“And, this person is skilled in music, knowledgeable in poetry and calligraphy, and proficient in painting and the art of Go, enough to be a national master! He is even adept at all the arts of gambling and rakeish living… A person like this, no matter where he originated, would quickly rise to fame and become a legend in a very short time. Even in our Illusionary Mansion, even without a shred of Mystic Qi, he would never be an unknown nobody! Yet, why have we heard nothing about this person before? That he appeared out of thin air is a massive point of suspicion.”
“Elder, what do you mean?”
“Dispatch people out of the Illusionary Mansion immediately to thoroughly investigate this matter! Any individuals remotely resembling or connected to Mo Junye must be documented and carefully investigated! I must see what kind of person this Mo Junye truly is!”
“But if we do that, five days might not be enough time,” the other elder said cautiously, frowning.
“Five days? Why do you care about five days? Did I set a time limit?”
“But in five days, it’s time to officially enter the Spirit Medicine Garden! According to the wager, our Zhan family lost an entry slot to Mo Junye… Are we truly going to give this slot to him?”
“Idiot! Of course, we must give him the slot! If we don’t, do you think we can get away with it? This involves a blood oath sworn by the ancestors and descendants of the Zhan family. Can such an oath truly be broken?”
“Yes… Alas!”
“Besides, Mo Junye is still the owner of the legendary Ethereal Body. If he has entered the Illusionary Mansion with ulterior motives, then… what could his goal be? What if it’s the Spirit Medicine Garden? In that case, entering the Garden becomes the perfect opportunity to expose his true nature! Do not forget, in that place, all tricks and schemes are laid bare for all to see…”
“The Ancestor’s insight is truly profound!”
“Let today’s matter rest for now. I must return first. As for Qingfeng and Yushu… tell them this was merely a lesson, a form of tempering for them both. They are not to blame for the family’s flawed decision-making. They only need to remember this event, which will be of great benefit to their future.”
“Yes.” A light breeze stirred, whooshing past. The window flickered slightly, but the white-robed elder in the room had vanished without a trace. (To be continued!)