Shangguan Yulinâs face twitched in anger as he snapped, âIn your dreams! Do you have any idea who I am? I am the best genius in Shangguan clan, of ultimate honor! Why the hell would I bow to you?â
âHa-ha-ha, kid has some spunk.â
Zhuo Fan mocked from the shadows, âI know everything about you, how many you are and where youâre hiding. Iâm not scared of Shangguan Feixiong, let alone a kid like you. Humph, having you kowtow is my way of appreciating you. But since you donât want to⌠â
Zhuo Fan paused for effect.
Bam!
A huge dragon tail lashed at his cheek, leaving a red welt with blood seeping from his mouth.
There were even some teeth mixed with the blood, clattering to the ground.
Pain assaulted his senses, with half his face double the other.
Shangguan Yulin shuddered, his eyes tearing, his mouth shivering, âW-what are you doing? Why did you hit me?â
âHumph, you have the nerve to ask why?â
Zhuo Fan snickered, âIâve always been conceited, looking down on every youth who wanted to learn from me. Now that I found a good seed, you actually dare refuse me?â
Bam!
Another tail lash struck the other cheek and relieving him of a few more teeth.
Lips quivering, Shangguan Yulinâs heart was against it, âI, Shangguan Yulin, appreciate your care, but I canât accept it. Iâm part of the Shangguan clan, IâŚâ
Bam!
Zhuo Fan kept lashing his face with glee, âCut the crap. I want you. You should be honored, but instead you turn me down. Of course Iâll hit you, ha-ha-haâŚâ
Bang~
A dozen lashes later, Shangguan Yulin was seeing stars, tears falling like a river.
[What did I do to deserve this? All I wanted was to get the Gu guy here and cripple him.]
[But I didnât even get to do that as I stumbled into the devil who wants me as his disciple.]
He knew he was amazing, from all the seniors wanting him as well, but he was born from a great and righteous clan. How could he fall so low as to become a demonâs disciple?
[I donât even know what his status is in his faction. Wonât I lose out trading glory for being some commanderâs disciple? If I go from eastern landsâ best clanâs future inheritor to some nobody devilâs disciple, who do I blame then?]
Not like he had a choice. The devil had him trapped and leashed. He wasnât long for this world if he kept this up.
âSenior, tell me your request and I will brave hell or high water in achieving it. Please releaseâŚâ
âNo, I want you as a disciple. Refuse and Iâll just kill you, ha-ha-haâŚâ
Shangguan Yulin cried bitter tears over his swollen face, pleading for his life. Zhuo Fan laughed at his expense, shouting and demanding instead.
Shangguan Yulinâs heart was in despair.
[Why am I so amazing to earn the attention of this devil? Fame has its price and now I have to pay for my greatness.]
As Shangguan Yulinâs face was being flung from side to side, he had the time for a flight of fancy, actually taking pride in it.
In the end, Shangguan Yulin couldnât take it anymore and sighed, forcing himself to say, âFine, since senior cherishes me so, I will concede.â
Bang~
The lashes came still. Zhuo Fan didnât seem to hear over the loud smacks.
âHey, senior! I give up. Why are you still hitting me?â With his face swollen bigger than an overripe melon, Shangguan Yulin cried out as the strikes continued to fall on his numb face.
Zhuo Fan finally reacted, âHmm, did you say something. My ears arenât as sharp as they used toâŚâ
[Screw you!]
Shangguan Yulin lashed out in his mind.
[You clearly heard since you replied. Goddamn playing with me!]
But as a hostage, he had to play his part and hung his head.
Since he said his ears were bad, then heâd have to speak louder, obviously, âMaster, I pay respects to you. Please stop!â
âWhat, you want me as your master? Ha-ha-ha, thatâs greatâŚâ
Bam~
With not a single intention of stopping the dragon tail lashing, actually growing in strength instead, Zhuo Fan himself joined the punishment with his Qilin arm, sending heavy punches to his gut until blood spurted from his mouth.
Face twitching constantly, Shangguan Yulin wailed, âMaster, I wish to be under you so why do you still strike me?â
âOh, your master is a great demonic cultivator and loves thrashing people from joy.â
Zhuo Fan toyed with him, âWith such an amazing talent so eager to be learning for me, the excitement got to me. Since thereâs no one around, Iâll use you to calm my overstimulated heart.â
Shangguan Yulinâs face was twitching like there was no tomorrow.
[Geezer, I get you want to pummel me, so why make up such lame excuses?]
Though sensible enough not to voice it.
[This coot is insane! If he thrashes people when excited, what about in anger? Will he flay them alive?]
Anywho, heâd rather not test that theory, âMaster, donât hit me. You might beat me to death too if youâre too excited.â
âOh, hmmm.â
Zhuo Fan sneered inside, âOh, being in my domain you couldnât sense that the guy you hit woke up a while ago and left. That left only you to beat up.â
[What?!]
Shangguan Yulin shuddered in anger. He wanted to ruin Zhuo Fan but instead the punk got away while he instead ended up suffering at the hand of this freak.
[What did I ever do to deserve this?]
Shangguan Yulin howled, âMaster, how could you let him go?â
âHeâs too weak. What was I supposed to do with him? But you, youâre going to wear my mantle, ha-ha-haâŚâ Zhuo Fan laughed and gave two slaps and another overexcited punch to Shangguan Yulinâs chest, caving it in, âIt always gets my blood going just thinking about it. I just have to punch something!â
Pff!
Blood and gore spurted from Shangguan Yulinâs mouth. He paled like paper and his face swelled up more, if that was even possible.
Shangguan Yulinâs face twitched again, out of habit perhaps, as he wailed and pleaded, âMaster, do you want me as a disciple or one to toy around with? Youâre going to end up killing meâŚâ
âOh, oops, I just canât control myself in all the excitement, he-he-heâŚâ
Zhuo Fan coughed, âIâm sure you know by now that all demonic cultivators have their peculiar hobbies. Iâve had mine for far too long now, or I would have gotten a disciple ages ago.â
[With such love taps, all your disciples would end up dead.]
With the flogging finally ended, Shangguan Yulin sighed, slumping weakly with hatred.
[God damn lunatic!]
Zhuo Fan let him off seeing him so worn out, but his play had yet to finish, âThat only leaves a hundred kowtows and that should do for ceremony.â
âKowtows⌠still?â
Shangguan Yulin was so bitter, he hardly spoke.
Zhuo Fan raged, âYou wonât? Does that mean you donât want to be my disciple? ThenâŚâ
âIâm doing it, lookâŚâ
Shangguan Yulin waved his hands around, frantic.
But before he could start, he asked, âMaster, they say three bows to the elders and four to those who passed. Shouldnât it be just three then? Why would sir want a hundred then?â
âOh, nice thinking.â
Zhuo Fan grinned, âThe three are for me, of course, while the rest are for your late departed senior brothers. To watch over you so you wonât follow in their footsteps. One for each one should appease their spirits.â
[You drove 97 disciples to death already?]
Shangguan Yulin eyes rolled in his head, blanking out from fear.
The black domain faded and Zhuo Fan revealed his mocking smile, his grin turning devious as he watched his puppetâŚ