Qin Mo looked down. A large platform stood in the center of the hall. Two demonic beasts fought atop it.
One was white, had two long, sharp horns resembling an elk, and was coated in multicolored light. The other was a little strange. From a distance, it looked like deadwood.
The wooden shape suddenly moved, and many slender, green branches burst out of it, slamming fiercely into the opposing white deer.
Dragged forward by the long vines, the deer issued a long cry and kicked its heels at the ground. It lowered its head, pointing its horns at the wood, and charged forward.
It counterattacked. Long, dense vines surged in the deer's direction as if to trap it. Colorful lights brightened around the deer as it noticed the vines, and the green vines whithered as they came into contact with the light.
The wood screeched and retracted its vines.
The deer rushed up to its opponent and rammed its antlers into the wood ent.i.ty. It trembled, wanting to avoid the attack, but the deer was too fast. Before it could move, it was cruelly knocked back.
A loud "dong" sounded when the wood smashed into the transparent barrier around the platform. The fighting ring was enclosed in an enchanted boundary to keep the beasts from leaving the field during a fight and injuring the cultivators.
The wood slid down the boundary.
The deer trotted over and kicked it to make sure it'd lost its ability to move. Then the deer raised its head proudly and snorted white smoke from its nostrils. It turned its head arrogantly, glancing at its surroundings.
"Deserving of its name as the Five Colored Magical Deer. It's strong." Someone sighed in praise from one side.
"Ai, unlucky. I just gambled ten pieces of low-grade spirit stone on the wood beast. Now it's all gone."
Qi Mu focused on the multicolored dear at the center of the platform.
He was observing still when a cultivator dressed as a servant appeared beside him and respectfully inquired, "This Daoist friend, the next beast fight is about to begin. Do you want to lay a bet?"
"Beast fight?"
The servant noticed the doubt in his voice. He explained, smiling, "Beast fighting is out Qingfeng House's specialty compet.i.tion. Any cultivator can take part. You can compete your spirit beast against someone else's. Like the Five Colored Magical Deer and the wood spirit beast." He glanced at the fox on Qin Mo's shoulder.
"If you don't own a spirit beast, you can always buy one that's been trained by our Qingfeng House. Or, if you don't want to take part in the fight, you can bet on which you think is the most favorable."
Qin Mo understood, after this explanation, that the fifth floor was a beast fighting colosseum. His gaze swept over the noisy crowd to the right, and he frowned a little. "Give me a separate room."
The cultivator's smile became more and more brilliant. He respectfully led the way. "This Daoist friend, please, follow me."
Qin Mo was about to step inside when a cold snort interrupted him, "Liu Daoist friend, are you here to fight? It can't be that you're going to rely on that little fox that hasn't even grown out of its hair yet?"
This taunting was familiar. Qin Mo stopped and looked over.
The curtain beside him was lifted violently, and a familiar face came into view. With a fierce wound on his cheek, his otherwise handsome features looked disgusting.
This was Wu Yongde, and the wound was the same one from Qin Mo's sword. An ordinary wound could be restored to its original state without leaving traces, but Qin Mo added his lightning fire to the attack. That made it difficult to heal, and even once it healed, it would scar.
Wu Yongde touched the scar on his face and glared at Qin Mo, hateful enough he wanted to rend Qin Mo's flesh from his bones.
Qin Mo's expression was cold, but he said nothing in response. It wasn't time to wipe the floor with him, so he continued into the room.
Wu Yongde launched and raised his voice abruptly. Under the influence of his spirit power, everyone in the room could hear. "Liu Daoist friend, are you scared? A coward is still a coward, even the boundary of the forbidden mountain can't change your cowardly nature."
The noisy stage quieted down. After yesterday's siege, everyone knew there was an irreconcilable confrontation between them, but no one expected them to meet again only a day later.
Qin Mo stopped again. He looked at Wu Yongde with the gaze of looking at a dead man.
"What I said is right. You dare come to a beast fight with that mingled furry fox on your shoulder," Wu Yongde laughed.
Qin Mo's heart grew cold. His long sword appeared behind him and trembled. Even if he didn't get moon spirit gra.s.s today, he would teach this fool a lesson.
Suddenly, the burden on his shoulders grew heavier, and the little fox's voice sounded in his ear, "Although this fox lord has always disdained bullying weakliness, he's taken this fox lord as a mingled furry fox!"
Qin Mo's mood relaxed. He asked, "Where's your spirit beast?"
At first, Wu Yongde was surprised, then the corner of his mouth raised. He pointed at the deer in the ring, "There."
Qin Mo nodded. He turned to the servant beside him. "Can I compete directly against him?"
This caught the servant unprepared, but he nodded reflexively.
"Good."
No sooner had he spoken than the little fox appeared in the arena in a flash of white light.
The colorful deer was huge, and the little fox was pet.i.te. This created an even stronger contrast between the two. Nothing was revealed on the crowd's faces, but in their hearts, they believed the fox was doomed to lose.
Wu Yongde laughed and pointed to the little fox. He disdained, "Liu Daoist friend, you dare let a mingled furry fox onto the field."
His eyes darkened. He ordered the deer, "Xiao Wu*, tear it to pieces."
*Little Five; as in its five colors, not to be confused with Wu Yongde's surname.
Everyone was focused on Wu Yongde and Qin Mo, so no one saw the deer, opposite the fox, tremble. Nor the fear flas.h.i.+ng through its eyes.
The deer s.h.i.+vered at Wu Yongde's command, but a spirit beast couldn't disobey its master's command. It could only rush toward the little fox despite the intense pressure around it.
"Is that fox stupid?" Someone to the side said in a lowered voice when the fox remained motionless.
Others also showed expressions of agreeing. Those with kinder hearts turned their faces, not wanting to see the b.l.o.o.d.y scene.
Only once the deer reached the fox did it move. The little fox raised its front paw and patted in the deer's direction.
"Hmph, laughable…" Wu Yongde's face broke into a gleeful smile at the move, but before he could complete his thought, his eyes flew wide. He couldn't believe it.
That gentle pat sent the white deer flying. It landed on the ground and couldn't get back up.
The whole stage went silent.
Ignoring the fallen magical deer, the little fox leaped out of the arena and jumped towards Qin Mo. As it hopped onto the railing, it turned and swiped its claws toward Wu Yongde.
Not expecting the sudden attack, Wu Yongde jerked back. Fortunately, there was someone behind him so he didn't fall down the aisle. Now, he was pale and badly injured.
Qin Mo's gaze was cold. The sword behind him shone bright, wanting to give him another blow.
"Liu Daoist friend, think twice before you make that move." A sudden cry from the side interrupted Qin Mo's next move. He clenched his fists.
"Liu Daoist friend, you wouldn't want this little friend to get hurt." Nearby, a man in green robes had held onto Ling Yun. He had a claw-shaped instrument held at Ling Yun's throat.
Ling Yun smiled, though, when he felt Qin Mo's gaze, and said, "Kill him."
The man in green jerked when he heard this, and crimson flowed from Ling Yun's neck.
Qin Mo slowly retracted his sword. Without gracing Wu Yongde with another look, he said plainly, "Let him go."
The man trembled, and he glanced at the people behind Wu Yongde. They quickly pulled Wu Yongde away.
He watched them leave and swallowed, looking at Qin Mo in horror. He deliberated, "Senior Liu, this was only a temporary measure, please don't take it to heart."
"Let him go." As if he didn't hear him at all, Qin Mo methodically placed the sword in his Qiankun bag and repeated.
The man immediately let go and fled.
Qin Mo glanced at Ling Yun and turned, leaving without a word.
Uncaring about his wound, Ling Yun followed Qin Mo and asked quietly, "Why'd you let Wu Yongde go?"
"There will be other opportunities." His flat voice billowed into the air, barely audible.