Chapter 86: Those Who Recognize the Times (Bonus for Ally Wandering Lone Wolf)

The clerk was deeply worried Ding Huan would leave immediately—he was threatening, but if Ding Huan tried to walk out, they would have to forcibly detain him.

Shangcheng was too crowded; if they moved now, word would spread quickly.

With the global fer beast crisis, nearly every nation was currently overwhelmed and scrambling to deal with these beasts; the Puhai authorities had no energy to spare for their Beast King Society.

But once the fer beasts are repelled, the Beast King Society's actions will likely be settled/cleared, so it's better to stay low-key—that's the Society's creed.

The clerk's phone rang again; he answered it, but kept his eyes fixed on Ding Huan.

Not long after, the clerk put down the phone and spoke to Ding Huan:

"Your beast core may be worth more than ten thousand, but I can't determine its true value—we have specialized appraisers. Would you prefer to go there, or wait here?"

Ding Huan said coolly, "Need I say it? Send someone to pick me up—I'm going now."

The clerk had assumed Ding Huan would never go with him; he'd only said those words to buy time.

Now that Ding Huan agreed to go, he was stunned, taking several seconds before saying, "Alright, I'll take you there right away."

When the car reached the entrance, the clerk, fearing Ding Huan might escape en route, called over a security guard to sit with Ding Huan in the backseat.

Ding Huan didn't get in immediately; instead, he waved toward Fei Tongtong's parked car.

Seeing Ding Huan's signal, Lao Liu rushed out of Fei Tongtong's vehicle and came over to Ding Huan.

Ding Huan greeted Fei Tongtong and signaled her to leave first.

The clerk noticed Ding Huan had a pet and paid it no mind—in the fer beast era, some people kept pets.

But fer beast pets aren't easy to raise; pet-on-owner attacks happen frequently.

Leaving Shangcheng, the car drove deeper into the countryside until it stopped at a villa district just a few kilometers from Puxin Park.

Ding Huan had been to Puxin Park before—he'd practiced Wind Blade Art there for several days.

The wetland park was abandoned after the fer beast surge erupted before construction finished; few ever came, though fer beasts occasionally passed through.

Ding Huan hadn't expected the Beast King Society's leader to live here—it was an ideal place for cultivation, undisturbed by others.

This further confirmed his decision: had he gone directly to the Yinhé Tower headquarters, Old Fox Nian Jinqing would have sensed something was amiss.

As soon as the car entered the villa district, Ding Huan realized every residence here must belong to high-ranking Beast King Society members—this villa was clearly built by the Beast King Group.

When the car stopped before an unremarkable villa, Ding Huan's spiritual sense already saw Nian Jinqing standing by the window.

Though he'd never met Nian Jinqing, he guessed the man's cultivation wasn't low; now it seemed he was either Earth Rank or a Postheaven Martial Artist.

"We're here. Go in and talk—I'm leaving." The clerk said to Ding Huan.

Ding Huan said coolly, "You must come in with me. This deal was handled by you."

Ding Huan had no intention of letting this clerk go.

The clerk froze, about to speak, when a voice came from inside the car: "Do as he says. Come in too."

"Yes." The clerk's tone instantly became deferential.

Ding Huan silently noted: Nian Jinqing had installed surveillance and intercoms in the car—he hadn't noticed.

The villa looked ordinary from outside, but inside it was dazzlingly opulent, entirely clad in Shi Cai.

Nian Jinqing sat on a large chair, flanked by two burly men—his bodyguards.

Ding Huan instantly saw through them: they were mere decoys; Nian Jinqing could kill them both easily.

"You've got guts," Nian Jinqing said as Ding Huan entered. "I heard you brought a Level Four fer beast core? Show it to me."

As for inviting Ding Huan to sit and chat—ha, not happening.

Once he entered this place, Ding Huan would vanish forever.

Only Lao Liu, trailing beside Ding Huan, drew a few extra glances from him.

It wasn't that he was careless—Ding Huan simply looked far too young.

Ding Huan ignored Nian Jinqing entirely, instead raising his hand and unleashing dozens of Wind Blades.

Several screams rang out—Nian Jinqing's two bodyguards, the clerk who brought Ding Huan, and six hidden Beast King Society thugs were all cut down by Ding Huan's invisible blades.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

Ghost Crossbow? Nian Jinqing's face changed—he instantly realized he was facing a vengeful enemy; he snatched a heavy axe from thin air.

Simultaneously, he lunged at Ding Huan.

He knew of a certain crossbow called Ghost Hand Crossbow.

Originating from a mysterious family in Bashu, this crossbow killed silently, with terrifying speed, leaving no defense possible.

Ding Huan's method immediately made him think of that weapon.

But the Ghost Hand Crossbow had one flaw: after firing its initial volley, reloading required inserting thin blades.

Installing those blades was cumbersome.

Nian Jinqing intended to strike while Ding Huan was still reloading.

But mid-air, his heart turned cold—he saw two of his men split cleanly in half. That was impossible for a Ghost Hand Crossbow.

Too late now—he'd already launched his attack and couldn't retreat.

Violent Yuan energy surged toward him; Ding Huan was slightly surprised.

So Postheaven isn't that impressive? Is Preheaven truly a qualitative leap?

The feeling was underwhelming because Nian Jinqing's erupted Qi barely slowed Ding Huan's movement—let alone stop him.

The gap was so vast, Ding Huan didn't even need to move.

And that's exactly what he did—he stood still, ignoring the descending axe.

This time he didn't use Wind Blades at all—just punched forward from where he stood.

His Level Four Gene Cultivator's True Qi condensed into that punch, like a cannonball fired from its barrel.

"Boom!" Ding Huan's True Qi collided with Nian Jinqing's Yuan energy—the explosive force shattered every light fixture and piece of furniture in the living room.

Crack!

Nian Jinqing felt as if every bone in his body had been shattered into fragments by Ding Huan's punch, a pain as if crushed by a bulldozer surging through his chest.

Nian Jinqing could not control his body at all; he was flung backward and slammed into the massive Bai Yu screen in the living room.

The Bai Yu, worth hundreds of millions, shattered into pieces, and only then did Nian Jinqing fall to the ground.

His axe had long since flown away somewhere; he could only sit on the floor, spitting blood, gasping for breath, his eyes fixed in terror on Ding Huan.

As the founder of the Beasts King Association, he had weathered too many storms and seen too many powerful figures.

Was Ding Huan's strength, plainly, that of a Xiantian powerhouse?

Lao Liu's eyes brimmed with contempt—this pitiful skill, and he dared fight Ding Huan?

"Who are you? I, Nian Jinqing, have not provoked you…" Nian Jinqing stopped mid-sentence, realizing his words were wrong.

If he had not provoked the other, the other would never have appeared here.

He felt regret—someone who could produce a Level Four beast core had no reason to be unaware of its value. He himself, when he was just an ordinary martial artist, had obtained a technique more precious than a Level Four beast core.

What was abnormal was that the other dared come here alone.

Perhaps the other was relying on luck, but Nian Jinqing should not rely on luck.

In the end, it was he who provoked the other, which led the other to come to his doorstep—still, he had invited it himself.

"I'm sorry. This time, the Beasts King Association did wrong. Whatever compensation you need, I, Nian Jinqing, will not utter a single word of refusal."

Nian Jinqing's tone carried pleading; he knew that with a man like Ding Huan, there was no room for luck.

Watching Ding Huan's entrance, he had killed everyone in the room without the slightest hesitation.

In a way, he was the same kind of man—he, too, showed no mercy when he slaughtered.

Ding Huan discarded his mask and sunglasses and said, "You ask why I came here?"

"Ding Huan?" Nian Jinqing recognized the man before him at once.

He had never met Ding Huan, but Ding Huan's fame was immense, tied to the destruction of the Gene Alliance's Shanghai headquarters.

How could he not have checked the man's dossier thoroughly?

"That's right, I'm Ding Huan. You should know why I've come for you, right?" Ding Huan said.

"Master Ding, I, Nian Jinqing, was arrogant, and I know who to provoke and who not to. I swear I've never provoked Master Ding."

Nian Jinqing strained to recall where he had offended Ding Huan.

Ding Huan walked up to Nian Jinqing and let out a chuckle:

"Not long ago, I heard you stole a beast core I had stashed in Haiyun's mutated materials? And my friends Mu Tingyun and Zhao Quan were also captured by you?"

Hearing this, Nian Jinqing's mind went numb—he finally understood what had happened.

It was that Level Three beast core. He had interrogated Mu Tingyun, who only said the core was bought from a down-on-his-luck hunter, never mentioning Ding Huan once.

"Master Ding, I was greedy. Mu Tingyun and Zhao Quan are still alive—I'll have them brought here immediately." Nian Jinqing did not hesitate; his words were swift and decisive.

He knew his life might end today.

He knew even better that if he stood in Ding Huan's place, anyone who dawdled or bargained would die faster—and suffer more before death.

"Release Mu Tingyun and Zhao Quan immediately, then summon every head of the Beasts King Association here. I have limited time," Ding Huan said coldly.

Nian Jinqing gave a bitter smile—he knew Ding Huan intended to wipe them all out.

It had nothing to do with him; he himself was about to die.

Doing this was merely to avoid being tortured before death.

As Nian Jinqing made the call, Ding Huan walked toward a map hanging on the wall—it seemed to be a map of the Kunlun Mountains?

Nian Jinqing, having finished the call, saw Ding Huan's interest in the map and hurried to say:

"This is where relics have appeared in the Kunlun Mountains. I've been there. If Master Ding is interested, I'm willing to guide you."

Ding Huan's heart stirred slightly—having this man lead the way wouldn't be bad.

He nodded. "Good. If you behave well, I might spare your dog's life to guide me. I heard you obtained a Starry Sky Blade? Where is it?"

This was Ding Huan's second reason for coming here.