Chapter 531: Qualifications (23)

To outsiders, Zhang Mang was just a young child, wet behind the ears and understanding nothing.

But in truth, having tasted the cold and warmth of human nature from a young age, Zhang Mang's insight into the human heart had long since surpassed many others.

Though his eyes were blind, his heart was not.

He could clearly distinguish who wanted to use him and who genuinely wanted to protect him.

In his short life, only two people had been truly good to him.

One was his grandfather, who raised him and was willing to give everything for his sake; this was the love of blood kin.

The other was his master; although they had not spent much time together and had not spoken many words in total, Zhang Mang could feel his master's kindness toward him.

It was a master-disciple love that sought absolutely no return, never expecting him to repay anything at all.

And the most unique point was that his master's kindness did not stem from pity, but simply because he found him pleasing to the eye and felt they were fated, so he looked after him a little more...

Yes, the truth was just that simple.

But it was precisely this reason, which sounded somewhat like child's play, that made Zhang Mang even more grateful.

Because Ren Yidao treated him as a person, someone to be treated as an equal, rather than bestowing charity from on high or treating him like a blade of grass by the roadside.

Apart from these two, the kindness others showed him was, without exception, all calculated.

Some did it to curry favor with his master, others to rely on his eyes to obtain more opportunities.

Zhang Mang did not blame them, but he would not feel any gratitude for it either.

"At the end of the day, it's nothing more than a transaction."

A willing buyer and a willing seller, everyone getting what they need.

He nodded at Hu Yiyi and said softly, "You protect our safety, and I will take you to the place you want to go."

"... Oh?"

Hu Yiyi's brows twitched after hearing this, somewhat surprised by Zhang Mang's precociousness and wisdom.

Hu Yiyi stared at him with a cold face for a long time, then shook his head and chuckled, "Heh, what a clever little brat! You're not wrong; your ability is very precious to me. I truly won't make a move against you, and I will do my best to ensure your safety."

"However, you are still too young. You have the insight, but too little experience. You got one thing wrong." Hu Yiyi shook his head, a smug smile curling the corners of his mouth.

"What?" Zhang Mang froze for a moment, not understanding where he had gone wrong.

He had already been very cooperative and hadn't made any excessive demands, so why did he have such a reaction?

"I certainly won't kill you, nor will I hurt you, but... the same can't be said for it." Hu Yiyi sneered, pointing at the Yellow Sand Tiger beneath Zhang Mang.

"Roar!"

The Yellow Sand Tiger seemed to realize something; in an instant, it tensed all its muscles, staring nervously at the Hu Family ancestor while letting out a low growl from its throat.

But even with preparation, it still couldn't dodge; the gap in strength between the two was too great.

*Slash! *

"ROAR!!!"

The Yellow Sand Tiger let out a wail and tilted backward, nearly throwing Zhang Mang off its back.

Its hind leg was bleeding profusely, exposing the bone; a large chunk of flesh and skin had been casually hacked off by Hu Yiyi, falling onto the flowers on the ground.

Upon touching the seemingly ordinary flowers, the flesh instantly shriveled, turning into dried meat within a few breaths, shattering and disappearing as the flowers trembled.

And after that flower absorbed the Yellow Sand Tiger's flesh and blood, it merely became more vibrant; its aura did not change at all, remaining just like ordinary flowers and plants.

Such a change made Hu Yiyi even more cautious, realizing that this continent was filled with murderous intent and threats everywhere.

"You!!!" Zhang Mang's heart trembled, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Why?

This was clearly unnecessary; why did he have to do this?

But soon, Zhang Mang realized.

Yes, this was not meaningless.

It was a threat.

"This is just a warning. If you dare to play tricks again, I will break one of its legs."

Seeing Zhang Mang's panicked look, Hu Yiyi's mouth curled up, and he burst into laughter, stroking his beard with delight. "If there is another time, I'll peel its skin off! Do you think I dare?"

"Little brat, I'll teach you a principle: the weak have no dignity! Only the strong have the qualifications to negotiate."

In Zhang Mang's view, he was cooperating, but in Hu Yiyi's view, that neither-haughty-nor-humble demeanor was a lack of respect.

What status do you have to negotiate with me?

A bit of a beating.

Hu Yiyi wanted to make Zhang Mang recognize his own status; he had no qualifications to negotiate any terms.

"..."

Zhang Mang bit his lip hard, his fists clenched tight, his nails almost digging into his palms.

He felt anger, and even more so, a deep sense of powerlessness.

Power.

He needed power!

Never for a moment had Zhang Mang longed for power like this.

But just as Zhang Mang was about to lose his reason to anger, the Yellow Sand Tiger beneath him let out a weak growl, bringing him back to his senses.

"Roar..." The Yellow Sand Tiger growled, while transmitting a thought to Zhang Mang: 【"Little one, I am fine, do not be impulsive."】

"..." Zhang Mang took a deep breath, exhaling the turbid air and grief from his lungs, and gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment.

He could not be impulsive.

Because he did not yet have the qualifications for that.

Without the strength to back it up, no matter how angry he was, it would only serve as a bit of amusement for the other party.

Having calmed down, Zhang Mang climbed down from the tiger's back, took out the Medicine Powder Chu Hairen had given him, carefully poured it onto the Yellow Sand Tiger's wound, and then tore off a piece of his own robe to bandage it and stop the bleeding.

His movements were clumsy, and his body was exceptionally small compared to the tiger demon, making him look quite disheveled as he did this, covering himself in blood.

But Zhang Mang did not give up; he kept his lips pressed tight until he was certain the Yellow Sand Tiger's wound had stopped bleeding before climbing back onto its back.

Once he finished all this, Zhang Mang turned his head to look at Hu Yiyi, who had been standing to the side with his arms crossed watching the fun, and said earnestly, "You shouldn't have done that. It is my master's mount. If you treat it this way, my master will not let you off."

"Roar!?" The Yellow Sand Tiger thought Zhang Mang had calmed down, but it never expected this child to continue provoking the other party.

Child, do not think that just because he said he wouldn't strike at you, he won't hurt you at all!

Breaking an arm or a leg won't have any effect on pointing the way!

【"Zhang Mang! Stop talking! I'm fine!"】

But no matter how the Yellow Sand Tiger warned him, Zhang Mang still stared firmly at Hu Yiyi and said calmly, "My master will definitely avenge it."

"Hahahaha!"

To the Yellow Sand Tiger's surprise, Hu Yiyi was not angry after hearing Zhang Mang's threat; instead, after a moment of stunned silence, he burst into loud laughter.

"Hahahaha!!!"

Ever since his clansmen were slaughtered, he had not laughed like this for a long time.

Hu Yiyi laughed uncontrollably for a long time, finally raising a hand to wipe the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, shaking his head as he said, "This old man hasn't been threatened like this in a long time, hahaha! To think, I've actually been threatened by a little brat."

This is truly too interesting!

"Kid, your master being able to take a Spirit Transformation tiger demon as a mount means his strength is indeed not weak, but even if he is at Void Refinement, that little bit of strength of his is still not enough to look at in front of this old man!"

Hu Yiyi was originally at the Formless Peak, and on the night his clansmen were slaughtered, he absorbed the scattered essence blood of all his clansmen in his grief, using this forbidden method to enhance his bloodline power and forcibly stepped into Asking Dao.

And because he used such evil arts, his methods were even more devious and sinister; his strength could not be treated as that of an ordinary early-stage Asking Dao cultivator.

He did not believe an Asking Dao expert would take a Spirit Transformation tiger demon as a mount; that would be too lacking in prestige.

In his view, Zhang Mang's master might not even be at Formless, and having only the strength of Void Refinement would probably already be considered decent.

Hu Yiyi put away his smile, but the upturn of his mouth did not drop, and he said leisurely, "If he has the courage to come and take revenge on this old man when the time comes, then let him come. This old man would like to see what kind of person could give you such confidence?"

"But before that, you, just obediently do as you're told."

Zhang Mang nodded and said nothing more, looking excessively calm.

This posture of forbearance fell into Hu Yiyi's eyes, causing him to raise an eyebrow, but then he sneered.

What is the use of only knowing how to endure?

Hu Yiyi recalled his own forbearance when facing the encirclement of the Kings; he had also endured humiliation like this, but what did he get in the end?

It was the near-total extinction of his clan, his family estate turned into scorched earth, and having no place left to stand in the Eastern Wasteland!

Forbearance?

Hah.

It's useless!

But Hu Yiyi did not intend to teach Zhang Mang this lesson.

Having been drenched in the rain, he would not hold an umbrella for others, but rather make them experience this bone-chilling cold that pierces the heart together!

Hu Yiyi wanted to watch Zhang Mang endure; when his master came to save him, at the very moment he was happiest and most excited, he would cruelly tear his hope to shreds!

"Hehe..." Thinking of that scene, Hu Yiyi licked his lips like a psychopath, a flash of pleasure crossing his bloodshot eyes.

……

……

"Hmm... why do I feel like someone wants to harm me?"

Ren Yidao opened his eyes, raised an eyebrow, and not taking this warning as an illusion, he carefully sensed it for a moment.

Let me see, which ignorant commoner wants to harm this Huhu?

"It wasn't me!"

Jing Yueqin spoke up immediately, guiltily withdrawing the scissors in her hand from the Fox Tail in front of her, hiding them behind her back with an innocent face.

What a pity!

I actually got caught!

Jing Yueqin pouted, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Junior brother is getting stingier; can't a person just want to get some fox fur to make a doll!

He's grown up, his wings have hardened, he's not like the obedient little fox from when he was small anymore; he won't even give me this little bit of fox fur!

Stingy!

Junior brother doesn't love me anymore!

Ying ying ying——

Ren Yidao ignored the ying-ying monster making a scene in his ear; long accustomed to all this, he completely ignored her siren.

He wasn't dead, and he was perceptive of the outside world; he had long been aware of Jing Yueqin's little tricks, just too lazy to pay her any mind.

After his two incarnations merged into his body some time ago, his physical body had once again taken the lead over the other two paths, breaking through to the Formless stage first.

With his physical body at the Formless stage at this moment, if he didn't want to, Jing Yueqin wouldn't be able to easily break a single fox hair.

And as long as he was willing, it didn't matter how many fox hairs he pulled out; they could all grow back in an instant anyway.

Pop.

He casually pulled off six Fox Tails, skillfully shoved them in front of Jing Yueqin, stuffed them into her hands, and said perfunctorily, "Be good, pull them yourself to play with, don't be noisy."

After successfully shutting down the Luoyue Peak air-raid siren, Ren Yidao finally successfully captured the source of that malice.

"This direction... Southern Border? No, that's not right, not that far, it's more to the southeast, and it's above." Ren Yidao pinched his fingers to divine, his eyebrows slightly raised, somewhat surprised: "Is it Zhongzhou?"

"Who is it? Where did this enemy pop out from?" Ren Yidao blinked in confusion, feeling a bit bewildered for a moment.

In my life, I, Huhu, have accumulated virtue and done good deeds; I have never made an enemy of anyone.

Even if there were grudges, he generally settled them on the spot, wiping them clean long ago.

"However, the Eastern Wasteland? If I really had to name an enemy... could it be that old dragon? Did it also run off to Zhongzhou?"

After thinking seriously for a while, Ren Yidao could only sigh helplessly in the end.

"If it really is that master, everyone currently in Zhongzhou had better be careful~"

There aren't many people qualified to clash with that mad dragon at the Ask Dao Peak.