One night, after a particularly long and passionate session that had left his two beautiful fiancées in a deep, sated sleep, Zhang Tian lay awake in the massive circular bed. The soft, even breathing of Ning Rongrong on his left and Zhu Zhuqing on his right was a comforting, peaceful sound. But his mind was not at peace. It was a cold, calculating chessboard, and he was contemplating his next move.
He thought of the pile of invitations still sitting on the table in his study. Most were irrelevant, the desperate pleas of lesser powers. But one, the simple, unadorned scroll from Liu Erlong, still lingered in his mind.
'It's time,' he thought, his eyes glinting in the dim moonlight that filtered through the window. 'Two months. I have let her wait long enough. Her patience, her pride… they must be worn thin by now. She will be desperate. Malleable.'
A slow, predatory smile touched his lips. The thought of finally meeting the Slaughtering Corner, of beginning the long, slow game of dismantling Yu Xiaogang's last emotional support, was a tantalizing one.
But his smile faded as another, more dangerous thought entered his mind. A shadow. A ghost of grief and rage that he knew was still lurking somewhere in the vastness of the empire.
'Tang Hao.'
The last time he had encountered Liu Erlong, the Titled Douluo had been following her, a silent, unseen predator. Had he given up his hunt? Or was he still out there, a patient hunter waiting for the perfect moment to strike?
'I cannot be reckless,' Zhang Tian concluded, his expression turning serious. 'Not when the stakes are this high. To walk into a meeting with her, even with my own guards, would be foolish if Tang Hao is using her as bait. I need to be certain.'
He gently, carefully, disentangled himself from the sleeping forms of his two wives. He dressed in a simple set of dark robes and, with a silence that was a testament to his profound control, he slipped out of the estate.
The journey to the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect was a swift, silent flight through the moonless night. He arrived at the palatial grounds just before dawn, a ghost that passed through the sect's powerful defensive arrays without triggering a single alarm.
He found the Sword Douluo in his private courtyard, a place of stark, minimalist beauty. Chen Xin was sitting cross-legged on a simple stone platform, his Seven Kill Sword resting across his lap, his entire being in a state of deep, profound meditation. The very air around him seemed to hum, to sharpen, as if it were being honed by his immense, peerless Sword Intent.
Zhang Tian did not interrupt. He simply stood at the edge of the courtyard, a silent, respectful presence, and he waited.
An hour later, as the first rays of dawn painted the sky in shades of soft pink and gold, the Sword Douluo's eyes slowly opened. They were as sharp and as clear as a winter morning, and they fixed on Zhang Tian without a hint of surprise.
"Little guy," Chen Xin's voice was a low, rumbling sound, like the grinding of ancient stones. "You have come a long way to see this old man. It must be an important matter."
Zhang Tian bowed deeply. "Grandpa Sword. Forgive my intrusion."
"Hmph. Speak," the Sword Douluo grunted, though there was a faint, almost imperceptible warmth in his sharp eyes. He had grown incredibly fond of this monstrously talented, and impeccably polite, young man who was to be his grandson-in-law.
"It is about the woman we met two months ago," Zhang Tian began, his voice a low, serious murmur. "The mercenary, Liu Erlong."
He explained his intention to finally meet with her, to begin the "negotiations" she had so desperately requested.
"But," he added, his expression turning grim, "I am concerned. The last time, she was being followed. By a Titled Douluo. A very powerful one."
The Sword Douluo's eyes narrowed. "Hmm. Considering the killing intent that Titled Douluo was radiating. And since Tang Hao has gone to the Slaughter City in the past, it's most likely him as the only other known individual in the era who has passed the Slaughter City is the Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong."
"I believe so as well," Zhang Tian confirmed. "This is the reason I cannot risk meeting her. I do not wish to go walk into a trap. I need to know if he is still watching her. I need to know if the path is clear."
He looked at the old man, his gaze direct and unwavering. "I would be eternally grateful, Grandpa Sword, if you would be willing to… observe her for a few days. From a distance. To ensure that she is truly alone."
The Sword Douluo was silent for a long, thoughtful moment. 'This boy… his caution is as profound as his talent,' he thought, a flicker of deep, professional respect in his eyes. 'He does not let his own power blind him to the dangers of the world. He is a true strategist.'
He thought of Tang Hao, of the brief, intense clash of their auras two months ago. 'That brute is a creature of pure, unrestrained emotion. It is unlikely he possesses the patience for such a long, subtle game of cat and mouse. He has likely grown frustrated and moved on to a more direct path of vengeance. But… it is always better to be certain.'
He gave a single, curt nod. "Fine. I will do this for you, little guy. I will watch that little girl. I will see if she has that brute lurking in her shadow. I will send word to you when I am certain."
"Thank you, Grandpa Sword," Zhang Tian said with another deep, grateful bow.
Three days later, a message arrived at the estate. It was a simple, unmarked scroll, delivered by a sect disciple. Zhang Tian opened it. It contained only two words.
"Path clear."
A slow, predatory smile spread across his face. 'So, the brute has given up,' he thought. 'Either he was scared off by Grandpa Sword's power, or he doesn't even have the patience to wait for me to come meet her. It does not matter. The board is now set.'
He made his way to The Golden Goblet tavern that very afternoon. He did not seek out the barkeeper himself. He simply gave a heavy pouch of gold coins to a street urchin, along with a simple, verbal message.
"Find the barkeeper of The Golden Goblet. Tell him that Mister Zhang Tian has a message for the mercenary captain, Liu Erlong. Tell him the meeting is set for two days from now, at noon. The location is the Crimson Leaf Clearing, ten miles north of the Sunset Forest's main entrance. She is to come alone. And she is to wear the chains. Tell him that I will be watching. If I see a single other soul, if I sense even a hint of deception, I will not appear. And she can forget about ever acquiring the secrets she so desperately desires."
Liu Erlong sat in the common room of The Crimson Blades' small, rented headquarters, a grim, functional space that smelled of stale ale and old leather. She was cleaning her sword, her movements methodical, automatic, her mind a thousand miles away.
The past two months had been a special kind of hell.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the tavern's young busboy until he was standing right in front of her, his face flushed with a mixture of fear and excitement.
"Captain Erlong?" he squeaked. "A… a message. From The Golden Goblet."
Her head snapped up, her heart giving a single, hard, painful thump against her ribs.
She took the small, folded piece of parchment from his trembling hand. Her own fingers were surprisingly steady as she opened it.
She read the message, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis.
A wave of profound, utter relief, so intense it was a physical thing, washed over her. It was a feeling so powerful it almost brought her to her knees.
He had not forgotten. He had not been playing with her. He was finally, finally, ready to meet.
The two months of waiting, of frustration, of a slow, grinding despair… it all just melted away, replaced by a single, all-consuming thought.
'I can do this,' she thought, her hands clenching into fists at her sides, a fierce, desperate fire igniting in her eyes. 'I can succeed. I can get the secrets. I can go back to Xiaogang. And he will be so happy. He will be so proud of me. And then… then we can finally be together.'
The thought of the chains, of the humiliation, of the potential danger of meeting him alone in a secluded forest… it was all irrelevant. It was a small, insignificant price to pay for the prize that awaited her. She didn't even consider the possibility of a trap. Her mind, so sharp and so cunning in battle, was completely, utterly, and blindly focused on a single, all-consuming goal.
Two days later, she arrived.
The Crimson Leaf Clearing was a beautiful, and deeply unsettling, place. The trees here were a strange, vibrant shade of red, their leaves like drops of fresh blood against the azure sky. And the ground… the entire clearing was a carpet of the same crimson grass she had seen in the hands of Zhang Tian.
It was beautiful, yes. But it was also eerie. The air was still, silent. There were no birds, no insects. It was as if the very life of the forest held its breath in this place.
She looked down at the heavy, cold metal chains that were now shackled around her wrists. She had put them on before she had even entered the clearing, as he had commanded. She felt the familiar, suffocating sensation of her spirit power being suppressed, reduced to a mere trickle. Her physical strength was still immense, but without her spirit, she was a tiger without its claws.
She stood in the center of the clearing, and she waited.
From a hidden vantage point, high in the canopy of a massive crimson-leafed tree, Zhang Tian watched her. His Blood Silver Domain was a silent, omniscient net, cast over the entire region. He could feel every leaf, every root, every whisper of the wind. He could feel her, a solitary, powerful, but now-shackled presence in the center of his web.
He had been watching her for an hour, since she had first entered the forest. He had seen that she was alone. He had felt no other auras, no hidden threats.
A slow, devilish, and incredibly predatory smile spread across his face.
The bait was taken. The trap was sprung. The game was about to begin.
He emerged from the woods, his steps silent on the soft, crimson grass. He wore a simple set of dark, elegant robes, his two-toned hair a stark, beautiful contrast to the red of the forest.
Liu Erlong saw him, and her breath caught in her throat. He was just as handsome as before.
He stopped a few meters from her, his expression one of calm, almost bored, amusement.
And then, he raised a hand.
The entire clearing came alive.
The crimson grass at their feet began to grow, to writhe, to weave itself together with an impossible, breathtaking speed. The ground itself seemed to rise up, forming walls, a roof, a door.
In a matter of seconds, a large, intricate, and slightly intimidating cabin had been created from the living grass, a perfect, seamless structure that had not been there a moment before.
Liu Erlong stared, her jaw slack, her mind completely unable to process the sheer, casual display of power she had just witnessed. She had known his spirit was a control type. But this… this was not control. This was creation.
Zhang Tian simply smiled at her shocked expression. He walked to the newly formed door of the crimson cabin and pushed it open.
"Shall we?" he asked, his voice a calm, polite invitation that was somehow more intimidating than any shout. He gestured for her to enter.
Liu Erlong took a deep, steadying breath, the cool, earthy scent of the crimson grass cabin filling her lungs. She followed Zhang Tian inside, her heart a wild, frantic drum against her ribs.
The interior was a surreal, living marvel. The walls were a smooth, interwoven tapestry of crimson vines, pulsing with a faint, inner light that gave the entire space a warm, organic glow. The floor was a soft, springy carpet of the same grass, feeling strangely alive beneath her boots.
In the center of the room, a large, ornate sofa, more like a throne, had been woven from the living plant matter. Opposite it was a simpler, smaller chair. The air was still and silent, the thick, living walls of the cabin completely soundproofing them from the outside world. It was a private, intimate, and deeply intimidating space.
She sat in the smaller chair as he had gestured, the heavy, cold weight of the spirit power suppression chains on her wrists a constant, humiliating reminder of her own powerlessness. She watched as he settled onto his throne, his posture relaxed, his expression one of calm, almost bored, amusement. He was the king in his castle, and she was the supplicant.
She took another breath, forcing her own expression into one of cool, professional focus. She was the Hell Dragon, a powerful Spirit Saint. She would not be intimidated by a boy, no matter how monstrously talented he was.
"You have your privacy, Mister Zhang Tian," she began, her voice a low, smooth melody that betrayed none of the turmoil in her heart. "And I have my chains. I have fulfilled my part of the bargain. Now, it is your turn."
She leaned forward, her crimson eyes burning with a fierce, desperate intensity. "The secrets. The method for Martial Spirit evolution. The way to absorb spirit rings beyond the optimal limits. The key to your impossible cultivation speed. Tell me."
Zhang Tian just smiled, a slow, lazy expression that made her want to scream. He picked up a single, crimson leaf from the arm of his living throne and began to idly twirl it between his fingers.
"Patience, Miss Erlong," he said, his voice a calm, amused drawl. "Such profound secrets are not things to be discussed so… hastily. First, tell me. Why do you want them? A Spirit Saint of your power, a mercenary of your reputation… you are already at a level that most Spirit Masters can only dream of. Why this desperate hunger for more?"
'He's toying with me,' she thought, a surge of pure, unadulterated rage washing over her. But she ruthlessly suppressed it. She had to play his game.
"Ambition," she replied, her voice a low, convincing purr. "It is the same reason you and your fiancées fight so relentlessly in the arena. We are warriors. We live for strength. To stand still is to die. I wish to reach the peak. I wish to become a Titled Douluo."
He chuckled, a low, soft sound that seemed to mock her grand ambitions. "A noble goal. But the path you seek is not a simple one. There is no single 'method'."
He looked at her, his blue eyes gleaming with a dark, knowing light. "There are… many paths to power. I have discovered a few of them."
He leaned back, a casual, almost bored expression on his handsome face. "For example," he began, his voice taking on the tone of a lecturer explaining a simple concept to a slow student, "I have pills."
Liu Erlong's eyes narrowed. "Pills?"
"Oh, yes," he said with a wave of his hand. "My father-in-law, Sect Master Ning, has already revealed the existence of two of my simpler creations. The Mystic Water Pill, which can permanently enhance a Spirit Master's innate talent. And the Spirit Ascension Pill, which can provide a direct, clean boost to one's spirit rank."
He saw the flicker of recognition, of pure, unadulterated greed, in her eyes. She had heard the rumors. Of course, she had.
"But those," he continued, his voice a low, conspiratorial murmur, "are for children. For those below the thirtieth rank. The pills I have been developing recently… they are on another level entirely."
He leaned forward, his eyes locking with hers, a silent, powerful predator. "I have created pills that can allow a Spirit Ancestor to break through their bottlenecks. Pills that can help a Spirit King consolidate their power. Pills that can even, with the right ingredients, give a Spirit Emperor a small, but significant, boost."
Liu Erlong stared at him, her heart hammering against her ribs, her mind completely, utterly blown.
'Pills for Spirit Kings? For Spirit Emperors?' her mind screamed. 'Impossible! Such a thing… it would break the world! The power, the influence… to be able to create such a thing…'
Her thoughts immediately, inevitably, turned to him.
'Xiaogang…' her heart ached with a sudden, desperate hope. 'His spirit… his rank has been stagnant for so long. If I could get these pills for him… he could break through! He could finally reach the thirtieth rank, the fortieth, the fiftieth! He could finally shed the shame of his mutated spirit! He could become the powerful, respected expert he was always meant to be!'
The desire, the need, was so intense it was a physical thing, a burning fire in her gut.
She forced herself to remain calm, to keep her voice even. "And these… these pills," she began, her voice a little shaky, "how… how can I acquire them?"
Zhang Tian just smiled, a slow, cruel, and incredibly satisfied expression. He had her.
"That is the question, isn't it?" he said, his voice a low, amused purr.
He leaned back again, his posture relaxed, his control of the situation absolute. "But before we can even begin to discuss a price for such priceless treasures," he said, his tone shifting, becoming sharp and direct, "I believe we must first be truthful with each other."
He looked at her, his blue eyes like two chips of ice, and he delivered the final, devastating blow.
"Isn't that right, Vice-Dean of Shrek Academy?"
The world seemed to stop.
The title, spoken with such calm, casual certainty, was not a question. It was a sentence. A judgment.
Liu Erlong's blood ran cold. The carefully constructed facade of the powerful, independent mercenary shattered into a million pieces. She felt a wave of pure, unadulterated terror, so intense it made her feel dizzy.
'He knows,' the thought was a shard of ice in her heart. 'He knows who I am. He knows who sent me.'
She jumped to her feet, her chair clattering backwards onto the living grass floor. The chains on her wrists rattled, a loud, mocking sound in the sudden, profound silence.
"When did you know?!" she demanded, her voice a choked, furious cry. She looked around the crimson, living cabin, her eyes wide with a new, dawning horror. "This meeting… it was a trap, wasn't it?!"
Zhang Tian just chuckled, a low, dark sound that seemed to echo in the quiet, claustrophobic space. He didn't move from his throne. He just looked up at her, at her beautiful, terrified face, and his smile widened.
"A trap? My dear Vice-Dean, you wound me," he said, his voice a lazy, amused drawl. "This is not a trap. It is, as I have said from the very beginning, a negotiation."
He gestured to the chair she had just vacated.
"Now," he said, his voice a low, calm command that was somehow more terrifying than any shout. "Sit down. And let's begin our discussion. For real, this time."
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels like "Harem Master: Seduction System" and the "Villain: Manipulating the Heroines into hating the Protagonist" and I hope you like this story and those stories as well.
Check out more chapters on my P.atreon. The P.atreon will have 20+ Chapters ahead for this story. I hope you like it.
The link of p.atreon is: bit.ly/evildragon