Han Xiaoyu strode up to Yun Jin, brimming with hostility.
"Junior Sister Yun," Because his body was ill, he had an extremely pale complexion, though his gaze was very sharp. "When one can spare others, spare them! Do you realize that acting so overbearing and arrogant will leave hidden troubles for yourself sooner or later?"
Yun Jin gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Senior Brother Han, if you have something to say, just say it."
Han Xiaoyu cast her a look of faint disgust, "Where are the spiritual plants you brought back? Master sent me to retrieve them."
When Yun Jin had found the herbs in the cave, she'd shown only a few specimens for everyone to identify, the rest had seemingly vanished.
In such a short time, Yang Yun couldn't possibly have absorbed too much medicinal power. There should still be plenty left, and they're likely all with Yun Jin.
Yun Jin looked surprised, "The rest? How could there be any left over? The ones I took out in the main hall were all of them."
Han Xiaoyu's pupils contracted sharply.
The herbs had only gone missing yesterday and been found today, everyone had assumed most were still unused.
And yet.
Yun Jin claimed those few were all there were?
If this was told outside, who could believe that!
Han Xiaoyu's expression darkened, "Junior Sister Yun, things that don't belong to you are not to be taken away lightly."
Yun Jin smiled, "All right, I'll be sure to pass that along to Ye Danxia."
Han Xiaoyu looked at Yun Jin's stubborn expression, coldly said, "You actually dared to embezzle Master's spiritual plants, did you not consider the consequences?"
Yun Jin innocently responded, "Yes yes yes, I'll also pass this along to Ye Danxia."
Han Xiaoyu was stunned into silence.
Faced with someone this shameless, he truly didn't know what to say.
"Speaking of which," Yun Jin continued with a smile, "I also have something to discuss with you, Senior Brother Han."
"I have nothing to say to you," Han Xiaoyu replied coldly.
Unhurried, Yun Jin calmly said, "Senior Brother Han, do you remember that spirit beast you once contracted in the Spirit Beast Pavilion? Not long after, you looked down on it for being too weak and casually casted it aside."
Han Xiaoyu frowned, "And what of it?"
Cultivators contracted spirit beasts for more help, not for more burdens!
If a spirit beast couldn't keep up, naturally, it should be eliminated.
Han Xiaoyu saw nothing wrong with his actions.
Yun Jin smiled, "After that, with the Sect Leader's help, you contracted another spirit beast, didn't you? I heard that though it's only a mid-grade spirit beast, its cultivation has already reached Golden Core Stage."
Han Xiaoyu's face immediately showed pride, "You mean my Misty Sky Butterfly? Yes, Little Butterfly's cultivation is indeed in Golden Core Stage."
His own cultivation was also at Golden Core Stage. That butterfly was subdued with Zhao Wuji's help, if it really comes to a fight, it might even be stronger than him.
Without his master's aid, he never could've captured it.
"Good," Yun Jin said. "I have a spirit beast whose cultivation remains at Foundation Building Stage, but it loves to challenge itself. I wish to arrange a match on its behalf."
Han Xiaoyu blinked, "A match?"
Yun Jin looked at him, expressionlessly said, "My spirit beast, Gun Gun, against you and your Misty Sky Butterfly. Although I'm his master, I won't interfere. A match with the two of you against one, do you dare?"
Two against one?
And it's against a mere Foundation Establishment Stage spirit beast?
Han Xiaoyu gave a cold laugh, "Yun Jin, your arrogance is too great."
"Just answer, do you accept or not?" Yun Jin didn't back down.
She had once used helping Gun Gun get revenge as part of the bargain to tame Gun Gun.
Afterward, Gun Gun never mentioned it again.
He only trained day and night with tireless effort.
Don't only look at his chuunibyou antics, the extent of his diligence is enough to make even Yun Jin feel ashamed.
Why was he like this?
It's impossible for Yun Jin to believe that this wasn't related to the experience of being abandoned before.
Gun Gun never brought up revenge again, probably afraid of troubling her, but Yun Jin was fiercely protective.
How could she let her own beast suffer humiliation?
She had privately asked Ling Fei.
Ling Fei told her that the person who'd taken Gun Gun away and later discarded him was none other than Zhao Wuji's fifth disciple, Han Xiaoyu.
Previously, while Han Xiaoyu was away from the sect, Yun Jin had temporarily kept this matter in mind.
He returned later on, but the Grand Sect Tournament was in priority, so she'd had no chance to step in until now.
Back then, he'd once dismissed Gun Gun as useless and cast him away without hesitation.
Now, she wouldn't need to lift a finger for Gun Gun himself to wash this shame away.
Han Xiaoyu narrowed his eyes, "If it's truly only a Foundation Establishment Stage spirit beast, of course I'll accept."
"Rest assured. It truly is in Foundation Establishment Stage," Yun Jin said evenly.
Han Xiaoyu sneered, "Since you insist on humiliating yourself, my Misty Sky Butterfly has no reason to refuse."
He didn't know what that Gun Gun is. Since his return, Gun Gun had also never appeared in public.
But.
Between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core lay an unbridgeable gap. How could such a spirit beast win?
"Since you've accepted, let's add some stakes." Yun Jin arched a brow. "If you win, I'll personally make up for the Sect Leader's losses this time."
Han Xiaoyu flushed with anger, "It was you who originally took most of those spiritual plants!"
"That's not the point," Yun Jin said bluntly. "The point is, you'll only get them back if you win."
Han Xiaoyu narrowed his eyes, cautiously asked, "And if I lose?"
Yun Jin said calmly, "If you lose, I ask for nothing else but you apologizing to my spirit beast."
Apologize to a spirit beast?
Han Xiaoyu thought he'd misheard and stared at her in disbelief, "Apologize to a spirit beast? Have you gone mad or have I? Besides, I've never even met your spirit beast."
Yun Jin said slowly, "His name is Gun Gun, the only Iron-Eating Beast in the Spirit Beast Pavilion. I think your memory can't be that bad."
Iron-Eating Beast?
Han Xiaoyu immediately understood.
He looked at Yun Jin in puzzlement, "That Iron-Eating Beast? His aptitude was too ordinary. I trained him for a long time, but he progressed too slowly. So he can actually reach Foundation Establishment Stage."
Yun Jin's eyes narrowed, "Is that so? I suppose your Misty Sky Butterfly must be quite gifted, then."
Han Xiaoyu replied with a trace of arrogance, "Naturally. My Misty Sky Butterfly has already mastered five skills. When combined, even an ordinary Golden Core isn't its opponent."
"Tomorrow morning. We'll meet on the dueling platform," Yun Jin said, not wasting any more words with him as she turned to leave.
Right now, he's probably still congratulating himself for abandoning Gun Gun back then.
But once contracted, a spirit beast's potential was largely determined by its master.
If the master was incompetent and only knew to blame the spirit beast, he would never walk the true path of a beast tamer in this lifetime.
Gun Gun would make sure he learned this lesson well.
Han Xiaoyu narrowed his eyes. He remembered that Iron-Eating Beast clearly, it had indeed shown no potential at all.
Since that's his opponent, Han Xiaoyu didn't think he had any chance of losing.
He went back and immediately reported the matter to Zhao Wuji.