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Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Let's Move To Lei Estate
Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Let's Move To Lei Estate
Aric stood at the edge of the battlefield, his smirk widening as he received multiple notifications from the system.
[Ding! Congratulations host, You have gained 2000 Villain Halo and 20,000 Villain Points for forcing the protagonist to use his blood essence.]
[Ding! Congratulations host, You have gained 2000 Villain Halo and 20,000 Villain Points for affecting the mentality of the protagonist, Long Tianyun.]
Aric also received many other notifications-
[Ding! A new target. Do you want to use mind control?]
His eyes flickered with delight at the rewards, each notification further affirming his success in manipulating Long Tianyun into burning his own blood essence. The grin on Aric's face deepened as his thoughts turned to the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.
"Those fox bastards must be doing their work quite well," Aric mused. "Soon, all those beauties will be mine."
He watched from a distance as Long Tianyun, bloodied and barely able to stand, staggered away from the battlefield. His fury and hatred toward Ye Chen had left him with nothing but exhaustion. Aric considered finishing him off but quickly dismissed the thought.
"It would be pointless," Aric muttered to himself. "Let him live and suffer. He'll make the perfect pawn later."
With a swift motion, Aric bent down, gripping the bloodied heads of the fallen leaders—the Vermillion Bird Clan's Shanon Wei, Qing Tian of the Demonic Tigers, Viker Kim of the Bloodmoon Wolves, and Serong Yu of the Black Serpents. Each of their once-mighty forms now reduced to lifeless bodies, their heads hanging from Aric's grasp like trophies.
"Perfect."
Back at the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan's Cave
When Aric returned to the hidden cave of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, Razel and the others escorted him back to meet the matriarch, Ava Nightshade. As he stepped inside the grand hall, the tension was palpable. The foxes had been waiting, their minds filled with uncertainty and dread.
"Here is your present, Matriarch," Aric said casually, a sinister smile playing across his lips as he threw the severed heads onto the stone floor with a sickening thud.
The entire hall fell into stunned silence. The heads of the four great beast leaders rolled to the feet of Ava Nightshade, blood staining the stone. The fox elders and the clan members stared in shock and disbelief, their eyes wide with terror.
"W-What? How did he do it?" one of the elders stammered, his voice trembling. "In such a short time… how could this human possibly…?"
Another elder whispered, "Those were Divine Transformation Realm beasts... This human slaughtered them all...?"
The room buzzed with fear and confusion. Even Ava Nightshade, the powerful matriarch, couldn't fully hide her shock. Her golden eyes flickered over the heads of her enemies, her graceful composure faltering for a moment before she regained control.
Aric stepped forward, his presence demanding attention. "I've fulfilled my end of the bargain," he said smoothly, his voice cutting through the tension. "Now, it's time for you to fulfill yours."
The entire room was silent, save for the soft rustling of Ava's tails behind her. Her gaze remained steady as she locked eyes with Aric, though there was a flicker of something—doubt, perhaps—in her golden eyes. She had underestimated him. Now, there was no escaping the fact that this human had delivered what he had promised.
Aric quickly pulled up the status panel for Ava, curious to see where she stood now.
[Name: Ava Nightshade]
[Age: 320 years]
[Cultivation Level: Spirit Severing (9th Stage)]
[Strength: 190]
[Agility: 170]
[Intelligence: 140]
[Charm: 320]
[Physique: Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Physique]
[Bloodline: Pure-Blood Nine-Tailed Fox]
[Cultivation Techniques: Moonlit Enchantment Arts, Celestial Fox Transformation, Eternal Charm Technique]
[Skills: Thousand Dreams Illusion, Foxfire Devouring, Heavenly Fox Soul Binding]
[Favourability: 30]
[Protagonist Halo: 75,000]
But something was off.
"System, I've done what the quest required, yet where are my rewards? Why her favorability os only 30?" Aric's thoughts raced as he internally communicated with his system.
[Ding! Host, you haven't completed the task entirely.]
"What do you mean? I've killed those attacking the clan. Isn't that enough?"
[Ding! Host, they might face future attacks. To complete the task, you must provide them with a safe haven.]
Aric rolled his eyes at the system's logic. "A safe haven? I suppose that means I'm supposed to take all these beautiful foxes back with me to my bed... I mean to my estate, huh?" He chuckled darkly at the thought, his eyes briefly lingering on Ava before scanning the room, taking in the other fox women who were present.
[Ding! Only when they are removed from the Demonic Lands will the mission be marked complete.]
Aric's grin widened as he replied, "Alright, alright, I get it. Let's move them to the Lei Estate, then."
"I've done more than you expected, Matriarch," Aric said, his voice low but firm. "The demonic alliance is in ruins, their leaders dead. "
Ava's eyes narrowed as she rose from her seat. "You truly are full of surprises, Aric Lei. But tell me… why should I trust you? You've brought me their heads, but what are your true intentions?"
Aric chuckled darkly, stepping closer to Ava. "Trust me? You don't have to. But remember, without me, your clan would be wiped out by now. I've shown you my strength, and I've kept my word. The alliance is in shambles.
Now, it's your turn to hold up your end of the deal."
One of the fox elders stepped forward, her voice trembling with both awe and suspicion. "How could a human of your age possibly defeat them? Are you even human, Aric Lei?"
Aric's grin widened as he let the question hang in the air. "Does it matter?" he said smoothly. "The only thing that matters is that I did. Now, Matriarch, it's time for my reward."
Ava's gaze was unreadable as she assessed Aric, her tails swaying hypnotically behind her. She had hoped to use her charm to bend this human to her will, but his strength and cunning had far surpassed her expectations.
"Why should we trust you, human?" she asked, her voice carrying the weight of centuries of conflict. "You speak of protection, but what happens when your human allies discover we are residing with you? Will they not see us as enemies? History has shown that humans and demons cannot coexist."
There was a murmur of agreement from the others, their mistrust of humans deeply ingrained. Ava remained silent but watchful, her eyes trained on Aric, waiting for his response.
Aric held up his hands in a gesture of calm. "You're right to question me. The history between humans and demons hasn't exactly been friendly. But let me ask you this—how long do you think you can survive here, hidden in the Demonic Lands, with enemies closing in from all sides? The alliance maybe in ruins but your enemies arenot going to stop after one attack as long as you have that lake.
And what then? More deaths, more suffering for your people?"
His words hit hard, and the faces of the elders grew more somber.
Another elder, his golden fur bristling, spoke up. "And what if they find out where we've gone? Your Lei Family may be strong, but it won't take long for the other human sects to realize we are hiding with you. They'll see us as a threat and come for us."
"Exactly," added a younger fox with fiery red tails. "The moment humans know about us, we'll be hunted again. You cannot protect us from the world forever."
Aric nodded, understanding their fear. "That's true. But what you don't understand is the power I hold. The Lei Family is one of the most powerful families in Azuria. No human sect would dare attack us. You've seen my strength firsthand, and I assure you, the rest of my family is even stronger.
If you stay here, you will always be attacked. But if you come with me, no human will dare lay a hand on you under the Lei Family's protection."
The murmurs grew louder, some still unconvinced, but doubt had begun to settle in their hearts. Ava's sharp gaze flickered as she leaned back in her seat, her tails curling around her. She could see the logic in Aric's words, but her instincts warned her of the potential risks.
"And what guarantee do we have that the Lei Family won't turn against us?" Ava asked, her voice calm but firm. "If your family decides that protecting demons is too risky, what's to stop them from betraying us?"
Aric stepped closer, his tone serious. "The Lei Family follows my lead. I am the heir, and my word is law within my house. I promise you this: as long as you are under my protection, no one—human or demon—will dare touch you."
The foxes exchanged glances, weighing their options. The risks of leaving the Demonic Lands were real, but so was the threat of staying. The recent attacks had weakened their forces, and without a safe haven, their future was bleak.
Finally, the elder with the silver tails, who had first spoken, sighed. "If what you say is true, we don't have many choices. But if you betray us, Aric Lei, the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan will not forgive you. Our wrath will be unlike anything you've ever faced."
Aric met her gaze without flinching. "You won't need to worry about that. Betraying you isn't part of my plan."
Ava sat quietly, her mind racing as the weight of the decision pressed down on her. She glanced at the other elders, and they gave small, almost imperceptible nods. The choice had been made.
"Very well, Aric," Ava said, her voice soft but filled with authority. "We will go with you to the Lei Estate. But remember, this alliance is built on trust. If you betray us, it will mean war."
Aric bowed his head slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You have my word, Matriarch. You and your people will be safe with me."