Anyone familiar with Zhao Wuji knew that, despite his rough exterior and unremarkable looks, he was exceptionally proud at heart and never had a pleasant face for anyone weaker than himself.
Seeing Zhao Wuji act so gently toward an elderly woman far weaker than him left Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar-the three present who knew him best-slightly astonished.
"Greetings, esteemed Soul Saint."
Chao Tianxiang's rosy face shifted slightly as she softened her expression as much as possible and bowed to Zhao Wuji, showing the respect due to a powerful Soul Saint.
Then her gaze turned to Oscar and the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent beneath his short blade.
"You cannot give this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent to that child."
Zhao Wuji's thick eyebrows drew together. Displeasure stirred inside him, but he still gave Oscar a look, signaling him not to act yet, before turning to Snake Matriarch Chao Tianxiang.
"Why?"
Zhao Wuji's tone was perfectly calm, but the Soul Saint-level fluctuations of soul power radiating from him lent that simple question tremendous force and pressure.
Feeling the enormous soul power poised to erupt from Zhao Wuji, Chao Tianxiang's heart tightened. Still, with her wealth of experience, she was not particularly frightened. She looked calmly at him and gave her reason.
"Because this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is our prey."
"We discovered it first and were the first to begin hunting it. We tracked it here specifically to catch it."
Zhao Wuji's brows furrowed deeper.
"How can you prove that?"
Snake Matriarch Chao Tianxiang smiled faintly and said,
"There are several wounds on the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's belly and beneath its wings. Those can serve as evidence. My Serpent Cane inflicted them."
Unconvinced, Oscar put away his short blade for the moment and struggled to turn the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's enormous body over, exposing