Arrogant and Overbearing

Chapter 38: Arrogant and Overbearing

Three figures appeared silently in midair.

The one who spoke was a young man dressed in fine brocade robes.

He was tall and straight, but his face was covered in mottled silver scales. He had a wide, lion-like mouth, a broad nose, thick eyebrows, and an utterly ugly appearance. With his hands clasped behind his back, he first glanced indifferently at the people below, then turned his gaze to the Yin Corpse's head lying off to one side. A faint smile curled his lips.

Two women stood beside him.

Chen Lin and the others' hearts sank. Of the three, the other two women were nothing to worry about; they were both hovering around the late Xiantian Realm. But the man's aura was unfathomably deep. They couldn't sense his realm at all. From the way he spoke, though, he was clearly a powerful disciple who had come from the center of the Demon Prison. His cultivation must have reached the Sea Opening Realm!

"Hehe, these disciples are pretty impressive. They killed a ghost creature that had only just entered the Sea Opening Realm. Senior Brother Jiang Yue, are you really going to give me the Yin Corpse Fire Seed?" one of the women beside him suddenly asked with a giggle. She was clearly the Junior Sister Lan Xin he had mentioned.

Lan Xin was quite pretty. She wore a brightly colored dress that exposed her soft shoulders and half of her ample bosom. She leaned against the man like a boneless snake, her lithe body draped over his shoulder as she breathed honeyed words into his ear. Her eyes, however, were fixed on the Yin Corpse's head below, and delight glimmered in them.

"Hehe, of course. I only entered the Sea Opening Realm a few days ago, so the Yin Corpse Fire Seed is of little use to me. Naturally, I'll give it to you, Junior Sister." The woman's sweet breath stirred Senior Brother Jiang Yue's lust. His hands began wandering over her body as he readily made his promise.

Beside Senior Brother Jiang Yue, the other woman, who was slightly less attractive, flashed a gloomy look in her eyes. She glanced at Lan Xin with deep jealousy and resentment, but quickly regained her composure and put on a charming smile.

As the three of them chatted, they descended from the air, deciding among themselves who would get the Yin Corpse Fire Seed as though it already belonged to them. They acted as if Chen Lin and the others weren't even there, and the group's faces darkened completely.

"Oh? There's a pretty good-looking female disciple here, too."

As soon as Senior Brother Jiang Yue landed, his gaze swept over the area and settled on Han Shuitong, not far away. Surprise and lust flashed across his face.

"You. You're pretty. Come with me later."

Han Shuitong's expression shifted slightly at his words. She was silent for a moment, then suddenly gave him a captivating smile. She covered her delicate red lips with one hand, swayed her slender waist with a coy grin, and walked gracefully toward him, stopping behind him.

Seeing this, Senior Brother Jiang Yue nodded with satisfaction.

"Boy, go pick up that Yin Corpse's head for me."

Then the man glanced at Situ Kong and the other two before, without the slightest courtesy, pointing his chin at Chen Lin. He gestured toward the Yin Corpse's head nearby and issued his order coolly.

His tone was that of an exalted emperor, bossing around his servants as he pleased.

Chen Lin stared at the man, his expression dark as could be. He understood perfectly: the man wanted the Yin Corpse Fire Seed inside the Yin Corpse's head. It was also the reward that Situ Kong and the others had promised him for this mission.

"Hmm? What's that look for? You dare glare at me!"

When the man saw that Chen Lin hadn't moved, his eyes turned cold. A powerful, chilling pressure surged toward Chen Lin.

Thud, thud, thud!

Caught off guard, Chen Lin was driven back three steps by the oppressive force. Then he channeled all his strength and stopped himself, his body like a reef in the sea, immovable beneath that pressure.

"Oh? You've got some skill. No wonder you dared look at me with such disrespect. Heh. These nominal disciples are getting bolder by the day. I'll dig your eyes out with my own hands and see what you'll use to glare at me then!"

Senior Brother Jiang Yue's eyes shifted. He let out a cold laugh, then slowly patted the woman leaning against his shoulder, signaling for her to move away. With his hands behind his back, he began walking toward Chen Lin.

At the sight, both women beside Senior Brother Jiang Yue wore excited, cruel expressions. Han Shuitong let out a soft sigh and glanced at Chen Lin with a trace of sympathy, but then her expression returned to normal, and she watched coldly from the sidelines.

"Heh."

Farther away, Liu Han had moved aside early, afraid of being caught up in the trouble. He watched coldly from a distance. The Yin Corpse Fire Seed inside the Yin Corpse's head would have gone to Chen Lin according to their agreement, and Liu Han wouldn't get any of it. Now that Chen Lin was about to suffer, Liu Han felt no sympathy at all. If anything, a gloating look entered his eyes as he crossed his arms, waiting to see Chen Lin's miserable end.

Situ Kong's expression shifted between dark and light, and hesitation and struggle showed in his eyes. In the end, he gritted his teeth, mustered his courage, and stepped into the man's path. Bowing slightly with his fists clasped, he said, "Senior Brother Jiang Yue, I'm Situ Kong of the Underworld Spring Branch. This is my fellow disciple, Chen Lin. He only recently took human form and doesn't yet understand the rules of the Myriad Demon Sect. Please do me the courtesy of overlooking—"

Slap!

Before Situ Kong could finish, the man lashed out with a slap from across the air. Situ Kong cried out and was sent crashing sideways, flying a full three zhang. Broken teeth and blood sprayed from his mouth along the way, and the entire left side of his face swelled up. He looked utterly wretched.

"Courtesy? What are you? What makes you think you have the standing to block my way? The Underworld Spring Branch? Heh. That useless demon branch is full of useless disciples!"

A cruel smile curled the man's lips. With his hands behind his back, he strolled forward like an emperor on parade, his voice icy.

Chen Lin's expression darkened. He quickly moved to Situ Kong's side and helped him up.

"Brother Chen, sorry you had to see that..."

Situ Kong spat out his broken teeth. He didn't dare show the slightest resentment in his eyes, only a bitter smile. In a low voice, he said to Chen Lin, "The strong make the rules. Offer him the Yin Corpse's head with both hands. As for the loss of the Yin Corpse Fire Seed, I'll make it up to you. I won't let you come out the loser, Brother Chen. Remember, be humble. Bow your head and apologize to Senior Brother Jiang. With his cultivation, surely he won't make too much trouble for you once you apologize... Remember, in the Myriad Demon Sect, if you lack strength, people will trample your face into the dirt!"

"Haha, well said. In the Myriad Demon Sect, if you lack strength, people will trample your face into the dirt."

Somehow, Senior Brother Jiang Yue had heard every word of Situ Kong's quiet advice. He laughed and stopped, giving Situ Kong an amused glance before turning his gaze to Chen Lin. With a sneer, he said, "You're a mere ant, yet you dare offend me. This is the Demon Prison. The Myriad Demon Sect forbids killing, but here, who would care if a few nominal disciples died? That boy just said something I liked, so I'll give you one more chance."

"Go pick up the Yin Corpse's head and kneel as you offer it to me with both hands. Then slap yourself across the face. Don't stop until I say so. Keep slapping until I'm satisfied. Understand?"

Chen Lin pressed his lips tightly together, his fingernails almost digging into his palms.

Situ Kong, however, looked relieved. His voice trembled from his broken teeth, but he still forced out a smile. "Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang, for sparing him. Brother Chen, what are you waiting for? Hurry and do as Senior Brother Jiang says!"

Chen Lin was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled and nodded. He looked at Situ Kong and said softly, "Brother Situ, you stood up for me just now. I'll remember that."

With that, Chen Lin stood and walked over without a word. He bent down, picked up the Yin Corpse's head, and slowly walked toward Senior Brother Jiang Yue.

"Hmph, at least you know what's good for you. You nominal disciples are as low as weeds, crushed with a flick of the finger. This time, I'll teach you a lasting lesson: if you're weak, keep your head down in the Myriad Demon Sect. Heh!"

Seeing Chen Lin approach with his head lowered, obedient as could be, Senior Brother Jiang Yue sneered, a smug look on his face.

Chen Lin kept his head lowered, his expression blank. His eyes were unfathomably deep, and at their depths, a pinprick of red glimmered in his pool-cold gaze, laden with an inscrutable meaning.

At last, Chen Lin reached the man.

"Kneel!"

Apparently enjoying the feeling of controlling others at will, Jiang Yue stood with his hands behind his back and spoke coldly.

Chen Lin remained silent and slowly nodded. His lowered eyes concealed a color no one else could read, while his knees moved down, as though he were about to kneel.

But just as Chen Lin's knees touched the ground, a murderous gleam burst from his eyes!