[I Give Up, You Win!]

Martial Camp was located in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides.

There were not many buildings inside, but the layout was well planned. The Mercenary Guild, Assassin Guild, and other such facilities were all there.

Past the Martial Hall, which was responsible for inspecting warriors entering the Heaven-Piercing Tower, were the Tiger Vanguard Camp and Dragon-Viewing Platform, followed by a small parade ground equipped with a large teleportation array. If it was not yet the designated teleportation time, mercenaries could go to the other side of Martial Camp, where there was a small marketplace lined with taverns, lodgings, stables, blacksmith shops, battle beast boarding grounds, and more.

Yue Yang walked to the small parade ground that teleported people to the Heaven-Piercing Tower. The teleportation array there was a hundred times larger than the one at the City Lord's Manor.

There were a hundred teleportation crystal pillars, each at least five meters tall. Invisible energy permeated the air, radiating faintly. The entire teleportation array glimmered with an extremely pale white light. Walking into it felt like bathing in a lake of light energy, making both body and mind feel exceptionally comfortable.

In the thousands of years since Great Xia was founded, the capital had been conquered several times, but Martial Camp, which guarded this teleportation array, had never fallen.

That showed just how much importance Great Xia placed on this teleportation array.

"Brother, are you heading to the Heaven-Piercing Tower too? Why are you alone?" As Yue Yang looked around, a fair-skinned, smiling fat man beside him took the initiative to greet him. Yue Yang had barely glanced at him when the fellow familiarly draped a chubby white hand over Yue Yang's shoulder. "You look unfamiliar. First time here? A little nervous? Let me tell you, it's actually nothing. The Heaven-Piercing Tower is easier to clear than you imagine, and a hundred times more exciting too... It's normal to feel nervous your first time, but it's like losing your virginity. Once you get through the first time, it won't seem so mysterious anymore!"

"So you're an expert?" Yue Yang was speechless. He could even connect going to the Heaven-Piercing Tower with losing one's virginity? This fatty was clearly a dirty-minded bastard!

"I wouldn't dare call myself an expert, but among the younger generation, who doesn't know Hai Young Master?" The fat man nearly boasted that he could fly.

"Hai Young Master has an extraordinary appearance, a face full of fortune, and an ample supply of shit. You truly have the bearing of an expert!" Yue Yang gave him a thumbs-up.

"Ha, it's nothing. I've always kept a low profile. Even though I'm a grimoire contractor and own a Bronze Level Two Ironhide Rhino, I never go around telling people. I'm not that sort of person... Huh, is this your battle beast? It looks like a Bronze-level Iron-Spine Wolf? No, that's not right. Its nose is smoking, and it even spits sparks when it pants with its tongue out. Is this a demon wolf?" When the fat man saw Grey Wolf swaggering over to Yue Yang's side and wagging his tail, his fat trembled in shock.

"Not at all. It's my family's guard dog. It stole some fire-breathing peppers these past few days, which is why it ended up looking like this." Yue Yang explained with a straight face.

"Woof woof, awooo!" Grey Wolf barked in cooperation. After some practice, he had become increasingly proficient in foreign languages.

"This is really a guard dog? Then why haven't you signed a contract with it? Why is there no contract mark on its forehead? Heavens, this... this... Aren't you afraid it'll run off with someone else?" The fat man was almost anxious on Yue Yang's behalf. He glanced around nervously, then lowered his voice mysteriously. "Brother, listen to me. You've struck it rich. Your guard dog is a fine dog—no, no, it isn't a dog, it's a wolf. I definitely won't be mistaken. It must be a Bronze-level Iron-Spine Wolf! Look at the faint green glow on its wolf head, its fur like steel needles, skin like iron, and eyes that are green with a hint of blue... Look at this battle beast encyclopedia. The Iron-Spine Wolf inside looks exactly like your guard dog. And your guard dog is even stronger and more imposing. Maybe it ate too many fire-breathing peppers and unbelievably mutated into an Iron-Spine Demon Wolf... Hurry and sign a contract with it. This is a good battle beast! Others couldn't buy one even for a hundred gold!"

"It's just a guard dog. How could it be worth that much?" Yue Yang casually kicked Grey Wolf. Not only did he not dodge, he obediently wagged his huge tail, looking exactly like a useless guard dog.

"My eyes aren't playing tricks on me, are they? You dare abuse a battle beast? Aren't you afraid of lowering its loyalty? Right, you never signed a contract with it in the first place!" Seeing this, the fat man nearly wanted to kill himself.

If others had a good battle beast, they would worship it like an ancestor, afraid it would not eat well, sleep well, or be in a bad mood and lose loyalty.

Yet this little thief before him was the complete opposite. Not only did he fail to take good care of his battle beast, he even punched and kicked it.

Heavens!

The fat man felt that if he were a god, he would strike this little thief dead with a bolt of lightning.

This brat was wasting a treasure so recklessly. It was practically a crime!

Seeing Yue Yang's indifferent attitude, the fat man's heart stirred. Perhaps he could persuade this blind little thief, who could not recognize treasure, to give him the Iron-Spine Wolf.

The more he looked at the Iron-Spine Wolf, the more he felt that the wolf was fated to be with him. No matter what, he had to buy it. Suppressing his excitement, he secretly offered, "Brother, if you don't need this dog, why not let me have it? I'll offer fifty gold—no, sixty gold!"

Yue Yang despised this greedy fat man from the bottom of his heart. Sixty gold, and he wanted to buy Grey Wolf? What a beautiful dream!

Besides, Yue Yang could hit or kick Grey Wolf whenever he wanted. That was his business. How could he possibly sell him to someone else as a battle beast?

Yue Yang had never done stupid things. No matter how lousy Grey Wolf was, he was still a follower Yue Yang had raised himself. Without him, who would Yue Yang vent on whenever he got angry in the future? Not to mention sixty gold—even for six hundred or six thousand gold, Yue Yang would never sell a battle beast he had personally raised!

"Hai Young Master, my family only has this one guard dog. If I sell him to you, there'll be no dog left to guard the house and courtyard!" Yue Yang waved his hand to show that he would not sell.

"Call me Boss! Call me Boss, and I'll look after you from now on! Do you know who I am? I'm from one of the eight great families, the Hai Family. My uncle is a registered disciple of the Crystal Palace of the Eastern Sea, the foremost of the Four Sects. Impressive, right? Brother, don't worry. If you acknowledge me as your boss, I won't shortchange you! Not only will I give you sixty gold, I'll also give you a lion. Or a tiger, if you prefer... Whatever you want, just say it. Don't you want a dog to guard your home? I'll definitely take good care of it for you! Ah, no, that's not what I meant. I mean I'll sell you a hundred dogs to guard your gate! But this Iron-Spine Wolf, you have to sell it to me no matter what. I like it too much. Haven't you noticed how similar it is to me? Just like it, I'm strong!" The fat man struck a pose and flexed his biceps, making his fat ripple in waves.

Yue Yang looked at the fat man, then at Grey Wolf, and discovered that the two really did have something in common.

They both looked extremely punchable!

He tried hard not to laugh and asked in feigned surprise, "Aren't there only the four great families—Feng, Xue, Yue, and Yan? How did there become eight great families?"

"Feng, Xue, Yue, and Yan are the old four great families. We are the newly risen four great families. Though our reputation is just a little less, people already group us together as the eight great families! You must be from the countryside, right? Our Hai Family is very famous, especially when it comes to water-type battle beasts. We're second to none!" The fat man bragged without even drafting a script. He lied without blushing or missing a breath.

"Ah, so that's how it is..." Yue Yang nodded foolishly.

"Brother, sell me this Iron-Spine Wolf. Not only will I give you sixty gold and a lion battle beast, I'll also take you to the trial and guarantee that you pass. I guarantee you'll get your trial certificate within ten days. As for exchanging it for rune crystals that prove you cleared the trial afterward, I'll handle all of it for you!" The fat man patted his chest in assurance.

"Is this dead fatty trying to swindle you out of your Iron-Spine Demon Wolf?" Suddenly, a sweet and pleasant voice sounded behind Yue Yang, accompanied by a faint fragrance.

Yue Yang turned around and saw Bright-Eyed Thief standing behind him.

At the sight of Yue Yang, a flicker of excitement appeared in Bright-Eyed Thief's eyes, but it quickly vanished. "So you really didn't die... Hey, where have you been these past few days?"

The fat man had been about to get angry at having his good thing ruined, but when he saw Bright-Eyed Thief, his eyes immediately lit up. He became more excited than Grey Wolf seeing a meaty bone and instantly extended his chubby hand toward Bright-Eyed Thief. "Hello, my name is Hai Dafu. Everyone calls me Hai Young Master! You misunderstood me just now. I swear I had absolutely no intention of tricking my brother. Think about it—I'm his boss. Would I trick him? This beautiful... ah, this little brother, do you know my brother? That's great, then we're all one of our own! I'm so happy today. Let's go have a drink together. My treat!"

"Dead fatty, if you don't want me to drain you dry with one dagger, stay away from me!" Bright-Eyed Thief flew up with a kick, sending the fat man's enormous body flying just like Yue Yang kicked Grey Wolf.

"You're okay?" Seeing the fat man roll to his feet, Yue Yang seriously suspected that the fellow might be related to Grey Wolf.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Please don't worry about me. Don't you know what my battle beast is? My battle beast is an enhancement-type Ironhide Rhino. Its defense is like a steel plate. How could anything happen to me? You mean this blood... This isn't blood I coughed up. It's blood from my gums. I've been overheated lately, so my gums have been bleeding a little. That's right, that's all it is! Look at all this fat on me. Do you still need to worry about me?" The fat man quickly wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth while striking a pose that said, "I'm sturdy, I'm not afraid of kicks."

"Where did you run off to again?" In the distance, a palace-dressed beauty with a white veil over her face called softly.

"My aunt is here. I'll talk to you next time!" Bright-Eyed Thief hurriedly whispered to Yue Yang, then turned and walked toward the palace-dressed beauty.

"You know her? Even with her face covered, I'd say she's a ninety-nine out of a hundred!" The fat man grinned so widely that he nearly turned into a waterfall of drool. He looked incredibly punchable!

"I'm not interested in men!" Yue Yang suppressed the urge to stab this fat man in the chest with a dagger and turned to leave.

"You blind fool... I give up, you win!" The fat man suddenly felt like crying. This brat did not cherish a good battle beast and showed no enthusiasm toward a beauty. Wasn't he afraid of divine punishment?