"What?"
Seeing the Gale Wolf suddenly turn tail and flee, Zhang You was shocked and hurriedly shouted.
"Get back there and kill it!"
He brandished the iron chain in his hand, threatening it.
The Origin Beasts in the Rare Beast Garden had all undergone special training, instilling an instinctive fear of and obedience to these chains.
The Gale Wolf faltered when it saw Zhang You waving the chain.
Yet it still dared not turn back to attack the cub. Instead, it changed direction, trying to leap off the platform.
"Damn beast, get the hell back there!"
Zhang You panicked. Fifty thousand taels rode on this match.
Even for the son of the Minister of Personnel and a shareholder in the Rare Beast Garden, that was no small sum.
Besides, he had hoped to use this opportunity to lure Gu Chenfeng into his trap.
He hurried after it, continuing to wave the chain to block its escape.
A man and a wolf chased each other around the beast-fighting platform, making for a truly bizarre spectacle.
The spectators below were equally bewildered.
What on earth was going on?
How could a Silver-Eyed Fox cub frighten a Gale Wolf on the verge of becoming a wolf king this badly?
In the crowd, Shangguan Bingxin stared at the Silver-Eyed Fox cub, her gaze suddenly sharpening.
"That isn't a Silver-Eyed Fox cub!"
Her words immediately drew everyone's attention.
Princess Yaoyin also looked over in surprise.
"Bingxin, isn't that a Silver-Eyed Fox?"
"No, it's a Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub," Shangguan Bingxin declared, stunning everyone.
"A Silvermoon Demon Wolf!"
Everyone present felt a jolt upon hearing that name.
Both were wolf-type Origin Beasts, but the Silvermoon Demon Wolf was far more renowned than the Gale Wolf.
Adult Silvermoon Demon Wolves were all at least in the Meridian-Opening Realm, with a fair chance of reaching the Source Qi Realm.
Some people had even seen a Silvermoon Demon Wolf King in the Source Sea Realm deep within Great Wilderness Ridge.
The world of Origin Beasts had a strict hierarchy, with particular emphasis on bloodline.
This Silvermoon Demon Wolf probably possessed the highest-ranking bloodline in the entire Rare Beast Garden.
And the Gale Wolf belonged to the same wolf-type category of Origin Beasts.
Under that innate bloodline suppression, the Gale Wolf could not even summon the will to resist.
On the platform, Gu Chenfeng watched Zhang You chasing the wolf all over the place and could not help laughing inwardly.
He had already spotted this Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub while strolling through the square earlier.
It had been mistaken for a Silver-Eyed Fox and caged with the other Silver-Eyed Fox cubs.
Though the little fellow was very weak, its presence had made the other cubs cry out in terror.
"Such a scary aura! Mommy..."
"Who the hell put a wolf in here? I'm so scared!"
Certain that the little fellow possessed an extraordinary bloodline, Gu Chenfeng had bought the cub for several hundred taels.
The facts proved his judgment correct.
Seeing Zhang You still desperately pursuing the Gale Wolf, Gu Chenfeng's eyes gleamed.
He seized the instant when the two raced past him.
Concealing his movement beneath his wide sleeve, he reached out and tugged without anyone noticing, catching the iron chain Zhang You was waving.
Clatter...!
Caught off guard, Zhang You lost his grip on the chain, but had no time to retrieve it.
Terrified that the Gale Wolf would leap off the platform and cost him the wager, he pressed on.
He caught up and kicked the Gale Wolf right in the backside.
"You mangy beast! Get back there and fight!"
The Gale Wolf glanced back in pain.
Huh? Something seemed to be missing.
"Fuck! Get back there!"
Zhang You's eyes reddened with desperation as he kicked at the Gale Wolf again.
This time, however-
"Roar!"
The Gale Wolf, which had been fleeing in such a sorry state, suddenly opened its bloody maw and clamped down on Zhang You's leg.
"Aaargh!"
Now it was Zhang You's turn to howl. Only then did he remember that he no longer held the chain.
"Let go, you beast!"
Zhang You swung his fists, hammering the Gale Wolf's head.
But without the chain's deterrence, why would the Gale Wolf put up with him?
Settling old scores and new grievances alike, it viciously sank its teeth into his thigh and tore at it.
"Aaah...!"
Zhang You was a body tempering seventh layer martial artist himself, but the Gale Wolf was stronger and possessed a tough body.
No matter how hard he pummeled it, the Gale Wolf refused to release him and only bit harder.
Blood gushed out, staining the beast-fighting platform red.
Once again, the spectators were stunned.
The fastest to react was Gu Chenfeng, who was on the platform.
"Young Master Zhang, I'll save you!"
Gu Chenfeng was a warmhearted man.
Faced with such a crisis, he grabbed the chain from the ground and rushed forward without another word.
"Let go, you beast!"
Gu Chenfeng swung the chain, putting all his strength into a furious barrage of lashes.
Perhaps the sight of blood had driven the Gale Wolf completely out of control. Even under the iron chain's lashes, it stubbornly refused to let go.
Instead, Zhang You's screams grew even more harrowing.
There was no helping it. The Gale Wolf's bites were already agonizing, but Gu Chenfeng's lashes hurt even worse!
Who knew whether this fellow's whipping skills were terrible or he was doing it deliberately?
Nine out of every ten lashes landed on Zhang You, each one carving a bloody groove.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang You had become a "blood-soaked gourd."
Gu Chenfeng cursed the Gale Wolf's savagery as he lashed away mercilessly.
At that moment, he secretly pushed the strength and precision of his body tempering ninth layer cultivation to their utmost.
Zhang You's body had begun convulsing, and white foam seeped from the corners of his mouth.
"Young Master Zhang!"
A group of Rare Beast Garden guards finally rushed onto the platform, scrambling to restrain the Gale Wolf and rescue Zhang You.
Gu Chenfeng sighed inwardly at the sight, then hurried over to help as well.
But he seemed to make a mistake in his haste.
As Gu Chenfeng stepped forward to pull at the Gale Wolf, he stumbled and accidentally stamped on Zhang You's crotch.
Crack!
With that crisp snap, Zhang You let out a strangled hiccup.
His eyes rolled back, and he passed out completely.
A quarter of an hour later.
Gu Chenfeng stood beside Zhang You's stretcher, his face full of concern as he instructed a steward of the Rare Beast Garden.
"Carry Young Master Zhang back and take good care of him. No need to repay me for saving his life-just give me ten thousand taels in cash.
"After all, that chain rubbed the skin off my hands. I'll need treatment."
The middle-aged steward's face darkened.
If you're really so concerned about Young Master Zhang, why are you gripping the stretcher so tightly and refusing to let us carry him away? Isn't this looting a burning house?
But this was the Gu Lineage's Third Young Master, the prime minister's own grandson. He dared not offend him lightly.
Seeing Zhang You's eyes rolled back as he clung to life, the middle-aged steward feared something truly disastrous might happen.
After all, Zhang You was not just a shareholder in the Rare Beast Garden, but also the Minister of Personnel's son.
If he died here, none of them could bear the consequences.
"Someone, settle the Third Young Master's payment at once!"
There were the fifty thousand taels won from the wager, plus ten thousand taels in "rescue fees."
Then the forty thousand taels Ouyang Cai owed were deducted.
With seventy thousand taels in banknotes in hand, Gu Chenfeng finally released the stretcher.
He did regret failing to seize this chance to finish Zhang You off.
But at least he had solved the problem of funding his spiritual medicine purchases. The trip had not been wasted.
Taking the money and the Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub, Gu Chenfeng walked straight over to Shangguan Bingxin.
Gu Chenfeng took out five thousand taels in banknotes.
"Miss Shangguan, thank you for your generosity earlier. Here's your repayment."
Shangguan Bingxin studied Gu Chenfeng with an unusual look, as though reassessing him.
After a moment's consideration, she shook her head.
"It was a small favor, not worth mentioning. You need only return five hundred taels, Third Young Master."
Shangguan Bingxin firmly refused to accept the five thousand taels.
Gu Chenfeng changed tack. "How about this? Could I ask you to look after this demon wolf cub for me?
"The extra forty-five hundred taels can be its 'care fee.'
"After all, I'm really no good at raising Origin Beasts. Sorry for the trouble, miss."
Seeing Gu Chenfeng hold the fluffy, adorable Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub out to her, Shangguan Bingxin paused.
She had been about to politely decline, but a spark lit her beautiful eyes, and she hesitated.
Just then, the demon wolf cub stuck out its tiny pink tongue and gave a little yip.
Shangguan Bingxin could not resist taking the little fellow and stroking it a couple of times.
After that, she could not bring herself to let go.
Beside her, Princess Yaoyin had kept her pretty face taut, saying nothing.
But when she saw Gu Chenfeng hand the Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub to Shangguan Bingxin, she finally could not maintain her composure.
"Ahem... Gu Chenfeng, didn't you say earlier that you would give me a spirit pet?
"Actually, I'm rather fond of wolf-type Origin Beasts too."
The hint could not have been more obvious.
"This demon wolf cub is very much to my liking."
Gu Chenfeng responded generously.
"Oh... You like wolf-type Origin Beasts, Your Highness? Then how about I buy that Gale Wolf that went berserk earlier and give it to you?"
"..."
Princess Yaoyin took a deep breath, said nothing, and turned away with a sweep of her sleeve.
Only her graceful figure trembled slightly as she left.
Shaking with rage, chilled to the bone!
Shangguan Bingxin finally made her decision.
"All right. I'll take care of this Silvermoon Demon Wolf."
A quarter of an hour later, Gu Chenfeng and Ouyang Cai boarded the carriage back to the city.
Inside the carriage, Ouyang Cai offered some advice. "Third Young Master, you seem awfully attentive to Miss Shangguan. Have you changed targets?
"But Miss Shangguan is Grand Secretary Shangguan's treasured daughter and the imperial capital's most talented lady. She looks down on wastrel young masters like us most of all.
"Aren't you afraid that handing her the Silvermoon Demon Wolf cub will leave you with the chicken flown off and the eggs smashed-nothing to show for it?"
Gu Chenfeng reclined in the carriage, comfortably enjoying a maid's leg massage.
"What do you know? Now that she's agreed to raise the cub for me, I'll have a reason to visit the Shangguan Residence often.
"You think I'm trying to please her, but she's actually a fish I'm keeping in my pond."
"Holy shit!"
Though Ouyang Cai did not understand this "fish keeping," he was still deeply shaken.
The Third Young Master actually possessed such brilliant methods for wooing women. Then there were those miraculous beast-fighting skills he had displayed earlier.
Ouyang Cai suddenly felt that the Gu Chenfeng before him had become somewhat unfamiliar.
Hiss... Weren't we supposed to be good-for-nothings together? Why does it feel like the Third Young Master is about to stab me in the back?
Before you continue