Bluffing

An hour passed, and the movements of the two spirit beasts grew slower and slower.

Most of the spirit snake's scales had fallen off, while the spirit tiger was clearly unsteady on its feet, affected by the toxic mist.

Yet neither of them had completely collapsed.

Yun Heng was growing impatient as she watched.

Are they stuck in a draw, unable to determine a victor? If they keep dragging this out, how is she supposed to make her move?

Yun Heng's gaze flicked back and forth between the two spirit beasts, and a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

What if...

She took both of them?

Yun Heng's eyes lit up.

Wasn't right now the best opportunity?

She retrieved the Breath-Concealing Array Plate and set up Sound-Isolating Talismans around the area to prevent any upcoming commotion from attracting other cultivators or spirit beasts.

Once prepared, Yun Heng stepped out from behind the thicket of grass.

She did not draw her sword, intending to show a bit of sincerity first.

“You two, how about forming a contract with me?”

“My name is Yun Heng, late-stage Nascent Soul.”

The spirit snake and spirit tiger halted simultaneously. They turned their heads to stare at the suddenly appearing Yun Heng, then traded a glance with each other.

Where did this young slip of a girl come from, actually wanting to contract both of them at once?

The spirit snake was the first to speak in human tongue:

“I don't care if you're at late-stage Nascent Soul or late-stage Soul Transformation.”

“Contract us? In your dreams!”

The spirit tiger did not speak, but immediately spun its body around into an offensive stance.

It lowered its body, sharp claws sinking into the soil as a threatening low growl rumbled in its throat.

Even though severely wounded, it was clearly prepared to fight Yun Heng to the bitter end.

Yun Heng understood in her heart—it seemed these two were tough nuts to crack; talking nicely wasn't going to work.

Looking at the spirit snake and spirit tiger before her, her tone cooled.

“Both of you are already mutually injured. I could simply kill you directly and take your beast cores and carcasses.”

“I am not negotiating with you right now; I am giving you one final chance.”

“Either form a contract with me, or die.”

As her words fell, Yun Heng slowly drew her longsword.

A biting frost sword intent instantly washed outward.

The spirit snake and spirit tiger both sensed the danger simultaneously.

The spirit snake's eyes darted around before it hastily said:

“Wait a moment!”

Yun Heng paused her blade.

The spirit snake watched her warily.

“If you want to contract us, what benefits do we get?”

“We can't just blindly get contracted by some random human cultivator out of nowhere without knowing anything, can we?”

Yun Heng lowered her longsword, scoffing softly in her heart. It seemed tough tactics really were necessary after all.

“Benefits naturally won't be lacking.”

Yun Heng said without batting an eye:

“I am the Young Lord of a secluded clan. My clan possesses endless resources and abundant spiritual energy.”

“When it comes to things required for a spirit beast's cultivation, there is nothing I cannot produce—only things you cannot imagine.”

“As long as you form a contract with me, I guarantee you'll eat the best food and live in the best places.”

“How about it?”

She spoke with calm composure, as though she truly were a Young Lord raised from childhood surrounded by countless treasures in a secluded clan of immense heritage.

The spirit snake and spirit tiger were stunned.

The Young Lord of a secluded clan? Someone with such a status would actively seek to contract them?

The spirit snake was full of doubt.

“You claim to be the Young Lord of a secluded clan, but do you have proof?”

“You didn't just fabricate this identity on the spot to fool us, did you?”

Yun Heng chuckled softly.

She had come prepared.

Yun Heng retrieved the Young Lord Command from her storage bag and held it up before the two spirit beasts.

The Young Lord Command was pitch-black throughout, made of a material that seemed like jade yet was not. Ancient dark-gold patterns were engraved along its edges. On the front of the token was the bold, vigorous character for “Yun,” while the back was carved with sprawling mountains, rivers, and a sea of clouds.

When Yun Heng brought it out, the dark-gold patterns glowed faintly, and an ancient, majestic aura radiated around the token.

The spirit snake and spirit tiger stared at the Young Lord Command for a moment, already believing twenty percent of her claim.

Whether in material, engravings, or radiated aura, this token clearly looked extraordinary, not something forged on the fly.

The person before them truly might be the Young Lord of some secluded clan.

However, the spirit tiger still did not fully believe her.

It said in a deep voice:

“A single token is not enough.”

“Who knows if your clan actually has good things? What if it's just a fallen clan? Wouldn't we be at a total loss if we followed you?”

On the surface, Yun Heng's expression remained unchanged, but her mind spun rapidly.

Something that could prove her clan's heritage...

Yet as she went through everything she had drawn, she couldn't find a treasure suitable to pull out and shock these two spirit beasts right now.

Ordinary spirit herbs and materials certainly wouldn't do.

Magic treasures of overly high ranks were unsuitable for spirit beasts, so bringing them out might not necessarily work.

What should she do?

Yun Heng quickly opened the System panel in her mind. The number in the upper right corner still read six hundred Awe Points.

There was no choice but to take a gamble. It was only one hundred Awe Points; she could afford it.

Yun Heng chanted internally:

“Draw card.”

【Do you wish to consume one hundred Awe Points to perform one card draw?】

“Confirm, draw quickly.”

The System wheel appeared swiftly, and six categories of cards flashed continuously across the light screen.

Yun Heng prayed silently in her heart for something usable right now, ideally something that could bluff these two spirit beasts into submission on the spot.

The wheel gradually slowed down, finally stopping at the Item Card section.

A beam of purple light descended.

【Congratulations on obtaining Four-Star Item Card: Soul Transformation Jade Marrow Fruit x2.】

【Soul Transformation Jade Marrow Fruit: High-grade spirit fruit. The fruit is translucent as jade, containing a strand of Soul Transformation spiritual aura condensed within. When consumed by cultivators, it can nourish meridians, refine spiritual power, and stabilize the Nascent Soul; when consumed by spirit beasts, it can purify bloodlines and strengthen demon cores.】

Wonderful!

Yun Heng was overjoyed; the System must have heard her inner plea.

As expected of her System, it truly proved reliable at critical moments.

Opposite her, the spirit snake and spirit tiger watched Yun Heng suddenly close her eyes and stand motionless for a long while, confusion flashing in their eyes.

What was she doing? Could it be that she couldn't produce anything and was thinking of how to continue deceiving them?

Just as the two spirit beasts grew increasingly suspicious, Yun Heng opened her eyes once again.

In her hands, two spirit fruits as translucent as jade had appeared.

The spirit fruits were only the size of a fist, their surfaces devoid of any impurities, looking as if carved from the finest white jade.

Strands of golden spiritual aura flowed slowly within the fruit flesh. A rich fruity fragrance rapidly diffused, causing the surrounding spiritual aura to gather around the two spirit fruits as if drawn by a magnet.

The spirit snake and spirit tiger took a close look, their eyes widening at the same time.

Soul Transformation Jade Marrow Fruit!