Chapter 44 – Red-tailed Fox Demonic Core

Baiyang Town’s Demon Hunting Tournament had occurred the day before, and today was the day of the announcement of the new Baiyang Town mayor and the right to rule would be handed over to him.

All of the minor powers and families had to attend an important ceremony like this. The sky had only just lightened and there were already more than 10,000 people gathered in the plaza of Baiyang Town.

These people were all famous and had high positions, and they all lived within a five-kilometer radius of Baiyang Town.

The right to rule had been decided by the participation of the younger generation of the Bai and Yang families in the Demon Hunting Tournament. Participation was proof that the Lingwu family took a family’s potential seriously.

The Bai and Yang families hadn’t arrived yet. The crowd was busy discussing the huge incident that had happened the night before.

The stories had already spread like wildfire.

Everyone had been shocked by two pieces of news: the viciousness of the Bai family’s betrayal, and the emergence of an extraordinarily powerful teenager in the Yang family. “You just had to be there. His whole body was covered in blood-red scales and bony spines sharper than your sword. Bai Zhanxiong couldn’t even withstand one attack from him. The Nine Yellow Rivers of the Abyssal Heaven Fingers completely lost to the Yang family’s Primordial Dragon Seal. Everyone’s talking about how that teenager is already number three in the whole of Baiyang Town.”

“Number three? At just sixteen years old? He’s a monster indeed. That’s even more shocking than Long Qinglan years ago.”

“The two prodigies of the Bai family pale in comparison to this teenage prodigy ...”

“Alright, that’s enough. The Bai family is here.”

The crowd parted to make way. The Bai patriarch led his family, his face solemn as he strode into the gigantic plaza.

The minor powers of Baiyang Town kept quiet out of fear when they saw the fierce expressions of the Bai family. But in private, they were cursing them.

They only admired warriors who fought with honor after all. People who betrayed their close friends were greeted with disgust.

The atmosphere darkened with the Bai family’s arrival. Then, someone shouted, “The Yang family is here.”

The crowd parted for them too, showering the Yang family with smiles and friendly greetings. The Yang patriarch and his family returned their greetings politely. Most eyes were on the legendary monster genius, Long Chen. “He does look like he’s about sixteen. Yet he’s achieved so much ...”

“My son has been acting arrogantly since attaining the Fourth Draconic Stage. He needs to see this young man to know that there’s always someone better. This is how a true prodigy should act.”

The Bai family had noticed how the crowd fell silent when they arrived but erupted in greetings and compliments when the Yang family appeared.

This glory should have been theirs but it had been taken from them. The expressions of each member of the Bai family darkened even more, as if they had turned into black iron.

The “Bai” family had turned into the “Black” family! [1]

Long Chen stared at the Bai family. Not many Bai family members showed up today; only Bai Sheng, Bai Zhanlong, Bai Zhanfeng and an old man with a sharp gaze were present. Long Chen gasped in surprise while Ling Xi asked in confusion, “Hey, isn’t that the old man who was guarding the Ascension Fruit?”

Although Long Chen had only taken a quick look, he was confident that he had recognized the right person.

Long Chen suddenly noticed that there was a red dot between his brows!

Long Chen also had a red dot between his brows. It was the Inherited Blood Essence, which had retreated to the space between his brows. It was very faint and difficult to spot unless one observed closely. However, the old man’s red dot was painted on with a special pigment that was especially bright in the sunlight!

Long Chen had seen Bai Zhanxiong trafficking the ladies from Jade Palace Brothel to a group of people with a red dot between their brows–just like this old man’s red dot!

Last night, Long Chen had heard Bai Zhanxiong mention his second uncle and the Blood Saints. This old man’s eyes and brows resembled those of the Bai patriarch so he had to be the Second Uncle Bai Zhanxiong had spoken of. And he was guarding the Ascension Fruit ...

When Long Chen connected all the dots, he finally understood the big picture.

A phenomenon will occur before the Ascension Fruit ripens. When that happens, only the Bai and Yang family will be there to fight for it. This fruit is important to both families. Maybe that’s why the Bai family tried to wipe us out last night; they’re worried that Grandfather will get the fruit or spread the news that the Bai family has gotten the fruit!

Long Chen had thought that the Bai family betrayed them because of the right to rule but that never seemed to be accurate. Now, he finally realized the truth.

When the Bai patriarch pointed Long Chen out, the old man looked over and seemed to be trying to recall his face. His expression turned to shock immediately and he fixed an icy gaze on Long Chen.

Long Chen knew that the old man had recognized him as the person who had seen the Ascension Fruit. And since Long Chen knew of the fruit, he would tell the Yang family. The old man’s eyes instantly filled with killing intent!

He spoke to the Bai patriarch, Bai Sheng, in a low voice, and Bai Sheng’s expression changed instantly!

They never could have expected that Long Chen would wander to that area during the Demon Hunting Tournament. The Yang family probably knew of the Ascension Fruit already!

They had planned to kill the Yang family after discovering this fruit, but Long Chen’s appearance had been a surprise. And now Long Chen had told the Yang family about the Ascension Fruit!

The fruit that was theirs had suddenly become vulnerable. How could the two brothers not hate Long Chen?

The Yang patriarch also saw the old man and his brows furrowed. “This is bad. This man ... Bai Sheng has a stepbrother from a different mother whose name is Bai Li. He was always in Yuanling City and never contacted Bai Sheng much. Yet he’s here in Baiyang Town today ... Two Ninth Draconic Stage masters ...”

He could fight Bai Sheng alone but with an equally powerful Bai Li added to the mix, the Yang patriarch was no longer so confident. But when he thought of the monster genius Long Chen, he was somewhat relieved.

He didn’t know how powerful Long Chen was, but if he could defeat Bai Zhanxiong, that meant he would be able to fend Bai Li off for a while.

The Yang patriarch still didn’t know about the Ascension Fruit and didn’t understand why Bai Li was present. Additionally, he still didn’t know why the Bai family wanted to hurt the Yang family.

Long Chen’s brows knitted together. With Lord Wolf present, the Bai family would not dare cause trouble but Long Chen knew that they would definitely fight Bai Sheng and Bai Li in the struggle for the Ascension Fruit!

Long Chen had some confidence in defeating those two but the Blood Saints that Bai Zhanxiong mentioned made him worry.

Lord Wolf was so powerful despite his young age. This meant that the people of Yuanling City were far more powerful than the people of Baiyang Town. Since Bai Li lived in Yuanling City, he had to know many masters too. If they were involved in the fight for the Ascension Fruit, the Yang family would be ...

The burden that had previously been lifted now returned to Long Chen.

He knew that there would be a battle after the Ascension Fruit ripened. The Bai family were creative schemers, and now, Long Chen had a few more people he wanted to protect. He had more to lose than ever. If there really was a fight between the Yang and Bai families, Long Chen knew that he wasn’t strong enough to protect so many people.

At the very least, he had to protect Yang Xueqing. After yesterday’s incident, although Long Chen hadn’t completely forgiven her, he wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her.

Long Chen had killed so many people in the Bai family. They would never show mercy to the Yang family now. A heavy weight sat on Long Chen’s shoulders ...

The Ascension Fruit will ripen in about eight days. Eight days. How can I attain complete victory within this time ...

As the two Bai brothers glared daggers at Long Chen, who did not back down, the crowd erupted suddenly into noise. A person had materialized on the empty stage!

It was the representative sent by the Lingwu family of Yuanling City, the mysterious Lord Wolf. He was still wearing a hooded cloak that hid his features.

Everyone in Baiyang Town knew that Lord Wolf had to be quite young due to the youthfulness of his voice. He was a prodigy amongst prodigies.

When Long Chen first met Lord Wolf, he hadn’t been able to figure out whether Lord Wolf was male or female. He also discovered that Lord Wolf was a great person who was very friendly and a little shy. However, perhaps because he was here on official matters, Lord Wolf had deliberately made himself more distant and formal when they’d met the day before.

Towards the end of the Demon Hunting Tournament, when Long Chen dragged the Bai youths out of the Desolate Mountains, he had actually appeared before time was up. However, Lord Wolf favored Long Chen and ended the tournament earlier than usual.

Long Chen was very grateful for this.

Although Lord Wolf might not feel the same, Long Chen saw him as a very important person in his life, and he was certain about his gut feeling.

The crowd’s gazes were focused on Lord Wolf, who spoke in a flat tone beneath his hood. “Bai Sheng, patriarch of the Bai family. Yang Cangqiong, patriarch of the Yang family. Come up to the stage.”

Bai Sheng and Yang Cangqiong did not dare disobey Lord Wolf. They went up the stage obediently and stood in front of Lord Wolf without looking at each other. “I shall now announce the results of the Demon Hunting Tournament, as completed by the progeny of both families.”

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Lord Wolf opened his right palm. The crowd looked at it anxiously. They saw a demonic core as big as a soybean and burst into laughter. “Yang family ... One demonic core from a Category 1 Yellow-tiered Red-tailed Fox!”

Everyone froze. They had believed the tiny core belonged to the Bai family, considering how badly their youths had done in the tournament. But it belonged to the Yang family! The spectators looked at each other, thinking,

Will the right to rule Baiyang Town go to the Bai family after all? This is ...

When they thought about how the vicious Bai family would be as rulers, they felt a chill in their hearts. Life would not be good.

But Lord Wolf was about to speak again so everyone quickly halted their conversations.

Lord Wolf’s gaze swept across the crowd and he opened his left palm. The crowd looked anxiously, only to realize that it was empty. “Bai family ... Zero demonic cores!”

The expressions of the spectators were beyond entertaining.

There had been speculations over the results of the tournament. Everyone had guessed that the Bai family would get at least one Category 8 Yellow-tier demonic core. The Yang family would be able to get at least a Category 7 Yellow-tier demonic core. No one expected the final outcome of the tournament to be a single Category 1 Yellow-tier demonic core from the Yang family and the Bai family leaving empty-handed.

Long Chen made a small smile. They weren’t hunting demons at the tournament! Long Chen only caught the Red-tailed Fox along the way out of the Desolate Mountains.

1. The Chinese character for the surname Bai (白) also refers to the color white ?