Lord of the Magical Beasts

Maryse clenched her teeth in fury as she looked at Yang Ling, who was still smiling faintly. Whenever she thought about how he had watched her fall and not stepped forward to render assistance, her rage would flare up again. She would not let the matter rest.

After a moment, she quickly thought of an idea to exact revenge. This time, she would use all the tricks in her arsenal, then mercilessly dump Yang Ling after he became smitten with her.

Losing what one had just gained, that was the most tormenting thing in the world!

A poor man would be over the moon if he suddenly obtained five million dollars. But waiting until he had gotten used to the rich man’s way of life, then turning him back into a poor man overnight? That would definitely cause him misery.

Ever since she had started cultivating the Temptation of Darkness, Maryse had lost count of how many men she had ensnared. Some spent their entire fortunes, losing everything in order to be with her. Some disregarded the land that had been passed down to them through the generations in order to capture her heart; their only thoughts were to go traveling the world with her.

Maryse felt that it was a grave injustice that her allure was ineffective against Yang Ling. She believed that one day, Yang Ling would grovel before her skirts like the other men, waiting for her to mercilessly dump him.

Maryse was secretly planning her revenge, but Steve was racking his brain for a way to return home with the beauty before him. Yang Ling was silently leaning on the bar, carefully considering Maryse’s probable background and intentions.

“Boss, this is the cocktail that I have just mixed. Can you try it and tell me how it tastes?” After patting his forehead, John had suddenly remembered Yang Ling’s instructions some time back. He had taken a pale green cocktail from the top of the wine cabinet, and he now offered it to Yang Ling.

Yang Ling took a light sniff as he accepted the pale green cocktail. It was fragrant and rich, its taste truly exceptional. But just as he was about to pour himself a glass to drink, Steve walked quickly toward him.

“Brother Yang Ling, wait a minute, I’ll buy that wine!”

Steve had an idea after catching a sniff of that rich wine fragrance. As the saying went, great swords were to be given to heroes, and great wines to beauties. Using a bottle of good quality wine to create an atmosphere was an old practice.

Yang Ling had seen Steve hanging around Maryse like a fly, and he would have understood the man’s intentions for purchasing the wine even if he was thinking using his toes. Thinking back to how Steve had asked for an exorbitant amount back in the castle, Yang Ling had a thought and said, “Sir Leader, I am sorry, this wine is not for sale. I’ll not sell it for any price.”

Not sell it for any price?

Steve froze. He turned to look at Maryse behind him, then clenched his teeth and said, “Brother Yang Ling, take it as doing me a favor; let me have the wine. You can state any price!”

A fat lamb, an incredibly fat lamb that was sending itself to the slaughterhouse!

Despite being elated, Yang Ling put on an act and shook his head. “Sir Leader, this is a rare Monkey Wine that has received the blessings of heaven and earth. It was created using precious treasures such as a sprig thousand-year-old knotweed gathered by a psychic orangutan, ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi, and the Flame Dragon Fruit. You only get one drop a year, one bottle every century. It is not only capable of regenerating muscle, it is even said that drinking it will grant eternal youth. Tell me, can a wine like this be measured using crystal coins?”

One bottle a century? A rare Monkey Wine that has received the blessings of heaven and earth?

The crowd was somewhat dazed after hearing Yang Ling’s nonsense. The bartender John almost fell to the ground. He would never have expected an ordinary cocktail to become a premium wine that could only be found once in a century through Yang Ling’s words.

Did he just call me a monkey?

In Yang Ling’s story, I’m the psychic orangutan, right?

John shook his head and let out a bitter smile as he took in a few deep breaths. He had heard that Yang Ling was a Summoner and had a terrifying Magical Beast army, his abilities deep beyond comprehension. From this, John did not know exactly how powerful Yang Ling was, but he sure knew that Yang Ling’s abilities in bragging were unparalleled.

An expert was an expert indeed; even his bragging abilities were exceptional.

Seeing Yang Ling this calm and composed, even carrying a sincere smile as he spouted complete nonsense, John couldn’t help but feel in awe of Yang Ling. He knew that he could never catch up to Yang Ling in his lifetime.

As John restrained his smile, Steve became petrified, unable to come to his senses for the longest time.

It was too surprising!

He could never have expected a simple bottle of wine to have such a history. Looking at the smiling Yang Ling, he couldn’t find a retort even though he knew that something was off. After all, Yang Ling had already said that it wasn’t for sale. He was the one asking for the favor now.

It was hard for him to take back his words now!

Looking at the troops who had gathered to watch the scene, then looking at the beautiful Maryse not far away, Steve could no longer back down now that he had already boasted. He didn’t give much regard to the gathered troops, but embarrassing himself in front of the beauty would waste his previous efforts. He clenched his teeth and soldiered on. “Brother Yang Ling, I’ll say it again. Let me have the wine, I’ll pay anything you ask!”

Even though he had never heard of the thousand-year-old knotwood or the ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi, nor had he heard about a Monkey Wine that was only available once every century, Steve understood Yang Ling’s intentions. The man only wanted a few more crystal coins. In order to win the heart of the beauty, Steve had decided to go all out. At the very most, he was going to think of a way to extort it back from Yang Ling in the future.

“Sir Leader, this wine is not for sale, this… You are truly making it very difficult for me!” Yang Ling shook his head, pretending to be caught in a pinch. “I have lost several hundred elite warriors in order to obtain this rare Monkey Wine. Even the money I paid as compensation to their families can be described as astronomical…” Yang Ling sighed theatrically.

“Hmph, just state your price!” Steve clenched his teeth in anger, wanting to strangle Yang Ling to death. But in front of the beauty, all he could do was maintain the manners befitting a noble, bottling his fury and secretly considering how much money he had left.

When he first came to Wissen Town, he had been moving quickly and hadn’t brought many Crystal Coins or resources. But he could still manage a few thousand Purple Crystal Coins. That should be enough to buy this bottle of wine.

Yang Ling sighed.

“Since you are so insistent, I have to let you have it!” Yang Ling took a longing whiff of the intoxicating wine fragrance, then continued, “I’ll give it to you at half price: a hundred thousand Purple Crystal Coins. I can’t go any lower!”

A hundred thousand Purple Crystal Coins?

Hearing Yang Ling say this, the crowd instantly became petrified. Even Maryse was no exception, though she hadn’t really been paying attention. The bartender John, who knew that the wine was nothing special, nearly had a heart attack.

Steve wasn’t doing very well himself. His eyes turned black as he stared blankly at Yang Ling. Originally, he had thought that Yang Ling would ask for a maximum of a few thousand Purple Crystal Coins. He hadn’t expected him to ask for such an exorbitant price. He had asked for a hundred thousand Purple Crystal Coins for a mere bottle of wine, then said that it was already at half price!

Interesting, it was getting more and more interesting!

As she watched Yang Ling running his mouth, Maryse couldn’t help but recall her teacher’s comments on him. She became even angrier at this man who appeared so lazy on the surface. At the same time, she became curious about his background. After all, no average noble would dare to ask for such an exorbitant price from the leader of a strong army.

Oh Yiblis, why don’t I just…

Steve’s eyes glinted in his fury. He was prepared to instruct his personal guards to take the detestable Yang Ling down. But after taking in a deep breath, thinking about the mysterious and powerful family behind Yang Ling, then thinking about his terrifying Magical Beast army and fierce guards, Steve had no choice but to back down.

Steve took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He was prepared to bear with this problem for now and seek revenge on Yang Ling after his reinforcements arrived. Glancing at the smiling Yang Ling, then at the gossiping troops around him, then at the beauty in black who seemed to be looking back at him with emotion in her eyes, Steve secretly thought about how much money he had left.

Steve would’ve had a hundred ways to gather a hundred thousand Purple Crystal Coins if he was in the capital, but in this isolated town, even fifty thousand was a large sum, much less a hundred thousand. He wouldn’t have enough even if he were to take out all of the military funding meant for purchasing rations, unless…

Steve had a thought as he looked at the nearly transparent Soul Ring on his right index finger, but subconsciously shook his head immediately after.

The Soul Ring was a treasure passed down by his ancestors. It wasn’t only capable of defending him against terrifying mental attacks; it was rumored that the ring harbored a great secret. If his father knew that he had pawned this precious Soul Ring for a woman, he might immediately oust Steve from the family.

Haha, it looks like I still have to go one step further! Yang Ling thought.

Looking at the hesitant Steve, then looking at the beautiful Maryse at the side, Yang Ling had an idea. Why not use retreat as a form of advancement?

“Tsk tsk, fragrant, it is indeed fragrant. It sure lives up to its name as a Monkey Wine available only once in a century, being able to regenerate muscle and grant eternal youth!” Yang Ling intentionally muttered to himself loudly. He stood up. “Sir Leader, if you are not interested, then I’ll have to leave!”

Indeed, just as he finished saying this, Maryse let out a soft cry. She wasn’t interested in regenerating flesh and bone, but eternal youth was a fatal temptation. Even though Yang Ling’s words were absurd, she couldn’t help but give him the benefit of the doubt.

Seeing that he had successfully attracted the attention of the beauty in black, Yang Ling knew that he was one step closer to success. He intentionally walked slowly past Steve, pretending to take a whiff of the intoxicating wine fragrance.

Seeing the bottle of wine just inches away from him, all Steve wanted to do was snatch it for himself before striking the detestable Yang Ling down with a fist. But thinking about Yang Ling’s background and abilities, Steve could only suppress this alluring thought.

Looking back to the captivated Maryse, then looking at Yang Ling who was brushing past him, Steve felt a heat go past his brain. He decided to go all out. “Brother Yang Ling, this is the Soul Ring passed down by the Waize family. It can defend against mental attacks and is definitely worth a hundred thousand Purple Crystal Coins. Take it!”

After stuffing the ring into Yang Ling’s hand, Steve didn’t hesitate to snatch the “Monkey Wine that could grant eternal youth.” He swore secretly in his heart that he would return to punish the brazen Yang Ling after he had eradicated the Rossi faction. He would force Yang Ling to obediently cough up the ring that he was temporarily loaning to Yang Ling. Yang Ling would give it back to him with interest.