Chapter 154: I Am Willing to Be Young Master Yan’s Mount

Given Yun Yun's temperament, Xiao Yan didn't dare hope she would ever dance as alluringly as Ya Fei—the two women were simply cut from different cloth.

The best he could do was find small ways to coax occasional moments of反差 (contrast) from her, just enough to enhance her effectiveness as a cultivation aid.

The moment Xiao Yan finished speaking, Yun Yun's fair cheeks flushed crimson, a mix of embarrassment and indignation flashing across her face. "What kind of bet is that?!"

"A bet is a bet—there's always a winner and a loser," Xiao Yan said earnestly. "If the Amethyst Winged Lion King refuses to be my mount, I'll pay whatever forfeit you demand. Unless… you already think I'm guaranteed to win?"

Yun Yun herself found it strange. Why had she assumed she'd inevitably end up kissing him…?

"I'll take the bet!" she gritted her teeth. "If you lose, I still get a share of the Amethyst Spirit Crystals, and the matter of the beast flame and assisting your cultivation will be voided."

Perhaps that "reward" had been too shameless, and she'd only agreed in a moment of impulsiveness.

Now that she'd calmed down, the memories of those self-destructing magical beasts resurfaced vividly. She simply couldn't believe the Amethyst Winged Lion King would be the type to cling to life in fear of death.

Yun Yun wasn't the only skeptic. Even the surrounding Four-Winged Stormwolves refused to believe it. If not for their current helplessness, they would've already self-destructed.

How could noble magical beasts ever stoop to becoming human slaves?

The Amethyst Winged Lion King stared blankly at Xiao Yan. In all its years of life, it had never encountered someone so brazen.

Using its life, its treasures… to flirt with a woman?!

The lion king exhaled heavily through its nostrils. Truth be told, it had been on the verge of surrendering earlier. But in that split second of hesitation, it had overheard this absurd exchange!

"I am willing to be Young Master Yan's mount."

After delivering this obsequious declaration, the lion king silently consoled itself—consider this a welcoming gift.

Yun Yun's delicate frame trembled at the words. She whipped her head toward the massive beast, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief. You're a sixth-tier overlord among magical beasts! Have you no pride?!

The surrounding Four-Winged Stormwolves also fixed their beastly gazes on the Amethyst Winged Lion King. Suddenly, past mysteries became clear—with such a spineless regional overlord, no wonder the eastern territory's magical beasts were the weakest!

Bombarded by these scornful stares, the lion king raised its head high, utterly unashamed.

Honestly, it had no choice.

If it were alone, death would be simple—a thousand years later, it'd be reborn a fine lion again.

But reality wasn't so kind. There was still one waiting back in its den.

If it died now, and this scheming human invaded its lair, not only would the Amethyst Spirit Crystals be lost, but its cub wouldn't live to see tomorrow's sun.

Thinking of its son, the Amethyst Winged Lion King reinterpreted those judgmental looks as praise for its paternal sacrifice, swelling with pride.

Xiao Yan grinned at Yun Yun. He'd known about the lion king's offspring all along.

Submission was its only option.

"I lost, and I won't deny it. But not now." Yun Yun sheathed her weapon, the gathered Dou Qi in her body dissipating as she turned away, unable to face him.

Recalling all those unyielding magical beasts she'd encountered, frustration welled up. Why was my luck so bad?

Had she known the Amethyst Winged Lion King was this weak-willed, she should've led a group of Yun Lan Sect elders here to subdue it long ago.

But she knew this was just wishful thinking.

Magical beasts progressed slowly—the lion king's strength now was nearly identical to years prior.

Back then, however, the Yun Lan Sect hadn't been as powerful. Even with numerical advantage, defeating it would've cost heavy casualties, making the endeavor pointless.

As Yun Yun stood silhouetted against the wind, a poetic line surfaced in Xiao Yan's mind: "Viewed head-on, a mountain range; from the side, a single peak—each perspective reveals new dimensions."

No one had tried, but Yun Yun would undoubtedly be excellent at bearing children.

An inexplicable discomfort prickled at Yun Yun. She suddenly turned back, concern flashing across her features. "What if the Amethyst Winged Lion King is deceiving you? If it ambushes you later, it could be dangerous."

The Dou Qi Continent lacked mystical contracts—most tamed beasts were raised from infancy.

The Jia Ma Empire's royal guardian beast, for instance, had been nurtured since the nation's founding, taking nearly a century to become a usable sixth-tier creature.

"You think I'd break my word like you humans?!" the lion king roared indignantly. This was an insult to its very dignity!

The five Four-Winged Stormwolves rolled their eyes. With all dignity already forfeited, what difference did "honor" make?

Xiao Yan withdrew his appreciative gaze from Yun Yun and said lightly, "No need to worry about that."

Under Yun Yun's puzzled stare, he formed a series of hand seals, releasing a surge of mighty Dou Qi.

"What element is this?" Yun Yun marveled at the energy—primarily black and white, yet edged in iridescent hues. She'd been equally fascinated by his multicolored Dou Qi wings during their morning flight.

Racking her memory for rare Dou Qi attributes yielded no matches.

As Xiao Yan's hand seals shifted, the peculiar energy morphed into a blazing sigil of flame, radiating scorching heat far surpassing the lion king's purple fire pillars.

Even Yun Yun, a four-star Dou Huang, began glistening with sweat within moments.

Wiping her brow, she wondered: Could this be the flame of some extraordinarily powerful beast?

The Amethyst Winged Lion King's heart sank as the intricate fire sigil took shape. What fresh horror is this? It instinctively shrank back.

Xiao Yan's gaze snapped up. With a thrust, the Beast-Control Flame Seal shot forth like lightning, streaking toward the lion king's forehead.

Held immobile by the Dou Zong puppet, the beast could only watch in despair as the dazzling sigil made contact.

After all my groveling, am I still going to die?! The lion king's heart filled with bitter injustice.

But after several breaths, no catastrophic explosion came. Instead, an inexplicable force rampaged through its soul like a wildfire through dry grass.

(End of Chapter)

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