11) The Frost wasteland

The battlefield was silent for a moment and only the sound of wind could be heard.

The flickering symbols on the ground pulsed with energy.

The air itself seemed heavier, pressing down with the weight of an invisible force.

Everyone was thinking of possible ways.

The Phantom Snow Leopard struggled to rise, its massive paws digging into the snow, leaving deep claw marks.

His body flickered like a candle in the wind, as he was barely holding together.

His golden eyes narrowed as it stared at Zhao Fan, processing the situation with the cold instinct of a beast, that has a strong survival instinct.

He had underestimated this human.

At first, it thought this human was merely an ambitious fool who had stumbled upon the battlefield at the worst possible time.

Yet, within moments, he had changed the tide of battle with overwhelming precision.

Was he acting dumb at first?

There was simply no reason.

His arrays were not just powerful; they were layered, each one complementing the other, forming an intricate web of suppression that choked both himself and the Nine-Tail Fox Spirit into submission.

Even if it tried to escape, where would it go? Plus, can he even run?

He doesn't think so.

The suppression array had already limited his speed, and the movement restriction array made even the slightest twitch feel like trudging through deep water.

If he could hold on long enough, perhaps Zhao Fan would exhaust himself.

But was that a gamble worth taking?

Will he even get that much time?

If it was wrong, it would be dead before he could regret its choice.

The leopard's gaze flickered to the Nine-Tail Fox Spirit, still restrained by the Infernal Chains Binding Array.

She was breathing heavily, her body trembling slightly as the chains pulsed with a strange energy, siphoning her qi little by little.

She had no chance of escape either.

Yet, despite her predicament, the fox spirit's eyes gleamed with cold, red, bone-chilling light.

Her sharp ears twitched slightly, her mind racing as she analyzed the situation.

Unlike the leopard, she was not a beast ruled solely by instinct. She is intelligent and she can even be said to be cunning.

Submitting wasn't an option she would take lightly, but was resistance truly the wisest choice?

Her body was already injured.

The deep claw marks across her chest burned with lingering pain, and the attack on her shadow had left her feeling weakened in a way she had never experienced before.

It felt like she was injured internally, yet she couldn't actually feel it with her spiritual energy.

The shadow attack of the leopard was strange, but this human was more unhand.

She had fought few enemies, but none of them were like him, who wielded such unorthodox methods.

Her pride urged her to keep fighting, but her mind told her otherwise.

Who was this Zhao Fan, really?

He was human, yet he wielded power that should have been beyond him.

He was merely at the first Stage of the Golden Core Realm yet with his arrays alone, he had forced two formidable spiritual beasts into a corner.

( on the surface he is at stage 1 )

His aura carried something sinister, something unnatural, this blood-red aura seems to be sucking their qi, and her beast core seem to be trembling.

Is this the aura of a dragon? Phoenix? Divine crane? Nature turtle? Sage tiger?

No, it seems more sinister... Is this world-devouring serpent? World eating black dragon?

Does he have a strong beast blood?

She looked at the leopard, but that dumbo doesn't seem to be affected by 'blood suppression'

'Tch, he doesn't seem to sense anything... That means, this is most likely to be related to me, does he have some strong yang? If so, I should be excited not fearing...'

Nine tail are like succubus but old and better, it is rumored that long ago, succubus were a race of pure angels, however, they used to look down on nine-tail fox spirits fox stealing the yang energy of men.

Thus, Fox ancestor cursed them with lust, where they had to feed on the male's yang essence.

And they became horny succubus

Their proud holy wings were nerfed, and they gained energy from semen just like how fox spirits get.

...

But it wasn't a feeling that was telling her to submit but run away.

She glanced at the pendant.

That jade pendant, she could feel the immortal energy radiating from it.

That wasn't an ordinary artifact.

Maybe, this is what made him turn the tide.

Her instincts told her that he wasn't a simple cultivator.

And the words he spoke… "Submit to me, and I shall spare you."

Spare them?

It was an offer that sounded merciful, yet in reality, it was an ultimatum.

She glanced back at the leopard, seeing the struggle within its gaze.

It was debating whether to fight to the bitter end or acknowledge reality.

Was pride worth dying for?

Her tails flickered, and for the first time, doubt clouded her mind.

What was worse, being bound in servitude to an unknown master, or facing certain death at the hands of a man whose potential was terrifyingly vast?

And if she did submit, would it truly be a submission?

Or could it be something else, maybe it can also be an opportunity?

If she played her cards right, if she understood him, and learned his weaknesses, perhaps submission was merely a temporary inconvenience.

Perhaps she could wait… and strike when the time was right.

She can even use her main card.

Sex.

She is nine tail fox.

Born with an enchanting body.

It is said the pussy of nine tails is the best.

Better than anything.

A deep, shaky breath escaped her lips as she finally spoke, her voice laced with exhaustion yet tinged with intrigue.

"...And if we submit, what guarantee do we have that you will not discard us once you no longer need us? What if you refine us?"

Zhao Fan's eyes flickered with amusement.

He had expected resistance, but the fact that she was even willing to negotiate meant he had already won.

Everything was as perfectly as planned.

He smiled faintly, his grip on the jade pendant tightening.

"You have none..."

The words were spoken without hesitation.

Cold.

Ruthless.

Absolute control.

Because that was the truth.

They had no guarantees.

They had only his word, and in a world ruled by strength, words meant nothing.

He may indeed refine them if they were worthless.

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(6/9 check author thoughts )