“B-Brother…?” Yin Rou’s voice trembled like a thread about to snap.

  Her wide crimson eyes were filled with disbelief as she stared at the icy indifference in Jin Yu’s gaze.

  Slowly, her expression twisted, not with anger, but with betrayal.

  Tears brimmed, sparkling in the corners of her eyes as if the weight of his rejection was too much to bear.

  Then—

  “Waaaaaaaaa!”

  She burst into loud, dramatic sobs. The kind that would melt a normal person’s heart or at least confuse them into hugging her out of guilt.

  Jin Yu blinked, staring bnkly at her. “…Tch.”

  This little witch. Why does she look at me like I’m the one who betrayed her? I should be the one giving that look!

  He gred at her. “Witch. I have a younger sister, and I promise you, she doesn’t have tails. How dare you trick me and still have the nerve to call me brother?”

  Yin Rou didn’t stop crying. Her tiny shoulders trembled, her voice hitched between sobs, and sweat formed across her forehead, fear clinging to her like a second skin.

  Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

  Jin Yu leaned closer. “Look at you, acting all pitiful now. Sharp little canines like that...” he reached out and flicked the glinting tooth with a light tap, “...were you pnning to suck me dry, hmm? Just chomp down and drain me like some spiritual fruit?”

  Her sobs only grew louder, almost theatrical, as if she'd been caught stealing snacks and was now being unfairly scolded.

  “I asked you a damn question, vixen.” Jin Yu said, his voice low and dangerous, yet ced with amusement. “Answer me before I roast you like a pig!”

  “Waaaa—” Her loud cries were abruptly cut off.

  She sniffled and gave him a sharp gre, eyes shining with betrayal. “Yin Rou is a fox, not a pig! You’re the pig!”

  Jin Yu blinked, stunned. “You—!”

  Irritation fred in his chest. Without another word, he lifted her effortlessly, turning her back to face him. Then—

  Pah!

  A crisp sp nded on her butt.

  “Ahh!” she yelped, her twin tails freezing mid-fil, stunned.

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000 (Shock)

  Pah!

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000

  Influence +10,000

  Influence +10,000

  (Emotion provoked: Killing intent)

  “You animal!” she shrieked, struggling in his grip, her tiny fists swinging with fury.

  Her tails whipped about violently, flushed with a deeper red. Her nails sharpened into deadly points, cwing at the air.

  “Still acting fierce, huh?” Jin Yu narrowed his eyes. “You dare throw my daughter and still growl at me? You’re begging to be barbecued!”

  Pah!

  Pah!

  Pah!

  Pah!

  He smacked her again and again, totally ignoring the thrashing tails that shed against him.

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000

  Ding!

  Influence +10,000

  (Emotion provoked: Killing Intent)

  “You pig! Pig! Pig!” she howled, thrashing wildly in his grip like a furious kitten.

  The louder she got, the more satisfied Jin Yu felt. He couldn’t help it—this little witch had tricked him, nearly bit him, and now she was calling him pig?

  He was going to teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget.

  Just as Jin Yu raised his hand again, ready to deliver another smack—

  Crackle!

  A sudden surge of unnatural energy burst from Yin Rou’s small body, and the air around them trembled.

  Her struggling stilled, eyes glowing with a cold, eerie light that didn’t belong to her realm. Crimson lines pulsed along her skin, and her two tails stood up rigidly like spears.

  “Huh?” Jin Yu’s brows lifted.

  A foreign force, deep and ancient, began to leak from her body.

  He instantly recognized it.

  “Borrowed power?” he muttered, a little amused, a little impressed. “From who, little fox?”

  Her expression twisted into something fierce and wild, her sharp nails fshing with dark energy. With a scream, she shoved her palm toward his chest, a concentrated bolt of spiritual light forming into a jagged fox-head shape, howling with murderous intent.

  It was fast a deadly for her level, but not for him.

  He leaned his head to the side.

  The beam whistled past his cheek, smming into a distant tree, which exploded into splinters with a violent boom.

  Yin Rou froze. Her glowing eyes blinked slowly, dimming with each breath. The power that had fred so brightly just moments ago flickered and died.

  Her body slumped forward.

  Thump.

  She colpsed in his arms, completely limp.

  Her tails drooped and her breathing became shallow, uneven. Sweat poured from her forehead as if she’d just climbed a mountain with a boulder tied to her back.

  Jin Yu caught her easily, lifting her like a bundle of feathers. He looked down at her sleeping face, then gave a soft snort.

  “Really now… was that supposed to kill me?” he muttered. “You missed.”

  He gently flicked her on the forehead.

  “Borrowed power? You’ve barely got control over your own. Hmph… dumb little fox.”

  Sigh!

  “Now that you’re unconscious, how am I supposed to continue spanking you?” Jin Yu muttered, furrowing his brows. He gnced at her still body, then turned toward Little Rainbow, who had taken root in the soil—sleeping like a zy drunk.

  This brat…

  Acting wasted all day. Next time, don’t eat what you shouldn't.

  He gently plucked her from the stem. She stirred sleepily, curling up along his wrist like a vine hugging its favorite tree.

  Jab!

  She sneakily poked the unconscious Yin Rou on her way up.

  Jin Yu: “…”

  “You didn’t even forget revenge, huh.”

  He shook his head with a helpless chuckle.

  Whatever.

  Just as he turned to Yin Rou again, his steps halted.

  This—?!

  So this was her real face?

  Gone was the overly sweet expression. The illusion had faded, revealing a sharp and refined face.

  She has shes long, and a faint blush resting on her cheeks.

  She looked like a matured child, something regal and ancient barely hidden beneath that youthful frame.

  What a pair of genes you inherited. Your parents must be something else.

  Jin Yu squatted beside her, cupping his chin as he inspected her face with interest.

  “You’d better wake up soon, little vixen… I need to finish collecting my influence points before I leave.”

  He gnced toward the horizon.

  Time to head back. Haozi and Min Li would be waiting for me.

  But before that...

  He gently pced Yin Rou beside the nearest tree, propping her upright like she was just dozing off from a heavy meal.

  Curious, he pulled up his influence point total.

  Fury Points: 710,009

  “Damn!”

  His eyes stretched wide in delight.

  “I’m damn rich! If only these could be turned into dolrs—no, spirit stones! I’d be marching straight into another auction house right now.”

  His heart throbbed with excitement. The memory of his previous spree at the auction hall lit a fire in his chest.

  That massacre of money… pure bliss.

  He grinned shamelessly.

  I didn’t know I was this prodigal. I don’t even remember what I bought… Money really does change people.

  With a nostalgic sigh, he rubbed the spatial ring on his finger.

  “Time to unlock you, pretty.”

  He mentally pressed the [+] beside the Physique attribute ten times.

  Ding!

  Peak Essence Core Realm reached!

  He paused.

  Wait…

  His smile vanished.

  “Oh no…”

  "DAMN! I’M DEAD TODAY!"

  His eyes widened in horror as the memories came flooding back—The bone-wrenching agony of his st breakthrough in the elven nds.