Chapter 286: Chapter 167: Go Away! Don’t Get Near Me

That was way too fast.

A Spirit Binder’s power comes almost entirely from their Xingzi.

Once their Xingzi was taken down, the Spirit Binder became a lamb waiting for the slaughter.

The only Celestial Master on the defeated team began chanting a spell. He tapped his right foot on the ground three times and roared, "My lord, I beseech you to possess this body!"

It seemed this Celestial Master had decided to use his ultimate move right from the start, likely knowing he couldn’t defeat his opponent on his own.

The Celestial Master visibly bulked up. He slapped his chest—it was solid as a rock.

The onlookers couldn’t tell what entity this Celestial Master was channeling.

Lu Yuan shook his head and sighed. ’This Celestial Master is only channeling a lowly mountain rock Spirit Monster.’

’If he were channeling the Taiping Stone Guardian, there might be a chance of turning things around.’

This reminded Lu Yuan of Daoist Longchuan from Dou Shi Temple. ’I haven’t seen him in a while,’ he thought. ’I wonder how he’s doing.’

Even after channeling the spirit, the Celestial Master in the arena was still no match for the colobus monkey and the black panther.

The Celestial Master lunged, swinging his Celestial Master Sword, but even possessed by the spirit, he couldn’t match the colobus monkey’s speed.

Both the colobus monkey and the black panther were Xingzi specializing in speed and agility, which was exactly what the Jinyi Guard looked for.

The colobus monkey hopped back a few steps, showing no interest in getting tangled up with the Celestial Master.

The Celestial Master, thinking the monkey was afraid of him, was overjoyed and charged forward with his sword.

Meanwhile, after exchanging a few blows with three other Xingzi, the black panther swatted one away with a single paw and pounced on another.

The sickening crunch of breaking bones seemed to hang in the air.

The last remaining Xingzi was trembling uncontrollably. It was clearly terrified.

The sight sent the crowd of onlookers into an uproar of laughter.

It was the first time many had seen a Spirit Binder’s Xingzi show independent consciousness—let alone fear.

The black panther stalked forward, getting lower to the ground with each step as it closed in on the trembling Xingzi.

Its posture was the classic prelude to a deadly pounce.

Overwhelmed by the black panther’s ferocious aura, the opposing Xingzi completely lost its nerve.

The Xingzi went into a frenzy and tried to flee, causing the Lower Grade Spirit Capturing Device in its Spirit Binder’s hands to shake violently.

The Spirit Binder chanted a spell, gripping the Spirit Capturing Device with both hands.

Sure enough, using a Lower Grade Spirit Capturing Device to bind a Xingzi over two hundred years old was risky. The creature had the power to break free from its restraints and could even inflict a backlash on its master.

This was precisely why far fewer people chose to cultivate the path of a Spirit Binder.

For one, Spirit Capturing Devices were difficult to find. For another, the fear of backlash was a powerful deterrent.

The Xingzi tore free of its bonds and shot toward the crowd outside the arena.

The sudden turn of events caught many of the onlookers off guard. Even though most were trained in Martial Arts, they couldn’t react in time.

A few quick-witted Celestial Masters drew their Celestial Master Swords, intending to intercept the Xingzi and prevent any innocent casualties.

A rampaging Xingzi’s power would also increase exponentially.

These Celestial Masters brought out their respective treasures, preparing to suppress it.

The possessed Celestial Master in the arena was distracted for just a second, and in that instant, the colobus monkey seized the opportunity, body-slamming him to the ground and leaving him dazed.

Seeing the chaos unfold, Lu Yuan snatched a Celestial Master Sword from someone in the crowd and darted in front of the rampaging Xingzi.

With his left hand, Lu Yuan pulled a Talisman he had drawn himself from his robes. He parried with the sword in his right hand, then slapped the Talisman directly onto the Xingzi’s forehead.

THUMP!

The Talisman-marked Xingzi collapsed to the ground.

Just a moment ago, Jiang Huai, the Household of a Thousand, had possessed the strength to simply crush the rampaging Xingzi.

But he had chosen not to intervene. First, he didn’t want to reveal the full extent of his power. Second, ’what does it matter to me if the Xingzi hurts someone?’

Seeing Lu Yuan’s swift action, the crowd burst into applause and cheers.

No one had expected the Zhao Mansion’s nephew-in-law to be so capable.

After his recent period of cultivation, Lu Yuan could now handle a Xingzi of this level with ease.

Lu Yuan also had the power to destroy the rampaging Xingzi with a single stroke of his sword.

He chose to suppress it with a Talisman because the Xingzi had a master; it wasn’t his place to decide its fate.

On his last trip to Yandu, a conflict had arisen precisely because his mother-in-law had startled someone else’s Xingzi.

The fault for that conflict, however, hadn’t laid with Lu Yuan’s party.

It was entirely the other party’s fault for running their mouths. Of all the things they could have said, they just had to insult Su Liyan and his mother-in-law by calling them Half-Demons.

That’s why they ended up dead.

Today, Lu Yuan was simply selecting capable individuals to become Mansion Guards for the Zhao Mansion.

There was no need to destroy a Xingzi that its master had gone through great pains to capture.

Clearly, Jiang Huai’s team had won with ease. The two Spirit Binders alone had been enough to secure victory.

On the field, Jiang Huai watched Lu Yuan’s display and recognized that he had some real skill.

However, based on those few moves alone, Jiang Huai didn’t believe Lu Yuan was exceptionally powerful.

’For all I know, that Talisman was a gift from some powerful expert,’ Jiang Huai thought.

’Besides, as a Grand Celestial Master and Spirit Binder myself, I could have done the same thing!’

Lu Yuan glanced over at Jiang Huai’s team. Standing in the arena, Jiang Huai nodded and smiled at him.

’Since I’m here to apply for a position, I should act like an applicant.’

’If I stand too tall and proud, it’ll blow my cover, won’t it?’

The Xingzi that Lu Yuan had subdued with the Talisman was returned to its Spirit Binder.

Lu Yuan even helped make a few simple adjustments to the Spirit Binder’s Lower Grade Spirit Capturing Device.

This would prevent the Xingzi from escaping its master’s control again in the future.

The subsequent matches proceeded in an orderly fashion, with no further unexpected incidents.

Many who lost were dejected, but fortunately, the consolation prize of silver taels from the Zhao Mansion helped soothe their spirits.

Over the past two days, the Zhao Mansion had already given out several thousand silver taels.

Lu Yuan didn’t care about the money. Besides, these people worked hard at their cultivation and deserved respect.

Besides, any problem that money could solve wasn’t really a problem at all.

Even those who were eliminated would remember the generosity of the Zhao Mansion of Taiping City.

It was a good way to build some public goodwill.

The day’s selections ended, and just like the day before, dusk was falling.

Lu Yuan didn’t bother with the remaining tasks, leaving them to his Mansion Guards before heading back to the mansion.

His Mansion Guards would handle the remaining chores flawlessly. There was no need for the "nephew-in-law" to oversee everything.

After observing dozens of matches throughout the day, Lu Yuan had made some assessments.

He noted that there were quite a few highly capable individuals among the applicants.

On the way back to the mansion, Lu Yuan was already picturing these talented individuals being recruited into the Zhao Mansion.

With them, the Zhao Mansion’s future strength would make it the undisputed power in the region, including several nearby counties.

It had all happened in less than two years.

Before, the Zhao Mansion had to rely on him to clear out the wild Xingzi at the Spirit Stone Mine.

Once he recruited these people, he wouldn’t even have to worry about the wild Xingzi that appeared at the Spirit Stone Mine in the winter.

In fact, they could handle any Xingzi that appeared throughout the outskirts of Taiping City, including the surrounding villages.

Lu Yuan could simply dispatch a team of Celestial Masters to clear them out.

Except for the Xingzi in Changliu Village, of course. ’That place is too dangerous,’ he thought. ’Even I don’t dare get involved there.’

The moment Lu Yuan returned to the mansion, the fatigue from his long day vanished.

Lu Yuan was in his wife’s room playing with Bengbeng when Su Liyan brought up Aunt Song.

"Darling, were you a bit too rough with Aunt Song last night?"

Lu Yuan, amusing Bengbeng with a rattle-drum, asked, "Darling, why do you ask?"

Lu Yuan didn’t understand what his wife was getting at.

’I always treat you and the two aunts with the utmost sincerity.’

"Darling, you should go check on Aunt Song later. A whole day has passed, and her butt is still hurting."

Lu Yuan finally understood. She was complaining that he had been too "forceful" with Aunt Song last night.

Lu Yuan put on a pitiful expression.

He explained, "Darling, I’m usually much gentler with Aunt Song than I am with you and Aunt Zhao.

Last night, Aunt Song was giving me a hard time, so I might have gone at it a little harder, haha."

Su Liyan balled up her little fists and playfully pounded on Lu Yuan’s chest, whining, "Darling~ Not everyone is as durable as I am."

Lu Yuan felt his wife had a point. He pulled her into an embrace and said, "I’ll be more careful next time, I’ll be more careful."

Before Su Liyan could say another word, Lu Yuan acted.

He cupped her slightly pointed chin with both hands and planted a kiss on her lips with a loud SMOOCH.

Startled by his sudden move, Su Liyan froze for a moment in a bashful stupor.

Then she started pounding on his chest, trying to break free.

But Lu Yuan paid no mind to her struggles.

He grabbed her bottom firmly with both hands, pulling her body flush against his.

The more Su Liyan struggled, the tighter Lu Yuan held her.

Lu Yuan was incredibly strong now. Unless she reverted to her ancestral form, Su Liyan had no hope of breaking free.

Her mouth was sealed by his.

Tilting her head back as far as she could, Su Liyan managed to squeeze a few words through the corner of their mouths.

"The... little... one... Bengbeng... is still... here~"

Lying on the bed, Bengbeng clutched the rattle-drum his father had just given him, watching his mom and dad.

If Bengbeng could talk, he would have shouted, "Get a room! And stay away from me!"