After some roundabout probing, Wu Ming finally managed to grasp the general meaning behind the young rich man’s words.
His idea was, in essence, very simple—piggybacking on someone else’s prestige!
At the celebration, with Wu Ming’s caliber, a large number of Bifeng birds would surely be attracted, and even the Xianchenglong might be stirred.
The fat young man’s thinking was quite straightforward—when so many birds descend, wouldn’t there be a chance that one might accidentally hit the jackpot? At least the odds would be better, right?
If those chosen ones fall through, couldn’t they just find a nearby replacement?
“Talent indeed…”
Wu Ming looked at the rich young man with genuine admiration.
“But… are you really here for one of the women of the female clan?”
He asked curiously.
“Well…”
A rare flush appeared on the rich young man’s face. “Actually… with my character, talent, uh—and looks, which young lady on the continent wouldn’t instantly fall in love at first sight? It’s just that my father issued strict orders, so I had no choice but to come…”
He leaned in mysteriously, lowering his voice. “Brother, do you know that although the chosen son-in-law must reside permanently at Nu’er Cliff, his family can relocate nearby and receive protection from the Xianchenglong Monarch… My family’s spirit taming power is weak, so we can only ensure safety this way…”
“Oh…”
Wu Ming nodded thoughtfully. “Then those towns near Nu’er Cliff must have formed from families gathering there for similar reasons?”
Indeed, amidst the chaos of the world, numerous families sought secluded paradises.
According to rumors about Nu’er Cliff, someone had once seen the Xianchenglong Monarch—an A-class spirit beast. Ordinary spirit tamers wouldn’t dare to provoke such a force, making it truly a paradise away from worldly troubles.
Thinking of this, Wu Ming recalled Jia Kongming’s records in the Spirit Beast Compendium:
“The Xianchenglong is the pinnacle among dragon-type spirit beasts, the finest among elite breeds, peerless in battle. When matched at the same level, it dares to challenge even Silver-class spirits!”
“Within hundreds of Xianchenglong, there might appear a Xianchenglong Monarch—a Silver-class spirit beast, even ranked among the top of all Silver-class spirits, capable of easily defeating ordinary monarch-level spirit tamers…”
“It is said that one such Xianchenglong Monarch guards Nu’er Cliff!”
Of course, thanks to the Five Venomous Gentleman’s map, Wu Ming now knew that the Xianchenglong clan in Nu’er Cliff not only had a Xianchenglong Monarch but even a Golden-class Xianchenglong King!
Although rare, the Xianchenglong exists in several clans across the Flame Continent.
Even though Wu Ming knew that Jun Xuanming would eventually possess a Xianchenglong King, he didn’t know which clan it belonged to, making it impossible to search one by one.
Even if he had the determination, he wouldn’t know their exact distribution.
This time, without the map, Wu Ming would never have guessed that besides the Monarch, Nu’er Cliff also housed a Xianchenglong King.
“It makes sense… since dragons are elusive, how many could possibly detect a hidden Xianchenglong King?”
Wu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “But if that’s the case, then Jun Xuanming will surely come too, right?”
“So, brother, what do you think?”
Across from him, the rich young man stared eagerly, then gritted his teeth. “If you agree, I’ll cover all your food and lodging here, plus give you an elite-class spirit beast egg!”
“Hehe… there’s no need to be so courteous, young master…”
Since the celebration had not yet begun, Wu Ming agreed nonchalantly. “My name is Wu Ming. I’ll need your kindness and protection from now on…”
“No worries, no worries…”
Upon hearing Wu Ming’s agreement, the young master immediately broke into a broad grin, pulling him into a large mansion and ordering a feast to be prepared.
“Don’t underestimate this small courtyard—it cost me five thousand spirit coins to rent for a month…”
After a few rounds of drinks, the naturally sociable rich young man began to pour out his troubles as if he were family. “If it weren’t for the family, I wouldn’t even come here if you paid me!”
“Oh?”
Wu Ming held his cup, smirking slightly. “By the way, what exactly are the criteria for selecting men at this female clan’s celebration?”
After all, Nu’er Cliff was a perilous place guarded by numerous dragon-like spirit beasts, including the Xianchenglong clan. Even monarch-level spirit tamers would find it extremely difficult to intrude.
Since the celebration was approaching, Wu Ming didn’t mind waiting a while.
“The criteria are threefold: appearance, virtue, and talent cultivation!”
The rich young man had arrived earlier and had thoroughly investigated the matter. “As for appearance, Brother Wu Ming has no problem. As for virtue, I, the rich young master, can vouch for myself. But the third point—spirit tamer talent cultivation… sigh…”
Wu Ming looked at him wordlessly.
This self-proclaimed virtuous young master hadn’t even reached the Soldier class. Without his two General-class guards, he might have been targeted as an easy mark long ago.
“And how about spirit tamer cultivation? Is there a martial arts competition?”
Wu Ming feigned ignorance.
“No competition, but the higher one’s cultivation level, the more opportunities one gets, and the greater the advantage… Some Bifeng birds or even Xianchenglong might even seek to form a contract. Many spirit tamers come here with exactly that hope, after all, both the Xianchenglong and Bifeng birds are rare treasures among spirit beasts…”
The young master shook his head regretfully. “Pity I’ve already contracted with the elite-class Rouqiushan. Otherwise…”
He looked confident, as if the moment he appeared, not only would the female clan’s women cry and beg to marry him, but even rare spirit beasts would flock to him under his manly aura.
“I’ve analyzed our competitors, and actually, there are only two!”
The young master became animated, raising two fingers.
“Oh? Who are they?” Wu Ming now showed genuine interest, smirking slightly.
“One is the young master Bai Xiaobai from the East Sea. His father is the King of the East Sea—a monarch-level spirit tamer. There were rumors at the beginning of the year that he had killed a notorious Peak-level General, so he might have reached the monarch level by now… It’s said he is both talented and handsome, and his flute skills can summon hundreds of birds. We must be cautious!”
“The other is the Hundred Beasts Monarch. He has no background but is chivalrous and righteous, a genuine monarch-level spirit tamer. It’s said he exudes masculine charm, bravery, and vigor, making him a formidable rival!”
“Bai Xiaobai and the Hundred Beasts Monarch?”
Wu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He had heard of these two before. Both were future kings, alongside the Chaos Monkey King and the King of Thorns.
Of course, no matter how glorious their titles were, they would eventually bow to Jun Xuanming, overshadowed by his divine spirit tamer prowess.
Therefore, Wu Ming added, “Rich young master, it seems you’ve missed someone!”
“Oh? Who else?”
The young master narrowed his small eyes, then suddenly slapped his thigh. “Right! How could I forget that brat Jun Xuanming! This is bad! Very bad!”
His face turned pale, and sweat beaded on his forehead, making Wu Ming chuckle inwardly.
“Trouble! Trouble!”
The young master stood up and paced back and forth, then sat down abruptly, looking dejected. “Brother, originally, with us two working together, we could have given Bai Xiaobai and the Hundred Beasts Monarch a run for their money. But forgetting about Jun Xuanming complicates things!”
“Oh!”
Wu Ming suppressed his smile and feigned attentive listening.
“He is a prodigy, the undisputed top young talent on the continent, having defeated many veteran monarch-level spirit tamers. His combat strength is recognized as top-tier even among monarchs, and his reputation is quite formidable…”
The young master looked deeply regretful. “How could I forget that Jun Xuanming is such a schemer, always sniffing out opportunities wherever there’s profit?”
“Even so, with your young master’s virtues, what is there to fear?”
Wu Ming replied solemnly.
“No, no, it’s different!”
The young master’s face was full of bitterness. “Brother, you don’t know. Jun Xuanming is really something else. It’s said he’s even more of a pretty boy than Bai Xiaobai. Have you heard of Shuang Jun and Lian Jun? These two spirit tamers were renowned beauties of the previous generation… They remained chaste for decades, but upon seeing Jun Xuanming, they couldn’t help but throw themselves at him. It’s like an old bull eating tender grass! Dangerous! Dangerous!”
“Ha!”
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming almost choked. “While everything you said makes sense, why does it sound so wrong coming from you?”
Actually, Shuang Ao Shuang and Lian Yi Lian were only in their thirties. Considering the centuries-long lifespans of spirit tamers, they were still in their prime, with mature grace and charm.
Of course, compared to Jun Xuanming’s age, it was undeniably a case of an old bull eating tender grass, leaving no room for argument.
“Cough… cough…”
At this moment, one of the spirit tamers standing behind the young master like a statue finally couldn’t help but cough. “Young master! Jun Xuanming is the leader of the resistance, the legitimate heir of the Jun family, and a monarch-level spirit tamer. Please be careful with your words…”
Another spirit tamer also added, “The old master’s wish is simply for the young master to gain the favor of a Bifeng bird and secure a marriage with a noblewoman from the female clan, which would already be satisfactory…”
“No way!”
The young master immediately shook his head like a drum. “I don’t want any ordinary women—I want the female clan’s Holy Maiden!”
His face lit up with a dreamy expression, drooling like a lovesick fool. “Brother Wu Ming, do you know? I’ve already gotten wind of the news that the Holy Maiden will also be choosing a husband at this celebration… It’s said she’s the daughter of the previous Holy Maiden, only eighteen years old, with unparalleled beauty—words can’t even begin to describe her!”
“Eighteen years old? Daughter of the previous Holy Maiden?”
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming’s face darkened further, a vague premonition forming in his mind. “Could it really be that coincidental?”
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