BXBX NOVEL Chapter 112: Chapter 112: The Bet
[Name: Ava Nightshade]
[Age: 320 years]
[Cultivation Level: Spirit Severing (9th Stage)]
[Strength: 190]
[Agility: 170]
[Intelligence: 140]
[Charm: 320]
[Physique: Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Physique]
[Bloodline: Pure-Blood Nine-Tailed Fox]
[Cultivation Techniques: Moonlit Enchantment Arts, Celestial Fox Transformation, Eternal Charm Technique]
[Skills: Thousand Dreams Illusion, Foxfire Devouring, Heavenly Fox Soul Binding]
[Favourability: 10]
[Protagonist Halo: 75,000]
"Oh," Aric mused inwardly, his lips curling into a smirk. "So she\'s quite old, but still charming beyond belief. Ah, cultivators--age doesn\'t mean a thing. Her power and beauty are ageless."
He couldn\'t wait to see her without that veil.
Ava\'s voice cut through his thoughts, soft but dripping with suspicion. "A human who wanders into the Demonic Lands, slaughters a group of Demonic Tigers, and claims to be acting out of generosity? Forgive me if I find that... difficult to believe."
Aric smiled, leaning slightly closer as if challenging her doubt. "Indeed, Matriarch, you\'re right to be suspicious. My main purpose here was to find my enemy. I\'ve heard rumors that he\'s hiding in the Demonic Lands. While searching for him, I stumbled across your tribe and saw your people in danger."
One of the elder Nine-Tailed Foxes, Wenqien, her silver eyes gleaming from behind her veil, added sharply, "Do you really think we will trust you, human?"
Aric raised an eyebrow, his smile fading slightly. "Trust is earned, Elder. But my name is Aric Lei. I am the sole heir of the Lei Family--one of the strongest human clans." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. "If I had truly intended to take advantage of you, do you really think I would be standing here, talking?
I could have called upon my forces, and your entire tribe would have been at my mercy."
The tension in the room rose. The Nine-Tailed Foxes murmured among themselves, clearly taken aback by Aric\'s bold claim.
Ava\'s eyes narrowed, though her face remained composed. Inside, she felt a ripple of shock. She had heard of the Lei Family, a prominent force in the human world. Aric\'s presence suddenly carried more weight.
But she didn\'t let her surprise show. "Do you think we are afraid of your clan?" Ava asked, her voice calm but firm. "Tell me what you truly want. No one offers help without a price."
Aric grinned, stepping forward slightly. "I agree, Matriarch. Free bargains are the most dangerous. Let\'s play a bet, then. If I\'m able to stop the alliance targeting your clan and provide you with a safe place to rebuild--along with resources--then you\'ll be mine. But if I fail, you owe me nothing."
The room fell silent. Every Nine-Tailed Fox in the hall stared at Aric, shocked by his audacity.
Wenqien stepped forward, fury burning in her eyes. "Do you think such a thing is possible? To cross such a line and demand our leader as a reward? If you disrespect us any further, you will not leave here alive."
Aric\'s expression didn\'t falter, his gaze locked onto Ava\'s. "Matriarch, if you step outside this cave, you\'ll find only the corpses of your fallen clan members. The alliance is closing in. Do you want more of your people to die for nothing? For them to fight a losing battle?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the room\'s tension.
The room was silent, and Aric\'s words hung heavy in the air. He continued, "As the leader, you are responsible for their lives. But are you afraid that I\'ll succeed, and you\'ll have to keep your word? Or do you think you\'re strong enough to take on all your enemies alone?"
Ava\'s silence spoke volumes. Aric\'s words hit their mark. The safety of her clan was her priority, but with so many of their enemies gathering forces, their location would inevitably be discovered. And in her heart, Ava knew that help would not come from the other demonic forces.
Ava\'s heart stirred, the faint glimmer of hope growing stronger as she looked at Aric. But she wasn\'t ready to surrender herself so easily. "He\'s young," she thought. "I can make him submit to me, and through him, I\'ll command his family\'s forces to crush the alliance."
With a sly smile beneath her veil, Ava activated her Thousand Dreams Illusion Technique. Her intent was clear--she would bring him under her charm, bending his will to hers.
But just as her powerful charm swept toward Aric, something unexpected happened. Aric had already taken precautions, and the Mirror Charm Technique he activated immediately reflected the attack back onto Ava. The illusion, now rebounding, trapped Ava herself within its grasp.
Ava\'s eyes widened in shock as her own charm turned against her. Within the illusion, she was shown a grim vision--Aric revealed the consequences of her refusal. She saw her people dying, her clan\'s final stand against the alliance, and the utter annihilation that awaited them. Aric\'s presence in the illusion was overwhelming, and the message was clear: He alone could save them.
Meanwhile, the elders of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan watched in stunned silence. They could feel the powerful surge of Ava\'s charm technique, but it hadn\'t affected Aric. Instead, Ava herself was caught in its grip.
"What... what\'s happening?" one of the female foxes whispered, her voice trembling.
"The Matriarch\'s charm failed... it was turned against her!" another elder exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Wenqien, the elder who had spoken earlier, stood furious, her silver eyes blazing. "Human! How dare you attack our Matriarch!"
Aric crossed his arms calmly, completely unbothered by their accusations. "I wasn\'t the one who started this. She attacked me first, I merely returned it--with some added interest." His tone was cool, almost amused.
Wenqien and the others moved to attack. Anger surged through the room as the elders prepared their techniques, determined to defend their leader. But before they could even unleash a single strike, Aric released his Divine Transformation Realm aura, the power of it pressing down on everyone like a mountain.
The air in the hall grew thick, and the fox elders were completely suppressed, their knees buckling beneath the weight of Aric\'s aura. The strength they had mustered to attack evaporated like mist.
"Divine Transformation Realm... how?" someone stammered in shock, their voice barely above a whisper.
"He\'s... far stronger than we thought," another murmured, her eyes wide in disbelief.
Wenqien, trembling under the pressure, muttered, "Impossible. A human... in the Divine Transformation Realm... and so young?"
The entire group of Nine-Tailed Foxes were frozen in place, their gazes locked on Aric, who stood unfazed by their shock. The strength he displayed was beyond what they had anticipated.
Finally, Aric released the pressure, allowing them to breathe again. Ava, still under the illusion, was struggling with the mental images that had been reflected back at her. But within moments, Aric released her from the illusion.
Ava gasped softly, regaining her senses. Anger flared in her eyes as she stood, her tails bristling with fury. "Human! How dare you attack me?"
Aric chuckled, his eyes gleaming. "You attacked first, Matriarch. I was only defending myself. And if you recall, your elders tried to strike me as well. So I had no choice but to suppress them."
Ava clenched her fists, her body trembling with anger, but also something else. She knew the truth--Aric\'s strength far exceeded her own, and fighting him would only result in her clan\'s destruction. The illusion had also stirred something inside her--her emotions had shifted, and she wasn\'t as opposed to Aric\'s bet as she had been at the beginning.
She took a deep breath, her voice cold but resigned. "I agree."
The room fell silent again. The elders looked at Ava in shock, but they said nothing. Ava continued, her tone now laced with determination. "I agree to your bet, Aric Lei."
Aric\'s grin widened, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "I knew you\'d see things my way, Matriarch."
Ava raised a hand, her expression firm. "But on one condition. You will not seek the aid of your family in this matter. You will face the alliance yourself, without the backing of the Lei Family. Only then will I accept this bet."
Aric didn\'t hesitate, nodding in agreement. "Fair enough. I\'ve already proven I don\'t need my family\'s help."
With a flick of his wrist, Aric produced a glowing contract, a mystical document that shimmered with spiritual energy. "Let\'s seal this with our dao hearts," he said, offering it to Ava.
Ava stepped forward, hesitating only for a brief moment before she pressed her hand against the contract. A faint glow surrounded her as her dao heart resonated with the agreement. Aric followed suit, his hand glowing with the same energy as they sealed the deal.
The contract pulsed, and the agreement was set in stone.
"The deal is sealed," Aric said, a smug grin on his face. "Now, Matriarch, sit back and watch as I turn the tide in your favor."