C2 Firetalons

"Ah!" Zhao Lin clutched the young girl's calf tightly as he hung in mid-air, his face ashen and his body shaking uncontrollably. As he gazed at the rapidly receding landscape below, his soul felt shattered by fear. The two young men beside him glared at Zhao Lin's pathetic state, their veins bulging with frustration. If glares could kill, Zhao Lin would have perished over and over again.

Out of fear, Zhao Lin's strength was concentrated in his hands. One should not underestimate the power in those hands; after all, he had spent the entire day hunting with a strong bow. "You, could you relax a bit?" the young girl pleaded, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She had intended for the two men to deal with Zhao Lin, but he stubbornly clung to her leg and wouldn't let go, leaving her no choice but to endure the discomfort.

"Ah, we're going to hit the mountain. I'm dead!" Zhao Lin was oblivious to the young girl's plea as he saw the looming mountain ahead and screamed in terror, his eyes rolling back in his head. "This little rascal is so clueless. Why should Junior Sister bother with him? I say we just drop him!" the man in grey grumbled bitterly.

"Junior Sister is always so compassionate. This rascal is exploiting her kindness. Junior Sister, Junior Brother is right. Someone as faint-hearted as him will never achieve anything in the sect. We might as well let him go!" the man in white robes chimed in, seizing the opportunity to ingratiate himself with the young girl.

Meanwhile, Zhao Lin, who had been on the verge of passing out, seized a moment when the others were distracted. With a burst of strength, he pressed his head against the young girl's calf and whispered, "Mother, today I've seen an angel. She's been so kind to me. You don't have to worry anymore!"

The young girl's expression softened with compassion. She reached into her bosom and pulled out a jade pendant. With a gentle squeeze, a glowing screen enveloped Zhao Lin, silencing the wind around him as if he were in a tranquil chamber. "This sister is not only beautiful but also kind-hearted. If only... I could marry her..." Zhao Lin thought to himself, barely suppressing a chuckle.

"Junior Sister, that was a gift from our Master. How could you use it on this kid!" exclaimed the two men, their eyes brimming with jealousy, as if they wished to engulf Zhao Lin with it. "Senior Brothers, he's in a pitiable state!" the young girl said with compassion, glancing at Zhao Lin, which only intensified their envy.

"Senior Brother, let's not pressure Junior Sister for now. Once this kid is inside the sect, we'll have plenty of time to deal with him," the man in grey suggested, moving closer to the man in white, a chilling murderous intent flashing in his eyes. The man in white nodded, looking at Zhao Lin with a sinister smirk. Zhao Lin, exhausted from being chased by the man in white, had fallen into a deep sleep, oblivious to the fact that two individuals capable of ending his life with a mere flick of their fingers were plotting against him. One wonders if he could still rest so peacefully if he knew.

As Zhao Lin slept, the trio traversed over towering mountains. After a couple of hours, they were enveloped in a mystical fog, with the melody of celestial birds filling the air as a mountain range came into view. These peaks soared into the clouds, each adorned with numerous palaces, while at their bases lay rows of thatched cottages and well-tended vegetable gardens.

"We've finally returned. This time, the three of us have captured over a thousand wild beasts. Master will surely be overjoyed!" the man in grey said with a beaming smile, though his eyes briefly lingered on Zhao Lin. They descended onto a mountain peak, where the girl stowed her jade pendant, causing the protective light around Zhao Lin to fade. Yet, the boy continued to snore away.

"Look, it's Wang Feng, Senior Brother Li Yun, and Senior Sister Xie Ling. Wang Feng and Senior Brother Li Yun are the Chief Elder's personal disciples. Senior Brother Wang Feng, in particular, is a formidable cultivator at the Solar Apex. Rumor has it that the Chief Elder is ready to bestow upon him a supreme technique. Who knows when we'll be able to reach the heights of a powerhouse like Senior Brother Wang Feng?" they exclaimed, their voices laced with both envy and admiration.

"Senior Sister Xie Ling is the leader's prized pupil, having received his personal instruction early on. She's already attained the Solar Apex level. It won't be long before she breaks through and forms her Golden Core," came another voice, full of flattery. Suddenly, the conversation halted, and Xie Ling's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as countless eyes turned to Zhao Lin, who was still fast asleep, cuddling her calf.

Zhao Lin was using Xie Ling's foot as a pillow, drool glistening at the corner of his mouth. A chorus of heartbroken sighs filled the air as the previously vacant stares turned fiery with rage. "My goddess, he has defiled my goddess!" a voice wailed, sounding like a pig being slaughtered. In the crowd, a fat man with big ears and a protruding belly collapsed to the ground, his eyes brimming with despair.

"Hey, come on, wake up! Please, wake up!" Xie Ling, her cheeks flushed, bent over and shook Zhao Lin. To onlookers, it seemed as though Xie Ling was tenderly coaxing a dear friend. Another wave of heartbroken sighs swept through the crowd, and even the two figures in white and grey robes behind Xie Ling clenched their fists in frustration, their knuckles cracking.

With a groan, Zhao Lin shook off the grogginess and opened his eyes to a circle of murderous glares. Panicked, he leaped up and scurried behind Xie Ling for protection. "Brother Wang, would you kindly adhere to our sect's rules and escort him to the Servants' Department?" Xie Ling's voice was soft and sweet to all.

"Sister, rest assured, I will ensure he is... well taken care of," Wang Feng said, the words 'taken care of' heavy with implication. Zhao Lin sensed trouble brewing, but Xie Ling simply nodded to the crowd and gracefully ascended into the sky. Watching her elegant ascent, Zhao Lin whispered to himself, "When will I see my celestial sister again?"

Chilling laughter echoed around him, sending shivers down Zhao Lin's spine as if he were prey under a viper's gaze. "Fellow disciples, this lad is now a servant disciple. Make sure you... take good care of him! Who wants to escort him to the Servants' Department?" Wang Feng's voice was laced with dark amusement. Zhao Lin, surrounded by more than twenty smirking faces, felt a chill run through him.

"Brother Wang Feng, I'll do it!" piped up the fat man who had been wailing earlier, eagerly volunteering. "Good, take him away," Wang Feng signaled with a knowing look and soared away with Li Yun. "If only I could fly like them," Zhao Lin sighed with envy. But before he could finish his thought, he was abruptly hoisted into the air by the collar, dangling helplessly as the fat man carried him off.

Despite his size, the fat man had a kind heart and shared quite a bit with Zhao Lin during their journey. Thanks to him, Zhao Lin gained a general understanding of his new surroundings. They were in a cultivation sect known as Firetalons. The fat man also cautioned Zhao Lin that he had unwittingly offended the dream goddess of numerous young disciples, hinting at challenging times ahead.

Furthermore, the fat man advised Zhao Lin that offending him was trivial compared to crossing Wang Feng and Li Yun. Wang Feng was a powerful cultivator, while Li Yun was cunning and strategic. Essentially, Zhao Lin was in deep trouble. With a wry smile, Zhao Lin realized the predicament he was in: a stranger in this place, he had already managed to make an unknown number of enemies. He could almost envision a chasm ahead, with adversaries eagerly waiting to push him over the edge.