Chapter 650 505: It's Starting: You Devil, Spare Me

'He's already seen it all anyway...'

'It doesn't matter if he looks a few more times.'

Fang Tangtang didn't seem to mind in the slightest. She stood right up, glanced around, and pouted slightly.

"Why isn't there any water?" Fang Tangtang asked, seemingly displeased.

As soon as the words left her mouth,

raindrops began to fall above her head, as if from a sudden downpour.

"WHOOSH!"

"PELT! PELT! PELT!"

The raindrops washed over her body.

"I'm Rank 9 now. I can control the elements at will. Just like this... If I want rain, there's rain. If I want wind, there's wind." Gao Neng said, tilting his head back slightly.

"!!!" Fang Tangtang looked from the downpour above to the smug, disdainful look on Gao Neng's face. In that instant, the joy of her own rank-up vanished.

'Why?'

'I'm already so exceptional, so how can someone be even *more* exceptional than me?'

'This is insane!'

'Who in the world can jump two ranks in just three days?!'

'Even with cheats... you can't cheat *that* blatantly!'

...

After leaving the Snow Demon Race's forbidden land,

Fang Tangtang and Gao Xiaomeng had both changed into fresh clothes.

As Gao Neng stepped out, he saw Xu Zilan standing there.

"Mom," Gao Neng called out.

"Leaving?" Xu Zilan glanced at Gao Neng, her tone calm.

"Yeah." Gao Neng nodded.

This was Xu Zilan.

The mother who had raised him.

Before her, even if he didn't voice his intentions, Xu Zilan could see right through him with a single glance.

"I'll be staying in the Blood Race Royal Hall," Xu Zilan said.

"Mom... aren't you coming back with us to the City of Hope?" Gao Neng looked up at his mother.

"No. This place needs someone to watch over it," Xu Zilan said, glancing around.

"But..."

"Xiaomeng will be staying too."

"Oh, then..."

"When are you leaving? Right now?" Xu Zilan cut him off.

"I... I'm a little worried." Gao Neng glanced at Xu Zilan, then at Gao Xiaomeng. For some reason, he felt a sense of unease.

"What's there to be worried about?" Xu Zilan waved a dismissive hand.

"I think Xiaomeng is a bit too playful. You'll be alone in the Blood Race Royal Hall... maybe with no one to talk to. How about I find you a handmaiden?" Gao Neng suggested tentatively after a moment's thought.

"Fine. I'll find a handmaiden for myself..."

"I wouldn't feel right with just any handmaiden. Besides, the Seventh Princess of the Dark Night Elf Clan is in the Blood Race Royal Hall, and she already knows my identity," Gao Neng added.

As soon as he said this, Xu Zilan's eyes flashed, but the light in them faded just as quickly.

Then, Xu Zilan smiled.

"Alright. In that case, have the Seventh Princess of the Dark Night Elf Clan keep me company. I can also help you keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't leave."

"I'll go make the arrangements, then." Gao Neng nodded.

"Yes, go on," Xu Zilan said with a wave.

...

Gao Neng didn't linger in Snow Demon City.

He wanted to hurry back to the North District Fortress. After all, he had been away for a full three days and had no idea what might have happened there in his absence.

Still, he figured there wouldn't be any major issues.

The North District was in chaos.

The West District was also in chaos.

That meant the North District Fortress should be relatively safe.

Of course, there was always a chance of something unexpected.

The reason for his concern was the "Fairy Dragon image" that had once appeared over Ice City. The incident was far too strange. He could guess at the general purpose behind it, but the specifics, or any deeper meaning, were difficult to discern.

As for Xu Zilan keeping Gao Xiaomeng in the North District, Gao Neng wasn't surprised. Gao Xiaomeng was, after all, the de facto ruler of the North District.

It would have been a real surprise if Xu Zilan had sent Gao Xiaomeng to the City of Hope instead.

Summoning his Flying Earth Dragon,

Gao Neng took Fang Tangtang and flew toward the Blood Race Royal City.

Now that the plan for the North District had achieved its initial success, it was time to deal with the matter of the Seventh Princess, Wu Dingxiang.

'Kill her?'

'It's a pretty good way to handle it.'

Gao Neng had actually considered it.

However, after obtaining the new epic-level skill "Wormhole," some of his original plans had changed.

'Thirty wormholes.'

'I definitely have to place one near Xu Zilan!'

The most direct method would be to place a "mark" on Xu Zilan herself.

But Gao Neng knew his mother wouldn't appreciate being "monitored."

After all, the mark would definitely emit energy fluctuations during teleportation. With Xu Zilan's power, there was at least a ninety percent chance she would sense it.

So, in the end, Gao Neng decided to place the mark on Wu Dingxiang instead.

Of course, there were other reasons for this decision.

Gao Neng didn't want to admit them.

But the fact was, he really was worried about Xu Zilan staying in the North District.

"WHOOSH!"

「Two hours later.」

Gao Neng and Fang Tangtang landed at the Blood Race Royal Hall.

The Blood Race King, Xue Pen, rushed over immediately, accompanied by another Strongest of the Blood Race, Xue Biao.

As for Bloodthirst...

...he was nowhere to be seen.

Gao Neng wasn't bothered. He was well aware of the pride that a Strongest like Bloodthirst possessed. Even under duress, they would never bow and scrape.

Especially when your own power wasn't yet enough to defeat him.

"Tangtang, rest here for a bit. I'm going to find Wu Dingxiang," Gao Neng said, then headed straight for where Wu Dingxiang was being held.

"Hurry up!" Fang Tangtang pouted.

"..." Gao Neng ignored her but quickened his pace.

Soon, he arrived at Wu Dingxiang's room.

Eight members of the Blood Shadow Army stood guard at the door. In addition, another sixteen were positioned secretly around the room.

Since Mu Feifei's escape, the security around Wu Dingxiang had been tripled.

To put it bluntly...

Even if Wu Dingxiang sprouted a pair of wings, she wouldn't be able to fly out of there.

"Lord Gao Neng!"

"Open the door."

"Right away."

"CREAK!" The door was opened.

A "CLANG!" echoed from inside as a washbasin fell to the floor.

Wu Dingxiang's handmaiden had a look of panic and terror on her face.

But she still spread her arms, determinedly blocking the path to Wu Dingxiang.

"Princess, run!"

"Xiaolan, step aside. There's no escape." Wu Dingxiang pushed her handmaiden away and slowly rose from her vanity. "Are you here to kill me? Heh... Then do it. I am the Seventh Princess of the Dark Night Elf Clan. I will never beg you for mercy!"

"I'm not going to kill you. Starting today, you will serve as my mother's handmaiden," Gao Neng said, glancing at Wu Dingxiang.

"In your dreams!" Wu Dingxiang refused without a second thought.

"If you refuse, I'll kill your handmaiden. Then, I'll strip you naked and hang you from the city gates. And if you try to kill yourself, I'll capture your soul and torture it slowly." Gao Neng had anticipated her refusal.

"You... You're a monster!!! Why won't you leave me alone? Is it just because I'm beautiful? Do you just want my body? Fine! I'll ruin my own face, will that satisfy you?" Wu Dingxiang cried out, filled with grief and indignation.

"Heh, go ahead. But I can still take you before you ruin that face of yours." Gao Neng smirked and began to slowly walk toward her, one step at a time.

"Don't come any closer!"

"Princess, I'll stop him!"

"BANG!"

With a dull thud, the handmaiden was sent flying.

At the same time, Wu Dingxiang found she was completely unable to move, as if trapped by an impossibly dense sphere of air.

"I forgot to mention, things are different now. Three days ago, I was Rank 7. Now... I'm Rank 9!" A corner of Gao Neng's mouth lifted into a smirk. A dagger, glinting with cold light, appeared in his hand.