Chapter 39: Leaving Without A Trace
Tang San had never expected that he would stumble upon an Aetherhorn Deer Demon in this Collision Contest.
The eyes of the Aetherhorn Deer Demon glowed with a faint blue halo, and when its gaze fixed on Tang San, he felt as if he was being seen through.
But in the next moment, a hint of confusion flashed in the eyes of the Deer Demon.
It used its Discerning Heart's Gaze on Tang San, partly to find his flaws and partly to sense his uniqueness.
It could sense Tang San's robust vitality, far beyond what his slender frame suggested. At the same time, it felt unease, as if something about this young man was particularly disconcerting. This made the usually calm Aetherhorn Deer Demon somewhat restless.
"Begin!" roared the seventh-order Berserk Bear.
The Aetherhorn Deer Demon wasn’t actually here because it was adept at combat by any standard. Its participation in the contest was merely for fun. Actually, the reason these demons often encountered danger was precisely this unstoppable curiosity, which was why most sought the protection of stronger races to live more safely.
This time, Tang San made the first move, and he swiftly charged toward the Aetherhorn Deer Demon.
The Deer Demon lowered its head slightly and charged straight at Tang San. At that moment, it sensed that the human vassal bore no ill intention. The collision would be safe.
The distance between them rapidly closed. The Aetherhorn Deer Demon's charge was straightforward and powerful. Still, its combat strength was not on the same level as the previous three contestants. It was just there to make up the numbers and enjoy itself.
So, after the previous three battles, no one believed that the Aetherhorn Deer Demon could win against this somewhat magical human vassal of the Wind Wolf clan.
As they quickly approached each other, Tang San suddenly leaped up just before the collision. He positioned himself right in front of the Deer Demon, which felt like something had caught hold of its antlers.
In the next instant, Tang San was above it, one hand pressing on its head.
The Aetherhorn Deer Demon suddenly felt an intense fear and almost instinctively shook its head hard. Surprisingly, that instinctive motion actually flung Tang San far away.
The deer also stumbled and nearly fell, its heart filled with fear. It barely managed to steady itself, and it felt incredibly bewildered.
Tang San somersaulted backward in the air and landed some distance away, then staggered back a few steps before finally steadying himself.
Meanwhile, the Aetherhorn Deer Demon had reached the center of the collision area, looking more and more dazed.
It straightened up and pointed to its nose with its forelimb, blinking in confusion. "I won?"
The seventh-order berserk bear was also astonished. The expected winner had been flung away, and the underdog had won? Since when were Aetherhorn Deer Demons this powerful?
Did he fling that human away just like that? Or is it that the human exhausted himself too much to continue?
As the demons spectating the match gaped in astonishment at the Aetherhorn Deer Demon, Tang San swiftly made his way to the prize table, grabbed three aetherhorn coins, and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
The demons who noticed him darting through the crowd tried to catch him, curious to see the face behind his mask. However, they soon realized that this slim human slipped through the crowd like a fish, vanishing in just a few moments.
His Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track proved to be a particularly useful tool in this densely crowded space.
Win three matches and lose to the Aetherhorn Deer Demon. I’ll take that. Time to be off!
Seeing Tang San's sudden loss and quick departure, Wang Yanfeng and Gui Gui breathed a sigh of relief. Not daring to watch any longer, they quickly retreated, blending into the crowd and hastening away.
Naturally, the rest of the demons were still engaged in the Collision Contest. Aside from the Flash Leopard clan's rage and the Wind Wolf clan's excitement, however, the other demons didn't show much reaction.
Tang San accelerated as soon as he left the crowd. His memory was excellent, so he could easily recall the way he had come. He didn't seek out Gui Gui or Wang Yanfeng but instead navigated through streets and alleys, sticking to the darker corners, and headed straight back to the small inn.
Less than a minute after his departure, several Flash Leopards emitting yellow light streaked past where he had been. Their noses twitched as they sniffed around, trying to catch his scent and track him down.
Of course, their efforts were in vain. Tang San simply needed to do one thing to conceal his scent: change his Wind Wolf bloodline imprint, which had been used to cast the Wind Blade, into a Flash Leopard bloodline imprint. With his bloodline altered, how could they possibly identify his scent?
Continuing the contest could undoubtedly bring more victories. For fourth-order demons, winning against Tang San in a contest focused on skill and strength was no easy feat. However, Tang San's performance today was relatively restrained. Otherwise, if he had given it his all, neither the White-Crested Falcon nor the Rhino demon would have survived.
During his third match, he had noticed some Flash Leopards leaving the arena, obviously intending to stir up trouble. His main goal had been achieved, so why linger any longer? Using his loss to the Aetherhorn Deer Demon as cover, he had quickly escaped.
As he swiftly departed, on the watch for any danger that might arise from behind, a slight smirk formed at the corner of Tang San's mouth.
Done. Today's objective has been accomplished.
At the inn, Tang San quickly returned to his room, removed his mask, and looked out the window.
Before long, Wang Yanfeng and Gui Gui also returned.
They almost immediately came to Tang San's room. As soon as they entered, before Gui Gui could say anything, Tang San handed her an aetherhorn coin, "Aunt Gui, this is for you."
Gui Gui was startled. Her small inn usually accommodated human vassals, each poorer than the last, often not paying. It was rare to receive even a demonshard coin in good condition, let alone an exquisitely crafted aetherhorn coin. As she received it, the words of reproach that had reached her lips were immediately swallowed back.
Then, Tang San offered a coin to his teacher as well.
Wang Yanfeng took the aetherhorn coin, but his mouth was twitching slightly. "You were quite bold to kill that Flash Leopard."
Tang San's face showed a trace of fear. "I didn't intend to kill it. I just raised my hand… and things happened. Teacher, there won't be any trouble, will there?"
Seeing the fear on his face, Wang Yanfeng's expression relaxed slightly. A nine-year-old killing a demon was certainly strange, but a nine-year-old remaining perfectly calm after killing a living being would’ve been downright frightening.
"Fortunately, you ran fast. By the time we left, there were already quite a few leopard demons around," Wang Yanfeng said, still somewhat shaken.
Tang San asked, "Will this bring trouble to other human vassals?"
Wang Yanfeng shook his head. "No, that won't happen. Different vassals belong to different clans. They naturally have their clans to protect them. When we left the arena, the Flash Leopard and Wind Wolves were already butting heads. After all, the conflict is between those two races to begin with, it has nothing to do with us."
"That's good." Tang San sighed in relief.
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