Tang Bufan had not slept well for many days now and tomorrow he would be returning to the Heavens Ridge Villa for his first day as a core protégé.
He was now looking haggard and even paranoid at every little slight movement. He looked at the precious sword that was in his hands. This was already the fifth precious sword that he had purchased in this week alone as his four other precious swords were all mysteriously shattered every morning when he had awakened. He had even tried to stay awake throughout the night but he would somewhat passed out.
His finances were now absolutely in the mess. Although 4mil silvers were something that his Tang Clan would still afford but to spend so much silver in a single week was still a strain to the Tang Clan's treasury.
Tang Bo was now standing guard outside his room with more than a hundred guards that were stationed.
Although Tang Bufan had tripled the number of guards but every night, they would still be knocked down by a mysterious force. This caused Tang Bo and many of the guards to be paranoid as well. It was because that mysterious force was warning them that their lives would be taken at any time.
As Tang Bufan walked around his room with a heavy step, all of a sudden the candles were flickering and he could see a shadow flashing around the room.
He said panicky, "Who is that?"
Just as he was about to shout for his guards, a beautiful voice chuckled to him. "Even if you burst your throat, they can't hear you. The only way is to look for them outside."
He quickly turned around toward the beautiful voice. He was soon startled to see a lady in black with a golden mask and she was standing right behind him.
"Who are you?" He panicky asked as he took several steps backward.
The golden mask lady said, "Who am I? I am your savior. Do you know that I have just saved you from the most vicious person in the Nine Celestial Fraternity?"
Tang Bufan smiled bitterly, "I don't trust you. What do you want with me?"
The golden mask lady hummed coldly, "You are so ungrateful. Very well then, I shall let you be under her mercies. Farewell then…"
Tang Bufan quickly said, "Hold! Who are you and who is this vicious person that you are talking about? I don't remember offending anyone lately."
The golden mask lady chuckled, "Oh really? You really didn't offend anyone lately? Why is that she is lurking around you then? If I didn't happen to see her and intervene, tonight you won't be able to sleep well. If not for me, goodness knows what will happen to you tomorrow. Therefore if I am not your savior then who am I?"
Tang Bufan smiled weakly, "Then may I know the name of my savior and who is this vicious person that seeks to harm me?"
The golden mask lady giggled, "Listen well. This lady here is the Golden Mask Devil Goddess…"
When Tang Bufan heard her name, he quickly stumbled backward and he had even unsheathed his sword. It was because the Golden Mask Devil Goddess was the supreme leader over the three dark divine realms of the Nine Celestial Fraternity.
It was said that she was even a seventh realm great saintess. To have a 'great' added to the saintess as title, she had to be an upper stage sacred saint and that was the highest celestial level known to the celestial cultivators.
The Golden Mask Devil Goddess had once terrorized the entire Nine Celestial Fraternity and she was infamous.
Tang Bufan said angrily, "How dare you come to the Heavenly Fragrance Divine Realm! Do you know that this is the orthodox celestial territory…"
The Golden Mask Devil Goddess interrupted coldly, "You dare to speak with such disrespect to me?" She had suddenly flickered her fingers and there was a burst of energy that sped from her fingers and Tang Bufan's precious sword was shattered in an instant!
She said coldly, "I can easily take away your life in an instant. You are but an insignificant ant to me. Where are you when I am lording over the Nine Celestial Fraternity? Instead of being grateful to me, you are trying to be self-righteous in my presence. Are you courting death or what? Kneel before me or else you will be dead man in the next instant."
Tang Bufan was totally scared out of his wits and he quickly fell before her, banging his head on the ground as he begged. "Merciful Devil Goddess, I hope that you have mercy on me. I really didn't know it is you!" After witnessing her martial feat, he knew that her martial abilities were really formidable. He would be dead with another flicker of her fingers and he was really too young to die.
Whether she was the Devil Goddess or not, it did not matter anymore as long as he could keep his own life first.
"Very good." She said coldly, "At least you are not too foolish. You may raise now."
Tang Bufan rose slowly and he was trembling.
The Golden Mask Devil Goddess chuckled softly, "It seems that you have offended Qin Keqin. She is the one that has been troubling you lately."
Tang Bufan nodded. He had his suspicious that it was Qin Keqin that was causing the mysterious happening. Now that the Golden Mask Devil Goddess had said it, his suspicious was confirmed. But Qin Keqin was only a fifth realm expert, it was quite impossible for her to overcome Tang Bo and so many guards without meeting any resistance.
The Devil Goddess seemed to be able to read Tang Bufan's thought as she smiled, "Qin Keqin alone of course won't be able to do it. But her sister will be able to do it."
Tang Bufan stammered, "Her sister?"
The Devil Goddess nodded, "That's right. Her sister. Her sister is a vixen fairy, a powerful fox vixen that can mesmerize the hearts of men. I am afraid that you will be in serious trouble in the future. Not even the Heavens Ridge Villa is a safe place for you against this vixen fairy."
Tang Bufan was bewildered, "Vixen fairy?! What is that?"
The Devil Goddess explained, "It is a sentient spirit entity of the nine tailed fox desolate beast. Can you stop a spirit at your present cultivation level?"
He was speechless. That would at least require him to be a fourth realm expert to even hurt a sentient spirit entity. By right, Tang Bo should be able to handle her…
"I know what you are thinking. However this vixen fairy of hers is different. It is also a powerful sixth realm cultivator. Therefore it will take you a long time to even have a chance to detect her presence and to defeat her. By then it will be too late."
Tang Bufan was startled. He had never heard that a sentient spiritual entity would be able to cultivate. He stammered, "Then what should I do?"
The Devil Goddess said, "If you did not have such a handsome face, I would not even be bothered to help you tonight. I can only help you this once but not forever. Unless of course, you are willing to receive the Mark of the Devil Goddess. With my mark, the vixen fairy will not dare to even come close to you."
Tang Bufan was thinking. She was attracted to my good looks? Maybe I could even make full use of it. He quickly said, "I'm willing to receive your mark."
The Devil Goddess chuckled softly, "Oh? Just a moment ago, you are saying that this is the orthodox celestial territory and I shouldn't be here?"
Tang Bufan quickly said, "Please pardon my foolhardy act. I was stupid just now. You have just saved my life and I ought to repay you with the sincerity of my heart."
The Devil Goddess nodded, "Now that is truly delighting to hear. However, I am not anyone's servant. Why should I help you at all?"
Tang Bufan was startled, "This…I thought…"
The Devil Goddess chuckled, "I merely say that my mark is helpful to you if you are willing to receive it. I never say, I really want to let you have it."
Tang Bufan was stupefied as he stammered, "I am still doom tomorrow…" Tomorrow, he would be meeting the sect leader in front of all the other core protégés for their first day ceremony.
The Devil Goddess said, "There are no free lunches in the world. I can consider giving you my mark for your protection, that will cost you ten high grade soul stones."
Ten high grade soul stones were like 10mil silvers. It was an astronomical amount of money to Tang Bufan.
But Tang Bufan swallowed his saliva and said, "I…I am willing to pay…"
The Devil Goddess said, "Oh? Lucky you are willing to accept the terms so readily or else it won't be this little amount the next time."
Tang Bufan was smiling bitterly but he was already thinking, "I will make sure that the Devil Goddess will fall into my hands. All my losses will then be recouped…"