Zhao Yao took a deep breath as held the leash connected to the Merp.
His Master dropped him and Merry on the top of the hill pasture and then disappeared.
Facing the clan that bullied the other-self for over a decade, the new Zhao Yao wasn't afraid. He liked to have bullies because he believed that they made him stronger. Without someone to protect him, Zhao Yao always faced a threat in one way or another, and that made him mentally strong.
When he chose to become an author, he always created 'conflicts' and solved them in his own unique ways. He had his confidence in facing any situations.
'Err. maybe not all situations, almost all situations.' Zhao Yao changed as he thought about how his confidence almost broke down earlier in the morning.
"Let's go, Merry." With a smile, Zhao Yao walked towards his house full of confidence.
The hill pastures had some Merps and other beasts enjoying their time. They were owned by the entire clan collectively, and only the top dogs of the clan owned and domesticated any demon beasts privately.
They didn't have to walk long before seeing a Zhao clan member.
The instant he saw them, he ran to the clan as if he saw some enemy. Zhao Yao saw soon the reason why he ran.
He brought his friends and pointed his fingers at him. Zhao Yao could imagine what he was saying.
"Bruh. That's the f***er who f***ed a f***ing beast. Pfft."
"That's the Merpf***er."
As he near the settlement wall, he saw more and more gathering.
'Words do spread like fire.' Zhao watched the crowd getting bigger in amusement.
He didn't try to bother with them as he headed straight to his residence.
He had mainly four goals: He needed to get proper clothes, both for himself and his master. He wanted to find news that's useful for him and then start planning his revenge. Most importantly, he wanted to start cultivating.
"Look who this is."
"The shame of the Zhao clan returned."
"The Man and the Merp."
"Married to a Merp. Hahaha."
Zhao was unaffected up all the mockeries and yells. He continued to walk as if nothing happened.
He would have hurt and affected by this if he didn't know of his innocence.
Zhao Yao had multiple ways to deal with the insults. The main one was to pretend like they weren't talking about him. Ignoring all the Zhao bastards who gathered around him, he could continue with his life. But that's too boring.
He could try to control them through fear. Since he didn't have high cultivation and he had to use someone else power and prestige for this. But his master refused to actively help him, and he didn't want to use this method either. It was an inefficient method which gives only temporary results.
He could bounce back at them with insults as well. Even though replying to all these ignorant cannon fodders take forever and end without any results, it was fun.
Before his Master left him above the cliff, he gave Zhao Yao a piece of advice.
"Yao'er, I am not sure if this will help you to cope with your crisis, but I will tell you this.
You are already in deep water, soaking wet. If you couldn't get out immediately and dry yourself, then go deeper and take a thorough bath."
Zhao Yao knew what his master meant. He didn't have to bother about the insults. And if he failed to clear his name, he can go full and make Merry into a Spirit Beast.
"Zhao Yao, Where did you disappear to?" A buff guy came and asked. The mockery in his tone and a smug smile on his face irritated Zhao Yao.
Zhao Yao felt the person familiar, but he didn't want to bother thinking about a random cannon fodder NPC.
But he felt an urge to trash talk. He had some hesitancy, but on second thoughts he decided to screw them.
"So, where were you?" He smug-face asked again.
"What did you think?" Zhao Yao questioned him back. "Idiot, we were on our honeymoon."
Zhao Yao answered like it was a dumb question.
Then he turned to the gathered crowd and went all out.
"Look at you, perverted creeps. What are you smiling for? Happily cheering for me like I married your mother. How can we enjoy our Marital night when all you perverted creepy bastards are spying on us. So, went on a honeymoon."
The cheering crowd stopped and stared daggers at him. Some didn't bother and just shook their heads.
Zhao wished he could bring some best trash talkers from Earth, or at least he wished he learned more from them. He didn't think he was that effective, but his words weren't failures either.
"So all of you creepy perverts, instead of stalking us like losers go find yourself one. Don't even salivate at my lovely Merp, she is mine. You have no idea how heavenly this is. So scram and make use of your time."
Zhao Yao yelled and started walking.
"How dare you?" The smug face grabbed his shoulder.
Zhao Yao panicked as the person was stronger than him. But he remembering hearing something that he could use in these situations.
Thinking about all the dark moments and stories he gathered throughout his lifetime, Zhao Yao stared at the smug face.
"I said SCRAM."
His eyes showed his ferocity and face embodied all the anger and resentment he hid.
It worked. Gladly, his bluff worked.
The smug face retreated his hands and was lost in a stupor of some moments.
This time was enough for Zhao Yao to escape. He walked fast to his residence.
It didn't matter whether your opponent was stronger or crueler than you. But if a person yells at him with a crazy expression, even the bravest will experience a moment of fear.
Luckily it worked out, otherwise, he would get pummeled.
"He has gone nuts."
"A madman."
"Already shameless, now crazy too?"
He heard the smug face's and other's voice from behind.
Zhao Yao didn't bother what they think.
To him the entire Zhao clan was dead. They are prohibited from spreading about him, but he was sure someone will do that soon. That's what he wanted to prevent. If it got leaked, he had to find a way to disprove it as a hoax.
So, it didn't matter to Zhao Yao what the Zhao clan members think of him. He could act like a Madman or Merpf**ker in front of them.