Volume 1, Chapter 40: Someone in the Rose Barrier? Or, to be precise, a beast-girl?

Lin Yao had heard many arrogant demands, but he had never heard of anyone asking to stand still and be blasted by his energy bullets. Since the opponent was begging for death, Lin Yao naturally would not refuse.

"Boom!"

A tangible, deep blue energy bullet formed instantly in Lin Yao’s palm. The next second, it tore through the sky, engulfing the stationary Beastmaster with overwhelming force. A brilliant blue flash erupted, followed by a deafening roar. When the power of the blast dissipated, only a pile of shattered bones and flesh remained on the ground.

The Shen brothers, having just escaped death, stared at each other, completely dumbfounded. You call *that* an energy bullet?

Old Wei, witnessing this, was terrified. A moment ago, he had been charging with a ferocious grin, eager to twist off Lin Yao’s head; now, he turned and fled faster than anyone. As for the Beastmaster behind him, he moved even quicker.

"Boom! Boom!"

Lin Yao couldn't be bothered with small talk. He raised his hands and fired two more energy bullets. Without any suspense, Old Wei and his companion followed in the footsteps of the first fool, obliterated along with their beasts. Since they used slave contracts, their beasts suffered the backlash and died on the spot.

By the time Lin Yao finished, Zhu Zhihan and the Shadow Werewolves had also ended their fight. Lu Hongbo, who had arrived with over twenty subordinates, was now completely alone. He was tightly bound by Zhu Zhihan’s "Thunder Penalty Shackles"—cuffs on his wrists, shackles on his ankles, and a collar made of lightning around his neck. If he made even the slightest move, Zhu Zhihan could detonate the lightning to shatter his limbs or blast him into pieces.

The four Shadow Werewolves dragged the desperate Lu Hongbo before Lin Yao and forced him to his knees. Before Lin Yao could act, Lu Hongbo shrieked, "Don't kill me! I know the exact location of the Rose Treasure! I know who can open it! And I know a secret regarding the treasure!"

To survive, Lu Hongbo spilled three shocking secrets at once. Before, Lin Yao might have spared him for this intel, but now, he could simply get the information from Ms. Song Xiyan’s diary.

"Hum—"

A deep blue energy sphere condensed in Lin Yao’s palm again.

Lu Hongbo didn't even get a chance to plead for mercy before being consumed by the blast.

"Boom!"

The energy bullet exploded, leaving a charred crater. However, a golden light wobbled out from the center of the blast. It was his beast, the Twin-Winged Golden Cicada. With Lu Hongbo dead, it suffered the backlash of the beast contract. Curiously, even though it was not a humanoid beast, it could speak.

"Help! Help! Murder!" The cicada squeaked in a voice resembling a sharp-tongued young boy.

Xia Yumeng glanced at the creature, which hovered in the air like a golden flame, and curled her lip. "What kind of person are you? 'Murder'?"

The cicada paused, then retorted, "Don't look down on me! Once I evolve into a Six-Winged Golden Cicada, I’ll have a human form!"

Xia Yumeng giggled. "Then I’ll have my husband kill you right now, so you don't get the chance to evolve."

Terrified, the cicada quickly groveled, "Spare me, my lady! Please, have mercy!"

While the cicada bickered with Xia Yumeng, Lin Yao checked its stats with his Beastmaster talent.

[Name: Twin-Winged Golden Cicada]
[Level: 18]
[Potential: S-Grade]
[Talent: Innate Wisdom (Possesses high intelligence from birth; automatically acquires vast knowledge and wisdom as it grows.)]
[Skills: Cicada Seal, Solid as Gold, Golden Flame Lotus, Enlightenment.]

Lin Yao found the creature quite interesting. Its innate talent made it a walking library. The "Cicada Seal" could enslave others, granting control over their lives with a thought. "Solid as Gold" was a defensive skill, which had saved it from the blast. "Golden Flame Lotus" could refine random treasures if materials were provided, and "Enlightenment" could boost a beast's intelligence. Overall, while not a combatant, it was a powerful support beast.

Understanding its value, Lin Yao asked calmly, "Do you want to live or die?"

The cicada replied without hesitation, "I have wandered for half a life without finding a true master. If you do not despise me, I am willing to serve you!"

Lin Yao signed an equal beast contract without hesitation. The cicada breathed a sigh of relief, fearing a slave contract. Once bound, it immediately curried favor. "Hehe, Master, I know all three pieces of intel Lu Hongbo mentioned. I’ll tell you everything."

Lin Yao said nonchalantly, "Let's hear it."

"The Rose Treasure is about 100 kilometers away," the cicada began. "Lu Hongbo’s fiancée, Zhou Meiting, and he found a safe. They split the contents. He got the location; she got the method to open it. But they couldn't open it for some reason. Later, Zhou Meiting was captured by Qin Tanlang, and it’s rumored she was killed by his subordinate, Black Bear. As for the secret Lu Hongbo found, it was that there is a living person inside the barrier."

Lin Yao was stunned. "You mean someone else has already entered the barrier?"

The cicada shook its head. "Master, that was their view. I think the woman inside accidentally fused with a Beast Origin Crystal Core. She looks human but possesses the nature of both human and beast. If I’m not mistaken, she is a Phoenix beast that has been reborn through flames many times."