Chapter 78: Growing Influence
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--- Chapter 75 ---
Two months later.
After encountering the first hostile group in the Black-Corner Region and attending the Black Seal Auction House to get Yafei a birthday gift, Baek Ain used all the Beast Taming Gate's influence to get Miteer Family's Business into the safe area.
Letting Miteer Family and Shadow Guard through is easy, but keeping them safe is another problem. Since the Black Corner Region is a lawless area where the slightest provocation could cause immense destruction, Baek Ain could only solve this by taking over other factions.
It started from factions such as unaffiliated Dou Qi Practitioner, a small group, backwater sects, and Wild Lion Gang. Baek Ain utilized a full two weeks to gather small power under his palm, using his parasites to ensure absolute loyalty.
For the next six weeks, Baek Ain used to invite some factions' leaders at the same level as Beast Taming Gate and defeated their leaders in an official spar, making it seem like he wanted to test the water of Black Ranking.
In truth, Baek Ain wanted to put his parasites on these factions' leaders and control them from the shadows. People only knew he was the new leader of Beast Taming Gate and didn't know he possessed 30% of the Black-Corner Region on his palm.
The only factions Baek Ain couldn't touch were Eight Gates, Blood Sect, Black Emperor Sect, and Demon Flame Valley. These four factions are heavily guarded and have at least Dou Ancestor in their bases.
Baek Ain might have increased his cultivation to 3-Star Dou Emperor, but fighting Dou Ancestor is still hard. If Baek Ain fought a Dou Ancestor in a life-and-death battle, he was confident in his victory.
However, fighting to conquer a land won't need such a risky move.
It's all about preparing to discover your opponent's weakness. Also, Baek Ain doesn't want to waste his precious resources in life-and-death battles.
Fighting Queen Medusa eight months ago proved how wasteful to oppose someone without deep planning. Even if it's not according to his plan, Baek Ain would rather stay low-key than expose his cards.
Not to mention doing everything in a grand-like manner is exhausting.
And remember, the Black-Corned Region is "directly." linked to the Central Plains with a spatial gate. One of those four factions could have a backup and fucked Baek Ain's plan.
After thinking about it, Baek Ain decided to remain silent and observe the situation first. He already prepared the plan to get Blood Sect under his control, but it would take a week or two to get his parasites inside their faction.
The Sky Serpent Mansion is also part of the Black Ranking now, thanks to Baek Ain's help. As they acquired about three months' worth of medicinal pill resources, Sky Serpent Mansion was able to raise their strength quickly.
Well, to be fair. Sky Serpent Mansion has a decent strength to be in the top thirty or twenty of Black Ranking. The problem is they couldn't produce a powerhouse within the last fifteen years.
And people with an affinity toward Sky Serpent Mansion's teaching are rare. Qing Lin is literally heaven's gift to them.
Besides the Black-Corner Region, Baek Ain also focused on Jia Nan Academy. After all, he was interested in their Fallen Heart Flame.
Stealing it might be challenging, but getting the Fallen Heart Flame's progeny with the Sign In system shouldn't be difficult.
Jia Nan Academy is recruiting new students soon, but Baek Ain doesn't want to enter this academy through this method. If he joined Jian Nan Academy, Baek Ain would get put in the same place as Xiao Yan. nove(l)bi(n.)com
And yes, Baek Ain didn't want that.
According to Alicia's report on Xiao Yan's location, maybe because of his protagonist halo, Xiao Yan returned to Jia Nan Academy a week after getting ambushed by Baek Ain's parasite. Safely.
A typical Dou Grandmaster would die several times from extreme injury, pain, and weariness. And Xiao Yan literally got a chunk of his body erased by the parasite's last attack, losing one of his "important." organs.
SWOOOOOOOSH!
Yet, all of a sudden. A cold breeze emerged and hugged Baek Ain from behind, leaving the women in gray-colored mist and purple light speechless.
"What the..." Lan Rou frowned solemnly.
"How could she be so fast?" Yi Xian blinked her eyes in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Yafei grinned at Baek Ain and smugly said, "Hehe, I got you."
After reaching 1-Star Dou King Realm, Yafei manifested her wings made of Dou Qi Energy. However, Yafei is a bit special because the Luan Parasite granted her imperfect ice phoenix-like quality.
Starting with ice-like feathered wings and other qualities she has yet to manifest because of the lack of her cultivation base.
Of course, that doesn't mean she is better than Lan Rou or Yi Xian. They would wipe her to the floor in a one-on-one match.
Yafei could only win if given preparation time. So don't let her escape your grasp and fall into her trap because rotating silver threads are dangerous in a prolonged battle.
"What was that?" Yi Xian asked while hovering beside Baek Ain.
"Yeah, she abruptly appeared and reached Ain's side." Lan Rou is curious as well.
Yafei giggled and answered, "I reached 1-Star Dou King yesterday. The parasitic suit Baek Ain specially created for me two months ago enhanced my overall martial prowess by several folds."
"As for the speed, Luan helped me manipulate Dou Qi more efficiently, which resulted in better outcomes."
"What... That's unfair. Viper doesn't enhance my speed." Yi Xian pouted at Baek Ain.
Baek Ain laughed weakly and returned, "Because I made Viper intending to control and improve your Woeful Poison Body, so don't give me that face."
"And The enhancement between Viper and Luan is pretty similar. The difference is only 2-3%."
"Looks, Rou isn't complaining."
Lan Rou smiled and said, "Phantom does its job properly. I don't have a problem hiding my presence and assassinating anyone so far."
"..." Yafei.
"..." Yi Xian.
"..." Baek Ain.
"Rou, sometimes... I wonder how you can say something so blandly."
Lan Rou tilted her head and added, "I did?"
"Nevermind." Baek Ain shook his head.
"Blood Sect is waiting for us. Let's move and finish this quickly."
"Mm, okay." 3x.
As the three women nodded, Baek Ain increased his pace again and disappeared with a streak of white light.
