Zhang Wei slowly released his grip on Rose, his fingers loosening their hold on her arms.
As he stepped back a few paces, she let out a long sigh, grateful to finally be free from his grasp.
Her muscles were stiff and sore from being restrained in the same position for so long, and she eagerly stretched her arms out to loosen them up.
Turning to face Zhang Wei, Rose offered him a mischievous grin. “Want a weapon?” she asked, her voice laced with playful challenge.
Without waiting for his answer, she reached over to her bedside drawer and pulled out two gleaming knives, their blades catching the light and glinting menacingly.
As she held out the weapons to him, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
She had been waiting for this moment for weeks, ever since she first started training with her knives, she needed a worthy opponent to test her skills.
And now, with Zhang Wei standing before her, she felt confident that she could take him down.
But to her surprise, Zhang Wei shook his head. “No thanks,” he said, his voice calm and measured. “I think I’ll stick to my fists for now.”
Rose’s smile faltered for a moment, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
Why wouldn’t he want a weapon?
Was he trying to play some sort of mind game with her?
But then, as she watched him step forward and raise his fists in a defensive stance, a new sense of excitement washed over her.
She had always been more comfortable with her knives, but there was something thrilling about facing off against an opponent with nothing but her bare hands.
With a smirk, Rose darted forward, her fists flying as she launched into a flurry of punches and kicks.
Zhang Wei met her blow for blow, his movements fluid and graceful as he danced around her, ducking and weaving to avoid her attacks.
The two of them circled each other, locked in a deadly dance, their bodies moving in perfect sync as they fought for dominance.
For the next several minutes, the room was filled with the sound of grunts and thuds as the two fighters battled it out.
Rose felt her muscles burning with exertion, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to keep up with Zhang Wei’s lightning-fast movements.
But even as she fought with all her might, a small part of her couldn’t help but wonder if she was in over her head.
Zhang Wei was a skilled fighter, after all, and she knew that if she wasn’t careful, he could easily take her down.
But then, just as she was starting to feel her strength wane, she saw an opening.
Zhang Wei had left himself vulnerable, and she seized the opportunity, launching a fierce punch straight at his chest.
With a loud grunt, he stumbled backwards, his feet slipping on the slick hardwood floor.
With a triumphant grin, Rose raised her fists in the air, ready to claim victory.
But then, just as she was about to deliver the final blow, Zhang Wei sprang back to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury.
In an instant, he was on her, his fists raining down on her with a force that left her reeling.
For a brief moment, Rose felt as though she was being consumed by the intensity of her pain and the surging adrenaline in her body.
But then, just as quickly as it had begun, the fight came to an end. Zhang Wei took a step back, his breathing steady and his gaze fixed firmly on Rose.
“That was a good fight,” he said, his voice betraying no hint of strain or fatigue. 𝔬𝗏𝔩xt.𝑐𝑂𝑚
“You used your powers!” Rose protested, unwilling to admit defeat as she wiped the trace of blood from her lips.
She had seen his lightning-fast movements, and it was clear that they were not something a mere human could accomplish.
Zhang Wei simply shrugged. “I didn’t use my powers,” he said calmly. “My body is just more powerful than yours. Aren’t you the same?”
Rose’s face fell in confusion. “What do you mean?” she asked.
Did he mean that her body was also stronger than that of a normal human? How was that possible?
Zhang Wei’s diamond body was capable of defeating
Rose much earlier in their fight, but he chose to allow her to experience a fleeting moment of victory before ultimately emerging victorious.
This small act of compassion had a profound impact on Rose’s perception of him, and she now viewed him in a much more favorable light.
As the intensity of emotions between two people increases, so too does the strength of their connection.
Memories are formed based on the level of emotion experienced, and their strength is subject to the passage of time.
Knowing this, Zhang Wei deliberately put Rose through a range of emotions before finally revealing his true strength.
Despite being unable to use his powers, he knew that his superior-ranked body could be used to level the playing field.
Rose, having a tempered body herself, would not have considered it cheating if he used his own to fight.
From an objective standpoint, it could be argued that Zhang Wei’s use of his superior body was cheating.
However, as a villain, he was naturally unconcerned about such matters. After all, he was doubtful of the outcome if he relied solely on his skills.
Zhang Wei picked up a knife and proceeded to demonstrate what he had meant earlier.
“See this?” he said, trying to cut his own body with the knife. However, not even a scratch appeared on his skin.
Rose’s eyes trembled briefly before she spat, “It’s still cheating!”
Zhang Wei shook his head and began to explain to her the concept of different body types.
He even went so far as to prove that her body was superior to that of a normal human due to the excessive tempering she had undergone.
Rose began to believe his words, realizing that she was indeed better at facing oncoming attacks than her subordinates.
Zhang Wei suspected that Rose’s superior body might be related to her contract with a spirit beast, but he was not willing to reveal this information just yet.
Rose nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
She felt better knowing that she also had an edge over others when it came to physical ability.
She began to think about how she could train to achieve a body on par with Zhang Wei’s.
However, her dreams were soon shattered when she learned that cultivating a body was not an easy task.
Without proper cultivation, it was even harder and produced scorching pain when done manually with the help of tools.
Compared to cultivating a steel body or above, having a tempered body was relatively easy.
“How do I learn cultivation?” Rose asked, hearing the term for the first time.
Zhang Wei smiled mischievously, believing that the bird had fallen right into his trap.
“Become my slave,” he replied. He knew that this was the only way she could learn from him.
He wouldn’t teach cultivation to just anyone, only to have them turn on him later.
Rose’s eyes narrowed as she remembered who this man was. For a moment, due to the adrenaline from their fight, she had forgotten that he was actually trying to take over her gang.
Once the realization hit her, her face contorted with bitterness.
However, she knew that he had already defeated her, and she was not someone who would not keep her end of the bargain.
After a deep sigh and a resolute look, she said, “What do I have to do?”
Zhang Wei’s grin grew even wider.
Rose was unaware of the impending consequences of accepting a slave seal, but he still explained the procedure to her.
Soon after, Zhang Wei received the notification that Rose had officially become his slave.
=======
—— Slaves ——
1. Leng Yan
– Age: 23
– Female
– Initial Stage of core formation realm
2. Long Yufei (Rose)
– Age: 24
– Female
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