"Aiden Starr!"
Ben Coates shuddered, forcing out a weak smile: "Brother Starr, it's been a long time. We go way back, don't we? Last time you asked me about Quinn Shepherd's whereabouts, I even drew you a map—pretty accurate, wasn't it? Given our history, I'm sure you mean no harm, right?"
Aiden Starr sat atop his chest, sneering, "Quinn Shepherd! Always Quinn Shepherd!"
His teeth ground together with a sharp crack, killing intent flooding the entire ruin and driving the strange beasts to the ground, trembling and motionless.
Ben Coates's heart spasmed violently. He stammered, "Brother Starr, did you also suffer at his hands?"
"Suffer?"
Aiden Starr let out a cold laugh: "How could I possibly suffer at his hands? There were just too many of his elders around, that's all. I underestimated them and got surrounded. I had no choice but to retreat and avoid the brunt of their assault."
Ben Coates's eyes flickered. Clearly, Starr had taken a loss—chased by Quinn Shepherd's elders, forced to flee into the Great Ruins and hide near the Western Lands, afraid to show his face.
What he didn't know was that Starr was nowhere near as pathetic as he imagined—in fact, he was monstrously strong. He had gravely wounded Grandpa Blind, Deaf, Crippled Joe, Granny Sue, Emperor Evan, and other top experts. More than a dozen cult master–level powerhouses couldn't withstand a single blow from him before being seriously injured. If Quinn Shepherd hadn't used poison, it would have been total annihilation!
Even after being poisoned and severely wounded, he still managed to evade Butcher’s pursuit, fleeing all the way from the Everpeace Empire to here. His ferocity surpassed even the gods themselves!
"As for the current Grand Venerable, I'm not interested."
Aiden Starr glanced at him and shook his head. "Wait until you've refined your flesh or Primordial Spirit to god-level—then I might be a little interested. We do have some history, and you once offered me both your arms as tribute. I won't go for the kill. What's up with your leg? This sword wound..."
Suddenly, he grabbed Ben Coates and gave a gentle twist. The deer leg Ben had just grafted on snapped instantly.
Ben Coates gritted his teeth against the pain, not daring to utter a word.
Aiden Starr studied him closely. "Those are sword marks left by Quinn Shepherd! So you ran into Quinn Shepherd, the Divine Doctor, and he cut off one of your legs."
Sweat the size of beans beaded on Ben Coates's forehead. His voice was hoarse as he forced a smile: "I was chased by Quinn Shepherd and the Imperial Preceptor of Everpeace. I let my guard down for a moment, and that Shepherd brat took off half my leg. Brother Starr, if you want revenge on Quinn Shepherd, I might have a perfect opportunity for you."
"You think I need your help to get revenge on him?"
Aiden Starr shook his head. "If I want him dead, no one in heaven or earth could protect him! Where is he? I hear the Imperial Preceptor of Everpeace is a top expert too—just the sort I’d like to collect something from."
Ben Coates kept up his ingratiating smile: "I don't know where that Shepherd brat is right now, but I do know where he's headed. He's going to Northern Shadow Peak to seek out my master's Primordial Spirit. The Imperial Preceptor will be with him, guaranteed."
Aiden Starr perked up. "Your master's Primordial Spirit? You once tried to worship me and nearly killed me. That god-demon phantom—was that your master's Primordial Spirit?"