Evan Yang saying it didn't hurt was a lie, but his body was naturally tougher than others, and the Heaven‑Cold Seed had special healing effects, so he felt no real pressure—instead, he kept attacking even more fiercely.
After dozens of clashes, the black‑clad man's hands were covered in blood. He muttered in disbelief, "You—you don't get tired?"
"You keep asking pointless questions. Worry about yourself first!" Evan knew an early Out‑of‑Body cultivator was stronger than Spirit‑Wandering, and another reason was their deeper spiritual power reserves.
So Evan understood that repeated attacks would drain spiritual power. To solve this, he used his Spirit‑Draining Box, which he'd pre‑charged with spiritual energy. Whenever his own reserves ran low, he instantly drew from the box.
This created a rapid replenishment tool for spiritual power, which delighted Evan, so he attacked without holding back.
Driven to desperation, the black‑clad man finally pleaded, "I—I won't kill you anymore."
"You won't kill me? Well, I definitely want to kill you!" Evan sneered, then launched another wild assault.
"Madman, madman!" The black‑clad man could only desperately defend, enduring the pain and staring at his blood‑soaked hands.
Just as the black‑clad man was praying for Evan's spiritual power to run out so he could finish him off, something completely unexpected happened.
Boom! Thud! The black‑clad man couldn't fathom what had just happened—why did this beggar's attack suddenly become so powerful? He couldn't block even a single blow, and two strikes landed directly on his vital points. He stared at Evan in utter disbelief.
The last thought in his mind was, "Why?" Then he died.
Looking at the black‑clad man he'd killed, who finally crashed against the mountainside and died, Evan Yang put away his gauntlet. "Whew, good thing I had the Spirit‑Draining Box—otherwise I have no idea how long I could've lasted."
Still, Evan was quite satisfied. At least when facing an early Out‑of‑Body cultivator, he no longer needed to dodge—he could even kill them.
Thinking of this, Evan stepped forward to clean up the black‑clad man's corpse. Only after confirming he'd really died did Evan leave the scene.
In a distant star system, someone stared at a shattered jade slip in front of them and exclaimed, "The third attempt failed too!"
Tanner Shaw had also handled things here, but another matter was giving him a headache.
"What's wrong?" Evan Yang asked curiously, seeing Tanner Shaw pacing back and forth in the garden.
"You're back?" Tanner Shaw snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Evan Yang return.
"Don't worry. Within ten years, we'll kill him for sure! If not, you'll get ten times the payment." came the reply.
"Ten years? Who knows when that'll be." The butler felt ten years was far too long.
"He's not an ordinary person, so we can't guarantee he'll hide. Ten years is our limit. But rest assured, during these ten years, whenever he shows up, we'll attempt to kill him." came the reply.
"Exactly. I thought she'd dropped it a few days ago, but nope." Tanner Shaw said, utterly helpless.
After a short break, he reconnected to Kade Santos and explained the whole situation.
Seeing Evan's expression, Tanner Shaw leaned in. "Help me out."
"Yeah," the butler replied.
"Evan, you can't say that. I actually have a way for you to help me—so she won't bother me anymore." Tanner Shaw's frown turned into a big smile.
The scar‑faced, thin man beside Kade Santos gave a strange smile. "Let me handle it."
"You're the one who healed me, right?" Tanner Shaw suddenly asked.
"The family election is in half a year. I'll have to show myself eventually. Acting now isn't a big deal." the man said.
"That's perfect! You healed me, and everyone recognizes you as my healer. They treat you as some amazing doctor. So, could you tell everyone my injuries aren't fully healed yet, and say I can't be stimulated—or else my primordial spirit might scatter again?" Tanner Shaw grinned.
"So what if they find out?" the man wondered aloud.
"If they know, they'll study you, investigate you, and then it'll be much harder for our family to pull off any surprises." Kade Santos explained.
"Evan, my freedom is in your hands." Tanner Shaw stared at Evan Yang.
"Just bear with it," Kade Santos sighed, though inwardly he was wishing for Evan Yang's death every moment.
"Are you just going to watch me jump into the fire pit?" Tanner Shaw looked at Evan with the kind of tragic gaze you'd see before a farewell.
Tanner Shaw had also handled things here, but another matter was giving him a headache.
"What's wrong?" Evan Yang asked curiously, seeing Tanner Shaw pacing back and forth in the garden.
"You're back?" Tanner Shaw snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Evan Yang return.
But Tanner Shaw kept saying pitiful things, so Evan finally relented. "Alright, tell me how you want me to cooperate."
"Heh, that's more like it! Just tell them I can't be stimulated, not for ten years. After ten years, I'll be fine and won't need to care about them." Tanner Shaw grinned.
"She came looking for you again after seeing you recovered?" Evan Yang laughed.
"Exactly. I thought she'd dropped it a few days ago, but nope." Tanner Shaw said, utterly helpless.
Evan Yang smiled, then made a few moves on Tanner Shaw.
Seeing Evan's expression, Tanner Shaw leaned in. "Help me out."
"What happened to me?" Tanner Shaw was shocked to find his eyes had lost their usual vitality.
"Evan, you can't say that. I actually have a way for you to help me—so she won't bother me anymore." Tanner Shaw's frown turned into a big smile.
"That's impressive," Tanner Shaw said, admiring Evan Yang.
"You're the one who healed me, right?" Tanner Shaw suddenly asked.
"Of course. You were badly injured that day—if not for me, your primordial spirit would've scattered." Evan Yang nodded.
"That's perfect! You healed me, and everyone recognizes you as my healer. They treat you as some amazing doctor. So, could you tell everyone my injuries aren't fully healed yet, and say I can't be stimulated—or else my primordial spirit might scatter again?" Tanner Shaw grinned.
Evan Yang almost wanted to hit him right then—he could even come up with a scheme like this. But thinking about it, the plan was workable. Still, Evan hesitated, since he'd be deceiving Cyril's family and friends, and that was hard for him to stomach.
He could kill enemies without hesitation, but lying like this was harder than killing.
"Evan, my freedom is in your hands." Tanner Shaw stared at Evan Yang.
"The plan is fine, but if they ever find out I lied, won't they come after me?" Evan Yang said helplessly.
"Are you just going to watch me jump into the fire pit?" Tanner Shaw looked at Evan with the kind of tragic gaze you'd see before a farewell.
"Don't look at me like that." Evan Yang felt numb seeing those eyes.
"Then help me out. Otherwise I'll keep following you like this." Tanner Shaw blinked at him.
Evan Yang was speechless and wanted to find a place to hide.
But Tanner Shaw kept saying pitiful things, so Evan finally relented. "Alright, tell me how you want me to cooperate."
"Heh, that's more like it! Just tell them I can't be stimulated, not for ten years. After ten years, I'll be fine and won't need to care about them." Tanner Shaw grinned.
"Alright, but you'd better act convincing." Evan Yang sighed.
"How do I act convincing?" Tanner Shaw asked, confused.
Evan Yang smiled, then made a few moves on Tanner Shaw.
After Evan finished, Tanner felt like something was blocking his mind. Except for a few people, he couldn't see things clearly—he had to rely on divine sense.
"What happened to me?" Tanner Shaw was shocked to find his eyes had lost their usual vitality.
"I've temporarily sealed part of your senses, so your eyes won't work for now. This way, your act will be more convincing." Evan Yang smiled.
"That's impressive," Tanner Shaw said, admiring Evan Yang.
"Alright, since you're acting, I'll just say one thing: you can't be stimulated, or else something bad will happen. Anything else you want to tell them is your own business." Evan Yang had done his part and was ready for the plan, though it felt awkward. But thinking he wouldn't have to deal with it later, he felt relieved.
Hearing Evan's words, Cyril Shaw didn't care if he could see or not. As long as he could use divine sense, he was fine—so he became half blind and followed Evan Yang to Cyril's room.
When Cyril heard Evan's explanation, he was shocked and furious. "Damn it, I'm going to settle things with the Santos Family!"
"Dad, don't! It's all in the past, besides, it was a fair match—injuries are inevitable." Tanner Shaw was shocked to hear his father wanted to settle things with the Santos Family. He didn't want his small deception to turn into a feud between the two families.
"Damn it!" Cyril slammed the table in anger after hearing Cyril Shaw's words.
Even Evan Yang hadn't expected Cyril to care so much about Tanner Shaw.
"So Dad, about the Lynn Family, tell them for now that I'm like this. If I have any conflict with Miss Lynn or get agitated, I might never wake up again." Cyril Shaw said pitifully.
After hearing Tanner Shaw's words, Cyril thought it made sense, so he reluctantly went to the Lynn Family.
After Cyril left, Tanner Shaw sent a voice transmission, grinning. "Success."
"Don't celebrate too soon. If Miss Lynn insists on ignoring your condition, you'll be in trouble." Evan Yang said with a wry smile.
Tanner Shaw shivered at Evan's words and quickly said, "I'm going to my room. If anyone comes looking for me, just say I'm sick."
"You should tell your servants, not me. I'm not always here." Evan Yang replied, speechless.
"Sorry, I almost forgot." Tanner Shaw said awkwardly, then hurried off to find his servants and hid in his own room.
As for Evan Yang, he could only helplessly head to the back garden, wanting to see what Kade Santos was up to. After all, Evan was still very curious about that blood cultivator.