Human Civilisation

Days passed as they travelled through the forest to reach the exit.

"Finally here, I was getting slightly bored from all the walking." Tian Long slightly complained to which Sarah replied "Shut up already that is the sixth time I've heard you say you were bored of walking, the first time we ended up camping for two days wasting time". Exasperated at her attitude Tian Long dares not contradict her as the last time he did that was the second time he said he was bored of walking.

~Five Days Ago~

"Hey, can we stop again. I'm booooored" Tian Long said in a slightly childish manner that amused yet frustrated Sarah to no end.

"No, continue walking we wasted enough time last time we stopped for a break" She coldly stated. Annoyed at not getting his own way yet again he continued on complaining that he was bored until she snapped.

Drawing her shadow katana, which she had named Huanying, she slashed towards him. Instincts kicked in and he brought his left arm to catch the blade however just as he had thought he won Huanying phased through his hand and went straight for his chest cutting through his robes and leaving a slash mark on his chest.

"Hmph" Showing him who's in charge she struts ahead not even waiting for him to catch up to her. Shocked at the prowess of the blade he stood dazed for a few seconds before he internally said 'I am never contradicting her again'.

~Present time~

Happy that her one show of dominance had made sure he didn't argue against her choices she smiles slightly. Long Tian walking beside her was stricken by her smile as he was dazed on the spot as he managed to sneak a peek at her smile beneath the veil. Looking back to see the dazed Long Tian she just motions for him to hurry up or she would leave him behind.

Although there wasn't any major progress between them, she had at least come to tolerate his presence by acknowledging him when he speaks to her as the first days whenever he initiated casual talk she ignored him and kept walking as if she had never heard anything. Urging him to hurry up once again as she can finally see signs of human habitation ahead.

"Hey, line up orderly and quietly" Said a toll guard towards a rowdy group of adventurers that had likely come back from a successful job. The toll guard had an easy job but still took it extremely serious strictly oversaw the queue before the gate into the town. The wall was made of solid brick which had then been covered in concrete making it extremely stable and strong, the wall at the side facing towards the forest also had titanium plating before the concrete which could even withstand the hit of a fifth rank beast and still be unaffected in the least and sixth ranks could only leave scratches, to really leave damage would take a seventh rank beast which can decimate a town like this with one hit.

Walking towards the humans at the queue Sarah and Tian Long wait at the back patiently. Looking back the man and woman ahead spot them. Causing quite the commotion as the man and woman gasp in wonder at the attractive figures and face of Sarah and Tian Long. Hearing the disturbance everyone had turned around producing the same exact effect from them, even the strict toll guard seemed mesmerised by them.

Not caring that she had Tian Long was next to her an adventurer from the rowdy group tries hitting on her, "Hey babe, ditch that weakling and come home with me. I'll even pay for your toll". Without taking her opinion into account he walks over to her, from his group that was only a couple spaces ahead, and attempts to grab her arm only to be dodged gracefully by a light back step from Sarah who lightly laughed which dazed all the men who heard her melodious voice.

"If you wish to take me you must first beat this 'weakling' as he is the fiance my family has set for me" All the men who heard that felt a fire blaze in their heart as they heard some slight disagreement in the arrangement which means they will have a chance as long as they beat whoever she is with. 'Righteous' fires blazed within their hearts as they were about to beat Tian Long however before they could begin they heard Sarah say it had to be a duel which had bets staked as her family wouldn't care for whoever she was with as she was placed with him for political profit between their families.

Hearing that they were expecting her to announce an extortionate amount however she only announced that the least they could afford was to bet thirty bronze coins which was the limit of the average worker as they only earned about two silver a month which was for their clothing, food, tax and miscellanious items. The adventurers however on average earned about one gold coin; two gold coins even, if they were lucky enough.

Reasonable, the men agreed to the bet and started handing Sarah the money before heading up to Tian Long before taking a fighting stance.

The person in question was standing there inwardly stupefied as he realised how she planned to earn the money for their necessities. BY MAKING HIM A FUCKING GLADIATOR!! Although he was urked by her using him like that he could see the profit in it so let it slide, this time. What pissed him off though was these insects saying he was a weakling and thinking that they could beat him however they wished.

Remembering the customs that Sarah had told him about he takes a loose fighting stance as he isn't going to take any of these insects seriously however he wasn't going to let down his guard completely.

Seeing both fighters ready she shouts "3...2...1...Match Start" which set off the fi ... no correction. One sided slaughter. Sarah repeated this for sixty four times which would have been more if some of the men in the croud didn't have their women with them keeping them from participating.

Counting her money she makes sure everyone paid there money, one of the contestants that surprised her was the one who had tried to grab her hand earlier as he was actually a Rank 2 however spending a lot of time drinking had ruined his original stats so far that someone on par with a Rank 1 could dodge him. Not only was he a Rank 2 but he even paid extra and gave her thirty silver coins which made her slightly wealthy amongst the residents in this town. The fight was actually a close one since with his stats downgraded to that of a Rank 1 he had no choice but to go all out against the adventurer who she learned was called Rick and was a part of the The Black Panthers group which was actually renowned in this area as they are one of the only groups who have all members at Rank 2.

Finished her counting she realised she had made quite a lot from the bets as she was at the end with 4890 bronze coins or 48 silver coins and 90 bronze coins. Of course only thirty out of the coins are actually silver coins which accounts for 3000 of the bronze coins whilst she has 1890 bronze coins as spare change. If anyone within the town knew she actually thought of the bronze coins as 'spare change' they would riot at her idiocy.

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Authors Notes

1) Yinying is shadow in chinese, at least on google translate anyway. If any of you know chinese and know it as something different let me know in the comments. Was changed to Huanying as its meaning falls more in line with the power the katana has.

2) The currency is like so:

+ 100 bronze coins = 1 silver coin

+ 100 silver coins = 1 gold coin

+ 100 gold coins = 1 platinum coin

+ 1000 platinum coins = 1 bronze note (Not literally made of the material, just its name)

+ 100 bronze notes = 1 silver note (Same as bronze note)

+ 100 silver notes = 1 gold note (Same as bronze note)

+ 100 gold notes = 1 platinum notes (Same as bronze note)

Haven't figured out what the currency will be after that yet I'll let you guys know when I have

To answer comment questions yes Tian Long will be the male lead.

Tian Longs purpose is to help bring (positive) emotions back to Sarahs cold heart.

Yes he will be a bit confident (arrogant/be a douche) but remember he is literally (going to be) the apex of dragons and he spent the earlier years as the patriarch to be and never had anyone not give him what he wants.

Therefore finds her rejection interesting and wants to see if he can conquer her heart, he will eventually genuinely fall in love with her.

He is not in love with her right now, he finds her at most 'interesting' and 'fun' and after this chapter slightly 'scary'.