Born Almighty Warrior
Chapter 720 A Cheeky Coercion

"Come on, this is my place and you are my guest, Pearl. Couldn't we use some polite words?" Ricky asked helplessly, torn between laughing and crying.

Although it sounded like Ricky was complaining, he was actually just cozying up to Pearl. After all, he badly needed her help. It was vital for him to get along well with her during this visit.

"Now that you have left the Oriental Realm, could you please let me go? Anyway, I don't think you have to worry about me seeking revenge. No one can defeat an ace genius like you, right?" Pearl answered with more than the usual coldness in her voice. Her face also seemed to take on a sourer expression at Ricky's teasing attempts.

"Well, well. You know I will never let you go, and you know the reason perfectly well, too,” Ricky replied with a wicked smile. Currently, bickering had seemed to have drastically shifted into something akin to flirting between the two of them. At least, that was what Ricky thought. He had to admit that he enjoyed the recent development between them very much. "Anyway, let's get back to the point. There's a favor I wanna ask from you." Ricky's tone shifted to a more serious one. "Ha-ha!" Pearl, however, burst into laughter at his words. This was something she truly didn't expect. "You can't be serious, genius. Are you foolish enough to think that I will help you?" she sneered.

"Of course, I have already expected that you wouldn't readily agree. I've come with a bargaining chip,” Ricky explained with a confident smile.

"Oh, how very interesting,” Pearl said dismissively as she stretched her fingers and looked at her nails. She was deliberately showing Ricky that she didn't really care much about whatever it was that he needed from her. In her mind, she was having a mental debate. She really didn't want anything to do with Ricky. Still, there was a nagging voice inside her that wanted to hear out more about Ricky's favor. In the end, despite her irritation, she relented, "Tell me about it then. Let's see what you can offer.” Little by little, Pearl's lips began curling up into a smirk.

Seeing that Pearl was intrigued, Ricky paused for a bit longer to build up her excitement more before he finally said, "I bet you already know that there is another powerful zone within me through the chat with Tina, don't you?"

Ricky began. Then, he paused for a minute to gather his thoughts, before he continued, "One more thing, I think you know very well how powerful my zone can be, along with the benefits that you can get from cultivating in it. And so, I assume that my offer has a hundred merits and not a single demerit. Technically, I only need your help for a small task...and that task is to pin down two top- level middle spiritual kings, plus some lower spiritual kings. This is a piece of cake for you, isn't it?" Ricky studied Pearl's reaction as he revealed his favor.

Pearl pondered for a while with a frown, before a smile lit up her face once again. "To tell you the truth, this really sounds like a good bargain for me. I might agree at once had it been someone else who presented this deal to me. Sadly, I can only tell you to keep dreaming, Ricky. Besides, the other zone you were talking about happens to be of the fire nature, and that has nothing to do with my power." Pearl didn't make eye contact with Ricky as she voiced out her decision. Ricky didn't expect Pearl to be the type of woman who would readily refuse him and be so persistent at it.

"Are you playing tricks on me, you foolish woman?" Ricky began exhibiting annoyance in his manner of speaking and facial expression. Narrowing his eyes, he also seemed to be holding back his anger.

"Well, if you must think that way of my response, then, perhaps, I should reply with a 'yes'?" Pearl looked over her shoulder so she could meet his gaze. She feigned a quizzical look on her face. "Why? Are you mad at me?" Slowly, Pearl turned her head to her front so she could hide the sly smile on her lips. "Cause, it looks to me like you want to use the power of your zone to suppress me once again,” Pearl said quite casually when she sensed the hint of rage in Ricky's tone. She was not the kind of woman to back down so easily.

"You think I wouldn't do it?" Ricky questioned with the hints of aloofness in his voice becoming increasingly overt.

"Oh, I never doubt for one second that you can be that merciless," Pearl retorted mockingly.

As the words in her last sentence escaped her lips, she immediately turned her attention back to her cultivation without even waiting for Ricky's reaction.

This time, Ricky was truly enraged. On top of turning him down, this woman even went as far as ridiculing him so casually. For a moment, he could barely resist the urge to lock her up again. But he knew that it wouldn't change anything. She would still be unwilling to help him in the end, and it would deepen her hatred towards him as well.

After all, it was clear that a tough woman like Pearl was not vulnerable against neither persuasion nor coercion. She was the kind of woman that was the hardest to deal with, unless one could easily find out where her weaknesses lay.

Just when there seemed to be no other option for Ricky but to give up, a vicious smile slowly formed on his face. Alright then, since neither the carrot nor the stick would work on you, how about I execute a unique skill from a man..just for you?" Ricky thought as he took a step closer to Pearl.

"You sure you won't help me this time, Pearl?" Ricky asked again, but the naughtiness in his tone was too apparent to ignore.

Pearl had wanted to just turn a deaf ear to Ricky's question, but she had certainly detected the evil smile on the ace genius’ face. She had a sinking feeling that the man was now up to no good, and it compelled her to respond.

To Ricky's delight, Pearl opened her eyes and finally asked, "Now what?"

"Well, I think I should remind you again that you are in my place, which means that I can suppress you without breaking a sweat if I want to. What's more, I can do almost everything I want in here. For example, I don't mind telling you that, in fact, I have recited the whole Dark and Light Dual Cultivation Method back in the Dark and Light Rock Array. Remember what happened back there? In case you don't remember, which I'm pretty sure you do, here's a hint anyway...it was just in the Heavenly Passage,” Ricky said rather slowly.

There was a pregnant pause before Ricky continued, "As far as I remember, we have only entered the first phase of the dual cultivation that we did back then. I was wondering if we should carry it on..."

Ricky paused once again. He had confidence that Pearl would understand what he was trying to say, and that this time, she would comply with his request.

As expected, Pearl's face couldn't be sourer as Ricky finished his words.

Honestly, Ricky himself was reluctant to force Pearl this way. But at the moment, he really had no other option. They couldn't let the enemies know about the existences of Scar, Henry and Soar just yet. The three of them must wait and take the Celestial Army by surprise when the battle came. Pearl was their only hope for now.

"Ricky, you shameless bastard!" Pearl cursed through gritted teeth with a darkened expression on her face.

Contrary to her outward anger, her resolve was starting to waver on the inside. She secretly feared that Ricky would truly suppress her and coerce her to perform that nasty cultivation with him once again. Maybe Ricky was simply frightening her into helping him. Yet, based on how she got to know him, Ricky could also very well mean every word that he said.

On all accounts involving Ricky that Pearl could recall, she had consistently observed that Ricky was the kind of person who wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted.

"You are right. This is a brazen way to ask for your help. But I've got no other options, and you're the only one I can rely on now. Besides, I have promised to pay you a high price, haven't I? If that promise of mine still won't buy you over, then I can only choose to become a shameless man," Ricky calmly explained with a sincere smile.

" advise that you accept my terms. This will do both of us good."

Pearl remained silent. Ricky seemed desperate, and it appeared that she, too, had already run out of options.

"My offer that involves letting you use that other zone of mine still stands. Help me and you will get the benefits. All I need from you is a clear and genuine yes, ** Ricky continued to press on. He had noticed the little gestures that showed Pearl's hesitation.

Exasperated at his persistence, she shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her index finger and thumb. "Fine. You win, Ricky.” Pearl was resentful. She glued a hateful gaze on Ricky.

Originally, the strange affection Pearl held for Ricky deepened after the chat she had with Tina. Nonetheless, Pearl felt that her developing feelings had all been averted after today. Pearl strongly disliked being coerced, and this was exactly what this man was doing.

Ricky could surely sense the change in Pearl's attitude towards him. But, he had to be the bad guy. Taking down the Endless Shadow within the Realm of Wildness was their priority, and there was sacrifice that had to be made for the sake of winning the battle. For that particular purpose, Ricky was more than willing to make that sacrifice.

"Well, it's both a good and a bad news for me. I'm happy that you finally agree to help, but that also means I have to wait for a long, long time before we can perform that cultivation together again,” Ricky teased with feigned disappointment.

"But on second thought, I think it is also necessary that you take the Martial Arts Oath on this matter. I fear that my plan would be thwarted if you suddenly decide to take back your words...especially during critical moments.”

Pearl fixed a stern and angry look on Ricky in response. She inched closer to him, and now it was as if he had taken a few steps back to extend the distance between them that had only begun to diminish. His actions only continued to fuel Pearl's fire. Nonetheless, she did as he had asked her to, and took the Martial Arts Oath. The oath made her promise to keep her words, no matter what. "Good!" Ricky nodded in satisfaction. "All is settled now. You see, if you had just nodded your head at the very beginning, we could have saved ourselves from all the trouble and squabble. Our relationship might have even been strengthened.” Ricky smiled cheekily and winked at Pearl.

"I will kill you one day, you can be sure of that, you shameless asshole!" Pearl swore as she turned her back towards him, her hair whipping in the air with much sass.

"Ha-ha! I suggest that you don't keep using the word “shameless’ on me, Pearl. Who knows, one day you might fall in love with me. When that day comes, you might make a fool of yourself!" Ricky continued to tease Pearl, completely ignoring her fury. Now that she was willing to help, she could be as angry as she wished, and Ricky would not get irritated anymore.

After his meeting with Pearl, Ricky also dropped by to say goodbye to Connor before he left. His next stop was none other than the base of the Endless Shadow.

"He's gone, sir. Shall we keep watch on his movements?” the deputy leader of the Celestial Army asked while within the premises of their grand palace. He was an upper spiritual king, and he sounded very confident and authoritative.

"There is no need for that. He has reached the level of an upper spiritual king, too. He might blow our cover even if you, yourself carry out the surveillance. Don't worry, I think he's heading for the Endless Shadow to find the Shadow King. Just let him go," Connor answered with assurance. "What? He can't be serious. Is he too foolish or too confident in himself? There are two top-level middle spiritual kings in that organization. That type of mission can already be likened to a suicide!" the deputy leader scoffed, deliberately expressing his disdain for Ricky.