Leaving the town’s limits on the road to Green Pine Forest, the magic barrier in front of Xuzhi faded away.
The buttons on his coat weren’t fastened properly, occasionally revealing a glimpse of his claws.
Ming Shuang lay in the warm cloth pouch, swishing his tail as he let out a yawn.
Over the past few days, aside from sleeping at night, Xuzhi had barely had a moment’s rest. He was constantly busy completing commissions.
He had never failed a single one. With his Tier 3 Lightning Magic combined with 5th Tier Metal Magic, plus Coal Ball always at his side, his strength far exceeded what was registered at the Mercenary Hall.
Ming Shuang hadn’t helped much—or rather, he wanted to but couldn’t do much. At most, he would occasionally reveal himself in front of unfamiliar magical beasts, releasing a bit of his aura and eavesdropping on their beastly chatter.
Gradually, he discovered that most low-tier magical beasts were terrified of him. Even the smarter, higher-leveled ones didn’t dare approach carelessly.
A few bolder ones would sneak around nearby, curiously observing him from afar, but they would scamper off after a short while.
At first, Ming Shuang was puzzled, but he eventually accepted it.
Though he wasn’t sure why, it felt strangely normal.
Maybe because… he was a dragon?
In these past few days, Xuzhi had earned a fair bit of commission fees. After covering the daily expenses for feeding the little dragon, he saved the rest.
He had even replaced the cloth pouch where Ming Shuang hid with a new one, made from finer, softer fabric that wouldn’t irritate his scales at all.
As people occasionally passed by outside, Ming Shuang obediently stayed hidden but grew bored. He fiddled with the buttons on Xuzhi’s shirt and gnawed on them to soothe his teething.
Of the ten magic stones bought a few days ago, Ming Shuang had already eaten eight.
Adding the six he’d found from the Profound Magpie, he could feel clear changes in his body.
His magic power capacity had increased again, his stamina had grown, and even his Dragon Breath had broken through to a new level.
However, his appearance was still that of a juvenile, unable to shapeshift yet.
At this rate, when would he finally grow up?
The other three card beasts were nowhere to be found… Ming Shuang had tried asking Coal Ball, drawing three patterns on the bedsheet with his claws, but Coal Ball had shaken its head, saying it didn’t know.
Xuzhi had seen the patterns too but showed no reaction, assuming Ming Shuang was just playing with Coal Ball.
Oh well… Ming Shuang comforted himself. Things were pretty good now. Xuzhi was willing to buy magic stones for him, so he’d grow up eventually.
Once he grew up, everything would be much easier.
They had already passed through the outskirts of Green Pine Forest, and the surroundings had grown quiet.
Ming Shuang cautiously poked his head out, confirmed no one was around, and nimbly climbed out.
Xuzhi habitually raised his hand, shifting to hold him cradled against his chest.
Coal Ball followed closely behind. The Little Dragon hatchling looked around curiously, let out a few soft whines, then scooted closer to lick Xuzhi’s chin.
Xuzhi couldn’t understand it, but he instinctively recalled the dreams he had every night: Ming Shuang nestled obediently in his arms, murmuring “Thank you, Master.”
With the newly bought magic stones eaten over the past few days, the little dragon seemed delighted every day.
Ming Shuang knew Xuzhi had been working hard to earn money, but since he didn’t understand the commissions and couldn’t help much, he showed his gratitude to his master through these affectionate gestures.
Xuzhi zoned out for a brief moment, then forcibly pushed the dream image from his mind and pressed on.
For the entire morning that followed, he searched several spots deep in the forest, completing four resource-gathering commissions. He also dug up some herbs he recognized, planning to ask at a medical clinic back in town if they bought any.
By late morning, Coal Ball was already exhausted. When they passed a small lake, it flopped down right by the edge.
Xuzhi glanced around and decided to rest there.
Ming Shuang hopped down from his shoulder and lay beside Coal Ball, blowing a puff of frost to cool it off.
Xuzhi sat on the nearby grass and took out the lunch he’d packed earlier from his storage bag.
Ming Shuang immediately rolled over and came to his side, munching on a couple of crispy meat strips first.
Suddenly, he heard a faint rustle from the nearby bushes.
The Little Dragon hatchling twisted his head to look but saw nothing.
Xuzhi scanned the area and murmured, “Probably just a low-tier magical beast.”
With his senses sharpened, he often ignored faint auras that posed no threat.
Low-tier magical beast?
Ming Shuang couldn’t contain his curiosity. He tiptoed toward the sound.
Xuzhi didn’t stop him and instead called Coal Ball over to warm up the lunch.
Under a nearby tree, the dense bushes were tall and thick, blocking all view.
The Little Dragon hatchling drew closer, twitching his nose to sniff the leaves.
There was a faint scent of magical beast…
The leaves rustled again. The beast inside seemed to have noticed Ming Shuang but showed no sign of fleeing.
Ming Shuang’s curiosity deepened. He couldn’t resist reaching out a claw to part the bushes.
When he saw what was inside, the little dragon hatchling froze.
One, two, three, four… five! Five dumpling-sized fluffballs all looked up at him.
They appeared to be cubs of some flying magical beast, covered in fuzzy fur with wings tucked tightly against their sides—impossible to spot unless you looked closely. Their tiny, pointed beaks made them look just like little dumplings.
The magical beast cubs were so young they weren’t afraid of Ming Shuang’s aura at all. Five pairs of eyes curiously sized up the little dragon hatchling as they chirped in unison.
Ming Shuang stared for a long moment before hesitantly extending a claw to gently touch one, then quickly pulling back.
The Little Dragon hatchling tried greeting them: “Rawr?”
Hearing the noise, Coal Ball came over to investigate.
It showed no interest in the little beasts and urged Ming Shuang to come eat lunch.
The Little Dragon hatchling dashed back to Xuzhi, grabbed a small piece of meat strip in his mouth, and returned to the tree, hoping to feed it to the five cubs.
But the cubs merely sniffed it and didn’t eat the meat.
Xuzhi followed and scooped up Ming Shuang.
He picked up the meat strip and fed it to Coal Ball while saying, “They’re probably herbivorous magical beasts.”
Ming Shuang blinked in confusion, still staring at the bushes under the tree, and let out a soft “mmph.”
From birth until now, aside from pictures in books, he hadn’t seen many magical beasts. Everything here felt novel to him.
“Better to keep your distance,” Xuzhi continued. “Their parents might be nearby.”
Ming Shuang’s identity was special, after all. If he left his scent on the cubs, the adult beasts might panic.
Best to ignore them. There was a water source here anyway, and moving to a new spot would waste time.
The Little Dragon hatchling seemed to half-understand and let out another “mmph” before obediently returning to the lake to eat.
Ming Shuang thought to himself that the magical beasts here were like the Human Race—they had parents too.
He didn’t. Like Coal Ball, he was one of Xuzhi’s card beasts, born from the card pool.
Lunch was heated up now. Ming Shuang sprawled by Xuzhi’s leg, eating while occasionally glancing toward the tree.
Halfway through, the five cubs in the bushes actually emerged.
They clustered in a patch of shade under the tree, basking in the sun and curiously watching the man and two beasts by the lake. They were quite bold.
Ming Shuang remembered Xuzhi’s words but still wanted to play with them. He formed a tiny ice ball in his paw and rolled it toward the tree.
The ice ball slowly rolled under the tree and melted into water on the grass. The five cubs crowded around, sniffing it and chirping as they lapped up a few sips.
Ming Shuang had eaten his fill by now. He lay in the grass, inching closer for a better look.
When the five cubs spotted him peeking, they actually clustered around him.
The Little Dragon hatchling froze, not daring to move.
The cubs were tiny—barely bigger than Ming Shuang’s paw—and circled him excitedly, their fuzzy bodies brushing against his wings.
Even when Coal Ball approached, they weren’t afraid. They gazed up at the massive black fuzzball and chirped a few times.
Xuzhi was packing up his things and glanced over without intervening.
The five cubs were too young, with limited energy. After toddling around the little dragon for a bit, they soon returned to the bushes under the tree to sleep.
Ming Shuang watched them settle in before flying back to Xuzhi’s side.
Xuzhi sat under a more distant tree. He caught the little dragon hatchling as it pounced into his arms, wiped his face with his sleeve, and picked a stray blade of grass from under his ear.
Ming Shuang nuzzled his hand and settled into a comfortable position to rest.
~~~
The Little Dragon hatchling’s nap was short—about half an hour. Once Ming Shuang woke, Xuzhi called Coal Ball and they continued on their way.
The cubs in the bushes were asleep, so Ming Shuang didn’t disturb them. He perched on Xuzhi’s shoulder, gazing back wistfully from afar.
Coal Ball trailed behind but suddenly halted, turning its head toward the rear flank.
Xuzhi also sensed the approaching unfamiliar presences and frowned slightly.
He unbuttoned his coat and activated his Metal Magic Barrier. Ming Shuang immediately understood and ducked inside to hide.
From behind a nearby tree, four people emerged one after another.
They were beast tamers, each accompanied by their magical beasts. They wore matching badges on their collars or belts—bounty hunters from the Mercenary Hall.
Xuzhi quickly assessed them: one 4th Tier, two 3rd Tier, and one Tier 2.
“Finally found you,” said the leader, a bald man with a vicious scar across his face. He eyed Xuzhi appraisingly. “How many commissions have you finished today?”
Xuzhi replied coldly, “Do I know you?”
He hadn’t been in Green Pine Town long and hadn’t spoken to many people. With his days filled with commissions, he hadn’t paid much attention to the other beast tamers at the hall.
Baldy snorted heavily, his gaze turning hostile. “You think we want to know you? You’re the one stealing all the spotlight. There were only a few commissions left, and you nearly snatched them all.”
Not only did Xuzhi take on more than his share, but he completed them quickly and without fail. Some clients had already taken notice and were considering assigning future commissions to him specifically.
When Baldy heard about that, his anger boiled over. He decided to bring his crew and have a “nice chat” with Xuzhi—to teach him the rules.
He saw that Xuzhi’s profile listed him as a Tier 3 Fire Beast Tamer. After careful consideration, he called over his three companions.
“Hey, if you hand over all the supplies from today’s commission and say a few nice words,” the tall man beside Baldy said arrogantly, “we might go a little easier on you.”
So that was why—they were after the commission rewards.
Xuzhi eyed them coldly, then turned to leave.
But in the next instant, several wind blades whistled through the air toward him.
Xuzhi took half a step back. Metal magic flared to life in front of him, blocking the wind blades’ assault.
“Metal magic?”
Baldy frowned in puzzlement. Then he spotted the stone in Xuzhi’s hand and assumed it was a storage magic array—after all, Xuzhi had earned a decent amount of commission fees over the past few days.
But the magic stored in those arrays was finite. It would run out eventually.
Baldy sneered and raised his hand, signaling his companions to attack.
The four magic beasts sprang into action as well, their target Coal Ball.
Coal Ball hesitated for a moment, then spat out a burst of fire while fleeing alongside Xuzhi.
Xuzhi had instructed it beforehand: in any situation, pretend to be only Tier 3 at first. Don’t reveal your true strength.
That was why the flames Coal Ball unleashed were merely Tier 3 in power—far weaker than usual. A water-type Blue Feather Bird promptly doused them.
The Blue Feather Bird then leaped into the air and landed directly in Xuzhi’s path, cutting off his escape.
Water magic lacked raw offensive punch, but it excelled at slowing its targets. Xuzhi kept it at bay with his metal magic.
Coal Ball shot him a worried glance while hurling fireballs at the other three magic beasts.
Deep in the woods, Xuzhi dodged strikes from the four men and the Blue Feather Bird, his brows knitted tight.
If he went all out… he’d have to kill them right there.
It wasn’t a matter of it being too much hassle or him lacking the resolve. No, on instinct, he sensed that Ming Shuang might be frightened if he witnessed Xuzhi taking a life.
Just then, the Earth Beast Tamer struck again, trying to reshape the forest terrain and drag Xuzhi closer.
But Xuzhi was too quick. He flashed aside, and the metal magic he unleashed next lodged itself between the churned earth.
Baldy ground his teeth. “Just how many storage magic arrays is he carrying?”
With a wave of his hand, Baldy summoned a barrage of wind blades laced with another man’s fire magic. They hurtled toward Xuzhi.
Ming Shuang huddled inside the coat, peeking out through gaps in the fabric.
He fretted over Xuzhi’s safety and Coal Ball’s too. Yet Xuzhi’s hand clamped firmly on the coat made it clear: he didn’t want Ming Shuang’s help.
Anxiety churned in Ming Shuang’s chest, mingled with a touch of resentment.
Sure, he’d exhausted his magic power last time—but he’d recovered ages ago. And he’d devoured plenty of magic stones since.
His strength had grown well beyond what it was during their mining district ordeal. Still, Xuzhi hadn’t let him lift a claw in any real fights. Heck, even Coal Ball overshadowed him these days.
The Little Dragon Hatchling fought to stay put, quietly building up his magic.
Suddenly, his eyes caught two wind blades wreathed in flames veering toward a familiar clump of grass.
The Little Dragon Hatchling’s heart lurched. “Uh!”
That was where the five little magic beasts were napping!
No time for second thoughts. Ming Shuang flicked a claw, conjuring an ice array from thin air. It neatly blocked the fireballs and wind blades.
Baldy, standing nearby, witnessed it all. Shock rooted him in place.
“You… you’re not fire-type?” Realization dawned fast. “Wait—no. You have two magic beasts?”
He knew it. Xuzhi holding back with nothing but storage magic arrays? That never added up.
But if Xuzhi wasn’t fire-type, why keep a fire-type magic beast so close?
Magic beasts wouldn’t shield a human like that without a contract, no matter their bond.
The logical conclusion: Xuzhi commanded two magic beasts. He wielded two kinds of magic.
For a split second, Baldy wavered, instincts screaming retreat. Dual beasts meant exceptional talent.
But it was too late for backing down. If the four of them slunk away empty-handed, they’d be the Mercenary Hall’s punchline.
Baldy shook it off and bellowed at Xuzhi. “Didn’t see that coming—you’ve got two beasts! Quit hiding ’em and bring ’em out. Let me get a look!”
The words had barely left his mouth when Xuzhi lifted his gaze. Baldy’s face paled.
An inexplicable chill slithered up his spine.
Moments ago, Xuzhi had just been playing with them. Now? That look was reserved for the dead.
Xuzhi spoke coldly. “Since you’ve figured it out…”
No more pretending.
Three lightning magic arrays erupted beneath the four men’s feet.
Golden light arrays shimmered at Xuzhi’s side as he unleashed metal magic without holding back—a storm of radiant beams.
Coal Ball perked up at the sight, straightening with renewed vigor.
Black flames roared to life, encircling the four magic beasts. The Blue Feather Bird beat its wings frantically, but the fire refused to yield.
The abrupt shift blindsided the four beast tamers.
Baldy had a storage magic array too. He scrambled to shield his group and pull them out of the thunder arrays’ reach.
He glanced back at Xuzhi, terror twisting his features. Words failed him. “You…”
This defied everything he knew.
Xuzhi’s expression stayed blank. Another magic array unfurled.
He clutched the coat tight, keeping the Little Dragon Hatchling tucked away, and pressed forward.
Suddenly, the hunters became the hunted.
The Tier 2 Blue Feather Bird struggled just to restrain a Tier 3 fire-type magic beast. Exhaustion set in fast.
The remaining three magic beasts fell back to their masters—straight into walls of towering flame.
Coal Ball intuited Xuzhi’s intent. In that instant, perfect accord sparked between them.
It parted the four men with flames, incinerating two on the spot.
Lightning magic felled another. Xuzhi strode up and flicked his finger. Golden light slashed the man’s throat.
Ming Shuang caught the thick tang of blood. He wriggled in the coat, nudging Xuzhi’s hand with a claw.
The Little Dragon Hatchling wanted out for a peek. “Awoo?”
Xuzhi soothed him gently. “Don’t worry. It’ll be over soon.”
He looked up at the lone survivor ahead.
Metal magic pinned Baldy in place. He and his beast were both wounded, his glare venomous.
“Who the hell are you…” Baldy’s voice quavered. “You can’t kill me. I’m the nephew of White Cloud City’s deputy lord… I’ve signed on for the Netherworld Mountain expedition. If they don’t see me, they’ll…”
Xuzhi remained stone-faced. Golden light danced in his palm.
Baldy cut himself off, then twisted his lips into an uncanny grin.
“Whoever you are… you kill me, you’re still not getting out of here.”
Right then, Coal Ball let out a cry from behind.
Xuzhi’s brow furrowed. He turned.
Coal Ball stood off to the side. Beneath a nearby tree lay a crushed magic stone—the special kind—pulsing with an aura humans couldn’t sense.
“Ever heard of this? It’s a Myriad Beasts Stone,” Baldy said, almost helpfully. “Draws every adult magic beast in the area straight to you.”
He drew a ragged breath. “They attack… anyone they find.”
The thing cost a fortune, reserved for dire straits.
With his three companions dead, Baldy had panicked and smashed the one from his storage bag.
This spot sat in Green Pine Forest’s heart. The Myriad Beasts Stone’s range held at least ten 5th Tier beasts or higher—low-tiers not even worth counting.
No way Xuzhi wriggled out of that, prodigy or not.
Baldy might even slip away in the chaos.
The stone’s aura spread like wildfire. Already, three flying magic beasts swooped in.
They scented battle remnants and humans, landing one by one. The leader, a Giant-Tooth Bird three meters tall, slammed its massive talons down with a boom.
A 6th Tier earth-type, the Giant-Tooth Bird’s deep brown eyes locked on Xuzhi and Coal Ball, who guarded in front of him.
It reared back with a screech, wings flaring for the strike.
That’s when Xuzhi’s coat rustled.
Baldy glimpsed silver-white fur. On closer inspection: a pint-sized magic beast.
The Little Dragon Hatchling perched steady on Coal Ball’s back. He unfurled his wings, arched low, blue-gold heterochromia eyes blazing at the Giant-Tooth Bird in stern rebuke. “Awoo!”
Frost bloomed thin from his claws, racing outward.
The Giant-Tooth Bird convulsed.
Enveloped in that ice magic was a presence long lost to this continent—one that struck fear and compelled submission in every magic beast:
Dragon Breath.
At the same moment, Wu Shao—freshly arrived in Green Pine Town—jerked his head up and stared into the distance.
