23: Chapter 23 Showing off one's limited skills before an expert

This Spirit Beast...

Xiao Long was very surprised. As a Genius Beastmaster on the verge of a Breakthrough to the third rank, his own Little Black was already considered a top-tier second-rank combat Spirit Beast. Yet, it had been sent flying by this first-rank Little White Wolf. Although there was an element of a sneak attack, it was enough to make him sit up and take notice.

"Where did this Spirit Beast come from?!" Xiao Long shouted.

The bodyguards behind him fell silent, thinking to themselves: Didn't it just stay with the Young Miss's contracted beast the whole time? You must have only been paying attention to the Young Miss and her contracted beast...

"Her name is Xing Yaoyan, and she is my family."

Qian Mo, who had originally retreated, suddenly stepped forward and said, an invisible Aura instantly rising from his body.

Seeing the young man's action, Xing Yaoyan suddenly felt the pressure on her body ease significantly.

It seems this blockhead is quite sensible; he is worthy of being the Puppet I acknowledged. After this matter is over, I will reluctantly give him some reward.

"Oh? Your family, huh... Well said. Hahaha!" For some reason, Xiao Long suddenly burst into laughter.

"I have always regarded 'treating our contracted beasts as family' as my bottom line as a Beastmaster. I didn't expect that you, an ordinary person without Qi, would share the same idea as me. Qian Mo... you are surprising me more and more."

Xiao Long quickly stopped laughing and said excitedly to Qian Mo, as if he had discovered some Treasure Trove.

"I actually really want to ignore this damn business, sit down and have a good chat with you, and even bring you into the world of us Beastmasters. But unfortunately... I cannot sacrifice the future of my cute younger sister for my own selfish desires!"

"Little Black, activate 'Night Curtain'! Just leave it alive!"

As Xiao Long's voice fell, Xing Yaoyan noticed that the Black Wind Wolf opposite her suddenly erupted with black mist, within which one could feel a hint of Qi fluctuations.

In an instant, the Black Wind Wolf, Xing Yaoyan, and even Hu Wang were completely enveloped by a black semicircle.

"What? Didn't you say this Little White Wolf is your family? Why are you still standing there motionless? Can you bear to watch her get seriously injured?"

Looking at Qian Mo, who remained in place without moving, Xiao Long was somewhat puzzled.

"It's fine, I trust her." Qian Mo said confidently.

Nothing else, just the System prompt.

Just a moment ago, when Xing Yaoyan and the others were about to be completely enveloped by the black mist...

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for triggering a hidden quest: "Best Teammate" — Quietly wait for the outcome of the battle, and after Xing Yaoyan returns victorious, pat her on the head.

Reward: One exclusive food item for Xing Yaoyan, and the honorary title "We Are Both Amazing".]

The System's words immediately put Qian Mo at ease. If even the System concluded that Xiao Yan could win, what was he worrying about?

Suddenly, he had an idea.

"Xiao Long, dare to make a bet with me?"

"Oh? A bet on how many seconds your family can hold out?" Xiao Long said with some disdain.

"A bet on whether my Xiao Yan can win." Qian Mo's tone had no fluctuation at all.

"Hahaha... Sure!" Xiao Long laughed loudly.

"If my Little Black wins, you must immediately take your family to the hospital. I will cover the expenses, and you are to stop meddling in my family's affairs."

"Sure. But what if Xiao Yan wins?"

"Xiao Yan will win? That first-rank Little White Wolf can beat my second-rank Black Wind Wolf?"

"What if..." Looking at Xiao Long's disdainful expression, Qian Mo didn't think much of it either. After all, if it weren't for the System, he really didn't think Xing Yaoyan could win.

"I will grant you one request, any request that does not violate my moral bottom line."

"Deal."

The bet was made.

The two of them just stared at the black semicircle in front of them.

They didn't draw up any written agreement because they could both feel that the other, like themselves, possessed a unique pride.

...

Inside the black mist at this moment.

"Damn! This Xiao Long really has some substance, actually letting his contracted beast comprehend a Domain-type skill!"

Hu Wang said anxiously.

"Could it really force me to use that move? But..."

"Oh, alright, alright, Senior. You should quickly go rest on the side and don't hurt your old arms and legs. I already said I would protect your life, so I must have some certainty."

Xing Yaoyan looked at Hu Wang's flustered expression and couldn't help but feel a secret thrill. This time, she had avenged all the losses she had suffered at his hands.

In the future, if he pretends to be deep and calculating in front of her again, she will use this incident as a threat to fiercely deflate his arrogance.

After comforting Hu Wang, Xing Yaoyan then focused all her attention on her opponent in front of her.

The black mist continuously emanated from Little Black's body and then merged into the black fog, making Little Black appear increasingly mysterious and dangerous.

"Awoo!"

Xing Yaoyan understood; it was saying: If you don't surrender now, you're in for a rough time!

"Hmph hmph~"

Xing Yaoyan didn't speak, just curled one claw, making a classic provocative gesture.

"Awoo! (You've got some nerve!)"

As Little Black's mind shifted slightly, countless mists rushed straight into Xing Yaoyan's body, completely ignoring the Qi protection on the surface of her body.

And with the invasion of the black mist, the accumulated Qi within Xing Yaoyan was gradually absorbed by it.

"Not bad."

This eerie mist made Xing Yaoyan gradually become serious.

"However, if you want to compete with me in stealing Qi..."

Outside.

Xing Yaoyan's wolf body had been completely permeated by the black mist, and the Qi fluctuations on the surface of her body were becoming weaker and weaker.

"Awoo! (Now do you know how powerful I am!)" Little Black looked at the "Little Black Wolf" in front of it and said excitedly.

And just as it was preparing to withdraw the black mist according to its master's request, leaving this Spirit Beast alive.

The "Little Black Wolf," which had been completely permeated by the black mist, suddenly trembled. Its originally black wolf eyes suddenly emitted two dazzling golden rays of light, like stars in the night, extremely sacred.

In the next instant, from eyes to neck, from neck to torso, and then to limbs, the golden light extended downward, quickly wrapping Xing Yaoyan's entire body as if dressing her in a golden suit of armor.

"Awoo?"

Little Black looked at the Little White Wolf's sudden change, and the black mist around her that was becoming thinner, with a confused expression.

Just then, Xing Yaoyan moved; she began to walk toward it step by step.

And to its extreme horror, as the Little White Wolf got closer, the suction force of the golden light on her body against the black mist became stronger, and now it had even vaguely formed black-gold vortexes on the surface of her body.

"Awoo, awoo... (You... you don't come over!)" The Black Wind Wolf's cries carried a hint of whimper.

"Holy crap! Awesome! Go, Little Xiao Yan! Give this mangy dog a lesson! You know, your Senior was almost bitten to death by this beast before... Ahem, a hero doesn't talk about past bravery."

This was the sound of Hu Wang cheering.

"Senior, I heard that clearly~"

After finishing, Xing Yaoyan looked at the panicked Black Wind Wolf and licked the fangs that were exposed due to excitement.

"Hehehe... Little puppy, let Sister touch you..."

Xing Yaoyan's malicious grin appeared exceptionally sacred against the backdrop of the golden light, but in Little Black's eyes, it was no different from a demon.

It wanted to quickly dispel this Domain, hurry to its master's safety-filled spirit patterns, and never see this monster that was even better at stealing Qi than it was again.

But just as it was preparing to run away, it despairingly discovered—the Domain could not be dispelled!

It turned out that after Xing Yaoyan used the Star Swallowing Art to absorb the black mist, she then released them back, but the black mist she actively released was completely under her control.

With one growing and the other waning, she had quietly seized control of Little Black's Domain.

It seems that transforming consumes more of my Power Of Will; fighting like this is no pressure at all.

While thinking this, Xing Yaoyan slowly brought her golden-glowing claws closer to the mentally collapsing Black Wind Wolf...

Three meters, two meters, one meter...

Morta!

"Enough!"

As this shout rang in Xing Yaoyan's ears, the surrounding black mist was instantly dispersed by a powerful Qi.