Wangwang?
Su Ba blinked in surprise.
That snow-white, palm-sized pup, its soft fur glowing like jade beneath the sun—
Wasn't it the very same dog he had encountered earlier?
How did it get here?
Su Ba frowned in confusion. But what truly startled him was that such a tiny creature possessed such explosive strength. It had just sent a late-stage Three-Star martial artist flying with a single body slam!
This pup... wasn't normal.
Could it be the descendant of a high-grade spirit beast?
In Su Ba's memory, the Xuantian Continent was home to spirit beasts and fierce beasts.
Beasts were ranked from Level 1 to Level 9, corresponding to One-Star through Nine-Star human cultivators.
Fierce beasts were savage, bloodthirsty, and highly aggressive—impossible to tame.
Spirit beasts, however, were different. They were gentler by nature. Though not particularly friendly toward humans, they weren't hostile either. With the right taming techniques and enough effort, spirit beasts could become loyal mounts or combat companions.
But spirit beasts were incredibly rare and expensive. Most people couldn't afford even a single strand of fur from one.
While Su Ba was still mulling over the possibilities, the rugged gate guard had already staggered to his feet—his face contorted with humiliation and fury.
"Damned mutt! You're dead!"
The man's eyes burned red as he drew his sword with a roar, the cold blade gleaming as he raised it toward Wangwang.
"Wait! Wait! WAIT!"
The thin guard beside him went pale and quickly yanked him back.
"What the hell are you doing, Xiao Liu?! Don't stop me—I'm going to kill that thing!"
The rugged guard snarled, struggling to break free.
"You idiot! Take a GOOD look—do you even know what dog this is?! If you really want to die, then go ahead. I won't stop you!"
The thin guard cursed with a panicked expression.
"…What dog?"
The insult snapped the rugged guard out of his rage just enough to glance at the puppy again.
And then—
His face was drained of all color.
It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head—he sobered up instantly!
His hand, still gripping the sword, began to tremble uncontrollably.
"This… this is the cub of a White Wolf Qing Emperor Hound… I think it belongs to… to…"
"That's right," the thin guard interrupted solemnly. "It belongs to Miss Qin Jiuyue, one of the core disciples of Yunmeng Martial Institute!"
Just the mention of that name made the thin guard's tone turn reverent.
Core disciple.
That title belonged only to the most gifted and powerful elites in the Yunmeng Martial Institute.
There were only a handful of them—and each one was handpicked by the headmaster to receive personal cultivation and resources.
Qin Jiuyue might not come from the most prestigious family, but her talent was unmatched. At nineteen years old, she had already stepped into the Seven-Star Master Realm!
Her status… was higher than most elders in the institute.
As for small fry like them—gate guards? They weren't even qualified to polish her shoes.
"Thank the heavens… Thank you for stopping me..." the rugged guard muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow as he staggered back.
He had just begun to relax when—
His breath caught in his throat.
His eyes widened in terror as if someone had grabbed him by the neck.
The thin guard followed his gaze—
And immediately swallowed hard.
Gulp.
She… she's here.
Up ahead—
A tall, graceful figure was walking toward them.
She was stunning beyond words. Her elegant robes shimmered faintly beneath a light blue veil, fluttering gently in the breeze. An ethereal aura surrounded her like a goddess descending from the heavens.
But—
Right now, her exquisite face wore a distinct chill.
Her steps were steady and relaxed, but each one seemed to weigh heavily on the air.
When she reached them, her eyes settled coldly on the rugged guard.
Then, in a soft but frosty voice, she asked:
"Why did you draw your weapon?"