Chapter 11: Clack Clack

The next morning, Mu Huiyue called the family driver to take her to school.

Her family was well-off, thanks to the many businesses her father, Mu Tong, owned. The profits from just the Changning Dojo and the Little Cloud Hound breeding center alone were more than enough to support a luxurious lifestyle for both of his daughters. Mu Huiyue had never been one to live frugally. In fact, she had a bit of a “heiress” air about her, something everyone around her was quite accustomed to.

Before heading out, she even ordered a fresh batch of milk for Ellen. This wasn’t just any ordinary milk, though—it came from the extraordinary Blasting White Cattle Ranch, known for producing nutrient-packed milk, several times richer in calcium than regular milk. It was perfect for pets who had a fondness for milk, like her little skeleton companion, Ellen.

The next morning, Mu Huiyue called the family driver to take her to school.

Her family’s wealth came from a variety of businesses under Mu Tong’s name. The profits from just the Changning Dojo and the Little Cloud Hound Breeding Center were enough to allow both daughters to live comfortably. Mu Huiyue had never been one to skimp on expenses—in fact, she had a bit of an heiress vibe, and everyone around her had long since gotten used to it.

Before leaving, she even ordered a new batch of milk for Ellen. This wasn’t just any milk, but a special product from the Blasting White Cow Ranch, packed with nutrients and calcium, several times more potent than regular milk. Perfect for pets that loved milk, like her little skeleton companion.

After all, why not take full advantage of the family’s resources? Nurturing her pet to achieve top marks was the priority, and Mu Huiyue felt no guilt about it.

Changning First Beast Taming High School was vast, with grand facilities, professional training grounds, and arenas where students could hone their skills.

Mu Huiyue walked past the crowded training grounds on her way to the classroom building. Even though it was still early and classes hadn’t begun, the grounds were already filled with students. The pressure of attending a top-ranked school like Changning was intense, and everyone took it seriously.

“Clack clack…”

Ellen, her little skeleton pet, peeked out from Mu Huiyue’s shadow. It didn’t seem to be impressed by the school’s training grounds, clearly preferring the Beast Space its master had.

Mu Huiyue smiled but kept walking.

Outside of battle, Ellen had grown fond of hiding in her shadow. Its skill Shadow Stealth had improved significantly, allowing it to stay in her shadow even while she moved, saving it the trouble of walking.

It was Ellen’s first time at school, and everything was new and exciting. It peered out from the shadow, hesitant to return to the Beast Space.

Mu Huiyue indulged its curiosity, telling Ellen not to stray too far from her shadow. She figured this was good practice for Shadow Stealth anyway.

The day passed uneventfully. Mu Huiyue attended her classes, registered for the upcoming selection exams, and focused on catching up on missed lessons. No one paid much attention to her sudden return after being absent for days. She had always kept to herself, aloof and indifferent, so no one bothered her either.

Mu Huiyue didn’t mind the solitude. She enjoyed the classes, and thanks to her memories as a former top student, she had no trouble grasping the material, even brushing up on some general beast-taming knowledge.

By the time school ended, Ellen had fallen asleep in her shadow. Looking down, Mu Huiyue noticed the shadow’s edges bubbling slightly. She couldn’t help but smile and chose not to wake it.

She considered calling the driver again but then remembered she didn’t need to return to the dojo. She had rented an apartment near the school for convenience and usually stayed there alone.

“Why not head back to the apartment today? It’s been a while,” she thought. It would be easier to walk, and she could be back quickly.

However, just as she stepped out of the classroom and began walking, a tall figure blocked her path.

“You sure know how to keep your cool, Mu Huiyue,” the boy said with a sneer, his eyes filled with disdain. “You come back to class like nothing happened. Don’t you have something to say for yourself?”

“Is there something I should say?” Mu Huiyue frowned, vaguely recognizing the face in front of her. After sifting through her memory for a while, she realized he was from the neighboring class—Luo Song. He had awakened his Beast Space in his second year of high school and, though not stellar academically, was a strong contender in battle, a likely competitor for the coveted recommendation spots in the upcoming selection exams.

The only other thing she remembered about him was that he had a crush on Mu Yixia.

Unlike the proud and distant Mu Huiyue, her younger sister Mu Yixia was much more outgoing, with good relationships with classmates. Though her grades weren’t as good as her sister’s, she was still in the upper tier. Being another daughter of the legendary Mu Tong, Yixia seemed more approachable, more down-to-earth.

Everyone at school knew about the tension between the Mu sisters. They had witnessed countless attempts by Mu Yixia to reconcile, only to be met with cold indifference from Mu Huiyue. Over time, it became widely accepted that the issue lay with Huiyue’s aloofness, and Yixia was viewed as the victim of their family’s strained relationship.

In the past, Mu Huiyue had indeed disliked Mu Yixia, mainly due to issues stemming from their mother. She never hid this and had no interest in explaining her reasons. How Yixia felt didn’t concern her in the least.

Now, however, in hindsight, Mu Huiyue realized that her former self had swallowed a great deal of pride when she sought Yixia’s help with awakening. That had been no small step for her.

As she pieced together the situation, Mu Huiyue figured Luo Song must be here to “stand up” for Mu Yixia. After all, every time she had refused Yixia in the past, some classmate would inevitably pop up to confront her.

“Why did you send Yixia to Dongwan Park?” Luo Song demanded. “You knew a rift would open there, and you sent her on purpose. You wanted to kill her, didn’t you, Mu Huiyue?”

More students began to gather around, drawn by the commotion. While they might have avoided Mu Huiyue out of fear of her cold demeanor, the family drama of the Mu sisters was always a hot topic. Watching a live confrontation was too tempting to pass up.

Mu Huiyue raised an eyebrow. News about the rift near Earl’s Manor hadn’t mentioned her involvement—how had this guy found out?

It made sense that Yixia hadn’t come to the park, given her likely fear of her sister’s unexpected invitation. After years of cold treatment, an invitation to a remote park would indeed seem suspicious. In hindsight, Mu Huiyue understood why Yixia had stayed away.

“Yixia told you this?” Mu Huiyue crossed her arms and met Luo Song’s gaze directly. “Rift appearances are completely random. There’s no known method to predict them. If I could, I’d already be at the Capital Academy, researching rifts for the good of humanity. So no, Luo Song, I didn’t plan anything.”

“Yixia was still worried about you,” Luo Song spat, frustration evident in his voice. “She didn’t expect a rift to open up there.”

He recalled his panic upon seeing the news of the rift near Dongwan Park, his heart nearly stopping at the thought of Yixia being there. Thankfully, she hadn’t gone. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here just to argue—things would’ve been much worse.

Glaring at Mu Huiyue, he added, “How could a normal person like you come out of a rift unscathed if it wasn’t planned?”

The gathered students began murmuring among themselves. News of the recent rift in Changning had spread quickly, and now they were hearing that Mu Huiyue had not only entered it but also returned unharmed?

“Even professional Beast Tamers can find themselves in peril when a rift opens without warning. Just passing through the entrance of a rift can cause a mind-splitting shock, let alone the danger posed by the wild, aggressive supernatural creatures inside.”

“I awakened as a Beast Tamer within the rift and formed a contract with this little one,” Mu Huiyue said calmly. She glanced down at the small skeleton, who had already awakened and was coiled in her shadow, ready to act. Her voice softened, “It saved me.”

Ellen stepped out from Mu Huiyue’s shadow, standing tall, despite its small stature, and looked up at the crowd with a determined gaze.

“Clack!”

The whispers around them erupted into full-blown chatter. Every student stared at the knee-high, skeletal creature.

“Did Mu Huiyue really awaken?”

“Am I seeing things? Is that a little skeleton?”

“It is! I saw the same kind at the haunted house last week!”

“No way… Mu Huiyue contracted a little skeleton? Isn’t that one of the weakest elite species? It can’t be real, maybe it’s just disguised as another pet…”

Mu Huiyue, the daughter of the legendary Mu Tong, the girl who always vied for first place and looked down on everyone, had awakened her powers only to contract with a low-tier creature like a little skeleton?

Elite species like the little skeleton were generally considered weak and harmless, mostly kept as pets by ordinary people who couldn’t awaken their Beast Tamer powers. Few professional Tamers would waste a contract slot on such a creature.

For a moment, people couldn’t decide which was more shocking—Mu Huiyue’s awakening, or the fact that she had chosen to contract a little skeleton. Her safe return from the rift almost seemed like an afterthought. After all, she had always been an overachiever who thrived in impossible situations.

Ellen, feeling the weight of all the eyes on it for the first time, straightened its tiny frame, trying to look as imposing as possible.

“You’re talking nonsense! That little skeleton saved you from a rift?” Luo Song shouted, cutting through the crowd’s murmurs. He wasn’t buying her story for a second. He hadn’t come here just to argue; he needed Mu Huiyue to apologize to Mu Yixia.

“I’ll say this one last time: I didn’t know the rift would appear, and I never intended to harm Mu Yixia,” Mu Huiyue said, her patience wearing thin. “I don’t care if you believe me or not. But if you want to keep pestering me, then let’s settle this with a battle.”

“A battle?” Luo Song repeated, as if it were the most absurd thing he’d ever heard.

He had been a Beast Tamer for over a year, with plenty of formal battles under his belt. At Changning’s top Beast Taming school, he was among the top contenders. What good were Mu Huiyue’s academic scores if she had no real combat experience? And she dared to challenge him, armed with nothing but a low-tier creature like a little skeleton?

“In a ranked match for the selection exams,” Mu Huiyue said, her tone steady. “If you lose, you’ll apologize to me and promise never to cross my path again.”

A surge of anger rushed through Luo Song, nearly making him laugh in disbelief. “You think you can beat me? With that little skeleton?”

“With my little skeleton,” Mu Huiyue replied coldly, her dark eyes unblinking as she stared him down.

“Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got,” Luo Song flexed his fingers, his expression hardening. “I’ll make sure you pay for your words.”