Chapter 23: Woof Woof

After mastering the skill “Bone Flux,” Ellen’s combat abilities advanced significantly. No longer a fragile little skeleton, he had gained new techniques for restructuring his bones.

Mu Huiyue accepted challenges from her peers and even began challenging higher-ranked students. Within a week of returning to school, she had already climbed to seventh place in the school’s selection tournament.

Soon, the weekend arrived, and Mu Huiyue contacted the head of the breeding base. They informed her that Saturday happened to be the monthly observation day for the Cloud Pups. Over fifty Cloud Pups would engage in battles, with breeders recording the process and results to track their development.

This battle day would be the perfect opportunity for Mu Huiyue to observe the different Cloud Pups and choose the one she wanted to contract.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Mu Huiyue arrived at the Cloud Pup breeding base right on time. Ellen, ever faithful, followed her from the shadows. Since fusing with the Eternal Flower, he seemed to enjoy staying there. Whenever he wasn’t training in the Beast Space, he would relax in Mu Huiyue’s shadow, seemingly quite content.

As the daughter of the base’s largest investor, Mu Huiyue was greeted with high regard. A personal guide was assigned to assist her during her visit.

Mu Huiyue and her guide strolled into the base. The city of Changning took great pride in the Cloud Pup industry, dedicating a vast area to the breeding base. Beyond the standard breeding zones, they had specialized training grounds tailored to different attributes.

As they walked, the guide introduced various facilities to Mu Huiyue.

“Cloud Pup Baby Cup… Ah, sorry! That’s what we call the observation battle day here,” the guide explained with an apologetic smile. “The battles are divided into groups. Are you interested in a particular attribute?”

“Let’s start with the dark-type,” Mu Huiyue said after a moment of thought. Given her dark-elemental affinity, it made sense to begin with the familiar.

“Of course. We currently have four dark-type Cloud Pups and one evolved dark-type called the ‘Phantom Fang Wolf.'”

The guide led Mu Huiyue to the dark-type breeding area.

Mu Huiyue recalled that the Phantom Fang Wolf was a low-tier monarch species. To evolve, a Cloud Pup had to master the core talent skill “Shadow Claw” to perfection, transforming it into “Rift Claw.” While most Cloud Pups had second-stage evolutions ranging from high-tier commanders to high-tier monarchs, only Mu Huiyue’s family’s signature pets, the light and fire-type Cloud Pups, boasted third-stage evolutions—culminating in the high-tier imperial species known as the “Solar Flame Wolf.”

However, not every Cloud Pup could evolve successfully. Evolution depended heavily on their core talent skill. While the breeding base had mastered stable evolution methods for specific attributes, they couldn’t control which core talent a Cloud Pup was born with, so increasing breeding numbers was their way of studying the trends.

Mu Huiyue had never considered contracting a light-type Cloud Pup, despite its incredible potential. Not only were light-type Cloud Pups rare treasures at the base, but her dark-elemental affinity would make it incompatible with her Beast Space. A light-type pet simply wouldn’t tolerate the darkness within her.

When they reached a certain facility, Mu Huiyue’s eyes first landed on the Phantom Fang Wolf. The large white wolf rested silently in the room’s shadows, its fur graying into black at the tips. Its head was adorned with two demon-like horns, giving it an incredibly fierce appearance.

Despite the sound of their footsteps, the Phantom Fang Wolf seemed uninterested in their presence, merely twitching an ear without even lifting its gaze.

Nearby, three fluffy white Cloud Pups napped peacefully.

“Three of the dark-types have already completed their assessments,” the guide explained, glancing inside. “Dark-type Cloud Pups tend to be lazy, preferring to rest in cool, shady spots. They don’t care much for the Baby Cup battles. They usually just show off a skill or two and head back.”

“And the fourth one?” Mu Huiyue asked, remembering that the guide mentioned there were four.

“Oh, that one’s a bit more competitive. It refuses to lose any battle,” the guide chuckled. “Its personality is more like a fire-type Cloud Pup. It trains hard on its signature move and consistently achieves top results at every Baby Cup, boosting the average score for the dark-types.”

Each pet had its own unique personality, far beyond just their elemental affinity. For instance, the Red Flame Wolf at the gym, who was quite close to Mu Huiyue, was a fire-type but had a calm, steady demeanor—more fitting of an ice-type pet.

“The final dark-type Cloud Pup should be over at the Baby Cup battlegrounds,” the guide said, glancing at Mu Huiyue. “Would you like to head there now?”

“Sure, please lead the way,” Mu Huiyue replied, her interest piqued by the indomitable dark-type Cloud Pup.

As they walked toward the battle arena, a cacophony of voices suddenly erupted from ahead. A man who resembled Mu Huiyue closely was being swarmed by a crowd as he made his way toward the combat area of the breeding base.

“Oh, look! Mu Legend is here today!” the guide exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

Unbeknownst to her, Mu Huiyue felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of “dad.” Today was not a good day for a family reunion.

Mu Tong, her father, noticed her presence among the throng, forcing Mu Huiyue to approach him despite her reservations. Since their last family gathering had ended in an awkward silence, she hadn’t spoken to her family, let alone seen them. With all the recent training and explorations, she had almost forgotten the tension between them. Little did she know she would run into Mu Tong at the base.

To her surprise, standing next to him was Mu Yixia, her younger sister, whose features were strikingly similar to hers.

Clearly, the reason both Mu Tong and Mu Yixia had come to the Cloud Pup breeding base was to select a starting contract pet for Mu Yixia.

“Father,” Mu Huiyue murmured, unsure of how to engage.

“Elder sister, you’re here too?” Mu Yixia peered out from behind their father, her face lit up with joy, showing none of the previous discomfort she had felt.

Mu Tong nodded slightly. He didn’t want to air family grievances in front of outsiders. Besides, Mu Huiyue’s presence at the breeding base indicated her desire to contract a Cloud Pup, which alleviated some of his worries.

With her father’s tacit approval, the head of the breeding base approached warmly, inviting Mu Huiyue to join them at the battle arena to see how this batch of Cloud Pups performed.

The breeding base’s battle arena was up to standard for formal competitions, spacious and well-equipped. Surrounding the arena was a row of observation stands, but instead of seats for spectators, various data recording instruments were installed—reminding Mu Huiyue of the training grounds in her Beast Space.

While the Cloud Pup Baby Cup didn’t require such a lavish setup, this facility was primarily designed for the second-stage evolution Cloud Pups. Allowing the fighting-spirited pups to acclimate to the battle environment was an effective training method.

At that moment, several pairs of Cloud Pups were engaged in combat. When the responsible breeders saw the group approach, they quickly stood to greet Mu Tong.

“Mu Legend,” they acknowledged respectfully.

Mu Tong nodded and casually inquired, “How’s the situation this year?”

“Yes, the data for this year’s batch of 56 Cloud Pups is all here,” a breeder replied respectfully, gesturing to a massive screen behind them. “Of these, 45 possess stable evolutionary pathways for their core talents, and there are two with the core talent of ‘Light Flame.’ All of them are healthy.”

“Information on the other attributes that can evolve stably has already been sent to our clients. They will come to the base to complete the purchase procedures and contracts in due course.”

The Cloud Pups with the “Light Flame” core talent were those with the potential to evolve into the high-tier imperial species, the “Solar Flame Wolf.”

Even if a talent core provided a pathway to S-class skills, evolving into a high-tier species was no small feat, requiring immense resources and dedication for cultivation.

“Where are those two with the ‘Light Flame’ talent?” Mu Tong asked, showing little interest in the overall operations of the base and focusing solely on the light-type Cloud Pups.

“One has already completed its assessment and returned,” the breeder replied awkwardly. “Most extraordinary light-type creatures are gentle by nature, and some prefer to avoid combat altogether.”

After explaining, the breeder pointed to a specific spot in the arena, “The other one is right there.”

There, a beautifully adorned Cloud Pup was leaping gracefully, its long tail flowing behind it like a ribbon, shimmering with golden flecks reminiscent of sunlight.

Gathering an intensely hot fireball in its mouth, the pup launched it at its opponent with blinding speed.

Boom—

The fireball struck true, causing the opposing Cloud Pup, who had been preparing to unleash a mud bomb, to cry out and collapse.

The dazzling Cloud Pup landed elegantly, its paws touching the ground while its tail curled gracefully behind it. With its chin slightly raised, it exuded an air of confident superiority.

The C-class light-type skill “Light Flame” possessed greater destructive power than a regular fireball, and upon advancing, it could learn the B-class skill “Sunray,” with the potential to touch S-class skill “Solar Flare.”

This Cloud Pup displayed remarkable proficiency with “Light Flame” and showcased excellent battle instincts, making it undeniably the best candidate at the breeding base.

Watching this Cloud Pup, Mu Tong’s expression softened. Next to him, Mu Yixia’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she eagerly expressed her interest.

“Father, I want that Cloud Pup!”

She glanced at Mu Huiyue, aware that this pup would likely belong to her exceptional older sister. But with Mu Huiyue awakening a dark-elemental affinity, it was clear she could never contract a light-type creature.

Destiny was surely in her favor.

Mu Huiyue remained unresponsive, her full attention fixed on another Cloud Pup in the arena.

This little guy was also impressively skilled, having already defeated three of its kind in a short span.

Unlike the dazzling light-type that dominated with its “Light Flame,” this Cloud Pup relied entirely on its physical strength and willpower in battle.

Repeatedly knocked down, it continued to rise, charging at its opponents with unwavering determination, ultimately clinching victory after victory, albeit with battle scars to show for it.

Not long after, only two little cloud dogs remained on the battlefield, preparing for their final clash. The victor would be crowned champion of this year’s Baby Cup.

“Ah, it’s that little guy…” The staff at the base seemed quite familiar with one of the dogs and began explaining to Mu Tong’s group. “What a pity! It has excellent qualities overall, with stamina far exceeding that of other cloud dogs of the same level, and its combat instincts are pretty good. However…”

“It’s one of the few that lacks a stable evolution path. Its talent core features a C-level Dark-type skill, Howl.”

“There hasn’t been any discovery of advanced skills for Howl. Regardless of how outstanding it may be at the cloud dog stage, if it can’t evolve into a Doomshadow Fighting Wolf, it holds no value for breeding.”

Mu Huayue froze at these words—this was the indomitable Dark-type cloud dog they had encountered. To not have any evolution path at the cloud dog stage was a tragic fate, even more disheartening than that of the Red Flame Fighting Wolf.

The two cloud dogs, oblivious to the outside chatter, locked eyes with one another, lowering their bodies and adopting aggressive stances filled with hostility. The Light and Dark types were natural adversaries, each instinctively loathing the other and desperate to claim victory over this annoying opponent.

“Woof—AROOO!” The Dark-type cloud dog unleashed an intimidating howl.

In the area covered by the howl, its physique and attack power surged while its opponent felt restrained and hindered. Ignoring the absence of higher-level skills, C-level Howl was a handy opening move in this stage.

The Dark-type cloud dog sprinted forward, launching itself at the Light-type with claws and fangs bared.

C-level Dark-type skill: Dark Strike.

The Light-type yelped in pain, rolling aside only to quickly lift its head and spit out a blazing light ball.

Boom—

The light ball hit home, and the Dark-type dog let out a cry as it was sent sprawling.

Most cloud dogs struggled to withstand a single attack from Light Flame, let alone one that had an elemental advantage over them. The Light-type shook itself upright, chin held high in a display of pride, clearly dismissing this brash challenger.

But to everyone’s surprise, the Dark-type cloud dog struggled to its feet. Its physique was indeed superior to that of its kin, probably a result of rigorous training; even in agony and with significant injuries, it showed no sign of wanting to give up.

It charged forward once more, determined to execute another Dark Strike.

The Light-type yelped again, and after taking two hits from the elemental weakness, it collapsed heavily onto the ground.

The Dark-type cloud dog panted heavily, but somehow managed to steady itself, refusing to fall.

In the distance, the staff’s voices mixed with the sound of many footsteps approaching. The Dark-type perked its ears up happily, turning to see humans coming over to congratulate it on its victory for the first time.

However, most of them rushed to the fallen Light-type cloud dog.

The staff nervously examined the Light-type’s body, only relaxing slightly once they confirmed it was mostly unharmed.

It seemed future Baby Cups would need to be conducted in divisions; if a non-breeding viable individual injured a cloud dog with Light Flame, it would truly be a loss.

“Mu Tong, look.” One of the staff carefully lifted the Light-type cloud dog.

Mu Tong nodded slightly, saying, “The mastery of Light Flame is commendable, and its combat instincts are excellent. Its physique is impeccable. With careful nurturing, it’s likely to evolve into a Solar Flame Wolf.”

“Father…!” Mu Yixia looked at him eagerly.

Mu Yixia had inherited her mother Aisha’s beast-mastering talent, Light Recovery, which allowed her to assist her contracted pets in recovering stamina quickly. After evolving, she would also gain healing and purification abilities. While not a Light-type enhancement talent, it fit well with Light-type pets.

She was determined to claim the Light-type cloud dog; since her awakening, she hadn’t contracted her first pet, waiting for this one with the best talent, boasting Light Flame.

“You should contract it, Yixia,” Mu Tong agreed, meeting her expectations and instructing the staff to hand the Light-type cloud dog to her.

Not far away, the Dark-type cloud dog silently watched this unfold, its once-proud ears drooping.

The human girl joyfully accepted the Light-type, cradling it and showering it with affection.

Even though it had won the battle, no one was interested in giving the Dark-type a pat on the head.

It thrived on the praise and acknowledgment of humans, working tirelessly to excel in every evaluation at the breeding base.

Yet, all its hard work and dedication couldn’t match the disparity created by its talent core skills.

Just like now, it had defeated the Light-type cloud dog, yet no one cared.

The Dark-type cloud dog whimpered, lowering its head in disappointment.

Suddenly, a gentle pair of hands reached around it from behind, lifting it with care.

“Standing up after taking a hit from Light Flame is truly remarkable,” Mu Huayue said, affectionately rubbing its fluffy head, the softness prompting a sigh of appreciation from her.

“By winning this battle, you’re now the strongest cloud dog in the base!” She smiled at the astonished little dog.

Mu Tong frowned slightly at the scene. He had initially planned for Mu Huayue to contract another strong talent cloud dog; even if the Light-type was out, there were plenty of others with great potential in the base.

But upon looking over, he was surprised to see Mu Huayue cradling that “failure” so tenderly.

“This is merely the Baby Cup for cloud dogs. Even if it wins, it proves nothing.”

The value of cloud dogs lies not only in their variable attributes but more importantly in their potential for stable evolution into lordly species.

Lordly species symbolize legendary combat power, a strength that’s rare and sought after, while the emperor species represent the pinnacle pursued by the masses. Contracting a lordly species is enough for most to live a life free from worry in modern society.

Not long after, only two little cloud dogs remained on the field.

These two spirited pups were about to engage in their final clash. Who would emerge victorious, standing tall as the champion of this year’s Baby Cup?

“Oh, look at that little one…” The caretakers in the breeding base were clearly familiar with the other cloud dog. One of them explained to Mu Chengyue’s group, “It’s a pity, really. This one possesses remarkable qualities across the board—its stamina far surpasses that of its peers, and its battle instinct is quite commendable. However…”

“It’s one of the few cloud dogs that hasn’t secured a stable evolutionary path. Its core talent is a C-grade dark-type skill: Howl.”

“So far, no higher-level skills for Howl have been discovered. No matter how impressive it is at the cloud dog stage, without the ability to evolve into a Shadow Wolf, it’s considered a breeding failure.”

Upon hearing this, Mu Chengyue paused, realizing this was the stubborn dark-type cloud dog. An individual without any evolutionary path at the cloud dog stage… It had a fate even more tragic than the Fire Wolves.

In the arena, the two cloud dogs were oblivious to the outside chatter, their eyes locked on each other as they lowered their bodies and assumed aggressive postures, full of hostility.

Light and dark were inherently opposing elements, and these two cloud dogs instinctively despised one another, eager to triumph over this bothersome foe.

“Woof—!” The dark-type cloud dog let out a menacing howl.

In the area enveloped by the howl, its physical attributes and attack power surged, while its opponent found its movements stifled.

Setting aside the fact that there were no advanced skills in its future, the C-grade skill Howl was currently an incredibly advantageous opening move.

The dark-type cloud dog dashed forward, launching itself at the light-type with claws and fangs at the ready.

Dark-type C-grade skill: Shadow Strike.

The light-type cloud dog yelped in pain, tumbling to the side before it immediately tilted its head back and unleashed a blinding light orb.

Boom—

The light orb hit, and the dark-type cloud dog let out a pitiful cry as it was sent flying.

Previously, most cloud dogs couldn’t withstand a single hit from a light attack, let alone the dark-type cloud dog facing such elemental disadvantage. The light-type shook itself and stood tall, its chin held high in pride, dismissing the dark pup’s bravado.

Little did it know, the dark-type cloud dog struggled to its feet. Its physical prowess indeed exceeded that of its kin, likely due to rigorous training; despite its injuries and pain, it had no intention of giving up.

It sprinted forward once more, recklessly executing Shadow Strike.

With a pained howl, the light-type cloud dog was struck again by the elemental weakness. Unable to endure any longer, it collapsed heavily to the ground.

The dark-type cloud dog gasped for breath, fighting to maintain its balance and stay upright.

From a distance, the voices of caretakers could be heard, along with the footsteps of many approaching. The dark cloud dog’s ears perked up excitedly, turning to the humans who came to congratulate its victory for the first time.

However, most of the crowd moved toward the fallen light-type cloud dog.

The caretakers nervously checked on the light-type, only relaxing once they confirmed it was not severely injured.

It seemed that future Baby Cups would require separate groupings; if a non-breeding-worthy individual harmed a valuable light-type, it would truly be a loss.

“Mu Chengyue, look.” One of the caretakers cautiously lifted the light-type cloud dog.

Mu Tong nodded slightly and remarked, “The proficiency with its light attack is commendable. Its battle awareness is exceptional, and its physique is impeccable. With careful nurturing, it has a good chance of evolving into a Sunfire Wolf.”

“Father…!” Mu Yixia looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

Mu Yixia had inherited her mother Aisha’s beastmaster talent: Light Heal, which allowed her to assist her contracted pets in rapidly regaining stamina. After evolving, she would also gain healing and purification abilities. Though not a light-type enhancement talent, it complemented light-type pets remarkably well.

She was determined to have the light-type cloud dog, waiting for the best talent in the breeding base to be ready for her first contract.

“Let you take the lead on this one, Yixia.” Mu Tong nodded, responding to her anticipation, and instructed the caretaker to hand the cloud dog to his daughter.

Nearby, the dark-type cloud dog silently watched, its once-perky ears drooping.

The human girl joyfully and tenderly accepted the light-type cloud dog, snuggling it close, her eyes filled with admiration.

Despite its hard-fought victory, not a single person acknowledged the dark-type cloud dog, let alone offered a comforting pat on its head.

It thrived on the praise and admiration from humans, tirelessly training itself to excel in every assessment at the breeding base.

But all its efforts and dedication couldn’t bridge the gap created by its lack of a competitive core skill.

Just like now, it had defeated the light-type cloud dog, yet no one seemed to care.

With a soft whine, the dark-type cloud dog hung its head low.

Suddenly, a pair of hands reached out from behind, gently lifting it into an embrace.

“Standing firm after taking a hit from a light attack is truly impressive.” Mu Chengyue lovingly ruffled the dark pup’s fluffy head, finding its fur delightfully soft, and she sighed contentedly.

“By winning this match, you’ve become the strongest little cloud dog in the base.” She beamed at the surprised expression on the little dog’s face.

Witnessing this moment, Mu Tong frowned slightly. He had intended for Mu Chengyue to contract another high-potential cloud dog, even if the light-type didn’t work out; there were other excellent potential pets of various attributes in the base.

Yet, when he turned to look, he found Mu Chengyue cherishing the so-called failure.

“This is just a Baby Cup for cloud dogs. Winning it doesn’t prove anything.”

The value of cloud dogs lies not only in their versatile attributes but also in their stable evolutionary paths.

Imperial breeds represent legendary strength, a force that is hard to come by, while the lord breeds symbolize the pinnacle sought after by the masses. Contracting a lord breed already ensures that most can live comfortably in modern society.

The little cloud dog, unable to evolve twice, had a maximum potential of only reaching the mature stage of the warrior breed, with a market value that paled in comparison to those that could evolve into the lord-class Wolf series—by dozens of times, at the very least.

While the mature warrior breed could still serve as an effective combat force for an ordinary beastmaster, Mu Chengyue was Mu Tong’s daughter. Contracting such a failure meant she likely wouldn’t pass the advanced beastmaster assessment before turning twenty; achieving master-level was a distant dream, let alone embarking on the legendary path that sparkled like stars in the sky.

Mu Tong’s face stiffened as he felt the anger from their last family gathering ignite once more.

“…You plan to contract this little cloud dog?” Mu Tong’s voice turned icy.

Holding the dark cloud dog tightly, Mu Chengyue looked up at her father. “Yes, I’ll take good care of it.”

“Woof…”

The little cloud dog in her arms seemed even more incredulous than Mu Tong, eyes wide as it gazed up at the human girl.

“Mu Chengyue—!” This time, without anything in his hands to crush, Mu Tong could only glare fiercely at his daughter. “Do you really want to go against me?”

The roar made Mu Yixia shrink back, clutching her own light cloud dog tightly. In the past, Mu Chengyue had always feared her father’s wrath, but for some reason, since her awakening, she had intentionally riled him up repeatedly.

She felt she needed to step in and diffuse the tension; otherwise, if their father got angry, her sister would retreat far away, and she would bear the brunt of it.

“Father is doing this for our sake, Sister.” Mu Yixia softly advised. “Even if it can’t evolve into an imperial breed, the lord breed is still a pet that ordinary people can hardly reach. Don’t we only have a few in our school? They’ve all easily made it into the top ten of the selection matches.”

“We stand on the shoulders of giants, starting from a higher point than ordinary people. We should strive harder to not bring shame to Father.” Mu Yixia looked at Mu Chengyue, who seemed indifferent, and abruptly changed her tone. “…Or are you seeing a part of yourself in this little cloud dog, which is why you insist on contracting it?”

Finally, Mu Chengyue’s gaze turned to her.

Having exerted all her effort to achieve numerous “firsts,” only to find herself unable to bridge the gap caused by her talent disparity, the dark cloud dog’s experiences truly mirrored the struggles of Mu Chengyue’s seventeen years of life.

“Indeed.” To everyone’s surprise, she didn’t refute this or become enraged. Instead, she looked at her sister with a hint of a smile.

Then she turned to Mu Tong, saying, “So, I will grow alongside it. The path to becoming strong isn’t determined solely by one talent. The road you’ve dismissed isn’t necessarily the wrong path.”

“I will prove this to you, Father.”

After speaking, Mu Chengyue gave a slight nod to her father and the base director, then walked away with the dark cloud dog in her arms.

If words couldn’t convince

Mu Huiyue opened the icon for the World Tree, feeling a subtle shift in her spirit space after completing her second contract. Although the earlier fruits of the space hadn’t propelled her to a new level, this time was different.

[Space Level: lv.2]

[Dark Attribute Enhancement: Battle Resonance]

Description: Temporarily boosts dark attribute skills using resonance, significantly increasing their power. Duration correlates with the space level.

[Dark Attribute Enhancement: Energy Augmentation]

Description: Enhances dark attribute energy and skill power through innate amplification. Contracted dark beasts will receive an energy boost from the space, proportional to its level.

[???]

[???]

…

Her beast-taming space had only upgraded after the contract was established, confirming her earlier speculations. The influence of the “Spirit Ranch Saga” system meant that with a vast beast space, her contract positions weren’t constrained by her tamer level.

As her tamer level rose, the dark attribute enhancements evolved, adding a long-lasting effect named [Energy Augmentation]. Unlike Battle Resonance, this effect would comprehensively amplify her dark beasts’ abilities.

The specific utility of these enhancements would need to be explored further during training.

Mu Huiyue opened her eyes and summoned the little cloud dog from her beast space. The summoning array transformed into two overlapping dark runes, signifying her breakthrough to Level 2 Beast Tamer.

With the contract established, a natural bond formed between them. The little white dog eagerly wagged its tail, playfully nudging her fingers with its nose.

“Ellen, come meet our new friend!” Mu Huiyue glanced at her shadow.

The little skeleton, having evaded reality at the nurturing base, could no longer hide. It peeked out from her shadow, its head emerging as it turned to face the cloud dog.

The curious little dog tilted its head, intrigued.

Silently encouraging itself, the skeleton fully emerged from the shadows, revealing its bony form in the room.

The cloud dog’s eyes lit up at the sight of this emerging creature! A skeleton! How fascinating!

“This is Ellen, um… he’s your little senior, I guess?” Mu Huiyue chuckled, waving at Ellen.

The little skeleton approached cautiously, extending a thin arm toward the cloud dog in a gesture of goodwill.

Confused, the cloud dog sniffed around Ellen for a moment, then happily licked its bony arm.

Crack! Crack!

Ellen jolted, a shiver racing up his spine as the cloud dog’s damp, sticky tongue explored him—far more terrifying than any biting skills he’d faced in battle!

He desperately wanted to retreat into Mu Huiyue’s shadow, but as her first contracted beast, he couldn’t let himself flee at their first meeting!

Summoning all his willpower to resist his instinct to scurry away, Ellen stood his ground, stubbornly refusing to budge.

Suppressing a laugh, Mu Huiyue gently cradled the cloud dog. “Let’s not lick Ellen until he’s more comfortable, okay?”

“Woof!” (Okay!)

“By the way, we should give you a name. Calling you ‘Little Cloud Dog’ feels a bit lacking,” Mu Huiyue said, gazing at the fluffy white pup. She decided to ask for its opinion, “Do you have a name you like?”

“Woof?” The cloud dog tilted its head in confusion.

“Hmm…” Mu Huiyue noted its tiny canines and pondered, “How about we call you ‘White Tooth’?”

“Woof!” The little dog wagged its tail excitedly, enthusiastically affirming that it loved the name.

Mu Huiyue smiled warmly. “Let’s be good friends from now on, White Tooth.”