Old Man, Is My Mount Safe Parked Downstairs?

Bang, bang, bang!

Li Xin pounded on the door without the slightest restraint.

"Little brother, are you ready? We're leaving!"

"Coming!"

Ye Tian replied with a smile, grabbing the coat from the rack and putting it on.

"Xiaorou, time to go!"

Ye Yurou, who had been playing with a ball nearby, hurriedly set it down upon hearing him and trotted over to Ye Tian's side.

She stretched out her little head and affectionately rubbed against Ye Tian's hand.

"You little thing."

Ye Tian smiled fondly and gently stroked Ye Yurou's neck.

No matter how he thought about it, he could not understand why Arceus, the creator god of another world, liked playing with a ball so much.

What kind of creator god was this? She was practically a cat!

The door opened, and Ye Tian slowly stepped outside.

Li Xin, who had been quietly waiting outside, immediately lit up.

"Wow, little brother, you look way too handsome today!"

It was no wonder Li Xin was surprised.

Ye Tian was wearing a blue fitted-sleeve jacket embroidered with images of his two Magic Beast companions.

His short, tousled hair looked neat and sharp, his bright brown eyes were clear and limpid, and his figure was incredibly well-proportioned.

He was pure walking testosterone!

Li Xin and Lin Jialu had specially commissioned this outfit for him.

Seeing the gleam in Li Xin's beautiful eyes, Ye Tian could not help but chuckle.

"Sister Xin, the way you say that makes it sound like I'm not handsome every other day!"

Li Xin shot him an exasperatedly coquettish glare, but she could not refute him.

After all, Ye Tian was telling the truth!

"Hurry up. Uncle Nalan and the others should already be waiting!"

"Mm!"

Ye Tian nodded and turned to Ye Yurou.

"Xiaorou, go back into the space for now. I'll call you out when we return."

The little one obediently nodded. A flash of light flickered over her body, and she vanished in an instant.

Li Xin sighed enviously. "Xiaorou is so adorable, and it hasn't even been that long. Isn't her strength improving way too quickly?"

She remembered that when she had first met Ye Yurou, the latter had only been knee-high.

At that time, the little one had not even counted as a Magic Beast.

When they learned that Ye Tian had actually formed a Blood Pact with her, Li Xin and Lin Jialu had been both shocked and baffled.

Yet only a few months had passed.

Ye Yurou had already grown to half a person's height, and her strength was no weaker than that of a Level 5 Magic Beast.

Li Xin and Lin Jialu found this utterly unbelievable.

They had never seen such a creature, one that could grow several tiers stronger in such a short time.

Ye Tian merely chuckled at Li Xin's envious expression.

Xiaorou simply had not had a chance to fight yet. If Li Xin learned that the little one had already mastered eight attributes, she would probably be even more shocked.

"Sister Xin, there's no need to be too envious. I might give you a huge surprise later."

Xiaorou was still too weak.

In Ye Tian's view, she had only recently left infancy and had not fully awakened all her power yet.

After all, Arceus, as a creator god, could create all kinds of wondrous Pokémon.

Once Xiaorou gained that ability, he could give one to Li Xin and Lin Jialu.

Then his mother's safety would also be taken care of.

"Really?" Li Xin's eyes lit up, and delight appeared on her face.

Without another thought, she eagerly pressed, "Can you tell me what kind of surprise it is?"

Ye Tian smiled and shook his head. "I said it's a surprise. It wouldn't be any fun if I told you, but I think you'll like it, Sister Xin."

Who could refuse a Pokémon that was both beautiful and powerful?

However, Li Xin immediately grew anxious.

The young woman hurried forward and grabbed Ye Tian's large hand, her voice soft and sweet. "Come on, little brother, just tell me~~~"

"That won't do. You'll find out when the time comes."

Even in the face of this sugar-coated attack, Ye Tian remained unmoved.

Seeing this, Li Xin became a little exasperated.

"How can you be like this? You get someone all interested, then leave them hanging. You're the worst!"

What kind of outrageous thing was that to say?!

Ye Tian's face darkened. Just as he was about to say something, Long Haochen's voice suddenly rang out.

"Brother Tian, Sister Xin'er."

"Haochen."

Ye Tian smiled and nodded in greeting, then turned toward Li Xin with a serious expression.

"Sister Xin, stop fooling around. We should get going. We can't keep the Hall Masters and Uncle Li waiting too long!"

Hearing that, Li Xin put aside her playful mood.

The three left the Haoyue Branch Hall together.

"Sister Xin'er, what exactly is happening today? Why did Uncle and the Hall Masters invite us to dinner?"

As they walked down the street, Long Haochen finally could not hold back the question in his heart.

Li Xin smiled mysteriously. "Isn't the Demon Hunter Squad selection competition about to begin? Maybe they want to give us a few more instructions!"

Ye Tian also smiled. "We'll find out soon enough!"

After deliberately picking up their pace, the three arrived at the Administrative Hall of Haoyue City.

Li Xin was clearly very familiar with the place.

Under her lead, no one stopped them as they headed straight up to the third floor.

"Miss Xin'er, you're here. Please follow me!"

A staff member who had been waiting for some time came forward with a smile and warmly led them into a side hall.

"Dad, we're here!"

Li Xin pushed open the door and entered without ceremony.

Inside the spacious side hall stood a large round table, already filled with people. Only three seats remained empty.

"Xin'er, don't be rude! What kind of behavior is this, rushing in so recklessly?"

The imposing middle-aged man seated at the head of the table darkened his face.

He was Li Xin's father, Li Aoxiao, the Military Commander of Haoyue City.

Beside Li Aoxiao sat several other middle-aged men.

They were Lin Jialu's father, Lin Yinjia, the Archon of Haoyue City; Nalan Shu, Hall Master of the Haoyue Knight Branch Hall; Bai Yu, Hall Master of the Haoyue Mage Branch Hall; and Chen Chunhua, Hall Master of the Haoyue Warrior Branch Hall.

Haoyue City was a mid-sized city. Of the Six Great Temples, only the Knight Temple, Warrior Temple, and Mage Temple had Branch Halls established here.

Together with the Archon, who oversaw civil affairs, and the Military Commander, who oversaw military affairs—

Nearly every important figure in Haoyue City was gathered here.

Suddenly being scolded, Li Xin stuck out her tongue and hurriedly composed herself.

"Hello, Uncle Lin. Hello, Uncle Nalan. Hello, Uncle Bai. Hello, Uncle Chen."

The middle-aged men all nodded in response.

They had watched Li Xin grow up, so they did not take the girl's recklessness too seriously.

Ye Tian and Long Haochen also stepped forward.

"Greetings, Chief, Archon, and the three Hall Masters!"

Li Aoxiao's sternness vanished, replaced by a warm smile.

"So you are Ye Tian and Long Haochen. I've long heard Xin'er mention you. Now that I see you, you truly are outstanding young men."

"Haoyue City is fortunate to have you!"

Lin Yinjia smiled. "Brother Li, let the three children sit down first and begin the meal."

"Quite right. Children, don't be formal. Let's eat and talk."

Ye Tian and the other two took their seats in turn.

Li Xin sat to his left, while Lin Jialu sat to his right. Long Haochen sat to Li Xin's left.

He did not know whether it was just his imagination.

But Ye Tian felt that Li Aoxiao and Lin Yinjia's gazes lingered on him for quite some time.