"Not good enough. Still too weak."
Lu Jiuyuan kept searching through the demonic beasts, but none satisfied him. The Heavenly Courage Beast Arena staff member following beside them wore a flattering smile the entire time.
Not a single person here was someone he could afford to offend.
Li Qingdi followed at Lu Jiuyuan's side, offering a few suggestions from time to time. With the discerning eye of a Void Refining Stage cultivator, he naturally saw far more than Lu Jiuyuan did.
Yet Lu Jiuyuan declined with a smile. Compared to Li Qingdi, he trusted his own inner choice more. With luck as good as his, choosing an excellent demonic beast was hardly something absurd, was it?
Li Qingping merely followed quietly beside Lu Jiuyuan without speaking. She believed he would make a good choice. After all, he had led her to the Glazed Treasure Liquid that countless people had failed to find. Could he really fail to choose a better demonic beast?
One demonic beast after another passed before Lu Jiuyuan, yet he walked past them without hesitation, simply because he felt that fate had not yet arrived.
In this manner, Lu Jiuyuan spent half an hour choosing in the demonic beast area, yet still failed to find a suitable one. Even the staff member following them had begun to grow impatient. Were these people here to pick a fight?
Just then, Lu Jiuyuan caught sight of something. Li Qingdi looked over as well and saw a little earth dog lying in a corner, its body looking somewhat scruffy.
The staff member naturally saw it too and hurriedly explained.
"This was a little earth dog we caught while hunting in the Heavenly Saint Mountain Range. Though it is only a little earth dog, it has at least entered the Qi Refining Stage, so we brought it here."
Upon hearing the words Heavenly Saint Mountain Range, Li Qingdi and the others looked somewhat surprised. The Heavenly Saint Mountain Range was a range within the Yuanwu Kingdom where demonic beasts gathered, and the strongest among them had even reached the Body Integration Realm.
But when they considered the Chen Family's strength, it no longer seemed all that strange.
Li Qingdi smiled and said at this moment.
"Brother Lu, it's only a little earth dog. Don't tell me you intend to buy it?"
"Mm, then it'll be him!"
Lu Jiuyuan smiled, then waved his hand grandly and chose to buy it. Hearing this, Li Qingdi could no longer sit still.
"Brother Lu, it's only a little earth dog. If you send him up there, I'm afraid he won't even last a single round. Why not reconsider?"
After all, the demonic beasts that could step onto the arena were all extremely powerful. Otherwise, no one would send them up there.
This earth dog looked as though it had only just broken through to the Qi Refining Stage. If it went up, it would probably be killed instantly.
"No. Him."
Lu Jiuyuan had made up his mind, because he felt that this earth dog was his fated choice. Earlier, he had seen a trace of disdain in the earth dog's eyes.
What a joke. Could an earth dog show a disdainful look? Lu Jiuyuan therefore concluded that this little earth dog likely concealed something extraordinary beneath its surface!
Li Qingdi could only sigh and express his respect. He merely hoped Brother Lu had some skill, though no matter how he looked at it, this earth dog seemed like a genuine earth dog.
On the other side, the staff member became immediately excited after seeing Lu Jiuyuan finally place an order.
"Customer, I'll make the arrangements for you right away!"
Under the staff member's arrangements, the little earth dog was soon placed in Lu Jiuyuan's arms. It was merely at the Qi Refining Stage, while Lu Jiuyuan had already reached Foundation Establishment, so there was naturally no danger.
When girls saw cute creatures, they naturally wanted to go over and pet them. Li Qingping came before Lu Jiuyuan with a smile and reached out to stroke the little earth dog's head.
"What an adorable little puppy. Come, let big sister hold you!"
With that, Li Qingping directly took the little earth dog into her arms. The little earth dog seemed to enjoy itself as it rubbed its head about in Li Qingping's embrace, making the smile on Li Qingping's face grow even wider.
"Alright, go arrange a demonic beast match for me!"
After buying the little earth dog, Lu Jiuyuan turned to the staff member and spoke. The staff member froze for a moment before quickly replying.
"Customer, may I ask which demonic beast you intend to send into the arena?"
"There, that one!"
Lu Jiuyuan turned to point at the little earth dog in Li Qingping's arms. The staff member naturally knew the little earth dog's strength—it was pitifully low—and his expression immediately turned somewhat troubled.
"Customer, why not choose another one? If it goes up there, I'm afraid it won't be very suitable!"
The staff member had already put it as tactfully as possible, but Lu Jiuyuan remained firm about sending the little earth dog up. Since it was the customer's insistence, he naturally could not refuse. He quickly went off to register and make preparations.
After the staff member left, Li Qingping held the little earth dog and came before Lu Jiuyuan, asking worriedly.
"Are you sure you want to send the little earth dog up there? This little guy seems very weak."
As she spoke, the little earth dog in Li Qingping's arms also gave two soft whimpers, looking extremely humble, weak, and pitiful.
"Mm, let him go up. Until the world is decided, you and I are both dark horses. Who knows what kind of surprise this little guy might bring us?"
Lu Jiuyuan smiled as he looked at the little earth dog, but none of them noticed the flash of indignation that crossed its face.
After hiding for so long, was I still going to be discovered?
The little earth dog thought to itself. Though he appeared to be a little earth dog on the surface, he actually carried a trace of White Tiger bloodline within him. If he unleashed his true strength, ordinary demonic beasts of the same realm would likely be no match for him.
At the same time, within the Xue Family, Xue Changjiang sat in the Lineage hall with a gloomy expression, while the other Xue Family elders were also gathered there.
Clearly, they had already learned that Xue Chenyang had been killed. As a Lineage only slightly weaker than the Li Family, having their second young master openly killed was undoubtedly a provocation.
"Patriarch, this cannot be tolerated! How is this any different from taking a dump on top of our Xue Family's heads?"
An elder at the Integrated Body Peak Stage stepped forward and spoke angrily. But where there were supporters, there were naturally opponents.
"Patriarch, I believe this matter requires long-term consideration. The second young master was accompanied and protected by a Body Integration Realm elder when he traveled. Furthermore, it is said that Li Qingdi and Li Qingping of the Li Family were also at the other party's side. This shows that the other party's background is likely far from ordinary. I suggest we investigate first."
"Old ghost Changzheng, I think you're simply afraid. Our Xue Family has stood in the Yuanwu Kingdom for so many years. Could it be that we have lost the sharpness we once possessed?"
The elder who had previously proposed killing Lu Jiuyuan snorted coldly. Elder Changzheng, whom he had addressed, also gave a cold snort.
"Tianlong, I am merely considering the greater good of our Xue Family."
"Bullshit. You're just afraid!"
Elder Tianlong snorted coldly, and Xue Changjiang finally could no longer endure it.
Xue Changjiang spoke with a gloomy expression.
"Chenyang was my beloved son. As his father, I am deeply grieved by his death as well. But we absolutely cannot act on impulse now. First investigate the other party's origins, then decide how to deal with them!"
As he spoke, Xue Changjiang released the domineering aura unique to a patriarch—the pressure of the Late Tribulation Crossing Stage.
"Yes, Patriarch!"
Once Xue Changjiang had spoken, they naturally did not dare say anything further and could only obey. Of course, Xue Chenyang's elder brother had also received the news.
The Xue Family's true heaven-blessed genius, Xue Chentian!
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