Cola Gets Jealous

The setting sun was like blood.

The glow of dusk stained the Northern Foothills of Qinling red. Noisy Xuanhe Village returned to its usual peace, with only the intermittent barking of dogs lingering in the air.

Chen Yuan carried out the table and stools, then brought the dishes from the kitchen. The lingering rays of the setting sun fell across his shoulders. Cola had long been waiting eagerly beside the table, his tail wagging furiously.

"Eat." Chen Weiyi spoke blandly and picked up his chopsticks first.

Dinner was not much different from usual: a plate of Stir-fried Preserved Pork with Garlic Sprouts and a plate of Cucumber Salad. Simple and plain.

Stir-fried Preserved Pork with Garlic Sprouts was a classic Xiang cuisine dish, complete in color, aroma, and flavor, and never tiresome no matter how often one ate it.

The preserved pork, especially after being cured and smoked, had a distinctive flavor, its fragrance lingering between the teeth.

Chen Yuan swallowed a piece of preserved pork and chewed it a few times. Its aroma spread through his mouth, and he narrowed his eyes in enjoyment.

He then shoveled down a mouthful of rice and picked up a slice of cucumber. It was refreshing and cut through the richness, crisp and delicious.

"Awooo! Awooo! Awooo!" Urgent barking rang endlessly beside them. Cola stared eagerly at the two people eating, having long since run out of patience, darting around them from time to time.

"You eat too."

Chen Yuan placed the leftover food from lunch into the dog bowl and set it before Cola. The latter immediately buried his head in the bowl, his tail wagging faster and faster.

There were not many particular rules when raising dogs in the countryside. Whatever the owner ate, the dog ate as well.

However, taking other factors into account, Chen Yuan also fed Cola dog food from time to time, giving him a more balanced diet and helping him grow stronger.

"As for you..."

Chen Yuan tilted his head up slightly, his gaze meeting a pair of deep blue eyes.

Because of the old man's reminder, Chen Yuan ultimately did not let the Flame Cloud Falcon burn the weeds with its flames. Instead, he obediently picked up a sickle and cleared the weeds with the old man.

But considering that the Flame Cloud Falcon had worked hard practicing its skill all afternoon, even if it had no merit, it had put in effort. Chen Yuan ultimately decided to reward it with something good.

As a wildlife rescue worker, Chen Yuan had once cared for an injured Saker Falcon, so he knew quite a bit about the diets of such animals.

According to what he knew, falcons were carnivores, mainly eating insects, fish, animal liver, and the like.

He brought out a plate of sliced Raw Beef from the refrigerator, picked up a small piece with tweezers, and held it out before Spark.

"Try it. Do you like it?" He looked at Spark expectantly.

If it did not like beef, he still had Chicken Breast in the refrigerator.

Fortunately, Spark's response did not disappoint him. Spark tilted its head and carefully examined the Raw Beef, clear contemplation flashing in its eyes. Then it opened its beak and swallowed it in one bite.

"Chirp!"

After swallowing the beef, Spark spread its wings, looking rather pleased. It even rubbed its head against Chen Yuan's right hand.

"It's good that you like it." Chen Yuan smiled gently and picked up another piece of Raw Beef with the tweezers, offering it to Spark.

Cola, who had been wolfing down his food, had just finished the leftovers and the tiny bit of Cola Chen Yuan had specially poured for him. He raised his head contentedly and let out an involuntary burp. His tail wagged more and more slowly as a wave of drowsiness rose within him.

After eating and drinking his fill, it was time to sleep, awooo!

However, when Cola raised his head, the sight before him instantly left him frozen in place. His gaping mouth, bewildered gaze, and incredulous expression all spoke of his shock.

"Awooo! Awooo!"

Cola came back to his senses and bared his teeth at Spark. The fur all over his body stood on end, and it was impossible to tell whether his face showed furious anger or envy.

"Chirp~"

Spark enjoyed Chen Yuan's attentive feeding. It spared a glance for Cola's intense reaction, then affectionately rubbed against Chen Yuan's palm.

"Awooo! Awooo! Awooo! Awooo!"

Cola could no longer sit still. He hurriedly got up and ran to Chen Yuan's feet, clamping his teeth around Chen Yuan's pant leg and tugging hard.

Master, don't let it charm you!

"You dumb dog." Chen Yuan looked at Cola and scolded him with a smile. He then crouched down and gently stroked Cola's fluffy back. Only then did Cola gradually calm down. He even stuck out his tongue and lay down against Chen Yuan's feet.

In Chen Yuan's eyes, he naturally liked Cola, whom he had raised since childhood, even more. Though the dog was a little foolish, he was at least loyal enough.

He was the kind who would spot Chen Yuan from a mile away and come running over with his tail wagging to greet him.

But Chen Yuan had already become a Beast Tamer, while Cola was still an ordinary creature and could not form a contract with him.

Chen Yuan could only settle for the next best thing and contract Spark, striving to seize the initiative in this brand-new era.

If Cola later evolved into an Extraordinary Creature, Chen Yuan would also choose to contract him without hesitation.

"Tsk."

Chen Weiyi, who was sitting in a reclining chair enjoying the cool air, watched the two little ones fight over affection. He waved the large palm-leaf fan in his hand and clicked his tongue in wonder. "Times really are different now."

The night grew deeper.

Chen Yuan stayed in his bedroom. The world outside was dark and vast, without the slightest trace of lamplight. Only the mingled calls of birds and barking dogs rose and fell without pause.

Perhaps because it had been tired from a whole day's work, Spark fell asleep early. It lay on its side atop the soft pillow, snoring softly.

"Awoo..."

Cola also whined weakly. He lay on the floor while feeling the breeze constantly swirling around him.

"Awoo!"

He stretched out a paw and swiped at the air, but he could not catch the breeze. He could only scratch his head in confusion.

Chen Yuan sat cross-legged on the bed, preparing to continue meditating to temper his spiritual power. He recalled the essentials of meditation, exhaled softly, gathered his focus, and was just about to close his eyes when he noticed a faint glow blooming from his chest.

"Hm?"

Chen Yuan looked down and realized that the Jade Pendant hanging from his chest was emitting a faint light.

This Jade Pendant was an heirloom of the Chen family. Ever since Father Chen had died in an accident, it had fallen into his hands.

A Jade Pendant glowing sounded mysterious no matter how one put it. It could practically make an episode of "Approaching Science."

But when Chen Yuan thought of the changes in the world and the evolution of living creatures, he could not help murmuring, "Then it's fine."

The next second, a gray, hazy space appeared out of nowhere in his mind. At its edge was a speck radiating a fluorescent glow.

Chen Yuan looked stunned. "A Beast Taming Space?"

The next moment, he shook his head and denied his own thought. "No."

This space was different from the Beast Taming Space he had sensed after successfully awakening. There were many obvious differences.

As the thought flashed through his mind, Chen Yuan suddenly discovered that the speck seemed to be moving. It was getting closer and closer, its fluorescent glow growing brighter and brighter until it filled his entire vision in an instant.

At that moment, Chen Yuan seemed to feel that something was calling to him.

Magic City.

Inside a detached villa.

Jiang Wenning lowered her head to gaze at the glowing Jade Pendant in her hand. Her long, straight legs were folded together, her right hand propping up her chin, and her brows were slightly furrowed. "The Jade Pendant Grandfather left behind can actually glow..."

The next instant, her pupils contracted. A speck radiating dazzling light filled her entire vision, completely engulfing her.

She froze in place and called out instinctively:

"Am I going to transmigrate?"