From afar, Xiao Yi Xian witnessed the most unforgettable sight of her life.
The instant Xiao Yuan lowered his sword-pointing finger.
The sky, originally drenched in shades of blue and purple, was suddenly painted in even richer colors.
The dark clouds shrouding the heavens abruptly split open.
A giant azure sword poked through, like the Sword of Damocles, slowly descending at terrifying speed.
The air rumbled as it stirred up a storm.
The swirling Life Spirit Flame burned everything to ashes.
By comparison, the purple beam shot out by the Amethyst Winged Lion King was like night and day.
It was like the difference between a greatsword cleaving into a matchstick.
The instant the two collided, the purple beam crumbled inch by inch. It didn't even last a second.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King wanted to dodge, but it was already too late.
It could only watch helplessly as the greatsword plunged straight into the ground.
Boom!
The earth trembled, and the mountains collapsed.
The shock waves from the sword's sweep instantly flattened the surrounding foothills.
A bottomless sword scar was left in the ground, its depths flowing with scorching magma.
And yet, Xiao Yuan had vanished.
Along with the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Even after the energy of heaven and earth had settled, Xiao Yi Xian waited there for a long time, but Xiao Yuan still didn't return.
Xiao Yi Xian began to worry.
Could something have happened to little brother Xiao Yuan?
Xiao Yi Xian had just started toward where he'd gone when a familiar tune suddenly reached her ears.
[The king sent me to patrol the mountain~]
She'd heard that tune and those lyrics many times in Xiao Yuan's inner thoughts.
Whenever his cultivation improved a little, Xiao Yuan would happily hum it for a while.
Then Xiao Yuan's figure slowly emerged from the forest, and Xiao Yi Xian's face brightened with joy.
She wanted to rush over and hug him, to make sure her adopted little brother hadn't been hurt.
But the next second, she felt as if she'd plunged into an icy cavern and froze in place.
"...A-Amethyst Winged Lion King?!"
That was right. The Amethyst Winged Lion King, who not long ago had lorded it over the eastern Magical Beast Mountain Range, was now being ridden by Xiao Yuan!
And in Xiao Yuan's arms, he was holding a fluffy little cub!
It was obviously the Amethyst Winged Lion King's cub!
Xiao Yi Xian hurried over, too frightened to care about the danger.
"Hey, big sister Xiao Yi Xian, I'm back~"
Seeing Xiao Yi Xian hurry over to greet him, Xiao Yuan leapt down and landed right in front of her.
He took her hand and introduced it to her:
"Look, big sister Xiao Yi Xian! This is the mount and pet I just got. What do you think? Cute, right?"
"???"
Xiao Yi Xian stared at Xiao Yuan in shock, then turned to look at the Amethyst Winged Lion King, whose aura was dispirited, and the cub trembling in his arms.
You call this... cute?
Who would call a magical beast that ruled the eastern Magical Beast Mountain Range cute?!
And on top of that, the Amethyst Winged Lion King had become her adopted little brother's pet?!
A hint of bewilderment appeared on Xiao Yi Xian's face. She felt like she no longer understood the world.
This was too insane!
Still, she nodded and went along with Xiao Yuan.
"V-very cute..."
"Right? What about you? Hurry up and greet her!"
Xiao Yuan turned and slapped the silent Amethyst Winged Lion King across the face, smacking its head to one side. Xiao Yi Xian's heart leaped in alarm.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King didn't get angry. It lowered its head and spoke in a muffled voice.
"Human, this king..."
Smack!
Another slap.
"Title!"
"L-Lady Xiao Yi Xian, this king... no, I'm the sixth-tier magical beast, the Amethyst Winged Lion King. You can call me Little Crystal from now on, and I'll do whatever you ask."
After speaking, the Amethyst Winged Lion King cautiously rubbed its head against her sleeve, just like a pet dog.
It had never been so humiliated!
Xiao Yi Xian was completely dumbfounded now.
A sixth-tier magical beast could really have so little dignity?
It couldn't be helped.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King had no way to resist this devil!
Normally, a magical beast of its level couldn't be tamed by humans. They'd fight to the death instead.
But this brat was just too ruthless!
After being struck by the Taixu Sword God and left on the verge of death, Xiao Yuan had grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and lifted it up.
Then he'd given it two choices—
"Either obediently become my mount, or end up on the dinner table tonight."
Most crucially, he'd added—
"Great Lion, you wouldn't want your cub made into braised lion head, would you?"
It was all about holding the cub hostage to command the lion king!
For the sake of its cub, it chose to submit. A wisp of Life Spirit Flame had also been planted inside its body.
If it ever conceived of rebellion, that wisp of flame would burn it to ashes, while its cub would be served up at the dinner table.
So it endured.
It had to bide its time!
Still, even though the brat was ruthless, he was also pretty generous.
He'd stuffed its mouth with healing pills as if they cost nothing, without even bothering to distinguish their grades, and used them to treat its injuries. He'd even promised that if they came across Humanoid Transformation Grass, he'd refine a Humanoid Transformation Pill for it afterward.
That was a Tier 7 Medicinal Pill!
The brat was so young. He could actually refine one?
Still, it believed him, if only so it could hold on to that hope.
Although afterward, the brat had also emptied its cave, taking all its Purple Spirit Crystals, along with the Amethyst Source it had prepared for its cub.
Whenever the Amethyst Winged Lion King thought of it, it felt so humiliated it could cry.
You couldn't bully a lion like this!
Seeing the lion king in front of her looking ready to burst into tears, Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help asking with concern:
"Little brother Xiao Yuan, is it... all right?"
"Oh, it's fine."
Xiao Yuan glanced back at the lion king and shrugged. "It's just moved to tears thinking about the bright future it and its cub are going to have. Pay it no mind."
Xiao Yi Xian: "..."
Amethyst Winged Lion King: "..."
If it had the strength to fight back right now, it would have burned that brat to ashes with its purple flames!
"All right, big sister Xiao Yi Xian, it's time for us to set off for the Chu Yun Empire."
"Okay."
Xiao Yi Xian didn't refuse.
But when she found out they'd be riding on the Amethyst Winged Lion King's back, she hesitated.
To be honest, she was still quite afraid of the lion king.
In the end, though, Xiao Yuan forcibly picked her up and plopped her onto its back.
She had to admit, even though she was a Dou Emperor and could fly fast enough on her own—and flying was exciting—riding on the Great Lion was even more exhilarating!
The back mountain of the Xiao Clan.
Xun'er stood alone on the lush, green cliffside, enjoying the breeze against her face. It seemed to carry someone's scent, soothing the longing she'd felt for months.
After a while, she seemed to sense someone approaching from behind.
A gentle smile appeared on her delicate, elegant face, and she asked softly:
"Master Ling, Xiao Yuan has been away from Wutan City for four months now, hasn't he? How has he been lately?"