"Don't worry. It's only Remnant Wolf. Have the men of Shu Family Island ever feared anyone? Young Chu, don't worry too much. Focus on preparing for the assessment." Old Monkey Qiao tried to reassure him, too.
"Mm." Chu Yun nodded, though he smiled bitterly to himself.
He had spent a great deal of effort studying the Remnant Wolf Pirate Group in his previous life. Remnant Wolf, Crimson Tiger, and Mad Lion were the three largest pirate forces in the All-Star Archipelago. The Remnant Wolf pirates burned, killed, and pillaged, leaving a trail of bloody crimes. Their infamy was well known.
The captain, Remnant Wolf, was vicious and ruthless. His strategist, White Prowler, was sinister and greedy. The two of them worked hand in glove, and countless victims gnashed their teeth in hatred, wishing they could eat their flesh and drink their blood. Yet they were immensely powerful, able to plunder village- and town-level islands with ease. They didn't even fear a city-level island like Shu Family Island!
"Alas, I'm too weak right now. An enemy like this is enough to put the entire Shu Clan on high alert. At least we discovered the news early, so we can be warned in time."
This sense of weakness left Chu Yun feeling helpless. He hated it; it was a bitter feeling.
As soon as he returned to Salt Field Manor, Chu Yun took out the fiery-red jade slip and examined it.
Just as he remembered, the jade slip recorded three Dao Arts.
The first Dao Art was called Minor Pill Fire. It could be used to shoot a fist-sized fireball.
The second Dao Art was Fire Lotus Armor. When activated, it formed a suit of flame armor, its surface patterned with red lotuses, protecting the wearer from attacks.
The third Dao Art was Leaping Technique. It mainly explained how to use the demon essence within the body to help a Demon Beast move.
That was right. These Dao Arts were all meant for Demon Beasts to learn; humans could not cultivate them.
Demon Beasts were the foundation, while Dao Arts were the means. No matter how high a Demon Beast's cultivation was, without Dao Arts, it was like a tiger without claws or fangs—no threat at all. Conversely, no matter how powerful a Dao Art was, a Demon Beast couldn't use it if its cultivation was insufficient.
Dao Arts and Demon Beasts complemented each other. There was a great deal to learn about their relationship.
"These three Dao Arts are the most basic. Minor Pill Fire is for attacking, Fire Lotus Armor for defense, and Leaping Technique for evasion."
Chu Yun smiled and set the jade slip aside.
Usually, for a Spirit Beast Master to teach a Demon Beast a Dao Art, he first had to understand and memorize it, then turn that knowledge into insight. Afterward, he could teach it to the Demon Beast by connecting with it through spiritual light.
Humans were the most spiritually gifted of all living things. Their spiritual light was abundant, and no Demon Beast could compare. Their comprehension and insight were exceptionally strong.
Demon Beasts, on the other hand, had powerful bodies, absorbed primordial energy, and possessed extraordinary combat prowess.
Chu Yun had already mastered these three Dao Arts in his previous life. At present, he had insights into more than a hundred different Dao Arts in his mind.
However, he did not plan to teach the Heavenly Fox any of the others for now.
Setting aside whether it could handle them all, the most important thing was that the second assessment only allowed these three Dao Arts. If it accidentally used another Dao Art during the assessment, it would be eliminated on the spot. There would be no other outcome.
Rather than risk it for no reason, it was better to hold something back from the start.
At that moment, the Heavenly Fox was crouched before him, its snow-white tail swishing happily behind it. Its bright, crystal-black eyes were fixed on its master, filled with affection and excitement.
Whenever Chu Yun saw this little darling, he couldn't help smiling. He reached out and stroked the Heavenly Fox's little head.
The Heavenly Fox gave a happy cry, its tail wagging even faster.
Chu Yun slowly closed his eyes, and his mind sank into darkness.
This time was different from when he had hatched the egg. He had already established a connection with the Heavenly Fox, so he immediately stirred his spiritual light and sent out a call.
Thanks to their previous experience, a warm response came at once from within the darkness, like an infant seeing its mother.
He reached toward it. In the boundless darkness, Chu Yun's spiritual light was as big as a fist, while the Heavenly Fox's was as small as a fingertip. They gradually drew closer. At last, the fist-sized spiritual light enveloped the fingertip-sized one.
A feeling of complete union washed over him. At that moment, the Heavenly Fox opened its heart, and every movement was within Chu Yun's grasp.
Their spiritual lights pulsed, carrying the Heavenly Fox's affection, admiration, and respect. Chu Yun's spiritual light pulsed as well, sending back anticipation, hope, and tenderness.
Such a thing only happened when their bond was exceptionally close. If word got out, the whole world would be stunned. After all, no one had ever seen a youth at his coming-of-age ceremony achieve such a thing!
Chu Yun could do this because of the Demon Tribulation he had experienced. Risk bred both opportunity and wealth.
Next, Chu Yun transmitted the three basic spells to the Heavenly Fox. Then, with a reluctant thought, he withdrew his spiritual light.
When he opened his eyes again, the Heavenly Fox looked eager to try, practically bursting with excitement.
"Little thing." Chu Yun chuckled, then led the Heavenly Fox to the training ground inside the manor.
"Fire Lotus Armor," Chu Yun called softly.
The Heavenly Fox raised its head and cried out. Demon essence surged within its body. Like oil catching fire, flames burst across its entire body with a whoosh.
The flames shifted at once, changing from flickering tongues to stillness. Like a stream of crimson radiance, they coalesced and clung tightly to the Heavenly Fox's petite body. Red lotus patterns curled across the fiery armor, lending the already nimble and majestic fox a few more traces of solemn grandeur.
Chu Yun's heart leaped at the sight.
There was always a chance a Demon Beast would fail when using a Dao Art. For the Heavenly Fox to succeed on its very first try showed just how perceptive it was and how extraordinary its talent and aptitude were!
Chu Yun knew that ordinary Demon Beasts usually needed more than ten attempts before they could use a Dao Art. After all, understanding something was one thing; putting it into practice was another.
In this world, knowing was easy, doing was hard. That was an unshakable truth.
Even excellent Demon Beasts like the Sea Burst Crocodile and Green Fang Snake needed at least five tries to master a Dao Art. In Chu Yun's previous life, the Heavenly Fox had only succeeded in using the Red Lotus Armor Dao Art on its third attempt.
He never expected it to succeed on its first try in this life. And as its Spirit Beast Master, Chu Yun could already tell that the Heavenly Fox had mastered the Dao Art after that single attempt.
The perfect Heavenly Fox truly knew how to surprise him!
Next came Minor Pill Fire and Leaping Technique, and the Heavenly Fox mastered those just as quickly. It was exceptionally perceptive; whatever Chu Yun taught it, it understood at once and performed with convincing skill.
If anyone had witnessed the process, they would have been rooted to the spot, utterly astonished.
Unfortunately, Chu Yun had already ordered that no servants be allowed near the training ground. No one in the world would have guessed that a peerless Heavenly Fox was quietly growing in this unremarkable manor.
Shu Family City, inner courtyard.
"Madam, wonderful news! The young master and the second young master's Demon Beasts both mastered their Dao Arts within seven tries. The young masters are so talented at such a young age; they're sure to accomplish great things!" Lady Shu's personal matron hurried into the room to offer her congratulations.
At the news, Lady Shu's tightly furrowed brow relaxed just a little.
"I understand. Give each of them 100 Earth-Fiend Stone Coins. Tell them to practice diligently. They absolutely must not lose the second assessment!" she ordered gravely.
"Yes, Madam. I'll see to it." The matron read her expression and immediately reined in her excitement. She answered respectfully, then withdrew in silence.
Lady Shu rested one hand against her forehead. Her head throbbed, again and again.
"Mutated Fire Fox, mutated Fire Fox... Damn it, damn it all..." she murmured. Ever since the Earth Altar Spirit Beast Master had confirmed it to her in person, she had been in an utterly foul mood.
She had already planned it all out. Whichever of Shu Da or Shu Er came in first, she would secure him a place at Heavenly Song Academy to polish his credentials. Once he returned, he could work with her family behind the scenes, build momentum, and wait for the right moment. Then there would be no need to worry about securing the inheritance of Shu Family Island.
At first, her plan had gone smoothly.
Thank the heavens! She had spent a great deal of effort and money gathering information about the Demon Beast eggs. Shu Da and Shu Er had also successfully chosen the Sea Burst Crocodile and Green Fang Snake, the two most gifted Demon Beasts.
Lady Shu had been relieved and excited. After enduring decades of hardship, she finally had something to look forward to.
But!
She never expected a mutated Fire Fox to appear out of nowhere!
Mutated Demon Beasts had limits to their cultivation, and they might suddenly die. That significant flaw was enough to help Shu Da and Shu Er feel at ease and accept it quietly. But it could never convince Lady Shu!
So what if it was a mutated Demon Beast? As long as it could win first place in the assessment and be sent to Heavenly Song Academy for further study, what did it matter if it suddenly died? Once she had gotten what she needed from it, the Demon Beast could drop dead for all she cared!
What kind of place was Heavenly Song Academy?
It had a powerful faculty and had remained neutral for centuries, even in a place as chaotic as the All-Star Archipelago. No one could lay a hand on it. It didn't matter whether you belonged to an island faction or were one of the three great pirate forces: Remnant Wolf, Crimson Tiger, or Mad Lion.
Every year, Heavenly Song Academy admitted youths recommended from the various islands of the All-Star Archipelago.
What kind of people could be recommended?
Aside from geniuses, there were the children of the various island lords. In other words, the future successors of the islands!
Heavenly Song Academy could practically be called the cradle of the future island lords of the All-Star Archipelago. Shu Da and Shu Er were young and ignorant, but Lady Shu was no fool. She understood the nature of Heavenly Song Academy all too well.
"If that little bastard Chu Yun really makes it to Heavenly Song Academy..." Thinking of what Chu Yun had said to her that day and the look on his face, Lady Shu shuddered, a chill rising in her heart.
"No. I can't let him get his way! I can't! But what can I do? How can I ruin him without anyone suspecting that I had a hand in it?"
That was what gave Lady Shu her headache. She had the power to crush Chu Yun however she pleased, but her position held her back. If her scheme were exposed, the consequences would be unthinkable, given the temperament of the island lord—her husband, Shu Tianhao.
"How did it come to this? How did things end up like this?"
Lady Shu racked her brains, but came up with nothing. Regret and frustration churned in her heart.
"If I hadn't taken it upon myself to investigate the Demon Beast eggs earlier, perhaps Shu Da and Shu Er could have gotten the Fire Fox egg. With that mutated Fire Fox, we wouldn't need the Sea Burst Crocodile or Green Fang Snake at all."
She let out a deep sigh, full of bitter regret.
What did it mean to lift a rock and drop it on your own foot?
This was exactly what it meant.
An egg that could have given her hope had been abandoned by her own hand.
"Wait, I've got it! There's a way!" Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her, and she thought of a wonderfully vicious scheme.