Daylight shone bright, and the morning mist in Red Maple Valley had dispersed.
Wangwang lay in the corridor with his eyes tightly shut, basking in the sunlight.
Just then, a patter of footsteps sounded.
Before Wangwang even opened his eyes upon hearing the approaching sound, his ears twitched first.
After confirming it was his master, he raised his tail and climbed up from the ground.
Xu Changqing chuckled. "Wang~"
Wangwang bared his teeth, his eyes still carrying a fawning look.
His tail swayed constantly, fanning up little gusts of wind.
Xu Changqing crouched down and reached out to stroke Wangwang's head.
Beneath the rough fur, he could clearly feel the contours of his bones.
In his early years, it was Wangwang's companionship that had kept him from feeling lonely.
Now, seeing him grow ever more mature, with even a trace of aged weariness appearing about him—
For some reason, Xu Changqing's heart felt a little sour.
Perhaps sensing his master's mood, Wangwang let out a low whine from his throat, then affectionately rubbed his head against Xu Changqing's palm.
"You've followed me for so many years. Thanks for all your hard work."
"I was busy with other matters before and neglected you. Now, it's finally alright!"
"I've learned the Bloodline Grafting Secret Art. I can replace your bloodline with a rarer one, so you can stay with me for a few more decades—maybe even a century. What do you say?"
Though he could not understand the words, Wangwang felt his master's affection and the warmth of his palm. His tail wagged even more happily, and he even lifted his front paws onto Xu Changqing's knees.
Seeing him like this, Xu Changqing became even more certain of his decision.
Wangwang was an ordinary spirit dog, with a mixed and impure bloodline