With a thought, Li Xuan followed the prompt and focused all his attention on the [Beast companion] field.
His vision rippled gently like water, and the panel's display changed.
A miniature, translucent silhouette of a wolf quietly emerged, its outline clearly defined.
It was the little creature he had brought home tucked inside his clothes.
Points of light of varying brightness dotted the silhouette like stars, marking its key locations: its head, limbs, spine, waist and abdomen... and the very center of its chest.
Those points of light presumably represented the "parts" he could enhance.
His thoughts brushed those lights like invisible fingertips.
When he touched the point at the wolf's muzzle, information appeared:
[Enhance teeth (0/10): Slightly increases bite force and bone hardness, improving tearing power.] [Enhance tendons (0/12): Increases explosive running power and agility when changing direction abruptly.] [Enhance bones (0/15): Increases load-bearing capacity and resistance to impacts.] [Enhance lower back strength (0/18): Increases pouncing power and endurance during long-distance runs.]
Each part listed a different number of points required for enhancement.
Clearly, this was a system that demanded long-term planning and targeted investment.
Li Xuan found it quite novel. This would probably consume even more points than improving his own attributes.
Yet when his thoughts swept across the center of the little wolf's chest-
Across the point of light that should have marked its heart, his mind suddenly tightened.
Unlike the steady, soft white or pale blue glow emitted by the other parts-
That point flickered in a chaotic rhythm, giving off a dim, ominous dark red light.
It was like a candle in the wind, liable to go out completely at any moment.
He concentrated on examining it, and a glaring line of information appeared clearly:
[Heart: Congenital underdevelopment (severe). Weak cardiac vessels, severely inadequate blood supply, accompanied by latent heart failure. Current condition: On the verge of functional collapse. Probability of natural survival: Extremely low. Estimated survival time: 5-12 days.] [Treatment plan: Spend 10 Hunting Points on "Life Spring" enhancement to reconstruct the heart and stabilize the source of life.]
"So that was it..."
Understanding dawned on Li Xuan. He had always felt that the wolf cub was unusually weak, beyond what hunger and cold alone could explain.
It actually suffered from a fatal congenital heart condition!
Under the brutal laws of a wolf pack, being ruthlessly abandoned was almost inevitable for a cub like this.
Without his extraordinary panel, it would have had no chance of survival.
"Ten points..." Li Xuan scarcely hesitated.
Binding the contract had already cost five points. Investing another ten to save its life made the initial expense enormous.
But a healthy, loyal wolf companion that could grow into a powerful helper was beyond price.
Besides, the feeling of holding a little life's survival in his hands and giving it entirely new possibilities was something he found hard to resist.
"Spend 10 Hunting Points to perform 'Life Spring' enhancement treatment on my beast companion's heart."
[Points -10. Performing "Life Spring" enhancement... channeling life energy... repairing heart muscle defects... expanding and strengthening the cardiac vascular network... reconstructing the vitality core...] [Enhancement complete!]
On the panel, the unsettling dark red flicker at the little wolf silhouette's heart instantly subsided. The dim point of light not only steadied but brightened, radiating vigorous vitality.
Almost at the same moment, the wolf cub curled up in a wad of old cotton beside Li Xuan's pillow-
Unconsciously stretched its tiny limbs in its sleep.
It let out a faint breath that was noticeably smoother and longer, and its perpetually trembling body seemed to relax.
[Heart: Enhanced (basic)] [Status change: Congenital heart defect completely cured. Source of life stabilized.] [Additional benefit obtained: Exceptional enhancement and energy infusion of the life core have significantly increased metabolic rate. Base growth speed +35%.]
Growth speed +35%!
Li Xuan's eyes flashed, and delighted surprise surged through him.
This was a reward far beyond his expectations!
Not only had he saved its life, but he had also gained a growth-accelerating benefit!
That meant the time the wolf cub needed to pass through its long, vulnerable infancy would be greatly shortened.
It could stand, run, and learn to hunt sooner, becoming a reliable companion on his explorations of the mountains and forests that much earlier!
Those ten points had been an incredible bargain!
Looking at his remaining eighteen available points-
Li Xuan once again swept his gaze across the enticing lights on the wolf silhouette that represented its teeth, tendons, and bones.
He considered for a moment, but ultimately suppressed the urge to enhance them immediately.
"The cub's still too young. Enhancing it now wouldn't do any good. That can wait."
"As for a name... I'll call you Little Gray!"
His attention returned to himself. Tomorrow, he would have to set out early for the town market, traveling dozens of li along mountain roads where the snow had yet to melt and the cold wind cut to the bone.
His 1.3 Physique provided a sufficient foundation of strength and endurance.
The Dexterity attribute, meanwhile, seemed particularly important right now.
He already had three white traits that boosted his agility.
His base Dexterity of 1.0 had produced significant results. If he could raise that base value another notch-
Combined with his traits, it would surely make tomorrow's journey easier.
"Allocate 15 Hunting Points to Dexterity."
[Points -15. Enhancing Dexterity...] [Current Dexterity: 1.1 → 1.4] [Available points: 3]
A cool, swift stream swept through his entire body in an instant.
Unlike the scorching, solidifying sensation of enhancing Physique, this flow focused more on stretching and extending his fascia, lubricating his joint capsules, and fine-tuning and accelerating the transmission of nerve signals.
Li Xuan could clearly sense that his control over subtle movements had risen to a new level.
A feeling of effortless responsiveness arose, as though every part of him obeyed as naturally as fingers followed the hand.
He gently rotated his wrists and ankles. His joints gave crisp, harmonious little clicks, brimming with springiness and strength.
If his previous Dexterity could be described as "light and nimble," it was now closer to "precise, efficient agility."
"With this, tomorrow's journey should be much easier!"
The next morning, around five, the sky remained a swath of dark blue, with only a thin, pallid streak of fish-belly white showing along the eastern horizon.
The wind was bitter, and each exhalation turned to frost. Wang and Li Zhong were already up and ready.
Li Zhong bundled the dried medicinal herbs securely and carried them on his back.
Wang held a bundle containing dry provisions, a waterskin, and a few mountain goods.
Both had wrapped themselves in tattered padded coats that let in the wind, with cloths wound around their heads so that only their eyes remained exposed.
Li Xuan was ready as well. He tightly rolled up the tanned sheepskin.
He tied it with straw rope and slung it onto his back, traveling light.
The wolf cub was left in its warm nest inside the house, under Li Xiuer's care.
"Let's go. We need to hurry while the ground's frozen solid this morning and easier to walk on. If we reach town before noon, we can still get a good spot."
Li Zhong stamped on the rock-hard frozen ground and breathed warmth into his palms.
The three left the village, trudging unevenly through the snow, and took the mountain road toward town.
The road was rugged even on ordinary days. In winter, the snow packed down by travelers and frozen again overnight became exceptionally hard and slippery.
Hidden ice lay everywhere, while snow filled the ditches and dips, making them difficult to distinguish.
Wang walked with particular care. Li Zhong also planted every step firmly, but their pace inevitably slowed.
Before long, their breathing grew heavy, forming clouds of white mist in the cold wind.
Yet Li Xuan, scouting the path ahead, gradually made his brother and sister-in-law widen their eyes in astonishment and uncertainty.
At the front, Li Xuan's steps looked neither particularly hurried nor strenuous. Instead, he moved with the unhurried ease of drifting clouds and flowing water.
Whether he stepped onto a hard crust of snow that might conceal a soft layer underneath or crossed loose stones and ditches half-hidden by snow-
He always gave a slight twist of his foot or a light touch of his toes as he landed, gliding onward as steady as a boulder. They could scarcely hear any heavy footfalls, and he never stumbled in the slightest.
Whenever he encountered a particularly slippery patch of ice, he would give a small, coordinated sway of his waist.
With that, he adjusted his center of gravity and handled it effortlessly.
"Was Third Brother's stamina really this good?"
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