The wind howled softly through the trees as Su Yang and Max stepped away from the Spirit Land, their pace steady. The mountains behind them, once littered with ancient beast bones, were now eerily clean. The remains had vanished, likely consumed by scavenger spirit beasts drawn by the scent of blood. A reminder of how brutal the cultivation world could be—even death left little peace.
"Max," Su Yang called as they moved through the forest, "make sure you stay alert. I don't want any spirit beast sneaking up on us."
Max barked softly in acknowledgment, his ears perked as he guided Su Yang through the forest path. His nose twitched from time to time, searching for the familiar scent trails that could lead them toward Lu City.
After nearly half an hour of running, Su Yang noticed the terrain begin to shift. The dense forest gave way to an open trail with flattened rocks and broken branches—signs of human passage.
"We're close to a main road," Su Yang murmured. "Good job, Max."
But just as the two stepped onto the dirt path, a loud voice echoed through the air.
"Well, well, what do we have here? A brat with a dog pretending to be a cultivator?"
Su Yang halted.
From behind a tree, three young men in light armor stepped out. The leader had a sharp face, narrow eyes, and a curved blade strapped to his back. Behind him, the other two chuckled darkly.
Max growled low, fur bristling.
"Who are you?" Su Yang asked, tone calm but cautious.
The leader sneered. "This is the border of the Red Vine Sect's outer region. Anyone who passes must pay a toll. Especially if they're carrying something valuable."
One of the men pointed at Max. "That beast… it's not ordinary. His energy smells like space-type spirit beasts. That kind of creature could fetch a good price, don't you think?"
"I agree," the leader said, cracking his knuckles. "We'll be doing you a favor, brat. Hand over the beast, and we won't hurt you too badly."
Su Yang's eyes narrowed. "So that's what this is about."
He stepped slightly in front of Max, shielding him. "You want to rob me, and you're using some fake 'sect border' excuse to do it."
The third man laughed. "You got a sharp tongue. Let's see if that mouth still works after I shatter your jaw."
Su Yang's face remained calm. "Max, don't act unless I tell you to."
Hearing this, Max stopped growling but stayed tense, ready to strike.
The leader drew his blade. "We'll be quick. Take the beast first—then the storage ring!"
As they charged forward, Su Yang's eyes lit with crimson fire. He didn't need flashy techniques right now. His foundation had strengthened, and his control had improved—even if he hadn't practiced martial techniques, his physical power from Bone Tempering was no joke.
The first attacker swung his saber down. Su Yang sidestepped with swift footwork and landed a punch directly to the man's ribs. There was a sickening crack, and the attacker was thrown several feet back, clutching his side in agony.
"Bastard!" shouted the second man, unleashing a flurry of palm strikes glowing faintly with red energy.
Su Yang ducked, slid behind him, and delivered a powerful elbow to the back of his neck. The man collapsed with a grunt.
The leader watched, stunned. "You... you're not just some lost brat!"
Su Yang's body began to emit a faint red-golden glow as his Karma Fire Body stirred in defense. His pupils flickered like flame for a second.
"I warned you," Su Yang said softly. "You should've walked away."
Terrified now, the leader turned to run, but Max leapt forward, teleporting a short distance and landing directly in front of him.
"W-What kind of spirit beast can teleport!?" the leader stammered.
Max growled menacingly.
"Leave," Su Yang said coldly, "and don't come back."
The leader dropped his blade and scrambled away without looking back, dragging his injured comrades with him.
Su Yang exhaled slowly, his muscles relaxing. He looked down at Max, who looked up at him with proud eyes.
"Thanks, buddy."
"Woof," Max barked happily.
Just then, a sharp voice came from behind the trees. "Wait! What happened here?"
A group of patrolling cultivators dressed in blue robes stepped into the clearing. On their uniforms was the emblem of a hawk with three stars—patrollers from Lu City's outer enforcement division.
One of them, a woman with a sword on her back, stepped forward. "We sensed a battle here. You—boy—what happened?"
Su Yang nodded politely. "Some people tried to rob me. I defended myself."
The woman scanned the scene, noticing the faint trails of battle aura. She looked down at Max, who stared back with intelligent eyes.
"That beast…" she whispered. "Where did you get a spatial-type spirit beast?"
Su Yang bowed slightly. "Forgive me, Senior. It was a gift from my elder."
The woman studied him a moment longer, then nodded. "You're lucky we arrived. Those men were repeat offenders. You handled yourself well. Be careful. Spirit beasts like yours attract attention—good and bad."
"I understand," Su Yang said.
"Name?" she asked.
"Su Yang."
"I'll remember it. Keep your beast close. Not everyone in the city will show mercy."
With that, the patrollers disappeared into the forest, leaving Su Yang and Max alone once again.
He looked down at Max. "Looks like you're going to get me into a lot of trouble."
Max barked proudly.
Su Yang laughed softly. "Let's get to the city before more trouble finds us."
And with that, the two of them resumed their journey, no
w fully aware that even a loyal companion could draw danger from every shadow in this cultivation world.