Inside the carriage, Meng Bei pillowed on Qian Renxue's snow-white thighs, his face full of gloom.
"So he really wants to see me. Can't I not go?"
Qian Renxue covered her mouth and laughed lightly.
"Grandpa said if you don't go, he'll personally come find you."
Hearing this, Meng Bei's brow twitched as he hurriedly said: "Don't. Let the old man save his energy. I'll go see him."
Hearing this, Qian Renxue was very happy and bent down to kiss Meng Bei's face lightly.
"Thank you."
Meng Bei said: "You're welcome."
Speaking, Meng Bei's hands climbed up and skillfully unfastened Qian Renxue's outer garment.
Meng Bei couldn't help but praise: "Xue'er's skin is whiter than snow, softer than jelly. Every time I see it, I can't let go."
Qian Renxue was somewhat nervous though:
"Not here. Others will hear."
Meng Bei brought his face close, smiling: "I'll just kiss. Nothing else."
Qian Renxue: "I don't believe you. Mmm..."
Sure enough, Meng Bei didn't keep his word. After a while, a soundproofing spirit guidance device was activated in the carriage.
Guards escorted and cleared the way. The procession traveled smoothly. Several days later, everyone successfully arrived in Spirit City.
Spirit City was located at the junction of the two great empires. There was a territory completely occupied by Spirit Hall, about the size of a province. This place had been ruled by Spirit Hall for generations, with neither empire having any right to interfere.
Due to Pope Bibi Dong's friendly attitude toward civilian Spirit Masters in recent years, more and more Spirit Masters chose to move from the two great empires to live in Spirit City. This made various industries in Spirit City exceptionally prosperous, even showing signs of surpassing the capitals of the two great empires.
Additionally, because this place was located at the junction of the two great empires and adjacent to Star Dou Forest, various trades related to spirit beasts were exceptionally developed.
For instance, at this moment, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing all simultaneously stopped outside a shop.
Xiao Wu said: "Wow, what a cute little cat."
Ning Rongrong pulled Meng Bei's arm, pointing at the little cat's eyes:
"Look, it even has heterochromatic eyes!"
Zhu Zhuqing followed behind the three, her mouth twitching as she said:
"This... is a tiger..."
At this time, the merchant walked out with a face full of smiles, introducing to several people: "This young lady has great discernment. This is a purebred White Tiger cub. You can hardly find them on the market now!"
Xiao Wu asked curiously: "Why?"
A voice from behind answered.
"Because this spirit beast is the Star Luo Imperial Family's spirit. Four hundred years ago, the previous Star Luo Emperor led the army to capture them all from Star Dou Forest and raise them in the Star Luo Royal Beast Hunting Garden!"
Dai Mubai walked over from behind with anger in his eyes, his tiger eyes staring intently at the merchant before him.
However, the merchant was completely unafraid of this. Instead, he clapped in praise:
"Correct, just as this gentleman said. Since then, this spirit beast has almost disappeared from the market. Most on the market now are crossbred fakes. But mine is real!"
Speaking, the merchant reached into the cage and pressed his finger on the little white tiger's forehead. Instantly, two异光 (strange lights) shone from the little white tiger's eyes.
Seeing this scene, Meng Bei and others still didn't understand, but Dai Mubai's expression became even uglier.
Because that strange light was precisely the most precious atavistic proof among purebred White Tiger spirit beasts. If this little tiger matured, it could independently control these two strange lights, also called White Tiger Killing Aura, which could remotely bombard enemies from afar.
The reason Dai Mubai was so angry was because this White Tiger spirit beast was an extremely precious strategic resource for him and even for the entire Star Luo Imperial Family.
For the Dai family's White Tiger spirit, White Tiger spirit beasts with the same spirit were the most compatible spirit ring choice. Especially when cultivating to Soul Sage realm, if the seventh spirit ring at that time chose a White Tiger spirit beast's ring, then even if the years were a bit less, it could still display power far exceeding other spirit rings.
Some particularly lucky imperial descendants could even trigger a special bloodline when absorbing White Tiger spirit rings, causing bloodline atavism and secondary spirit evolution.
Therefore, White Tiger spirit beasts were extremely precious strategic resources for the Star Luo Imperial Family.
However, roughly four hundred years ago, due to indiscriminate killing and black market trading, the number of White Tiger spirit beasts in Star Dou Forest sharply declined.
Perhaps there was also the old rival Heaven Dou Empire pushing this behind the scenes.
In any case, one day a Star Luo Imperial Family member who cultivated to Soul Sage realm discovered there were no White Tiger spirit beasts in Star Dou Forest anymore.
Perhaps this time it was just bad luck, but the fact that White Tiger spirit beast numbers in Star Dou Forest had greatly decreased couldn't be hidden.
So later, the previous Star Luo Emperor led the army to capture and domesticate all remaining White Tiger spirit beasts.
This action wasn't to hunt White Tiger spirit beasts. On the contrary, the fundamental purpose of this action was to protect White Tiger spirit beasts.
Only after the action did the Star Luo Imperial Family discover how terrifying the situation was.
The White Tiger spirit beasts captured in the entire Star Dou Forest numbered less than 500, and among them, ten-thousand-year White Tiger spirit beasts numbered less than 30.
Without further protection, these spirit beasts would probably go completely extinct within a hundred years.
Later, the imperial family had to arrange special personnel to protect these White Tiger spirit beasts, personally arranging breeding, daily care including feeding precious spiritual medicines to accelerate these White Tiger spirit beasts' cultivation speed.
However, even so, White Tiger spirit beast numbers were still slowly decreasing.
On one hand, the imperial family itself needed to hunt spirit rings. On the other hand, how could kings galloping through mountains and forests willingly be domesticated by humans?
Later, when White Tiger spirit beast numbers decreased to less than a hundred, the imperial family had to stipulate that only the emperor and imperial heirs could hunt White Tiger spirit beasts as spirit rings when breaking through to Soul Sage realm.
Currently, in the Star Luo Imperial Beast Hunting Garden, there were a total of 42 existing White Tiger spirit beasts. Dai Mubai remembered this number clearly from before he left several years ago. It could be said every White Tiger spirit beast was a treasure of the Star Luo Imperial Family.
Moreover, this White Tiger spirit beast before him was also a precious atavistic bloodline variety.
Such a precious spirit beast was now placed on the merchant's outdoor shelf. How could this not make Dai Mubai angry?
"Don't tell me you luckily encountered this spirit beast by chance in Star Dou Forest!"
Dai Mubai said with a dark face.
The merchant kept shaking his head, smiling: "How is that possible? White Tiger spirit beasts in Star Dou Forest have been extinct for hundreds of years. If someone told you they luckily encountered one, what kind of luck would that require? Simply impossible. Mine was openly stolen from the Star Luo Imperial Beast Hunting Garden!"
The merchant's eyebrows danced with pride.
Dai Mubai was so angry steam came from his nostrils.
Arrogant, too arrogant!
(End of Chapter)
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