The Flame-tailed Fox is not in a good mood today.
Ever since it discovered that the mysterious fruit growing on this big tree could make it stronger and its flames more intense, it has been guarding the tree from morning till night.
But even so, there are still plenty of ignorant little thieves coveting these fruits, frequently coming over to disturb it.
Luckily, after eating two fruits, the Flame-tailed Fox's strength has dramatically increased, allowing it to easily chase away those pesky creatures.
The Flame-tailed Fox is determined to teach anyone who tries to steal the fruits a harsh lesson!
Humph!
Using its tail to harshly whip their behinds!
However, today while the Flame-tailed Fox was enjoying a good nap, it heard familiar and annoying shouting outside.
It remembered this sound.
When it passed by human villages before, it was chased by a horde of annoying "woof woof woof" and "awoo awoo awoo" creatures. Fortunately, it was clever and nimble enough to escape.
Remembering this, the flame stream at the tip of the Flame-tailed Fox's tail surged suddenly, and the flames burst forth, as it glared menacingly at Cola ahead.
"Sang Biao? What are you doing here?"
But the next moment, a familiar voice reached its ears, causing the Flame-tailed Fox to remember something, and its expression froze, similar to a grimacing kitten caught by the scruff of fate. The flame stream at the tip of its tail suddenly dimmed.
Unsure how much time had passed,
The Flame-tailed Fox absent-mindedly lifted its head and looked towards the familiar human in front of it, its expression extremely complex, a mix of excitement and resistance.
"So it is you, Sang Biao." Chen Yuan sized up the Flame-tailed Fox in front of him with a slight smile.
Within the Beast Taming Knowledge section, there is basic information regarding this Extraordinary Creature, attribute fire, with flames at the end of its tail being its important trademark.
The more intense the flames, the better the Flame-tailed Fox's physical state; once the flames extinguish, the Flame-tailed Fox's life enters a countdown.
Chen Yuan recognized the long scar on this Flame-tailed Fox's forehead.
Last winter, a starving little red fox accidentally stumbled into Xuanhe Village and mistakenly fell into Mrs. Li's chicken yard.
However, before it could feast, the Warden Squad of Xuanhe Village promptly dispatched, chasing the little red fox down the whole street, with blood staining the snow, leaving a long scar on its face.
Fortunately, Chen Yuan arrived in time to rescue the little red fox, treating its wounds overnight and saving its life, although the scar remained permanently on its forehead.
Because of this scar, a colleague suggested naming it Sang Biao, which sounded quite imposing.
Chen Yuan gladly agreed.
Due to the red fox's severe injuries, Chen Yuan took care of Sang Biao at the rescue station for a month, until it regained its ability to move, before releasing it.
Therefore, upon seeing the scar on the Flame-tailed Fox's forehead, Chen Yuan instantly recognized it as Sang Biao.
The red fox evolving into the Flame-tailed Fox is entirely plausible.
"Sang Biao, long time no see." Chen Yuan half-crouched, smiling broadly at the Flame-tailed Fox with the complex expression.
Encountering a wild animal he once rescued in the wild, and seeing that it is doing well now, is truly a delightful experience.
This joy, this excitement, strikes deeper than the initial reaction upon finding the Blazing Fruit.
"Bleh...."
Overhearing Chen Yuan call out its unpleasant name for the third time, the Flame-tailed Fox wanted to cover its ears and block out all sound.
But the joy and excitement of the long-awaited reunion instantly overwhelmed this thought; its mind hadn't reacted yet, but its body honestly stepped forward.
Even while running, the Flame-tailed Fox's body posture remained elegant like a dancer, its bushy long tail resembling a flickering flame.
"Awoo awoo awoo!"
Seeing the Flame-tailed Fox ignore it and approach its owner, Cola tensed its body, baring its teeth, as a gale suddenly arose nearby.
"Chirp!"
Spark's eyes moved back and forth between Chen Yuan and the Flame-tailed Fox, as if having realized something, its mind alert.
"It's okay." Chen Yuan reassured the ready-to-act Cola, then spread out his arms towards the approaching Flame-tailed Fox.
"Bleh!"
The Flame-tailed Fox's voice was very tender, but its body leaped into Chen Yuan's arms first, its paws resting on Chen Yuan's shoulders, gently scratching its bushy tail.
"Hahaha so ticklish." Chen Yuan pushed aside the Flame-tailed Fox's big tail, then reached out to stroke the furry little head, finally gazing into those cool, emerald-green eyes, "Didn't expect to meet you here, how have you been?"
Red foxes are already considered the beauties among foxes, but evolving into a Flame-tailed Fox has made its fur even more vibrant, with its bushy big tail elevating its appearance.
Many people have no resistance to such fluffy and adorable creatures, and Chen Yuan is no exception.
But unlike most people who can only look and not touch, Chen Yuan can unhesitatingly reach out with both hands and caress it freely.
"Bleh!"
The hair on the Flame-tailed Fox's head was slightly messy from Chen Yuan's cuddling; it shook its head vigorously in frustration until its fur became neat again, before nodding firmly.
"That's good." Chen Yuan chuckled, nodding.
"Awoo awoo awoo!" Nearby, Cola widened its eyes, staring in disbelief at the intimate interaction between the person and pet, letting out urgent cries.
This is bad!
I've gained another competitor!
"Chirp...."
Spark's reaction was not as intense as Cola's. It simply observed the Flame-tailed Fox quietly for a while, eventually raising its head confidently and giving a soft snort, its eyes full of self-assurance.
As Chen Yuan's initial pet beast, it was confident that no other pet beast could threaten its status.
Even if there were, it could subdue them with its skills!
If once doesn't work, then twice, if twice fails, then thrice!
Chen Yuan was unaware of the lively mental activities of these two little guys; his entire focus was on the data pane of the Flame-tailed Fox:
[First time collecting Flame-tailed Fox, Source Point plus one]
[Race: Flame-tailed Fox
Attribute: Fire
Level: 3 (Tier One)
Favorability: 62
Skills: Flame Surge (Proficient 1.6/3) + Flame Energy Assault (Proficient 0.6/3) +
Quality: Ordinary
Promotion to Elite Quality Conditions: Insufficient Source Points (1/5)]
Apart from Spark, this is the strongest Extraordinary Creature Chen Yuan has encountered.
"It should be thanks to these fruits." Chen Yuan murmured, gazing at the Blazing Fruits on the tree.
Seeing Chen Yuan's gaze fall on the Blazing Fruits, the Flame-tailed Fox wriggled out of his embrace, reaching out a paw to point at the Blazing Fruits: "Bleh bleh bleh!"
"Spark, I'm counting on you." Chen Yuan said.
The Extraordinary Creature interpreter is back online!
Before long, Chen Yuan unraveled the connection between the Blaze Fruits and the Flame-tailed Fox, feeling moved: "You really are lucky."
After pausing, he deliberated: "Sang Biao, this little creature needs two Blazing Fruits, let's trade."
"One Blazing Fruit for a chicken."
However,
Under Chen Yuan's gaze, the Flame-tailed Fox resolutely shook its head.
It refused the trade this time.