Crack.
A tiny golden line spread across the black-and-gold egg.
Ye Xuan stared at it.
Little Snow stared at it.
The Black Horned Bear stared at it.
Even the system remained unusually quiet.
Crack...
Another piece of the shell fell away.
A tiny voice came from inside.
"Hungry..."
Ye Xuan's expression became complicated.
"...Why does everything I obtain want to eat?"
Little Snow immediately raised one paw.
"Because food is important."
Ye Xuan looked at the rabbit.
"You are not helping."
"Carrot?"
"No."
Little Snow lowered its paw sadly.
"Cruel."
Ye Xuan sighed.
He reached toward his storage ring.
"Fine."
He took out several spirit fruits.
The egg suddenly trembled violently.
WHOOSH!
The fruits disappeared.
Ye Xuan froze.
"..."
Little Snow froze.
The Black Horned Bear blinked.
Ye Xuan slowly looked at the egg.
"You ate those?"
The egg remained silent.
Then—
Burp.
Ye Xuan's face went blank.
The system finally appeared.
[The system recommends not feeding it anything valuable.]
"Why?"
[Because it appears to have no sense of restraint.]
Ye Xuan stared at the egg.
"I agree."
The egg trembled.
"More."
"No."
"Hungry."
"No."
"Very hungry."
"You're already eating better than me."
The egg went silent.
Then—
"Master?"
Ye Xuan froze.
Little Snow's ears stood upright.
The Black Horned Bear looked toward him.
Ye Xuan slowly pointed at himself.
"Me?"
The egg trembled.
"Master."
Ye Xuan's lips twitched.
"You're calling me Master?"
"Yes."
He stared at the egg.
Then laughed.
"Fine."
He placed his hand on its surface.
"Then from today onward, you're my little disciple."
The system suddenly appeared.
[Congratulations, Host.]
[Host has acquired a mysterious disciple.]
Ye Xuan's smile disappeared.
"Wait."
[The system would like to remind the host that your Master is currently accepting disciples, while you are now apparently doing the same.]
Ye Xuan rubbed his forehead.
"This family is getting complicated."
The Egg Hatches
A faint golden light emerged from the cracks.
The shell began breaking apart.
CRACK!
CRACK!
Then—
BOOM!
A small figure jumped out.
Ye Xuan instinctively reached forward and caught it.
He stared.
The creature was tiny.
Barely the size of his palm.
It had—
Golden-black scales.
Two tiny horns.
A pair of small wings.
A long tail.
And round golden eyes.
It looked like a miniature dragon.
But...
It was strangely adorable.
The little creature looked up at Ye Xuan.
Then opened its mouth.
"Hungry."
Ye Xuan stared at it.
"You just ate several spirit fruits."
The creature tilted its head.
"Still hungry."
Ye Xuan sighed.
"Fine."
He handed it a spirit fruit.
The creature swallowed it whole.
Then another.
Then another.
Then another.
Ye Xuan's expression slowly changed.
"Where are you putting all of that?"
The creature patted its tiny stomach.
Nothing happened.
It looked perfectly normal.
Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes.
"System."
[Scanning...]
[Scanning...]
[Error.]
Ye Xuan sighed.
"Of course."
The little creature suddenly burped.
A tiny flame escaped its mouth.
Puff!
The grass in front of Ye Xuan caught fire.
Ye Xuan stared.
The creature stared at the fire.
Then proudly raised its tiny head.
"Strong."
Ye Xuan laughed.
"You're ridiculous."
Little Snow hopped closer.
It circled the creature.
The little dragon looked at the rabbit.
The rabbit looked at the dragon.
They stared at each other.
Then—
Little Snow extended one paw.
"Carrot?"
The dragon blinked.
"What is carrot?"
Little Snow's eyes widened.
It immediately became excited.
"Friend."
The dragon nodded.
"Friend."
Ye Xuan looked at them.
"That was fast."
The Black Horned Bear quietly moved farther away.
It had clearly decided that this group was becoming too strange.
A New Name
Ye Xuan looked at the tiny creature.
"You need a name."
The little dragon stared at him.
"Name?"
"Yes."
Ye Xuan thought for a moment.
"You have golden scales..."
He looked at its black horns.
"...black horns..."
The creature waited.
Ye Xuan smiled.
"How about
Xiao Jin
?"
The little dragon's golden eyes brightened.
"Xiao Jin."
It flew around Ye Xuan's head.
"Xiao Jin!"
Ye Xuan laughed.
"Looks like you like it."
Xiao Jin landed on his shoulder.
Then—
It suddenly bit his ear.
"Ow!"
Ye Xuan grabbed it.
"What are you doing?!"
Xiao Jin innocently pointed toward his mouth.
"Hungry."
"You can't eat my ear!"
Little Snow fell over laughing.
"Stupid Master!"
Ye Xuan stared at the rabbit.
"You're enjoying this too much."
[Ding!]
[New Companion Registered.]
Name: Xiao Jin
Species: Unknown
Bloodline: Unknown
Potential: Unknown
Current Strength: Weak
Growth Potential: Extremely High
Ye Xuan's eyes lit up.
"Extremely high?"
[Yes.]
"How high?"
[The system cannot determine the upper limit.]
Ye Xuan's expression became serious.
He looked at Xiao Jin.
The little creature was currently trying to steal a carrot from Little Snow.
"Interesting."
Morning
The next morning, the disciples of the Heavenly Frost Sect prepared to continue their exploration.
Ye Xuan walked toward the camp.
Xiao Jin was sitting on his shoulder.
Little Snow was on his head.
The Black Horned Bear followed behind.
The scene attracted everyone's attention.
Bai Yue stopped walking.
"What... is that?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"My new disciple."
Everyone became silent.
Su Lian looked at the little creature.
"Where did you find it?"
"Inside an egg."
"Where did the egg come from?"
"Unknown."
She stared at him.
"You really don't know?"
"No."
Bai Yue leaned closer.
Xiao Jin stared at her.
Bai Yue smiled.
"Hello."
Xiao Jin tilted its head.
Then—
"Pretty."
Bai Yue froze.
Her face turned slightly red.
Ye Xuan immediately laughed.
"Good taste."
Bai Yue glared at him.
"Who taught it that?"
Ye Xuan pointed toward himself.
"Obviously."
Bai Yue rolled her eyes.
"Shameless."
Xiao Jin looked at Ye Xuan.
Then at Bai Yue.
Then nodded.
"Master shameless."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Ye Xuan's face darkened.
"You little traitor."
Gu Yuexin walked over.
She looked at Xiao Jin carefully.
Unlike Bai Yue, she didn't immediately reach out.
Instead, her expression became serious.
"Ye Xuan."
"Hm?"
"Where did you find this creature?"
"In a mysterious egg."
She looked at Xiao Jin.
"I can't sense its cultivation."
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Neither can I."
Gu Yuexin's expression became more serious.
"Then don't let outsiders see it."
"Why?"
"Because unknown creatures with extraordinary bloodlines are extremely valuable."
She lowered her voice.
"If someone discovers its potential, powerful cultivators may try to capture it."
Ye Xuan's eyes became cold.
"Let them try."
Gu Yuexin looked at him.
"You'd fight them?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Of course."
He gently touched Xiao Jin's head.
"He's mine."
His tone was casual.
But there was absolute confidence behind those words.
Gu Yuexin's eyes softened slightly.
"I knew you'd say that."
The Second Check-In
The group continued deeper into the secret realm.
Several hours later, they reached a huge forest.
Ancient trees covered the sky.
Suddenly—
[Daily Check-In Available.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Finally."
He stepped beneath an ancient tree.
"Check in."
[Daily Check-In Successful.]
[Basic Reward: 5,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.]
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Good."
Then—
[Special Environment Detected.]
[Additional Reward Granted.]
Ye Xuan's eyes brightened.
[Reward: Ancient Thunder Body Tempering Technique.]
His expression changed.
"Thunder Body Tempering?"
[Yes.]
[Allows the host to use heavenly lightning to temper his physical body.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"This is useful."
[Current physique is highly compatible.]
"How strong can it become?"
[Depends on the level of lightning absorbed.]
Ye Xuan's eyes gleamed.
"So if I find powerful lightning..."
[The host can significantly strengthen his physical body.]
"Excellent."
Then another notification appeared.
[Special Reward.]
Ye Xuan blinked.
"Another?"
[One Heavenly Thunder Crystal.]
A purple crystal appeared in his inventory.
It contained terrifying lightning energy.
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"Can I use this now?"
[Not recommended.]
"Why?"
[The host's current body may explode.]
Ye Xuan immediately put it away.
"Good advice."
[The system occasionally gives excellent advice.]
"Occasionally?"
[Correct.]
The Ancient Forest
They continued forward.
After several hours, the group discovered something unusual.
A gigantic staircase.
It extended deep into the forest.
At the top stood an ancient palace.
The palace was covered in moss.
Yet the spiritual energy surrounding it was immense.
Su Lian stopped.
"Another ruin."
Li Ming pushed his glasses upward.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
He pointed toward the palace.
"That isn't a ruin."
"What is it?"
His expression became serious.
"An ancient inheritance palace."
Ye Xuan looked at him.
"How can you tell?"
Li Ming answered calmly.
"The formations are still active."
He pointed toward the ground.
"Those symbols are protective formations."
Ye Xuan's eyes narrowed.
"And the palace?"
Li Ming shook his head.
"I don't know."
Suddenly—
A voice echoed through the forest.
"All cultivators who wish to enter the Ancient Thunder Palace..."
Everyone froze.
"...must pass the first trial."
The enormous palace doors slowly opened.
Thunder began gathering above them.
RUMBLE!
RUMBLE!
A gigantic lightning formation appeared in the sky.
Bai Yue swallowed.
"That doesn't look safe."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"It doesn't."
Su Lian immediately looked at him.
"Don't tell me you're thinking about entering."
Ye Xuan looked toward the palace.
Then toward the purple Thunder Crystal inside his storage ring.
His smile became wider.
"I think..."
He cracked his knuckles.
"...this place might be exactly what I need."
Su Lian sighed.
"I knew it."
Bai Yue laughed.
"He's definitely going in."
Gu Yuexin smiled.
"Of course."
Ye Xuan looked at all three women.
"Why does everyone know me so well?"
Little Snow raised one paw.
"Because Master is stupid."
Xiao Jin nodded.
"Stupid Master."
Ye Xuan stared at both.
"You two have been together for one day."
They looked at each other.
Then—
"We learned quickly."
Everyone laughed.
Ye Xuan could only sigh.
"Fine."
He looked toward the ancient palace.
His golden eyes became sharp.
"Let's see what kind of inheritance is waiting inside."
Above them—
The first bolt of heavenly lightning descended.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The entire Ancient Thunder Palace shook.
And somewhere deep inside the palace—
An ancient figure slowly opened its eyes.
"Another successor..."
Its gaze seemed to pass through countless layers of space.
Then—
It stopped on Ye Xuan.
"No."
A trace of surprise appeared in its ancient eyes.
"Not a successor."
The figure smiled.
"A vessel."
The palace's thunder formation suddenly intensified.
And the first trial—
began.