Schnauzer paid no attention to their playful banter, completely focused on devouring the food.
Xiao Zhuang only took two pastries and said it was enough, while Bai Xiu only wanted a chicken leg.
The remaining food was swept clean into his stomach—this silly dog was truly starving.
He took a bite of roasted chicken followed by a mouthful of osmanthus cake. If Xiao Zhuang hadn’t handed him water, he might have choked himself.
After consuming over half a roasted chicken and more than twenty pastries, he finally had the leisure to chat.
Noticing Xiao Zhuang and Bai Xiu’s strange looks, Schnauzer scratched his head awkwardly. “It’s not that I’m greedy!
I’ve learned a cultivation method that can rapidly heal wounds, but using it makes me extremely hungry and in urgent need of energy replenishment.
Those pastries and roasted chicken are essentially medicinal supplements—I was just treating my injuries.”
Bai Xiu and Xiao Zhuang exchanged glances, unable to hold back their admiration. “Your family has really gone all out for you. This cultivation method was tailor-made just for you, wasn’t it?”
The husky looked surprised. “How did you know?”
Xiao Zhuang sighed. “Nothing, just a guess. Keep eating.”
After eating for a while, Schnauzer was no longer as hungry, and his mind cleared enough to remember something.
“Seriously, when my elder brother came yesterday, I forgot to introduce you. Was that terribly rude?”
Xiao Zhuang and Bai Xiu rolled their eyes in unison. Your elder brother was practically naked yesterday—what kind of introduction were you going to make?!
Don’t you care about face? Doesn’t the Young Clan Leader care about his dignity either?
Schnauzer was a complete brother-con, speaking of his elder brother with more affection than even his mother.
He enthusiastically shared amusing stories about his interactions with his elder brother.
Xiao Zhuang was genuinely speechless. He couldn’t see how this so-called “brotherly love” manifested—it sounded more like the husky was constantly getting beaten up in creative ways.
Schnauzer immediately retorted, “How can you call it getting beaten up?
That’s my elder brother’s loving discipline.
My father and mother are the ones who purely beat me, but my elder brother is different.
Besides, he doesn’t just beat me! From my father down to clansmen and stewards—whoever makes a mistake gets beaten by him!”
Bai Xiu widened his eyes in disbelief. “He even dares to hit the Clan Leader?
Then why hasn’t your father stripped him of his position as Young Clan Leader? That’s outright treason!”
A glint of gossip sparkled in Xiao Zhuang’s eyes. Legally beating one’s father with the entire clan’s silent approval—now this was interesting.
The husky wasn’t completely foolish. Such family secrets shouldn’t be shared with outsiders, but these two were his life-and-death brothers.
After hesitating, he whispered, “This mustn’t spread—it would damage my father’s image.
Outsiders always talk about how formidable the Snow Wolf Clan Leader is, but there’s a lot of exaggeration in that.
My father always calls me stupid, but his brains aren’t much better than mine.
That wise and brilliant image was originally crafted by my grandmother.
Later, she arranged for him to marry a capable Clan Leader’s wife—my elder brother’s birth mother—who handled much of the clan affairs at that time.
My father just relied on his decent cultivation and shrewd-looking face to show off everywhere.
Later, the wife had a difficult labor when giving birth to my elder brother and never fully recovered. She passed away when my elder brother was twelve.
After her death, my grandmother returned from her retreat to mentor my elder brother. Three years later, she also passed away, but before dying, she bypassed my father and handed all clan authority directly to my elder brother.
Truth be told, my father never actually held the clan seal for a single day. Even now, my elder brother is the one truly ruling the clan.”
After my mother ran away from my uncle’s place, she was rescued by my grandmother and later stayed by her side as a maid.
A year after the madam passed away, my grandmother arranged for her to marry my father, though she couldn’t become the official wife due to bloodline issues.
The steward said that my eldest brother used to have a gentle temperament, but he grew increasingly cold after the madam’s death.
He despised my father for being useless, which forced the madam to manage clan affairs despite her illness, and he hated himself for causing his birth mother to suffer a difficult childbirth that damaged her foundation.
Thus, he was strict with himself and never showed my father a pleasant expression.
Don’t be fooled by how my mother scolds me relentlessly—she’s actually quite unreliable herself, often fooling around with my father and getting lectured by my eldest brother.
My eldest brother may seem icy, but he’s truly good to me. When I was little, he would transform into his true form and carry me out to play.”
Bai Xiu nodded, “I believe that! Just look at your Soul Seal—using it once drains thirty percent of your eldest brother’s Spiritual Power.
Plus, being summoned to fight strong opponents is extremely dangerous for the caster.
Usually, only an only child, feared by elders to end the family line, receives such care.
Otherwise, it’s reserved for heirs of great clans, where the family specifically supports high-level cultivators to serve as summoners, ensuring their survival in critical moments.”
The husky’s ears drooped immediately, “So this summoning spell is so dangerous for Brother Xue? Then I’ll never ask him to do it again.
Bai Xiu, do you know how to do it? Can you teach me?
I want to place a Soul Seal on Brother Xue too, so I can rescue him if he’s ever in danger.”
Bai Xiu looked at the silly dog as if he were an idiot, “Do you have any self-awareness at all?
Soul Seal is a spell only Venerables who have reached the Illumination Mirror can perform. You’re overestimating me.
Besides, those seals are always placed by those with higher cultivation on those with lower cultivation, precisely to ensure timely rescue in critical moments.
What use would learning it be for you?
If your eldest brother can’t defeat someone, do you think you can?
Would you just be delivering yourself as a meal?”
Schnauzer hadn’t considered this and slumped onto the table in frustration, pouting, “I just want to do something for my eldest brother.
He works so hard, and I can’t help him at all!”
Xiao Zhuang patted his shoulder, “Brother Xue, have you ever considered that not causing trouble might be the greatest help you can offer him?”
Bai Xiu burst out laughing, “I think Shisan makes a good point! Hahaha!”
Seeing both friends laughing at him, Schnauzer got angry—huskies have dignity too! With an “awoo,” he pounced at Bai Xiu.
The fox spirit nimbly dodged and pinned the big dog down, and the two began tumbling wildly across the large bed.
Xiao Zhuang, sensing trouble, quickly grabbed the small table and retreated from the scene—better not get involved in a battle between two carnivores when he’s just a mere bone.
Schnauzer would unconsciously hold back against Bai Xiu in female attire, but he showed no mercy to the male-form fox.
Both were unskilled but enthusiastic, tickling each other until tears streamed down their faces, ending up mutually wounded with reopened injuries.
Though they appeared in adult forms, they were essentially still juveniles, and even Bai Xiu got carried away with the fun.
Noticing Xiao Zhuang watching their battle from a safe distance and laughing, the two demons felt indignant. Exchanging a glance, they turned their claws toward the little rascal.
Xiao Zhuang, relying on his small size and agility, darted left and right, evading the two demons’ pursuit and blockade.
After a flurry of frantic maneuvers that ultimately proved as effective as hiding like a fool, Xiao Gutou was caught by the two canines and tickled until he squirmed on the bed, laughing like a writhing maggot.
Just as the three demons were roughhousing, the room suddenly shook violently, followed by a cacophony of noise outside.
Bai Xiu swiftly leaped off the bed, pressed his ear against the door, and strained to listen. The more he heard, the darker his expression grew, his brow furrowing deeply.
Schnauzer’s face also abruptly changed. “I smell blood! Brother Xiu…”
Bai Xiu shushed them. “It’s Sky Bandits. We’ve encountered a Sky Bandit robbery. Let’s assess the situation first. If necessary, we’ll pay them off to avoid disaster!”
Xiao Zhuang asked, confused, “What are Sky Bandits? Bandits in the sky?”
Bai Xiu nodded. “Pretty much. They’re mostly demons whose true forms are birds of prey. Usually, they just steal Spirit Stones and leave. If there’s a powerful demon on board they can’t defeat, they wreck the Flying Boat. Those of us whose true forms can’t fly would be in trouble.”
As they spoke, a sharp shout echoed from outside: “All passengers, come out of your rooms now, or I’ll smash this damned boat and send you plummeting! Think carefully—no matter how strong you are, we’re a thousand meters up here, and I can fly!”