"Yes, Xiaoyan! That's it, Fire Cloud Tail!" Du Yu's face was full of surprise and excitement.
After half an hour of hard training, Little Fire Fox failed to learn the Copper-level Demon Skill·Spark Splash, but instead comprehended the Copper-Level Demon Skill·Fire Cloud Tail.
In a word: completely missed the mark!
After all, Du Yu had been demanding that Little Fire Fox spit out fireballs from her mouth, but in the end, she used her big tail to whip out layers of fire mist...
Gotta admit, Xiaoyan's talent is really something. Even with all of Du Yu's distractions and moving backwards, she still managed to forcefully master another Demon Skill.
As expected of a failed mutated heterochromatic variety!
In the future, with the help of Little Fen Yang, once Little Fire Fox fully evolves into the heterochromatic type, how crazy will that talent be?
Up ahead, Little Fire Fox was swinging her huge tail, sparks drifting from the tip, wisps of fire mist growing thicker and thicker, until they spread out in layers.
Like a 360-degree wall of fire with no dead angles, swallowing up the figure of Little Fire Fox!
Swoosh~
"Ying!" Little Fire Fox burst out of the fire wall, excitedly wagging her big tail, looking up at Du Yu as if asking for praise from her master, but...
When she saw those bright eyes of Du Yu, she stopped on the spot, staring blankly at her own master.
Xiaoyan, who always had a thing for pretty ladies, finally grew some taste, finally had an epiphany!
She knew how to appreciate Du Yu's "good looks" now.
Straightened up!
"Ying~" Little Fire Fox ran back, scampering up Du Yu's leg as light as a feather, landing on his shoulder and rubbing her fluffy little head affectionately against his cheek.
"Uh." Du Yu felt a little itchy on his face. He grabbed her big tail and lifted Little Fire Fox up to eye level.
Forming a Contract definitely gave a big boost to the Demon Pet.
Even the lowest-level Demon Disciple Contract made Little Fire Fox quite a bit more agile.
Just yesterday, Little Fire Fox still had to drag her big tail along, moving shakily forward, looking all tough and determined despite her disabilities.
But now, she could easily climb up to Du Yu's shoulder.
"Don't get cocky. Wild Little Fire Foxes can also comprehend Fire Cloud Tail. We just learn a little bit faster than the average fox," Du Yu said.
"Ying~" Little Fire Fox stopped acting cute, making a sound that sounded... more like disdain?
"Mouth says no, heart says yes." Little Fen Yang's soft voice chimed in, actually speaking up for Little Fire Fox.
That's right, the two of them already had a contract. Du Yu's inner elation—how could Little Fire Fox not sense it?
Dangling in mid-air by her big tail, Little Fire Fox just swung herself around like a pendulum.
Those pitiful looking fox eyes gazed at Du Yu, and in Du Yu's mind, a message came through: "Hungry."
"Don't be hungry, Xiaoyan! Let's push ourselves and master Spark Splash too, then we'll go have a big feast, okay?" Du Yu hurriedly said.
Little Fire Fox didn't reply, just kept looking at Du Yu with pitiful eyes. Du Yu's heart immediately softened...
He held Little Fire Fox by the big tail, gently lowering her to the ground, his voice extra gentle: "Gather flame in your mouth and just spit out a fireball."
Little Fire Fox: "..."
Little Fen Yang: "Du Yu, Du Yu, you're so heartless! She's so hungry~"
Du Yu: "Shh... Little Fen Yang, keep your voice down. Du Yu is right here, don't let him hear."
Little Fen Yang: "Eh?"
Du Yu: "Go for it, Xiaoyan! Use Spark Splash!"
"Xiaoyan?" From behind came a familiar, pleasing voice.
Du Yu turned around and spotted the long-legged Goddess with a not-so-happy face.
In a flash, Little Fire Fox scurried away from his feet and rushed straight over to Li Mengnan.
Li Mengnan kept a straight face and let Little Fire Fox climb up on her shoes, then all the way up those long legs.
In just two seconds, Xiaoyan had already run through Du Yu's entire life.
All the way to the end, Li Mengnan still didn't reach out to hug Little Fire Fox. Looks like she's still mad?
"Ying~" Little Fire Fox, full of spirit, clearly sensed something. She stuck out her tender little tongue and gently licked Li Mengnan's cheek.
Once, twice... didn't even make it to a third!
"Hehe~" Li Mengnan's face itched and she finally broke down, reaching a hand out to Little Fire Fox.
You're really something, Sea King Yan!
Not only can you flirt, but you can coax girls too. Who could possibly resist?
But Li Mengnan caught nothing but air—Little Fire Fox bounced away, stepped right on Li Mengnan's hand, then dove headfirst down the collar of Li Mengnan's shirt.
"Hey! You little rascal, I haven't forgiven you yet!" Li Mengnan's face turned red, and she quickly turned away from Du Yu to straighten her clothes. "Ran off to find another girl behind my back?"
"Ying~" Little Fire Fox's muffled voice came from within Li Mengnan's embrace.
Du Yu had a feeling and picked up on some meaning from Little Fire Fox's cry:
I like lots of people, but I like you the most.
Du Yu pulled a weird face. He held it back and still didn't say it out loud. He was worried Li Mengnan might lose it and squish Little Fire Fox to death...
"Why did you give her that name?" A few seconds later, Li Mengnan finally turned around, Little Fire Fox struggling gently in her hands, once again falling into the claws of doom.
Du Yu: "Don't wanna say, don't want you to get cocky."
"Oh really?" Li Mengnan blinked, even more curious now. "Tell me, tell me!"
Du Yu sighed inside: "Xiaoyan doesn't pounce on just anyone, you see that girl over there?"
Following Du Yu's cue, Li Mengnan saw a girl training a Wolf Lake Dog—that was one of the first five who arrived at the northeast corner of the field.
Du Yu whispered, "From the start, Little Fire Fox never had any intention of approaching that girl."
Li Mengnan pondered for a moment, then broke out in a bright, dazzling smile, her heart bursting with joy, picking up Little Fire Fox and rubbing her against her face again and again~
For a moment, Du Yu seemed to see that proud look in Xiaoyan's fox eyes.
This round—I got her~
Du Yu spoke up, "Alright, alright, enough cuddling, get back to training. Instructor Gong said Demon Pets have to master a Copper-level Demon Skill before they can eat."
"No need to worry, bro! Even before the contract, I'd already finished training." Li Mengnan put a hand to her head, and as the wind element surged, she pulled out a Wind Witch Doll.
She'd also successfully formed a contract. She gripped the little puppet in one hand and shook it around like she was showing off.
Poor Wind Witch Doll, its eyes were about to turn into two little swirls...
Du Yu looked puzzled. "Bro?"
Weren't you calling me little brother before?
Li Mengnan nodded, "You did pretty well just now, helped me vent my anger!
No need for you to be my follower anymore, I'll promote you straight to my right-hand general!"
Du Yu was speechless. Ever since awakening, this chick was really letting herself go.
He whispered, "Don't get all crazy, I'm not joining your group. I just graduated high school, and the last thing I want is for the Demon Spirit Bureau to bust me right after leaving school."
Li Mengnan looked at Du Yu with a sympathetic gaze, speaking softly: "We're all late awakeners here. Forming a little team to help each other is the only way out."
Du Yu felt a bit moved—it was rare to see Li Mengnan act this serious.
Li Mengnan took a step forward, her tone turning wistful: "Tell me, why do you think we came here for this training and assessment?"
Du Yu thought for a moment: "To become outside students?"
Li Mengnan gently pinched Xiaoyan's big tail: "Just like you said, at most we become outside students.
We're nothing like those prodigies who awakened years ahead of us—not only did they awaken earlier, they've also got systematic education and resources for growth we can't even imagine."
Du Yu nodded in strong agreement.
Li Mengnan sighed softly: "You're always buried in your books, never paying attention to the Demon Taming World. There are just too many unspoken rules here.
For example... after getting the outside student card, we've still got a full year of training ahead. Any Demon Spirit Realm with a bit of difficulty is out of our league on our own.
You want to team up with others and complete training tasks, but why would those prodigy kids take on a deadweight like you?"
Li Mengnan's face was stern, voice lowering: "On top of that, our tasks are different from theirs. Even if we get lucky and someone helps us...
If we come across a Rare Exotic Fruit or a rare Demon Pet during training, you think they'd let us have any?"
Du Yu nodded silently and agreed, but said, "Then just make a team, don't act like some mob boss."
Li Mengnan's face lit up with joy, her beautiful eyes sparkling: "So you'll do it?"
Du Yu did actually need teammates. Besides, before he left, Teacher Li Hong had also asked him to take care of Li Mengnan.
Once they succeeded in their training and dropped the "outside" from outside student, letting Little Mengnan formally enter the Demon Spirit Academy would be a way to return Teacher Li Hong's kindness.
Du Yu thought about it, then said, "Fine, I'll agree, but I gotta be the boss. I'm worried you'll lead me astray."
Li Mengnan raised an eyebrow, "Oh? You dare mutiny?"
Du Yu shrugged, "Demon Taming World—strength rules."
Even though he'd only been at the training base for a few hours, everything Instructor Gong Cheng said and did clearly showed this was the way things worked.
Li Mengnan was a bit pissed—this damn introvert was already annoying to begin with, but now that he's become a Demon Tamer, he's even more infuriating!
She said, "In that case, let's settle it with strength!"
Du Yu subconsciously reached for the Demon Soldier Black Wood on his back: "You sure?"
Are you not afraid of getting your aimbot locked up too many times?
Alright then, girl! You've got some guts!
Let's see if my Big Fire Rocket can pierce you~
Li Mengnan quickly said, "We're Demon Tamers! Of course it's Demon Pet battles!"
Du Yu: "Hm?"
Li Mengnan really looked confident, head held high, looking just like a proud white swan: "How about it?"
Du Yu glanced at the Little Fire Fox in her arms: "So we'll have some sparring?"
"Ying~" That was Xiaoyan acting cute.
"You naughty little fox, relax, I'll go easy on you." Li Mengnan gently rubbed Xiaoyan's big ears with her fingers; her words were soft, and so was her heart.
Du Yu wasn't sure if he was seeing things, but kept feeling like Xiaoyan's smiling fox eyes were giving off a "this is a piece of cake" vibe.
Poor Li Mengnan, sigh...
About to get completely played by Sea King Yan—she'll leave with not even a bone left~