The blood dripping onto the golden giant egg suddenly glowed crimson before condensing into a bloody mark, which slowly seeped into the silver sphere of light.
After a moment, Gu He's expression shifted slightly. He could now sense an incredibly subtle connection between himself and the silver light cluster.
Within it, he felt a living presence.
As if aware of his perception, a childish voice echoed in his mind: "Master, master! I want to come out!"
"Did it work?"
Sensing this, a faint smile touched Gu He's lips. Without hesitation, he commanded the system:
"System, extract the Void Beast cub."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the silver sphere trembled slightly before descending before him, revealing a small silver creature.
Gu He examined the little beast closely.
Its entire body shimmered with a silver glow, covered in sleek, metallic scales that gave it a majestic yet adorable appearance—especially with the tiny silver horn atop its head.
"Master!"
The moment it saw him, the little beast nuzzled into his arms, displaying an instant bond.
Gently stroking its scales, Gu He noted their icy, smooth texture—firm and resilient, suggesting formidable defensive capabilities.
Suddenly, a stream of information flooded his mind.
Closing his eyes, he absorbed the knowledge—details about the Void Beast.
When he reopened them, comprehension dawned.
The Void Beast, a rare creature born from the turbulent void, possessed innate abilities tied to spatial manipulation: Void Shuttle, Void Slash, Void Imprisonment…
A spark of excitement lit in Gu He's eyes.
"This creature is beyond extraordinary!"
Its only drawback? An excruciatingly slow growth rate.
To mature, it needed to devour void energy—a power only accessible to those at the Dou Ancestor realm or above.
Yet Gu He wasn't worried.
With his Ten-Thousand-Fold Return System, resources would never be an issue.
Through soul perception, he gauged the Void Beast's current strength—around the seventh-level mid tier, equivalent to a six or seven-star Dou Ancestor.
However, its spatial abilities rendered it virtually invincible within the Dou Ancestor realm. Even against a Dou Zun, it could escape into the void, evading all attacks.
"Little one, you might already be stronger than your master," Gu He mused, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
With the Void Beast, he had gained another trump card.
"Oh, Master, I'll protect you!" it chirped sweetly.
"Good. From now on, I'll be counting on you," he replied warmly.
Noticing its silver-scaled armor, he pondered briefly before naming it "Little Silver."
"Xiao Yin, let's head out."
After explaining a few precautions, Gu He willed himself out of the system space.
In the courtyard, the small silver beast materialized in his arms.
"Go play, but don't wander too far or hurt anyone," he instructed.
"Understood, Master!" With an eager nod, the Void Beast wriggled free—then vanished into thin air.
Gu He immediately expanded his soul perception but detected nothing.
"Xiao Yin's abilities truly defy the heavens," he murmured, shaking his head in awe as he withdrew his senses.
…
Misty Cloud Sect – Main Peak
In an attic overlooking the sect, Yun Yun turned to Nalan Yanran, who had rushed in with excitement.
"Elder Gu He has truly returned?"
Her tone was calm, but a flicker of something unreadable passed through her eyes.
Nalan Yanran, clad in moon-white robes, nodded eagerly. "Teacher, I saw him myself!"
At those words, memories surged unbidden in Yun Yun's mind—images of a cave in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, of moments she had tried to bury.
During her seclusion, she'd believed herself free of those emotions.
Yet now, hearing of his return, her heart betrayed her.
Had she ever truly let go?
When he was gone, she had longed for his return.
Now that he was back, she found herself at a loss.
Her emotions tangled into a silent storm.
Nalan Yanran's voice broke her reverie. "But… Elder Gu He returned with a little girl in his arms."
"A little girl?" Yun Yun blinked, startled.
"Younger than Junior Sister Xian'er," Nalan Yanran added, frowning. "Teacher, do you think… Elder Gu He…?"
A thought struck her—Had he taken in another disciple?
Anxiety prickled at her. She met Yun Yun's gaze, hope and urgency warring in her voice.
"Teacher, did Elder Gu He truly promise to accept me as his disciple?"
Yun Yun's mind flashed to the bet made in that cave—the vow that Nalan Yanran would reach the Dou King level within three years.
"He did," she affirmed quietly.
Nalan Yanran leaned forward. "Then, Teacher… could you take me to see him tomorrow?"
If he was already accepting new disciples, she couldn't afford to wait. The thought of being overshadowed by a crowd of senior siblings was unbearable.
Recognizing her disciple's impatience, Yun Yun fell silent.
Finally, she gave a slight nod.
"Very well. Tomorrow, I will take you to him."
…
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