The reunion between the old man and Xiaobai was a rare occasion. They talked for nearly half a day, covering everything under the sun.
After healing Ma Tianba, the old man’s journey as a military Beastmaster had not actually gone smoothly.
Saving Xiaobai had been a coincidence; he had just happened to have the right dicine on hand.
Ma Tianba, for his part, talked about the days he had spent in the forest.
Listening to Ma Tianba recount his hardships was a little more important than returning to school.
So, Gu Ming and his family also sat down cross-legged to listen to the two of them talk.
After being saved, Ma Tianba left Biwan Prairie alone. He strayed into a dangerous and treacherous land, where he had to hide from ferocious predators and often ate wild fruits to survive.
Perhaps the fruits he ate were of high quality. After reaching adulthood, he gradually awakened his Angel Beast bloodline. Whenever a thunderstorm rolled in, the holy lightning of a Celestial Tribulation would temper his body. He underwent three transformations and eventually grew a pair of Celestial Horse’s Wings.
When he finally erged from that perilous land, he journeyed to a snowy mountain to comprehend the way of the celestial light. At the summit, he obtained his Angel Halo.
And that was how he beca the being he was today.
The old man sighed with emotion. "You didn’t have wings when you were little, nor did you have this Angel Ring on your head."
"At first glance, you looked a bit familiar, but when I saw your wings and Angel Ring, I didn’t connect the dots. Who would have thought it was really you!"
Ma Tianba snorted, also very happy.
His Angel Ring and wings had all been acquired through evolution.
In other words, he possessed the bloodline of the Angel Race, but it wasn’t pure. He had to evolve continuously to reach his current state.
He had accomplished all this through cultivation guided by instinct alone; it was no exaggeration to call him exceptionally talented.
Mr. and Mrs. Gu, both Five-star Beastmasters, were reminded of the herd of white horses on Biwan Prairie.
The lone Xiaobai from all those years ago had actually reached the Six-star Realm.
’Doesn’t that an the entire herd has the potential to evolve into Celestial Horse Beasts?’
The re thought of it made the couple’s mouths water.
’Angel Race Pet Beasts are a rare sight. They’d sell like hotcakes on the market.’
However, they only fantasized about it. Sothing that good could never happen to them.
The man and the beast talked from sunset to sunrise. The old man finally glanced at the ti and realized his grandson had school. It was already Monday.
Although missing one day of school wasn’t a huge deal, it was best not to waste the ti if they didn’t have to.
After all, he lived nearby and was close to this back mountain. From now on, he could co to the deep mountain forests to chat with Ma Tianba any day.
Gu Ming was in the final sprint for his college entrance exams and shouldn’t be wasting ti here.
Even though the Gu Family had Five-star Beastmasters, their ability to educate their own was certainly no match for formal schooling.
Take those Cultivation Techniques and theories, for example. They might seem simple.
But without a teacher to impart the knowledge, a student would have to comprehend the principles contained within the texts all on their own.
The efficiency of learning that way was abysmally low.
Teachers at school learned specialized Spiritual Techniques that allowed them to infuse Spiritual Power into their words, breaking down knowledge and spoon-feeding it to the students. This process, known as attending lectures, was extrely important.
This was also the reason for hiring private tutors. Teacher Zhang possessed this ability as well; not just anyone could beco a teacher, as they required professional training.
It was already Monday, and with only five school days in a week, they had to get back quickly.
"That’s enough for today. We’ll talk again tomorrow. I have to get my grandson back to school," the old man said, slapping his leg with clear reluctance.
Ma Tianba also looked reluctant. If he could, he would have talked with the old man from dawn till dusk, on and on, until they were both too tired to speak.
In truth, the old man felt the sa way.
’If it were possible, I’d even want Ma Tianba to be my Pet Beast.’
’Of course, not one bound by a contract, but a partner, our bond sustained by friendship alone, with no contract needed.’
But the old man would never say any of this out loud.
For the sake of the Gu Family and his grandson, the old man was determined to maintain his connection to Ma Tianba.
HNNH—
Ma Tianba snorted, indicating he could give them a ride so they wouldn’t have to take a car.
Everyone exclaid, "Oh, thank you so much!"
"Thank you, Xiaobai," Gu Ming said.
HNNH!
’Don’t call Xiaobai!’
Ma Tianba shot Gu Ming a sideways glance. ’This kid’s got so nerve. How dare you use my nickna? Is that what you should be calling ?’
The old man roared with laughter and patted Ma Tianba’s back, persuading the horse to reluctantly let Gu Ming off the hook.
「A few seconds later.」
A ball of Holy Light erupted from the depths of the old forest. Ma Tianba’s body swelled to ten tis its size, his bones letting out a series of sharp CRACKS.
Golden patterns began to flow across the white halo above his head. His unfurling wings kicked up a hurricane, each feather refracting the colors of the rainbow.
As soon as they set foot on his back, the Celestial Horse let out a clear, piercing neigh.
His hooves stomped, seeming to crack the very air as his wings beat down violently, the shockwave sending leaves scattering across the forest.
The Holy Light beneath his feet surged like a river, extending into a rainbow bridge of light that shot toward the sky. It carried them piercing through the clouds, leaving behind nothing but a fleeting streak of silver-white light.
Gu Ming clung to Ma Tianba’s neck. The Holy Light around them condensed into a liquid-like barrier, shutting out the slicing sound of the wind.
The others behind him were also shrouded in the flowing halo. Their hair and the hems of their clothes whipped about wildly in the wind, and the gale was so strong they could barely keep their eyes open.
Below, the sea of trees beca a green river, the mountain ranges like frozen waves, all receding at an incredible speed.
With every flap of its wings, the Celestial Horse created a ring-shaped sonic boom in the sky. The sound was as loud as thunder, making the eardrums of those on its back ring.
By the ti Gu Ming blinked, the dense buildings of Lanqi City had already appeared before his eyes.
’This... We’re ho already?’
"This is far enough. Drop us off nearby. We shouldn’t be too conspicuous."
The old man, still on the horse’s back, only rembered to remind Ma Tianba when he saw they had reached Lanqi City.
Ma Tianba, however, was unconcerned. A small city like this couldn’t possibly trap him; there was no one inside powerful enough to make him stay.
He was a Celestial Horse Beast of the Angel Race, naturally gifted at high-speed flight. When it ca to flying to escape, most Spirit Beasts couldn’t match his speed.
Ma Tianba transford into a streak of light and descended onto a mountaintop in Lanqi City. It happened to be the mountain behind Gu Ming’s school. Now he wouldn’t need to take a taxi; the school was just down the mountain.
HNNH—
’See you later!’
Ma Tianba set the group down, and with another flick of his wings, his entire body beca a streak of light. He galloped into the clouds, unleashing a deafening, thunder-like BOOM.
The clouds for miles around were torn into a swirling vortex, and the trail of light he left behind swept across the city skyline.
The commotion imdiately alerted the school and people in the vicinity.
But by the ti they ran out of their buildings and looked up, all they could see was a teor-like trail of light streaking across the city’s do before vanishing into the clouds.
"Incredibly strong."
"A top-tier mount-type Pet Beast... It’s a sha, a real sha. Its Star Level is just too high," the old man said, shaking his head in regret.
Gu Ming was speechless. "Grandpa, you aren’t thinking of setting up with him, are you?"
"Heh heh. That would be ideal, if it were possible. But you’re still too weak. We can talk about it in the future."
The old man rubbed his stubbled chin. He had, in fact, been thinking just that.
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