Chapter 18: The Sword-Wielding Dog

"I have harbored a dream since childhood—to roam the world with my sword, upholding justice as a chivalrous swordsman."

"But as I grew older, I realized that dreams are often just that—dreams."

Watching Ha Zong gripping a sword in his jaws, Lu Ran couldn't help but feel a wave of sentimentality, as though he were a father entrusting his aspirations to the next generation.

"Whether I succeed or not, this dream is now yours to carry, Ha Zong!"

"You must take my place and become a true warrior of righteousness!"

"The human world is bound by countless rules and restrictions, but the realm of dogs is far freer."

"Go forth! Take this sword and let your brilliance, your talent, shine unfettered!"

"Woof!" Whether Ha Zong understood Lu Ran's grand declaration or not was uncertain, but the husky obediently swung the wooden sword, its movements already honed with remarkable proficiency.

Lu Ran observed him with satisfaction.

A dog worth teaching indeed.

Yet, he couldn't be certain if this training path would truly lead anywhere.

After all, the mythical image of the legendary dragon Yazi was nothing more than a construct of human imagination.

Lu Ran pondered—if unique traits could grant pet beasts extraordinary abilities, then perhaps there existed a trait that would enable Ha Zong to wield weapons with greater mastery?

This question determined whether Ha Zong could persist on this unconventional path of the sword-wielding dog.

For now, the synergy of Super Beast Mimicry and meteorite minerals granted the sword-wielding dog approach an optimal advantage, prompting Lu Ran to explore this training method. However, the road ahead remained uncertain. But then again, wasn't that the essence of beast-taming? Stumbling through the darkness in pursuit of miracles.

"I recall the training manual mentioning that beast-taming skills are not set in stone. A Beast Tamer, through ingenuity and effort, can develop new applications beyond their intended scope."

"Do I possess the ability to further refine Super Beast Mimicry?"

Lu Ran had previously speculated—if Super Beast Mimicry allowed a Beast Tamer to emulate their pet beast and acquire its strengths, then was it possible to reverse the process? Could a pet beast, in turn, mimic its master and gain certain human qualities? For instance, the ability to wield tools.

The defining distinction between humans and animals lay in the use and creation of tools. Swords, in theory, were crafted for human hands.

But if Ha Zong could receive feedback from him, then perhaps—just perhaps—he could wield a sword with even greater skill.

A Beast Tamer mimicking a pet beast and a pet beast mimicking a Beast Tamer—at their core, were they not one and the same?

If this hypothesis proved viable, it would be a masterstroke, achieving two objectives with a single effort!

"Forging a new path from scratch is undoubtedly arduous, but repurposing an existing method presents a much clearer direction. This might just be a breakthrough worth exploring," Lu Ran mused.

As Fang Lan had once said, Lu Ran was never one to follow the crowd or tread the beaten path. He thrived on challenges, and the more unconventional the endeavor, the greater his resolve.

Attempting to unravel new possibilities for beast-taming techniques at the novice stage was nearly unheard of, but Lu Ran was determined to try.

As for how to proceed, he first needed to delve deeper into the mechanics of Super Beast Mimicry. Since mastering the ability, a basic understanding of its principles had already taken root in his mind.

It felt as though knowledge had been directly imprinted onto him through a skill card.

"Now, follow my movements," Lu Ran instructed.

"Woof!"

Inside the room, Ha Zong mirrored Lu Ran's every motion. As Lu Ran swung his sword, Ha Zong twisted his head in perfect synchronization, executing the same slashes.

—

In the living room, Lu Ran's experiment with Ha Zong lasted roughly thirty minutes.

And in those thirty minutes, he made a startling discovery—mimicking Ha Zong's sword practice was not only feasible but effective.

Even though swordsmanship was merely one of Ha Zong's many skills, and not his forte, Lu Ran found that by using Super Beast Mimicry to train alongside him, his own physical capabilities had improved—albeit minutely.

The change was almost imperceptible, yet undeniably present. It was no illusion.

Given time, his strength could grow substantially. Perhaps one day, he could even fight lions and tigers with his bare hands.

"Whoo…" Lu Ran exhaled as he set down his Iron-Slashing Sword, feeling a bit fatigued.

Glancing at Ha Zong, who remained full of vigor, still swinging his wooden blade, Lu Ran scratched his head.

Unbelievable.

As expected of Ha Zong—his energy reserves were inexhaustible.

Most Beast Tamers worried about their pets growing weary and rebelling against training.

Yet, in his case, it seemed Ha Zong was the one who might end up frustrated with his lack of stamina.

"Awooo?" Indeed, upon seeing Lu Ran stop, Ha Zong shot him a puzzled look.

Why aren't we continuing?

"I stopped because I sensed your swings were getting weaker. Haven't you eaten? Let me get you some food."

"Woof!" Ha Zong blinked, nearly forgetting he was hungry.

Lu Ran turned to prepare a meal—for both Ha Zong and himself.

By now, he had formulated a clearer direction for utilizing Super Beast Mimicry in reverse.

Though he wasn't certain of success, if other Beast Tamers heard of his theory, they would undoubtedly be astonished.

After all, modifying and innovating beast-taming techniques was a challenge even for elite Beast Tamers.

As he prepared their meal, Lu Ran continued refining his ideas. The essence of Super Beast Mimicry, at its core, was quite simple.

Upon mastering the skill, a unique mental visualization space formed within a Beast Tamer's mind.

Super Beast Mimicry worked by visualizing a contracted pet beast's behavioral patterns, allowing the Beast Tamer's body to instinctively replicate them. As long as both parties maintained similar actions, feedback would gradually be exchanged.

The bridge that connected Beast Tamer and pet beast was the mental bond forged through their contract.

"If this bridge allows me to receive feedback from Ha Zong, then to transfer feedback to him, I need a separate link. Using the same mental connection would create a bottleneck, which is why Super Beast Mimicry normally can't be reversed."

"But compared to other novice Beast Tamers, I have a distinct advantage—two years of training in telepathic communication!"

"When Ha Zong lost control in a berserk state, I could use telepathy to bring him back. This proves that the mind itself can serve as a bridge between us."

"Perhaps, by utilizing telepathic links, I can simulate the effects of Super Beast Mimicry in reverse—transmitting my insights and experiences to Ha Zong, allowing him to double his training gains!"

Mind and spirit—two bridges working in tandem!

Lu Ran believed it was worth an attempt.

With that thought in mind, he swiftly finished preparing the food.

But as he returned to the living room with a bowl of dog food in hand, he froze in shock.

"What the—?!"

Before him, Ha Zong stood, wooden sword in mouth, its surface radiating an intense white glow.

At that moment, the sword in his jaws no longer seemed like mere wood—but a divine blade infused with power.

"You—how did you do that?!" Lu Ran stared in astonishment.

According to the training manual, it was already impressive for a pet beast at a low level to coat its own body with energy.

To extend energy outward—to envelop an external object—was an advanced technique requiring extensive training.

Yet here was Ha Zong, effortlessly achieving it.

"Woof!!" Ha Zong looked at Lu Ran, his eyes filled with frustration.

Why can't I unleash sword energy yet?!

"Hey, cut it out! We're still inside the house!"

"If you actually manage to unleash sword energy, my home is done for!"

Lu Ran quickly intervened.

Yet as he stood there, stunned, he suddenly recalled something—flipping open the training manual to the section on species ranking.

And in that moment, a realization struck him.

Ha Zong, despite lacking overwhelming innate strength… possessed an exceptional talent for learning.

Lu Ran slowly closed the manual, gazing at Ha Zong in disbelief.

This dog…

Was an absolute prodigy.