Chapter 19: Awakening

After finishing his meal, Lu Ran took a shortcut through the Starlight Villa district and slipped into the secluded back mountain of Hongye Park.

Every child dreams of having a secret base during their youth, and Lu Ran was no exception. To him, this place was a treasure trove of fortune and power.

It was here that he had discovered the insect king—his prized creature, capable of dominating any insect battle tournament with ease. With such a prime location at his disposal, there was no need to compete with those old men over resources in Qingming Mountain, the largest peak in Lühai City.

"You can come out now!"

"Woof."

Ensuring that the coast was clear, Lu Ran summoned Ha Zong using the Black Card.

He was in high spirits. With the Contract Card and Character Card, life had become far more convenient.

The Black Card allowed him to carry Ha Zong anywhere, while the Character Card's storage function enabled him to bring along items that had previously been too cumbersome—such as his custom-made Iron-Cleaving Sword.

"In a way, you and this sword have a lot in common—both of you are banned from entering most places."

Ha Zong blinked in confusion: ???

Was that even a fair comparison?

"Let's go deeper." Lu Ran led the way, his mind replaying crucial information regarding attribute awakening.

From the Basic Beast-Taming Handbook, he had learned that there were five primary methods for awakening an attribute:

Innate Awakening – Creatures of commander-level and above are born with the ability to awaken their attributes naturally through their innate talent.

Unfortunately, Ha Zong did not qualify. All of his talent points had apparently been invested in intelligence. Who would believe that?

Trigger Awakening – In the wild, lower-level creatures that lack attributes have a slim chance of awakening them when exposed to corresponding elemental attacks.

However, this method was incredibly risky—one wrong move, and death was almost certain.

Energy Infusion – Higher-level creatures, having mastered advanced energy manipulation, could inject their energy into weaker beings, nurturing them and assisting in attribute awakening.

Environmental Awakening – Some locations, rich in natural elemental energy, could influence creatures that remained within them for long periods, granting them a chance to awaken an attribute.

However, these geomantic hotspots were either hidden within secret realms, fiercely guarded by powerful beasts, or monopolized by major factions.

Attribute Resources – Certain rare resources contained pure elemental power. When consumed, they could unlock a creature's latent potential and facilitate attribute awakening.

Lu Ran and Ha Zong were about to employ the fifth method.

According to Xiao Bailong, joining the organization came with the benefit of a free attribute awakening opportunity. Lu Ran speculated that they likely utilized either high-level energy infusion techniques or secret realms rich in elemental energy.

After all, within large organizations, powerful beast tamers were abundant, and many controlled public secret realms brimming with untapped potential.

Yet, Xiao Bailong had hinted that attribute resources were the superior method, yielding greater benefits for the pet beast's growth and development. That being the case, Lu Ran no longer had his sights set on the other methods.

"This spot will do."

At last, he arrived at a secluded clearing, surrounded by dense green foliage, with a natural cave nestled within the landscape.

Reaching into his storage, he retrieved a Wind Attribute Awakening Fruit and turned to Ha Zong, who was currently baring his teeth at a nearby snake.

This place was sparsely populated for a reason—the sheer abundance of insects and serpents made it an undesirable location. Unless absolutely necessary, few dared to venture here.

"Ignore it for now."

Lu Ran tossed the wind-attribute fruit—white-skinned and shaped like a pineapple—into the air. Ha Zong's eyes gleamed instantly. Without hesitation, he leapt up, catching the fruit in his mouth.

"Woo!!!"

Saliva dribbled down his muzzle as he chewed in excitement, fully aware of the immense power contained within the fruit.

"Go on, eat up."

Receiving permission, Ha Zong widened his maw and swallowed the entire fruit in one bite.

Abyssal Devour.

But soon enough, he realized the fruit was larger than he had anticipated. Maybe taking it in smaller bites would have been wiser.

"Woof…"

Cheeks puffed out, he struggled to chew, his expression comically strained. Under Lu Ran's deadpan gaze, he finally managed to gulp it all down.

Huff… huff…

Eating a single fruit had left him panting for breath.

But then—his eyes widened. A faint azure energy began to rise from his body, swirling in delicate, ethereal currents.

This was… the power of wind!

Lu Ran instantly straightened, his full attention locked onto the phenomenon before him.

"Awoooooo!!!"

A surge of wind erupted from Ha Zong's body, as tendrils of sky-blue energy coiled around him like a living aura.

His fur rippled in the unseen currents. The force of his awakening sent small whirlwinds spiraling around him, rustling the grass and leaves in his vicinity.

[Species]: Snowfield Hound

[Attribute]: Wind

[Species Rank]: Mid Extraordinary

[Growth Level]: Level 4

[Skills]: None

"It worked!"

The gentle breeze caressed Lu Ran's face as he examined the attribute change, his delight evident.

He could tell, without a doubt—Ha Zong's combat prowess had ascended to a whole new level.

This was the stark divide between a creature before and after awakening an attribute!

"Woof!!!"

Ha Zong, though initially startled by the transformation, quickly adapted, steadying the newly ignited wind energy that enveloped his form.

To Lu Ran, the sight was nothing short of magnificent.

The sky-blue energy swathed Ha Zong like an ethereal veil, making him resemble the mythical beasts of legend—majestic and formidable.

"Ha Zong, run a lap around that clearing."

Lu Ran gestured towards the open ground. It was roughly 200 meters—a perfect test of speed.

The moment the words left his lips, Ha Zong let out a resounding "Awooo!" and shot forward like a bolt of wind.

A mere afterimage of azure light trailed in his wake.

No—his entire sprint left behind a lingering silhouette of sky-blue radiance.

Lu Ran had witnessed cheetahs in motion before, the fastest creatures in the animal kingdom.

But now?

Now, he was certain—Ha Zong had surpassed them effortlessly.

Without a moment's thought, without even a proper count, he realized—Ha Zong had completed the circuit in the blink of an eye.

"This is only Level 4… what happens at Level 40?"

He was astounded.

"Woof!"

Ha Zong panted lightly as he returned, his tail wagging with confidence.

"Not bad. Next, let's test your attack power."

Ha Zong's sharp eyes scanned the surroundings before settling on a nearby rock.

He raised a paw, wind energy spiraling around it, and brought it down in a swift strike.

Crack!

The boulder splintered instantly, fine fractures spreading across its surface like a spiderweb before it shattered into several pieces.

"Impressive… a true qualitative leap."

Lu Ran crossed his arms, nodding in satisfaction. Then, he reached into his storage and retrieved a wooden sword.

"Ha Zong, catch."

Ha Zong leapt into the air and bit down on the sword.

"Try channeling wind energy into it, then strike."

His newfound power was intoxicating, and Ha Zong was eager to experiment.

Moments later, both his body and the sword were wreathed in a luminous, swirling wind aura.

A hum resonated through the air.

The once ordinary wooden blade now shimmered, its brown surface enveloped in a white-blue glow, as if it carried the breath of a storm.

Ha Zong's eyes burned with battle lust.

Then—

BOOM!

The wooden sword exploded in his mouth, disintegrating into countless fragments.

The abrupt detonation sent Ha Zong leaping backward in shock.

Lu Ran blinked, speechless.

Ha Zong stared at the splintered remains, eyes filled with utter betrayal.

His sword! Where was his sword?!

"Relax… this just proves how strong you've become."

Lu Ran waved a hand dismissively. He still had plenty more.

But just as he considered handing Ha Zong a sturdier weapon—

"Squawk!!!"

A black crow descended from the sky, perching on a tree branch.

[Boss, a yellow-striped big cat has trespassed into our territory.]

Lu Ran: ?

A big cat… with yellow fur and black stripes?

Huh?