Qiao Sang's body froze abruptly as she slowly turned her head.
Zhang Rongtang's eyes swept over and met hers. His lips curled into a smile, but unlike the kind and approachable image he had projected earlier, the smile felt unsettlingly sinister.
A chill rose from her tailbone straight to the crown of her head, sending a shiver through her entire body. Like a startled cat, Qiao Sang instinctively leapt back a step, blurting out a curse.
Her reaction wasn’t just because of the sudden appearance of the man, it was the massive, four-meter-tall beast beside him that had terrified her.
The beast itself wasn’t inherently frightening, nor was its ghostly nature. But in this eerie environment, being faced with such a towering figure, its body blending seamlessly with the darkness, blood-red eyes fixated on her, and a twisted grin, complete with dripping saliva, that was horrifying.
Just one look was enough to nearly scare her into cardiac arrest.
What kind of entrance was that?!
And for heaven’s sake, if you’re going to grin, fine, but why the drool?
Perhaps her reaction was too dramatic because the beast seemed to notice, awkwardly slurping back the saliva trailing down its chin.
Wu Chang, being accustomed to the cemetery’s creepy ambiance, didn’t react as strongly as Qiao Sang or Yabao. He had built up a resistance to the eerie atmosphere over time.
He stared at Zhang Rongtang and the towering ghostly beast beside him, piecing together fragments of thoughts. Recalling the phrase, “Luckbringer, I’ve finally found you,” his mind was a swirling mix of confusion, panic, and disbelief.
Though Wu Chang wasn’t stupid, he still clung to hope.
“Uncle Zhang, why are you back?” He asked, forcing a strained smile.
“And what’s with that… Phantom Fiend beside you?”
Despite the growing suspicion in his heart, Wu Chang wanted Zhang Rongtang to confirm otherwise. He desperately needed to believe that the man he looked up to had no ulterior motives.
For years, Wu Chang had felt like an unwanted child, shuffled between his parents like a burden. They had given him life, but they didn’t seem to care for it.
Living with his aging grandfather, Wu Chang was treated kindly but often felt more like a placeholder, a mere companion.
Then Zhang Rongtang appeared, and for the first time, Wu Chang felt like he mattered.
Zhang Rongtang took him fishing, noticed when he wasn’t feeling well, and gave him advice on picking a companion beast. Every time Wu Chang came home, there was a warm meal waiting for him.
He often thought to himself, Why can’t I be Uncle Zhang’s son?
That same man now stood before him, confirming Wu Chang’s worst fears.
Before Zhang Rongtang could respond, a transparent, circular device suddenly dropped from above, encasing Luckbringer entirely. In seconds, the device sealed itself tightly.
A sharp whoosh followed as a Stronghold Sky Owl dived like a missile, gripping the device in its talons. The bird didn’t fly away, instead hovering beside Zhang Rongtang, its wings flapping noisily. Google seaʀᴄh NoveIꜰire.net
“Yun Yun!” Luckbringer, its body covered in sheer chiffon fabric, slammed against the transparent walls, its furious attacks failing to leave a single crack.
“I didn’t want to resort to this in front of you.” Zhang Rongtang said softly.
“But you just had to bring someone with a ghostly beast.”
His gaze fell on Little Treasure, whose innocent face showed nothing but confusion.
“Xun?” The tiny beast pointed to himself, bewildered.
How was this his fault?!
Zhang Rongtang’s non-answer left no room for doubt. Wu Chang’s eyes reddened instantly, tears welling up despite his efforts to hold them back. His voice trembled as he asked, “Uncle Zhang, why are you capturing it?”
Qiao Sang mentally shouted the answer: To contract it, obviously!
This was Luckbringer!
Phantom beasts were even rarer than divine beasts. While divine beasts could sometimes be bred from ordinary ones that broke through their limits, phantom beasts were unique, each possessing exclusive skills and traits. Their rarity and power made them even more valuable than divine beasts.
Luckbringer, the phantom beast of luck, was said to bestow incredible fortune upon its chosen human. Legend had it that anyone blessed by Luckbringer could accomplish their wildest dreams, with the universe itself aligning to help them succeed.
There was even a famous movie about someone whose entire life turned around after meeting Luckbringer. From utter failure to ultimate success, the protagonist defied the odds, marrying a wealthy partner and achieving unimaginable heights.
And now, standing before her was the mythical Luckbringer.
Of course, Zhang Rongtang wasn’t going to let it go.
Qiao Sang knew her limits, contracting such a legendary beast was way out of her league. Besides, she barely managed to feed the beasts she already had.
Contracting Luckbringer wasn’t even a consideration.
Zhang Rongtang glanced at the device holding Luckbringer. He sighed, his tone regretful. “I didn’t want it to come to this, but it kept hiding from me. This was my only choice.”
“Yun Yun!” Luckbringer pounded at the device again, but it remained unscathed.
Zhang Rongtang looked at it like a parent addressing a misbehaving child.
“It’s no use. This device-”
Before he could finish, a blast of searing flames suddenly shot toward him.