Chapter 2

The two wolves had regained a considerable amount of strength. They led the way ahead, seemingly guiding Xiao Hai to some destination. Whenever they noticed that the distance between them and Xiao Hai had grown too long, they would actually stop and wait for a moment.

Xiao Hai, who followed behind them, gradually let down his guard. He even vaguely felt as if he could communicate with the two wolves on some spiritual level.

However, he still hadn't figured out how to communicate with them.

All of this, he had to thank the spirit pearl in his body—the Dragon Spirit Pearl!

He had to thank his parents for this Dragon Spirit Pearl.

Xiao Hai's parents were ordinary researchers at a snake research institute, but what was unusual was that the ancestors of the Ai family had all been snake hunters.

Moreover, starting from Xiao Hai's great-great-grandfather, there had been a wish—or rather, a secret—that the ancestors of the Ai family had been trying to capture a snake king.

The true snake king. For over two hundred years, the Ai family had devoted countless efforts to this snake king. It was during the time of Xiao Hai's grandfather that they finally paid the price of three lives to kill the snake king and obtained the unique Dragon Spirit Pearl from its body.

It was also on that day that the only descendant of the Ai family, Xiao Hai, was born. When Xiao Hai was nine years old, his father made him ingest the pearl and told him about all the magical properties of the pearl and how to cultivate it.

Xiao Hai never understood why something from a snake's body was called a "Dragon Spirit Pearl"?

But no matter how much he didn't understand, he still had to follow what his parents said. The first rule was that it would take ten years for the pearl to fully integrate with Xiao Hai.

On Xiao Hai's 19th birthday, he finally felt a mysterious power—there was an indescribable force in his body trying to break free!

But just at that moment, Xiao Hai's parents went missing! They left their son only a letter:

"We have something very important to do and won't be able to see you for a few years. You have to rely on yourself! Xiao Hai, go to the Halka Great Grassland; there are a large number of animal essences needed to cultivate the Dragon Spirit Pearl there."

Well, just like all those cliché TV dramas, at the critical moment of formally cultivating the pearl, the important characters disappeared!

Xiao Hai could only rely on himself!

Xiao Hai didn't blame his parents; they must have had their reasons. Cultivating the spirit pearl on his own? No problem! But... but...

Damn it, you could at least leave me some money!

Xiao Hai searched the entire room and found a total of 923 yuan and 38 cents. Well, is this a fortune? Damn it, this money is just enough for me to barely get to that Halka Great Grassland. What about after that? What about the future?

My dear parents, you didn't even leave me the tuition for college?

Xiao Hai could swear to all the gods and Buddhas that from the age of 9 to 19, besides going to school, the only thing he did every day was to try to integrate the pearl with himself. Apart from that, he did nothing else.

To put it nicely, he spent ten years focusing on one thing. To put it harshly, he was a useless person with no special skills.

Damn, my dear parents, you are ruthless! After hunting snakes for over two hundred years and even killing a snake king, how could your family not have some savings? You... you didn't leave me anything? Was I just a freebie when you paid your phone bills?

And this damn Dragon Spirit Pearl, can you turn some money for me?

Anyway, he still had two months of summer vacation to arrange. The frustrated Xiao Hai could only follow what his parents said, pack a simple bag, hide the puppy Xiao Qi, whom he had just picked up, in his luggage, and then travel bumpy roads to the Halka Great Grassland.

The Dragon Spirit Pearl seemed to have a special ability to guide Xiao Hai in finding animals. On the first day, Xiao Hai, who had never been a hunter for even a minute, managed to catch a badger and successfully absorbed its essence. However, the essence of a badger was too little to provide much help to the Dragon Spirit Pearl.

Then, today, Xiao Hai finally succeeded in absorbing the essence of two wolves.

This... will I be considered a poacher?

"Hey, Wolf Brother, Wolf Sister, where are you taking me?" Probably only Xiao Hai in the world would call two wolves "brother" and "sister."

They had been walking for almost an hour, and he had no idea where the wolves were taking him.

Miraculously, Xiao Hai just said it casually, but the two wolves seemed to understand what he was saying. They stopped and made "ao ao" sounds in their throats, as if urging Xiao Hai to be patient, saying they would arrive soon.

"Xiao Qi, do you think wolves can really understand what I'm saying?" Xiao Hai scratched his head. "Hey, dogs and wolves are close relatives, you are also relatives, why don't you help me ask them where they are taking us?"

Then, Xiao Hai saw the expression on Xiao Qi's face, which almost made him spit out blood:

Xiao Qi, it seemed to be looking down on him! What was even more infuriating was that it barked "wang wang" twice, and the Dragon Spirit Pearl in Xiao Hai's body moved. Then, Xiao Hai seemed to understand what Xiao Qi was saying:

Please, I'm a dog, I bark "wang wang." Wolf language is a foreign language to me; I've never studied it, how can I understand what wolves are saying?

Damn it, I was actually looked down upon by a dog?

Hmm? Was it just my imagination? Could I really communicate with Xiao Qi on a spiritual level?

"Hey, Xiao Qi, bark two more times for me to hear."

Damn, Xiao Qi was very unhappy. Dogs also have dignity; just because you tell me to bark, I will bark? Xiao Qi didn't even bother to look at Xiao Hai.

Damn it, Xiao Hai couldn't be sure if he could communicate with Xiao Qi on a spiritual level, but there was one thing he was certain of:

He was really looked down upon by a dog!

The vast grassland began to appear ahead. After walking for about half an hour, a wide lake appeared. Looking as far as he could, he saw the connection between the grassland and the blue sky, where cattle and sheep were chasing each other.

But at that moment, the two grassland wolves suddenly sped up, frequently looking back and anxiously urging Xiao Hai.

Xiao Hai didn't know why the two wolves had changed, but he quickly sped up as well. Fortunately, after absorbing the essence of the two wolves, the power generated by the Dragon Spirit Pearl greatly increased Xiao Hai's running speed.

Beside the lake was a small forest. When they entered the forest, the two wolves slowed down again. They cautiously observed the surroundings, and after confirming there was no danger, they quickly led Xiao Hai to a hidden pond among the trees.

Damn it, did you take me so far just to show me a broken pond? Xiao Hai immediately felt cheated.

However, the two wolves kept making low sounds in their throats, and they looked very anxious, which piqued Xiao Hai's curiosity.