"Congratulations, Host, for awakening this awesome, super reliable, and almighty Beast Taming System!"
The proclamation rings out, loud and overly enthusiastic. A small, pink dragon-like spirit materializes in mid-air.
It resembled a dragon—but not the fearsome, majestic kind. This one was small, no bigger than a cat, with shiny, iridescent scales that seemed to shimmer with every color of the rainbow.
The little dragon spirit spiraled upward in a dramatic twirl and struck a pose that could only be described as absurdly self-important.
"I am the System Spirit, Xiaoyu.Known for its brilliant appearance and unmatched functionality! Hahaha!"
I blinked. Once. Twice. Did this pink lizard just call itself brilliant?
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
Xiaoyu asked, tilting its tiny head in confusion. Its long, whip-like tail flicked in the air, leaving sparkles in its wake.
"Oh! I know!"
It clapped its tiny claws together, grinning widely, its sharp little teeth glinting in the sunlight.
"You're so overwhelmed with joy that you can't even speak! Haha! Happens all the time! Don't worry, I'll make you the strongest cultivator in this world in no time!"
"Hey, you pink lizard bastard!" I spat, my voice dripping with venom.
Xiaoyu, the so-called system spirit, froze mid-hover, its glittering eyes blinking in confusion.
"W-What? Pink lizard? Bastard?"
It stammered, its tiny voice trembling as if it couldn't believe its ears.
It tilted its small, dragon-like head, its stubby horns catching the light as it narrowed its eyes. Surely, it thought, I hadn't just insulted it, right?
No host had ever spoken to it like this. Hosts were supposed to jump with excitement, beg for quests, and worship its very existence. "But here I was hearing him calling my names with a murderous glare."
"Yes! You heard me right, you pink lizard bastard!" I shouted again, glaring at it with burning frustration. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, and I could feel my blood boiling.
Without waiting for an answer, I grabbed its glittering tail, the soft scales cold and smooth against my palm. Xiaoyu's stubby legs flailed helplessly as I held it up like a toy. Its tiny wings buzzed ineffectively.
"W-What are you doing? Host! I am your system spirit! You should worship me, not manhandle me!"
Xiaoyu's voice was a mix of indignation and fear, its golden eyes darting around for help that wasn't coming.
"Are you the one?" I demanded, cutting off its pathetic attempts to sound important.
"The one? The one what?"
Xiaoyu's voice dropped, guilt creeping into its tone as it looked anywhere but at me.
"The one responsible for my ridiculous libido ever since I transmigrated here!" I hissed, my voice a mix of fury and embarrassment.
"And for turning me into a damn simp! Why the hell was I acting like a blushing virgin in front of that chick? Huh? Worrying about whether she liked me? That's not like me!"
My face burned at the memory of my humiliating behavior, my jaw tightening in frustration. Meanwhile, Xiaoyu's golden pupils darted nervously, and its tiny claws fidgeted with the air.
"W-W-What libido? I don't know what you're talking about!"
It stammered, but it's guilty expression gave it away. Its stubby horns drooped, and its tiny body shrank as if it could escape my wrath.
"Don't play dumb with me! You pink lizard bastard!" I roared, shaking it slightly for good measure. "Then explain this—why, the moment you crawled out of my body, my mind cleared, and my libido vanished like magic, huh?"
"I—uh—well…"
Xiaoyu's voice trembled, and tears began to pool in its shimmering eyes. "Wait! Please don't hurt me, host! I can explain!"
"Oh, you better," I growled, tightening my grip on its tail, ready to hurl it into the lake. "Or I swear, I'll find a way to kill you, system spirit or not."
"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" Xiaoyu wailed, tears streaming down its tiny snout. "It's not entirely my fault! I was stuck in your body, and without you taming your first beast, I couldn't get out! It's part of the process, I swear!"
"And the libido?" I asked, my eyes narrowing dangerously.
Xiaoyu pouted, puffing out its tiny chest as if to defend itself. "It's just… I've been in seclusion for a hundred years! I haven't seen any… ahem... entertainment in so long. I might've gotten a bit carried away watching through your eyes…"
It trailed off, its voice barely a whisper by the end.
My face burned with a mix of embarrassment and fury. "So you're saying you turned me into a hormonal mess just because you were bored?!"
Xiaoyu pouted, its tiny claws clasped in a pleading gesture. "I couldn't help it! I was trapped inside you! Besides, you should thank me—at least you had some fun moments!"
"Oh, you've got some nerve," I growled, my grip tightening. The idea of tossing this smug lizard into the nearest tree was growing more appealing by the second.
"And my personality change?" I demanded, my voice low and threatening.
Xiaoyu, the pink lizard with its shimmering translucent wings, fluttered nervously. Its gaze darted everywhere except at me, clearly avoiding confrontation.
"O-Oh, that?" Xiaoyu stammered, the usual cheeky confidence in its voice replaced with hesitation.
"Tell me!" I barked, grabbing its thin tail and pulling it back like I was about to fling it into the trees.
"Wait, wait! I'll tell! Stop pulling my tail already!" it squealed, flapping its wings frantically.
"Start talking," I growled, my patience thinning.
"Well...uh, to stay in your body without causing an energy clash, we had to... balance things out. So, I gave you 50% of my system mana, and in return, I took 40% of your qi. It's, uh, mandatory to keep the system functioning," Xiaoyu explained, its tiny claws fidgeting nervously.
I narrowed my eyes.
Xiaoyu's wings drooped as it cleared its throat awkwardly. "W-Well... when my mana and your qi mix, there are some side effects. Your personality gets... influenced by mine. A little bit. You know, stuff like... libido... and, uh, my preferences for... well... girls," it muttered, clearly trying to downplay the issue.
"Let me get this straight," I said, clenching my fists, my knuckles cracking ominously. "Not only did you steal 40% of my qi, but you also shoved your perverted, girl-obsessed personality into me? Is that what you're saying, you pink lizard bastard?"
Xiaoyu recoiled, its beady eyes wide with fear. "Hey! Don't call me a with some wierd nicknames! And it's not a big deal—"
Before it could finish, I shoved my fist near its face, making it yelp.
"AAAAHH! Why are you so angry?!" it screeched, covering its tiny snout with its claws.
Before I could respond, a mocking voice echoed through the forest.
"Young Master?"
I froze, recognizing the honeyed tone laced with mockery.
Emerging from between the trees, Meiyara strode toward our direction.
"Are you lost again?" she teased, crossing her arms beneath her ample chest. "You shouldn't wander so deep into the forest, Young Master. If you run into another rabbit, you might not live to tell the tale."
I clenched my fists, my face heating as her taunting laughter rang out, sharp and clear.
"Ha! Our great Young Master, so weak yet so full of himself. When will you grow up?" she added, shaking her head mockingly.
That bitch! How dare she mock me like this?
"I'm going to teach that insolent maid how to speak to her master," I snarled, tossing Xiaoyu aside like a rag doll and stomping toward Meiyara.
"What?! You're seriously going to hurt her?!" Xiaoyu yelped, flying in front of me to block my path.
"Move," I growled.
"But she's been helping you! She tamed beasts for you, looked after you—"
"That's her job. She's my maid. But her sharp tongue? That needs correction," I snapped, swatting Xiaoyu out of the way.
Xiaoyu spun through the air like a tossed coin before regaining its balance. It zipped back in front of me, its tiny wings buzzing furiously.
"W-Wait! What kind of psycho did I end up with this time?" it muttered, its voice panicked.
Xiaoyu's mind raced. Its previous host had been a notorious playboy, always surrounded by beautiful women. Back then, Xiaoyu didn't have a physical body, forced to observe everything through its system connection.
That experience had left it craving a materialized form, so it went into seclusion for 100 years to gain one.
But this host? He was reckless, temperamental, and completely unpredictable. If he kept picking fights, there wouldn't be any steamy encounters to enjoy—just an early grave.
"Look at him," Xiaoyu muttered, its tiny wings drooping in exasperation. "He's no cultivator, yet he's marching off to pick a fight with a Beast Tamer Initiate stage cultivator. Does he have a death wish?"
"No way am I letting this idiot ruin everything," Xiaoyu muttered, determination flashing in its tiny eyes.
It darted toward me just as I reached Meiyara.
"Huh? Hey! Don't you dare—"
Before I could finish, Xiaoyu flew straight into my chest, merging back into my body in a flash of pink light.
I stumbled, clutching my chest as a wave of dizziness hit me.
"Young Master?" Meiyara's voice was closer now, her expression shifting from amusement to concern as she reached out to steady me.
Her hand brushed against my arm, and I found myself momentarily distracted by the softness of her touch and the faint floral scent that clung to her.
Damn it. This stupid system spirit. What did it just do to me?