The Huáng family manor was shrouded in the stillness of early evening when Chief Huáng Láng returned from his duties. His imposing figure cast a long shadow as he entered his chambers, the usual calm in his demeanor replaced by an uncharacteristic unease. The events of the day lingered in his mind like an unfinished puzzle, their implications too vast to ignore.
He had spent the day amidst the commotion at the Xuě residence, where rumors swirled like wildfire about the boy named Hóng Hǎiyáng. Hóng—a name that carried whispers of a powerful and mysterious family, one whose history was intertwined with the downfall of his own.
Huáng Láng sank into a carved wooden chair, his fingers drumming absently on the table. His thoughts pulled him back to his own past, to the moment when the Huáng family had betrayed the Hóng clan—a betrayal that had led to the decimation of the Hóng's younger generation. He remembered his first uncle, the then-head of the Huáng family, orchestrating a sinister alliance with the current king.
The betrayal had come at a great cost, not just to the Hóng family but also to his own mother. She, a former general's widow and one of the king's concubines, had been poisoned under his uncle's orders. The poison had stripped her of her cultivation, leaving her a shadow of her former self.
His mother had been exiled to an isolated villa after the incident, her reputation tarnished. Despite her suffering, she had risen again, building a thriving business empire in the capital. Huáng Láng's fists clenched at the memory of his mother's resilience and the injustice she endured.
But now, with the sudden emergence of Hóng Hǎiyáng, it seemed that fate was offering him a chance to rewrite the narrative. Could this boy be the key to reclaiming what his family had lost?
To avenging his mother's suffering?
His thoughts were interrupted by the soft padding of footsteps. Turning, he saw Mò Xié, his loyal fox, watching him with an inscrutable gaze.
"You sense it too, don't you?" Huáng Láng murmured, leaning back in his chair. "This boy... this Hóng Hǎiyáng. He's more than what he seems."
Mò Xié tilted her head slightly, her sharp eyes glinting in the dim light.
Huáng Láng's lips curved into a wry smile. "You betrayed me that day, old friend," he said, his tone light but edged with tension. "You bowed to him, revealed things you shouldn't have. Why? I need to understand why."
The fox's gaze didn't waver, but he didn't move either.
Huáng Láng tried a different approach. "You're loyal to me, aren't you?"
Mò Xié gave a single, firm nod.
"Then why did you bow to him? To that boy?" The question hung in the air like a weight, and for the first time, Mò Xié's gaze flickered, a faint unease creeping into his posture.
Huáng Láng softened his tone, leaning closer. "I'm not angry. I just need to know. Who is Hǎiyáng to you? What is he?"
The fox shook his head slowly, signaling his refusal to answer.
Huáng Láng let out another deep sigh, leaning back in his chair. "Fine. Let me ask this: Did he put a spell on you? Did he force your submission?"
Mò Xié shook his head firmly, his tails swishing slightly behind him.
"No spell, then," Huáng Láng murmured, rubbing his chin. "What about strength? Is he stronger than you now?"
Again, Mò Xié shook his head, the movement precise and confident.
Huáng Láng frowned. "Then is he stronger than me now?"
For the third time, the fox shook his head.
The chief's brows furrowed, his frustration growing. He ran a hand through his thick hair, messing it up as his thoughts churned. "Not stronger than you. Not stronger than me. But you bow down to him? How does that make sense?"
He stood abruptly, pacing the room as his mind raced. "Perhaps… perhaps it's because he has a beast. A powerful one. Far stronger than you?"
At this, Mò Xié hesitated, his head tilting slightly to the side. After a moment, he gave a firm nod.
But then, as if contradicting himself, he shook his head just as firmly.
Huáng Láng froze mid-step, his eyes narrowing as he turned to face the fox. "What does that mean, Mò Xié? He does, and he doesn't? Are you playing games with me?"
Mò Xié simply stared back, unflinching.
Huáng Láng's frustration boiled over. He raised his voice slightly, though not quite a yell. "Damn it, Mò Xié! You're driving me mad. Answer me clearly!"
The fox remained silent, his crimson eyes unwavering.
Huáng Láng threw his hands up in exasperation, resuming his pacing. "Let's think this through," he muttered to himself. "Who is Xiǎo Hǎiyáng, really? An orphaned boy. A tamer with SSS beasts, yes, but nothing we haven't seen before. His Xiǎo family? Small. His parents? Heroes, but only of this small city. And even then, his own family cast him out. His current mysterious and strong, Hóng family?
His voice grew quieter as he mulled over the thought. "But beasts don't care about human status. They don't bow to rank or lineage. Then why…?"
He turned back to Mò Xié, his voice low but filled with urgency. "Is it because of his status in the beast society?"
The fox's crimson eyes flickered, and after a moment's hesitation, he nodded firmly.
Huáng Láng's breath caught. "What kind of status?" he whispered. "Is he… a beast himself?"
Mò Xié shook his head sharply, the motion almost agitated.
"What, then?" Huáng Láng pressed. "What is he?"
But Mò Xié had reached his limit. Without another nod or shake, the fox turned and padded to his usual corner of the room, curling his tails around himself. His body language was clear: the conversation was over.
"Last question..." Huáng Láng pressed, his voice rising slightly. "If he and I are in danger at the same time, and you only can save one person, who you will save?"
Mò Xié's tail swished once, a signal that he was unwilling to divulge more than he already had.
Huáng Láng's breath caught. Adding the new revealation about his identity as the young master of Hóng family, the implications were staggering. He was the most precious master of human and beast.
Suddenly, Huáng Láng felt the weight of his own insignificance. He was a powerful figure in the present, but compared to the history and prestige of the Hóng family and the beast's true master, he was nothing more than a pawn in a much larger game.
Part 2: Connections and Ambitions
The events of the day continued to play in Huáng Láng's mind as he sat in his chamber. He remembered the commotion at the Xuě residence, where the Xuě family had been in a frenzy over their connection to Hóng Hǎiyáng. The realization that the boy was both the heir to the Hóng legacy and the Xuě family's most promising talent had sent shockwaves through the household.
The Xuě family now had a direct link to the Hóngs, a connection that could elevate them to unprecedented heights. But more than envy, there was a burning desire within him—a desire to align himself with this boy and the power he represented.
"I underestimated him," Huáng Láng admitted, sinking back into his chair. "But I won't make that mistake again."
The Hongs has beast merchant stores all over the human realm. The boy can talk to any beast. Huáng Láng couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
His thoughts drifted back to his own family. The Huáng family had once been a proud and powerful clan, but their betrayal of the Hóngs had left them tainted. His first uncle's actions had sown division within the family, and Huáng Láng had spent years trying to distance himself from the shadow of his uncle's treachery.
Now, with Hóng Hǎiyáng's emergence, there was an opportunity to reclaim the Huáng family's honor. If he could form an alliance with the boy, he could not only restore his family's reputation but also take revenge on those who had wronged him and his mother.
Huáng Láng's fists clenched as he thought of his first uncle. The man had poisoned his mother, stripped her of her cultivation, and exiled her from the royal court. Although his mother had risen above her circumstances, the scars of her betrayal remained.
"This boy," Huáng Láng murmured, his voice filled with resolve. "He could be the key to everything."
He glanced at Mò Xié, who had curled up in her usual corner. The fox's loyalty to Hóng Hǎiyáng was clear, and while it stung, Huáng Láng couldn't ignore the significance of it.
"I need to meet him and I also need to go home," Huáng Láng said aloud, as if convincing himself. "I need to understand who he truly is. I also need my mother' support. We have to restore our close relationship with the Hóng"
Part 3: A Decision Made
By the time dawn broke, Huáng Láng had made up his mind. He would visit Hóng Hǎiyáng personally. But this would not be a simple meeting. He needed to approach the boy with a combination of respect and strategy.
He summoned one of his attendants and instructed them to prepare a gift—a rare artifact from the Huáng family's collection. It was a token of goodwill, but also a symbol of the Huángs' recognition of Hóng Hǎiyáng's significance.
As the attendant left to fulfill his orders, Huáng Láng turned to Mò Xié. "You'll come with me," he said.
The fox opened one eye and regarded him with a look that bordered on disdain.
Huáng Láng chuckled dryly. "Don't give me that look. I know where your loyalty lies now. But you're still mine, Mò Xié. And if this boy is as extraordinary as you've made him seem, then we need to work together."
Mò Xié closed her eye again, her silence a grudging acceptance of his command.
As Huáng Láng prepared to leave, he couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting would mark the beginning of a new chapter—not just for Hóng Hǎiyáng, but for the Huáng family as well.
With one final glance at the fox, Huáng Láng stepped out of his chamber, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and determination.
----------------------------------------Chapter 10-----------------------------------