The leader, a tall and broad-shouldered man with sharp features weathered by years orous training, halted a short distance from Reon.

  His dark robes, embroidered with the distinsignia of the Inner Sect, fluttered lightly in the breeze, a silent reminder of the authority he carried.

  His pierg eyes swept over the strange se before him: the young Outer Sect disciple seated calmly on the ground, a silver-haired Mist Cloud Fox standing protectively by his side, and a small white cat peeking nervously from behind the fox.

  His gaze lingered on the beasts, his brows furrowing as if he were trying to solve a riddle. Finally, he straightened, his voice firm but tinged with suspi as it broke the silence.

  "You there," he called out, his tohat of someone aced to being obeyed. "Who are you, and what are you doing here iskirts of the Whispering Grove? This is no pce for Outer Sect disciples."

  Reon remained seated, his expression calm but his senses heightened. His haed lightly on the hilt of his sword, a subtle but deliberate motion. "Just a simple disciple passing through, Senior," he said evenly, his tone giving nothing away.

  The leader's eyes narrowed at the response, his suspi deepening. "A simple disciple?" he echoed, stepping forward. "Cooking a feast in the middle of a dangerous forest, with beasts like a Mist Cloud Fox standing guard? That doesn't sound so simple to me."

  The leader's sharp eyes flicked toward the small feline hiding behind Cloudia. "Enough games," he snapped, his voice rising. "Hand over that white cat—it belongs to us."

  At his words, the little cat flinched, letting out a soft whimper before dug further behind Cloudia.

  The Mist Cloud Fox growled low ihroat, her silver fur bristling as she stepped protectively in front of Reon and the cat. Her pierg gaze locked onto the group, a clear warning.

  Reon's gaze didn't waver. His mind worked quickly, assessing the group. Six of them. Inner Sect disciples, judging by their attire. Maybe on par with my strength or Strohan me. But their focus isn't o's otle white cat. Why?

  Reon g the cat, his expression softening for a brief moment before he returned his focus to the leader.

  His voice remained calm but carried an edge of steel. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Senior. That little one became my panio not long ago. Whatever cim you think you have on her, it's irrelevant now. She's mine now."

  The leader's eyes widened, his disbelief palpable. "Y-Y-Your panio?" he echoed, his voice ced with incredulity.

  His thoughts raced, struggling to recile what he had just heard. A Thunderous White Tiger, one of the Imperial Lineage Beasts, f a tract with this... nobody? Absurd!

  He had read about such creatures—beasts of the White Tiger from Howling Wilds ti, their bloodline as rare as it was noble.

  Beasts of Imperial Lineage were notorious for their pride and arrogance, bowing to no one except their kin or a figure of unmatched power.

  And this one wasn't just any Imperial Lineage Beast of White Tiger ; it was a Legendary Lineage creature, a direct desdant of the 's Supreme Ruler, bearing the sacred bloodline of the Divi—the Heavenly Thunder Sn White Tiger.

  They are akin to the princes or princesses of an empire, their status unparalleled. It is inceivable for such a proud and noble creature to form a tract with a mere human.

  F a tract with a beast signifies absolute submission to its master, binding it for life. A beast only have one master and ever act against them, uhe master is killed and the tract forcibly nullified.

  Such beasts would never willingly submit, as they are destio bee future Supreme Rulers. His pn was to turn it into a Sve Beast, f it into submission with a Sve Colr for Young Master Niu. That way, it wouldn't be able to rebel until it reached a certain level of strength.

  From the looks of it, this creature was saved by that person. But even so, that alone wouldn't justify it f a tract with him in such a short time.

  For a beast like that to form a tract with an Outer Sect disciple? Impossible! He must be lying. Even a Sect Master would struggle to aplish such a feat!

  "You're lying," the leader snarled, his voice rising with frustration. "There's no way a beast like that would bond with someone like you! Stop wasting my time and hand it over. If you really did form a tract, then I'll just kill you to break it."

  The other disciples stirred uneasily at the leader's words, but their ambition overpowered aation.

  They khe stakes. Killio break the tract wasn't just an option—it was their best the white tiger for themselves and the glory it promised.

  One of the disciples, a wiry young man with sharp features, stepped closer to the leader and whispered into his ear. "Big Brother, I think I've seen this guy somewhere before. Not in person, but in some pce. He looks familiar."