I want to tread the heavens

Seven years have passed, and that skinny, limping gray puppy has grown into... well, quite handsome (in my opinion) big dog.

It is nearly four feet long, reaching its waist at the shoulder, with glossy gray fur that shimmers with a faint silver sheen in the sunlight. Its limbs are long and powerful, allowing it to run as fast as the wind. Its amber eyes are bright and cunning, revealing a cleverness unlike that of ordinary dogs.

Of course, "divine and handsome" alone is not enough to describe Fa Cai's "illustrious reputation" in the Guo family's outer courtyard.

Firstly, he was a womanizer and his infatuation remained unchanged.

Whether it was a side effect of awakening its bloodline or simply its nature, Fa Cai's pursuit of "beauty" reached an outrageous level. Its aesthetic range was extremely wide, from young and beautiful female disciples to charming female stewards, and even occasionally passing by elegantly dressed female visitors, all of which could make its eyes glaze over and its tail wag like a propeller.

Peeping on bathers is its traditional skill, and its technique has become increasingly refined. It can cleverly use terrain, wind direction, and even gaps in patrols to succeed repeatedly. Stealing intimate clothing is also its "hobby." Its collection has expanded from the initial servants' quarters in the inner courtyard to the residences of some of the female disciples in the inner courtyard. It is categorized by material, color, and the beauty of its owner, and is hidden in as many as seven secret locations in the back mountain, making it a veritable "Encyclopedia of Guo Family Beauties' Clothing".

Of course, as the saying goes, "He who walks by the river will eventually get his claws wet." The number of times it was caught red-handed steadily increased as its skills "improved." Each time it was caught, it could instantly switch modes, transforming from a lecherous pervert into a pure-eyed, innocent-looking "silly dog," its acting skills completely natural. And each time, the blame would always fall on its "long-term meal ticket" and "best frenemy"—Ling Xiao—in some bizarre way.

Secondly, he was extremely gluttonous, even stealing feathers from passing geese.

Its stomach seemed to be connected to another dimension, forever in a state of "half-fullness." The kitchen was its sacred place, and the maids who delivered its meals were its angels. It could accurately remember the schedule of every cook and the cooking time of every good dish, using all sorts of tricks—coaxing, rolling around, feigning pitifulness, even helping in the kitchen (actually supervising and stealing food)—to freeload. Its "food chain" was extremely wide, ranging from proper meals to alchemy waste, from tribute spirit fruits to feed from the neighboring spirit beast garden... In Ling Xiao's words, "The recipes for getting rich are like a biodiversity survey report of the old land."

Thirdly, a master of home destruction and a master of shifting blame.

When its claws itch, it gnaws on the doorstep; when bored, it tears the bedsheets; when excited, it chases chickens and ducks all over the yard. Nearly 30% of the "abnormal wear and tear" in the Guo family's outer courtyard can be traced back to its dashing figure. And whenever something goes wrong, it always manages to find the perfect "suspect" immediately—usually Ling Xiao, who is practicing martial arts, reading, or simply sleeping nearby. Through a series of actions such as "carrying the stolen goods and placing them at Ling Xiao's feet," "pushing Ling Xiao towards the crime scene with its paws," and "barking wildly at Ling Xiao in front of the steward and then bowing its head in apology," it perfectly shifts the blame.

From initially being speechless and furious, to later resigned to his fate and skillfully handling the aftermath, Ling Xiao has now even been able to predict the time, place, and target of his get-rich-quick schemes, preparing "alibs" or "counter-scapegoating plans" in advance. In this daily "battle of wits," the man and the wolf have cultivated a strange and unsettling understanding and "deep" bond that is difficult for outsiders to comprehend.

To paraphrase a female disciple from the outer academy who suffered greatly at his hands: "That kid Ling Xiao is getting more and more presentable, but the lecherous man by his side is truly...like master, like pet!" (Ling Xiao: ??? I'm innocent!)

Regarding Fa Cai's "special skills," Yue Rong initially frowned, then stopped caring, and now, occasionally sees Fa Cai being chased for three blocks by a group of female disciples with brooms while holding a brightly colored piece of fabric in his mouth. When Ling Xiao sighs and rubs his forehead, his lips twitch almost imperceptibly, and a faint, almost helpless smile flashes in his eyes.

He knew that getting rich was no ordinary feat. The ancient pressure that occasionally emanated unconsciously under the moonlight, the strange sound waves that could harm the Blood Soul Vulture, and its increasingly astonishing intelligence all pointed to a startling fact. But at least for now, its "silly" behavior was the best camouflage for it and Ling Xiao.

Time passed swiftly amidst Ling Xiao's silent growth, Fa Cai's chaotic life, Yue Rong's patient planning, and the seemingly calm yet turbulent undercurrents within the Guo family.

In the blink of an eye, Ling Xiao turned fourteen.

Spring comes late to the old land, and the cold wind still blows. But an unusual atmosphere of warmth and tension permeates the Guo family.

The once-in-a-decade "Family Grand Competition" will be held in a month.

The notices, their ink still wet, were posted on bulletin boards throughout the outer courtyard: "All members of the Guo family under the age of twenty, regardless of whether they are from the inner or outer courtyard, must participate. The competition will be held in the arena, and the search for secret realms will be a grand prize… The top-ranked member will be admitted to the 'Family Secret Pavilion,' choose one cultivation technique of their choice, receive one thousand spirit stones, and be awarded one Foundation Establishment Pill!"

Foundation Establishment Pill! Choose any cultivation technique! 1000 spirit stones!

Every reward is enough to make the resource-poor disciples of the outer courtyard green with envy, not to mention the qualification to enter the "Family Secret Pavilion" - that is the foundation of the Guo family for hundreds of years, said to contain profound cultivation techniques brought back from the outside world by their ancestors, an opportunity that countless people dream of!

The entire outer courtyard was abuzz with excitement. The training grounds were packed from morning till night, filled with shouts and the clanging of weapons. Everyone was giving it their all, hoping to stand out in this grand competition and change their destiny.

Ling Xiao's courtyard, however, seemed to be isolated from this hustle and bustle.

In the courtyard, a tall, upright young man, dressed in a faded blue short-sleeved shirt, was practicing a set of boxing techniques. His movements were slow, but each one was steady and powerful, his footwork possessing a certain slippery rhythm—a manifestation of the "Swimming Fish Step" incorporated into his boxing style. Seven years of arduous study of the *Starry Sky Induction Manual* had slowed his progress due to the thin spiritual energy and scarce resources of the old land, leaving him still hovering at the third level of Qi Refining. However, the solidity of his foundation and the purity of his spiritual power far surpassed that of ordinary outer courtyard disciples.

More importantly, under Yue Rong's strict guidance and countless "real combat drills" (being ambushed by Fa Cai, being whipped by Yue Rong with tree branches, escaping pursuit in complex terrain, etc.), his combat awareness, adaptability, and ruthlessness in critical moments have far surpassed his peers.

After finishing his punch, Ling Xiao stopped, a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, his breathing long and deep. He walked to the well and drew water to wash himself. The icy well water splashed on his face, bringing a refreshing sting.

"Have you decided?" Yue Rong's voice came from under the eaves. He sat on an old bamboo chair, holding the broken knife that was already rusted and worn but which he had never thrown away, and slowly wiping it. Under the sleeve of his left arm, a hideous scar was faintly visible.

"Hmm." Ling Xiao wiped his face with a cloth, a sharp glint in his eyes. "This is an opportunity. Entering the secret pavilion might provide clues to leaving the old land, or... it might help you find a way to completely eradicate the demonic poison." More importantly, he wanted to see if the Guo family's secret pavilion contained any information about "Zi Qiong" or the Starfall Clan. He kept this thought buried deep in his heart and never mentioned it to Uncle Rong.

Yue Rong remained silent for a moment, offering no objection. He knew that fledglings must eventually leave the nest, and Ling Xiao needed a wider world to explore. This competition was the closest springboard before them. Dangers were inevitable, but rather than remaining entrenched in their old territory, waiting for attacks from the demons or Guo Dahai's remnants, it was better to take the initiative and fight within a controllable scope.

"Guo Dahai won't let you get away with this easily," Yue Rong warned.

"I know." Ling Xiao's lips curled into a cold smile. "His precious nephew, Guo Xiaoyue, broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining last year, right? He's definitely aiming for the inner courtyard disciple spots in this competition. I've heard that they'll probably tamper with the group assignments this time, putting me and his cronies in the 'group of death'."

"Are you confident?"

"If we can't beat them, can't we at least outrun them?" Ling Xiao raised an eyebrow, patting Fa Cai, who was lying next to him yawning. "Besides, we still have this one, don't we?"

Fa Cai's ears perked up. Upon hearing his name mentioned, he immediately sat up, chest puffed out, head held high, tail wagging wildly, exuding an aura of "I'm a wolf, one against two." However, the suspicious water stains at the corners of his mouth and his shifty eyes that kept glancing in a certain direction outside the courtyard (towards the female disciples' bathhouse) made one question his reliability.

Yue Rong looked at the man and the wolf, and finally just nodded: "Just keep it in mind. Go ahead and do it, even if the sky falls..." He paused, not finishing his sentence, but his eyes said it all.

Ling Xiao felt a warmth in his heart and nodded emphatically.

Just then—

"Ling Xiao! Ling Xiao! Something terrible has happened!"

The courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open, and Guo Xiaohu rushed in, panting, his round face full of panic. Seven years had passed; he had grown taller, but remained round-faced, and his personality hadn't changed much, except that he felt a bit more genuinely close to Ling Xiao, his "accompanying student" and "scapegoat."

"What's wrong? Tell me slowly." Ling Xiao frowned.

"It's...it's Fa Cai! It...it's caused a huge disaster this time!" Guo Xiaohu pointed at Fa Cai, his fingers trembling. "It...it stole the 'Flowing Clouds and Gold Embroidered Skirt' that Miss Su just brought today, which she was going to wear to the ceremony! Now the nanny Su brought is crying to Grandmother, and that old bastard Guo Dahai is coming this way with his men! They say they're going to search your courtyard and punish you!"

Ling Xiao: "..."

Yue Rong stopped wiping the knife.

Fa Cai: "...Huh?" (Tilting head, blinking innocently.jpg)

Ling Xiao slowly turned his head to look at the gray wolf beside him, which had instantly switched to a "well-behaved, sitting posture with clear eyes," and then looked up at the sky.

There is still one month until the competition.

These days, there's never a moment of peace.

He took a deep breath, rubbed his throbbing temples, and gave Guo Xiaohu a helpless smile that said, "I'm used to it."

"Let's go take a look. And while we're at it..." He glanced at Fa Cai, gritted his teeth, and said, "Bring this 'culprit' along too. This time, we'll make it taste the bitterness of being a scapegoat."

Fa Cai's ears drooped, and he made a mournful "woo-woo" sound in his throat, trying to rub his head against Ling Xiao's leg to act cute.

Ling Xiao expressionlessly brushed its head aside and walked out of the courtyard first.

The chaotic daily routine has begun once again.

Meanwhile, the turmoil of the old land quietly gathered within this seemingly ordinary farce.