I want to tread the heavens

Dark. Damp. The lingering smell of earth.

This is Ling Xiao's entire world over the past three days in the dry well fork.

Fa Cai remained asleep, its body rising and falling gently with slow, long breaths. The silver sheen on its body had completely subsided, and its fur had returned to its usual gray. However, upon closer inspection, one could occasionally see a faint, moonlit glow flicker at the tips of its fur in the complete darkness. Its size remained unchanged; it lay quietly curled up on the hay that Ling Xiao had laid out, like a large, exhausted dog.

But Ling Xiao knew that everything was different now.

This slumber was not peaceful. Every few hours, Fa Cai's body would twitch slightly and irregularly, emitting muffled, dreamlike whimpers from its throat. What alarmed Ling Xiao even more was that occasionally, without warning, a wisp of breath would leak from its body.

The aura was extremely faint, fleeting, yet it carried an indescribable antiquity and vastness, as if it came from a distant, primordial starry night. Whenever this happened, the few insects and ants already scattered in the side passage would fall into an instant of silence, even the air seemed to freeze for a moment. The jade pendant around Ling Xiao's neck would also warm slightly, spontaneously emanating a gentle, protective power to calm his mind.

He dared not leave for even a moment.

His food and drink consisted of hard, rock-solid coarse grain cakes and a small leather bag of water, which he had hidden there beforehand. When he was extremely tired, he would hug his knees, lean against the cave wall, and doze off for a while. He would be immediately awakened by the slightest sound of wind or the slightest change in Fa Cai's aura. After three days, his eyes were sunken, his lips were chapped, and his body was covered in mud. Only his eyes, in the darkness, still shone brightly, always fixed on Fa Cai.

"It's alright, Fa Cai..." He would repeat in a low voice every now and then, it was unclear whether he was speaking to Fa Cai or to himself, "You'll wake up soon, you'll wake up soon... Once you wake up, we'll go upstairs, Uncle Rong will definitely have a way..."

He carefully wiped Fa Cai's dry nose with a damp cloth. Touching it, he felt his heart sink a little more as it was still slightly warmer than usual.

On the evening of the third day, just as Ling Xiao was on the verge of hallucination due to extreme tension, a very faint but rhythmic knocking sound came from outside the side road.

Three long notes, two short notes, a pause, then three more short notes.

It's Uncle Rong! This is their agreed-upon emergency communication code!

Ling Xiao's spirits lifted, and he quickly climbed to the fork in the road, which was partially covered by rubble, and responded in the same rhythm.

A moment later, the rubble blocking the door was carefully moved aside, and a lithe figure glided in, bringing in a cool night breeze. It was Yue Rong. He carried a small bundle in his hand, his face expressionless, but his gaze instantly turned extremely solemn when it swept over Ling Xiao's haggard face and the sleeping Fa Cai.

"Uncle Rong!" Ling Xiao lowered his voice, his voice hoarse with a hint of relief.

"Don't speak." Yue Rong raised his hand to stop him, first handing him the bundle, which contained clean water, soft food, and medicine. Then, he squatted down next to Fa Cai, not touching him immediately, but closing his eyes, extending his right hand, hovering it an inch above Fa Cai's body, and slowly moving it, as if sensing something.

His brows furrowed more and more, and his face grew increasingly somber.

After a long while, he withdrew his hand, opened his eyes, looked at Ling Xiao, and said in a very low voice, but each word was as firm as iron: "Tell me the truth, what exactly happened that night? Don't leave out any details."

Ling Xiao quickly and clearly recounted what he had seen under the moonlight—the silvery glow, the swelling, the wolf howls, the oppressive aura, the spirit beast's rampage, how he dragged it down the well and hid it, and how its aura had fluctuated over the past three days.

After listening, Yue Rong remained silent for a long time. The darkness beneath the dry well seemed to grow even heavier because of his solemn expression.

"Uncle Rong, what happened to Fa Cai?" Ling Xiao's heart was in his throat.

"...Awakening of ancestral instincts." Yue Rong slowly uttered four words, each word carrying immense weight.

"Atavism?"

"It's the powerful bloodline of its ancient ancestors that's been dormant within it, triggered by some condition (most likely the unusual moonlight that night), that's awakened." Yue Rong's gaze fell on Fa Cai, carrying a rare mix of emotions—surprise, realization, and deep worry. "I should have realized it sooner... Ordinary gray-maned wolves don't possess such intelligence, how could they so easily harm a Blood Soul Vulture of the Demon Clan? It's not a gray-maned wolf at all, at least... not entirely."

"Ancient ancestors? What are they?" Ling Xiao pressed.

"I don't know." Yue Rong shook his head, rubbing his temples as if trying to resist the slight stinging from the fragments of memory. "I can't recall the specific name or form. But a wolf-shaped divine beast that can resonate with the moonlight and whose howl carries a hint of ancient pressure... in the ancient records of the Starfall Clan, it is considered a high-ranking beast. 'Howling Moon,' 'Silver Radiance,' 'Sky Wolf'... these fragments occasionally flash through my mind. But that's not important."

He suddenly turned to Ling Xiao, his gaze sharp as a knife: "The important thing is, Xiao'er, do you know what 'atavism' means for a cub?"

Ling Xiao felt a chill run down his spine from his serious gaze and shook his head.

"It means a slim chance of survival." Yue Rong's voice was cold and cruel. "First, how violent is the power of bloodline? How can this small body and fragile mind bear and control the power of its ancient ancestors? One careless move, and the power will go out of control, erupting from within, resulting in the body exploding and leaving no trace of its remains!"

Ling Xiao's face turned pale, and he subconsciously gripped the fortune-making paw tightly.

"Secondly," Yue Rong continued, his tone even more somber, "even if it miraculously survives the awakening and gains initial control of its power, do you think it's safe? No! On the contrary, an even greater danger has just begun!"

"What danger?"

"Possessing a treasure is a crime." Yue Rong stared at Fa Cai as if he were looking at a rare treasure, but also as if he were looking at a huge source of disaster. "What does a cub bearing the bloodline of an ancient divine beast mean to cultivators? It means a top-tier spirit pet or mount! It means that its bloodline can be extracted for alchemy and weapon crafting, creating treasures that would drive even powerful beings mad! It means that it can be forcibly contracted to become the most loyal henchman!"

He turned and stared intently into Ling Xiao's eyes: "Once its anomalies are discovered and the news leaks out, not only the Guo family, but the entire Old Land will become its prison and slaughterhouse! At that time, those who swarm in will not only be people like Guo Dahai, but also those truly high-level cultivators from outside the Old Land whom we cannot even imagine, and even... some ancient sects and families! They will pounce on it like sharks smelling blood, without regard for anything else! They will drain its blood, refine its soul, peel its skin, and dismantle its bones! Until they squeeze out every last bit of value from it!"

Every word struck Ling Xiao's heart like a hammer blow. He seemed to see that terrifying scene: countless eyes gleaming with greed, closing in from all directions, locking Fa Cai in a cold magic circle, with knives and axes at his feet... and he and Uncle Rong might not even be able to get close.

No! Absolutely not!

A chilling fear instantly swept over his body, only to be burned to ashes by an even more intense rage and determination!

"I won't let that happen!" Ling Xiao suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse from excitement and three days without proper rest, yet carrying a resolute force. "Anyone who wants to get rich will have to step over my dead body!"

He held Facai tightly, as if he could protect it under his wings.

"Uncle Rong, what should we do now? How can we help it awaken smoothly? How can we hide it properly?" he asked urgently. At this moment, all fatigue and fear were thrown to the back of his mind, leaving only one thought—to protect it.

Looking at the unwavering resolve in his eyes, Yue Rong felt both relief and a deeper sense of heaviness. He knew that from this moment on, Ling Xiao would have to shoulder not only his own past and hatred, but also the shocking secret of this little wolf cub and the endless dangers that followed.

"Right now, let's wait for it to wake up on its own." Yue Rong's tone softened. "Awakening mainly depends on its own will and bloodline origin. There's only so much we can do. You did the right thing, hiding it here and isolating it from the aura is the best option right now. I brought some 'Tranquilizing Powder' among the wound medicines. Although it's crude, it's better than nothing. Once it's a little calmer, we can try feeding it some to help it settle down."

"As for the future..." Yue Rong pondered, "First, we must strictly control it and never let it act like that night, arousing its bloodline uncontrollably again, especially not in front of people! Second, we must teach it to hide and control its aura as soon as possible, and even... disguise itself as an ordinary wild beast when necessary. Third, we need to learn more about the characteristics, weaknesses, and growth requirements of its bloodline in order to better help it and guard against it."

"But where can we find this information? Where are these records in the old land?" Ling Xiao asked anxiously.

"Just because it's not available in the old town doesn't mean it's not available elsewhere." A glint of shrewdness flashed in Yue Rong's eyes. "The Guo family's secret pavilion might have some scraps, but the chances are slim. Perhaps... we could try our luck in the black market. It's a melting pot of all sorts of people, and occasionally you might find some tattered books or news from the outside world, the authenticity of which is hard to verify. However, it's a mixed bag there, and the danger is no less than getting caught trying to make money."

"I'll go!" Ling Xiao said without hesitation.

"We'll see how things go after Fa Cai wakes up." Yue Rong didn't agree immediately. "Now, come upstairs with me, get something to eat, treat your burns and bruises, and get a good night's sleep. I'll stay here and watch over things."

"No, Uncle Rong, I want to stay here and protect it." Ling Xiao refused to move. "I'm not tired."

"Nonsense!" Yue Rong's tone turned stern. "Look at yourself, you look like a ghost! Fa Cai hasn't even woken up yet, and you've already collapsed. Who's going to take care of it? Listen to me, go upstairs and rest for two hours. I'll take over. That's an order!"

Ling Xiao wanted to argue, but faced with Uncle Rong's unwavering gaze, he ultimately gave in. He was indeed nearing his limit, his head spinning repeatedly.

"Then... Uncle Rong, be careful, it might suddenly..."

"I know, go on up."

Ling Xiao then climbed out of the dry well, glancing back every few steps. The long-awaited fresh air and moonlight made him feel slightly disoriented. The courtyard was quiet; Uncle Rong had clearly cleaned up the mess. He ate something haphazardly, treated his burns (fortunately, they weren't serious), and practically collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.

However, even in his sleep, his brows remained furrowed, and his fingers unconsciously gripped the corner of the blanket, as if he were still holding onto something and refusing to let go.

At the bottom of the dry well, Yue Rong replaced Ling Xiao and sat quietly beside Fa Cai. He no longer closed his eyes to sense things, but silently watched the sleeping little beast that had already stirred up a storm, and recalled Ling Xiao's crimson eyes, which were fiercely protective.

After a long while, he sighed almost inaudibly.

"The bloodline of a divine beast... is both an opportunity and a calamity. Xiao'er, this path is destined to be anything but smooth."

"However, since it was your choice..."

He slowly gripped the broken knife on his knee. The rusted blade, in the absolute darkness, seemed to have lost all its light, becoming as calm and hard as the rocks in the well.

"Uncle Rong, I'll stay with you until the very end."