Atop a colossal Immortal Tree, a golden orb of light hovered in the air, radiating brilliance like a miniature sun. It pulsed with powerful energy fluctuations, rippling through the surrounding sky.
Six formidable beings stood at the edge of a wide branch, each one radiating immense pressure, their expressions twisted with fury.
They came from different races, each the undisputed ruler of their respective domains.
"Damn it!"
"I can't believe that after all our planning, we were outsmarted by a damned White-haired Mouse!"
The Feather Race leader ground his teeth, rage flashing in his eyes.
"It's because the fruit ripened too suddenly—we had no time to react!"
The Scale Race leader snarled, his eyes the size of lanterns, burning with resentment.
"There's nothing we can do now. That thing is in the middle of devouring the Grand Luo Immortal Fruit. The Immortal Tree has already started recognizing it as the chosen host. If we act now, we'll incur the wrath of the tree itself."
"Tch, looks like we'll have to wait until it finishes absorbing the fruit. Then we can capture it together and use our secret techniques to refine it. Split the enhanced blood and flesh into six parts—that way, it's fair and square."
"Hmph! That greedy little beast is going to pay for stealing what was ours!"
These six were the most powerful Unity Stage cultivators within the Luotian Secret Realm. Each hailed from an ancient race that had ruled its territory for generations.
They had originally agreed to share the Grand Luo Immortal Fruit, a treasure born of the sacred tree, but when they arrived… they found the fruit had already been devoured—by a White-haired Mouse that had appeared out of nowhere!
Now, the precious fruit was gone.
Consumed.
By a rat.
The leaders were livid, barely restraining the urge to rip the mouse apart on the spot.
"What about the intruders?"
The leader of the Stone Race asked coldly, his body resembling obsidian rock.
"We don't yet know their strength," said the Beast Race leader, snorting twin streams of white mist from his nostrils. In one hand, he hefted a mace made of wolf fangs—at least a fifth-grade Spirit Tool. "But if the six of us unite, they won't leave this place alive."
The races here detested outsiders who entered their secret realm to plunder its treasures. This wasn't just about the mouse anymore—these invaders had to be dealt with as well.
"Look! Something's happening!"
Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…
The golden orb of light started to contract, its radiant glow dimming. Gradually, a small, snow-white figure was revealed.
A one-and-a-half-meter-tall White-haired Mouse sat cross-legged like a person, eyes like rubies gleaming with satisfaction.
It looked absurdly smug.
"Go! Catch it!!"
The six leaders surged forward in unison, fury erupting.
"SQUEEE!!"
Sensing their killing intent, the mouse jolted in panic, eyes bulging. With a sudden roll, it tore open space and fled without a second thought.
"You filthy rodent, don't think you can escape!"
The Feather Race leader shot forward, his body covered in blade-like feathers, each one razor-sharp and gleaming with killing intent.
The six leaders formed a net of power in the sky, determined to trap the mouse.
Luckily, after consuming the Grand Luo Immortal Fruit, the White-haired Mouse's cultivation had jumped from Foundation Establishment all the way to early Transformation Stage. The strength it now displayed far surpassed normal standards at that level.
Time and again, the mouse narrowly escaped death, leaving the six enraged leaders fuming.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Squeak!! Squeak squeak!!"
The White-haired Mouse darted madly through the air, blood staining its snow-white fur. A vicious wound gaped across its abdomen, golden blood spilling and splattering as it fled.
"Chase it down! It's wounded—it can't run for long!"
The six leaders roared.
As the chase continued, the mouse's aura began to weaken. Blood loss and exhaustion took their toll, but it kept fleeing with all its might.
"Stop running and accept your fate!"
"You dared to steal the Immortal Fruit? Then you'll be eaten alive!"
"Let's soak it in honey syrup first—make it extra sweet!"
"You do that. I'm roasting it with spirit fire! Heh!"
Horrified by the threats echoing behind it, the mouse's hair stood on end. Its little heart pounded wildly.
"Nooo! The mouse doesn't want to be eaten! The mouse wants to live!!"
It wailed inside its mind.
"This ends now!"
The Stone Race leader growled, extending a massive rocky palm, unleashing a powerful force to trap the mouse.
BOOM!
The mouse barely dodged, its small face twisted with fury. "You horrible rock freak! You're the worst!"
The other leaders sneered and unleashed their own attacks, trying to corner it.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The earth trembled. The sky roared.
Against the combined might of six peak Unity Stage cultivators, the mouse's survival thus far was nothing short of miraculous.
But that luck ran out.
BANG!
A devastating blow struck it like a thunderclap, sending the mouse flying like a ragdoll. It crashed into a towering tree trunk and slumped, blood dripping from its mouth.
"Run, huh? Why aren't you running now?" the Feather Race leader mocked.
"A filthy rat like you dares covet the Grand Luo Immortal Fruit? Do you even know how rare that fruit is? You're not even worthy to touch it!" the Scale Race leader sneered.
According to ancient legends of the Luotian Secret Realm, the Grand Luo Immortal Tree would one day bear a single fruit. Whoever consumed it would gain the Grand Luo Body—the strongest physique among all Immortal constitutions in the Kunlun Realm!
For countless generations, the races had waited for this moment.
Now that it had arrived, they were ready to divide it among themselves and raise their cultivation to new heights.
But then… a rat showed up first.
"There was no name written on the fruit!" the mouse snapped tearfully. "Why can't the mouse eat it? The mouse is innocent!"
"You're about to die and still have the nerve to talk back?"
"I'll skin you alive and make you wish you were never born!"
The Stone Race leader raised his massive hand again, its surface glowing with crushing energy.
Faced with the oncoming death, the mouse's fur stood on end. It was completely frozen, overwhelmed by despair.
"What do I do…? I'm really going to die…"
It hadn't meant any harm. It had just seen the ripe fruit glowing on the tree, couldn't resist temptation, and gobbled it up.
How was it supposed to know it would spark a life-or-death crisis with six terrifying race leaders?
BOOM!!!
Suddenly, a new wave of terrifying power swept through the area.
"Who?!"
The Stone Race leader instinctively withdrew his hand, face stiffening in shock.
The others quickly assumed combat stances, their eyes narrowing.
Out of the sky descended a young man dressed in black robes. His long silver hair cascaded like moonlight, and he floated casually in mid-air with his hands behind his back.
"Zongzi, that energy fluctuation you mentioned—was it coming from the mouse?"
Ye Junlin raised an eyebrow, his tone curious.
[Ding! Yes! That mouse has fully absorbed the Grand Luo Immortal Fruit and successfully awakened the Grand Luo Body. It possesses immense potential for cultivation!]
[Ding! New mission: Take the White-haired Mouse as a disciple. Upon success, you will receive a generous reward!]
The system's voice rang in his mind.
Ye Junlin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Grand Luo Body, huh? That's quite something."
Since taking Hong Qianye as a disciple, he'd been free of chores and menial tasks, living quite comfortably. Still, something felt missing.
After a moment's thought, Ye Junlin nodded to himself.
He needed a pet.
This mouse… would do nicely.
"Careful. This one's an outsider," warned the Feather Race leader, eyes narrowed.
"Are you here to steal the Grand Luo Body too?" the Scale Race leader snapped.
Ye Junlin gave them a casual glance and spoke coolly. "That mouse is mine. You all can leave."
"…What?!"
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
The six leaders roared, veins bulging with rage.
In their eyes, this arrogant outsider was utterly insane. He dared to show up, talk down to them, and claim the prize as his own?
If he were a Great Ascension powerhouse, maybe they'd show caution.
But he was clearly at the Unity Stage like them. What gave him the right?
"…Is this another bad guy here to eat the mouse…?"
The White-haired Mouse trembled, completely helpless.
Its fate seemed sealed once again.
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