Chu Hao burst into laughter and said, "Since you're so eager to crawl like a dog, I'll just have to oblige you! Strange how some people have such tastes!"
"Chu Hao!" Ma Long was so angry he was fuming from all orifices. How could this kid be so venomous with his words?
Feigning surprise, Chu Hao said, "Didn't you want to start the beast fight? Then what's with all the blabbering? Get down to the arena already!"
Ma Long wanted to lash out in anger, but then it hit him. Chu Hao was telling him to get down to the arena quickly, wasn't that likening him to the White-footed Wolf, treating him like an animal? Damn it, this infuriating guy!
"Chu Hao, I hope you can still laugh after this!" he growled menacingly, suppressing his rage.
Once Chu Hao loses, he'll have to crawl around the arena, and that'll relieve all of Ma Long's pent-up anger!
The Beast Fighting Arena didn't open a betting pool for this fight because the outcome was painfully obvious: the Little Leopard would definitely be instantly killed by the White-footed Wolf. Why bother with a bet where you're sure to lose?
As a result, both parties had to pay the Beast Fighting Arena a fee for using the venue.
Chu Hao couldn't help but feel regretful because he couldn't facilitate an underground betting ring; otherwise, he would have made a killing!
"Flying Fire, don't hold back. Bite that white-eyed wolf to death!" Chu Hao said to the Little Leopard, yet his gaze shifted between Ma Long, Liu Yang, and Lin Yuqi.
Despite their dark dispositions, Lin Yuqi and Liu Yang couldn't help their expressions changing upon hearing his words. This indirect insult was too obvious; they were not clay figurines who could endure being insulted without feeling anything.
Ma Long, even more so, wished he could pin Chu Hao down and beat him up right then and there.
"Humph, you'll be crying soon!" Each of them thought the same thing.
The arena allocated for them by the Beast Fighting Arena was pathetically small, likely because they expected the fight to be over in one round. It was barely the size of two or three tables put together.
Indeed, one pounce and they'd be right in each other's faces.
Chu Hao released Flying Fire into the arena. The little one clung to him like a parent, nibbling on the hem of his pants as he tried to leave. But as it didn't have any teeth yet, how could it possibly take a firm bite?
To others, this clearly looked like a sign of fear of battle!
After all, who wouldn't be scared facing a White-footed Wolf that could swallow it in one bite?
"Just don't kill it!" Ma Long instructed the White-footed Wolf. The Beast Pet was something Lin Yuqi wanted, and since Ma Long was completely submissive to her, he had to fulfill every single one of her requests.
The White-footed Wolf looked at Flying Fire with some hesitation. Wild beasts have an innate alertness to powerful creatures, but what its eyes saw contradicted that instinct, telling it that it was merely a cub with no potential threat.
This conflicting intuition left it perplexed, uncertain of which to trust.
Flying Fire, with its high intelligence, quickly locked its gaze on the White-footed Wolf. Defeating this opponent was the only way it could return to Chu Hao's side.
Then it's time to take it down!
Born a natural predator, even fresh from birth, it possessed a fierce aura. The Little Leopard watched the White-footed Wolf with an imposing glare in its eyes, emitting an intimidating pressure of being born to reign as king.
The White-footed Wolf instantly shivered and involuntarily tucked its tail between its legs. Its instinct was screaming to get as far away from this little creature as possible, or it would be in grave danger!
The crowd marveled at this scene.
"The Fire Cloud Leopard truly belongs to the Middle Mahayana realm of ferocious beasts; even as a cub, it holds such a commanding presence, scaring the White-footed Wolf like that!"
"Inherent ferocity!"
"But this White-footed Wolf is too spineless, getting scared off by a cub!"
"Exactly, no matter how fierce, it's still just a cub; how can it be so afraid?"
As everyone chattered, Chi Dao pondered thoughtfully to himself, "Although powerful beasts naturally possess intimidation, the Fire Cloud Leopard is not a High Tier ferocious beast. How can it scare a grown animal? Could it be... this Little Leopard has undergone a bloodline regression!"
"Fire Cloud Beasts hail from the lineage of the Fire Cloud Beast, and if we're talking about a pure-blooded Fire Cloud Beast... that's a creature capable of rivaling the War God!"
"The likelihood may be slim, but since I've witnessed it, the Little Leopard will be mine! If it really is a throwback to the lineage, even having one ten-thousandth of a Fire Cloud Beast's bloodline would be worth it!"
He didn't consider the possibility of Chu Hao refusing at all, because no one had ever dared to reject his requests.
Ma Long's face was losing face; to be intimidated by a mere cub was a laughingstock! He bellowed forcefully, "Stupid dog, get on with it! Or I'll slaughter you and eat you!"
The White-footed Wolf, spurred by his command, took a few tentative steps forward. It growled softly to boost its own confidence.
"Argh—" The Little Leopard also let out a roar, but its voice was tender and crisp, more like a kitten mewing than a roar, inciting laughter from many who found the little creature irresistibly adorable.
The White-footed Wolf's confidence swelled, as no matter how it looked at it, the Little Leopard appeared utterly harmless.
Swoosh!
It lunged to kill, its right paw aimed straight at the Little Leopard's head.
With this blow, the battle should come to an end, right?
Everyone thought this was the case.
Flying Fire also swiped out with a paw, one that was hardly thicker than a human finger, appearing so delicate that it tugged at the heartstrings.
Many girls had already closed their eyes, unwilling to watch the cruel scene that was about to unfold!
Slap!
A shadow flashed, blood splattered, and there was a chorus of wails!
But to everyone's surprise, it wasn't Flying Fire that was flung away, but the White-footed Wolf! The wolf's face bore a deep gash oozing with blood, looking utterly wretched.
This!
Everyone's mouths were agape, completely unable to believe or accept what had just happened!
A cute little thing actually possessed such immense strength?
How old was this little fellow?
With such brute force at such a young age, what about when it grows up? Middle Mahayana realm? Don't joke, born only days ago and already possessing the strength of a thousand catties, could its future be limited to the Middle Mahayana realm?
Hiss!
That is to say, Chu Hao now owned a Beast Pet that would inevitably reach the Great Mahayana realm or even step into the Vajra Realm in the future!
What incredible luck!
People looked back and forth between Flying Fire and Chu Hao, their faces filled with envy. The Great Mahayana realm, how awesome was that! The entire Eastern Cloud City had only 15 Vajra Realm Martial Artists!
Flying Fire launched its attack; it had yet to grow teeth and didn't have the desire to eat meat, so it merely waved its tiny paws about, batting at the White-footed Wolf as if it were cuddling. Yet the power was absolutely tyrannical, each slap sending the wolf spinning through the air like a straw puppet.
After a flurry of swats, the little guy lost interest and stopped, yawning, its feet going soft.
It was sleepy time again!
"Woo—Woo—" As if granted a huge reprieve, the White-footed Wolf quickly turned tail and fled. The arena was surrounded by wooden walls nearly two meters high, but as the old saying goes, a cornered dog will leap over a wall, and the wolf in its panic was no different, leaping straight over the barrier.
"You useless waste!" Ma Long roared with fury and charged after the wolf, landing a kick. He was of the Fourth Tier Lesser Mahayana realm, with terrifying strength. With a loud bang, he kicked the White-footed Wolf back onto the stage.
But having taken that kick, the White-footed Wolf didn't even have the strength to stand, and soon, a pool of fresh blood was flowing from underneath it. Clearly, its innards had been shattered, and it was done for.
This guy was really cruel. Losing was one thing, but taking his anger out on his own pet, his pettiness was too much!
"You knew all along, didn't you?" Tang Xin suddenly turned to Chu Hao and said sternly.
Chu Hao rolled his eyes at him and said, "Isn't that obvious? If I knew I was going to lose, would I still make the bet? Do you think I'm an idiot?"
Tang Xin could only offer a wry smile, even he thought Little Leopard was sure to lose. Who could have expected such an incredible turnaround?
Chu Hao looked at Ma Long with a mischievous smile and said, "You agreed to the bet, now go on, crawl a circle!"
Ma Long's face turned beet red in an instant. To crawl a circle in front of so many people—where would his face be after that? Before this, he never even considered the possibility of losing! But that little leopard... Damn it, how could Chu Hao be so lucky!
"Chu Hao, we should be gracious in victory, we're all from Thousand Winds Academy, there's no need to go overboard!" he said loudly.
Chu Hao smiled faintly and replied, "Cut the crap, start crawling. I'm watching, and if you miss a single step, you're doing it over!"
"Chu Hao—" Ma Long clenched his fist, his eyes nearly popping out with anger.
He couldn't understand it. Chu Hao was no longer nobility, while the Ma Family was flourishing, highly likely to win the noble title next year! Their backgrounds were incomparable!
And in terms of personal strength, he was a Fourth Tier Lesser Mahayana realm, while Chu Hao... presumably hadn't even reached the First Tier!
With a background and personal strength that should completely crush him, why did he keep losing to Chu Hao?
"Brother Tang, cousin, you guys are fair, what do you say to this guy trying to wriggle his way out?" Chu Hao said with a laugh.
"A bet is a bet, nothing more to be said!" Tang Xin said coldly, obviously siding with Chu Hao. It didn't matter that the Ma Family wasn't nobility yet; even if they were, he, as a core member of the Tang Family, had nothing to fear.
Liu Yang, despite wishing Chu Hao would drop dead on the spot, had no particular connection with Ma Long. Why would he consider Ma Long's interests? He laughed and said, "We Martial Artists first and foremost honor our promises. If you can't keep your word, you don't deserve to be called a Martial Artist!"
"Ma Long, it's time to crawl!"
"Hurry up, we're all waiting!"
Xu Sheng and the others also laughed and egged on the crowd, igniting more shouts and cheers. Who doesn't love a good show?
Ma Long's face burned with embarrassment, feeling the tears about to flow again. But he absolutely couldn't crawl—if he did, how could he face anyone in the future?
"I won't crawl, what can you do about it?" he shouted, ready to go all out.
"The thing I hate the most is people who go back on their word!" A cold voice sounded as Chi Dao strode over and said to Ma Long, "Will you crawl willingly, or shall I break your legs so you'll have to crawl for the rest of your life?"