Chapter 19: Cloudia

The air was thick with the scent of crushed earth and defeat. Xi Shen and his group of disciples lay sprawled across the ground, groaning in pain, their once-proud expressions now replaced by looks of pure exhaustion and humiliation.

Mist Cloud Fox stood victorious, its sleek, silver fur barely ruffled, a faint mist swirling around its body as if the very air obeyed its command.

Reon gazed down at the scene, hands on his hips, feeling both relieved and slightly amused. The battle had ended quicker than he expected. Mist Cloud Fox hadn't just overpowered them—it had outclassed them completely. Each strike from the beast had been precise, leaving Xi Shen and his companions with no chance to retaliate.

The disciples' clothes were tattered, their faces bruised and smeared with dirt. They looked less like esteemed cultivators of a respected sect and more like they had been dragged through the aftermath of a fierce battlefield.

Even Xi Shen, who had strutted with so much arrogance earlier, now lay gasping for breath, clutching his ribs where the Mist Cloud Fox had landed a particularly brutal strike.

From the stands, the onlookers—already downtrodden from Yang Lie's earlier victory and the loss of their precious sect points—turned their attention to this unexpected spectacle. Whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire as they began to murmur in astonishment.

"Wohoo, Brother Xue is incredible" Xu Yang exclaimed excitedly.

"Did... did that fox just beat Xi Shen's entire group?"

"That's the Mist Cloud Fox, isn't it? A rare beast that, with the right care, can evolve into a Demonic King Rank creature! How in the world did he manage to summon something so powerful?"

"I thought Reon was finished after the earlier fight... but he took them all down without lifting a finger."

"Isn't Xi Shen a subordinate of Niu Ling from the Inner Sect? Xue Taiyang is finished. Niu Ling is notorious for holding grudges—and he never lets them go."

"Yes, you're right, but still, that Mist Cloud Fox is incredibly powerful. And Niu Ling can't just kill someone within the sect—it's against the rules."

The shock of seeing a second one-sided battle within the same day only deepened the crowd's disbelief, as their despair over losing their bets shifted to a fascination with Reon and the mysterious Mist Cloud Fox at his side.

"Interesting... Isn't he the one I defeated during the Sect Disciple Selection Ceremony? Why didn't he summon that Mist Cloud Fox back then? If he had, I might not have won so easily, and would've needed to reveal my trump card," Yang Lie mused, his eyes narrowing with curiosity as he studied Xue Taiyang.

At that moment, a crisp sound echoed in Yang Lie's mind.

[Ding! The Host has triggered a Main Scenario Mission.]

As he glanced at the system prompt, a sly grin spread across his face. "Really... interesting," Yang Lie murmured, his eyes glinting with newfound intrigue.

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At the scene, Reon couldn't help but smirk as he observed the defeated disciples.

"Guess you guys aren't as tough as you thought," he muttered to himself.

The Mist Cloud Fox let out a soft growl, its large eyes gleaming in the aftermath of the battle, as if seeking further instructions. Reon glanced at the fox and nodded, pleased with the lesson it had imparted.

With a swift motion, Reon collected the spatial rings of all the disciples he had defeated.

"You think Brother Niu will just let this slide? He'll take revenge for us," Xi Shen muttered, his voice low and strained from the pain.

"I know," Reon replied coolly. "But that's exactly why I had to take you down. I refuse to live as someone else's pawn any longer."

Reon marveled at the Mist Cloud Fox's overwhelming power, realizing it was far beyond what he had initially anticipated.

"By the way, you don't have a name, do you?" he asked, gazing into her luminous eyes. "How about I call you Cloudia? It's a beautiful feminine name of Latin origin, derived from 'cloud.' It symbolizes a dreamy and ethereal quality—just like the beauty and mystique you embody."

Upon receiving her new name, the Mist Cloud Fox—now named Cloudia—radiated an aura of ethereal grace. Her fur shimmered like a delicate, wispy cloud, transitioning between soft shades of silvery blue and pure white, creating a mesmerizing effect with every fluid movement.

The gentle glow in her eyes held a depth of wisdom and playfulness, reflecting the bond they had forged in the heat of battle.

With a sleek, agile form, Cloudia epitomized both elegance and power. Her movements were fluid and almost dreamlike, as if she glided through the air rather than walked upon the ground.

Standing beside Reon, her presence was both comforting and formidable, a testament to the incredible strength she possessed.

Satisfied with her new name, Cloudia let out a soft, melodic chime that echoed through the air, as if acknowledging the profound connection they now shared.

The name suited her perfectly, capturing her enchanting essence and the mystique she brought into Reon's life, solidifying their bond as master and companion in their journey ahead.

Reon turned to leave when he heard a notification from the system.

[Ding! The Host has successfully completed the selected option. Please take out the Eclipse Orb to initiate repairs.]