In an instant, the large courtyard filled with flashes of lightning and billowing flames. Three thousand bees suddenly unleashed three thousand thin bolts of Thunder, while another three thousand bees spewed three thousand streams of Flame. Thunder and Flame intertwined, and all of it rained down upon the Fierce Beast Taotie.
"It hit! It hit! They all hit! This is great! This will definitely kill that huge monster!"
Tu Xiaoyue was ecstatic at the sight, as excited as a child, while Wen Qiu was stunned speechless by the scene unfolding before her.
’What in the world are these bees? They have special powers... Why have I never known about them, living here all this time?’
"Mom, as long as the monster dies, we’ll live!"
Tu Xiaoyue excitedly hugged her mother. Her pretty face, illuminated by the flashing thunder and fire, shone like translucent jade, as beautiful as a haloed crescent moon.
Wen Qiu no longer had the presence of mind to wonder about the magical bees. She wanted to share her daughter’s joy, but the scene unfolding outside made her heart clench. "Xiaoyue, look..."
Tu Xiaoyue paused, then looked again. She gasped, frozen like a statue.
The enormous monster stood there completely unscathed by the onslaught of Thunder and Flame, letting the six thousand bees exhaust themselves to no effect.
The six thousand bees above frantically unleashed their Thunder and Flame, but the attacks striking the massive monster were like a light drizzle; it felt nothing at all.
The eyes under the Taotie’s armpits revealed a look of contempt. Its giant mouth suddenly opened and inhaled. All six thousand of the Attribute bees Tu Xiao’an had created before leaving home were sucked into its maw, utterly annihilated.
"How is this possible!"
Tu Xiaoyue felt as if she had been struck by lightning and collapsed to the ground. The house-guarding bees her younger brother had been so proud of were gone, just like that.
What was most despairing was that they hadn’t done any damage to the monster at all. Those six thousand bees had died for nothing.
The great monster was terrifying, like something that had clawed its way out of the Hell Abyss. It was impossible to fight.
"Xiaoyue, while there’s still time, run! Go out the back! Don’t worry about me," Wen Qiu said, her heart aching as she looked at her daughter.
In truth, running was pointless. All of Bai Town, even the entirety of Wencheng, had become the Fierce Beast’s killing field. Where could she possibly escape to?
"There’s still Xiaobai! We still have Xiaobai!" Tu Xiaoyue cried, grasping at the last straw.
’Little Brother,’ she thought, ’if you don’t come back soon, you’ll never see Mom or me again.’
’The monster is so powerful, and Xiaobai is just a dog. How could he possibly fight it?’ She was just deluding herself.
AROOO...
Xiaobai let out a mournful howl from the gateway and charged straight at the enormous Taotie. His ink-black fur stood on end, and his body abruptly swelled, growing to the size of a fierce tiger. His Yin Yang Eyes radiated a majestic power, their golden light terrifying to behold.
But... all of this was like child’s play to the Fierce Beast Taotie.
The tiger-sized Xiaobai facing the towering Taotie—the difference was like that between the heavens and the earth. At the end of the day, he was just a house dog that hadn’t even reached Rank Two.
However, even though the gap in power was as vast as the sky, this Black-eared Xiaobai showed no fear. Majestic and proud, he turned and barked toward the house, as if to say, ’Masters, don’t be afraid! Xiaobai is here. Xiaobai will protect you.’
In that moment, a scene materialized within his majestic Yin Yang Eyes.
It was an image of his master, stroking his head before leaving. "Xiaobai," he had said, "I’m entrusting our home to you. Can you protect it?"
It was as the saying goes: train for years to be ready for a single moment. In the beginning, Xiaobai had been just a small stray pup rescued from the streets by Tu Xiao’an. After Tu Xiao’an died and was reborn as a Snake, he had fed Xiaobai many precious things, allowing him to awaken as a mutated dog. His bloodline had been elevated, and his Yin Yang Eyes had manifested.
A mere stray mutt had muddled through to become an awakened hound, the proud House Guardian Dog.
Xiaobai stood before the massive Fierce Beast Taotie, his eyes flaring with a light so brilliant it was blinding.
AROOO!
At that moment, Xiaobai’s ferocious nature erupted. Killing Intent surged forth as he became a black shadow, his long, sharp claws leading the charge as he lunged at the Taotie.
The light from Xiaobai’s Yin Yang Eyes pricked at the Taotie, but it was a trivial annoyance. It stomped a foot on the ground, and a shockwave of Qi blasted outward.
With a pained yelp, Xiaobai was sent flying backward, unable to even get close.
AROOO!
With his powerful legs, Xiaobai pushed himself back to his feet. He let out a roar like a tiger and lunged at the Fierce Beast Taotie once more. He moved with incredible speed, his sharp fangs a terrifying sight.
The Taotie looked on with scorn and swiped a claw at the incoming black shadow. THUMP... THUMP... THUMP... Xiaobai was sent tumbling across the ground, a row of bloody gashes appearing beneath his dark fur.
"Xiaobai..." Tu Xiaoyue covered her mouth as she watched, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t bear to see it.
WHIMPER...!
A faint light glowed in Xiaobai’s Yin Yang Eyes as he shakily staggered back to his feet. Blood dripped from his bared fangs onto the ground. The Fierce Beast before him was like a great mountain pressing down, suffocating him.
’Xiaobai, I’m entrusting our home to you. Can you protect it?’
His master’s voice echoed in his mind. Instantly, the light in Xiaobai’s Yin Yang Eyes flared, and a powerful aura swept out from him. There were faint signs that he was about to break through to Rank Two.
SWOOSH!
Xiaobai again became a black shadow, hurtling toward the Taotie. It was as if he was determined to tear a chunk of flesh from the monster, even if it cost him his life.
A flicker of amusement crossed the Taotie’s dark eyes. It remained motionless, allowing Xiaobai to close the distance and sink his sharp fangs into its leg.
The bite had no effect. His sharp fangs failed to pierce even a fraction of an inch into its flesh.
The Taotie’s physical body was so tough that even the Deep Mountain Demon King had praised its strength. How could an awakened dog, not yet at Rank Two, possibly hope to injure it?
Xiaobai’s Yin Yang Eyes blazed with ferocity. He tore at the leg with all his might, his canine aura surging.
Suddenly, a powerful wave of Qi erupted from Xiaobai’s body. He had miraculously broken through his Realm, becoming a Rank Two Dog Spirit! Immediately, his sharp fangs sank slightly into the Taotie’s flesh.
He had broken through, even if only by an inch.
Hmm?
The Taotie was momentarily surprised, then it flew into a rage. A mere, lowly creature had actually managed to pierce its powerful body.
A massive claw snatched Xiaobai up and viciously slammed him into the ground, as if intending to smash him into a bloody pulp.
"No! No, Xiaobai...!"
Tu Xiaoyue was utterly heartbroken at the sight.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently. A gruesome spray of blood erupted, splattering across the entire courtyard.
When the Taotie lifted its massive claw, Xiaobai lay whimpering in a pool of his own blood, just moments from death. His eyelids were heavy and drooping, and he seemed unable to open them no matter how hard he tried.
’Xiaobai, I’m entrusting our home to you. Can you protect it?’
Those words echoed over and over again in the dog’s mind.
Whimper...
A tear trickled from the corner of Xiaobai’s eye. He struggled to open his eyes and looked toward the window, where his two mistresses were watching him, their own faces streaked with tears.
’It seems I can’t protect them after all.’