"Can an Equal Contract be broken at any time?" Qin Shu asked.

Xiao Xiao nodded, her voice cheerful.

"Of course!"

Just as relief spread across Qin Shu's face—

Xiao Xiao excitedly added—

"If the stronger party wants to!"

———

Qin Shu: "......"

———

Great.

So she really was just a tool for protecting the snake's inner core...

A glorified babysitter.

What she didn't know—

Was that Xiao Xiao had left out an important detail.

Even though the stronger party could break the contract,

Doing so would cost half of their cultivation.

———

"Then if I get injured, does it affect the contract partner?"

"Of course!" Xiao Xiao chirped.

"If I get hurt, you'll feel it too!

We have a soul contract!

If one of us suffers, our spiritual essence will be damaged!"

Her big black eyes sparkled,

As if this was something exciting.

———

Qin Shu: "Tsk."

"So that's why you refused to leave.

You're just using me as a bodyguard!"

———

She rolled her eyes but didn't dwell on it.

Instead—

She continued forward.

Xiao Xiao sat on her shoulder, her fluffy tail swaying slightly.

As they walked, Qin Shu casually asked,

"You grew up here, right?

You must know where the best treasures are."

———

Xiao Xiao perked up, then hesitated.

"I do know...

But the best ones are guarded by powerful beasts.

You can't beat them."

———

Qin Shu smirked.

"I can't beat them—

But we can."

———

Midway through speaking, she paused.

She realized that—

She knew nothing about Xiao Xiao's actual abilities.

———

"What's your cultivation level?"

"Do you have any special skills?"

"Can you learn combat techniques?"

———

Xiao Xiao froze mid-bite,

Her ears drooping instantly.

"...Xiao Xiao is only First Rank."

———

Qin Shu wasn't too surprised.

Honestly, she wasn't expecting much.

A spiritual pet was just a bonus.

If it could help, great.

If not, no big deal.

———

In this world—

Strength was everything.

Spiritual pets, artifacts, skills—

They were just tools.

A cultivator's true power came from themselves.

———

As they traveled,

Qin Shu checked the jade map again.

Xiao Xiao peeked over curiously.

Their two little heads pressed together as they examined the map.

———

"Are you really going there?"

Xiao Xiao's voice trembled slightly.

"That wolf is really scary."

———

Qin Shu didn't even look up.

She simply hummed, "Mhm."

"You said you were fast, right?

Can't you outrun a wolf?"

———

Xiao Xiao nearly choked on her fruit.

"But Wind Wolves have wind abilities!"

"They're even faster!"

———

"Then just use your illusions to hide."

Qin Shu shrugged.

Then, as an afterthought, she added dryly—

"And remember—

Grass is supposed to grow on the ground."

———

Xiao Xiao felt even more anxious.

She really didn't want to go.

But—

She also didn't run away.

———

Truthfully—

She had only wanted Qin Shu to take her out of this secret realm.

She never expected this girl to be so reckless!

Now, instead of escaping—

She was walking straight into danger!

———

The Wind Wolf was a Second-Rank beast.

It had wind abilities, razor-sharp claws, and deadly speed.

It wasn't something you could easily defeat or escape from.

———

But Qin Shu?

She didn't seem worried at all.

Instead—

She teased Xiao Xiao's tail and chuckled.

"No wonder people say 'timid as a mouse'.

You're so afraid of everything.

How did you ever have the guts to attack me before?"

———

Xiao Xiao sulked.

She regretted everything.

She only wanted to leave this place...

Who could have guessed Qin Shu would be so suicidal?!

———

Qin Shu saw her miserable expression and almost laughed.

But instead, she spoke softly—

"Relax.

I'll be the distraction.

You just need to sneak into its den and steal the Ji Du Immortal Orchid."

———

Xiao Xiao trembled.

"But what if I get caught?

Then... then you'll never see Xiao Xiao again!"

———

Qin Shu raised an eyebrow.

She twirled Xiao Xiao's fluffy tail between her fingers.

"...Isn't that a good thing for you?"

———

Xiao Xiao froze.

Then she suddenly jumped onto Qin Shu's head.

She bounced twice, determined.

"No way! We have a contract!"

———

Qin Shu chuckled.

"Relax.

I have a Teleportation Talisman.

If I can't win, I'll take us both and run."

———

Xiao Xiao stared at her blankly.

Then—

She puffed up her cheeks in frustration.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?!"

"Xiao Xiao was so scared!"

———

Qin Shu sighed.

This little thing needed some serious training.

It was too timid.

Maybe after this, she'd just keep it at her mountain as a mascot...

———

"Get ready."

"I'll lure the wolf away."

"When it leaves, sneak in and grab the orchid."

———

Without waiting for a response—

Qin Shu stepped into Wind Wolf's territory.

———

From that moment on,

Her mind was fully focused.

But strangely—

Even when she reached the den's entrance—

There was no sign of movement.

———

"...Huh?"

She frowned.

Was the wolf not home?

Was her luck really that good?!

———

Even so—

Qin Shu didn't let her guard down.

———

She picked up a fruit pit and tossed it inside.

It clattered against the cave floor—

Echoing in the emptiness.

———

Qin Shu stiffened.

Was the den...

Really empty?

———

Her instincts screamed at her.

Her heart pounded wildly.

Something was wrong.

———

In an instant—

She activated her Duhuo Art—

And raised her sword behind her.

———

"CLANG—!"

Metal clashed against sharp wind energy.

———

A flash of blue fur—

And a massive wolf leapt at her from above the cave entrance.

———

Qin Shu dodged backward—

But it was too fast!

———

Just as its claws nearly reached her—

She manipulated nearby vines to bind its leg.

———

She barely had time to breathe in relief—

When—

A crescent-shaped wind blade suddenly formed on the wolf's forehead—

And slashed down toward her vines.

———

Qin Shu's eyes narrowed.

"Here we go."