In the early stages of her training, Mira had already drawn some attention, though most people were too preoccupied with their own activities to give her more than a fleeting glance.

As time went on, however, Mira’s exceptional performance became impossible to overlook. At regular intervals, she unleashed her full speed, dashing across the training grounds with remarkable power and precision. Her boundless energy and striking presence made her impossible to ignore, gradually drawing a crowd of curious onlookers who couldn’t help but admire her performance.

Mira’s output was staggering, she was completing several times the amount of training an ordinary spirit beast could handle in the same time frame. Such intense training naturally meant, that she improved several times faster as well.

Her efforts and visible improvement drew admiration and curiosity from the surrounding clansmen. It didn’t take long for Wei Hao to notice and start making his own observations.

In this world, there were many ways to restore a spirit beast’s stamina, with stamina potions being among the most common. However, even basic potions were prohibitively expensive for beginner Beastmasters like them. It was financially impractical to use stamina potions for daily training. Most Beastmasters instead allowed their beasts to recover naturally, though this inevitably led to long downtime periods and diminished training intensity.

By contrast, Mira’s ability to recover every five minutes and continue training at maximum capacity set her apart. The difference in results was glaring. Mira’s progress was evident with each lap, while Wei Hao’s Flame Wolf, like other spirit beasts, spent significant time resting after each bout of exertion.

Seeing this disparity, Wei Hao couldn’t help but grow envious.

When Wei Hao approached uninvited, Wei Yun wasn’t the least bit surprised. “The tallest tree catches the wind,” as they say. He had been mentally prepared for this from the moment he’d decided to push Mira to such extremes.

Wei Hao condescending voice broke the silence. “What are you giving her to drink?”

Wei Yun didn’t even look up. Instead, he focused on Mira, carefully tending to her with deliberate indifference. “What I give her is none of your concern.”

Wei Hao bristled at the dismissive tone, barely suppressing the flames of anger rising within him. Forcing himself to stay calm, he smirked. “Oh, it’s my concern alright, because soon, it will belong to me.”

His voice was loud, intentionally so. The training grounds were filled with sharp-eared Beastmasters, and his words naturally drew attention. Sensing drama, several onlookers paused their training to turn their gazes toward the unfolding scene. Those with a penchant for gossip began edging closer, eager for entertainment.

Beastmasters, as a group, were often competitive and never shy about confrontation.

Mira, meanwhile, had clearly had enough of Wei Hao’s attitude. Whether it was the noise, the bold claim, or the audacity of Wei Hao to eye the Healing Spring, she couldn’t say, but her reaction was decisive.

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Her head snapped up, lips curling back to reveal sharp fangs. A low growl escaped her throat as she crouched, muscles coiled like springs, ready to lunge at any moment.

The sudden display of aggression caught Wei Hao off guard. He stumbled back instinctively before quickly realizing what he’d done. Embarrassed by his own reaction, his face alternated between red and pale, his expression sour.

Wei Yun reached out and gently scratched Mira’s head, his voice calm and steady. “It’s fine, Mira. He won’t take anything from us.”

His composure made the crowd even more intrigued. Wei Yun’s confidence suggested he had no intention of backing down.

The family’s code of conduct forbade infighting among members. Private duels or disputes that escalated into violence were strictly punished, regardless of the individuals involved. The rule was drilled into every family member’s mind, as past violators had faced severe consequences, even the previous clan leader had been ousted due to such an incident.

However, while personal combat was banned, the family encouraged official public challenges to promote competition and resolve disputes in a controlled environment.

“Wei Yun, how about a challenge? If I win, that jar of yours is mine!” Wei Hao declared, his tone full of self-assurance.

The crowd stirred with excitement. A challenge between two Beastmasters was always a spectacle, and this one promised to be especially entertaining. Many began urging Wei Yun to accept, their voices filled with eager anticipation.

According to family rules, the challenged party had the right to refuse. However, in a society that valued strength above all, rejecting a challenge often led to public scorn and ridicule. Unless there was a vast disparity in power, declining was viewed as cowardice, a stain that could tarnish one’s reputation for years.

Wei Yun, of course, had no intention of backing down. He met Wei Hao’s gaze evenly. “If I lose, the jar is yours. But what if you lose?”

Wei Hao smirked, reaching into his coat to retrieve a light blue ribbon. With a theatrical flourish, he held it up for everyone to see. “How about this? Surely this is a fair exchange!”

The onlookers gasped in unison, some whispering in hushed tones. “That’s a Wind Ribbon!” someone exclaimed.

Wind Ribbon was a low-tier artifact imbued with wind-elemental energy. Once stored in a spirit beast’s artifact space, it enhanced the power of their wind-based abilities.

Artifacts, forged from rare materials, were invaluable tools for spirit beasts. They came in various tiers, low, mid, high. Their effects varied widely, from boosting combat effectiveness to providing unique utility.

The Wind Ribbon, though categorized as low-tier, was still highly sought after for its ability to boost wind-elemental skills by 10%. For a wind-element spirit beast like Mira, it was an ideal match.

Its value surpassed that of the Healing Spring in Wei Yun’s jar, especially since Mira had already consumed half of it.

Wei Hao’s confident smirk didn’t waver. “Well, Wei Yun? Do you dare accept my challenge?”

Wei Yun didn’t hesitate. “I accept.”

Wei Hao grinned triumphantly. “Good. At least you’ve got the guts to take me on.”

He wasn’t bluffing. Before approaching Wei Yun, Wei Hao had spent time observing Mira’s performance. From what he’d seen, her speed didn’t seem to match his Flame Wolf’s.

As a wind-element beast, Mira’s greatest asset should have been her speed. If her speed couldn’t surpass the Flame Wolf’s, her overall strength likely fell short as well or so Wei Hao reasoned.

What Wei Hao had failed to notice, however, were the iron weights strapped to Mira’s legs. This oversight would cost him dearly.

As the two squared off, Wei Hao’s Flame Wolf fixed its fiery eyes on Mira, exuding an eager, combative energy. Mira, by contrast, remained calm and composed, her focus entirely on her training. She barely acknowledged the Flame Wolf’s presence.

Word of the impending challenge spread quickly, drawing an ever-growing crowd to the training grounds. Family members of all ages gathered, jostling for the best vantage points to witness what promised to be an exciting clash.

Wei Yun stood tall amidst the crowd, his confidence unshaken. This was Mira’s moment to shine, and he was ready to show everyone just how much she had grown.