The Card Cultivation System
CCS-100 (Arc 3: A Rising Star)

Xika limped out of Yuan City. When no one else was looking, Heiliao directly came out and enlarged his body. The wolf lifted Xika up on her body and ran away through the forest.

"Heiliao......Where did you take me?"

"To a safe place where there are no snakes nor humans."

On top of Heiliao, Xika made herself as comfortable as possible, and the wolf did not mind, it seemed. Heiliao's fur was quite dense yet soft. Xika rubbed her head against the wolf's fur, enjoying the sensation she had just felt for the first time.

"Your stone is good as well Heiliao........"

"Hmph, of course." Heiliao replied with a happy and arrogant smile.

Huo Bing instantly formed his body and protested.

"What's? Then what about me? You've flown with me a few times. Don't tell me you'd enjoy riding this wolf."

Currently Huo Bing flapped her wings until her head was aligned with Xika. And the boy arranged it with a view that seemed to doubt his common sense.

"Of course I enjoy being hugged by Heiliao more. Don't look at me like that. What do you think I'm gonna say after you fly me in forcible charges and drop me?"

Huo Bing did not reply. The dichromatic bird still seemed to not accept that Xika enjoyed being on Heiliao's back more than his back, but he could not answer Xika's words earlier. Finally he carried out the only idea he had.

"Then try again."

Then Huo Bing clasped Xika's shoulder and threw her up. He catches Xika with his enlarged back and ready to fly away.

Bruk!

Xika could not say that he landed comfortably, but Huo Bing's treatment this time was better than before.

"Hows it? Better than the four-legged hairy thing isn't it?"

Xika opened her mouth, but she did not have time to answer, a large mouth carrying herself then threw her up and she landed on the soft and comfortable fur she felt a moment ago.

"Don't take my stumper!" said Heiliao starting to compete again with Huo Bing.

"Well! He had already become my reservoir!"

Then Huo Bing returned 'took' Xika.

"Not this time!"

And they played catch-throw several times with Xika as the ball.

"Excuse me, I'm hurt right now, if you don't mind, can you stop?"

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Xika was on Heiliao's back at the time. Xika's words successfully stopped Huo Bing who wanted to take his 'ball.

Finally Xika was able to calm down, although next to her was still Huo Bing with her pouting face.

For a while, no one spoke. Somehow, the three of them thought the same thing. Battle of Xika a moment ago. Without anyone being conscious, the atmosphere turned silent. Only the sound of wind friction with Heiliao feathers could be heard.

"Xika."

Xika smiled hearing Huo Bing's words. And Huo Bing knew from the expression that Xika had shown, that the child had no regrets at all.

"Let's.........That was my fight anyway. I'm quite satisfied with the result, although it's a bit embarrassing at the end."

Heiliao snorted then smiled.

"I'll bet no one watching you would think you're embarrassing."

Huo Bing who was now standing beside Xika above Heiliao, nodded.

"You're doing great. You didn't lower your head to the end even though you were dealing with a great power. You deserve to be Phoenix's friend."

Xika smiled back.

"From the beginning, I was a friend of Phoenix's. And not the usual Phoenix. The Phoenix mixed with Cygnus."

"Then what about me?"

Xika patted Heiliao on the back with her hands.

"You too, man. Unfortunately I don't know what kind of you are."

"Don't he really have no kind?"

"Birds are half-baked, I have kind."

"What's? Didn't the Sovereign of Space not belong to any race? So does the other rulers, right?"

"I am his descendant. How do you think he produced me?"

"Emm.....split yourself?"

Xika immediately laughed out loud hearing Huo Bing's reply. Even after that, he coughed and vomited blood. Heiliao gave a growl in response.

"Married, of course. You stupid fool."

Next to him Huo Bing whispered to Xika.

"I'm still sure the Sovereign of Space is splitting away."

"I heard that, damn it!"

"I didn't say anything." Huo Bing replied with a plain face.

Heiliao again gave him a growl, but this time it was louder and more sinister.

"So what's your race?"

Xika was trying to figure out the race, but it wasn't in her head.

"What about the other descendants? Are they all from the same race?"

"Not really. The master of the Room was married several times, so of course he had many children. And each one comes from a different race. The other rulers are like that too.

Xika nodded her head. But Huo Bing knew the child was still confused. The bird pecked at Heiliao several times until the wolf shouted.

"Stop, shit! What are you doing?"

"Stop making this kid confused, stupid! Just tell me you're the heir."

Heiliao did not answer. On top of that, Xika was getting confused.

"If you don't want to explain, I'll explain."

Heiliao growled softly.

"Descendant is less suited to describe me, Xika. I am his descendant, but I am his heir. People will misunderstand you if you say descent, but there'll be no misunderstanding if you say heir."

Xika furrowed her brows, getting more and more confused.

"As I said earlier, the Space Ruler has many descendants. Each one inherited his power naturally. But they don't get along with each other. Their average strength was still the same. There were indeed some who were stronger while some were weaker but the difference was not that far. Before the Space Ruler breathed out his breath, he chose an heir from one of his descendants.

Later, the chosen heir will get direct power from him and make a clear distinction with other descendants. That's what causes fellow descendants to not get along with each other."

"So in short, you were chosen to be his heir?"

"Well, not the first."

Xika furrowed her brows deeper and Heiliao knew that. He continued,

"When the Space Ruler died, he chose an heir. Then when the heir was about to die, he chose another heir. So onward."

"How are you then?"

"Ninth."

"Well, since this wolf won't talk, I'll talk." Huo Bing entered in the middle of the conversation. "Xika, to be the heir of a Ruler is not easy. This wolf had to climb a road full of blood to be one of them. And the blood used was the blood of his brother."

Heiliao's face was irritated. But Xika and Huo Bing were above him so they could not see his expression. The wolf said nothing.

"Is that why you hate Xingli? Uh, the girl who pointed her sword at you."

"Yes and no."

This time it was not only Xika who was confused. Huo Bing next to him also frowned.

Heiliao stopped running. Huo Bing knew his point. The bird brought Xika down slowly.

"This is the place? It doesn't look any different from a regular forest."

Heiliao again growled, but this time it wasn't Xika nor Huo Bing. He snarled at something else. Something is hiding in this forest.

Heiliao waited for a while but there was no answer. Then he howled. The howling is not the same as other wolves. So strong and mighty. Xika had never heard such a howl.

This time there is an answer. I heard some howling from somewhere else. Then a few minutes later various figures approached. And they are........

Wolfs.

Some wolves appear in different sizes and types. They stared at each other before finally looking down at Heiliao. Heiliao snarled at those who were reciprocated as well with a growl. It seems they are talking.

But Xika had no idea what was being talked about. At the tomb, Huo Bing and Heiliao had indeed taught him various languages, but he had never been taught the language of wolves.

They talked for a while. From her vision, Xika could see that the wolves had different opinions. Some growled softly and politely, some growled doubtfully, some growled violently. As to what her growl looked like, Xika could not remember it any more in the future. But for now he is quite enjoying and admiring the conversation that only contains "Grrr....."

After he finished speaking (it seems), the wolves left again.

"What are you talking about Heiliao?"

"Family business. For a while we're safe here. No other creature can get close to this place. Snake, human or other creatures.

"What about the wolf?"

"They'll take care of us."

It seems like their conversation was about this. But Heiliao was not interested in talking about it, so Xika did not ask either.

After being convinced that they were safe, Huo Bing finally put Xika on the ground. As long as Heiliao spoke earlier, Huo Bing continued to carry him, worried that Heiliao's conversation would not end well.

Xika looked around her. This place was truly not much different from an ordinary forest. Why could Heiliao confidently say that no other creature would approach this place?

Heliao approaching.

"Xika, give me your spatial ring."

"Which one?"

"Everything."

Xika handed over all her spatial rings with an unwilling face.

"Look easy. I just took the ingredients to make the pills."

Then Heiliao took out some plants from Xika's ring and returned them. How the wolf held and took out objects from the spatial ring was still a mystery to Xika. Heiliao always turned her back as she did that. But for now he won't think about it.

Heiliao started concocting pills. While Huo Bing accompanied Xika by the side. They talked for a while and Xika finally fell asleep.

A few hours passed. And when Xika opened her eyes, she felt thousands of newcomers. And they've surrounded him now.