During his time cultivating, Krune went out to see Shinja, Ao, Yusa, and Arlan off. Shinja was the first one to leave, and a few days later, Ao's group decided to leave as well. But there was one thing that was puzzling Krune when he arrived at the Spaceship Port that Ao's group was going to use. Krune looked at a young girl with white hair that didn't look to be more than 18 to 20 years old. He couldn't help but think that he knew her from somewhere.
"Errr... and this is?"
Ao scratched the back of his head helplessly and said.
"It's Ula, the Moon Wolf."
Finally, Krune understood why she looked familiar. It wasn't her appearance, but the Tribulation Lightning power that she controls!
"Oh, I see! But... how come she is leaving with you?"
Arlan and Yusa seemed like they wanted to laugh but still restrained themselves.
Ao was just about to explain when Ula suddenly glued on him.
"I invited myself in! I found out that Ao was going to take a few missions, and the Elder of my Moon Wolf race talked with everyone's Masters to let me join them."
That wasn't exactly the answer that Krune was expecting, what he wanted to know was why did she join them to start with? She is a Tribulation Lightning user, so she probably would have no problems with leaving on a journey alone.
But Krune's doubts were soon cleared by Yusa trough a Divine Sense message.
"Yesterday, Arlan, Ao, and I stayed at Ao's house to finish the last preparations to leave. But suddenly, an elder of the Moon Wolf clan who is also an Inner Sect elder came to knock our door with Ula by his side. Just so that you know, he isn't Ula's Master, but a member of the same territory from the Planet that Ula came from, and he seemed to know Ula very well."
Yusa then continued to explain the situation.
It turned out that Ao noticed that he was a sect Elder and that Ula was also with him, so he invited them inside. Then, out of nowhere, the Elder used his power to lock Ao in place. Both Yusa and Arlan were frightened at first, but then they reminded themselves that they were in the Divine Path Sect, so there is no way that the Elder would try anything against Ao. In the end, the Elder walked around Ao as if measuring him over, and then he asked Ula:
"Are you sure that this is the guy?"
Ula then got close to Ao and sniffed him once more, then she immediately hugged him with a happy face.
"Yes, yes! It's definitely him!"
Ao immediately felt embarrased. Since when beautiful girls started to hug him for no reason? One must know that Ula, in her human form, is quite the beauty! The Elder's mouth twitched for a moment and looked at Ao as if he was the Moon Wolves race greatest foe. But then he sighed and released Ao from his confinement. Ao, of course, was as lost as ever! The Elder seemed dispirited and then said.
"Why does it have to be you?"
Before Ao could even ask what was happening, Ula immediately explained.
"Elder told me that Our Moon Wolf race has a special trait. We can select our partner based on the smell! You noticed in the hundred-floor tower how my sense of smell is able even to judge a person or demon beast's character, right? There is one special thing about it. When a Female or Male Moon Wolf finds a partner that they like, they will be totally enticed by their smell, just like I am by yours! So, from now on, you will be my partner!"
Ao's mouth twitched, what does he have to do with that? As for Yusa and Arlan, they suddenly burst in laughter! Yusa then said
"Congratulation, Ao! Your single life is finally over."
Arlan didn't lose the opportunity either.
"A couple made in heavens! I, Arlan, am very happy for you!"
Ao felt like crying but had no tears. Just as he was about to refuse it, he looked at Ula's shining eyes and swallowed what he was going to say. Just like back in the hundred-floors tower, he once again couldn't bring himself to go against her wish.
The Elder looked at that with a crying face.
"You there! If it weren't because of the Moon Wolf absolute rule of always to follow the smell engagement, I would have killed you already. I wouldn't even care about being killed after by the Divine Path Sect."
The Elder then sighed.
"Ula has one of the purest bloodlines of our Moon Wolf race. We really didn't want her to find a partner outside of our own race. But after she arrived at the right age, she didn't find anyone in our territory that caught her sense of smell. So we were more or less prepared that she might find it somewhere else."
"Also, it is not unheard of a member of our race to take members of other races as partners. In fact, around 1 every 200 Moon Wolves that are born end up finding the partner smell on someone from some other races. As Ula said, our Woon Wolves smell sense can go much further than a pure smelling, and it was through it that we never selected the wrong partner before."
"So you better take excellent care of her, or our Moon Wolf Race of the Fajin Planet will definitely find you. I guess I don't need to tell you what's gonna happen if something happens."
Ao heard all of that and felt despair! He looked at the Elder and started to speak.
"I have nothing to do with-"
Suddenly, he looked at Ula's eyes, which kept shining at him. He then shook his head and tried to say it one more
"I have nothing to-"
She then smiled at him, which made him lose his concentration once more.
"I have-"
Now, Ula hugged him tightly.
"I- I..."
Ao was sweating rivers! As for Arlan and Yusa, they were already rolling on the ground, laughing. It was way too obvious that Ao couldn't do anything against that cute face.
Ao then gave up and said.
"I will think about it."
Ula didn't seem disappointed and said.
"There is no need to think since I won't leave your side to start with."
Ao just sighed and then gave a side glance to Arlan and Yusa, who were rolling on the ground.
Pow! Pow!
He gave the two of them a kick and sent them flying!
Still, Arlan and Yusa didn't care. It was more than worth it!
The Elder, on the other hand, didn't seem happy with his answer.
"What you mean with you will think about it? Are you saying that she isn't good enough for you?"
Ao once more got nervous, but Ula immediately intervened.
"It's okay, Uncle Julios. I just have to make sure to keep him close until he gives up!"
Arlan heard that and couldn't help but comment while trying to hold his laugh back.
"Although I'm happy for you two, I'm afraid it won't be possible. The three of us are leaving for the Furani Region tomorrow to temper our skills, and we are probably staying there for quite some time."
Ao and Yusa nodded, that was indeed the truth.
Elder Julios then immediately took his communicator out and called a few numbers. Ao the others couldn't hear what he was saying, though. A minute later, he finished his calls and said.
"It's done! I already called Ao, Arlan, and Ula's Master. They have no problem letting Ula going together with you. Take care of her well."
Ao once more felt like crying! He thought that it would be his chance to escape. Unfortunately, this Inner Sect Elder was a lot more capable than he thought. He even convinced three Core Elders at once!
Ula, of course, was thrilled with that result.
"Great!"
Ao sighed and just let it go. Besides, Ula, in her human form, is really a beauty! It's not bad to have such a female company other than that reincarnation of the shameless goddess of a woman over there in the corner.
Yusa looked at Ao and could more or less guess what he was thinking.
"Hey, it's not my fault if you have such a 'nice smell.'"
"And that is how it turned out like this."
Krune heard all of that and felt like they were trying to making fun of him. Who the hell would believe all that bullshit?
Surprisingly, when he looked at Ao, the later nodded as if confirming that Yusa and Arlan were really not lying.
Krune then sighed and said.
"Whatever. It is not up to me to decide who Ao is gonna get together with."
It was then that he thought about something else.
"By the way, how do a Moon Wolf and a Human kid look like?"
Ao almost fainted! Are you saying that we are already to the point of starting a family?! Bro, aren't you jumping several steps here, hey?! Ula, of course, didn't mind at all since, on her eyes, it was already something meant to be!
Arlan showed a serious expression and said.
"Although they are extremely rare, I've seen one or another couple of Humans and Demon Beasts before in my travels. Their kids just so happen to have traits of both races. They looked like humans but had a few extra differences like horns or tails. So I guess it would be a human kid with a white wolf's ears, hair, and tails, maybe some fur too."
Yusa nodded.
"That is true, I have seen only one couple like that before, though. It seems like the traits passed over are quite random, but one thing is certain, they will always have a human form as a base. The only doubt is what else will be added to it."
Yusa then looked at Ula, smiling.
"Of course, once that kid reaches a realm high enough, he can do just like Ula and take the perfect human form. Since Ula got her human form at the 3rd stage of the Core Formation Realm, their kid is probably going to need something close to that to hide his Moon Wolf traits and take the perfect human form as well."
Ao was already crying. They totally think that he and Ula are meant to become a family already.
Krune nodded and understood. Different from Yusa and Arlan, who were just saying that to make Ao go mad, Krune was really curious about that information. He has never had the opportunity to see a child of a human and a demon beast before, after all. He couldn't help but think.
'What a child between Feifei and me would look like? Exactly what kind of wisp trait would it carry over? Or better, would it carry any at all? We wisps have no 'real form' to speak of, after all.'
Krune then bid his farewell to Ao and the others and wished happiness to Ao's new relationship, much for Ao's sadness.
He then returned to his home and thought.
"Next is the Core Formation Realm breakthrough."