Chapter 157: Flying with Leo

He had left Leo there earlier and had never brought him out. Now, with no one around, the loneliness felt even heavier.

So he thought to bring Leo out.

After entering the garden, he walked into the bridal chamber but found no one there.

He searched the surrounding area before heading toward the orchid garden.

The lava beneath the garden was scorching, but the heat did not burn him.

A path lined with orchids stretched ahead, leading him deeper into the garden.

There, Moon finally found Leo chasing a tiny flying fairy bug.

Undoubtedly, it was Xiao Hong.

As Moon approached, Xiao Hong stopped teasing the wolf.

Moon hadn’t seen the red wolf for a while.

Looking at him now felt a little like encountering a troublesome enemy he had known for years—someone he wasn’t particularly fond of, yet somehow still felt a familiar closeness toward.

Leo’s fur had grown thicker and more vibrant. Orange shades peeked through the red, making him look like a living sea of flames.

Moon approached and gently rubbed his fur.

"I’m taking him out," Moon told Xiao Hong.

"Aiya... You’re planning to play outside?" Xiao Hong’s eyes sparkled.

"Hmm. It’s not good to keep him locked up all the time." With that, Moon teleported them out to the Lost Realm.

Sunlight fell across Leo’s eyes.

He puffed up his thick fur, then suddenly pressed himself against Moon and rubbed his enormous head against Moon’s chest.

"What do you want?" Moon murmured.

He couldn’t understand wolf language, but he could sense Leo’s intentions.

Moon ran his fingers through the thick fur and let out a quiet laugh. It sounded more tired than happy.

"What? You want to carry me?" he whispered.

To his surprise, Leo actually lowered his body.

Moon hesitated, then wrapped his arms around Leo’s neck and climbed onto his back.

The moment he settled in, Leo took off so quickly that Moon nearly fell off.

Moon hurriedly wrapped his arms and legs around the wolf, holding on for his life.

Leo’s speed continued to increase.

Faster and faster.

The mountains and trees soon blurred into streaks of color around them.

Suddenly, Moon heard a shrill cry.

The next second, a red phoenix shot past them.

"UH! So slow!" Xiao Hong taunted as she flew ahead of Leo.

Apparently feeling humiliated, Leo let out a long howl.

"Awoooooooo!"

Then he leaped high into the air.

With one powerful jump, he overtook the phoenix—only for Xiao Hong to dart past him again.

Leo grew furious.

He completely forgot that someone was riding on his back, nearly scaring Moon to death.

Moon tightened his arms around Leo’s neck, but the wolf paid no attention to his slender limbs. He continued chasing after Xiao Hong at full speed.

The wind rushed past Moon’s cheeks.

Leaves spiraled beneath Leo’s paws, and the vast sky seemed to draw closer with every leap.

Gradually, Moon realized that his earlier worry and dread were fading.

In their place grew a steady, unwavering courage.

’So what the heaven was against them? He might as well fight it out and break all rules to make a new one.’

He slowly lifted his torso, no longer pressed tightly against Leo’s back.

The wind struck him head-on, tugging at his clothes and whipping through his hair.

But instead of fear, he began to feel the thrill of the chase.

For once, he even howled along with Leo.

"Awoooooo..."

Leo’s body jerked.

He turned his head to look at the suddenly enthusiastic man on his back, then accelerated until his movements became a blur.

Leo soon overtook the phoenix again.

Then Xiao Hong caught up once more.

The phoenix grinned mischievously.

"Feel like flying, right? Mooooneeeeey..."

"Pffft..."

Hearing a human voice come out of that phoenix beak was so strange that Moon burst out laughing.

How could he not know Xiao Hong was deliberately messing with Leo?

If she really wanted to, Leo would never be able to outrun her.

Not now, at least.

After all, a phoenix was a bird.

She could fly while Leo could only run.

Perhaps Leo understood this in his beast mind, too, but his alpha arrogance simply couldn’t accept defeat. So he kept getting faster with every stretch of ground.

Then, from the corner of his eye, Moon caught sight of another wolf leaping out.

A white, frosty wolf.

Then a gray one.

"..."

Moon was speechless for a moment.

What the hell...

Lupine, in his large gray wolf form, had come out of the Lupine Palace together with Rio.

Apparently, they wanted to prove they were more powerful than Leo.

As a result, for the next few moments, the entire Lost Realm became a racetrack for three wolves and one phoenix.

Moon ended up with several cuts on his cheeks from who knew which tree branches.

The freedom he had enjoyed at the beginning now felt more like being tossed around inside a whirlwind.

He had had enough.

Moon grabbed a fistful of Leo’s fur and yanked hard.

Then he shouted at all of them, amplifying his voice with spiritual power.

"FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, ALL OF YOU, STOP!"

The powerful vibration in the air forced everything to a halt.

The ground screeched beneath their feet as dust swirled everywhere.

Leo finally stopped, panting heavily, his body still trembling with lingering excitement.

Moon slid off his back and collapsed onto the grass beside him, no longer bothering to maintain his composure.

He was so damn tired.

All because of this stupid race!

Leo’s beast eyes glowed with red fire as he looked down at the slumped figure. He stepped closer and lowered his head.

Then, without warning, he opened his mouth and gave Moon a long, wet lick across the cheek.

Moon jolted upright and hurriedly scrambled backward, screaming as he did so.

"Hell no! Why are you licking me?!"

Leo didn’t answer, but Moon could almost feel the beast’s amusement. Somehow, it seemed as though Leo had enough sense to mock him.

That only irritated Moon even more.

He glared into those red eyes.

Leo glared right back.