Chapter 602 - 377: Recovering Power, White Snake (Part 2)

Chapter 602: Chapter 377: Recovering Power, White Snake (Part 2)

’I’m out of time... I have to hurry.’

Han Ning’s gaze was filled with determination.

Lucheng East District, the city’s largest pet market.

As the largest pet market in the entire city, it sold over 60 different kinds of pets.

There were popular favorites like cats and dogs, as well as pets sought after by niche enthusiasts, such as parrots, tropical fish, skinks, and corn snakes.

Han Ning had come here to find a suitable pet to form a contract with.

Pet cats were too lazy; parrots, skinks, and pet snakes were too small...

After careful consideration, he decided to buy an obedient dog or a sturdy rooster.

The idea that black dog blood could ward off evil was nonsense made up by screenwriters, but dogs were the most functional of pets. They were highly intelligent and could help their owners with many auxiliary tasks, making them his top priority.

Choosing a rooster as a backup was tinged with a bit of superstition; the legend of the Star Lord of the Pleiades heralding the dawn to drive away evil had been passed down since ancient times.

With this in mind, Han Ning walked over to a row of dog sellers’ stalls.

In a cage up ahead, a few chubby Pomeranians had their paws on the metal bars. Tongues lolling, they stared wide-eyed at every passerby, trying to capture people’s hearts with their adorable gazes and convince them to buy them and take them home.

’Pomeranians? Too small. They won’t do.’

Han Ning shook his head and kept walking.

"Hey, young man, what kind of dog are you looking for? I’ve got everything from small ones like Pomeranians, Yorkies, and toy poodles to big ones like sheepdogs, Great Pyrenees, and Alaskan Malamutes... you name it," an enthusiastic dog seller called out to Han Ning.

"Do you have any dogs that are obedient, don’t bark much, and can guard the house?"

"Rottweilers, Collies, and Golden Retrievers all fit your requirements. Of course, if you’re on a budget, our local mutts make great companions too."

As the dog seller spoke, he picked up a Golden Retriever puppy and placed it in Han Ning’s arms.

"Woof~" The little Golden Retriever blinked its big, sparkling eyes and stared pitifully at Han Ning, letting out a soft, whimpering puppy sound.

"He’s pretty nice. How much?" Han Ning asked casually.

"This little Golden Retriever has a pure bloodline. I’ll sell him to you for 3,000," the dog seller said briskly.

"3,000? A bit steep." Han Ning put the Golden Retriever down and was about to leave.

Suddenly, his eyes scanned the corner of the stall and fell upon a little mutt sitting quietly in a metal cage, not making a sound.

It had short, pitch-black fur, with the only exceptions being the light yellow fur on its eyebrows, cheeks, and legs. It was a chubby little thing, sitting there quietly, watching the pedestrians go by without a bark.

Han Ning walked over to the cage and crouched down.

Their eyes met.

Stare...

The little mutt looked at the strange human in front of it and finally couldn’t help but let out a soft "aroo," sticking its tongue out and sizing him up curiously.

"Hey, little guy, speak." Han Ning opened the cage, held the puppy in his arms, and gently poked its nose.

"Woof?" The puppy licked Han Ning’s fingers, its little front paws scrabbling at his arm.

Han Ning stroked the dog’s head. The puppy lay quietly in his arms, a look of contentment on its face.

The more he looked, the more he liked it. He couldn’t help but ask, "Owner, how much for this one?"

"Oh? You’ve got good taste, young man. This one’s a ’four-eyed iron-clad gold.’ 2,000!"

"A little expensive. Go lower."

"Well... all my dogs have had their distemper and parvovirus shots. The price is perfectly fair."

"1,000." Han Ning ignored his nonsense.

"1,800!" The dog seller gritted his teeth.

"1,000." Han Ning didn’t budge.

"How about this? 1,600, and I’m barely making a profit," the dog seller sighed.

"..."

After some haggling, Han Ning finally bought the puppy for 1,300.

The stall owner also threw in a few bags of dog food and a set of walking gear.

After buying the dog, Han Ning put the little guy in his bag, slung it over his back, and then went to the nearby traditional Chinese medicine wholesale market to buy the remaining ingredients for the Culinary Scientist’s secret medicine.

These ingredients were all common "cold" natured Chinese herbs and weren’t hard to find.

Having bought all the materials, he prepared to go home.

But as he passed a shop specializing in reptile pets, the dormant Spiritual Power in his mind suddenly stirred. He felt a familiar aura.

’This aura... it’s Egg Pancake!’

Han Ning took a deep breath. Having spent day and night with his Soul Beasts, he immediately recognized the source of the aura.

He decisively walked into the shop. After scanning the vast array of various reptiles, his gaze finally locked onto a small, delicate white snake.

"..."

Han Ning’s expression became a picture.

Carrying the cage with the puppy, he approached the reptile terrarium and stared directly at the little snake.

The little snake was grayish-white all over, with eyes the color of Red Jade.

At that moment, it was also blinking its eyes, flicking its tongue wildly at Han Ning.

Their eyes met.

They hardly needed to communicate. In an instant, they both understood: he was the one!

"Egg Pancake!!" Han Ning called out in a low voice.

"HISS HISS!" Egg Pancake blinked its snake eyes and slithered in a circle on the plastic branch.

"Owner, how much for this snake?"

"30,000, non-negotiable."

"Sold!"

After paying without hesitation and leaving the shop with a collection of reptile supplies, Han Ning immediately opened the terrarium and placed Egg Pancake on his arm.

Even when Egg Pancake’s Body was fully stretched out, it was only about an arm’s length.

The majestic and ferocious Giant Dragon that had destroyed continents in the Purple Crystal World had become a dainty little snake that a child could kill by sitting on it.

Yu Yang tried to probe Egg Pancake’s mind with his Spiritual Power.

WHOOSH~

In just an instant, his hazy Spiritual World reappeared.

However, only the Star representing Egg Pancake was shining with a faint light.

At this moment, it was still just a weak, grayish-white halo.

"Egg Pancake! Are you okay now?"

"Hiss~ Squeak!"

Egg Pancake shook its head repeatedly, indicating that it was very weak! It couldn’t even muster the Power of an ordinary person.

’Egg Pancake is just like me. Only our Spiritual Bodies crossed over. That means the other little ones should also be in this city. I have to find them as soon as possible!’

Having found Egg Pancake, Han Ning’s mood improved. He gently stroked Egg Pancake’s little head.

"It’s okay. Just like before, I’ll guide you, and we’ll get stronger step by step."

"Hiss... squeak!"

Just as the man and the snake were communicating, the puppy sitting in the cage on the ground let out a high-pitched yelp.

"Woof!"

"Oh... I forgot about you."

Han Ning looked at the little mutt at his feet and decided to try using the local Beast Taming heritage to see if he could form a contract with it.

’Maybe... this is a path to recovering my strength.’

「Next.」

He followed the directions described by the Blood-colored Piyao, putting the Culinary Scientist’s special ingredient and the herbs into a pot and setting a timer.

He himself went to the living room and started playing with Egg Pancake and the puppy to build their friendship.

About thirty minutes later, a faint, coppery smell wafted from the kitchen.

Han Ning put down the puppy. Egg Pancake was coiled around his neck like a necklace.

He walked into the kitchen and immediately saw a puddle of viscous, blood-red liquid in the iron pot.

’This is the Culinary Scientist’s secret medicine? It looks a bit like uncooked pig’s blood...’

Muttering this complaint to himself, Han Ning poured the secret medicine into a porcelain bowl, picked up a sharp fruit knife, and walked over to the puppy.

He looked down at the fruit knife, his face twitching slightly, and forcefully sliced his own left wrist.

He hissed in pain.

DRIP, DRIP~

A line of blood trickled down his wrist and onto the floor.

Han Ning quickly grabbed the puppy, held his wrist to its mouth, and said softly, "Don’t move, little guy."

"Woof~"

The puppy tasted the coppery human blood and initially resisted, but Han Ning’s right arm held it tightly in place, and his right hand gently pried open its mouth, making it impossible to escape.

Unable to resist, the puppy could only swallow Han Ning’s blood bit by bit.

Seizing the opportunity, Han Ning endured the intense pain, picked up the porcelain bowl with his bloody left hand, and drank the secret medicine in one gulp.