After Tianma and Zhang Yang vanished into the distance, the old man finally rose, brushing off his clothes. "Truly getting old. Even small matters cause such emotional turbulence. These little creatures are far too troublesome; following them will only get harder. Alas, what a bother!"

The elder sighed softly before starting to walk forward slowly.

He headed in the direction Zhang Yang had gone, though at a more measured pace. Tianma’s speed was simply too incredible; even he would struggle to catch up if it ran at full tilt. Furthermore, exerting his full power would reveal far too much—that was not his objective.

Riding on Tianma’s back, Zhang Yang felt nothing but a rush of wind; they had already covered an immense distance. Tianma truly lived up to its reputation as the fastest spirit beast. Running at full throttle, Zhang Yang had to use his inner qi just to keep his eyes open enough to register the surroundings.

After running hard for several minutes, Tianma finally slowed, gazing into the distance.

Wuying also poked its head out, chirping incessantly.

Wuying informed Zhang Yang that it had sensed that powerful energy again—an energy far superior to both itself and Zhang Yang. Moreover, this energy felt identical to the one sensed when they first set out; Wuying was certain it was the same person.

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Wuying spoke for a long time, its small face etched with a hint of fear. The intelligent little creature now understood that Zhang Yang’s earlier feeling had been correct: someone had been trailing them the entire time. And this someone was immensely powerful, capable of concealing their presence from all of them.

Zhang Yang turned his head back, his brow furrowed as he stared into the distance. The surprise he felt about riding Tianma was entirely gone. While Tianma’s speed was astonishing, the discovery of being secretly tracked had completely soured his mood.

At this point, Zhang Yang confirmed his previous suspicions. There was indeed someone more powerful than them, constantly tracking him in secret, and he had been followed for many days. This tracker was far stronger than him; otherwise, he wouldn't have remained undetected for so long, and even leaving Wuying behind covertly yielded no results. Had he not inadvertently exposed his aura again, Zhang Yang might never have known this person was nearby.

"Hiss," just as Zhang Yang was pondering who this stalker could be, the Tianma beneath him let out another cry and turned its head to look at him.

The tight knot of Zhang Yang’s brow immediately relaxed. He froze there, his eyes wide with surprise and delight.

The system, silent for a long time, suddenly surfaced to inform Zhang Yang that Tianma had developed a favorable impression of him, and its loyalty level had soared straight to fifty-eight—just two points shy of the sixty needed for true companionship. Once it reached sixty, this Tianma would remain with Zhang Yang permanently, becoming his companion just like Shandian and Wuying.

The remaining two points were missing because the Tianma was still hesitating, weighing whether to truly follow this man. Although Zhang Yang had saved it, he was also the unwitting cause of its poisoning. Furthermore, he had landed a punch on it earlier—a fact the Tianma had not forgotten. Of course, Tianma also understood that the true culprit behind the poison was the Golden-Crowned Python, not Zhang Yang. It was perfectly aware that it was Zhang Yang who had produced the precious spiritual medicine at the moment of certain death, ultimately saving its life.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Shandian leaped down, positioning itself directly in front of the Tianma, its small paws gesturing animatedly as it appeared to be arguing about something. Wuying perched atop the Tianma’s beautiful head, also calling out. Both little creatures were making quite a racket, seemingly quarreling over something. They chattered rapidly, while the Tianma looked down at Shandian on the ground, then up at Wuying above, standing stock-still, lost in thought.

After a moment, Zhang Yang understood: these two had sensed the Tianma’s wavering interest and were now actively recruiting it. Shandian was telling the Tianma that Zhang Yang possessed many excellent spiritual medicines that could rapidly boost its advancement, making it far stronger in the future. Wuying was more pragmatic, insisting that Zhang Yang was incredibly powerful, his fists unforgiving, and he could exact revenge on anyone who bullied the Tianma, promising a good thrashing to any aggressors.

The little ones’ efforts were not in vain. As Zhang Yang stood there dumbfounded, the system sent a notification: Spirit Beast Tianma’s loyalty to Zhang Yang had broken past sixty, reaching sixty-one. This meant Zhang Yang now had another spirit beast at his side, one significantly larger than both Shandian and Wuying.

"Don't worry; I will take revenge on everyone who bullied you!"

Sensing Wuying’s transmitted intent, Zhang Yang gently stroked the Tianma’s mane. The Tianma’s unexpected decision to follow instantly drove the thought of the hidden stalker from his mind, replacing it only with elation. All of Zhang Yang’s prior unease and irritation vanished. Even if there was someone tracking him, he was no longer afraid; Tianma’s speed was unmatched, making continued surveillance impossible.

The system also congratulated Zhang Yang. This system was truly exceptional; at least with its aid, Zhang Yang could tangibly perceive everything around him. For instance, Shandian and Wuying currently held loyalty levels of eighty-nine and eighty-three, respectively—both indicating absolute devotion. If Shandian’s loyalty increased by just one more point, Zhang Yang could leave behind a guardian spirit beast for his descendants even a hundred years from now.

"Please name the Spirit Beast Tianma!"

The system's crisp voice sounded in Zhang Yang's mind. In his current joy, the system’s tone seemed exceptionally melodious.

"Tianma, what name suits you?"

Zhang Yang smiled, stroking the beast's coat, and asked softly. Shandian and Wuying instantly fell silent. Both little creatures understood that the Tianma was willing to follow Zhang Yang like them, and now their master was bestowing a name—a name that would accompany it for life, just like theirs.

"Whoosh!"

The Tianma snorted deeply, then turned back to gently lick Zhang Yang’s hand before letting out a few soft calls. Zhang Yang couldn't immediately decipher what the Tianma intended and could only rely on Wuying and Shandian for translation. Unfortunately, neither was a competent interpreter; the translations they offered were completely divergent, reflecting only their own ideas.

After listening to the two little ones chatter for a while, Zhang Yang couldn't help but shake his head, deciding to stop relying on their interpretations. "Your greatest talent is speed, swift as the wind. From now on, you shall be called Zhuifeng (Wind Chaser)!"

Zhang Yang spoke gently. Zhuifeng—it was the perfect name he conceived for the Tianma.

The Tianma’s head shot up sharply. After a moment, it nodded its head, clearly very satisfied with its new name. Zhuifeng—a Tianma that could outrun the wind.

"Spirit Pet Zhuifeng, Loyalty 61. Host has completed the Hidden Quest 'Tianma's Adherence'… Quest difficulty level four…"

As soon as the name was bestowed, the system's voice chimed in again, causing Zhang Yang to pause. He hadn't expected that this pursuit would not only result in Tianma’s unexpected allegiance but also the completion of a hidden quest. A level four quest didn’t offer rewards as high as a level five quest, but it still granted an increase in capability points. Zhang Yang immediately received four points in Free Attribute Points. He immediately allocated all four points to the Zhang Family Qigong, which would substantially increase his inner qi. Increasing his inner qi through consuming spiritual medicine was now a very slow process, making the system’s direct infusion precious. System-provided increases came without limitations and were instantly stackable.

"Zhuifeng, let's go!"

Feeling the surge of energy in his body, Zhang Yang’s excitement peaked. He pointed in the direction they had come from and called out spiritedly.

"Hiss, hiss!" The Tianma, Zhuifeng, lifted its front hooves slightly, then pushed off with its rear, instantly surging far ahead. Having just gained a new name, the Tianma appeared extremely exhilarated, its pace even faster underfoot.

Riding on Zhuifeng, feeling the fierce wind, a surge of bold exhilaration flooded Zhang Yang’s heart. Now, with the assistance of the three great spirit beasts—Shandian, Wuying, and Zhuifeng—combined with his own strength, he dared to venture into any treacherous locale. Zhuifeng's speed, especially, provided Zhang Yang with an unparalleled guarantee. His confidence for this upcoming journey to the Long Family soared. Even if the Long Family elder intended to cause trouble, Zhang Yang had no reservations. Their combined forces were now capable of contending with a fourth-layer master. At the very least, even if they couldn't win against a fourth-layer master, with Zhuifeng present, that master couldn't keep him captive. This essentially put him in an invincible position. If not for the accidental discovery of the stalker today, Zhang Yang’s heroic spirit would have been even greater—it was nearly perfect.

Zhuifeng ran swiftly. No longer needing to suppress toxins, Zhang Yang truly experienced its terrifying speed. The hundred-plus kilometers they covered on the way out took barely ten minutes to return, and that was accounting for the slight detour they’d taken. Ten minutes for over a hundred kilometers; even high-speed trains in later eras couldn't match Zhuifeng’s speed. To catch them, especially across this open grassland, one would need to deploy aircraft.

In the distance, Zhang Yang spotted several vehicles moving slowly across the grassland, with figures seated atop their roofs. Upon seeing them, the Tianma’s eyes immediately widened, its expression tinged with clear rage.

These were the poachers from before. Upon discovering the wild horses, they had swarmed to hunt Zhuifeng. Had Zhuifeng not been weakened by poison back then, it would have shaken them off long ago and wouldn't have been harassed by this rabble.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak!"

"Chirp, chirp, chirp!"

Seeing these men, Shandian and Wuying also cried out. They had seen these people before, but at that time, they had no connection to Tianma Zhuifeng and naturally wouldn't meddle. The situation was different now; Zhuifeng was their new companion. Encountering those who bullied their partner, they certainly couldn't just let it go, especially since Wuying had just promised to avenge Zhuifeng. The clear intention of the two little ones was to utterly thrash this group of people.

"Haha, Zhuifeng, let's go! We'll help you get revenge!"

Understanding the little ones’ sentiment, Zhang Yang threw his head back and laughed. There were only seven or eight vehicles ahead, significantly fewer than before. With fewer vehicles, the people were crowded; the cabins were packed, and to avoid walking, a few individuals had climbed onto the roofs. With people on top, the vehicles couldn't drive too fast. Fortunately, these were high-powered off-road vehicles; otherwise, they likely couldn't carry so many people.

(Note to readers: Conquering the Tianma was intended for two chapters, but to avoid rambling, I concluded it in one to keep the plot tight. Please forgive this adjustment!)