In the early morning, the dawn shimmered in the young woman’s sapphire-blue eyes.
They both seemed to be looking for each other, bumping into one another in the hallway before heading to the dining hall together.
"Good morning, Su Baby~"
"M-morning. Good morning."
"Hm? Why do you sound a little guilty, Su Baby?"
The girl blinked mischievously and suddenly leaned in. "You didn’t do something naughty while I was sleeping, did you?"
Su Zhi’s face flushed red. "...No!"
"Ahahaha~ I knew you wouldn’t. You really can’t take a tease, Su Baby~"
Su Zhi: "..."
’Ah, this... She seems to think I just can’t take a tease and didn’t actually do anything... Then again, it was just a little peck. That doesn’t really count as doing anything, right?’
’Yep. So I didn’t do anything.’
’Xiaoyue can vouch for me.’
Xiaoyue: "Meeeoowwrr."
"Oh dear, you’re too big now! I can’t pick you up anymore!"
"Meeow meeow~"
Under the big cat Xiaoyue’s coaxing, Shao Ya picked him up anyway.
Of course, saying she couldn’t pick him up was just to fool the cat. Xiaoyue was currently only the size and weight of a large domestic cat. How could a Beast Tamer who had awakened a Tier Two Space possibly not be able to lift him?
If it were Su Zhi, not only could she lift him, she could probably throw him over her shoulder and sprint a hundred meters.
"I’m hopeless against you... Oof! Don’t touch there!"
"Meeooww~~"
"You can’t touch there even if you meow!"
After finishing breakfast together, Su Zhi and Shao Ya went to Shan Bao’s hospital room.
As they reached the door, Su Zhi paused for a moment. ’I forgot to call Wu Bao to come up with us!’
But when they opened the door, Wu Bao was already in the room, standing guard by the bed and grooming Shan Bao’s feathers with its insect-like legs.
"Woo!"
Seeing Su Zhi arrive, Wu Bao waved its limbs excitedly.
Su Zhi asked in surprise, "How’d you get in here?"
"Woof woof!" Yu Bao translated for Wu Bao.
Apparently, Wu Bao had been bored last night and was wandering around the hospital. It ran into the gatekeeper’s Cyan Feathered Falcon, and they had a nice chat.
The gatekeeper, a web novel enthusiast, was deeply captivated by Wu Bao’s series of stories about its wilderness training after his Cyan Feathered Falcon translated for him.
He praised Wu Bao’s pacing and high points as freaking genius, saying it was a huge pity it wasn’t reincarnated as a human to write web novels, as it had even mastered a difficult genre like road trip fiction to perfection.
Now, the gatekeeper has become Wu Bao’s loyal reader and just suggested that Wu Bao should learn to type and publish a book.
’Is it really that awesome...?’ Su Zhi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "My dad would probably feel like he’d found a kindred spirit if he met you."
"Woo~" Wu Bao scratched its head shyly.
’I dunno, I’m not that amazing.’
"Speaking of which, what’s so great about your training? Weren’t you just a coward from start to finish...?"
"Woof," Yu Bao nodded in agreement.
"Woo!" Wu Bao stomped its feet.
’It’s called being cautious... Cautious! The jungle is fraught with danger. Can following your instincts be called cowardice?’
What followed was a string of obscure and hard-to-understand insectoid chirps about "laying low to build power," "beastly wisdom," and "artistic embellishment," filling the hospital room with a cheerful atmosphere.
Just as Wu Bao was about to explain the difference between being cautious and being a coward to Yu Bao, Shan Bao stirred on the hospital bed, twitching its wings.
Shao Ya’s eyes lit up. "Shan Bao’s waking up!"
"Woof!" "Woo!"
Forgetting their squabble, Yu Bao and Wu Bao both rushed over to Shan Bao’s side.
But Shan Bao didn’t wake up as smoothly as they had expected. It just moved its wings weakly, as if subconsciously asking for help.
Yu Bao and Wu Bao both turned to look hurriedly at Su Zhi.
...
"It’s a small issue, an Energy Value misalignment. Simply put, your Pet Beast’s body has recovered, but the Energy within it hasn’t reconnected properly, which causes this kind of localized shock phenomenon."
A moment later, the physician who came to the room cleared up their confusion.
"Do you have a Pet Beast with the Gold Element? You can try using it to manipulate Gold Element Energy to help it resonate. If not, it’s fine; I can request one to be brought over."
Su Zhi: "So as long as it can control Gold Element Energy, it’ll work?"
Physician: "That’s right."
Su Zhi and Yu Bao looked at each other for a moment.
Yu Bao nodded, a little excited.
Su Zhi turned back to the doctor. "We’d like to try first. If we can do it, we won’t have to trouble you!"
"Alright. Come find me if it doesn’t work."
With that, the doctor left the room.
Yu Bao, already looking like it couldn’t wait, jumped next to Shan Bao and rubbed its paws together like a fly.
"Woo." Wu Bao punched it.
’Be serious! You’re only allowed to heal, nothing else!’
Yu Bao shot it a disdainful glance.
’Whatever. I am a Wise One. A Wise One does not stoop to the level of a vulgar insect.’
After that brief squabble, Yu Bao focused its attention, trying hard to sense the Gold Element Energy inside Shan Bao’s body.
Due to its incomplete awakening, Yu Bao had never been able to control the Gold Element Energy within its own body; it could only control physical metal that was separate from itself.
’So, can I control Gold Element Energy that exists independently of me?’
Yu Bao didn’t know, but it wanted to try.
To its pleasant surprise... it could actually feel something!
In their misaligned state, the connection between those clusters of Gold Element Energy and Shan Bao’s body had been severed. Yu Bao could clearly perceive their position and density.
So it tried to manipulate this Gold Element Energy, helping it to "reconnect" with Shan Bao’s body.
It was difficult at first; after all, perception and control are two different things.
So Yu Bao tried to find that feeling of "control," just like when it controlled Fire Element Energy before.
Slowly, it discovered it could control the density of those Gold Element Energy clusters... their size... and their direction...
Connect—
With that feeling, Yu Bao’s control over the Gold Element Energy instantly vanished.
[Assignable Attribute Points: 0.40... 0.50]
Seeing the sudden large increase in Assignable Attribute Points, Su Zhi was inwardly delighted and raised his eyebrows sharply.
’Just as I thought. Yu Bao’s control over Gold Element Energy improved, triggering the point gain!’
In reality, controlling the Energy of a certain Attribute is the most direct way to deepen a Pet Beast’s understanding of that Attribute. Generally, a Pet Beast starts by controlling the Energy within its own body.
However, Yu Bao’s situation was special. The Gold Element Energy inside its body wasn’t under its control... and energized Attributes don’t just exist naturally, which put Yu Bao in a difficult position.
The accidental disconnection of the Energy inside Shan Bao’s body had instead given Yu Bao a perfect opportunity to practice.
"...Cheep?"
On the bed, Shan Bao opened its eyes.
The first thing it saw was a black, thick, long... horn, then a dog’s head, and then Su Zhi.
"Woof!" "Woo!"
Yu Bao and Wu Bao both crowded around excitedly.
’Shan Bao, you’re awake!’
"Cheep cheep~" Shan Bao chirped, greeting its two big brothers while curiously looking around, not knowing where it was...
...until it saw Xiaoyue staring at it without moving.
"QAQ Cheep!"
’What a huge cat!’
Terrified, Shan Bao flapped its wings frantically, shot into Su Zhi’s clothes with a SWOOSH, and refused to come out.
’I’m so small, I wouldn’t even be a mouthful for that giant kitty!’
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Su Zhi pulled it out. "It’s okay, Shan Bao. This is Xiaoyue, the one I told you about! And the one with the white hair is big sister Shao Ya."
Shao Ya waved at it. "Hello there, little cutie~"
Only then did Shan Bao tentatively poke its head out. Seeing that Xiaoyue really wasn’t going to eat it, it timidly walked up to Xiaoyue and bowed low.
’M-my respects to the big boss!’
"Meow." Lying lazily on its side, Xiaoyue nodded, signaling for it to rise.
’This Shimmering Free-Range Chicken makes a decent impression, a bit better than that dumb little dog.’
Afterward, Su Zhi explained to Shan Bao what had happened the day before.
After understanding the whole story, Shan Bao paused for a moment. It could now feel the connection to the Beast Taming Space and realized it had already been contracted.
"Cheep... cheep!"
Shan Bao suddenly threw itself onto Wu Bao, nuzzling against it in a way that was both aggrieved and endearing.
Seeing this loving scene, the girl smiled sweetly.
Su Zhi’s smile, however, was not as pronounced.
After contracting with Shan Bao, he could now accurately sense its thoughts.
Shan Bao was thanking Wu Bao for giving up the chance to be contracted first in order to save its life.
It also felt guilty for its own weakness and uselessness, feeling that it had dragged everyone down.
It was actually quite ashamed.
"Woo~"
Wu Bao gently stroked Shan Bao’s cheek with its middle leg.
’It’s okay. We have a long road ahead of us. Let’s grow together.’
In reality, Wu Bao was ecstatic.
’Getting the little sister’s affection just by waiting a bit longer to be contracted? Is that a loss? Heck no, it’s a huge win!’
’Once I learn Doubling, I can even shrink my body to be about the same size as Shan Bao.’
’That way, the experience will be even more detailed and clear... ’
’No! I can’t! Just thinking about it is so exciting!’
’I’m learning Doubling as soon as I get back!’
"Woo!"
Wu Bao poked the nearby Yu Bao, humbly seeking guidance.
’My good brother! Su Zhi’s Main Pet, Lord of Thick Earth and Flowing Fire, the Hero Among Dogs who Wields Wisdom, Master of Smiles, Big Brother Xiaoyue’s Loyal Follower, the Number One Poser in the Beast Taming Realm, the Most Handsome Badass in the Arena: Yu Bao!’
’Please teach me the essentials of mastering Doubling!’
Yu Bao looked completely lost.
’I don’t know, man. I’m just a mutt...’
But, after all, Wu Bao had just flattered it so much.
"Woof."
Thinking this, Yu Bao patted Wu Bao’s shoulder and pulled the Skill Atlas from Su Zhi’s backpack.
’Since you have asked with such sincerity, this master shall teach you to try!’
One dared to teach and the other dared to learn... Su Zhi watched the two good brothers engrossed in their studies, pursed his lips, and turned his gaze back to Shan Bao.
"By the way, Shan Bao, why did you suddenly appear in the Ancient Jing Forest, and so heavily injured? Who hurt you?"
"Cheep..."
Fear immediately appeared in Shan Bao’s eyes.
’The Land of Flash Gold!’
Su Zhi quickly pressed, "What happened to the Land of Flash Gold?"
"Cheep cheep..." Shan Bao recalled, still shaken.
The Land of Flash Gold was originally a place filled with shiny metal. It had been absorbing Gold Element Energy there and growing very quickly.
Until one day, many pitch-black things suddenly appeared inside, spreading continuously.
Those pitch-black things seemed to infect everything they touched: the glittering metals lost their luster, the bright sky grew dim, and the trees withered...
One after another, terrifying Exotic Beasts emerged from the blackness, indiscriminately destroying and absorbing everything around them, and they even attacked it.
They were too fast and too strong. Even after trying its best to dodge for a while, Shan Bao was still hit.
The moment it lost consciousness, it activated Flash Gold Teleportation to escape the Secret Realm, and then it passed out during the teleportation process...
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