C30 An Intense Battle!

The Black Claw Spirits were few and far between. After dispatching over thirty regular spirits, Zhou Mu finally encountered a second one. This time, he was far more cautious, unleashing his soul sting from a safe distance and managing to eliminate the Black Claw Spirit before it could even reach him.

No soul fragments dropped, indicating that his previous success had been a stroke of luck. Yet, Zhou Mu wasn't disheartened. He knew that with enough kills, the odds would eventually turn in his favor. After all, a 1% drop rate meant a virtual certainty of success after a hundred kills.

Zhou Mu's routine was relentless, consisting of nothing but the necessary breaks for food and rest. Time blurred as he fought on, and eventually, his soul intensity hit the 5-point mark. He also accumulated enough points to enhance Goldie to a Lord-grade status.

Throughout Zhou Mu's battles, Goldie had been feasting non-stop. A diet rich in energy-packed nuts allowed it to ascend from second rank four stars to second rank five stars. Zhou Mu then invested 300 points to acquire a third-rank spirit crystal. Bathed in a soft glow, Goldie ascended to third rank one star, unlocking new abilities.

Golden Essence Sword Qi: Harnessing the power of golden essence to forge sword qi, inflicting severe damage upon foes.

Feather Spread: Manipulating golden essence to coat feathers, dealing damage to enemies in the vicinity.

Both skills, one for single targets and the other for area attacks, had been showcased in the clash with the Sinister Six. Back then, Goldie had briefly transformed into a phoenix by igniting its bloodline, using Feather Spread to grievously wound the Sinister Six, and Golden Essence Sword Qi to deliver the killing blow.

But things were different now. Feather Spread could only manipulate Golden Essence Qi, not the combined power of the five elements – gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. Goldie was, after all, just a Lord-tier Xuan Bird, not an actual phoenix.

The choice was clear without a second thought: Golden Essence Sword Qi. Goldie was an assassin, and Zhou Mu had committed to that path from the start. There was no sense in changing course now.

The confrontation with the Sinister Six had been telling. At equal levels, Goldie could almost effortlessly overpower other fiend beasts. Its only limitation was its small size, which made it challenging to inflict fatal damage on massive fiend beasts like the Sinister Six.

The Golden Essence Sword Qi perfectly compensated for that shortcoming!

With its growth, the amount of Golden Essence Sword Qi that could be wielded increased, becoming ever more potent.

What did size matter?

The Golden Essence Sword Qi shot right through!

"Wow, boss, your bird's gotten even stronger!"

Goldie, feeling the rush of power within, flapped his wings and hopped about, clearly thrilled.

"You're losing three days' worth of food!"

"Boss, my bad!"

"Ah..."

Zhou Mu let out a sigh, contemplating whether to make a stew out of Goldie.

The bird was quick to own up to its mistakes but just as quick to repeat them, causing Zhou Mu no end of frustration.

Zhou Mu was thriving in the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth, his soul intensity steadily climbing, his points accumulating.

Meanwhile, the principal was growing concerned.

"There's a cap to the enhancement humans can gain in the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth. Each visit can only boost their soul intensity by a maximum of 50%. Zhou Mu's at level three, with a soul intensity of three points. He should have been more than ready in ten days, yet it's been half a month..."

The principal was in a quandary. Zhou Mu was Zhou Hao's sole nephew; any mishap would be difficult to account for.

"No need for alarm. This kid's got an extraordinary gift. The usual human limits don't apply to him. Just give it more time; he'll be fine."

Fong Ju, head of recruitment, had full faith in Zhou Mu.

A high school graduate with two Lord-grade spirit animals was unheard of in four centuries.

If not for the protection of Zhou Hao from the area command of Ambergrasp, Zhou Mu would likely have been seized for research by now.

...

Inside the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth, Zhou Mu opened his attribute panel, feeling immensely pleased.

His soul intensity had soared from three points to eighteen, and his Soul Contract had reached level five.

Just two more points, and he could bond with a third spirit animal.

For anyone else, such a rapid surge in soul intensity would be unbearable.

But Zhou Mu was no ordinary person. With a soul intensity ceiling of 222 points, he could stay for months without issue.

During his time in the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth, Zhou Mu noticed a troubling trend: the spirits within seemed to be dwindling.

Initially, he could encounter at least ten ordinary ghosts in thirty minutes, and come across three black-clawed ghosts daily.

But as time went on, the black-clawed ghosts nearly vanished, and the ordinary ghosts' numbers plummeted.

After roaming for over half an hour, he hadn't spotted a single one.

It was baffling!

"Is there a limit to this place?"

Zhou Mu remembered Zheng Hao's words. The sanctuary only offered three spots each year, not because the principal was hoarding access, but due to the slow replenishment rate of soul energy—it could only support the needs of three average Animal Whisperers.

Zhou Mu had recklessly slaughtered, consuming the share meant for three.

In essence, this year's allotment for the sanctuary had been exhausted.

To continue using it, he'd have to wait until next year.

"According to the law of conservation of energy, energy can't be created from nothing or vanish into nothingness. It transforms from one form to another, or transfers from one object to another. Given this, there must be a source of soul energy within the sanctuary. If I can find it..."

Zhou Mu licked his lips, his eyes shining with avarice.

He didn't need much—just a two-point increase in soul intensity to bond with a third spirit animal.

With that boost, his combat abilities would surge. Should he face the Sinister Six again, Zhou Mu could effortlessly crush him.

The pressing question was, how to locate the source of soul energy?

After some thought, Zhou Mu faced another conundrum: how to exit the sanctuary.

Typically, once soul intensity hit a temporary peak, one would be ejected.

Yet, Zhou Mu was far from that peak. Even after another year, he wouldn't reach it.

He would've gladly stayed if soul energy was abundant. But now, with the energy scarce and his supplies of food and water dwindling, he had to consider his departure.

"I need to find a way out of here," Zhou Mu murmured under his breath. As he was about to resume his search, Goldie suddenly burst out with a shout, "Who's there?"

"Ah, true to the Phoenix lineage, your perception is incredibly keen."

A sultry voice drifted over from nearby, prompting Zhou Mu to look up, only to find Demolishor approaching.

"How did you get in here?"

Zhou Mu blurted out instinctively, then quickly realized the obvious answer—Demolishor must have used a key. After all, there were only three annual entries to the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth, and he held two of them, with the third in someone else's possession.

"Wow, you've bounced back quickly."

Demolishor's alluring face registered surprise upon seeing Goldie, then shifted his scrutinizing gaze to Zhou Mu. "Little brother, you've truly caught me off guard!"

For some inexplicable reason, Zhou Mu felt a tangible threat when Demolishor's eyes met his own.

Yes, danger!

It was as if a fiend beast had locked its sights on him—there was no malice, just the mere act of being watched that instinctively made him tense up.

"Exactly who are you?"

Zhou Mu pulled two daggers from his storage bag, etched with spatial runes, readying himself for combat.

Since acquiring the system, he had lived as if life were a game.

With the system's aid, he was already a step above the rest. As long as he avoided foolish risks, ascending to the pinnacle seemed inevitable.

Even when faced with the daunting Sinister Six, Zhou Mu's plan was to leverage the system to train Gator and Goldie.

But now, he was all seriousness.

Demolishor's spirit animal was every bit as formidable as his own.

"This is the Yellow Carriage!"

Zhou Mu's face tensed with gravity. He hadn't expected to encounter such a revered and rare mythical beast so soon after enrolling at Bayshore School.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas describes a land to the north of the Dragon Fish, inhabited by white-skinned, long-haired people. Among them is the Yellow Carriage, a creature resembling a fox with horns on its back, said to grant a lifespan of two thousand years to those who ride it.

The Yellow Carriage, shaped like a fox with a long horn on its back, is steeped in legend. It's said that mounting it can extend one's life by two thousand years.

Both Cheng Huang and the Nine-Tailed Fox are celebrated mythical creatures from Chinese lore.

Anything connected to these ancient myths would at least be of lordly stature. The potential of a mythical creature like Cheng Huang is beyond imagination.

Zhou Mu wasn't sure of Cheng Huang's strength, but judging by Goldie and Gator's wary stance, it was no pushover.

"Such pure dragon blood is a rarity. This chick's lineage is slightly inferior, likely a descendant of the Phoenix clan."

Demolishor's lips curled into a tantalizing smile, stirring a ripple of excitement in Zhou Mu's heart.

"Radiant yet modest, alluring without vulgarity. Sister, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever encountered, it's just a shame..."

Zhou Mu trailed off, sparking Demolishor's curiosity.

"A shame about what?"

"A shame I've never savored your essence, sister!"

Demolishor paused at Zhou Mu's words, then burst into a delicate laugh.

The scene was a tumult of surging waves and quivering blossoms, an unparalleled beauty.

Yet Zhou Mu wasn't swept away by the charm; instead, his guard was up.

"This woman is dangerous, far from the simplicity she portrays."

A chill flashed in Zhou Mu's eyes as he braced for confrontation.

But before he could act, Demolishor vanished from sight.

No, not vanished—her speed was just too fast!

Thud!

The sound reverberated as Zhou Mu took a heavy blow to the chest, stumbling back three steps involuntarily.

"Oh, brother, you're quite sturdy. Sister has a fondness for strong men."

Demolishor's face was all smiles, devoid of any murderous aura.

Yet the more pleasant she seemed, the more peril Zhou Mu sensed.

"Damn it, what about me attracted you? Can't I change that?"

With a frustrated curse, Zhou Mu regained his footing and lunged forward.

We have to fight, no matter what. It's better to strike first than to counterattack passively.

"I really like how tough and unyielding you are, little brother. You always leave me in so much distress."

"Sister, can we not do this? I'm still pure."

The sharp dagger thrust toward Demolishor's chest. If it struck, at least two children would be without their sustenance.

Zhou Mu's strikes were fierce, but Demolishor was no ordinary foe.

His slender fingers fluttered like butterflies, repeatedly deflecting the dagger's blade.

The force of each deflection wasn't overwhelming, but when dozens accumulated, Zhou Mu's arms felt as if they'd been hammered.

A fearsome power surged back, numbing Zhou Mu's hands and sending his weapon flying from his grasp.