C36 The Shi Family

"The Snake King is incredible!" "He truly deserves to be Azure Academy's top champion. The folks from Apex Academy can't strut around so proudly now."

Jiao Yuanju left with a smile on his face.

Panic flashed in Zhu Boyi's eyes. He turned to the other two Apex Academy students and said, "Let's get out of here!"

The Azure Academy crowd quickly encircled them. The boys raised their voices, "Where do you think you're going?"

"We need an explanation!"

"You're not leaving until you apologize to us today!"

Zhu Boyi was sweating profusely as he stammered, "I'm sorry, everyone. I promise I won't come back!"

One of Jiao Yuanju's devoted female fans shouted, "Enough talk. You need to apologize to each of us, one by one!"

"And you owe God Jiao an apology too!"

As Zhu Boyi was frantically wondering what to do, he noticed the Shadow Tiger that had been cowering on the ground suddenly spring up and take off after Jiao Yuanju.

"Durvu, where are you going? Stop!" he called out.

But Zhu Boyi was yanked back into the throng of people, powerless to do anything but watch his pet chase after Jiao Yuanju. He looked on the verge of tears.

[The Shadow Tiger's adoration for Eoldrai has been detected. The automatic pet retrieval function is limited to elite level. Would you like to bind the Shadow Tiger?]

Jiao Yuanju stared at the black and white tiger lying on the ground, gazing up at him with a pleading look. He was at a loss for words. Disciplining Zhu Boyi was one thing, but taking his pet? Would Zhu Boyi challenge him to a fight to the death over this?

"Well, I should definitely take in this pet that sought me out on its own. It was the one that came to me first, after all!"

Jiao Yuanju certainly wasn't going to refuse. So, he cheerfully agreed, "I consent to bind the Shadow Tiger!"

"Binding successful. Congratulations to the host for acquiring the Shadow Tiger!"

A sense of a deep bond emerged. The Shadow Tiger in front of him slowly rose and gently nibbled at the hem of Jiao Yuanju's clothing.

Zhu Boyi, who had been desperately running back, caught sight of this moment. He swore loudly, then his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed in a faint!

"Jiao, the principal wants to see you!"

A student, out of breath and with a look of awe, approached Jiao Yuanju with the message.

"What does the principal want with me?"

Jiao Yuanju glanced at the Shadow Tiger sprawled on the ground like a pug and was reminded of the opportunity to earn blood points. He quickly inquired, "System, how do I stow this tiger away?"

"It's quite straightforward, Host. Since you've activated your bloodline power and possess the Asura Combat Body, you can place it into the Realm of Shadows."

"The Realm of Shadows is that effective? It's practically like a Combat Pet Bag, but far more sophisticated. The Combat Pet Bag may be pricey and only holds one pet, but my Realm of Shadows spans dozens of square meters!"

Jiao Yuanju was inwardly delighted. With a simple gesture, the Shadow Tiger was absorbed into the Realm of Shadows. The onlookers assumed Jiao Yuanju had used a Combat Pet Bag.

In the principal's office, an elder sat with an air of tranquility. Beside him were Yun Zhengchu and Pei Xiaobo, the commanders of the border defense forces.

Principal Pei Dong tentatively asked, "May I ask why you're seeking Jiao Yuanju? Has he done something wrong?"

Yun Zhengchu replied with a wry smile, "We're not sure ourselves; we're just accompanying Elder Shi."

"Elder Shi?"

Pei Dong paused, then his excitement surged. "You mean Shi Jianyuan? The enigmatic guardian of Krukshire's elite team and the head of the Shi family, one of the three major clans?"

"Exactly."

Both men cast a glance at the elder who was resting with his eyes closed on a nearby chair.

Pei Dong grew even more deferential and didn't dare to interrupt the silence that had fallen among them.

When Jiao Yuanju pushed the door open and stepped inside, he was taken aback. "Oh, what brings you all here?"

Pei Xiaobo greeted him with joy, "You've arrived. Please, have a seat!"

All eyes turned to him, and the elder opened his eyes, scrutinizing the young man with interest.

Jiao Yuanju made his way to Pei Xiaobo. Having been through life-and-death situations together, they were like brothers in arms. Without any formality, Jiao Yuanju sat down right next to him.

Pei Dong chuckled, "It's this gentleman here who's been looking for you."

With that, he stepped back with an air of detachment.

Jiao Yuanju eyed the old man, who was still beaming at him, and asked, "You were looking for me?"

The elder laughed heartily, "So you're Jiao Yuanju? I've heard about your deeds. Not only did you rescue Pei Xiaobo and his group, but today you also saved my niece from the orcs. For someone so young, your abilities and Combat Pet are exceptional—a true young hero indeed!"

Jiao pressed on, "What do you need from me?"

The old man's smile widened, "How would you like to join Krukshire's Ace Combat Pet Team? Full disclosure, I'm the team's leader and a member of the Shi family. Or perhaps, you'd consider joining the Shi family itself?"

There it was!

Yun Zhengchu exchanged a knowing look with the old man, both managing a wry smile. Clearly, the elder was not just scouting on behalf of Krukshire's official ranks—he had his own agenda.

The elder enticed him further, "Are you aware that times have changed? The most formidable power in the Land of the Rising Sun is now the Puwhary Alliance. Let me tell you, resources are what matter most in today's world. The Shi family, a martial arts dynasty before the world's great destruction, is now in control of numerous resources. Join the Shi family, and you could rise to my level!"

"What kind of resources?"

Shi Jianyuan's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "Resources that can trigger the evolution of Combat Pets and stimulate human genetic potential!"

Jiao Yuanju's mind was swirling with confusion. Wasn't there supposed to be only one system? How could they all evolve?

Unable to contain himself, Yun Zhengchu interjected, "Elder Shi, it's true that the Magic Stone's energy can spur genetic evolution, but so far, you're the only one who has undergone such a transformation. That might be due to a lifetime of martial arts training. Jiao Yuanju's Combat Pet is impressive, but he himself isn't a martial artist."

Shi Jianyuan fixed him with a stern look, "Are you here to stir up trouble?"

Jiao Yuanju discerned that gene evolution depended on the Magic Stone, and it appeared to be quite challenging, certainly not as swift as the system made it seem!

"I refuse!"

With that, Jiao Yuanju spun on his heel and strode away.