It didn't take Zhu Ziyang much time to deal with the three Evil Soul Masters. He rushed back in the direction he came from, catching up with Jiang Nannan and Yang Zhenzhen. Just as Jiang Nannan and Yang Zhenzhen left the Star Dou Great Forest, Zhu Ziyang caught up with them.
"Nannan!" Zhu Ziyang called out.
"Brother! How are you so fast?" Jiang Nannan turned her head at the sound, her pretty face showing joy and a hint of surprise, and she asked softly.
"They were just three old guys, why would they take much of my energy?" Zhu Ziyang said dismissively, "Let's go, we'll take Zhenzhen back to her school, and then we need to return to the Academy."
"Mhm!" Jiang Nannan immediately nodded in agreement. She didn't have any intention of asking Zhu Ziyang for specific details, because she knew her Ziyang-ge would tell her.
The three traveled without stopping, arriving directly at Falan City Advanced Spirit Master Academy. Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan saw Yang Zhenzhen off at the main gate.
"Zhenzhen, we're leaving now." Before they departed, Jiang Nannan reminded her, "While you work hard on your cultivation, remember to balance work and rest. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."
"Mhm mhm! I understand, Sister Nannan." Yang Zhenzhen nodded seriously, a trace of reluctance on her face. "Sister Nannan, Yang-ge, when will we be able to meet again?"
"Hehe, don't be sad!" Jiang Nannan couldn't help but laugh as she saw the reluctance on Yang Zhenzhen's face, and she comforted her softly, "Isn't your Academy going to organize a team to participate in the Soul Master Competition? As long as you become a member of your Academy's team, we'll be able to meet in Mingdu then!"
"Really?" Yang Zhenzhen's eyes lit up at the news, and she said excitedly, "Then I must become a contestant for our Academy!"
"Mhm! You can do it, I believe in you!" Jiang Nannan encouraged her.
After watching Yang Zhenzhen happily run back into the Academy, Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan didn't linger. They turned and left Falan City, returning to Shrek Academy.
On the way, Zhu Ziyang told Jiang Nannan about the two Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear cubs. Jiang Nannan was greatly surprised upon hearing this and was very curious about the two bear cubs. She pestered Zhu Ziyang, wanting to see what the two little bears looked like.
Zhu Ziyang couldn't resist her, so he had to stop and release the two Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear cubs from the Saint Law Demiplane.
At this moment, the two bear cubs had already woken up from their sleep, their eyes filled with confusion and fear. After all, they were little guys who had just been born, and they had lost their parents before it was time to leave them. It was truly pitiful.
After emerging from the Saint Law Demiplane, the two bear cubs huddled together, trembling slightly. With their small eyes, they cautiously scanned their surroundings. Upon seeing Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan, their eyes clearly showed confusion and curiosity. It was the first time the two little ones had encountered humans. Their inherited memories only contained the abilities and talents of the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear clan, with no mention of humans.
The conflict between Spirit Masters and Spirit Beasts was something their parents needed to teach them, but that was no longer possible.
"So cute!" Jiang Nannan was instantly captivated by the two little bear cubs. She bent down and reached out her jade hand to stroke the head of one of them. Immediately, the girl's eyes curved into crescent moons, and she exclaimed, "So soft and comfortable!"
"Is that so?" Zhu Ziyang, hearing this, also reached out to stroke the head of the other bear cub. His eyes then lit up, and he exclaimed, "It really is soft."
These two Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear cubs were only about eighty to ninety centimeters tall. Their fur was mainly light golden down. Their most prized bear claws were still soft, fleshy paw pads without any lethality, resembling a cat's paws instead. The bear cubs stood unsteadily, and a slight lapse in attention would send them tumbling onto the ground, looking adorably clumsy.
The growth of the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear is very slow. Ordinary Spirit Beasts can mature in ten years at most, but as one of the top Spirit Beasts, the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear has a very long infancy and growth period. Truly adult Darkgold Terrorclaw Bears are all over a hundred years old.
There are two hallmarks of an adult Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear. First, their dark gold fur: after reaching adulthood, all of the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear's downy fur will shed, replaced by coarse, hard bristles, and their body color will change from light gold to the iconic dark gold. Second, their paw claws: during their infancy, their claws are pliable but not hard enough, and their palms are soft, sensitive paw pads. Upon reaching adulthood, their claws will become the sharpest weapons, and their palms will become the strongest bulwarks. The Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear's paw claws are one of the hardest objects in the Spirit Beast world.
"They're really so cute!" Jiang Nannan exclaimed again, reaching out to pick one up, holding it like a child. The Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear cub being held by Jiang Nannan obediently accepted her handling. They could sense the dangerous aura emanating from this unknown creature before them, and their survival instinct made them choose to submit.
As cubs, they didn't yet understand the pride and dignity of the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear, so they could lie in a human's embrace, acting cute and playful like pets, without any psychological burden.
"Alright, let's head back to the Academy first. Once we're back, you'll have plenty of time to play with them." Zhu Ziyang, somewhat helplessly, took the bear cub from Jiang Nannan's hands and sent it and its brother back into the Saint Law Demiplane.
"How can you do this! I haven't played enough yet, brother!" Jiang Nannan was a bit displeased with Zhu Ziyang's actions, pouting her lips and whining.
"Here, this Spirit Bone is for you." Zhu Ziyang ignored Jiang Nannan's displeasure and instead took out the Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear right arm bone, handing it to her. He said, "This is a remnant from the two bear cubs' father, approximately fifty thousand years old, and it happens to be a right arm bone, perfectly suited for you. It also saves you the trouble of having to search for a Spirit Bone in the Treasure Pavilion after returning to the Academy."
"A fifty-thousand-year Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear right arm bone!" Jiang Nannan was very surprised, but she didn't refuse. After taking it, she excitedly hugged Zhu Ziyang and said sweetly, "I knew brother loves me the most!"
"Not angry anymore, are we?" Zhu Ziyang smiled, wrapping his arm around the girl's slender and graceful waist. He said, "Then let's go back to the Academy."
"Mhm mhm!" Jiang Nannan's jade arms wrapped around Zhu Ziyang's neck, her sweet laughter frequent, her breath like orchids, making Zhu Ziyang's heart flutter. If it weren't for the wrong timing, he would definitely give this little girl a good 'punishment'.
It was already evening when the two returned to Shrek Academy. Zhu Ziyang found Xingcai leisurely strolling under the Golden Ancient Tree, preparing to introduce the two bear cubs to her.
"Huan Er, are you playing with Xingcai again?" Zhu Ziyang saw a red-haired girl standing in front of Xingcai. Although it was her back, he still recognized her identity at a glance. He called out.
"Yes," Fifth Huan'er subconsciously replied, then turned around to look. Upon seeing Zhu Ziyang, a look of joy immediately appeared on the girl's face, and she called out, "Ziyang-ge, you're back? Where's Sister Nannan?"
"Nannan went to the dining hall first," Zhu Ziyang said, walking up to Fifth Huan'er. He said, "It seems you really like Xingcai."
"I feel very comfortable with Xingcai." A hint of something unusual flashed in Fifth Huan'er's eyes, an oddity concealed by the innocent expression on her pretty face, yet it didn't escape Zhu Ziyang's notice.
Zhu Ziyang chuckled inwardly but had no intention of exposing her. Instead, he said, "Xingcai also likes you very much. That's good."
Xingcai cooperatively walked in front of Fifth Huan'er and rubbed the girl's palm with the horn on her head, eliciting a series of clear, pleasant, bell-like laughter from the girl.
"Xingcai, I found two playmates for you!" Zhu Ziyang didn't keep her in suspense and directly told Xingcai.
"What kind of playmates?" Xingcai was a bit confused for a moment, looking at Zhu Ziyang blankly.
Zhu Ziyang smiled slightly, then with a wave of his hand, two bear cubs suddenly appeared on the grass, lying on the ground blankly, feeling somewhat at a loss.
"This is..." Fifth Huan'er's pupils contracted sharply, and then a trace of unnatural anger entered her voice.
"Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear cubs." Zhu Ziyang smiled faintly, reaching out and holding Fifth Huan'er's small hand, which immediately brought the girl's somewhat uncontrollable emotions to a halt. "Their parents were killed by a group of Evil Soul Masters, so I brought them back, and incidentally, found two playmates for Xingcai."
"Oh, I see!" Fifth Huan'er didn't doubt Zhu Ziyang's words, and the anger in her heart instantly dissipated. Her beautiful eyes scanned the two bear cubs, wondering what she was thinking.
"Yay!" Xingcai couldn't help but laugh when she heard Zhu Ziyang's words. "Two Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear cubs, really for me to play with?"
"Of course." Zhu Ziyang said with a smile, "But the premise is that you can't let these two little guys get hurt. At least let them grow up normally. These are two Darkgold Terrorclaw Bears, after all. Keeping them to guard the house would be a wonderful thing!"
"Hehe! I knew it." Xingcai rolled her eyes at the words, saying, "How are these playmates for me? They're clearly lords for me to serve! And I have to protect these two bear cubs. I really thank you!"
"With great power comes great responsibility!" Zhu Ziyang chuckled at Xingcai's complaints.