Jin Ge and Lei Guang

In the Magical Beast Forest, dappled light filtered through the interwoven branches and leaves of towering ancient trees.

But at this moment, the giant trees throughout this area exploded!

Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants were only the size of fists, their bodies covered in hard bronze-colored shells that seemed forged from refined iron. Yet they were rare lightning-element magical beasts.

The two provoked Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants erupted. Lightning flowed across their bronze shells, and their tiny bodies became balls of lightning that continuously shot bolts in every direction.

The lightning bolts vanished without a trace the instant they struck Moke's body, but they blew apart the ancient trees around him, each over a hundred meters tall. A scorched smell gradually spread through the once-humid air.

Moke's speed soared to its limit. Covered in golden scales, he flickered like a streak of golden light as dozens of sword shadows enveloped the two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants.

Although some attacks missed, every strike that landed left wounds on the two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants. Their hard shells, capable of withstanding attacks from rank-nine magical beasts, were far less effective against Moke.

A rank-nine Holy Dragon Warrior surpassed rank-nine magical beasts in strength, speed, and defense.

Not to mention that Moke wielded a high-tier divine artifact. Even if he could not unleash the Iron Leaf Sword's true power, its absolute sharpness still gave him tremendous help.

The two highly intelligent Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants were frantic. Each time their eight legs struck the ground, the earth exploded. Their dark compound eyes locked onto Moke from every angle, while their sharp mouthparts and scorpion-like tail stingers attacked him at the same time.

But Moke paid them no heed, allowing their attacks to land on him and produce a series of pleasant metallic clangs.

"Can't even break his scales?"

The two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants were utterly stunned. Where had this monster come from?

Even when facing Saint Realm magical beasts, their mouthparts and tail stingers could wound their opponents.

Yet this golden-scaled monster before them completely ignored their attacks!

"Magic attacks are useless, and his physical defense is this monstrous too?!"

The Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants, whose intelligence was nearly equal to that of ordinary people—if not higher than that of most humans—felt despair. The golden-scaled monster before them was simply too abnormal!

For a time, they could only rely on their small size to circle around Moke and avoid his attacks as much as possible, because his assaults were equally fierce.

Their tough bronze shells, which even ordinary rank-nine magical beasts found difficult to pierce, split open again and again beneath the slashes of his sword.

The muscles across Moke's body bulged. Empowered by Holy Dragon Battle Qi, the golden scales covering his body seemed to shine as he swung his sword down again and again upon the two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants.

"A Dragonblood Warrior's dragon scales can rival magical beasts of the same level in defense, while I am the only Holy Dragon Warrior in the Coiling Dragon Universe!"

Moke was exhilarated. "My dragon-scale defense rivals, and may even surpass, God-Eater Rats of the same level. Only Saint Realm experts can injure me!"

This battle gave Moke a clearer understanding of his own strength.

He was utterly certain that rank-nine experts could scarcely inflict any effective injuries on him.

Because his dragon-scale defense was simply too outrageous.

Not only could it nullify magic attacks, its physical defense far surpassed that of rank-nine magical beasts!

"Holy Dragon Warrior—this is a Holy Dragon Warrior!" Roaring inwardly, Moke attacked as he pleased and could fully understand Beirut's mindset.

Once one's defense was powerful enough, one could even disregard an enemy's attacks!

"Still refuse to submit?!"

The Iron Leaf Sword sliced through the air. After carving a crack into the rear shell of the slightly larger Golden-Patterned Thunder Ant, Moke suddenly roared.

"I was holding back just now. If I had used more strength, you would already be dead!"

He had attacked this time to contract them. Moke did not want to contract two crippled rank-nine magical beasts, or he would have to find an advanced healing mage to treat them.

His roar made the two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants, their shells covered in cracks, shudder. Then, with perfect understanding, they stopped attacking.

Moke sheathed his sword and said coldly, "I'll give you two choices. First, serve as my slaves for twenty years. After twenty years, I'll return your freedom."

"...Die!"

"Chirp! Chirp!" The two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants spoke in succession.

"What are you babbling about?"

Moke frowned. He could not understand the language of magical beasts.

Seeing this, one of the Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants directly wrote in Yulan Common Tongue upon the devastated ground: "We can agree to your request."

"However, we still have children to raise, so only one of us can sign a contract with you."

"Only one?"

Moke raised a brow. "I want to contract you because I need you to protect several people in different places, so I must have two rank-nine magical beasts."

Upon hearing this, the Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants, whose intelligence rivaled that of ordinary people, glanced at each other.

Then the larger one once again wrote in Yulan Common Tongue on the ground: "That is simple. I know where other members of our kind are located..."

"Oh?"

Moke smiled. "Then that makes things easy."

Half an hour later, Moke left this mountain wall with the two Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants.

"Jin Ge, you actually revealed my location. You're too sinister!"

"Lei Guang, my good brother, I had no choice but to do it."

"But don't worry. Our master is already a rank-nine warrior at such a young age, and he's even a legendary Dragonblood Warrior. He will definitely reach the peak of the Saint Realm in the future. Following him may not be a bad thing!"

"Perhaps we can become Saint Realm magical beasts and become kings of our Golden-Patterned Thunder Ant clan!"

"Hmph, does our master's greatness need you to speak of it... If not for that, I would have dragged you, you little thief, to your death even if I died!"

The two rank-nine Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants on his shoulders seemed to be brothers. They whispered and muttered to each other, nearly coming to blows.

Yet despite becoming contracted magical beasts, they were not too saddened.

Because they had discovered that Moke was far too young—he was not even ten years old!

And he was a member of the Dragonblood Warrior clan that had long been renowned across the Yulan Continent!

Heavens, a peak rank-nine warrior under ten years old!

They did not even dare imagine how far their master would grow in the future!

If they were granted a Saint Realm magic crystal core in the future and became rare Saint Realm experts among the Golden-Patterned Thunder Ant clan—

Then they would bring glory to their ancestors and live for hundreds of millions of years!

Golden-Patterned Thunder Ants became rank-nine magical beasts upon adulthood!

But breaking through their racial limitations to reach the Saint Realm was far, far too difficult.

"Jin Ge," Moke called out in his heart.

"Master?"

Moke smiled. "You and Lei Guang need not worry. My father and younger brother will also become Dragonblood Warriors in the future. Once they reach the Saint Realm, I'll let you return to the Magical Beast Forest and give you a Saint Realm magical beast's magic crystal core."

Moke struck directly at the softest place in their hearts: becoming Saint Realm magical beasts!

"Thank you, Master. Being contracted by you is the proudest thing Jin Ge and I could ever experience."

Before Jin Ge could speak, Lei Guang on Moke's other shoulder hurriedly answered first.

"That's what I think too," Jin Ge quickly added, glaring at Lei Guang at the same time.

This brat was actually competing with him for favor. He was clearly the one contracted first!