Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear and Right Palm Bone

Early the next morning, led by Leng Xue'er and Wu Changkong, the nine members of Zero Class arrived at the Eastsea City branch of the Spirit Pagoda.

After verifying their entry cards for the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, the group entered the metal pods one by one.

After a wave of dizziness, Cheng Duoyi found himself in the middle of a dense forest.

Green trees shaded the surroundings, the air was fresh, and the roars of spirit beasts echoed from time to time.

It seems we've all been scattered, Cheng Duoyi muttered to himself.

He closed his eyes and slowly released his spiritual power, clearly sensing the situation of the others.

I'll start by finding Yun Xiao, who is closest to me.

Cheng Duoyi opened his eyes, oriented himself, and headed toward Yun Xiao's location.

Along the way, Cheng Duoyi encountered a few ten-year spirit beasts, but he didn't kill them; at this level, they provided little enhancement for him.

Before long, Cheng Duoyi found Yun Xiao.

Yun Xiao was hiding behind a large tree, nervously observing his surroundings. The moment he saw Cheng Duoyi, he was so relieved he nearly burst into tears.

"Brother Cheng!" Yun Xiao quickly ran to Cheng Duoyi's side, his racing heart finally settling.

"Are you alright?" Cheng Duoyi asked with a smile.

Yun Xiao shook his head. "I'm fine, just a bit scared. I'm so glad you came."

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." Cheng Duoyi patted his shoulder. "Let's go find the others."

The two set off together toward the next person's location.

Along the way, Cheng Duoyi encountered a few hundred-year spirit beasts.

However, instead of killing them himself, he let Yun Xiao take the finishing blow.

Yun Xiao's first Spirit Ring was only a ten-year ring, and he hadn't yet broken through to level twenty to fuse a second one. This trip had to at least result in the evolution of Yun Xiao's spirit soul.

Yun Xiao was incredibly grateful for Cheng Duoyi's help.

He didn't say much, but he silently took it to heart.

Soon, they found Xu Xiaoyan and Wei Xiaofeng.

Xu Xiaoyan was being chased in circles by a hundred-year Wind Gale Wolf, while Wei Xiaofeng was desperately trying to cover her.

"Xu Xiaoyan, Wei Xiaofeng, over here!" Cheng Duoyi shouted.

Seeing Cheng Duoyi, Xu Xiaoyan and Wei Xiaofeng looked as if they had seen a savior and scrambled toward him.

Seeing its prey trying to escape, the hundred-year Wind Gale Wolf let out an angry roar and gave chase.

Cheng Duoyi's eyes turned cold as he threw a punch.

It was a seemingly light blow, yet it contained terrifying power.

"Bang!"

The hundred-year Wind Gale Wolf didn't even have time to let out a whimper before its body was shattered by the punch. A Spirit Ring emerged, transformed into energy, and merged into Cheng Duoyi's body.

However, due to the scaling, it provided almost no improvement to his Spirit Ring age.

Xu Xiaoyan and Wei Xiaofeng were stunned; it was their first time seeing someone kill a hundred-year spirit beast with a single punch.

"Brother Cheng, you're too strong!" Wei Xiaofeng said, looking shocked.

Cheng Duoyi smiled. "Alright, let's go find the others."

Just then, a shrill, miserable scream echoed from the distance.

"It's Zhang Yangzi!" Yun Xiao's expression changed.

Cheng Duoyi's face darkened. "Not good, let's go check it out!"

The four of them sprinted in the direction of the scream.

When they arrived, they found only a pool of blood on the ground and a few broken black feathers.

"What happened? Where's Zhang Yangzi?" Wei Xiaofeng asked nervously.

Cheng Duoyi scanned the area with his spiritual power, then shook his head. "He's already been kicked out of the Spirit Ascension Platform."

"Kicked out?" Everyone was stunned.

"He must have been killed by that Sky-Splitting Sparrow just now," Cheng Duoyi said, pointing at a large red bird flying in the sky. "The Sky-Splitting Sparrow is a hundred-year flying spirit beast; it's extremely fast and has high attack power. Zhang Yangzi must have thought that because his martial soul is flight-based, he could fly into the air, only to be ambushed by the sparrow."

Everyone fell silent.

The dangers of the Spirit Ascension Platform were greater than they had imagined.

They had barely arrived, and someone had already been eliminated.

"Alright, everyone, don't be discouraged," Cheng Duoyi said, looking at them seriously. "This serves as a wake-up call. Inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, you can never let your guard down. From now on, you must stay close to me; absolutely no acting on your own."

"Understood!" the group replied in unison.

Zhang Yangzi's fate had dampened their excitement, replacing it with a sense of caution.

Following this, Cheng Duoyi led the group and successfully found Tang Wuling, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and Wang Jinxi one after another.

The nine finally converged, though with Zhang Yangzi missing, they were now eight.

After regrouping, Cheng Duoyi looked at the others and said, "Now, we begin hunting spirit beasts. First, we help Yun Xiao's spirit ring break through to the century level, then everyone can absorb according to their own capacity. When hunting, pay attention to coordination and follow the tactics we've trained. Ling'er and Wang Jinxi, take the front. Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng, harass from the flanks. Sister Yue'er, provide long-range output. Yun Xiao, be ready to use Displacement at any time. Xu Xiaoyan, provide support. Understood?"

"Understood!"

"Good, move out!"

Under Cheng Duoyi's command.

The Zero Class eight-man group began their hunt.

The first group they encountered was a pack of century-level Blazing Lions; Cheng Duoyi counted twenty-one in total.

Blazing Lions are fire-attribute spirit beasts, known for their volatile temperaments and high attack power.

"Everyone be careful, their flames are fierce," Cheng Duoyi warned. "Gu Yue, act according to the situation. Ling'er, use Blue Silver Grass to restrict their movement. Wang Jinxi, you are responsible for blocking their charge."

"Understood!"

Gu Yue waved her hands.

Countless water arrows and ice spikes shot toward the Blazing Lion pack.

Simultaneously, the ground beneath the lions began to sink.

Tang Wuling seized the opportunity and activated her first spirit skill; Blue Silver Grass surged out like a tide, moving to Bind the lions' limbs.

Wang Jinxi stood at the very front, his Bone Dragon Claw swinging to deflect the lions' attacks.

Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng took the chance to circle behind the pack and launch their assault.

Xu Xiaoyan continued to slack off...

Yun Xiao watched the surroundings vigilantly, ready to save anyone at a moment's notice.

Under Cheng Duoyi's precise command, the group coordinated seamlessly. In less than ten minutes, they had killed all fifteen century-level Blazing Lions.

Streams of energy flowed into Yun Xiao's body. Once his spirit ring transformed into a century-level one, the others chose to continue absorbing energy, each seeing their own spirit ring years increase to varying degrees.

"Thank you, Brother Cheng, and thank you everyone," Yun Xiao said with sincere gratitude.

"We are partners; we should look out for one another," Cheng Duoyi replied.

Xie Xie nodded. "Brother Cheng is right. We are partners, so we should support each other. The stronger you are, the more at ease we feel, because Brother Cheng said he doesn't want anyone to fall behind."

Wei Xiaofeng and the others admired Cheng Duoyi from the bottom of their hearts.

It wasn't about strength or buffs anymore, but Cheng Duoyi's character. If a leader is strong but doesn't help you—only drains your blood and eats your flesh—it's better not to acknowledge such a leader at all.

Cheng Duoyi was different; he truly helped you!

"That's right, we are all partners. Just follow Brother Cheng's lead. I don't have a brain and don't want to think; whatever Brother Cheng tells me to do, I do," Wang Jinxi said.

Zhang Yangzi glanced at Wang Jinxi and then at Cheng Duoyi. His feelings were complex yet happy—complex because Wang Jinxi was no longer as close to him as before, but happy because Wang Jinxi had grown stronger, and he himself was becoming stronger within Zero Class as well.

"We are all brothers," Wei Xiaofeng said.

The bond between them grew even stronger, which greatly satisfied Wu Changkong and Leng Xue'er, who were watching from the outside.

Inside the Spirit Pagoda, Cheng Duoyi smiled. "This is only the beginning. As long as everyone's spiritual power reaches 150 or higher, there is a chance for your spirit souls to evolve into thousand-year spirit souls. The early Spirit Connection Realm is already capable of fusing with a thousand-year spirit soul. However, this only applies to the first spirit ring; the second is harder to accept. But with spiritual power over 150, turning your first spirit ring into a thousand-year one—I don't think anyone could refuse that!"

The Zero Class eight were captivated by Cheng Duoyi's words.

"We'll follow Brother Cheng's arrangements."

"Whatever Brother Cheng tells us to do, we'll do!"

"Awoo awoo~"

Cheng Duoyi said, "Good, then let's continue forward. We will proceed according to our plan."

"Understood."

Not long after, they encountered a thousand-year Earth Bear. Earth Bears are earth-attribute spirit beasts with extremely high defense and immense strength, making them very troublesome opponents.

"Everyone be careful, this Earth Bear is not easy to deal with," Cheng Duoyi said sternly. "Ling'er, you restrain it from the front; watch out for its paws. Sister Yue'er, use ice elements to slow it down and find opportunities to trip it up. Wang Jinxi, look for a chance to attack its weak points. Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng, you are responsible for harassing its eyes. Yun Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan, make sure to protect yourselves."

"Understood!"

The battle began once more.

The Earth Bear noticed the Zero Class nine-man group and stopped eating the carcass of a spirit beast. It let out a roar and charged toward Tang Wuling; every step it took caused the ground to tremble slightly.

Tang Wuling didn't dare to be careless. She channeled her soul power to the limit, and countless Blue Silver Grass vines moved to Bind the Earth Bear's limbs.

But the Earth Bear's strength was too great; as soon as the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around it, it easily snapped them apart.

Gu Yue seized the moment, and a massive Ice Wall blocked the Earth Bear's path.

The Earth Bear slammed headfirst into the Ice Wall, shattering it instantly, but its momentum slowed down.

At that moment, Wang Jinxi took the opportunity to rush forward, his Bone Dragon Claw gleaming with a sharp, cold light as he swiped at the Earth Bear's eyes.

The Earth Bear roared in anger and swiped a paw at Wang Jinxi.

Wang Jinxi had been prepared; he hurriedly retreated, dodging the strike.

Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng seized the opportunity to launch their attack, the Light Dragon Blade and Shadow Dragon Blade shooting simultaneously toward the Earth Bear's eyes.

The Earth Bear hurriedly squeezed its eyes shut, blocking the assault with its paws.

Tang Wuling took the chance to trigger the Blue Silver Spike Array once more; countless strands of Blue Silver Grass erupted from beneath the Earth Bear's feet, piercing into its body.

"ROAR!"

The Earth Bear let out a pained, furious bellow, becoming even more berserk.

Gu Yue's gaze sharpened as she unleashed her second spirit skill with full force.

Countless ice spikes rained down upon the Earth Bear like a downpour, while rows of earth spikes rose from the ground to restrict its movements.

Under the team's relentless barrage, the Earth Bear's wounds grew increasingly severe.

Finally, after Tang Wuling seized an opening and struck its head with her right arm transformed into a Golden Dragon Claw, the Earth Bear collapsed with a thunderous crash, its life completely extinguished.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, their faces breaking into weary yet exhilarated smiles.

This was the first time they had ever slain a thousand-year spirit beast.

Just then, Cheng Duoyi's expression suddenly shifted: "Not good, something is coming! Everyone, be careful!"

The eight members of Zero Class immediately turned vigilant, looking in the direction Cheng Duoyi was pointing.

A black bear, small in stature but radiating a terrifying aura, was slowly walking toward them.

Its claws were dark gold, flickering with a chilling, icy light.

"It's a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear!" Xu Xiaoyan's face turned pale: "And it's a hundred-year one!"

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear was an overlord among spirit beasts.

Even at the hundred-year level, its strength was comparable to an ordinary ten-thousand-year spirit beast.

Its dark gold terrorclaws were indestructible and terrifyingly lethal.

"Don't panic, everyone, follow my lead," Cheng Duoyi said calmly. "Ling'er, use your Blue Silver Grass to restrict its movement with everything you've got. Yue'er, use your strongest elemental attacks on its eyes. Wang Jinxi, you are responsible for defense. Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng, stay back and harass it from a distance. Yun Xiao and Xu Xiaoyan, keep everyone protected."

"Understood!"

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear stopped ten meters away from the group.

It raised its head, staring at them with scarlet eyes, and let out a low, rumbling growl.

Immediately after, it lunged toward them.

Its speed was immense, like a bolt of dark golden lightning.

"First spirit skill, Bind!"

Tang Wuling channeled her soul power to the limit, and countless thick strands of Blue Silver Grass surged from the ground, coiling toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear like giant pythons.

But the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's claws were far too sharp.

The moment the Blue Silver Grass touched them, it was shredded with ease.

Gu Yue waved her hands, manifesting an ice dragon and a fire dragon simultaneously, which roared toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear let out a furious roar and swiped its paw, shattering both the ice and fire dragons.

However, the shockwave from the explosion managed to halt its advance.

Cheng Duoyi's eyes narrowed as he channeled his Seven-Colored Bloodline to its peak.

A powerful dragon's might radiated from him, pressing down upon the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear.

Feeling this draconic pressure, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's body stiffened abruptly. A look of human-like fear appeared in its eyes; it wanted to flee, but found it couldn't move at all!

Though it was an overlord among spirit beasts, it could only bow its head in submission before the true Dragon Clan.

Not to mention the power of the Seven-Colored Bloodline, combined with Cheng Duoyi's formidable mental suppression.

There was no way it could escape!

This moment of hesitation gave the team their opening.

Tang Wuling seized the chance to activate the Blue Silver Spike Array, driving countless strands of Blue Silver Grass into the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's body. Boosted by Cheng Duoyi, the power of her Golden Dragon Claw surged, piercing directly through the beast's heart.

Gu Yue also unleashed her strongest elemental assault, sending countless fireballs, ice spikes, earth spikes, and wind blades toward the target all at once.

Xie Xie and Wei Xiaofeng took the opportunity to strike, their Light Dragon Blade and Shadow Dragon Blade piercing toward the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear's eyes.

Under the team's all-out assault, the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear let out a final, agonizing roar.

It collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, its life extinguished.

A yellow, hundred-year spirit ring appeared, and simultaneously, a dazzling light emanated from the beast's carcass.

A Right Palm Bone floated slowly into the air, glowing with a dark golden radiance.