Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear Cub

Lu Cheng grabbed Jiede by the shoulder and leaped onto a nearby tree.

Peering through the gaps in the leaves, the two spotted a large pack of Azure Wind Wolves gathered before a cave entrance roughly fifty meters away.

There were densely packed wolves, more than a hundred of them.

Led by the alpha wolf, they bared their fangs at the cave entrance and growled threateningly.

Lu Cheng frowned. Taking Jiede with him, he moved through the treetops and silently stopped atop a large tree near the cave entrance.

"Could someone be trapped inside that cave?" Lu Cheng guessed.

"Is there another possibility—that the one trapped inside is a Soul Beast?"

Jiede held a different opinion.

"Even if a person is trapped inside, they wouldn't be ordinary.

"Under normal circumstances, an ordinary person would have long been torn apart upon encountering a pack of Azure Wind Wolves."

"That alpha Azure Wind Wolf is only around eighty years old. I'm going down to take a look."

After pondering for a moment, Lu Cheng said, "Just wait up here. As long as I deal with the leader, the wolf pack will scatter."

"Alright."

Jiede nodded. Though he had some fighting ability, he was still bare-handed. Facing hundreds of Azure Wind Wolves was far too dangerous.

Lu Cheng leaped down and landed steadily before the Azure Wind Wolf pack.

"Martial Soul Possession."

"First Soul Skill, Scythe-Blade Cleave!"

As his words fell, Lu Cheng swung his arm sharply, sending a black crescent blade flying forth.

In an instant, it swept through and killed dozens of Azure Wind Wolves.

A second before the danger arrived, the alpha wolf shoved the pack in front of itself and narrowly escaped disaster.

"That scared the wolf out of me. Time to run!"

Without looking back, the alpha wolf let out a howl, ordering the pack to cover its retreat while it fled first.

As the wolf pack retreated, Jiede jumped down and came to Lu Cheng's side.

Lu Cheng said, "Follow behind me. Let's go in and take a look."

Lu Cheng did not dispel his Martial Soul Possession, remaining ready to fight at any moment in case of danger.

Jiede held up a fire starter and followed behind him.

The two moved forward step by cautious step.

After walking roughly a dozen meters, the passage suddenly opened up ahead.

A pair of blood-red eyes flickered in the darkness, followed by a low growl.

"Roar—"

By the fire starter's light, Jiede finally saw what was before them.

It was a little bear cub, covered in blood and riddled with wounds, sprawled on the ground and barely clinging to life.

"Junior Brother, you were right. It's not a person, but a Soul Beast."

Lu Cheng swept his gaze around and found a tiger's corpse near the bear cub, along with the remains of several tiger cubs.

"This cave should have been the tiger's den. This bear cub seized the nest and took over the tiger's territory."

Lu Cheng guessed.

Jiede did not answer. He stepped closer to the bear cub and examined it carefully.

"Be careful. This thing is dangerous. Don't let the fact that it's only a cub fool you. The Azure Wind Wolf pack only dared to linger outside the cave and did not dare enter. Its strength definitely isn't weak."

Lu Cheng grabbed Jiede's sleeve and warned him solemnly.

The bear cub looked at Jiede, raised an arm, and made as if to attack, trying to scare him away.

But it was far too weak and had little strength left. After holding its arm up for a while, it let it droop back down.

"This is..."

Jiede froze for a moment. He had clearly seen the bear cub's claws.

Unlike the claws of ordinary bear-type Soul Beasts, they were golden.

Even its brown fur carried a faint golden sheen.

"Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear!"

Jiede cried out in shock.

"What kind of Soul Beast is that?" Lu Cheng had never heard the name before.

"It's an extremely rare type of Soul Beast. It only appears deep within the Star Dou Forest, and its numbers are exceedingly small.

"Its strength is incredibly formidable. An ordinary Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear that is only a dozen or so years old can rival a century-old Soul Beast.

"A thousand-year-old one can even contend against a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast."

Jiede explained.

"Damn, it's that strong?"

Lu Cheng had always been mild-tempered, yet even he could not help blurting out a curse.

"Since it only appears deep within the Star Dou Forest, yet it's now in a place that cannot even be considered the outskirts, could there be an adult Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear nearby?"

Jiede shook his head and pointed at its fur.

"Senior Brother, look. This cub's fur isn't golden enough, and its body is rather small. Those are typical signs of a weak specimen.

"Though their population is small, conflicts among Soul Beasts have always been brutal. A weak specimen like this would find it difficult to survive.

"It was most likely abandoned. It couldn't survive deep in the Star Dou Forest, so it wandered around until it reached this place.

"Judging by the injuries on this little fellow, it must have suffered plenty of bullying from other Soul Beasts."

"Don't tell me you want to save it?"

Lu Cheng saw through Jiede's thoughts and frowned.

"Soul Beasts are vicious, especially bears. Be careful it doesn't turn on you."

Jiede truly had the thought of contracting the Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear cub.

Once it grew up, its combat power would surely be terrifying.

Unfortunately, its age was too low.

It looked to be less than ten years old. Even if he killed it, it would not yield a Soul Ring.

Jiede paced back and forth, unable to make up his mind.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

His Foundation-Building Pill could strengthen one's foundation and nourish one's essence.

Then why not choose a pill that could enhance a Soul Beast's strength for his second Soul Skill?

His second Soul Skill was the Beast-Taming Orb.

His original plan had been to hunt a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast later on and use it as the Soul Ring for his second Martial Soul.

If the Mystic Pellet could increase a tamed beast's strength, then couldn't he contract a Soul Beast now?

As long as its bloodline was powerful, a lower age would not matter.

Jiede's thoughts became increasingly impossible to restrain.

Seeing the bear cub's eyelids drooping and its eyes moving sluggishly,

Jiede stopped hesitating. He returned to the campfire, took out a large amount of herbs from his basket, and began using the Mystic Pellet to refine a healing pill.

Lu Cheng watched from the side, clicking his tongue in amazement.

Jiede's movements were skilled and fluid. Before long, the Mystic Pellet in his palm began to emit a medicinal fragrance.

There was no concept of pill refinement on the Douluo Continent, nor did anyone understand the art of alchemy.

Even Yang Wudi of the Breaking Clan could only make some healing potions. At best, they were pills or medicinal powders made by mixing various herbs together.

A quarter of an hour later, the healing pill was complete.

"Your Mystic Core Martial Soul really is remarkable. You were born to be a healer."

Lu Cheng's gaze was warm as he spoke with heartfelt admiration.

"My father's medical legacy has flourished in your hands. If he knew in the afterlife, he would surely be very comforted."

"If you truly want him to be comforted, then you should work hard to cultivate your soul power and become a powerful Soul Master as soon as possible," Lu Cheng said with a smile.

Lu Cheng fell silent.

A moment later, the two returned to the cave.

By then, the bear cub was taking in far less air than it let out. Its eyes had narrowed to slits, and it was on the verge of death.

Hearing movement beside it, it barely opened its eyes and glanced at Jiede.

It wanted to bare its teeth, but could not open its mouth no matter how hard it tried.

"Alright, little thing. Save your strength."

Jiede did not dare feed it the medicine directly. Instead, he tossed the healing pill beside the bear cub's mouth.

The bear cub's nose twitched faintly as the rich herbal scent entered its nostrils.

It smelled familiar...

It was the scent of the healing herbs it often ate, only much stronger.

But this was a human thing, round and unfamiliar.

It struggled inwardly for a while. Feeling its life force slipping away, it finally stretched out its tongue and gently rolled the healing pill into its mouth.

Half an hour later.

The bear cub had come back to life. It lay on the ground and licked its wounds, occasionally looking up at Jiede. It no longer had its previous ferocious, fang-baring demeanor.

But its eyes remained wary.

Jiede breathed a sigh of relief. "Not bad. At least I didn't save an ungrateful beast."

"What do you plan to do with it? Don't tell me you intend to raise it?" Lu Cheng asked.