"You can already take human form? Not bad! You must be seventh rank, right?" Evan Chu remarked naturally as he watched Goldwing transform, but inside he was shaken. He’d only ever read in ancient texts about monster beasts transforming into humans—seeing it in person was a whole different shock.
"I've been stuck at the peak of eighth-rank Spirit Beast for years, unable to break through to ninth rank. I heard from Big Brother Bloodshadow Berserker Lion that you have a way to help me advance—is it true?" said the middle-aged man, Goldwing, in human form.
"He didn’t lie to you. Since Bloodshadow Berserker Lion was willing to form a soul contract with me, I’m sure you can sense it. If even he’s willing to follow me, there must be a reason. Sacred Beasts are proud—they always look down on humans. But the fact that he’s willing to be my little brother proves the point."
Of course, Evan Chu didn’t dare admit he couldn’t help Goldwing break through yet—if Goldwing turned hostile, everyone present would be wiped out. But how to actually help him advance was a huge problem.
"By the way, what’s your name?" Evan Chu asked. He couldn’t just call him Big Bird or Goldwing forever.
"My friends call me King Gold. Boss, from now on, you should call me Little Gold." The middle-aged man replied respectfully to Evan Chu. Though he’d always looked down on humans, someone who could help him break through was a different story.
Just moments ago, this eighth-rank Spirit Beast could have wiped out Evan Chu’s group at any time. Now he was acting like a humble little subordinate—no one would believe it.
"Then I’ll call you Old Gold from now on. When the time is right, I’ll help you break through to ninth rank. If you stick with me, even reaching the Sacred Beast realm is possible. I always take care of my little brothers." Evan Chu continued to dangle the bait.
To the middle-aged man, these words were like a jolt of adrenaline. Becoming a Sacred Beast is every monster’s dream, but reaching that realm is incredibly difficult.
"Thank you, Boss. I know your situation too, but don’t worry—I’ll do my best to protect you. There are plenty of others in this Monster Beast Forest at my level. Honestly, you’re all in real danger here."
At that moment, Gabe Goldstone and the others came over. "Evan Chu, h-he turned into a human?" They were scared, but couldn’t help approaching.
"He’s my little brother now, so don’t bully him. If he eats you, it’s not my problem." Evan Chu was in high spirits—having an eighth-rank Spirit Beast as a little brother meant he could act with impunity here.
Sterling Yates worshipped Evan Chu even more. In his eyes, Evan was already beyond normal—he’d actually managed to make an eighth-rank monster his little brother. That was unheard of.
He’d already decided—no matter what, he was sticking with Evan Chu. Following him was bound to lead to something big.
Just then, Goldwing, in his human form, said, "Boss, I’ve got some things to handle. Once I’m done, I’ll come find you. This is my Soul-Linked Golden Feather—if you’re in danger, just drip your blood on it and I’ll rush over immediately."
Evan Chu took the Soul-Linked Golden Feather and examined it. There was a strong soul aura and energy fluctuation inside. He put it away in his storage ring.
"Go handle your business. If I’m in danger, I’ll use it!"
The middle-aged man glanced at Shadow and said, "Then I’ll be off. Take care, Big Brother Bloodshadow Berserker Lion."
With a flash of golden light, Goldwing reverted to his original form. The close-range pressure nearly suffocated everyone. Then he soared into the sky and vanished in an instant. Shadow returned to Evan Chu’s arm as a tattoo.
Just then, the cheeky youth who’d greeted Evan Chu earlier ran over, staring at him like he was looking at a monster. "Big Brother, you’re a legend! Let me be your little brother too—I swear I’ll never betray you!"
Evan Chu was curious about this kid—his speed was almost on par with Evan’s Wave-Skimming Steps, which had to be a pretty impressive movement technique. Evan was already thinking about recruiting him.
Anyone who gets into Heavenly Dragon Academy has decent talent. These people could become his powerful allies in the future.
"What’s your name? Got any special skills?"
"My name’s Blake Murong. I don’t really have any skills, but I’m great at running away—you saw it yourself, Boss." Blake Murong said.
"Good, good! Being able to run for your life is a skill too!" Evan Chu laughed happily, then turned to everyone: "I hope you all keep quiet about what happened today. This place is too dangerous—there are monsters like Goldwing everywhere. Staying low-key will help us finish our mission."
"We’ll listen to Boss, not a word from us! Don’t worry, Boss!" everyone shouted in unison. Even Gabe Goldstone started calling Evan Chu ‘Boss’, which made Evan feel a bit awkward.
Lily Tang and Rhea Yang didn’t speak—their relationship with Evan Chu was special. Still, Evan knew they’d listen to him; he had no doubt about that.
For the first time, Evan Chu felt everyone’s respect—his heart surged. "We made it through danger today and even gained a powerful monster. I know you all have questions, and I’ll explain when I have time. For now, we’ve had a long day—go hunt some wild game, we’ll rest here tonight and move out tomorrow."
No one objected—running for their lives had worn everyone out. Blake Murong, Gus Bullard, and the others took the lead in hunting wild game. Now was their chance to show what they could do.
Gabe Goldstone walked up to Evan Chu and said, "You’ve changed so much, I can hardly believe it’s real!"
"Big Brother, why are you joining their fuss? You’ll always be my big brother—I hope you won’t call me Boss again, it makes me uncomfortable." Evan Chu frowned.
"I was just excited, that was my first time seeing a monster transform into a human." Gabe Goldstone laughed, his respect for Evan Chu growing.
"Aren’t you in the weapon-smithing class? How did you end up here?" Evan Chu suddenly remembered and asked.
"Vice-Dean Marcus Gongsun let me in—he said you’d look after me! Sure enough, I really did run into you! Brother, isn’t this fate?"
"Yeah, it’s fate!" Evan Chu laughed, feeling grateful for Marcus Gongsun’s arrangement. He finally let go of his resentment over the Life-and-Death Platform incident.
"Evan, why is your little dog so strong? What kind of monster is it?" Lily Tang finally couldn’t hold back her curiosity. Evan Chu had so many secrets she could barely keep track.
"Bloodshadow Berserker Lion—an ancient Sacred Beast, a really powerful kind. But it’s still a cub, so it’s not a match for Goldwing in a straight fight. It subdued Goldwing because of its Sacred Beast bloodline."
"Ancient Sacred Beast? Oh my god, I’ve only seen records in ancient books. They say when a monster reaches ninth rank, it can evolve into a whole new form and become even stronger. But yours is a Sacred Beast? How did you get it?" Lily Tang asked in shock.
"It was a chance encounter—I’ll explain when there’s time!"
Looking at the two stunning girls in front of him, Evan Chu felt a rush of emotion. What virtue or ability did he have to deserve their affection? But the burdens on his shoulders were so heavy, he could barely breathe.