Chapter 439 285: The Closest to the True Meaning of the Gold Element

Meanwhile, as Shan Bao was earnestly inviting his two older brothers to get down to business—

In the tranquil night sky, a Thunderbolt War Falcon streaked by, leaving an elegant, swift, cyan afterimage.

Every day, Tuoba Jing dispatched Pet Beasts to patrol the settlements and their surroundings, so they could promptly discover any trace of Earthquake Beasts and protect the villagers.

Today, it was Zi Lu and Profound Yellow's turn on patrol.

High in the heavens, Profound Yellow stood on Zi Lu's back, trying his best not to let his legs tremble. Yet whenever he glanced down, his legs would still instinctively go weak.

'Even though standing on her back is as steady as solid ground, this is still an altitude of several hundred meters. A fall from here would hurt… a lot.'

Zi Lu turned her head back, glancing at Profound Yellow with her delicate eyes.

[Not used to it? I can fly a bit slower, you know.]

"Woof."

Profound Yellow quickly lifted his head, trying to look calm.

'Wh-what are you talking about? I'm not afraid of heights at all!'

Zi Lu's eyes curved into crescents, a mischievous glint in them.

SWOOSH— Zi Lu suddenly stalled, drifting downward like a falling leaf. Profound Yellow yelped, tucking his tail between his legs and clinging tightly to Zi Lu, burying his head in her feathers.

"A-WOOOO!"

...

Sensing the airflow around him return to normal, Profound Yellow tentatively opened his eyes.

Zi Lu had already resumed her smooth, stable flight with incredible speed, as if the whole thing had never happened.

Just then, Zi Lu turned to look at Profound Yellow, who was still clinging to her, flustered and dazed. Her eyes, curved like crescent moons, were filled with amusement. She even mimicked him, tilting her chin up.

[I'm nooot~ afraid of heights at all~]

"Woof..." Profound Yellow pouted.

'She was teasing him again. He was a grown dog, for goodness' sake!'

Despite his thoughts, when Zi Lu turned her head toward him, Profound Yellow naturally leaned in closer, just as he did when he was a pup.

Zi Lu slowed her flight speed, and the air rushing past them softened.

[Still thinking about yesterday's spar?]

Profound Yellow nodded. He pouted resentfully for a moment before hanging his head, his eyes filled with disappointment.

He had undoubtedly lost yesterday's battle. Even after thinking it over for a whole day and night, he still couldn't come up with a good counter-strategy.

Yu Bao's fighting style seemed to rely on surprise, but it was actually a straightforward, overwhelming strategy. Unless an opponent could definitively overpower him, Yu Bao would just keep expanding his advantage throughout the fight.

His extraordinary Energy Control and combat intellect made Profound Yellow feel utterly inadequate.

'We're both Yu Dian Dogs, so why is there such a huge difference between us…?'

[It's alright. You don't have to put so much pressure on yourself.]

Zi Lu turned her head and gently nuzzled him.

[There's always a bigger fish in the sea. There will always be Pet Beasts stronger than us in the world; that's an undeniable fact. Yu Bao is strong, and we just have to accept that, don't you think?]

Profound Yellow nodded in agreement, but after a moment of silence, he let out a pitiful whine.

'But I just want to be stronger... I want to be my Beastmaster's pride…'

[But you're already our pride.]

Zi Lu smiled gently, her gaze drifting toward the distant clouds.

[My senior was a Yu Dian Dog, too. I trained under him before Tuoba Jing even formed a contract with you. I used to be just like you—impatient for victory, desperate to prove I was the best. But in the end, I couldn't accomplish anything. I couldn't master any of my skills.]

[The other Pet Beasts on the team mocked me. They even told me I should break my contract so I wouldn't disgrace our Beastmaster…]

"Woof!" Profound Yellow grew agitated.

'What the hell do they know!'

'She's the absolute best! She's not allowed to say bad things about herself!'

Zi Lu tilted her head to look at him and couldn't help but want to cover her beak and chuckle—if only her wings weren't busy keeping her aloft.

[You're right. My senior used to comfort me the same way, and he'd always stand up for me when I was being bullied. He also warned me not to let my own weakness hold me back, but to focus on discovering my strengths. I'll pass his words on to you.]

[You might not be a match for Yu Bao in some areas, but does that mean you're definitively weaker than him? I don't think so. In fact, throughout the entire spar, Yu Bao was actively avoiding a direct confrontation with you. Isn't that a testament to your strength in itself?]

As they spoke, the layers of clouds parted like ripples on a vast ocean, revealing the golden disk of the moon.

'Just like the sky on the night of the betrayal...' Zi Lu closed her eyes.

[Unfortunately, by the time I understood what my senior meant, he had already given his life on the battlefield to protect me and Tuoba Jing.]

Profound Yellow, who had just started to feel a bit better, fell silent once more.

He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say and felt at a loss.

When he looked up, however, Profound Yellow saw a gentle smile in Zi Lu's eyes.

[After my senior passed away, both Tuoba Jing and I were devastated. That is, until we met you and Fuyue here.]

[Fuyue is great at lifting everyone's spirits; anyone who spends time with him feels cheerful. And in you, we see the senior we lost.]

[Did you know? Tuoba Jing often tells me that you're just as meticulous as he was, just as brave, and just as reassuring... It's like you were cast from the same mold.]

[So, don't be disheartened. You have always been our pride.]

"...Woof!"

Profound Yellow nodded emphatically.

'Don't you worry, I won't let what happened to him happen again! Whether it's Earthquake Beasts or any other enemy, I won't let them harm a single one of your feathers!'

[Then thank you, little brother.] Zi Lu said, tilting her head with a smile.

Suddenly, the sounds of impacts and tremors echoed from below.

Zi Lu's gentle expression vanished in an instant, her eyes becoming as sharp as razor blades.