Yin Zhang smiled and said to Dean Zhang,
"Dean, do you remember someone named Xiao Chenyu? Seven years ago, he was still my lackey. I came back this time specifically to see him."
Dean Zhang suddenly understood.
"So that's how it is. After Xiao Chenyu graduated from Nuoding Academy, he didn't go on to an Intermediate Academy. This restaurant belongs to his family. His father arranged for him to manage it and handle the daily affairs. Once he gets familiar with everything, the restaurant will probably be handed over to him entirely. After all, his father is the City Lord of Nuoding City."
City Lord?
What a blatant case of nepotism.
After Dean Zhang left, Yin Zhang summoned his second Spirit.
Strictly speaking, it was no longer Luo Sanpao.
It was the Golden Holy Dragon.
Back when Yin Zhang plundered Yu Xiaogang's Spirit—Luo Sanpao—and returned to Saint Spirit Village, he had originally planned to absorb the immortal herb Earth Dragon Golden Gourd to push Luo Sanpao's evolution even further.
To his surprise, before he could even begin refining the herb, Luo Sanpao evolved on its own.
The rich Dragon Clan bloodline within Yin Zhang's body seemed to have directly driven the evolution of his Spirit.
Luo Sanpao transformed straight into the Golden Holy Dragon—the same ultimate form that Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Flender had once achieved together through their Martial Soul Fusion Skill in the original timeline.
This was an entirely unexpected but extremely pleasant surprise.
As a result, the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd was temporarily set aside and left unused.
"Oooh—roar~"
A deep, low dragon's growl echoed softly from the Golden Holy Dragon's throat.
After being plundered, and due to the influence of the system, all memories from its decades beside Yu Xiaogang were erased.
Yin Zhang had certain expectations for this Spirit.
Since Luo Sanpao had evolved into the Golden Holy Dragon because of Yin Zhang's own Dragon Clan bloodline, what would happen if it absorbed the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd as well?
Another evolution was unlikely. The Golden Holy Dragon already stood at the very peak of dragon bloodlines. Even if it absorbed the herb, it probably wouldn't receive any earth-shattering enhancement.
Yin Zhang's plan was clear.
Before leaving Nuoding City, he would absorb the Earth Dragon Golden Gourd, push his spirit power to level seventy, and then search for a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast.
Or… simply abduct Xiao Wu.
After all, Xiao Wu herself was a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast. Her spirit ring and spirit bone abilities were extremely powerful.
Absorbing her spirit ring would be an enormous boost.
Moreover, it had only been a year since Tang San and Xiao Wu arrived at Nuoding Academy. Their bond—especially Tang San's feelings for her—was nowhere near as deep as it would later become at Shrek Academy.
By the time Tang Hao returned and discovered the truth, Yin Zhang and Hu Liena would have been gone for who knew how many years.
As for Tang San, there was no need to rush. Leaving him alive for now was perfectly fine.
Speaking of which, Yin Zhang suddenly felt a trace of curiosity toward Yu Xiaogang.
After losing his only Spirit, what had that man become over the past month?
Was he still pretending nothing had happened, or had he already gone mad?
If I'd known earlier, I should've just asked Dean Zhang, Yin Zhang thought. When Yu Xiaogang lost his Spirit a month ago, Dean Zhang was present. He should know what state Yu Xiaogang is in now.
But then again, Yu Xiaogang rarely summoned his Spirit at Nuoding Academy. He was always lecturing Tang San on spirit theory anyway—useless nonsense. Even now, Dean Zhang and Tang San might not realize that Yu Xiaogang has already become an ordinary person.
As for the two spirit rings that Luo Sanpao originally possessed, they vanished completely after it became Yin Zhang's Spirit.
This was exactly what Yin Zhang wanted.
The Golden Holy Dragon was his second Spirit. Once he reached the Titled Douluo realm, he could equip it with spirit rings following the highest possible configuration, maximizing his strength.
There was also the matter of intelligence.
When Luo Sanpao had still been with Yu Xiaogang, its intelligence was no different from that of a small child.
After becoming Yin Zhang's Spirit, however, its intellect rose rapidly—from that of a three- or four-year-old child to that of a twelve-year-old adolescent.
Naturally, the prerequisite for all of this was its absolute loyalty to Yin Zhang.
At present, the Golden Holy Dragon's combat power wasn't high. Its strength rose in tandem with Yin Zhang's own cultivation, but without spirit rings, its offensive capabilities were limited.
Most of the time, it simply played around Yin Zhang and Hu Liena.
As for its name, Hu Liena refused to call it by its species.
She named it Little Gold.
Because the Golden Holy Dragon spent the most time around her, the name stuck.
This couldn't help but make Yin Zhang think of the Little Dragon he and Qiangu Yunying had once named.
He wondered how Little Dragon and Qiangu Yunying were doing now.
Before long, Xiao Chenyu finally arrived.
When he saw Yin Zhang with a small golden dragon circling around him, he froze for a moment.
"Brother Zhang!" Xiao Chenyu exclaimed in disbelief.
Yin Zhang smiled and nodded.
"It's been seven years. You've grown much taller. Haha."
Xiao Chenyu approached cautiously.
He had already heard from Dean Zhang that Yin Zhang was now a high-ranking figure within Spirit Hall, a Spirit Emperor with terrifying strength.
After so many years apart, an invisible sense of distance had formed between them.
The two reminisced about their time at Nuoding Academy seven years ago, feeling a touch of nostalgia.
Xiao Chenyu eventually mentioned that most of their old dormitory mates had gone on to Intermediate Spirit Master Academies, while a few stayed behind in Nuoding City.
Among them, Liu Long was now working by Xiao Chenyu's side as an administrator.
He planned to follow Xiao Chenyu wherever he went from now on.
Yin Zhang and Hu Liena remained in Nuoding City for another month.
During that time, Yin Zhang's spirit power advanced once more—finally reaching level seventy.
[Detected: Host's spirit power has reached level seventy. A Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast in human form—Xiao Wu—has been detected within Nuoding City. Triggering choice event.]
[Choice One: Xiao Wu is a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast in human form and an irreconcilable enemy of humanity. Kill Xiao Wu and absorb her spirit ring and spirit bone.
Reward: Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast Detection Bracelet (detects Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beasts within a hundred-mile radius).]
[Choice Two: Do not kill Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu is a friend of humanity and the heroine of the Douluo original work. Take her in…
Reward: One hundred ways to cook Soft Bones Rabbit.]
[Choice Three: Leave Nuoding City immediately.]
Yin Zhang looked at the three options and frowned slightly.
The first choice was clearly the most beneficial.
With that detection bracelet, would he ever need to worry about finding Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beasts again?
As for the second choice…
It was simply ridiculous.
Take in Xiao Wu… and get rewarded with one hundred ways to cook a Soft Bones Rabbit?