Inside the Youxiong Clan’s mansion in Youxiong Ancient Town.
Upon arriving, Lu Ran received a warm welcome. The Youxiong Clan leader and Youxiong Anlin were both enthusiastic yet slightly exasperated.
This guy had just left Youxiong Ancient Town a few days ago, and now he’s returned with the title, Father of the Undead World. What was he up to?
It was truly frustrating to compare oneself to him. Due to Lu Ran’s recent rise to fame, the Guardian Panda delved deeper into Lu Ran’s background.
What it found was astonishing. They decided they had to invite Lu Ran to challenge the secret realm, hoping to obtain some Advanced-grade food.
In terms of equal strength and potential, Lu Ran was undoubtedly the world’s number one. Challenging a trial secret realm would definitely yield good results.
“Professor Lu... The secret realm will officially open tomorrow. Additionally, the guardian wishes to invite you and Anlin to a duel,” the Youxiong Clan leader said.
Lu Ran followed the clan leader into the inner courtyard.
He took a glance at Youxiong Anlin, who sighed beside him, and said, “Didn’t he say he wanted to fight after his familiar evolved? I remember he wasn’t in the second Evolution Secret Realm, right?”
Although Youxiong Anlin’s panda had reached level 30, he hadn’t chosen to evolve it in the second Evolution Secret Realm. He probably felt that the familiar’s potential hadn’t been fully tapped into and wanted to nurture it a bit longer.
“The guardian found out about your background and discovered that you have a familiar that hasn’t evolved. It said that since Youxiong Anlin wants fairness, let him fight your unevolved familiar first. Fight once before evolution and once after.”
Lu Ran’s mouth twitched as he said, “I’m not that easygoing.”
You think I’ll just fight whenever you say so?
“If you win, everything that drops in the Evolution Secret Realm is yours. The Youxiong Clan won’t take a cut. But if you lose, no matter what drops, we get to choose first. That’s what the guardian said,” the Youxiong Clan leader informed.
Lu Ran wanted to say that, from what he could see, their secret realm didn’t seem to have anything good anyway.
However, to leave himself some room, he looked at Youxiong Anlin and asked, “What’s up with your guardian? Why does it always want you to fight me?”
Youxiong Anlin shrugged helplessly. “It’s because it thinks the current Youxiong Clan is too weak. In ancient times, the strength of a totem tribe’s beastmasters directly determined the tribe’s living conditions.
“After nurturing us a bit and understanding the current state of beastmasters, it has high expectations for us. For example, it expects me to become the number one of the fourth generation...”
Youxiong Anlin felt the pressure.
“Haha... good luck.” Lu Ran laughed.
The Youxiong Clan hadn’t just gained a guardian; they had also gained a father with high expectations.
“I have no problem with the fight, but I definitely won’t go easy.”
“Go easy?” Youxiong Anlin chuckled. “No need for that! Your Gale Sword Dog hasn’t evolved yet, right? So this will be a fair fight.”
Youxiong Anlin was deeply wary of Lu Ran’s Intermediate-Overlord Sudden Death King and the dual-souled Twin Crows. He couldn’t even imagine how to surpass such monstrosities.
But if it was just the Gale Sword Dog, he felt he had a chance.
As everyone knew, Lu Ran’s Dragon King was nurtured after inheriting Yan Sizhen’s Flame Spirit and becoming a Dragon Chef.
Lu Ran’s Twin Crows were nurtured after gaining countless benefits from the Undead Cult through his status as a Holy Son.
If Lu Ran had an ace familiar, it would definitely be one of those two. After all, those two familiars had perfectly absorbed the rewards from Lu Ran’s ascension realm. Moreover, they must have fused with extremely rare and unique traits.
But Lu Ran’s Gale Sword Dog was different. This familiar was contracted when it wasn’t fully developed during Lu Ran’s beginner period. It had only fused with traits like Weapon Control and Nature Manipulation, which anyone could obtain.
Its potential was worlds apart compared to the other two. Many beastmasters had deduced from Lu Ran’s evolution sequence that he might have hit a bottleneck in nurturing the Gale Sword Dog.
He wasn’t as adept at nurturing it as he was with the dragon and the undead type after making his fortune.
Although this familiar had some impressive achievements, Youxiong Anlin was also brimming with confidence after gaining significant benefits from the guardian.
Challenging Lu Ran at a higher level might be impossible, but in a same-level one-on-one battle, Lu Ran might not be his match. This was also why he accepted the guardian’s proposal.
“Alright. When do we start?” Lu Ran asked indifferently.
It was a good chance to let Captain Doofus warm up.
“I’ll go consult the guardian,” the Youxiong Clan leader said after some thought.
My nephew should be fine... right?
After all, Youxiong Anlin’s Light-Dark Panda had fully awakened its ancient war beast bloodline with the guardian’s help. Although it was a Superior Champion, its attributes were already on par with a Low King’s.
Moreover, it had mastered the coordination of the two top-tier attributes—Light and Dark. It was one of the rare familiars capable of mastering opposite attributes.
The conflicting forces of Light and Dark, combined with the second phase of Energy Acceleration, could unleash destructive power allowing the familiar to fight a full level above its own. Of course, the most terrifying thing was that one move...
The Youxiong Clan leader couldn’t help but sigh. Anlin’s panda was indeed the most talented among the Youxiong Clan’s panda familiars. It was no wonder the guardian valued him so much, hoping he would become the number one of the fourth generation.
A moment later, the Guardian Panda was awakened. A black-and-white giant panda with leaf marks on its head walked out as it chewed on a bamboo leaf.
“Is Lu Ran here yet?”
Its gaze swept over Lu Ran and Youxiong Anlin, who were waiting outside.
“Youxiong Anlin, it’s time to test your training results!”
“I understand.” Youxiong Anlin scratched his head.
Whether he could turn the tables depended on this battle. First, he would knock Lu Ran’s Gale Sword Dog off its pedestal. Then, he would evolve his familiar and challenge that undead one and the dragon.
The Youxiong Clan leader, who had just awakened the guardian, said, “There’s no suitable battleground in the mansion, but there are many flat areas in the town.
“We can consider fighting at the park. It’s been demolished and is being turned into a battle arena. Although it’s not built yet, it’s a large open area. However, the battle might attract a lot of attention.”
The Guardian Panda couldn’t enter Limitless City on its own, so Lu Ran and Youxiong Anlin couldn’t fight there. This guardian wanted to watch the battle.
Recently, the Youxiong Clan had just established cooperative relationships with various major forces and the government. Currently, many beastmasters were in Youxiong Ancient Town, waiting to challenge the Youxiong Clan’s trial secret realm tomorrow.
If they went to an open area to fight now, it was inevitable that a crowd of beastmasters would gather to watch.
“What does it matter?” The Guardian Panda said indifferently.
It truly didn’t believe that any familiar could defeat its carefully trained kin at the same species' rank and level. This was also a good opportunity to show outsiders the strength of the panda clan.
Although it had become lazy due to the decline in spiritual energy, it was a war god in ancient times. Its species’ rank and level were earned through its own efforts.
But now, its kin were even lazier than it was, which it couldn’t accept. The guardian felt the responsibility of reviving the glory of the panda clan fell on its shoulders, so it had set a small goal.
First, it would make pandas the strongest species in Xia. Tigers, brown bears, and the like could step aside. The Guardian Panda had a premonition. It felt that the concentration of spiritual energy was increasing. As the world changed, a batch of ancient supernatural creatures like itself would eventually awaken.
Whether they were totem beasts or wild ferocious beasts, it wanted to seize the initiative before they did—just like that cat, which had already established a transnational intelligence agency. Therefore, it couldn’t be too idle anymore. It had to nurture the Youxiong Clan first.
Soon, Lu Ran and the others left the Youxiong Clan’s mansion. When Lu Ran first arrived, he was discreet. However this time, it was impossible not to attract attention with the Guardian Panda following.
In an all-terrain off-road vehicle, the Youxiong Clan leader drove with Lu Ran sat in the passenger seat, and Youxiong Anlin sat in the back. Meanwhile, the Guardian Panda sat cross-legged on the roof, arms crossed, and staring straight ahead.
At that moment, visitors to the Youxiong Clan were arriving in an endless stream. Luxury cars lined the streets. When these people saw such a group emerging from the Youxiong Clan’s mansion, they fell silent.
As the car drove away, they finally snapped out of it.
“Isn’t that the Guardian Panda of the Youxiong Clan?” A beastmaster who had seen the guardian before exclaimed.
“The Guardian Panda riding a big G?”
“Is the driver the Youxiong Clan leader? Where are they going?”
“There seemed to be three people in the car. The Youxiong Clan leader, Youxiong Anlin, and someone wearing sunglasses. I couldn’t tell who it was.”
As people had discussions, the Youxiong Clan leader had already brought them to a demolished town park. The area had been flattened, with cloth strips sealing off the surroundings.
Apart from the messy ground, it somewhat resembled an arena. The vast area should allow the two familiars to unleash their skills. At least, no matter how much they damage this place, it wouldn’t matter.
After getting out of the car, Youxiong Anlin took a deep breath and looked at Lu Ran, who had also stepped out.
“Let’s give it a try.”
The Guardian Panda remained seated cross-legged on the roof of the off-road vehicle, resting its chin on its hand, while watching the two young beastmasters with interest.
The Youxiong Clan leader who was a top-tier second-generation beastmaster was also very interested in this battle. Although it wasn’t Lu Ran’s ace familiar, it was Lu Ran’s first familiar that had swept through the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad. If Anlin could defeat it, it would be a significant improvement.
After all, during the freshman competition, Youxiong Anlin and another seeded participant had forfeited when facing Lu Ran, showing no courage at all.
In an instant, Lu Ran and Youxiong Anlin stood on opposite sides of the ruined town park, each taking out a contract card.
As the two focused their minds, a large circular summoning array appeared before them. With a flash of light, a black-and-white Husky and a black-and-white giant panda appeared on the ground.
The two familiars squinted at each other. Perhaps due to their similar colors, there was a sense of closeness.
“Grrr!” The doofus growled.
“Rawr!” The giant panda took a step forward.
The battle was about to begin when suddenly, the Guardian Panda waved its hand and said, “Wait!”