Chapter 52: The Powerful Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear

"Oh no! It's a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear!" Zhang Yangzi gasped, his expression turning frantic.

"Captain, what should we do? Fight or run?" Wang Jinxi asked with a grim look, his eyes on Jing Shaoyu.

"Jinxi, what are you thinking? This is a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear! We're nowhere near powerful enough to take it on!" Xie Xie said, both frustrated and helpless.

Jing Shaoyu, eyes deep in thought, replied, "There's no time to run. The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear is incredibly fast. If we flee, it could easily catch and pick us off one by one. Xiaoyan, Xie Xie, Wulin, I need you to exit the Spirit Ascension Platform immediately. I'll stay here with Gu Yue, Jinxi, and Yangzi to test its strength."

"What? Why? I don't want to leave!" Xu Xiaoyan protested, stepping forward and clutching Jing Shaoyu's arm, clearly unwilling to exit.

"Be good, listen," Jing Shaoyu said softly, patting her head before subtly pressing her distress signal. Xu Xiaoyan vanished, leaving behind the other students, momentarily stunned.

"Alright, we'll leave. Be careful, you guys!" Xie Xie and Tang Wulin said, their voices heavy with reluctance. They knew their abilities would do little against such a fearsome opponent.

"We will." Jing Shaoyu nodded.

With Xie Xie and Tang Wulin gone, only Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi remained, facing the slowly advancing Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear.

"Yangzi, Jinxi, prepare your martial soul fusion. Gu Yue and I will buy you time," Jing Shaoyu instructed.

"Understood!" Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi nodded, clasping hands as they began focusing their energy for a fusion.

"ROAR!"

The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear bellowed, leaping high and crashing down in front of the group. The impact shattered the ground beneath them like a spiderweb.

"Gu Yue, attack!" Jing Shaoyu shouted, summoning a wave of plant vines, which shot toward the bear like slithering snakes, accompanied by fireballs, ice spears, and wind blades.

The bear paid no mind to the approaching vines. It rose on its hind legs, swinging a massive paw. Two dark-gold claw shadows sliced through the air, shredding the vines into countless fragments, while the fireballs, ice spears, and wind blades disintegrated under its claws.

Their first wave of attacks had no effect, which left Xu Xiaoyan, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie in the control room anxiously watching the battle unfold.

However, Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue remained calm. Their only goal was to buy time for Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi to complete their martial soul fusion. But unexpectedly, Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi looked at each other in confusion, murmuring, "What? Why can't we fuse?"

Jing Shaoyu was stunned. Wasn't their fusion supposed to become unstable in the next semester? Could it be the influence of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline?

"Shaoyu, Yangzi and I can't fuse!" Wang Jinxi called out in frustration.

"Why are you resisting me? If you didn't, we would have already fused!" Zhang Yangzi said, angered and confused.

"I'm not! I really wasn't!" Wang Jinxi replied, hurt.

"Calm down, both of you!" Jing Shaoyu said. "Now isn't the time to argue!"

As if to confirm his words, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear lunged forward, appearing behind Zhang Yangzi in an instant, raising its massive claws to strike.

"Look out!" Jing Shaoyu shouted. Zhang Yangzi sensed the danger and instinctively looked back, seeing the claws descending upon him. He shut his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

"Yangzi!" Wang Jinxi dashed over, shoving Zhang Yangzi aside and leaving himself exposed. He felt an icy chill rush through his veins as the bear's claws approached.

"Get him out, now!" shouted the control room staff, who hurriedly extracted Wang Jinxi from his pod. Though he was physically unharmed, his consciousness had been shaken and would take time to recover. Wu Zhangkong's expression turned grim, his thoughts unknown.

"Jinxi!" Zhang Yangzi stared at the spot where Wang Jinxi had disappeared, eyes filled with sorrow and anger. He looked at the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear with hatred in his gaze.

"Yangzi, don't lose your cool!" Jing Shaoyu said, standing in front of Zhang Yangzi. "This is just the Spirit Ascension Platform. Jinxi only exited the platform; he's safe."

"I know!" Zhang Yangzi replied, though he still looked shaken. "Captain, I think I'll exit too."

"Understood," Jing Shaoyu said, not stopping him. Without their fusion, Zhang Yangzi couldn't contribute much.

As Zhang Yangzi exited, only Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue remained in the Spirit Ascension Platform, left to face the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear. Outside, Xu Xiaoyan watched them with worry.

Gu Yue stepped beside Jing Shaoyu, standing shoulder to shoulder with him. The bear loomed twenty meters away, a single sprint from reaching them. But instead of rushing, it seemed content to toy with them, its eyes glinting with malice.

However, the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear would soon pay for its arrogance, with its very life.

Gu Yue took Jing Shaoyu's hand, their fingers interlacing tightly. A seven-colored glow surrounded her, while a verdant green light shone from Jing Shaoyu. The two colors blended, forming a radiant silver aura.

"Is that... a martial soul fusion skill?" gasped the Spirit Ascension Tower staff watching in the control room.

The Class Zero members were equally surprised. They were just now learning that Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue could perform a martial soul fusion!

"Of course Gu Yue treats him differently!" Xie Xie muttered, connecting the dots. "It's not just that he's handsome; their martial souls are linked!"

Tang Wulin nudged Xie Xie, who, understanding the gesture, quickly closed his mouth as he noticed Xu Xiaoyan's pained expression. She bit her lip, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

In the silver light, a majestic dragon covered in prismatic scales appeared, exuding an ancient aura as if it had defied time itself. Its elegant body was shaped like a masterpiece, its wings spreading like two magnificent rainbows, drawing an intense elemental tide. The dragon's head was crowned with emerald horns, and its eyes were a mesmerizing green and silver.

Standing over fifteen meters tall, the dragon loomed over the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, who looked up in fear. This mighty predator suddenly felt the shadow of death looming.

"ROAR!" The prismatic dragon let out a mighty roar, the sound itself a force of dominance. The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear froze, overwhelmed by the pressure, its breathing labored.

A hexagram array formed beneath the bear, shining with blinding brilliance that engulfed it. The array lasted only three seconds, but as it faded, the once-ferocious bear lay prone, its fur scorched, frostbitten, battered, and torn.

"Whimper..." The Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear l

et out a pitiful cry, its eyes filled with pure terror.

It was afraid—truly afraid.

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