Upon hearing Mingxi’s voice, Golden Yuanbao quickly disengaged from the encirclement, not lingering because of those eager gazes.

It looked even more aloof than usual, radiating an invisible aura of noble coldness and oppressive dominance.

“Yuan Shi.”

It shrunk its body during Flight, lightly landing on Mingxi’s shoulder.

They habitually rubbed against each other.

The cold, hard aura around Golden Yuanbao quietly receded.

It indicated that they could leave.

Mingxi glanced at the Golden Shining Owls still staring at Golden Yuanbao with longing eyes.

“...Are they alright?”

Why did she feel like these Golden Shining Owls had a lot to say to Golden Yuanbao?

Especially the leading Golden Shining Owl, the emotions in its eyes were so complex that even a master novelist couldn't describe them.

Golden Yuanbao shook its head.

Just now, while its Beast Tamers was interrogating the silver-robed people, those Golden Shining Owls had just been staring at it blankly.

Their gazes were all strange, but no one spoke.

“Alright then.”

Mingxi didn't have any particular thoughts; Golden Yuanbao had already said that it had lived and grown up alone shortly after hatching.

It had never lived with its clan and didn't even know where its clan was specifically.

This group of Golden Shining Owls in front of them were all strangers.

“Then let’s return to the campsite.”

Although they had been tracking Jacques · Vita and his five companions, the tracking was handled by nanobots; if they hadn't launched a night raid on the Golden Shining Owl group, Mingxi and her companions wouldn't have needed to deliberately follow their movements.

As Mingxi spoke, she swung herself onto Lan Yue’s back.

Seeing them about to leave, the group of Golden Shining Owls began to stir.

“Shanshan.”

After treatment by Little Silver Flower, the Golden Shining Owl with exceptionally dazzling feathers, like a golden mountain, flew in front of Mingxi, spreading its wings to block their path.

The other Golden Shining Owls also gathered around.

“...Is something wrong?”

Mingxi looked at the dazzling Golden Shining Owls, her tone gentle.

Although this clan should be unrelated to Golden Yuanbao, they were its kin nonetheless, and Mingxi naturally loved this species and held great goodwill towards them.

Love me, love my dog, after all.

“Shanshan?”

The Golden Shining Owl stretched out its wing and pointed at Golden Yuanbao.

It was asking, is it also a Golden Feather Finch?

Mingxi nodded.

“It is my pet. When I first contracted it, it was a Thunder Demon Bird.”

Hearing this, the Golden Shining Owl looked at Golden Yuanbao again, its eyes filled with astonishment.

In the Transcendent creature world, the evolution path of the Thunder Demon Bird was also cut off.

That's why not a single Thunder Demon Bird could be found among this large group of Golden Shining Owls.

“...Shanshan?”

Black Pearl, who had recently become very enthusiastic about translation, translated the Golden Shining Owl’s words.

“No.”

Mingxi denied, “Before I contracted it, our human world did not have a complete evolution path for Thunder Demon Birds. It was an accident.”

She paused, then added:

“Also, it was actually born here, just like you.”

As soon as Mingxi said this, the Golden Shining Owl and the group of Golden Shining Owls behind it widened their eyes.

This powerful pet, which had the aura of their kin but had never been seen before, was actually a creature of this world, just like them.

But...

“Shan?”

How could a Transcendent creature from a secret realm sign a contract with a human?

Although Shadow Abyss appears to be integrated with the real world, due to its special circumstances, it is essentially still a secret realm.

This is evident from the fact that the Transcendent creatures here cannot leave Shadow Abyss.

The Golden Feather Finch clan had no inherited memories, but due to Shadow Abyss’s terrifying erosion of Blue Star, humans had been entering and exiting to investigate for the past three hundred years.

Especially in this safest F003 area.

The Golden Shining Owl group had naturally come into contact with many friendly humans and had a deep understanding of human society.

“I summoned and contracted it using the Phantom Color Key.” Mingxi explained the difference between the Phantom Color Key and the ordinary Soul Key.

The Golden Shining Owl looked at Golden Yuanbao again.

In its eyes, besides curiosity and amazement, there was also a hint of contemplation and uncertainty, a rather complex emotion.

Mingxi immediately realized a certain possibility upon seeing this look.

Then she heard the Golden Shining Owl ask in a conflicted, hesitant tone—

Is the central feather on your mother’s crest platinum-colored?

Does its call sound a bit like a warbler?

Upon hearing these two questions, Golden Yuanbao froze.

Mingxi saw it.

No need to ask; Golden Yuanbao and this group of Golden Shining Owls were ninety-nine percent not unrelated strangers of the same species.

“...Yuan Shi?”

How do you know this? What is your relationship with my mother?

Golden Yuanbao narrowed its blood-red eyes, and its small body exuded a sharp and domineering pressure.

Making the group of Golden Shining Owls opposite it gasp for breath.

The Golden Shining Owl, worried «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» that it would harm the young, quickly replied.

But its answer not only surprised Golden Yuanbao but also surprised everyone else and the Transcendent creatures present.

“As! As!!”

It said it was the Big Brother’s father’s second mate!!

“As?”

Father’s mate, is that also Golden Yuanbao’s Big Brother’s mother?

Mingxi’s mouth twitched.

That’s a good question, but please don’t ask it again next time!

“Shanshan!”

“Shan?”

“Jin?!”

And the Golden Shining Owls who also heard the Golden Shining Owl’s words were collectively dumbfounded.

What?!

This mighty, powerful, and noble pet was actually also the offspring of their great leader?

Most of the Golden Shining Owls present looked at Golden Yuanbao with other emotions: nostalgia, sudden realization, and contemplation.

Golden Yuanbao was only a little over 2 years old.

If Golden Yuanbao’s mother had indeed been the mate of this clan’s leader, then it was perfectly normal for these Golden Shining Owls to recognize it.

And the three Golden Feather Finches in the Golden Shining Owl group whose spirits were much better than the other young ones couldn’t even close their beaks.

“Shan!”

This is impossible!

Their father actually had children other than them!

And they had grown into such powerful and noble forms?

They didn’t believe it!

Mingxi and her pets listened to the various calls coming from the Golden Shining Owl group.

And fell into silence.

This is completely outlandish!

They never expected that before they even found Golden Yuanbao’s old flame, they would find its father first.

Who would believe this?

According to this Golden Shining Owl, the strongest member of this Golden Shining Owl clan was Golden Yuanbao’s father.

In the past, they had also lived in the inner region of the secret realm, but because the secret realm merged with the Blue Star territory, the environment and ecology within the secret realm underwent various changes.

Especially the areas closer to the Land of Birth and Death, where the changes were more drastic.

Golden Yuanbao’s father felt that their habitat at the time was no longer suitable for the clan's survival, and after discussion, they decided to migrate the entire clan.

Golden Yuanbao’s mother, however, was unwilling to leave her homeland, because at that time, her father and mother (Golden Yuanbao’s maternal grandparents) had already been out for half a year without returning, searching for the Spirit-Nourishing Fruit.

The clan judged that they were very likely dead.

But Golden Yuanbao’s mother was unwilling to accept it; she insisted on waiting for her parents to return.