Beast Taming: I Can Add Points

“You’re asking about the Flash Gold Sparrow? That does sound like information a Beastmaster from the Classical Era would give you.”

After listening to Su Zhi’s question, Luo Sen gave a slow nod.

“Tuoba Jing’s Pet Beast wasn’t wrong. Although modern Flash Gold Sparrows mainly inhabit the Southwest, an area rich in Earth and Gold Element resources, the Divine Strategy Alliance’s isotope reconstruction technology shows they actually originated elsewhere. Subspecies once existed in various places within Yu Dian’s borders, but only the ones in the Southwest have survived to this day. The other subspecies either died out, unable to adapt to their environments, or later migrated to the Southwest as well.

“And the Flash Gold Sparrow fossils in the Talal Desert are indeed the oldest we’ve discovered so far, significantly older than those in other regions, which corroborates your story. However, the climate there is unsuitable for the survival of modern Flash Gold Sparrows. Sometime after the mid-Classical Era, the Flash Gold Sparrows there migrated away completely.

“As for you mentioning that the desert tribes built tombs for the Flash Gold Sparrow… even though those old fossils at the Boya Alliance didn’t include it in their history books, I can tell you: it’s true.”

Su Zhi folded his hands.

‘Luo Sen’s daily dunk on the Boya Alliance.jpg.’

After speaking, Luo Sen’s ten fingers danced across the keyboard, and a moment later, he pulled up a webpage. Su Zhi had seen this page before; it was the Divine Strategy Alliance’s academic website.

Amidst the dense text was an illustration: on a vast, golden Great Desert, a magnificent statue of a Flash Gold Sparrow stood with wings spread as if about to take flight, its head raised to the sky. Many Flash Gold Sparrows circled the statue, and below, dark-skinned people in headscarves knelt in worship, their foreheads pressed firmly into the sand, their expressions devout.

Although the image was very realistic, a closer look revealed some slight distortions—it was the result of using technology to reverse-engineer an ancient painting, just like the one in the Flying Shadow Alliance’s Alliance History Hall.

“The desert tribes you mentioned should be the Talal Countries from before the Classical Era, represented by nations like Wuyou, Chao Xu, Da Wan, and Gan Che. According to artifacts and sculptures unearthed by the Divine Strategy Alliance’s archeological teams, these nations did indeed have a faith centered on the Flash Gold Sparrow.

“However, Beast Taming civilization was still in a very primitive stage back then. Most of Blue Star was under the control of Exotic Beasts, and there was little contact between human populations in different regions. That’s why the records of Talal in Yu Dian’s history books are very vague up until the twentieth year of the Great Governance.”

Luo Sen finished and turned the page.

“Afterward, Yu Dian and the northern Grassland Tribes entered the Beast Taming Era one after another. Taking advantage of the dynastic change in the Yu Dynasty, the Golden Horde rapidly unified the Grassland Tribes and established an unprecedentedly vast Beast Taming Empire. To maintain stability and secure room for development, the nascent Yu Dynasty regime had no choice but to humiliatingly submit and pay tribute to the grasslands. Talal also became a vassal of the Golden Horde Empire, severing its ties with Yu Dian.

“For the next few decades, relations between Yu Dian and the Golden Horde remained mostly stable. However, Talal’s native civilization suffered a devastating blow and was assimilated, with a large number of ancient ruins being destroyed as heresy by the grassland rulers.

“This lasted until the twentieth year of the Great Governance. After biding its time and building its strength for fifty-four years, the Yu Dynasty reached the peak of its power and launched seven northern expeditions against the Golden Horde, completely shattering its dominion.

“The Grassland Tribes submitted, the Golden Horde fled far to the west, and Yu Dian became the undisputed hegemon of the Dongzhou Beast Taming Circle. Only then were ties with Talal re-established. By that time, however, very few of the tombs you mentioned were left.”

“I see…” Su Zhi nodded wistfully, feeling a sense of nostalgia for that turbulent and magnificent period of history, while also lamenting the loss of a Beast Taming heritage.

Su Zhi suddenly perked up. “Wait, you said ‘very few’ were left?”

‘That means some are still left!’

“That’s right.”

Luo Sen grinned, revealing blood-red teeth. “Remember that shelved project I mentioned to you before? It’s related to a Flash Gold Sparrow Tomb.

“The archeology team has already locked onto the location of a tomb ruin, estimated to be buried five meters beneath the sand. But our multiple excavation attempts have all come up empty, which is why the project was shelved. However, if Yu Bao were to go take a look, we might just find a way.”

“WOOF!”

Yu Bao puffed out its chest and raised its head proudly.

‘That’s right! I’m super brave!’

Luo Sen’s gaze toward Su Zhi grew more enticing. “If you agree, room and board are completely free.”

Su Zhi was tempted. “There’s a deal that good…?”

“!!!” Shao Ya became alert.

The young woman’s azure eyes instantly went wide; her ears perked up like a rabbit’s, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her small, clenched fists were poised to strike.

Seeing her like this, Su Zhi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

It was as if she would beat him to death the second he agreed.

Su Zhi smiled faintly. “Thank you for the kind offer, but I think I’ll pass for now.”

“Huh?”

Shao Ya froze for a second, then immediately started muttering anxiously under her breath, “Maybe you should go after all? It’s a rare opportunity, it’d be such a waste not to go!”

As she spoke, the young woman’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

“I am worried about you, it’s true, but I’m also genuinely happy for you when I see you getting stronger. You should go if you want to. Don’t let what I think make you hesitate…”

Su Zhi patted her shoulder, again not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “Have you forgotten? The national competition is coming up. The schedule is so packed, I wouldn’t have any free time even if I wanted to go.”

Shao Ya paused, the realization dawning on her. “Oh, that’s true…”

Su Zhi watched her blink her eyes with a slightly dazed look, and his smile grew even more gentle as he softly pulled her into his arms.

“Besides, I really have been away for too long. For the time being, I want to spend some time with my family.”

Shao Ya rested her chin on his shoulder, her expression instantly breaking into a wide, happy grin.