A wounded Lord-tier Ironclad Centipede, before it could react, was blown to death by dozens of booby-trapped arrows.
"Is this a Gold-Devouring Mouse? How is it more powerful than my Silver-Patterned Thunder Snake?" a bald fat man behind Xia Mengqiu couldn't help but say.
The people beside him also gasped, feeling as if they were hallucinating or dreaming.
Xia Mengqiu also felt it was somewhat unreal, thinking Zheng Dong was even more formidable than she, a high-level beast tamer.
She turned to Professor Guo Lan, who was equally shocked, and asked, "Grandma, what skill did this Gold-Devouring Mouse use? I've never seen it before."
Professor Guo Lan, as a Grandmaster-level beast tamer, was knowledgeable and had seen many geniuses, but this was the first time she had encountered someone as monstrous as Zheng Dong.
"This is a Combination Skill Profundity. The Gold-Devouring Mouse contracted by Zheng Dong has mastered at least three to five Combination Skill Profundities. Furthermore, the proficiency of every skill it has used so far has reached the 'Divine' level!" Professor Guo Lan took a deep breath and said slowly.
Instantly, Xia Mengqiu and the others widened their eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.
What a joke! For their contracted spirit beasts, reaching the 'Divine' level in one or two skills was already considered excellent.
But this Gold-Devouring Mouse had used seven or eight skills, all of which had reached the 'Divine' level. This was simply unimaginable.
Was this Zheng Dong a monster?
"Grandma, are you sure?" Xia Mengqiu couldn't help but ask again.
"That's right. Not only have low-level skills like 'Hardening' and 'Earth Evasion' reached the 'Divine' level, but even the ultimate skill 'Earth Vein Resonance' has reached the 'Divine' level.
It's truly strange, how did he achieve this!
Not only did he enable a Gold-Devouring Mouse to master so many skills, but he also raised their proficiency to the 'Divine' level. Kuaishu Ge.
Even stranger, are these peculiar Combination Skill Profundities all created by himself?" Professor Guo Lan's mind was filled with questions, then she nodded affirmatively.
Immediately, Xia Mengqiu and the others gaped in astonishment, not knowing what to say, suddenly feeling as if they had lived in vain for so many years.
"Damn it, why is the gap between people so huge?" the bald fat man behind Xia Mengqiu complained again.
This made Xia Mengqiu and the others feel even worse.
Professor Guo Lan, however, paid no attention to this and continued, "Zheng Dong's beast-taming space should have reached level two, making him a beginner beast tamer. Compared to him, you were far behind when you were beginner beast tamers!"
The level of beast tamers was generally divided according to the level of their beast-taming space. A level two beast-taming space indicated a beginner beast tamer, a level three beast-taming space indicated an intermediate beast tamer, and so on.
As for the growth level of spirit beasts, it was related to the strength of the beast-taming space. If the beast-taming space was stable enough, it was possible to contract spirit beasts of a higher level.
Under normal circumstances, spirit beasts contracted by beginner beast tamers were usually of the Extraordinary tier or Commander tier, while spirit beasts contracted by intermediate beast tamers were usually of the Commander tier or Lord tier.
However, for spirit beasts contracted by high-level beast tamers, their growth level rarely reached the General tier. General-tier spirit beasts required a much greater strength from the beast-taming space than Lord-tier spirit beasts.
It was also for this reason that Xia Mengqiu and the others felt that Zheng Dong, who could hunt Lord-tier extraordinary creatures beyond his level, could also fight them.
In reality, the gap between them was still very large. If they were to truly fight, it would be difficult for Zheng Dong to defeat Xia Mengqiu, who possessed four spirit beasts with strength close to the General tier.
However, Zheng Dong could still bully intermediate beast tamers beyond his level.
Even if the spirit beasts contracted by intermediate beast tamers reached the Lord tier, they were still a distance away from the General tier.
As Zheng Dong made his move, the surrounding Lord-tier extraordinary creatures became fewer.
Before long, Xia Mengqiu and the others' spirit beasts were able to free themselves up to help Professor Guo Lan deal with the General-tier extraordinary creatures.
With the fall of the last General-tier extraordinary creature, everything returned to peace. Professor Guo Lan and the others recalled their respective spirit beasts into their beast-taming spaces and breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, everyone gathered together, chatted for a while, and Professor Guo Lan took out several resources and handed them to Zheng Dong.
"Zheng Dong, you killed the Desert Giant. This Desert Heart rightfully belongs to you. The remaining resources are a token of gratitude for your help."
The Desert Heart was the life core of the Desert Giant, a good earth-element resource that could help earth-element spirit beasts grow faster. Little Purple could also use it.
Because the Desert Giant's growth level before its death reached the Monarch tier, possessing strength close to the Emperor tier, this Desert Heart could be considered a good level six resource.
As for the other four resources Professor Guo Lan gave him, they were also level six resources, and all of them were earth or metal element.
This made the others extremely envious.
Even they, as high-level beast tamers, couldn't produce many level six resources.
This made Zheng Dong feel reluctant to refuse.
However, he still politely said, "I didn't really help much. I think I'll just take the Desert Heart."
"Zheng Dong, take what my grandma gives you. Our lives are much more important than these resources. If it weren't for you this time, I really can't imagine what accidents might have happened!" Xia Mengqiu was very grateful to Zheng Dong and couldn't help but interject.
The others also nodded. When the Desert Giant attacked them with its Sand Vortex, they truly felt the presence of death.
"Alright, I won't be polite then." Zheng Dong said no more and directly accepted the items.
Seeing this, Professor Guo Lan smiled and continued, "Next, tell us about the relic trials. Let's see if we can help?"
Zheng Dong nodded, took out seven relic keys, and briefly explained the origin of the relic and the requirements for the trial.
Upon hearing that it was a relic left by a top-tier totem, Professor Guo Lan and the others became energized.
Because Professor Guo Lan had only excavated a handful of totem relics so far, let alone Xia Mengqiu and the others.
Their participation in the excavation of a top-tier totem relic was enough to make their resumes look impressive.
Immediately, they enthusiastically helped Zheng Dong search for relic keys.
They brought out various advanced detection instruments.
Unfortunately, finding a fist-sized relic key in the desert was undoubtedly like searching for a needle in a haystack.
After Little Purple rested, Zheng Dong also began searching.
His efficiency was much faster than Xia Mengqiu and the others.
He condensed 365 clones and began a carpet search, eliminating false energy fluctuations one by one, and finally pinpointing the location of the relic key.
However, the time spent was longer than in the previous few rounds.
Seeing the relic key that Little Purple dug out of the desert, Xia Mengqiu and the others were astonished, and immediately felt that their smart detectors were no longer appealing, not as good as a Gold-Devouring Mouse.
Xia Mengqiu couldn't help but look at Little Purple with envy.
Should I also contract a Gold-Devouring Mouse?
"Zheng Dong's Gold-Devouring Mouse is a mutant. Its treasure-hunting skill proficiency should have reached the 'Perfect' level, and with the cooperation of 'Divine' level shadow clones, it can find relic keys so quickly.
Mengqiu, if you are confident you can cultivate a Gold-Devouring Mouse to this extent, then you can consider contracting one!" Professor Guo Lan said with a smile.
"Grandma, I wish I had this ability. I wonder how this monster Zheng Dong managed it!" Xia Mengqiu pouted and continued, "Why don't we let Zheng Dong join the Relic Bureau? With him here, wouldn't our archaeology be much easier?"
Professor Guo Lan was stunned for a moment, then nodded. She also thought it was a good idea.
So, when Zheng Dong walked over with the relic key, Xia Mengqiu directly said, "Zheng Dong, do you want to join the Relic Bureau? As long as you join the Relic Bureau, you can freely enter and exit most relic spaces across the country, and you will also receive a mobile relic space, and you can apply for resources from the Relic Bureau for spirit beast evolution..."
Xia Mengqiu listed many benefits of joining the Relic Bureau, which made Zheng Dong somewhat tempted.
Especially the mobile relic space, which could be carried with him. Not only could it be used as storage space, but he could also enter it himself, essentially a mobile home, which was very convenient.
There was also a drawback, which was that a relic space could not be opened within another relic space.
In other words, within this fixed relic space, one could not enter another relic space. Otherwise, Professor Guo Lan could have let Xia Mengqiu and the others enter the relic space, and she could have taken the relic space and escaped the encirclement of extraordinary creatures.
"This, I also want to join, but I am already a reserve member of the Special Affairs Bureau!" Zheng Dong said.
Xia Mengqiu was dumbfounded.
Professor Guo Lan was also somewhat surprised.
However, after thinking about it, she felt that a genius like Zheng Dong should be nurtured by some bureau.
"You're not lying to me, are you!" Xia Mengqiu said, somewhat unwillingly, after she reacted.
Zheng Dong had no choice but to take out his Special Affairs Bureau identification and hand it to Xia Mengqiu.
Xia Mengqiu looked at the Special Affairs Bureau identification with a dejected expression and then couldn't help but ask, "Damn it, who recommended you to join? The Special Affairs Bureau is very dangerous. You should come to our Relic Bureau for archaeology!"
Oh, archaeology doesn't seem to be much safer than the Special Affairs Bureau!
Zheng Dong hesitated and refused, "Actually, I joined the Special Affairs Bureau because of the Spiritual God Cult. It was Tu Qionglan, Sister Lan, who recommended me. She helped me a lot, and I can't betray her good intentions!"
Upon hearing the name Tu Qionglan, Xia Mengqiu's eyes widened. She and Tu Qionglan were at odds, and they found each other unpleasant.
Tu Qionglan, even if I can't beat you, if I want to snatch someone from you, you're probably no match for me!
So, Xia Mengqiu looked at Professor Guo Lan and said coquettishly, "Grandma, why don't we let Zheng Dong have a nominal position in the Relic Bureau? It's all about doing work, it's the same wherever it is."
Professor Guo Lan hesitated and said, "Zheng Dong, Xiao Lan's father was also my student, but unfortunately, he disappeared during an archaeological excavation, and I don't know which relic space he is trapped in. I'll talk to Xiao Lan later and arrange for you to have a nominal position in the Relic Bureau. Although you won't be an official member, you will enjoy the rights and treatment of an official member."
Zheng Dong hadn't expected such an arrangement. He didn't care about being an official member as long as he could enjoy the same treatment.
This way, it would be more convenient for him to collect resources from various relic spaces in the future.
The Relic Bureau didn't accept just anyone. Among the people following Professor Guo Lan, except for Xia Mengqiu and the master-level beast tamer wearing a duckbill hat, no one else had joined the Relic Bureau, nor did they even have the qualifications to become reserve members.
Zheng Dong was allowed to join because Professor Guo Lan recognized his beast-taming talent and Little Purple's treasure-hunting ability.
This also made the others envious.
However, they were now somewhat numb and no longer regarded Zheng Dong as a normal person, believing that it was normal for the monster Zheng Dong to be recognized by Professor Guo Lan and join the Relic Bureau.
Next, a problem arose.
After Zheng Dong completed the assessment, he would be teleported to the location of the next assessment.
But Professor Guo Lan and the others would not be teleported together.
Moreover, if Professor Guo Lan and the others followed, they would also be in danger of being besieged by extraordinary creatures.
For this reason, Professor Guo Lan came up with a compromise.
She had one of her Gem Cats, whose growth level had reached the General tier, follow Zheng Dong.
This Gem Cat was of the space element and possessed an internal space, which contained a large number of detection instruments and equipment that Zheng Dong could use at any time.
Of course, this Gem Cat would not be teleported with Zheng Dong. It would leave a spatial imprint on Zheng Dong, and after Zheng Dong was teleported away, it would use its spatial skills to pursue him.
As for Professor Guo Lan and the others, they would stay put and rest, to avoid being besieged again.
In the ninth trial, Zheng Dong was teleported to a live volcano.
Although the volcano was not erupting, the scorching heat was still unbearable.
The energy fluctuations here were very strong, making it impossible to distinguish the specific location of the energy fluctuations. It was as if the entire live volcano was the source of the energy fluctuations.
In such a situation, they could only rely on Little Purple's treasure-hunting skill.
The detection instruments were completely unreliable.
After more than a day of searching, Little Purple finally found the ninth relic key.
In the next two days, the tenth and eleventh keys were found successively. It was not until the final round, when searching for the twelfth relic key, that Zheng Dong got stuck.
In the twelfth round, Zheng Dong was teleported to a grassland. There were no energy fluctuations around, and he had no idea how to search.
Little Purple, based on its treasure-hunting skill, identified three locations.
But after digging for a long time, nothing was found.
He had been careless, not expecting the final round to be so difficult.
Zheng Dong had no choice but to assist Little Purple in improving its treasure-hunting skill proficiency, raising it from 'Perfect' to 'Divine', and then searching again.
This time, Little Purple confidently selected a location.
But unexpectedly, nothing was found again.
Oh, what to do?
Zheng Dong frowned and looked at the Gem Cat beside him, deciding to ask for Professor Guo Lan's opinion. After all, Professor Guo Lan had deciphered many relics and might offer some good suggestions.
An hour later, the Gem Cat returned.
Professor Guo Lan's suggestion was simple. She thought it might be related to space and asked the Gem Cat to use its spatial skills to help check.
As the Gem Cat used its spatial skills, the surrounding space fluctuated violently, and a spatial crack appeared at the location Little Purple had chosen, containing the twelfth relic key.
This surprised Zheng Dong a little. He hadn't expected it to be so simple.
In fact, it was due to the inertia of thought from passing the previous rounds that Zheng Dong didn't consider the spatial aspect.
After obtaining the twelfth key, he had completed the trial and gained the recognition of the relic. Zheng Dong and Little Purple were teleported into an ancient building.
The decorations in front of him were somewhat exaggerated and not of human aesthetic. A giant memory crystal appeared before Little Purple.
The Spirit of the Relic did not appear. Perhaps this fixed relic space originally had no Spirit of the Relic, or perhaps the Spirit of the Relic had long since disappeared, considering the vast amount of time that had passed since the totem era.
Through the memory crystal, Zheng Dong learned that the top-tier totem that created this relic space was a Gold-Swallowing Beast.
The Gold-Swallowing Beast was originally an ordinary rodent-like extraordinary creature. It accidentally obtained a mysterious mutated bead, gained spatial attributes, and thus evolved into a Gold-Swallowing Beast, gradually growing into a top-tier totem.