Kael smiled faintly, recalling the Snow Bear Beasts. Indeed, within this ancient ruins, there were not only the Unicorn Rhinos but also the Snow Bear Beasts.
Though the Snow Bear Beasts paled in comparison to the Unicorn Rhino herd—with only a few dozen of them, mostly around Level 6 in strength—they were far inferior to the Unicorn Rhinos in terms of combat power. Still, they were a force to be reckoned with, and Kael was more than happy to take whatever he could get. The more, the better.
"It wouldn't hurt to have the Snow Bear Beasts too," Kael said with a nod, his smile widening.
"Hahaha, I'll go call them over!" Alaric exclaimed excitedly. With a roar, the air trembled instantly, forming a unique sonic wave—much like the metallic sound waves Kael had witnessed from the Golden-Horned Lion King in the Misty Forest.
The metallic sonic waves spread far and wide, resonating across the territory, ensuring that every creature within range could hear it.
This was a special method of communication among magical beasts. Kael smiled, knowing Alaric was summoning the Snow Bear Beasts.
Rustling sounds emerged from the grass, accompanied by faint tremors in the ground. One by one, Snow Bear Beasts emerged from beneath the earth.
These adorable-looking creatures, despite their cute appearances, were actually expert diggers. Though their combat abilities were lackluster, their tunneling skills were top-notch. When Kael had first encountered them, these little guys had all been hiding underground, which was why he hadn't noticed them before.
"These Snow Bear Beasts are excellent diggers. They might actually come in handy," Kael mused with a grin.
"Kael!" The leader of the Snow Bear Beasts—the very same one Kael had captured before—stared at him with wide, round eyes, clearly surprised to see him back in the ancient ruins.
Kael chuckled and waved. "Snow Bear Beast, long time no see!"
"Kael, you're not here to capture me again, are you? Haven't I suffered enough? Ugh!" The Snow Bear Beast sighed repeatedly, its pitiful, dejected expression making Kael stifle a laugh.
This little guy really was like someone who, once bitten by a snake, shies away from a coiled rope for ten years.
"Of course not. I came to the ancient ruins for another reason this time," Kael said with a smile. Beside him, Alaric immediately shouted, "Snow Bear Beast, Kael is here to take us out! He just formed an equal contract with our entire herd! As long as we stay in his contract space, he can lead us out of here!"
"Out? Leave the ancient ruins?" The Snow Bear Beast froze for a moment before its eyes widened in shock.
Kael nodded. "That's right. I've formed a contract with the Unicorn Rhino herd and can take them away from this place!"
The Snow Bear Beast was stunned, but then its eyes immediately sparkled, gleaming with excitement. "Then… what about us?" It actually blurted out the question before Kael could even offer.
One by one, the Snow Bear Beasts crowded forward, their eyes filled with anticipation as they awaited Kael's answer. In truth, the Snow Bear Beasts were far more receptive to the outside world than the Unicorn Rhinos. Their numbers had once been in the hundreds, but after being slaughtered by the Dark Wing Mage Leif, only a few dozen remained, leaving them as one of the weakest factions in the ruins.
If not for the protection of the Unicorn Rhinos, their numbers might have dwindled even further, reducing them to the most vulnerable race in the ancient ruins.
But now, with the Unicorn Rhinos leaving with Kael, the Snow Bear Beasts would lose their only stronghold. Naturally, they were even more inclined to leave—especially since their longing for the outside world burned far stronger.
At this moment, all the Snow Bear Beasts stared at Kael with pleading eyes, waiting for his decision.
"Of course, no problem," Kael replied calmly, though inwardly, he was overjoyed. Though the Snow Bear Beasts weren't particularly strong, they were still a useful force—and their tunneling abilities made them even more valuable.
"Then form a contract with me," Kael said with a smile.
The Snow Bear Beasts rushed forward eagerly, each entering into a magical contract with Kael. The glow of magic flickered continuously. Having just completed the contracts with the Unicorn Rhinos, Kael followed the same method effortlessly, smoothly finalizing all the agreements.
Mystical runes shimmered across both Kael and the Snow Bear Beasts, marking the completion of their bond. A unique connection formed between them, solidifying the contract.
Kael's spirits soared. Now, both the Snow Bear Beasts and the Unicorn Rhinos had entered into contracts with him—157 Unicorn Rhinos and over 30 Snow Bear Beasts. His "recruitment" had been a great success.
With the contracts settled, Kael's thoughts turned to other matters. After all, plundering the ancient ruins was an absolute must.
Now, this place was practically his own backyard.
Moreover, the Kingdom of Kael was separated from his territory, the Lafei Plains, by an immense distance. It was unlikely Kael would have another chance to plunder this place in the future, so he had to take everything of value now.
"Snow Bear Beast, what other treasures are hidden in these ruins? I want to take everything!" Kael knew the Snow Bear Beasts were the most familiar with the ancient ruins. After being driven out of the castle by Leif and forced to migrate, they had likely explored more of the ruins than anyone else.
At Kael's question, the Snow Bear Beast pondered carefully before finally answering, "There are quite a few ruins here, but the most intact one is still that underground palace we visited last time."
Kael's heart stirred. They had ventured into that underground palace before, but back then, their strength had been insufficient. Faced with the attacks of the two Sphinx guardian beasts, they had no choice but to retreat.
But now…
Kael glanced at the hundreds of Unicorn Rhinos surrounding him, and his confidence surged.
"Alright, let's go back to that underground palace!" Kael declared immediately.
No matter what, returning empty-handed was not an option!
With the Snow Bear Beasts leading the way, Kael and Amelia lounged comfortably on the backs of the Unicorn Rhinos as the entire herd moved out. The forest immediately erupted into chaos—countless magical beasts fled in panic, nearly triggering a stampede.
As the large group advanced toward the underground palace, Kael and Amelia, having nothing better to do, began cultivating atop the Unicorn Rhinos. Between their training, they also exchanged insights. Kael shared the theories he had learned from Orlando's magic notes—particularly those on mana resonance—with Amelia.
"Mana Resonance?" Amelia's star-like eyes sparkled with keen interest.
Kael nodded. "Yes, it's from Orlando's notes—a secret technique only accessible to mages above the eighth tier. Warriors have something similar too—Battle Qi Resonance." He smiled.
Though Kael and Amelia belonged to entirely different professions—mage and warrior—their paths of cultivation ultimately converged, sharing many common principles. The two often exchanged insights in their daily lives, and both had benefited greatly from it.
Amelia listened intently as Kael recounted the contents of Orlando's magic notes, absorbing every detail. To help her understand, Kael even channeled his mana, demonstrating the technique with meticulous precision.
Her obsidian-like eyes widened as she studied Kael's every movement. His control over mana was masterful, and his demonstration flowed effortlessly.
The principles of Battle Qi Resonance and Mana Resonance were fundamentally the same—only the energy source differed. Under Kael's guidance, Amelia gradually grasped the core concept.
"So that's how it works." Her eyes gleamed with realization. Her Frost Battle Qi had already reached near-perfection, refined to the point of stagnation. Yet, Kael's insights unveiled a new approach, guiding her toward an even higher level of mastery.
Though she now understood the theory, putting it into practice was another challenge. Fortunately, Amelia's talent was nothing short of exceptional. With Kael's pointers, she soon brushed against the threshold of Battle Qi Resonance—progressing at an astonishing speed.
"Amelia, with a little more accumulation, you'll be ready to break through to the eighth tier,"Kael said, embracing her with a smile. Currently at the peak of the seventh tier, combined with her newfound grasp of Battle Qi Resonance, she already possessed the foundation for advancement—though further refinement was still needed.
The eighth tier was a critical juncture—the deeper the foundation, the better.
"Kael, we're here!" Just as the two were deep in discussion, the Snow Bear Beast at the front called out.