12: The narrow escape of black stone milk and the opportunity for evolution
Deep within the cave, Spiritual Qi raged like a tide.
Black Bear sat cross-legged on the stone platform, his muscles bulging, his skin faintly glowing with a black Aura, clearly at the critical moment of impacting Lianqi Sixth Layer.
The jade bottle in front of him continuously dripped milky white liquid, which was Heishi Milk, each drop containing pure Earth Spiritual Qi, greedily absorbed into his body.
"Now!" General Manager Liu Yuan shouted, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
Black Bear was fully impacting his Realm, his five senses blocked, and his perception of the outside world had dropped to its lowest, making this the best time to seize the Heishi Milk!
General Manager Liu Yuan gestured for two Family members to guard the cave entrance, then, taking Mo Chu with him, he tiptoed towards the jade bottle on the stone platform.
The cave was eerily quiet, with only Black Bear's heavy breathing and the soft sound of Heishi Milk dripping.
Every step was like stepping on everyone's heartbeats.
Mo Chu's Spirit Vision operated at full power, closely monitoring Black Bear's state.
He could clearly see that the Spiritual Qi within Black Bear's body was like boiling water, circulating wildly through his Meridians, just a step away from a Breakthrough, yet also extremely unstable, as if it could collapse at any moment.
Closer and closer.
Only less than ten steps remained to the jade bottle on the stone platform.
Just as General Manager Liu Yuan was about to reach for the jade bottle, Black Bear suddenly opened his eyes!
Those eyes were blood-red, filled with brutality and madness: "You seek death!"
He had actually detected movement from the outside world at the critical moment of his Breakthrough!
"Not good!" General Manager Liu Yuan's expression changed drastically, and he instinctively wanted to retreat.
But it was too late!
Black Bear roared, completely disregarding the critical moment of his own Breakthrough, and slammed a palm towards General Manager Liu Yuan!
This palm was imbued with violent black Spiritual Qi, carrying the force to split mountains and rocks, moving at an incredible speed!
A full-power strike from a Peak Qi Refining Realm Fifth Level cultivator!
General Manager Liu Yuan's pupils constricted; there was no avoiding it, he could only raise his wooden staff to block with all his might!
"Bang—!"
With a deafening crash, General Manager Liu Yuan was struck hard, his entire body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against the cave wall, spitting out a large mouthful of blood, his Aura instantly weakening.
"Old Ancestor!" The two Family members at the entrance exclaimed, wanting to rush over to help.
"Don't come over!" General Manager Liu Yuan shouted with difficulty, "Take the Heishi Milk and go!"
Black Bear's attack succeeded, but he did not pursue, because forcibly interrupting his Breakthrough caused the Spiritual Qi within his body to begin to backlash, and sharp pains shot through his Meridians.
But the look in his eyes as he stared at General Manager Liu Yuan was filled with venom: "Little bastard, dare to disturb my Breakthrough, today I will grind your bones to dust!"
He endured the pain of the backlash and lunged at General Manager Liu Yuan again.
At this critical juncture, Mo Chu moved.
He did not attack Black Bear, but instead darted to the stone platform at top speed, coiled his tail around the jade bottle containing the Heishi Milk, and then, without hesitation, threw it towards General Manager Liu Yuan!
"Catch it!" Mo Chu let out a sharp hiss, using all his strength.
Seeing this, General Manager Liu Yuan mustered his last bit of Spiritual Qi, reaching out to catch the jade bottle.
"Go!" He shoved the jade bottle to one of the rushing Family members, "Take Mo Chu and leave quickly! Tell Liu Shan to immediately depart the Qingmang Mountain Range and seek refuge with the Yunlan Sect to the south!"
"Old Ancestor! We're not leaving!" The Family members cried out.
"This is an order!" General Manager Liu Yuan roared, suddenly standing up and charging towards Black Bear, "Mo Chu, take them and go! The hope of the Liu Family rests on you!"
He would use his life to buy them time!
Black Bear saw them trying to escape and roared, turning to intercept, but General Manager Liu Yuan held onto his legs tightly.
"Get off me!" Black Bear kicked General Manager Liu Yuan frantically, General Manager Liu Yuan's body swayed like a broken puppet but he refused to let go, blood gushing from his mouth.
"Go quickly!"
Mo Chu watched this scene, and for the first time, an emotion called "anger" surged in his snake eyes.
He suddenly turned and whipped the Family member holding the jade bottle with his tail, signaling him to hurry.
The Family member, with tears in his eyes, glanced at the Old Ancestor who was sacrificing himself, and finally gritted his teeth, taking the other Family member, and, guided by Mo Chu, rushed out of the cave.
"Trying to run?" A fierce glint flashed in Black Bear's eyes, and his internal Spiritual Qi erupted, forcefully shaking General Manager Liu Yuan away, then he turned to chase Mo Chu and the others.
General Manager Liu Yuan lay on the ground, watching Black Bear's retreating back, a resolute look in his eyes.
He suddenly pulled out a black Medicinal Pill from his embrace and swallowed it without hesitation.
That was a "Blood Burning Pill," capable of instantly boosting cultivation, but at the cost of burning life.
"Black Bear! Your opponent is me!" General Manager Liu Yuan's voice became old and hoarse, but an Aura far exceeding Qi Refining Realm Third Level erupted from his body, reaching Qi Refining Fourth Level!
He lunged at Black Bear again, using the strength gained from burning his life to desperately entangle him.
Outside the cave, Mo Chu sprinted with the two Family members.
He could feel the violent Aura behind him getting closer and closer; Black Bear was about to catch up!
"Split up!" Mo Chu pointed his tail in two different directions, signaling the Family members to scatter and flee.
The two Family members immediately understood and ran in different directions.
Mo Chu, carrying the jade bottle, darted in the opposite direction from the Liu Family; he wanted to lead Black Bear away.
"Little beast! Leave the Heishi Milk!" Black Bear had shaken off General Manager Liu Yuan (or rather, General Manager Liu Yuan had exhausted his life), and roared as he chased Mo Chu, moving with astonishing speed.
Mo Chu exerted all his strength, weaving through the dense forest.
His Spirit Vision could predict the terrain in advance, and he constantly changed direction, but Black Bear's speed was truly too fast, and the distance was getting shorter.
Just then, Mo Chu saw a steep cliff ahead, with a turbulent river below.
There was no retreat!
Mo Chu looked back at the relentlessly pursuing Black Bear, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
He suddenly turned, hid the jade bottle under a rock, and then leaped off the cliff!
"You seek death!" Black Bear reached the edge of the cliff, looked at Mo Chu falling into the river, and roared, but he did not jump down.
His target was the Heishi Milk, not a snake.
Black Bear searched the vicinity for a long time but couldn't find the jade bottle, eventually returning to the Black Wind Stronghold, grumbling.
In the river, Mo Chu was swept downstream by the turbulent water.
His body was injured in multiple places, and his consciousness gradually blurred, but he firmly remembered the location where he had hidden the jade bottle.
After an unknown amount of time, Mo Chu was washed ashore and fell unconscious.
...
When Mo Chu woke up again, he found himself lying in a familiar place—on the bed in the Liu Family's small courtyard.
Liu Shan and Liu Zhi were guarding the bedside, their faces filled with exhaustion and worry.
"Mo Chu, you're awake!" Liu Zhi exclaimed with joy.
Mo Chu moved his body and found that his injuries had been treated, and some Spiritual Qi-emitting herbs were placed nearby.
"Heishi Milk..." Mo Chu conveyed the message with his consciousness.
"We found it!" Liu Shan quickly said, "We later retrieved the jade bottle from where you hid it.
Mo Chu, thank you..." His voice choked up a bit, "Old Ancestor..."
Mo Chu fell silent.
He could feel that the symbiotic contract connection with General Manager Liu Yuan had disappeared.
General Manager Liu Yuan had sacrificed himself.
【Ding! Main quest completed: Successfully seized the Heishi Milk, prevented Black Bear's Breakthrough (his cultivation dropped to Qi Refining Fourth Level due to Spiritual Qi backlash), Black Wind Stronghold's strength significantly weakened.】
【Quest rewards: 500 Contribution Points, Mortal Species Evolution Opportunity (Elementary) x1 have been issued.】
【Detected the demise of bound Family core member General Manager Liu Yuan, contract stability temporarily decreased by 10%.
New quest triggered: Lead the Liu Family out of its slump and avenge General Manager Liu Yuan.】
【Quest rewards: 1000 Contribution Points, Talent "Bloodline Awakening" x1.】
The System's notification sounded, but Mo Chu felt no joy.
He looked out the window; the sun was bright, and the sounds of Family members Cultivating came from the courtyard, but the figure of the old man leaning on a wooden staff was no longer there.
"Mo Chu," Liu Shan walked to the bedside and looked at him, his eyes firm, "Old Ancestor exchanged his life for our survival; we cannot let his sacrifice be in vain.
From today onwards, I will lead the Family, Cultivate diligently, and one day, we will avenge Old Ancestor!"
Mo Chu looked at him and nodded gently.
He looked at the "Mortal Species Evolution Opportunity" on the System panel and, without hesitation, chose to use it.
【Ding! Mortal Species Evolution begins...】
An indescribable warm current instantly surged through his entire body, and Mo Chu's body began to undergo wondrous changes.
His scales became tougher, gleaming with a faint metallic luster, his body elongated by nearly a factor of two, and there were faint signs of protrusions on his forehead.
【Evolution complete! Host: Mo Chu (Black Scaled Snake).
Species: Mortal Species → Spirit Species (Elementary).
Talent unlocked: Venomous Fangs (contains weak paralyzing venom).】
Mo Chu felt the power surging within him, and the pair of horns about to form on his forehead, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
General Manager Liu Yuan, your sacrifice will not be in vain.
Black Bear, Black Wind Stronghold, we will settle this score, slowly.