48: Chapter 48 Mutation and Evolution

[Monster Name]: Yellow Mountain Beetle

[Monster Quality]: Elite (E)

[Monster Level]: black iron Level 9

[Monster Attribute]: Earth

[Monster Talent]: Roll

[Monster Description]: Often found in Huangshan or other places rich in earth elements. Its sharp scales can cause cutting damage when rolling. It is currently in low spirits; due to accidental ingestion of harmful substances, its scales are peeling off.

Pop...

A crisp sound rang out. Li Yu looked toward the source and saw a scale falling off the Yellow Mountain Beetle's back.

For most Breeders, it's a nightmare when a beast they are about to cultivate shows unknown physical conditions.

Cultivation is delicate work. Any slight deviation in materials or improper technique is enough to affect the entire process, ranging from a drop in quality to the death of the beast.

Clearly, the beasts Li Yu was to cultivate had also been carefully screened.

The only sick beast.

Li Yu was in no hurry to begin. He stroked along the Yellow Mountain Beetle's scales and asked softly, "Little guy, are you feeling unwell?"

The Yellow Mountain Beetle trembled all over. Its eyelids opened to reveal dull eyes, and it let out a faint cry.

It was surprised that it could actually understand Li Yu's voice.

"Don't be nervous. I'll have you fixed up soon. Just cooperate with me," Li Yu added.

Unexpectedly, the Yellow Mountain Beetle shook its head and tail. Its cries grew louder, carrying a tone of strong resistance.

It didn't want to be treated.

Li Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise.

He hadn't encountered many beasts, but without exception, they all possessed a basic desire for survival. The sick longed to get better, and the healthy longed to be strong.

He had never met one that resisted treatment after falling ill.

"Why? Isn't it better to be cured?" Li Yu asked.

At this time, the other contestants had already begun their work. Without needing to communicate, they took their assigned healthy beasts and skillfully began testing their attributes.

Zeng Huohuo seemed unreliable, but her hands-on ability was much faster than the others. She was just short, looking like a child mixed in with adults.

While busy, she glanced over at Li Yu. Seeing him whispering to the beast with a gentle expression, a look of surprise crossed her face. But when she looked at the beast, her brow furrowed slightly.

A Yellow Mountain Beetle?

You've got to be kidding!

This kind of monster doesn't even have a known evolution path in this world. Giving this beast to someone for a certification exam—isn't that just bullying?

No, more than that...

Zeng Huohuo looked closely. Her eyesight was excellent, capable of easily seeing the veins on a leaf a hundred meters away. She could easily tell that the Yellow Mountain Beetle's condition was very wrong.

Lethargic, weak breathing, limp limbs, dull scales—no, its scales were falling off!

It completely failed to meet the standards for cultivation materials in this exam.

She turned her gaze back to Li Yu, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Who is this guy?

Just an apprentice who isn't even a Junior Cultivator, yet someone went so far as to tamper with the exam to deal with him?

...

"I see. I understand now."

Li Yu listened to the Yellow Mountain Beetle's murmurs and cries for a long while, learning about its past.

Simply put, it was a small beast that had been with its Beast Tamer since it hatched from an egg.

At first, the relationship between the human and the beast was great, so good that they even slept in the same bed. But as its master grew up, it realized its master no longer liked it.

Because it wasn't good-looking enough, wasn't strong enough, and couldn't evolve.

The little beast wanted to win its master back. Every day after its master fell asleep, it would run to the nearby mountains to fight other monsters.

It wasn't a beast suited for combat, but for its master's sake, it didn't hesitate.

And so, day after day, from the peach blossoms blooming to the maple leaves withering, through several cycles of spring and autumn, it fought its way from black iron Level 1 to black iron Level 9.

Its master finally acknowledged it. Overjoyed, it thought it could finally return to those happy times, being clingy, playful, and happy with its master.

Its master took it to several cultivation studios. At first, the attitude was okay, but as inquiry after inquiry returned the answer that it couldn't evolve, its master's temper grew increasingly violent.

It wanted to evolve!

But that wasn't something it could decide.

Finally, after yet another fruitless consultation, the contract bond snapped.

Its master didn't want it anymore.

The Yellow Mountain Beetle clung to its master's pant leg, begging him not to abandon it. But all it got in return was a flying kick and an insult—"What a piece of trash! A useless waste that can't even evolve! You think you're worthy of being my beast?!"

It wanted to chase after him, but that kick landed squarely on its stomach, breaking something it had accidentally swallowed during a recent battle.

Its spirit grew heavier and heavier.

And after that...

It was brought here.

"Poor little guy. Because of this, you've given up on yourself and refuse to be treated."

Li Yu gently brushed the Yellow Mountain Beetle's scales. He didn't offer empty comforts or tell lies like "your master actually cares about you."

He just lowered his voice, like a spark in the dark night landing on the beetle's heart: "But my task is to cure you. If I can't cure you and make you evolve, I'll be sad too."

The Yellow Mountain Beetle looked at Li Yu, its eyes filled with bewilderment.

Aside from those carefree days when it was young, as its master grew up, all it ever received from him was criticism, disdain, and disgust.

No one had ever said they would be sad for it.

In an instant, a surge of energy seemed to well up within the Yellow Mountain Beetle's body—a desire to do something for Li Yu.

It let out a soft cry. In Li Yu's ears, that weak sound translated to—I want to try.

"Good child."

Li Yu broke into a smile—a smile of genuine happiness because it was willing to be treated.

The Yellow Mountain Beetle stared blankly. Its heavy eyelids refused to close, held up by a sudden burst of will.

It had been many years since anyone had smiled at it like that.

Li Yu didn't know what was going on in the beetle's mind. He placed a low-grade evolution card on its body, which then turned into light and returned to him. Soon, an evolution path that included treatment surfaced in Li Yu's mind.

【Mutated Evolution - Spirit Probing Armor: Consume 30g of earth mother liquid to soften the internal crystals. Combine 107g of Five Elements Spirit Bone Powder, a Bronze-tier Earth demon core...】

Li Yu grabbed a pen and paper, quickly wrote down the required materials, and placed the list on the nearby conveyor belt.

At this moment, the others had just finished testing their beasts. Hearing the familiar sound of the conveyor belt, they all looked toward Li Yu in surprise.

Zeng Huohuo stopped writing and stared with wide eyes, looking at Li Yu with a strange expression.

Wait, buddy.

Did you even check? Don't you want to check again?

The one you're in charge of is very wrong! If you don't check it again, you're going to suffer a huge loss!

If she weren't in the middle of an exam, she would have really wanted to shout that out.