88: Chapter 88 The Bone Tree in the Golden Locust Forest

The cultivation of the Silver Scale Bubble Fish was a success.

Although the process had some bumps and the result was a bit jarring, it was a success nonetheless.

The next evolution.

It requires absorbing a large amount of elemental energy and comprehending at least one type of Elemental Divine Light.

The good news: it is no longer limited to expensive spirit crystals.

The bad news: the word "large amount" has been added.

Li Yu considered himself to have some understanding of the system; this guy didn't like to exaggerate, nor did it like to downplay things. When it said "large amount," it definitely meant a large amount.

Or rather... a massive amount.

On the way home.

The Golden Scale Bubble Fish bubbled away, following Li Yu wherever he went, but it still displayed that behavior of forgetting things every few moments. If not for the bond of the contract, it would probably have gotten lost hundreds of times a day.

The original owner had raised Bubble Fish for several years, after all. If it had been any other Beast Tamer's beast, they would be like brothers by now, but with the Bubble Fish...

Not familiar, not familiar at all; it automatically clears its memory on schedule.

Thinking of this, Li Yu sighed faintly.

"What's wrong with you?"

Chen Qing asked.

"Nothing, just thought of some unfortunate encounters," Li Yu replied.

"Oh."

The two returned to their respective rooms.

His sister hadn't returned, and the room was dark, but as soon as Li Yu opened the door, he was drawn to a stream of light by the entrance.

The Spirit Probing Armor was curled into a ball, nestled in the spot by the door, sleeping in the bed it had prepared for itself. The faint light filtering in from outside made its glazed armor appear to glow slightly.

Could it be that it had been guarding the door since he left?

Li Yu felt a bit dazed and instinctively looked at the beast food bowl in the corner. The food he had poured in the morning was untouched, piled high in the bowl.

This guy...

Li Yu turned back to look at the Golden Scale Bubble Fish spinning in place.

Hey! This guy!

Golden Scale Bubble Fish: ???

Li Yu gently placed the Spirit Probing Armor, along with its bed, onto the sofa. Seeing it curled up, looking like a pitiful, abandoned little animal, his heart softened.

He raised his hand, his fingers moving in a complex pattern, and somewhat clumsily condensed a mark, slowly placing it on the forehead of the Spirit Probing Armor.

The mark flickered twice. In its daze, the Spirit Probing Armor seemed to perceive his presence, and the mark stabilized on its forehead without any resistance, turning into a pattern that looked like a scar.

The contract, complete.

"Little one, we're a family from now on."

Li Yu whispered softly.

Sensing the existence of another connection, the Golden Scale Bubble Fish flicked its tail gracefully and drifted over to the Spirit Probing Armor. Just as it was about to blow a Bubble, Li Yu grabbed its tail and pulled it back to the coffee table.

"Don't move around."

Li Yu scolded it, then took the demon core of the Sand Scorpion King out of his backpack and placed it in front of the Golden Scale Bubble Fish.

"Try absorbing this. Let's see if a Silver-2 level demon core can help you comprehend Elemental Divine Light."

The Golden Scale Bubble Fish leaned close to the demon core and blinked, looking as if it were in a daze.

Just as Li Yu thought its memory had refreshed and it had forgotten his command, and was preparing to order it again, the Sand Scorpion King's demon core shattered with a "crack." Countless amounts of energy overflowed and flew into the body of the Golden Scale Bubble Fish.

Within two seconds, the demon core turned gray, its spiritual energy completely drained.

Li Yu looked at the Golden Scale Bubble Fish again.

Hiccup~

It let out a hiccup, its attributes unchanged in the slightest.

Li Yu cast High-Rank Spirit Probing Hand, but before he could touch the Golden Scale Bubble Fish, its memory refreshed. With a flick of its tail, it dodged Li Yu's hand and flew off on its own in mid-air.

Li Yu: "...Forget it, whatever."

Separated by a wall.

Chen Qing's phone rang.

"It's me."

"Why haven't you completed the mission yet?"

"The target lives in a busy downtown area. The aftermath of taking action would be huge and might implicate the organization," Chen Qing said fluently, her eyes flickering.

"Then why didn't you act in the Thick Earth Mystic Realm?"

"He interacted with multiple Beast Tamers within the Thick Earth Mystic Realm; I didn't find a suitable opportunity to act," Chen Qing paused. "I will look for another opportunity. A Senior Cultivator has huge influence; I will not act without the certainty of a one-hit kill."

"Remember those words."

"Anything else?"

Chen Qing's tone was cold.

The other side of the phone paused for a moment, and Jin Yulong's voice sounded again.

"Within 3 days, bring that kid's head to me. This is the final deadline. Otherwise, I will throw your next dose of medicine into the toilet."

The voice cut off abruptly.

Chen Qing silently put down her phone, gazing blankly at the bustling scene outside the window. Hearing the faint sounds of Li Yu's muttering from next door, she was at a loss for what to do.

Although it had only been a short 2 days, interacting with Li Yu made her feel relaxed. If she could, she didn't want to kill Li Yu.

Even if it meant killing 100 other people in exchange for 1 Li Yu, she would agree without hesitation.

But...

Thinking of something, Chen Qing shuddered, her eyes revealing intense fear. She stood up abruptly, and the hesitation and reluctance in her eyes vanished completely.

"No! 3 days, 3 days at most! The mission must be completed!"

Chen Qing's gaze became resolute, her expression returning to cold indifference.

She got up, left her room, and arrived at Li Yu's door.

Knock, knock, knock~

"Who is it?" Li Yu's voice sounded.

Chen Qing gritted her teeth and said: "It's me."

The door opened. Li Yu was wearing an apron and holding a spatula. Seeing Chen Qing, he showed a gentle smile: "You came just in time. Tonight I'm stir-frying tomato and eggs and braising shrimp with perilla. There's plenty of food; there's a portion for you."

"Do you have anywhere to go tomorrow?" Chen Qing asked.

"Tomorrow?" Li Yu shook his head. "No, tomorrow I just want to quietly be a homebody."

"Not going to check out other Mystic Realms?"

Chen Qing still remembered the gleam in Li Yu's eyes when he saw a Mystic Realm—a strong desire to leave a mark of "been here."

Li Yu scratched his head awkwardly and said: "You know I don't have much strength. If I go to a Mystic Realm, I always need you to save me. If you ever get entangled by someone, I'd be in danger. So I want to wait until I have the ability to protect myself before going. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I think it's safer this way."

"Oh."

Chen Qing responded with a sound, said nothing more, turned, and went back to her room.

"Aren't you coming to eat?"

"Not hungry."

Bang!

The door closed.

"How strange, not being hungry in the middle of the night..."

Li Yu's muttering drifted in through the door panel. Chen Qing was expressionless, her tone faint as she whispered: "Since there's nowhere you want to go, you'll just have to hit the road. Don't blame me, it's all for the sake of survival..."

South of Ningyang City, there is a Golden Locust Forest.

This is a type of tree that remains evergreen throughout the seasons, with golden stamens and a seductive, fragrant scent. Most of the demon beasts that inhabit it are harmless and enjoy eating the flowers and leaves of the Golden Locust.

However, compared to the Golden Locust Forest, a camp not far away called "Cuiyu" is more famous.

That is the special training base for outstanding students in Ningyang City. Every year during the College Entrance Examination, those in Ningyang City with top grades have undergone special training at this camp.

Li Yu's sister is currently there.

However, the protagonist at this moment is not Cuiyu Camp, nor is it Li Meng, but that quiet Golden Locust Forest.

Late at night.

A full moon hung high, with not a cloud in the sky.

The frost-white moonlight spilled into the Golden Locust Forest, but only a vast whiteness could be seen.

The Golden Locust Forest, which should have been lush throughout the seasons with golden flowers, was left with only bare, naked tree trunks that radiated a cold, bone-like whiteness. Under the illumination of the moonlight, they looked like thousands of ferocious bone claws.

Inside the forest, timid yellow muntjacs, alert sika deer, lazy wombats, and honest little horned dragons—all the demon beasts stood blankly under the trees like puppets, mechanically gnawing on non-existent leaves. They chewed earnestly, but what they spat out were clumps of flesh and blood.

Among them were their own tongues and teeth.

Boom—

The ground beneath the Golden Locust Forest vibrated. The bone-claw-like dead trees shattered one after another, covering the entire Golden Locust Forest. Then, the ground split open, and beams of dark red light shot up into the sky, spreading in all directions.

The demon beasts covered by the dark red light stopped chewing, their eyes turning blood-red, their faces twisted, and they let out irrational, roaring screams.

Thousands of roars, like ghosts crying and wolves howling.