Chapter Six: Drawing Qi Into the Body

The flesh was tender, sweet, and fragrant, melting in the mouth and leaving a lingering aftertaste that was simply intoxicating. As soon as she swallowed it, Su Li clearly felt a rich surge of spiritual energy traveling down her throat, gradually healing the hidden injuries within her internal organs. Eventually, this energy gathered into a crystal-clear spiritual bead, enveloping the damaged beast core until it was completely absorbed.

Almost instantly, the cracks on the beast core were fully restored.

Su Li curiously examined the core. Its surface was dull, as if something was covering it.

What thrilled her even more was that she could sense the presence of mystical energy within her body.

Su Li tried to circulate it, carefully feeling the faint threads of mystical energy slowly flow along her meridians into her dantian.

Both humans and beasts required mystical energy for cultivation, and both were divided into twelve levels: cub, intelligence awakening, body strengthening, bone refining, core condensation, transformation, soul condensation, beast king, beast emperor, and finally, becoming a divine beast.

The difference was that, for cultivators, whether or not they could form a golden core determined their path to immortality or mortality, while for beastkind, the transformation stage was the boundary between life and death—either stepping onto the road to divinity or facing demise. Of course, a few powerful beasts survived failed transformations and ultimately became emperor beasts.

The laws of the beast world were even more cruel and unjust, placing great emphasis on bloodline inheritance. Beasts above the eighth rank were born with awakened intelligence, and the descendants of divine beasts at even higher levels possessed a beast core from birth. It was said that only the ancient divine beasts of the primordial wilderness could transform at birth.

Su Li couldn’t help but recall that “Contracted Divine Beasts” had been a bestseller for ten years, with endless speculation about the identity of the little furball. The most accepted theory among readers was that it was a true ancient divine beast; otherwise, how could it repeatedly overpower so many high-level beasts?

Unfortunately, she had only reached the part where the little furball died when she was transported into this world.

While Su Li was lost in thought, the spiritual energy around her grew chaotic, surging from all directions into the boy’s body.

This was a sign of advancement!

Shen Luo sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, quickly forming a complex spiritual array with his hands before his chest. He focused inward, cautiously guiding the spiritual energy through his meridians until it transformed into strands of mystical energy. He did not rush to draw this mystical energy into his dantian, instead compressing and refining it with tireless patience before finally allowing it to settle.

Over the years, Shen Luo had always cultivated this way. He found that his mystical energy was much denser and more substantial than that of ordinary people, though the price was a slower rate of advancement.

Initially, he had no choice—his body had been frail and sickly, making it hard to draw in energy, so he had cherished every strand he managed to absorb, working harder than anyone else.

Strength lies below, gentleness above. The reason Heaven endures and is long-lived is because it does not live for itself, and so it can last forever (from the Dao De Jing). The path of cultivation was arduous beyond compare, but Shen Luo firmly believed that this solid foundation would benefit him greatly in the future.

The spiritual energy in the secluded valley changed once more; this time, the surging waves around Shen Luo were even more violent.

“An epiphany?”

Su Li couldn’t help but marvel in awe: worthy indeed of being Heaven’s favored child, blessed with the best of fortune.

First stage?

Second stage?

...

Sixth stage!

Shen Luo advanced six minor realms in a row before finally stopping, stepping directly into the peak of the Qi Refining period. He could have broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage in one go, but he resisted the temptation, continuing to absorb the spiritual energy around him to consolidate his cultivation.

As a contracted beast, the greatest reward came at the moment when a beast master finished their advancement—the contracted beast would receive a surge of pure spiritual feedback.

Just as Shen Luo’s aura stabilized and Su Li was about to approach him, a sharp sense of alert flashed through her mind; she keenly sensed danger drawing near. She gathered all her focus, slowly circulating the scant mystical energy in her body, but accidentally released a trace of beastly aura.

However, with her beast core sealed, her strength was drastically reduced—she couldn’t even muster a tenth of her original power.

Thus, this faint beastly aura seemed like that of a first-stage minor beast to others—not worth fearing. Still, it made Shen Luo, who was meditating, suddenly tense. He sensed the little furball’s presence at once, but at this critical moment, he could only grit his teeth and calmly guide the mystical energy within.

A rustling sound echoed...

Something was closing in through the darkness. In places unseen, pairs of triangular eyes glowed with eerie green light.

Su Li had no weapon for defense and picked up a branch at random from the ground. Trusting her beastly senses, she detected movement all around—meaning they were surrounded.

Her breath grew heavier. The spiritual array was a ruse; in truth, they were inside a high-grade mustard seed space, an ancient immortal’s cave, said to be a supreme twelfth-rank artifact from legend.

As a result, many ancient beasts inhabited the mustard seed space. After countless millennia, it had become a world where only beasts survived. The giant python dared not pursue them into the secluded valley, which meant there must be even more formidable dangers lurking deeper in the forest.

For Shen Luo to pass this trial, the only way was to find the array’s core and break the barrier.

Only Su Li’s presence was an accident.

Her soul had originally been human, which was why she was unfortunately dragged into this ordeal.

They were coming!

The sounds drew nearer and louder. In a flash, a black shape leapt out from the leaves. Su Li was ready; she channeled her mystical energy into the branch gripped in her right hand and struck out with force.

It was a beast that resembled a bat—its whole body jet-black, a beak much longer and finer than that of any bird, and claws as sharp as an eagle’s.

Infused with mystical energy, the branch struck the beast with precision and force, making a dull thud as it carved a small pit in the ground.

Before Su Li could react, a dense swarm of beasts suddenly poured in from all directions, shrieking as they attacked her.

There were many of them, and they excelled at group assault. It was Su Li’s first time facing such a dire battle; she had no way to defend herself. In a stumble, her body was thrown by the beasts and slammed hard into a tree trunk. She landed painfully on her back, almost coughing up blood.

Even so, she dared not relax for an instant. As she climbed to her feet, the swarm was already preparing for a second attack. She wiped the blood from her cheek, her mind racing—this clearing made it easier for the beasts to attack as a group and would also interfere with Shen Luo’s advancement. It was better to lure them into the dense forest and defeat them one by one.

As the swarm charged again, Su Li immediately darted into the deeper woods.

It was destined to be a fierce battle.

Desperately, Su Li gathered all her mystical energy into her hands, weaving swiftly between the trees, seeking openings to strike down the beasts one by one.

Minute by minute, her energy dwindled to exhaustion. Sensing danger, she was distracted for a moment and a beast’s claw slashed her arm as it swooped past.

The heavy scent of blood drifted through the air.

After a round of chaos, groups of four or five beasts attacked together. This couldn’t go on—Su Li fled in disarray, all the while searching for the beast king among them.

At last, after taking another blow from a sharp claw, she spotted the largest and strongest beast. All the others followed its lead.

She grabbed a stone and charged toward the beast king. Sensing the threat, the beast king retreated a few paces. With a loud crack, the stone struck an ordinary beast, jolting Su Li’s arm numb.

The beast king was cunning—when discovered, it hid among the branches and organized its flock for a war of attrition. Su Li was steadily losing ground, her speed slowing.

Seeing this, the beast king darted out from the branches, directing the flock to encircle Su Li from all sides, its green eyes glowing eerily in the night.

There was no escape!