novelraw Chapter 6: Dragon Feast Ritual, Yellow Springs Dragon Wolf!
Chapter 6: Dragon Feast Ritual, Yellow Springs Dragon Wolf!
“Belly Prison?”
Lu Yu's expression tensed. He activated his Eye of Truth and looked at the ground beneath his feet.
【Phantom Prison Demon Flower】
【Attribute: Plant-type/Space-type】
【Strength: Early-stage Overlord Rank】
【Racial Potential: High-stage Overlord Rank】
【Skills: Belly Prison (Ultra-rank), Prison Law, Acid Bomb, Vine Whip, Parasite Seed, Hypnosis Powder, Berserk Powder, Photosynthesis, Intimidation, Myriad Flora Field, Void Explosion…】
【Description: Evolved from the Greed Giant-Belly Flower. In its youth, it has an insatiable appetite and loves to eat constantly.
After digestion, its food turns into corrosive acid, which it continues to produce even after its belly is full, thereby constantly compressing its elastic stomach to expand its space. It has an appetite capable of devouring a mountain.
Once it accumulates enough, it can be promoted to a Phantom Prison Demon Flower with the right ritual and materials. The fuller its belly is before evolution, the larger the space it can create after.
It enjoys building ecosystems in its belly space, imprisoning life to strengthen its own Prison Law. It primarily relies on Photosynthesis, but will also devour the bones and rotting matter of dead creatures for food.
Most of the time, its temperament is docile, but if angered, it will swallow you into its belly, where you will be corroded by endless acid or die of old age.】
【Evolution Path: Void Realm King Flower (…) Heavenly Ghost Tree (…)】
As expected of an Overlord-rank demonic beast, equivalent to the Morning Star Rank.
Putting aside that long list of magnificent skills, its belly space alone has a diameter of several thousand meters.
So, just how enormous would its real body be?
As if guessing Lu Yu's confusion, that voice spoke again:
“Its belly space is folded.
Its real body isn't that large, but it's still about a hundred meters long. If we're really talking about size, you'd have to look at the mechanical pet beasts and mecha over in the Machine King Domain.
I even heard they recently found Glimmering Oil, a nearly infinite energy source, and have started building a City in the Sky… I'm getting sidetracked.
The Phantom Prison Demon Flower usually stays rooted beneath the Hundred Beasts Tower, sleeping.
Most of its time is spent imprisoning these pet beasts, so even if it loses control, it won't cause any terrible consequences.”
Lu Yu turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a black trench coat and special combat boots, with an L-shaped sword hilt hanging from his waist.
A Peach Blossom Village Brand Cigarette dangled from the corner of his mouth. His grayish-white hair was slicked back, and the beard at his temples was neatly trimmed.
Paired with his melancholic eyes, he had the air of a brooding, middle-aged uncle.
He picked up the steel portable flask from his waist, took a sip, and said flatly:
“Let me introduce myself.
My name is Zhou Cheng. You can call me Gatekeeper, or you can call me Acting Warden.
Are you this period's selectors?
This girl's Abyssal Demon Eye isn't bad, but an Abyss-type Spiritual Puzzle is hard to build, tsk tsk. And there's one who hasn't even contracted a pet beast? This generation is really worse than the last!”
In response to these homeroom-teacher-like words, Lu Yu just said bluntly:
“I remember that drinking on the job is grounds for a pay cut.”
He wasn't making this up; he'd seen it on the rules and regulations posted on the wall on the first floor and had casually committed it to memory.
Zhou Cheng's expression stiffened.
He let out a light cough and said:
“Ahem, I drank a little too much and I'm a bit dazed, my eyesight has gotten worse. Looking closely, you kid are truly handsome and dashing, a man of great talent.
You're truly worthy of being the descendant of a hero who received a Gold Medal. Since you're so outstanding, do me a favor and let this slide.
I'm counting on this month's salary to pay my tab at Qing's Little Tavern, or else the owner won't let me in…”
He originally just wanted to act cool and aloof, but he didn't expect the kid nowadays to be so difficult.
“It's not impossible for me to pretend I didn't see it, unless…”
“Unless what?”
Lu Yu mused, “I also like to drink.
Let me have a taste of this wine!”
“This…” Zhou Cheng was stunned. This was the first time he had ever met someone who dared to blackmail him.
But the kid really had him by the short hairs. He had already been warned several times for drinking on the job.
If he was reported again, he would truly be working for free this month.
You wouldn't want your superior to know you were drinking on the job… What kind of cuckold plot is this!
Thinking of this, Zhou Cheng's furrowed brow suddenly relaxed.
His expression turned cold as he said flatly, “Blackmailing me, aren't you afraid you won't be able to choose a pet beast?”
As he spoke, a suffocating pressure spread out, clearly intending to intimidate him.
Chiyue Meng's expression didn't change, but the Abyssal Demon Eye behind her quietly floated up, entering a state of combat readiness.
“I'm not afraid!” Lu Yu felt nothing from the pressure and said with a smile, “After all, you don't have any malicious intent towards me.”
Zhou Cheng raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, “Why do you say that?”
Lu Yu said with a smile, “Because the first time you saw me, your expression was somewhat gratified.
Afterward, you ignored the beauty right there and kept looking at my face, then revealed a nostalgic expression.
If it's not a matter of sexual orientation, then you must know someone who looks like me.
I don't have any other relatives in Great Abyss City, so that only leaves my parents.”
Zhou Cheng was silent for a moment.
Looking at the calm and composed Lu Yu, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion:
“You're truly worthy of being that guy Lu Sheng's son. Just as smart as he was.
You actually guessed right. I was his captain, the person in charge of the Special Division 17th Squad.
If I hadn't been late back then, maybe I could have saved your parents…”
Speaking of this, Zhou Cheng's face showed a hint of sorrow.
Lu Sheng was Lu Yu's father.
Lu Yu was silent and didn't respond.
There were no 'what ifs' when it came to the past.
Zhou Cheng also scratched his head awkwardly, thinking that this kid was too sharp. He couldn't even act like a villain for dozens of episodes before a big reveal, like in a TV drama.
As expected, someone as handsome as him couldn't play the villain!
“Tch, what a boring kid.”
Since he had been recognized, Zhou Cheng dropped the act.
With a pained expression, he handed over the flask, but before he could tell him to drink less, Lu Yu snatched it away.
Chiyue Meng, who had been listening intently from the side, spoke up, “Your observation skills are very impressive.”
Lu Yu shrugged and said, “Actually, I've just seen a photo of him and my dad. I made up everything I just said!”
His voice wasn't loud, but it didn't escape Zhou Cheng's hearing.
He was so angry he nearly ground his back teeth to dust.
This bastard's demeanor was exactly the same.
Truly his biological son!
Lu Yu raised the flask high to pour the drink; he had no interest in an indirect kiss with a middle-aged man.
The reason he'd asked for the wine wasn't to cause trouble, but because the Eye of Truth had displayed its information.
【Hundred Flowers Soul-Forging Wine: A fine wine made by fermenting the rhizome of the Phantom Prison Demon Flower with the petals of a hundred flowers. Drinking it can increase spiritual power.
】
Every bit his spiritual power strengthened was another bit of an advantage against the Nightmare Beast.
Getting stronger was his true goal!
Lu Yu poured a mouthful.
The rich, sweet liquor fell into his mouth, its hundred-flower fragrance instantly blooming on the tip of his tongue.
Immediately, a cool sensation rushed into his brain, causing his soul to strengthen slightly.
His own spirituality was further refined, becoming more solid.
The increase in strength instantly swept away the gloomy mood that the nightmare had brought upon Lu Yu.
Lu Yu handed the wine back. Zhou Cheng didn't take it immediately, but instead asked:
“Not having a bit more?”
“That's enough.
The effect is still ongoing. Any more would be overdoing it.” Lu Yu didn't pretend to be modest.
Because for a Beast Tamer like him who hadn't even reached the Red Copper Rank, the kick from wine brewed from an Overlord Rank pet beast's body was too strong.
Besides, interactions between people require a sense of proportion. Others might not mind, but he couldn't push his luck.
After all, who would be so coincidental as to carry wine that strengthens spiritual power?
Zhou Cheng tucked the flask back onto his waist and waved his hand. Amidst a swirl of water vapor, a white, cloud-like mirror that resembled cotton candy appeared before him.
A yawning expression appeared on the mirror's surface as if it had just woken up. A line of text surfaced on the mirror:
【Old Zhou, that tavern proprietress is really something, huh? No wonder you always mutter about wanting to eat peaches when you're drunk.
If you ask me, some demonic beasts aren't bad either. Mermaids, mountain spirits, giantesses, grafted demons… you could totally write a book about interspecies customs…】
Before it could finish, Zhou Cheng punched it into the ground and said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes:
“How strange.
This damn mirror has been sitting around for too long, it's started spouting nonsense. Heh, heh!”
As he spoke, he added a kick, burying its pained cry in the dirt.
Lu Yu's mouth twitched slightly. Even without the Eye of Truth, he recognized its identity.
A rare Water-type pet beast, the Round Light Mirror Demon. Its racial potential was Mid-rank Commander.
Its combat power wasn't strong, but it possessed an extremely functional racial skill—【Round Light Spell】!
It could spy on any place within a thousand-meter radius and display it as an image, truly a god-tier reconnaissance skill.
You could say that having it was equivalent to installing a Skynet System within a thousand-meter radius.
Nothing could escape his notice.
If he wanted to make money with this ability, he just had to let the word out, and a bunch of big corporations and adventurer groups would come knocking, offering high prices for cooperation.
Worthy of being his father's captain. To be the warden for an Overlord-rank pet beast, his status and foundation were both extremely strong.
Moreover, if the 【Round Light Mirror Demon】 could evolve into the legendary 【Thousand-Mile Mirror Demon】, it could survey a thousand miles and perceive all spirits.
He had even seen a rumor in a travelogue that someone had once tried to create the Mirror for Observing the World, though he didn't know if they succeeded.
“Alright, let's start picking your pet beasts!”
With a dark face, Zhou Cheng drew his sword, yanked it hard, and the hilt came off, turning into a black pistol. After some "friendly negotiations" with the gun pointed at the Round Light Mirror Demon's head, he finally sorted it out.
Zhou Cheng picked up the mirror again and injected dark gold spirituality into it. Several images appeared on the originally gray surface, pieced together in a split-screen mode.
He pointed to a pack of black wolves that looked like wolfhounds, with black and red fur and sparks bursting from their bodies, and introduced them:
“These are Netherfire Wolfhounds. We confiscated them after annihilating a death squad from the Nether Soil Cult.
The large ones had gone completely mad, so we dealt with them on the spot. We brought the small cubs back to raise, and now there are more than a dozen of them.
They are Undead and Fire dual-type pet beasts with a racial potential of Mid-rank Commander. They come with the racial skill, Netherfire Pursuit.
When excited, they ignite with Netherfire as they run, leaving a scorched path in their wake. Creatures that step on it will also be burned by Netherfire, and their bites will be infused with it too.
Although Netherfire's temperature isn't high, it clings like a maggot to bone, constantly eroding the opponent and consuming their life force. Most importantly, canine-type pet beasts are loyal, so the probability of backlash is low.
They can be raised just by eating bones, although their standards for bone quality will increase as they grow up.”
“Although its potential is only Mid-rank Commander, the officials have mastered two of its evolution paths.
The first is the Top-rank Commander Nether Prison Flame Wolf, which is still Undead and Fire dual-type, with enhanced Netherfire power and the racial skill Fire Prison.
The other is also a Top-rank Commander, the Corpse-Eating Hound King, a pure Undead type.
Its racial skill is Corpse Control, which can incubate Corpse Hound Retainers from corpses. The number depends on its strength, but it's usually around ten.”
The two paths corresponded to dog and wolf respectively, representing different directions.
Seeing Lu Yu still thinking, Zhou Cheng thought he was dissatisfied with the canine pet beast and tempted him:
“If you can enter the Yellow Springs Ecological Mystic Realm and find a nest of Dragon's Blood Worms, you can perform a Dragon Feast Ritual and consume a large amount of them to stimulate a dragon bloodline and evolve it into a powerful pet beast with High-rank Overlord potential—the Yellow Springs Dragon Wolf!”