abnabooks Chapter 42: Aftermath Still Lingers, But the Harvest
Chapter 42: Aftermath Still Lingers, But the Harvest
Three days after the battle in the underground cave, in the backyard of the blacksmith's shop.
Yang Jin sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his blood and qi flowing slowly throughout his body. He was trying to infuse his condensed blood and qi into the depths of his arm muscles, following the flesh-refining guidance method taught by Chen Shan.
The process is slow and meticulous, and each successful penetration is accompanied by a slight burning and strengthening sensation in the muscle fibers.
He was not in a hurry to achieve quick results, knowing that a solid foundation is the way to long-term success.
Just as he was absorbed in his thoughts, a strong tremor suddenly came from the spiritual connection between him and Atu in his sea of consciousness!
It wasn't panic or a warning, but a powerful, vibrant awakening, like a dormant volcano about to erupt!
"A-Tu!"
Yang Jin suddenly opened his eyes and flashed to the corner of the shed.
The dark golden oval stone cocoon was shimmering with an unprecedented speed, flowing like liquid!
The throbbing sound emanating from inside the cocoon grew louder and more rapid, like the beating of war drums!
"Click...click..."
A faint cracking sound rang out, and a fine crack quietly appeared at the top of the cocoon, spreading rapidly!
Immediately afterwards, a powerful, profound pressure, imbued with the aura of the earth's veins, emanated from the crack! This pressure far surpassed that of Atu before its evolution, and even subtly exerted some pressure on Yang Jin!
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the cocoon finally broke open completely! A dark golden figure darted out of the shattered cocoon like lightning, bringing with it a gust of wind!
Yang Jin stared intently, and his heart was also shaken!
The creature before me was completely different from the rock-carving earthworm I had seen before!
It is nearly ten feet long (about three meters), with a body as thick as a water bucket. Its entire body is covered with a thick, dark gold shell that shimmers with a cold metallic light. The surface of the shell has mysterious patterns that resemble the veins of mountain rocks.
The mouth, which was originally round, has now become wider and more ferocious, with spiraling, sharp, file-like teeth that gleam with a cold light around its edges, and the sound of wind and thunder can be faintly heard when it opens and closes.
On both sides of the head, two small bumps bulge slightly, as if new sensory organs are developing.
What is most striking is its body. From the front to the middle, three pairs of short, thick, and powerful appendages are evenly distributed on both sides of its body, with sharp claws at the ends. These claws can be used to assist in digging, climbing, or even for short-distance bursts of speed! The tail is still sharp, but it is even thicker and more powerful.
This is exactly what a pangolin is!
"A-Tu!" Yang Jin called out through the mental link.
"Master..." A thought, much clearer and more profound than before, with a texture like the friction of metal against stone, yet filled with dependence and joy, entered Yang Jin's mind.
With this evolution, Atu's intelligence has undergone a qualitative leap!
Yang Jin could clearly sense A Tu's current state:
Its strength has increased dramatically, its carapace defense is astonishing, its digging ability is terrifying, and its perception range and accuracy of earth vein fluctuations have been greatly improved.
What surprised him the most was that Atu had begun to awaken a talent for manipulating the earth's veins. Although he could not move mountains and overturn seas, he could slightly influence the earth's energy in a small area, either to reinforce the rock layers or to create small tremors!
"Great! That's wonderful!"
Yang Jin stroked A Tu's cold, hard carapace, feeling exhilarated.
Atu's evolution not only signifies a powerful fighting force, but also a leap forward in his ability to explore underground and find resources!
He immediately opened A-Tu's attribute panel:
【Ruler of Mountain Beasts: Mountain-Piercing Earth Dragon (A-Tu)】
[Status: Adult, healthy, well-fed, and energetic]
[Potential Assessment: Top-tier Mortal Grade (With Potential for Improvement)]
[Evolutionary Path: Mountain Earth Dragon (Low-grade Spirit Rank)]
[Evolution Requirements: 21/200] (Evolution can be accelerated by consuming leyline-related substances and high-energy flesh and blood)
Current capabilities:
• Earth Travel: It can move freely through underground rock strata at extremely high speeds with minimal movement.
• Iron Rock Heavy Armor: The dark gold armor has excellent physical defense and elemental resistance (especially good at earth and fire).
• Rock-crushing jaws: Enhanced mouthparts that can easily crush rocks and bones.
• Earth Vein Sensing: Keenly perceives earth vein fluctuations, mineral deposits, underground cavities, and biological activity.
• Weak Earth Control: Can slightly stir up the earth's energy in a small area, creating vibrations, reinforcing or softening rock layers (consuming spirit).
• Mental Connection (Stable): Allows for clear mental communication with the cauldron master.
[Traits: Loyal, potential to become a subterranean overlord, craves minerals and high-energy flesh.]
"Master... there are still good things in the underground cave..." Atu suddenly transmitted new information, with a hint of eagerness as if he wanted to claim credit, "That big pool... and... the king's lair..."
Yang Jin's eyes lit up.
Earth Vein Jade Marrow Pool! The Nest of the Crimson Flame Centipede King!
He was busy with the aftermath and his cultivation, and was also worried that there might still be residual dangers in the underground cave, so he did not return immediately.
Now that Atu has completed his evolution and his strength has greatly increased, it's the perfect time!
Without further hesitation, he briefly explained the situation to Chen Shan and then led Atu back into the familiar secret passage.
The evolved Atu's speed and stealth in traversing underground left Yang Jin speechless.
What used to take nearly an hour to travel has now been completed in just the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, and we have already arrived near the cave.
The cave was deathly silent, filled with the heavy, lingering smell of blood and burnt flesh.
The enormous centipede king's corpse still lay there, surrounded by the remains of martial arts school disciples and broken weapons, a truly tragic scene.
The remaining fire centipedes seemed to have completely dispersed, their whereabouts unknown.
Atu led Yang Jin to the Jade Marrow Pool with practiced ease.
The level of chalcedony in the pool had dropped considerably, but about half of the pool remained, and the pure energy fluctuations were intoxicating.
With A-Tu's help, Yang Jin collected all the remaining earth vein jade marrow into a leather pouch he had prepared in advance.
Although he didn't get as much as the first time, he still filled two large leather bags. He absorbed the earth vein jade marrow from one bag into the mountain cauldron and transformed it into sixty-two points of earth vein essence.
The remaining large bag of leather was kept for future use.
They then ventured deep into the lair of the Crimson Flame Centipede King.
It was hot and dry there, covered with broken eggshells and shed shells of centipedes.
With his keen sense of the earth's fiery energy, Atu quickly discovered three centipede eggs, each about the size of a fist and covered with crimson patterns, at the bottom of a scorching crevice in the rock.
Two of them had already dimmed and lost their luster, and were no longer alive.
Only one still emanates a faint yet tenacious life force, its crimson patterns flickering like breath.
"The eggs of the Crimson Flame Centipede!" Yang Jin's heart skipped a beat.
If he can successfully hatch and form a contract, it will be a great help to him!
He carefully removed the live egg.
It was warm to the touch, and I could feel a faint heartbeat inside.
He tried to slowly transfer his own blood and qi, along with a trace of the mountain cauldron's aura, into the egg. The egg seemed to tremble slightly, and a subtle connection was formed between him and the life force.
"It's feasible!" Yang Jin was overjoyed.
The mountain cauldron seems to have a natural affinity and control over the strange beasts nurtured by the earth's fire.
Yang Jin stared intently at the Crimson Flame Centipede egg in his hand, which was radiating a strong life force.
"Mountain Cauldron...help me!"
Yang Jin silently placed his hopes on the mountain cauldron's natural affinity and ability to govern the creatures of the earth's veins.
Without further hesitation, he forced out another drop of essence blood containing his own vital energy and the aura of the mountain cauldron.
This time, he was even more careful, dripping his semen onto the surface of the crimson eggshell.
The essence and blood did not drip off, but rather flowed and differentiated on the surface of the eggshell as if it had a life of its own, eventually covering the entire eggshell evenly, making the egg appear as if it were wrapped in a layer of pale golden blood film.
At the same time, Yang Jin focused all his mind on his sea of consciousness, visualizing the mountain cauldron and mobilizing the vast artistic conception of ruling over mountains and marshes.
Instead of directly drawing complex blood runes on the eggshell, he channeled his will and the aura of the mountain cauldron into the eggshell through this blood essence medium, like the gentlest spring rain, slowly permeating and soaking into the eggshell, directly communicating, merging, and even... imprinting himself on the faint yet tenacious life essence within!
This process is more difficult and more delicate than contracting a living being.
Yang Jin's consciousness seemed to enter a chaotic, undeveloped crimson space. There was no formed will here, only a pure, scorching, and savage life instinct, as well as an instinctive awe and closeness to the aura of "mountains".
Like a patient craftsman, he used the mountain cauldron as a mold and his own will as a hammer to imprint the concepts of "rule," "protection," and "symbiosis" into the depths of this chaotic origin, bit by bit.
There was no fierce resistance, only instinctive acceptance and integration.
At the core of that crimson space, a tiny imprint, closely connected to Yang Jin's spirit and the aura of the mountain cauldron, gradually took shape and stabilized.
This mark is not an external rune, but is directly rooted in the depths of its life essence!
"It's done!"
The moment the brand was fully formed, Yang Jin felt a connection, closer and deeper than before, a connection as if they were blood ties, being established between himself and the egg.
He could even vaguely sense the heartbeat and faint breathing of the tiny life inside the egg, as well as a naive, unreserved dependence and closeness to him.
The information transmitted from the mountain cauldron also confirmed this:
[Successfully controlled the mountain beast: Crimson Flame Centipede (egg form, stable contract)]
[Contract Status: Blood Rune Domination]
[Can accelerate hatching, requires consuming ley line essence or fire attribute energy.]
Yang Jin felt relieved; the contract was successful!
This means that once the Crimson Flame Centipede hatches, it will become his new partner, and its growth potential is no less than that of Atu.
He was generous and immediately drew a small amount of gentle earth essence from the mountain cauldron's reserves, mixed it with a trace of his own nourished blood and qi, and slowly poured it into the egg to help it stabilize its origin and accelerate hatching.
Nourished by energy, the Crimson Flame Centipede Egg's life force grew stronger at a visible speed, and the crimson patterns on its surface shimmered with light, as if it were breathing.
【Earth's Essence - 1】
【Earth's Essence - 2】
......
It consumed a full 89 points of ley line essence.
Yang Jin, who had just become wealthy a few days ago, has fallen into poverty again.
Only 27.5 of Earth Essence remain!
"Click..."
A crisp cracking sound rang out, and a crack appeared at the top of the eggshell.
Immediately afterwards, the cracks spread rapidly.
With a soft "poof," a small, lustrous, bright red centipede, resembling a carved piece of red jade, awkwardly emerged from its broken eggshell.
It was only about the length of a finger, slightly smaller than a normal hatchling, but its shell was glossy and vibrant, showing no signs of weakness.
A dozen or so slender legs swung nimbly, the whiskers on its head swayed gently, and a pair of tiny ruby compound eyes curiously surveyed the world, finally "looking" precisely at Yang Jin.
The little guy conveyed an incredibly clear emotion, full of affection and joy, which flowed directly into Yang Jin's heart through the connection of the primordial imprint.
It wriggled its slender body, eagerly climbing up Yang Jin's wrist, finally stopping in his palm, rubbing against it affectionately, as if it were the safest and warmest harbor in the world.
Yang Jin could sense that although this little guy was newly born, due to his potential as a low-grade spirit and the stability of his origin imprint, his starting point of intelligence was higher than that of Atu back then, and his perception and expression of emotions were also clearer.
"Little one, you're really unique... You'll be called Ah Huo."
Yang Jin softly called out the name he had given it, his fingertips gently stroking its cool, smooth shell.
Ah Huo curled up slightly in comfort, conveying a sense of satisfaction.
At the same time, the detailed information panel about Ah Huo is also updated and displayed through the Mountain Cauldron link:
---
【Commander of Mountain Beasts: Crimson Flame Centipede (Ah Huo)】
[Status: Newborn larva, healthy, and full of vitality]
[Potential Assessment: Low-grade Spirit Rank (Can be improved; due to the Origin Imprint Contract, there is a slight innate advantage)]
[Evolution Requirement: 0/200] (The evolution requirement is slightly higher than that of the normal Crimson Centipede, which can evolve into the Flame Flying Centipede)
Current capabilities:
Crimson Armor (Prototype): The armor has excellent fire resistance and physical defense, and can be strengthened as it grows.
Scorching Mouthparts: The mouthparts can secrete a weak scorching toxin and can ingest and absorb substances containing fire-attribute energy.
Fire affinity: Has excellent sensitivity and absorption efficiency to fire-attribute energy, and can accelerate growth when in an environment rich in fire element.
Weak Flame Breath: Can exhale an extremely faint scorching breath (currently only has deterrent and lighting effects).
Spiritual Connection (Stabilized): Through the primordial imprint, one can have clear emotional and simple mental communication with the cauldron master.
【characteristic:
Origin Imprint: Extremely close connection with the cauldron master, loyalty is always at its highest, can share some resistances (such as fire resistance), growth potential is affected by the cauldron master.
---
Looking at Ah Huo's panel, Yang Jin's eyes were filled with joy.
Low-grade Spirit Rank, Origin Imprint, Clear Spiritual Connection, and the ability "Weak Flame Breath" that it possessed from the very beginning!
Although the training requirements are higher, the future is promising!
In particular, the close connection and shared resistance brought about by the "original imprint" are of great value.
He carefully tucked Ah Huo into his arms, letting it rest and adjust.
The little creature quickly curled up, absorbing the faint fire element, conveying a sense of comfort and peace.
At this point, Yang Jin now had two powerful mountain beasts under his command: the Mountain Dragon Atu and the Crimson Centipede Atuo, one land-based and one fire-based, with strong complementary abilities.
Just then, the village head brought back news about Liu Zhenwei from Qingshi Town.