Chereads / Divine Beastmaster / Chapter 6 - Old Wu

Chapter 6 - Old Wu

"What an incredible feeling..." Rylan awoke from his meditation, feeling stronger and more vigorous. The energy seemed to vibrate within him, pulsing like a new source of life.

He remained still for a few seconds, savoring the sensation, until he stood up and looked at Lucy. "How much time is left?"

"One minute left" Lucy replied, his voice heavy with melancholy. "The world is so unfair..." He looked at Rylan, reminded of the newly awakened talent in the young boy. He felt small, but pushed that feeling away with a forced smile.

"At least now he can protect himself," Lucy thought. Despite everything, he liked Rylan. Their first meeting had been hilarious, but the time they spent together had created a special bond.

While Lucy was reflecting, Rylan was lost in his own thoughts, looking at the time left.

'What do I do now? Wait patiently or try to use my talent?' He sighed. 'The rule says it only works with common animals... But how do I evolve them?... Why do talents always come with vague instructions? They just give an introduction and leave us to figure out the rest.'

When he remembered the name of his talent, a smile formed on his lips. 'Primordial of the Beasts... That sounds powerful, almost majestic.' He laughed to himself. "As my grandfather used to say, the best abilities are the ones you discover yourself."

---

With his confidence high and curiosity piqued, Rylan began to look around for a common animal. After a few minutes, he noticed something strange: while the place seemed free of insects, the trees were filled with birds.

"Looks like even cultivators like the song of nature," he thought, glancing at the six imposing figures sitting near the spatial rift.

Awakening his talent had changed something inside Rylan. Before, he had looked at those figures with admiration and a hint of envy. Now, all he felt was respect. The envy seemed to have vanished, as if it had been purged from his heart.

"If they can do it, why can't I? And why would the Primogenitor feel envy for common people?"

He reflected for a moment. "Is this the effect of the talent? Is it good or bad?" He gave a small smile.

"This confidence... maybe it's dangerous. But honestly, who cares? It seems that from today on, I'm no longer a common person. Time will tell if it's good or bad."

---

After some thought, Rylan walked up to a bird with black feathers and yellow wings. He approached slowly, carefully, and tried to touch it.

To his surprise, the bird didn't fly away. On the contrary, it seemed curious.

Rylan smiled and, without hesitation, picked up the animal, gently petting it.

---

On the other side, Lucy watched the scene with confusion. "Is he so eager that he started playing with the birds?" he wondered, intrigued. But at the same time, he felt curious.

"What's it like to pet a bird?"

Driven by this thought, Lucy tried to approach another bird. But as soon as he extended his hand, the animal flew away. Laughter echoed around him immediately.

"Isn't that the boy who was injured? Looks like he's better."

"But he's still an idiot."

Lucy blushed with embarrassment and walked away, his head down. He couldn't even lift his eyes.

---

Meanwhile, Rylan, completely immersed in his interaction with the bird, didn't notice Lucy's fiasco.

"Can I test my talent on this little bird?" he thought. But before trying, he spoke to the small animal: "Little Yell, if you want to change your life, peck my finger, drink my blood, and become my first companion."

The scene might seem strange, especially with the improvised name, but the bird seemed to understand perfectly.

Without hesitation, Yell pecked Rylan's finger, drawing a drop of blood.

Luckily, they were on a tree far away, where few could see them. Lucy, still embarrassed, also didn't notice.

When Yell drank his blood, Rylan felt something unique. It was as if the little bird was now an extension of himself. At the same time, a series of information flooded his mind:

"Each companion has unlimited growth potential, but follows only one path of evolution."

"The evolution path starts with the animal's core, formed by a natural element. Once formed, the animal follows this path. As a companion to the Primogenitor, growth is unlimited."

"The Primogenitor can only have one animal on each path."

"With each advancement of the companion, the Primogenitor's power also increases."

Rylan was intrigued. "Unlimited growth... Core?"

His curiosity grew. "Which path should I choose for this little bird? How about nature? I have my own Natural Breathing method, and it was born in nature. Seems like the best choice."

With that in mind, he passed the Natural Breathing method to Yell.

The bird began studying enthusiastically. Although it was just a little bird, it already understood human words from always being close to them.

"Can you study this method? After all, you're just a bird," Rylan asked, amused.

"Chip... Chip," Yell replied confidently and proudly.

"Hahaha," Rylan laughed. "Then study! But I bet you won't finish in a minute!"

"Chip... Chip," Yell replied, visibly annoyed but determined.

As it studied, Yell reflected: 'For us, monsters, what is nature?' It pondered this question until it had an epiphany:

'Life... that's it! For us, monsters, nature is life. It is our home. Unlike humans, who see it as a resource, for us, it is existence.'

At that moment, something began to change in its body. In the area of its heart, a green jewel began to form.

This jewel was the core mentioned in the information to Rylan. Monsters who cultivate this core become Spiritual Beasts.

---

After Yell understood nature, Rylan felt a wave of powerful energy course through his body. His cultivation shot to the peak of the initial stage, and he realized that by refining his bones, he could reach the intermediate stage.

"Hahaha... I'm so amazing," he murmured quietly, trying not to attract attention from the other participants.

Suddenly, a hoarse and calm voice interrupted his moment of euphoria: "Interesting."

Rylan quickly turned around, finding an old man with white hair and a black cloak standing just a few steps away. He recognized him immediately. 'Where have I seen this old man before?... Ah, I remember! He's one of the department leaders.'

"Which department are you the leader of, old man?" Rylan asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Don't be rude, boy. I'm the leader of the Cultivation Department," the man replied, his tone calm but firm. "You can call me Old Wu."

"If you're the leader of a department, then you must be strong, right? What's your cultivation, Old Wu?" Rylan insisted, his eyes shining with expectation.

Old Wu lightly tapped the boy's head and replied with a playful but clearly confident tone: "With a simple wave of my hand, I can destroy this spiritual continent. So, what do you think?"

Rylan smiled, without hesitation: "You're strong, but it won't take long for me to surpass you."

The old man chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Don't be arrogant, kid. Even the most talented can fall if they're careless."

Rylan nodded, recognizing the truth in the old man's words, but didn't lose his confidence. "You're right. But I have unique advantages that are small now, but over time, they will become obvious."

He paused, thinking about Yell. 'Look at the nature energy I managed to get... What other energies or unique abilities can I explore? I know my path will be grand.'

Old Wu smiled, appreciating the boy's determination, but kept his serious tone. "Even so, be cautious. Talent is a double-edged sword. It can open doors, but it can also bring enemies and traps."

Rylan made a gesture of gratitude, slightly nodding his head. "Thanks, Old Wu. You gave me good advice. I'll be more careful from now on."

The old man nodded, satisfied with the boy's attitude. "Good boy. Since you're obedient, I'll give you something." He took a small golden pill from his robes and handed it to Rylan.

Rylan took the pill with joy but soon stopped to think. The old man's kind behavior seemed suspicious. "Old Wu... This isn't for free, is it? What do you want in return?"

The old man laughed. "Hahaha! Smart boy. Yes, there's something I need from you."

"I knew it!" Rylan murmured, crossing his arms.

"I want you to go to the bottom of the Red Lake and eliminate the merfolk living there. They're causing problems."

"If you're so strong, why don't you do it yourself?" Rylan questioned, suspicious.

"The problem is, this little world of the Void only allows cultivators below the Spiritual Realm to enter. That makes me useless here."

Rylan thought for a moment and asked: "What do I get from this? No benefits, no fights."

Old Wu gave a slight smile, shaking his head. "You just started cultivating and you're already so greedy, huh? But fine. For each merfolk you eliminate, you'll get a hundred hunting points."

"Can you do it? You're not from the Hunters Department," Rylan retorted, still cautious.

Old Wu smiled maliciously and discreetly pointed to a woman nearby.

"That young woman over there, with white hair and red eyes. She's my disciple and the leader of the Hunters Department. I have my influence."

Rylan followed the old man's gaze and found the woman in question. Her white hair contrasted sharply with her red eyes and the pristine white tunic she wore. When she noticed him staring, she also locked eyes with him.

As a gesture of politeness, Rylan waved at her. The woman responded with a slight nod, her face impassive.

"Alright, Old Wu. I'll trust you. I accept the mission," Rylan said, standing up and beginning to walk towards the rift.

"Let's go, Yell. Our first hunt begins now!"