Volume 5 Chapter 59
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Volume 5 Chapter 59: Little Black
Out of habit, before leaving the house, Xu Qingfan called out to Little Black in his heart, hoping it would perch on his shoulder as usual. For decades, Little Black had quietly followed Xu Qingfan, and he had become used to this.
But this time, after Xu Qingfan called out, the response he felt was strange—joyful yet somber—and then everything quickly calmed. No matter how much Xu Qingfan called, Little Black did not respond again.
Xu Qingfan paused in surprise and glanced around the room, caught off guard by what he saw.
Where Little Black had once absorbed deathly energy, a peculiar skull and a black Death Spirit Pearl still floated quietly in midair, just as they had before Xu Qingfan’s seclusion. However, the aura of death that surrounded the area had vanished.
Little Black, who had once hovered like these objects, was missing. On the ground where Little Black once was, lay a dark cocoon, faint in the dimly lit room. Its dull hue blended perfectly with the shadows, showing no sign of energy, which Xu Qingfan hadn’t noticed earlier due to focusing on himself.
The response to Xu Qingfan’s Divine Sense came from within this dark cocoon.
Could this dark cocoon be Little Black?
Although Xu Qingfan wondered this, his expression suggested he was already certain.
Little Black seemed to be evolving after years of absorbing the powerful and pure death energy from the peculiar skull, now transforming before its evolution.
Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan felt a bit excited and happy. He wasn’t in a rush to leave the room anymore, and his expression showed focus as he carefully examined the green cocoon.
Because the Dark Crow is powerful, located in remote areas, and lives in large flocks, it is very difficult to obtain a Dark Crow’s egg in the cultivation world. Thus, cultivators with a Dark Crow as a spirit pet are exceedingly rare. The Dark Crow evolves by absorbing a significant amount of lifeless energy, which is scarce. It is estimated that it would need to absorb the energy of tens of thousands of people to evolve for the first time, reaching from Earth level beginner to Earth level middle class. Reaching Earth level advanced would require even more. Therefore, those cultivators with a Dark Crow as their spirit pet often have to abandon it, as the Dark Crow’s evolution cannot keep pace with their own cultivation progress.
As far as Xu Qingfan knows, in the cultivation world so far, those cultivators with a Dark Crow as a spirit pet have only achieved a power level equivalent to Xu Qingfan’s former Dark Crow, which was Earth level middle class, comparable to a Real Golden Core Stage cultivator in the cultivation world.
However, Little Black had exceptional opportunities. Firstly, Xu Qingfan practiced a technique close to lifeless energy named "Withered Qi." Later, in a fight with Number Two, Little Black absorbed energy from dozens of Corpse Kings. During this time, Xu Qingfan occasionally fed Little Black high-level pills to enhance spirit pet abilities, allowing it to reach Earth level middle class a century faster than other Dark Crows.
This time, Little Black was endlessly absorbing the lifeless energy from a skull, seemingly about to evolve to Earth level advanced, equivalent to the Golden Core Stage in the cultivation world.
No Dark Crow as a spirit pet has reached Earth level advanced in the cultivation world, so Xu Qingfan only knew that after evolving to Earth level middle class, aside from a significant power increase, the Dark Crow gains two magical abilities, "Eye of the Death God" and "Death God’s Voice." Xu Qingfan’s tests revealed these abilities are extraordinary, able to disrupt the body’s balance of life and death and are difficult to defend against.
What changes will occur and what new powerful abilities will emerge once Little Black breaks through to Earth level advanced?
Xu Qingfan suddenly realized his heart was full of anticipation.
Through repeated scans with his Divine Sense, Xu Qingfan discovered Little Black was indeed wrapped in the black cocoon, quietly sleeping. His earlier call seemed to awaken Little Black gradually. The cocoon was made of black threads, all solidified from lifeless energy, which greatly surprised Xu Qingfan.
How dense and pure must the aura of death be to materialize like this? Yet, this aura merely forms a protective black cocoon around Little Black, aiding in his transformation. How powerful must the death energy inside Little Black be?
With this thought in mind, Xu Qingfan, now alarmed, looked over to the other side. There, a skull, floating quietly, was helping Little Black evolve by providing him with endless death energy.
After a slight hesitation, Xu Qingfan first tucked away the "Death Spirit Pearl" that could condense the aura of death with a flick of his sleeve. Then, he reached out his right hand, slowly touching the eerie skull.
Last time, when Xu Qingfan had merely touched the skull briefly, the "Flourish Qi" and "Withered Qi" within him became uncontrollably chaotic, nearly leading to a Qi deviation and causing him to break out in a cold sweat. If it hadn’t been for his quick reaction at the time, all his cultivation efforts would have been wasted. Since then, although Xu Qingfan had been puzzled by the skull, he had never touched it again.
Finally, Xu Qingfan’s hands rested on the quietly floating skull.
Just like last time, the moment Xu Qingfan touched the skull, the "Flourish Qi" and "Withered Qi" within him became chaotic and reached out toward the skull. But this time, unlike thirteen years ago, Xu Qingfan had reached the late stage of the Real Golden Core Stage, greatly enhancing his control over the "Withered Qi" and "Flourish Qi" within him, allowing him to forcibly suppress the turmoil of the two Spirit Qi.
Progress often reveals itself unintentionally.
Then, Xu Qingfan cautiously drew out a thread of "Withered Qi" to probe inside the skull.
Instantly, Xu Qingfan clearly sensed a vast, deep aura of death within the skull, as vast and pure as an ocean.
It seems that although this skull allowed Little Black to absorb so much death energy, it itself was not greatly affected. This is only a part of the "Purgatory Staff," and it’s truly not an exaggeration to say it is one of the strongest magical items in the cultivation world.
Then, Xu Qingfan carefully placed the skull back into the jade box and tucked it safely into his sleeve before heading out of the room without further delay.
As for Little Black, Xu Qingfan decided to let it continue evolving in the room, as long as it could transform within a year, there was no rush.
But just as Xu Qingfan was stepping out, a vast and imposing force suddenly erupted from the black cocoon. Despite being at the late stage of the Real Golden Core Stage, Xu Qingfan staggered three steps back, struggling to stabilize himself, as his heart was filled with awe.
Turning sharply to look at the black cocoon, he discovered that it was suddenly emitting thick black mist. The cocoon, made of countless black threads, began to unravel and dissolve into the room. As the black threads became fewer, the cocoon grew smaller, revealing Little Black amid a cloud of dark mist.
Along with Little Black, a Death God phantom formed from shadowy black light appeared behind it, hovering silently. Its eyes were deep and lifeless, observing everything as if Death God had truly descended.
Time seemed to stand still until finally, Little Black, hovering quietly, opened its eyes. The Death God phantom gradually faded, and the surrounding black mist was absorbed back into Little Black. Then it let out a joyful cry, although its voice was as unpleasant as a crow’s, the excitement was palpable. In the next moment, it became a streak of lightning, landing calmly on Xu Qingfan’s shoulder, returning to its cool and composed demeanor.
Through the bond with Little Black, Xu Qingfan realized that it had reached the high Earth-level beast rank, its power comparable to a Golden Core Stage cultivator, and had gained two new abilities, "Death God Descending" and "Shadow Evade."
"Death God Descending," similar to a power used by Number Two before, allows Little Black to release all its death energy, transforming it into a Death God phantom for battle, nearly impossible for ordinary people to resist.
The "Stealth Art" allows Little Black to instantly increase its speed and conceal its presence so effectively that no one can detect it unless they are much stronger than Little Black.
Xu Qingfan smiled slightly, knowing that Little Black’s evolution would greatly aid him in facing future disasters. In fact, if Xu Qingfan didn’t have the divine ability of "External Incarnation," he would no longer be a match for Little Black.
Shaking his head slightly, he felt a tinge of shame that, as the master, his abilities were not yet stronger than his spirit pet’s. Then he waved his sleeves, gathering the black threads scattered around the room into his sleeves, and without further delay, headed outside.
