Free Web NovelChapter 428: Chapter 415: Ah Kun and Mouse Treasure’s Same-Day Evolution
Gu Ming woke once again from the dream of the Yichuan Ruins, his forehead beaded with sweat as he unclenched his right fist.
Beside him, Lu You, who had been cultivating with him, was just as exhausted. Her entire body was soaked in sweat, her clothes clinging to her skin.
But compared to their previous dream expeditions, this exploration had been far more thorough. They had managed to scout nearly every area on the second basement level of the Yichuan Ruins.
In real-world time, this was equivalent to several hundred days of arduous Cultivation, a testament to the immense spiritual pressure exerted by the Yichuan Ruins.
Gu Ming let Lu You leave the training room first to shower and change. He then took out his phone and scrolled through recent updates on the exploration of the Yichuan Ruins.
Currently, the main expeditionary force was still conducting preliminary explorations on the first basement level. Only a few experienced advance parties—elite teams with Seven- and Eight-star Beastmasters at their core and Six- and Seven-star Beastmasters as their main strength—dared venture to the second basement level.
The authorities were clearly trying to limit the number of people exploring the deeper levels, hoping to avoid any losses among their High Tier Beastmasters.
From several recently published papers, Gu Ming discovered that the archeological team had found a new path leading to the deeper caverns of the Yichuan Ruins.
Gu Ming had used the officially published route to find that same path within his dream.
But even with the aid of the Dream Cultivation Space and knowing the route clearly, who could actually traverse it was another matter entirely.
High-star Beastmasters were protected by powerful Pet Beasts with Spiritual Protection abilities. Gu Ming’s own Spiritual Power was insufficient, making him far more vulnerable than them.
Therefore, a path others could take was not necessarily one he could. He had to attempt it hundreds of times in his dreams, borrowing Mianmian’s power, just to map out a relatively safe route that would allow him to reach the entrance of the third basement level under the protection of Four- and Five-star Pet Beasts.
Gu Ming didn’t have any Four- or Five-star Pet Beasts himself, but other club members did. This meant the time to explore the passage to the next level was fast approaching.
Additionally, the Outdoor Adventure Club had been on break for a month and was now planning to set out again.
However, since Gu Ming had been unable to gather any specific information about the third basement level, his dream explorations had to stop at the boundary between levels, unable to advance a single step further.
After this Cultivation session, Gu Ming made a decision: he would sign up for the Outdoor Adventure Club’s next expedition to the Yichuan Ruins.
The Outdoor Adventure Club held several activities each month, ranging from expeditions to distant lands to smaller-scale local explorations.
The local expeditions were less dangerous. After all, this was the Capital; there weren’t many hazardous areas.
Even the high-risk areas were occupied by various factions and protected by Arrays, making them inaccessible to ordinary people.
Members were only required to participate in one activity per month suited to their abilities.
The Yichuan Ruins were currently classified as an extremely hazardous zone. Even if Low-star members wanted to go, there was an eighty percent chance their applications would be rejected.
The other twenty percent relied on genuine skill and personal connections.
Given his stellar record from the last rescue mission, Gu Ming had both. He had just signed up on his phone when he received a reply from the club president confirming his spot.
Before he could depart, however, there were still Pet Beast Evolution matters to attend to.
First, he contacted Elder Huo to inform him that Ah Kun was ready to evolve to the Three-star level.
That was right.
Time had flown by, and it was now mid-November.
After many days of intense Cultivation, Ah Kun had finally tempered its two Pet Beast Inner Cores to their Peak. Its entire body was now approaching the limits of Evolution.
Gu Ming hadn’t let Ah Kun add new Attributes by Devouring too many High-Level Spiritual Objects.
He preferred to have it cultivate new Attributes by Devouring compatible High Tier Resources within the Yichuan Ruins.
This was undoubtedly the option with greater potential.
His knowledge of the future also told him that cultivating a new Spiritual Root for a Three-star Pet Beast was the more prudent approach.
Rare cases like Cyan Treasure were, after all, few and far between.
Meanwhile, Lu You’s Mouse Treasure had also recently reached the Perfection stage in tempering its Inner Cores.
Its two Inner Cores were likewise wreathed in abundant Innate Qi. Its disposition was both carefree and domineering, less like a hamster Pet Beast and more like a high-level, mutated rodent with the blood of the Sub-dragon Race.
The two Pet Beasts’ Cultivation progress had been similar, and Mouse Treasure had deliberately slowed its pace to attempt its breakthrough to the Three-star level on the same day as Ah Kun.
Seizing the opportunity, Gu Ming submitted a request to Elder Huo for protection during their Evolutions.
Elder Huo learned that both of his talented students’ Pet Beasts would be undergoing Qi Refining Evolution.
Without much fuss, he quickly requested and received permission from the university to activate the campus-wide, large-scale Concealing Array to safeguard the two Pet Beasts’ Evolutions.
Of course, this service wasn’t prepared for just the two of them.
The university had already planned to use this opportunity to provide unified protection and support for all first-year students intending to attempt a Three-star Evolution.
And Gu Ming was one of the beneficiaries of this plan.
Seeing that Gu Ming’s Ah Kun was ready, the university administration immediately contacted all the other students in the program and scheduled the evolution ceremony for that same day.
「As evening fell, the sun began to set.」
Gu Ming walked out after finishing his shower to find Lu You already prepared and waiting outside his door.
She was helping her Mianmian practice a butterfly-type meditation technique. As he drew closer, he could smell the fresh, light scent from her recent shower.
The Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster was off to the side, patting its round belly. Seeing Gu Ming approach, the chubby creature clumsily got to its feet.
First, it flopped onto its belly. Then, with a THUD, it pressed against the ground, pushing down and springing up.
Its round belly acted like a spring, launching its body into the air before it landed steadily on its feet.
Lu You recalled Mianmian into her Beast Taming Space and scooped up the mischievous Mouse Treasure, her arms barely able to wrap around it.
"Mouse Treasure... you’ve gotten so big," Lu You said in surprise.
Mouse Treasure’s size was completely different from when it was little.
It was packed with Power, stood nearly a meter tall, and had a belly so round its circumference was greater than its height.
It was also in a growth spurt, its bone and muscle development far surpassing other Pet Beasts its age. Before they knew it, it had grown into a stout figure with powerful muscles.
’Fat and muscle are usually two different things.’
’But it wasn’t so rare when it came to Pet Beasts.’
Mouse Treasure was still adorable, and looking at it made her subconsciously think back to the past.
’Not so long ago, I was just an ordinary third-year high school student.’
’I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to go to college.’
’And now, here I am at Wenquxing University, about to attempt an unprecedented Qi Refining Evolution with my own Pet Beast. It feels like I’m standing on the cutting edge of a new era.’
She tilted her head, thinking about some of the clickbait titles she’d seen on short-form videos a few days ago.
It was a video from an on-campus Beastmaster streamer, titled "Ranking Wenquxing University’s Top Ten Most Influential Freshmen and Their Pet Beasts."
It was no surprise to see Gu Ming on the list; he’d earned his spot.
But her name was on it too, which gave rise to an indescribable feeling in her heart.
’So in other people’s eyes, I’ve become synonymous with ’genius’ and ’powerful’?’
It still didn’t feel real to Lu You.
Many people in the comment section questioned it, too.
After all, Mouse Treasure hadn’t fought in public very often. A lot of people were unconvinced that her Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster deserved a spot in the top ten.
"Let’s go. Time to get them evolved," Gu Ming said, walking ahead.
