The Evolution Compendium

"Chu... Chu Yi, Junior Brother!"

Chen Heng was incredulous. He couldn't believe the scene before him was real: his deceased junior brother, resurrected and now commanding a fire-element Pet Beast that had ignited all the eerie manifestations!

This... how on earth did he do it! And the aura of that six-tailed Pet Beast is definitely far beyond the War General level. Is this... the Red Fox Junior Brother mentioned? Are we sure it's not a Nine-Tailed Fox cub?

Chen Heng's gaze was vacant, his composure starting to crumble. He'd never imagined that the strongest fighting power in their group would turn out to be Chu Yi, who had only recently contracted a Pet Beast!

This Beast Taming level... it must be at least Silver grade, right? And to think I was still planning to protect Junior Brother! It turns out he didn't need my protection at all; he single-handedly suppressed the eerie presence in the mine!

"ROAR..."

A gust of fetid wind erupted in the mine. Shadows writhed and swayed madly under the firelight as a thick darkness surged up once more.

"It seems you don't have a master-servant relationship with the one sealed in the void," Chu Yi remarked, squinting slightly. He casually fed Bika a Spirit Core, genuinely curious. "Is it a partnership? Well, forget it. I'll just casually wipe you out."

His tone was indifferent. Even facing entities connected to the Evil Gods, his attitude was one of arrogant dismissal. This wasn't arrogance, but absolute confidence in his strength!

The darkness roiled continuously. The sibilant whispers began to dissipate one by one; corpses, blood, and human faces all became fuel, purified out of existence, bringing with them an intense sense of suffocation.

"Senior Sister, Senior Brothers, let's get out of here first," Chu Yi said gently.

Before anyone could react, a brilliant crimson light flashed on Bika's forehead, weaving itself into a vivid red rose that bloomed layer by layer.

Low-level skill, [Burst Gun]!

"YING!"

Bika wildly brandished its six tails. Flames poured down like a torrent, splashing onto the ground and creating a spectacular display of fiery blossoms and silver sparks.

BOOM—

The rose erupted, unleashing a majestic Flame Pillar that struck directly against one side of the mine. The sheer, unadulterated destructive power actually melted through the stone, like an electric drill boring a path tens of meters long, forcefully carving out a spacious passage!

A gleam of light shone in from the end. Everyone was stunned, shocked, and utterly disbelieving, gazing dazedly at Bika and Chu Yi as if they had lost their souls.

If we couldn't find an exit, then just blast one open? Is this Junior Brother really that terrifying?

Chen Heng swallowed hard, at a loss for words. He could only nod and say, "Thank you for your trouble, Junior Brother."

With that said, fearing it was an Illusion Realm created by the eerie presence, he quickly led Zhao Yan and Zhang Wei in an escape towards the newly formed exit.

Chu Yi smirked faintly, patting Bika's head as he strolled leisurely behind them.

"YING!"

Bika retracted its six tails, looking rather unhappy as it stared at Lulina, who was still clinging to Chu Yi and refusing to get down.

It had evolved but couldn't yet fully control its new power, temporarily unable to revert to its cub form.

Damn it.

Lulina, meanwhile, simply beamed happily.

The light grew brighter, and soon, everyone finally emerged from the mine. Looking back at the grotesquely twisted mine entrance, they all felt an immense wave of relief.

They had made it out alive!

Chen Heng panted heavily, drenched in sweat. The despair and oppression inside the mine had almost suffocated him, pushing him to the brink of collapse.

Zhao Yan was also flushed, beads of sweat trickling down her delicate cheeks. When she saw a youthful figure step out of the mine, her eyes sparkled with a strange light. A peculiar fluttering in her chest, like a startled fawn, made her heart race. It was as if she were a princess in a fairy tale encountering her destined Prince Charming. A wonderful new emotion began to sprout, gradually spreading through her body, tinged with a hint of sweetness.

Zhang Wei, however, looked pale and somewhat dejected. Not only had his Pet Beast perished and Ye Qing been killed, but even Zhao Yan now seemed to have developed feelings for someone else. Zhang Wei felt lost about the future, completely disheartened.

"Junior Brother Chu Yi, you saved my life. Please, you must come and be a guest at the Chen Family," Chen Heng said, composing himself and speaking with gratitude to Chu Yi. "Our Chen Family is considered a prominent Noble Family. If you have any needs, Junior Brother, we will certainly do our utmost to satisfy you."

He patted his chest. As a second-generation member of a Beast Taming Race, his offer stemmed not only from gratitude for saving his life but also from a desire to associate with such a Beast-Controlling Demon.

Chu Yi nodded, understanding this well. More friends meant more paths, which could prove useful in various ways.

"Junior Brother Chu Yi, you saved me... I don't know how I can possibly repay you." Zhao Yan mustered her courage, her almond-shaped eyes shining. Strands of her silky hair stuck to her rosy, fair cheeks as she lightly bit her lip. "However, I'm quite confident in my cooking skills. If you wouldn't mind, I'd be happy to prepare a delicious meal for you as a thank you."

Zhang Wei's face turned another shade paler. Zhao Yan's father was a head chef at a hotel, and as his daughter, she was also gifted, having inherited his superb culinary skills. When they were children, he and Ye Qing had often gone to Zhao Yan's home for meals. As childhood friends, he knew Zhao Yan had only ever considered him and Ye Qing as friends. Now, it was painfully clear that she had developed feelings for this junior brother.

His expression was a complex mix of resentment, jealousy, and helplessness. Still, he wanted to try and dissuade her. Prodigies of Beast Taming like Chu Yi were prime recruitment targets for conglomerates and Noble Families; they certainly wouldn't lack for beautiful women. Besides her pretty face, Zhao Yan was merely from an ordinary middle-class background and possessed mediocre Beast Taming aptitude. How could she possibly contend with the favored daughters of those wealthy conglomerates? In the end, she would most likely face heartbreak and sorrow.

"Alright, next time for sure," Chu Yi replied, not refusing outright. However, he did catch a faint scent of sweat wafting from his senior sister.

If there's a scent of sweat, then there must be foot odor too.

The thought flashed through Chu Yi's mind: not everyone is like Lias or the Moon Princess, possessing a pair of fragrant, smooth, and jade-tender little feet, as if they'd been steeped in fresh flowers.

Oh, and I should add the Scumbag Female Knight...

PFFT! PFFT! How could a gentleman like me entertain such a base thought? Despicable!

While Zhao Yan was filled with anticipation for a budding romance, Chu Yi had already dismissed her from the start.

However, it was time to deal with the eerie presence in this mine.

"Actually, I've always found it strange," Chu Yi said calmly, drawing the attention of the other three. "A mine this large, almost like a living entity and connected to the Evil Gods, should have some kind of special will parasitizing it."

"Don't worry, Junior Brother. I've already truthfully reported this to the City Defense Army. This accursed, eerie place must be destroyed," Chen Heng declared, not fully understanding but with a hint of vindictive pleasure in his eyes at the thought of the City Defense Army razing the place that had filled him with such terror.

Chu Yi smiled and clapped his hands. "Did you hear that? Senior Brother wants to raze your territory to the ground. Are you going to continue the act?"

"What?" Chen Heng was aghast. Thoughts rapidly whirled in his mind as he instinctively shrank behind Chu Yi, nervous and uneasy. Yielding to his fear, he stammered, "Ju... Junior Brother, I don't understand. What you mean is..."

"Exactly." Chu Yi smiled faintly. "Among the four of us, one has been parasitized by that eerie will from the very beginning."

"I'm right, aren't I, Senior Brother Zhang Wei?"