Chapter 113: 103: Innate Evolution
Species: Salty Bay Crocodile
Energy Level: 38
Energy Level Limit: 100
Attribute: Water
Body Length: 2450.5cm
Body Weight: 69 tons
Skills:
Primary Skill: Water Devouring (Transcendence)
Intermediate Skills: Great Vortex (Transcendence), Water Curtain Light Armor (Proficiency)
Advanced Skills: Great Flood (Proficiency), Deep Sea Assault (Proficiency)
Passive Skill: Water Mimicry·Rest
Innate Skill: Vortex of Demise (Proficiency)
After looking at Taotie’s new panel, Chen Xing finally understood what Qiu Shangqing meant when he said that a single rare evolution was worth two or even three regular evolutions.
If it were a regular evolution, it would take two or three to increase the energy level limit to one hundred.
But a rare evolution only needed one to directly max out the energy level limit at one hundred.
Meaning that before transcending, Taotie no longer needed to worry about the energy level limit.
Besides this, there was another big change on the panel, the name of the innate skill Death Roll had unexpectedly changed to Vortex of Demise.
Could it be that after a rare evolution, the innate skills of a Beast Taming would also evolve?
Then why hadn’t the passive skill evolved, or had the passive skill already undergone an evolution?
Seeing the same passive skill that the Imperial Crocodile of the Endless Sea had, Chen Xing began to speculate in his heart.
…
“It looks like your Beast Taming’s evolution went well,” Qiu Shangqing, the senior, picked up some debris that had fallen around the altar.
These fragments were the offerings that had been discarded. Seeing the senior take initiative, Chen Xing hurried to help tidy up as well.
“The state looks good. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this familiar face,” Qiu Shangqing examined Taotie from top to bottom, somewhat emotional.
Ever since his own Beast Taming evolved, it had been a very long time since anyone in his family had evolved a Beast Taming; they usually raised Salty Bay Crocodiles in their initial form.
Suddenly seeing a Salty Bay Crocodile brought him a mixture of familiarity and strangeness.
After leaving the altar, Chen Xing and Qiu Shangqing rode the Imperial Crocodile of the Endless Sea back to the ship above water.
“Don’t speak in detail to others about the evolution; it will suffice if only you and I know.”
“I understand, the student will keep what was seen and heard today to himself,” Chen Xing knew that this Secret Realm must be the family foundation of the Qius.
Qiu Shangqing bringing him was a sign of trust; naturally, he could not carelessly chat about it outside.
Qiu Shangqing nodded; he knew Chen Xing was a sensible child.
“After a Beast Taming evolves, changes in size are minor; the strength, speed, defense, stamina, including the magic power limit all over its body will undergo a transformation. With this, after we go back, I’ll have my granddaughter’s Beast Taming compete with yours once again, so you can directly experience the strength after evolution,” Qiu Shangqing instructed.
Chen Xing inwardly exclaimed in surprise, thinking that this was indeed his dear granddaughter.
He would have to endure the same beating twice.
…
“Cousin, how many days will you and great aunt stay this time?”
In the island in the lake, Qiu Qingqing casually chatted with a young man several years older than her.
The young man was tall and muscular, with a dark complexion, “I’ll stay till the New Year; I’ll leave after that.”
“Great aunt mentioned that you spent a good half of last year in the Exotic Region. Is it fun there?” Qiu Qingqing asked curiously.
Upon hearing his cousin’s question, Chu Nan cracked a slight smile,” The Exotic Region is not a place for fun; it’s very dangerous. Our class started off with thirty-three people in the first half of the year, and only twenty-five were left when we regrouped.”
“That’s so dangerous!” Qiu Qingqing was shocked; that’s almost a 24% death rate.
“Not everyone went, only thirty out of fifty students in our class were willing to set off.”
“With such high risks, it’s normal to be unwilling,” she commented.
Chu Nan spoke boldly, “But high risk also implies high reward. According to the Exploration Act of the Exotic Region enacted by Great Xia fifty years ago, if valuable mineral veins, medicinal mountains, or treasure material breeding grounds are discovered in the Exotic Region, as long as one can eradicate nearby monster species and maintain control over the area by planting a flag for more than a month, the occupation land will belong to the initial discoverer.”
Qiu Qingqing’s eyes sparkled with interest.
Chu Nan continued, “Our class signed a contract before departing, stating that if a valuable occupation site is discovered, it will officially be managed by the school. Ultimately, 50% of the total profit goes to the school, and the remaining 50% is divided among the students of the class based on individual contributions.”
“Ah, why should the school take so much,” Qiu Qingqing frowned.
Chu Nan explained, “The 50% earnings of the school only last for five years. After five years, not only will the ownership of the resource point revert back to the students, but they’ll also divide the other 50% of profits according to the original contribution ratios among the class members, essentially doubling everyone’s earnings.
However, the school does make contributions too; they handle certain external forces we can’t resist on our behalf. Without the school, we students couldn’t defend the resource point for long. But after five years, the school will withdraw, and whether we can continue to hold the area will depend on our own abilities.”
Qiu Qingqing nodded thoughtfully; she also wasn’t stupid, and after her cousin’s explanation, she understood the key points.
These five years are an acceptable window for many forces, and won’t provoke public anger and backlash.
Every five years, it was as if they could “redistribute” and contend for positions once again.
Chu Nan said with a smile, “Once you go to college, your teachers will also take you to the Exotic Region, and whether to go or not is everyone’s own choice.”
At this moment, Qiu Qingqing’s phone suddenly rang. After answering the call and saying a few words, she angrily hung up. “What the heck! Am I not his biological granddaughter anymore?”
“What happened?” Chu Nan asked with concern.
Qiu Qingqing talked about how her grandfather wanted her to spar with Chen Xing again in Beast Taming, and she also briefly explained Chen Xing’s background.
After listening to his cousin’s story, Chu Nan felt a mix of surprise and a tinge of jealousy. When he was preparing to cultivate his second Beast Taming creature, he had asked his aunt for help to find him a Salty Bay Crocodile with good potential.
At that time, he had his sights set on the rare evolutionary path offered by his rival family.
Then his second Beast Taming creature indeed turned out to be a Salty Bay Crocodile, the descendant of the ace, the Emperor Crocodile of the Vast Seas, belonging to Qiu Qingqing’s grandfather. It was said to have decent potential, but unfortunately, it still fell short of the rare evolution standard and had to settle for the common evolutionary path in the end.
He was from just an ordinary wealthy family; had it not been for his aunt marrying into the Qiu family, a major clan, he wouldn’t have had the chance to know them. This had been his closest encounter with rare evolution, and it was unexpected that such a good opportunity would so easily fall into the hands of an outsider.
Chu Nan took a deep breath, suppressed the bitterness in his heart, and pretended to be magnanimous as he smiled and said, “Such good luck, I wonder what it looks like after rare evolution.”
Qiu Qingqing said, “Haven’t I shown you the pictures before?”
She noticed her cousin’s expression was somewhat peculiar and immediately offered comfort, “Rare evolution doesn’t represent everything.”
While saying this, even she felt a bit guilty.
“No worries, I’ll accompany you to have a look. It’ll be good to broaden my horizons,” Chu Nan said with a smile.
…
When Elder Qiu saw Chu Nan accompanying Qiu Qingqing, he didn’t comment, “There’s no need for you to make the trip to the battle island. Just find a place by the lake to spar.”
Chen Xing summoned Taotie, and when Qiu Qingqing saw Chen Xing’s evolved Taotie, despite being mentally prepared, a glint of envy and anticipation involuntarily flashed in her eyes.
She too wanted her Beast Taming creature to evolve quickly, but her grandfather asked her to wait a bit longer and even gave her a second Beast Taming creature to foster feelings for in advance. Once the Salty Bay Crocodile evolved, she would sign a contract with it directly.
Chu Nan looked at the Water Mansion Greedy King Crocodile in the arena, envy flickering in his eyes.
On the battlefields of the Exotic Region, he had also seen Beast Tamers with rare-evolved creatures. A Beast Tamer with such creatures was a rare presence wherever they went, stirring winds and clouds among the elite in school.
As long as there were no accidents, that Beast Tamer’s future development would undoubtedly surpass his own.
Chu Nan adjusted his mindset and pondered on how to befriend Chen Xing. His cousin mentioned that Chen Xing’s family seemed to be average, and he was likely a powerhouse with untapped potential; it was worth figuring out how to establish a good relationship for additional connections in the future.
When Qiu Qingqing’s Salty Bay Crocodile was summoned, it looked at the Water Mansion Greedy King Crocodile opposite and a hint of confusion flashed in its eyes.
Why does this fellow opposite feel somewhat familiar?
Have we met before?
But the scent isn’t right.
And there was an inexplicable sense of oppression coming from the other party.
Taotie saw the puzzled expression of its small brother opposite and suddenly became playful, opening its massive mouth and charging towards the other.
Standing aside and watching the battle, Chen Xing noticed that Taotie’s speed on land seemed to have increased significantly after evolving.
As its Beast Tamer, Chen Xing was very familiar with Taotie’s speed and keenly sensed that it had increased by about 50%, especially the short-distance burst speed, as he watched Taotie dig its limbs into the ground and leap towards the opposite side.
Qiu Qingqing knew her Water Prison Execution wouldn’t work on Taotie, so she simply gave up using skills and went for a head-on confrontation.
The Salty Bay Crocodile let out a low roar and charged towards Taotie with all four limbs.
Despite the oppressive feeling from the opponent, it showed no fear.
Bang—
The Salty Bay Crocodile was sent flying upon impact.
After rolling on the ground several times and regaining its stability, it let out another furious roar.
Its tail, glowing with a dim light, swept heavily towards Taotie.
Taotie was unfazed and retaliated with its own tail.
Bang!!!
This time, the two sides were evenly matched.
“How is this possible?” Qiu Qingqing’s face changed drastically; her Beast Taming creature had used the skill Iron Tail! Its tail was enhanced with the skill’s special effect.
The opponent’s creature had simply countered with a normal tail sweep, equivalent to a basic attack.
And yet they were equally matched, meaning the opponent’s regular attack was as strong as her own Beast Taming creature using a Primary Skill?
Had the physical strength after rare evolution increased so much?
Of course, there was also the matter of the opponent’s larger body size.
Qiu Qingqing’s Salty Bay Crocodile couldn’t use Iron Tail again so soon, and Taotie took the opportunity to press the attack.
It climbed onto the back of the opposing Salty Bay Crocodile, “Roar!” (Do you submit?)
The Salty Bay Crocodile beneath was furious, trying to struggle, but the weight on its back was like a mountain firmly pinning it down.
“Taotie.” Chen Xing’s voice came through.
Taotie released its claws, got off the other’s back, and wiggled its tail like a sixty-nine-ton cutie as it rushed towards Chen Xing.