In the secret realm, Hans was fleeing madly, not daring to look back, terrified that Chen Yue might be right behind him.
Only after running for nearly ten minutes did he slow his pace slightly and glance behind him.
Seeing no one in pursuit, he finally relaxed, let out a long breath, and collapsed heavily onto the ground, panting hard.
"Damn it! How is that brat so strong? He must've been holding back when fighting me earlier! He was clearly looking down on me!"
Hans grumbled furiously, completely forgetting it was he who provoked Chen Yue in the first place.
After ranting for a while, Hans finally remembered his beast. He hurriedly summoned it.
With a flash of white light, a bloodied green lynx appeared before him, covered in wounds. The Mu Lier was severely injured, slashed all over by wind blades, its body weak and limp, unable to stand.
"You're trash too! It's all your fault!"
Hans wanted nothing more than to strangle his beast, but he stopped when he remembered that a beast's death would result in a backlash for the Beastmaster.
Still, he continued cursing without pause.
Just then, a sinister and raspy voice sounded behind him.
"Do you want to become stronger? Kill that damned brat?"
Hans flinched and immediately turned around.
A figure cloaked in black stood silently behind him.
Hans pointed a trembling finger at the figure, stammering, "Y-You… who are you?!"
The cloaked man chuckled softly. "Who I am isn't important. What matters is—do you want power? Do you want revenge?"
His voice was laced with temptation, like a spell seeping into Hans's mind.
Hans's frightened face slowly contorted with rage. Just thinking of Chen Yue's smug face, and how he was forced to flee in humiliation, filled him with fury.
"I want him dead! I want to eat his flesh and drink his marrow!"
The cloaked figure nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Swallow this pill, and you shall gain immense power. Your beast will rapidly grow stronger as well."
With that, he extended a pale, withered hand from beneath his cloak, holding a pitch-black pill.
Dark miasma swirled around the pill, exuding a foul stench.
Hans's already twisted face showed hesitation.
But the cloaked man gave him no chance to refuse. He grabbed Hans with one hand and forced the pill into his mouth with the other.
Hans struggled desperately, but it was useless—the man's grip was like a vise.
As the black pill was shoved down his throat, the cloaked man let out a raspy, sinister laugh.
"Kekekeke…"
Hans collapsed onto the ground, thick black energy billowing from his body. He curled up like a cooked shrimp, trembling and screaming in pain.
The man under the cloak revealed a satisfied smile, as if admiring his masterpiece.
In the pitch-black night, only Hans's anguished screams echoed through the secret forest.
The Next Morning
As the sun rose, Chen Yue had already prepared the evolution materials for Bastet and began feeding them to her.
"Five Radiant Stones, twenty Light-attribute Spirit Crystals, three Holy Feathers. Perfect. Now she just needs to bask in the sun for two hours."
Chen Yue gently stroked Bastet's head and encouraged her softly.
Bastet purred and rubbed against his hand, enjoying his warmth.
She then walked out of the cave and began her evolution under the sunlight.
As soon as the sunlight touched her, golden light began to radiate from Bastet's body. She slowly floated about half a meter off the ground.
"Bastet's breaking through! Now we just need to protect her. But before that…"
Chen Yue looked at the Gale Sparrow and asked warmly, "Would you like to become my contracted beast? I promise I'll help you grow stronger."
The Gale Sparrow nodded quickly in agreement.
It had already made up its mind. It was just waiting for Chen Yue to ask.
After observing the bond between Chen Yue and Bastet, and witnessing Bastet's strength, the Gale Sparrow had been convinced.
Delighted, Chen Yue summoned his Silver Contract Book.
A book with shimmering silver patterns appeared before him.
"This is actually the first time I've officially contracted a beast."
After all, Bastet had jumped out of the contract book on her own. This was his first "real" contract.
But even so, Chen Yue knew exactly how the process worked.
He closed his eyes. As he communicated mentally, the contract book flipped to a blank page.
A circular silver formation floated up from the book and expanded to envelop both him and the Gale Sparrow.
Chen Yue opened his eyes and asked solemnly, "Will you be my contracted beast?"
Although the Gale Sparrow had already agreed, Chen Yue still felt a bit nervous.
The Gale Sparrow nodded slowly in confirmation.
At that moment, its name and image began appearing on the contract book's page.
Chen Yue shouted with joy, "It's done!"
The Gale Sparrow chirped happily, flying in circles above him before gently landing on his shoulder and nuzzling his neck.
Chen Yue stroked it affectionately. "Now that you're my beast, I should give you a proper name."
The Gale Sparrow didn't mind and agreed.
Chen Yue thought for a moment. After reviewing its evolution path, he envisioned it becoming the ruler of the skies.
And with that thought, the perfect name surfaced in his mind.
"From today on, your name is Garuda, alright?"
The Gale Sparrow chirped in delight, clearly pleased.
"As long as you're happy. Now, we've got a more important mission—protect Bastet during her evolution. Let's go."
Chen Yue and Garuda stepped out of the cave and sat cross-legged outside, keeping watch.
Bastet's evolution proceeded smoothly. Holy light enveloped her body, growing more radiant by the second.
As Chen Yue waited patiently, Garuda suddenly let out a sharp cry, staring toward a patch of empty grassland.
Trusting Garuda's instincts, Chen Yue jumped to his feet and readied himself.
"Tsk tsk, what a sharp little sparrow."
A short, ragged man emerged.
His face was covered in pulsing veins, and dark energy oozed from his body, but his expression was one of twisted joy.
Despite the transformation, Chen Yue recognized his mortal enemy from the night before.
A shocked and incredulous voice escaped him.
"You… Hans?!"