Chris never expected Stripes to be so bold. It had stolen the Black Dragon Heartstone right out of the hands of the Solstice realm cultivator. Was it not afraid of death?
The Solstice cultivator’s face darkened as he watched the Black Dragon Heartstone slip from his grasp. Though he wanted to give chase, he knew the Heartstone wasn’t the most important thing-the Black Dragon egg was.
With that realization, the Solstice cultivator rushed into the cave.
Seeing this, the other Aetherbinding cultivators followed closely behind.
Inside the cave, chaos erupted.
The cavern was empty. The Black Dragon egg was gone.
“It must have been that shadowy figure who stole the Black Dragon egg!”
“We have to kill him and take it back!”
“Kill him! Retrieve the Black Dragon egg!”
The angriest among them were two Solstice realm cultivators. They had worked together to slay the Black Dragon, only to come away with nothing.
Not only had Stripes taken the Black Dragon Heartstone, but it had also stolen the Black Dragon egg.
They wanted to chase after it, but Chris and Stripes had vanished without a trace. They had no idea where to begin the pursuit.
Meanwhile, Chris and Stripes were fleeing desperately. Two Pinnacle realm Aetherbinding cultivators were hot on their trail.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Before long, a fierce battle erupted.
Chris struck down one of the Pinnacle-stage Aetherbinding cultivators with a single slash, then turned to Stripes and said, “Let’s go!”
Without hesitation, Chris led Stripes deeper into the Celestial Peaks.
For Chris, heading into the depths of the Celestial Peaks was the only path to survival.
“Do you think you can escape by running into the Celestial Peaks? Keep dreaming!”
The remaining Pinnacle peak-level Aetherbinding cultivator sneered as he watched Chris flee.
Without delay, he followed them into the Celestial Peaks.
For this cultivator, the Black Dragon Heartstone and the Black Dragon egg were treasures he absolutely had to obtain. He wasn’t going to give up so easily.
As the cultivator pursued them relentlessly, Chris turned to Stripes and said, “Stripes, lure the nearby beasts over here!”
Hearing this, Stripes let out a series of roars.
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
Stripes’ roars were a direct provocation to the surrounding beasts.
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
“Roar!”
In no time, powerful beasts began responding. They were enraged by the intrusion into their territory and rushed toward the source of the provocation.
Chris glanced back at the chasing Pinnacle-level cultivator and smirked coldly.
The cultivator was fast and caught up within moments.
“You think you can keep running? Once I kill you, the Black Dragon Heartstone and the Black Dragon egg will be mine! Hahaha!”
The cultivator laughed as he closed in and lunged at Chris with his sword.
Chris shouted, “Stripes, let’s go!”
Without stopping, Chris and Stripes quickened their pace, escaping further into the mountains.
The Pinnacle-level cultivator hesitated, momentarily confused by their sudden retreat.
Before he could react, powerful beasts surged in from all directions, surrounding him.
“You little brat! How dare you trick me!”
The cultivator roared in fury.
Within moments, he was overwhelmed by the swarm of beasts. Despite his strength, he was torn apart in the melee.
As the cultivator fell, the beasts scattered, their territory secured.
After a short while, Chris and Stripes returned to the scene.
Surveying the aftermath of the battle, Chris couldn’t help but feel a pang of fear.
If he hadn’t used the beasts to deal with the Pinnacle-level cultivator, he and Stripes would have stood no chance.
Chris bent down and picked up the storage ring left behind by the fallen cultivator. Removing the spiritual imprint, he found a wealth of Essence Stones inside. His heart leapt with joy.
But then he remembered the Black Dragon Heartstone and the Black Dragon egg.
Turning to Stripes, Chris asked, “Stripes, where are the Heartstone and the egg?”
Stripes let out a loud roar in response.
Chris’ face fell. “You’re telling me you ate both the Black Dragon Heartstone and the egg?!”
The realization hit him like a hammer. Both the Heartstone and the egg were immensely valuable, worth tens of thousands of Essence Stones. And now, they were gone-devoured by Stripes. Chris felt like coughing up blood in frustration.
“Stripes, you glutton! Give me back the Black Dragon Heartstone and the egg!”
Fuming, Chris stepped forward, ready to scold Stripes.
But just then, Stripes let out a sharp cry and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Chris froze, his anger replaced by confusion.
What was going on? Stripes had been fine just moments ago.
Chris knelt down and examined Stripes carefully.
Suddenly, a powerful energy erupted from Stripes’ body, enveloping it entirely.
“This…”
Chris was stunned.
Could Stripes be evolving?
Most beasts were locked into their strength and potential from birth. Only a rare few could evolve later in life.
And those that could evolve were exceedingly rare and highly prized.
Chris never imagined Stripes could be one of them.
If Stripes truly evolved, it would be a huge boon for Chris. The stronger Stripes became, the more it would aid him.
Chris watched with anticipation. “I can’t wait to see what Stripes will become after it evolves.”
To ensure Stripes’ safety during its evolution, Chris carried it to a secluded cave.
Days passed.
Stripes underwent a dramatic transformation. Its golden fur turned a shimmering black-gold, and its body was encased in a thick cocoon-like shell.
Seeing this, Chris murmured to himself, “Is Stripes really just a Fifth Grade peak beast?”
Chris had never witnessed a beast evolve before. Watching Stripes’ transformation was an eye-opening experience.
For several days, Stripes remained in a deep slumber, its evolution progressing steadily.