Cultivation Through Artifacts

Crack! 

Crack!

Crack!

Bit by bit, small and long cracks as though they were spider webs began to form on the Ruby Egg’s surface, while a little Beast began to show its gentle movement inside it.

“It’s about to be born… It’s about to be born! Wait, what?! It’s about to be born?!?” yelled Khal with fear and stood up as fast as lightning.

“Damn, it’s a Beast and it’s about to be born! What should I do? Should I just kill it right now?” pondered Khal and watched as a little crimson head emerged through the gap, spying its surroundings with its abyss black eyes.

“It’s only on the First Cultivation Stage so theoretically it can’t harm me. But still…” began to think Khal, but suddenly the Beast turned its head toward his direction, locking its gaze on him.

“!”

Flinching unwittingly, Khal became dormant lightning-fast unknown what he should do. Even though the Beast before him was just on the First Cultivation Stage, it still was a Ruby Beast. Just a simple scratch from it could end his life right there and then!

“What should I do?” pondered Khal, but suddenly an unexpected sight happened.

The Beast in the Ruby Egg broke forth, sending the egg’s fragments flying and with a crimson flash flew at Khal.

“Fuck!” Khal’s heart dropped into his stomach as he watched this and knew he was stupid enough to hesitate so much. Right now, even if he used his Secret Art or his Diamond Skin, he can’t avoid the Beast from such a close distance.

Closing his eyes tightly, Khal waited for a sharp pain piercing into his body but no matter how long he waited he didn’t feel a thing. Instead, what he felt was a warm and heavy sensation on his shoulder, close to his neck.

“Eh?” opening his eyes slightly, Khal tilted his head to his left shoulder only to stiffen up instantly.

“Chirp.”

Right on top of his left shoulder, Khal watched as a bird representing a mixture between a hawk and an eagle sat calmly, staring at him with its tiny black eyes seemingly curious.

“Chirp!”

Like trying to make Khal say something, the Ruby Beast let out a sharp sound and began to flutter its wings gently.

“This… It thinks I am its mother?” Khal’s face held a perplexed look, not believing this could actually happen with him.

A Beast that thought a human was its mother? They didn’t even look the same yet the Ruby Beast sat on his shoulder, a human being like it was the most natural thing to do.

“Chirp!”

With a harp sound once again, the Ruby Beast began to act restless and jumped here and there on his shoulder.

“What does he…he? Is it even a he?” wondered Khal as he extended his palm before his shoulder.

Although he was skeptical that the Beast won’t hurt or kill him, watching as it sat so innocently on his shoulder like that made him decide to try out something.

And just as he thought, the moment his hand was close to the Beast it jumped atop his palm examining both Khal and the ground below with an interested gaze.

“Woah…” Khal raised the tiny being before his face and began to examine it.

Just as it was obvious at first glance, the Ruby Beast was a hybrid between a hawk and an eagle whilst its feathers were shaded with a dark red color. It had tiny eyes, filled with abyss blackness, while its beak and claws were bright red as though they were ruby.

“So fluffy…” exclaimed Khal as he was brave enough to pet the bird. And to his surprise, he enjoyed it!

“Hmm… It seems you are completely harmless and I hope it remains like this,” said Khal, directing his words toward the Ruby Beast.

As though the Beast had understood Khal’s words the Beast let out a chirpy sound and pushed its body against his fingers while its eyes closed into a pleasant curve.

“What should I name you then? I still don’t know if you are a boy or girl.” 

However, the Beast this time didn’t do anything but simply bent its head to the side, seemingly confused about what Khal tried to say.

“Hmm…” Khal began to ponder and suddenly an idea popped into his mind, “How about Rubie? It sounds great right?”

The Beast hearing Khal’s question fluttered its wings and pushed its head against his hand.

Khal noticing the merry behavior of the Beast he nodded and grinned, “Then it is decided. Your name will be Rubie!”

However, what Khal didn’t know that the name Rubie not only meant the crystal ruby that he thought about, but it meant also jewel which was only given to females.

–

After naming his Beast and making sure Rubie was truly harmless, Khal decided to continue his cultivation in Blade Mountain and reach 1000 units of Body Essence as soon as possible.

“I was able to obtain more than 40 under three days so I should reach 1000 today. Thanks to Bazz’s kindness, I got the entire day off so I have a bit less than 24 hours before I need to go to Logan.” thought Khal as he sat into a lotus position and began to consume and transform Essence Particles into Body Essence.

Consuming the Essence Particles in the air, after about 8 hours of continuous sitting Khal consumed 13 Essence, pushing Body Essence all the way up to 990 units.

“One more!” thought Khal excitedly and waited for the final Essence Particle to be consumed.

While he did wait patently, Rubie was quietly sitting on his shoulder, apparently sleeping soundlessly with her eyes tightly closed.

Seconds then minutes passed seamlessly and after close to three quarters later the familiar voice sounded in his head once again.

[Notify! 1 Essence Particle had been consumed!]

[Congratulations! You successfully obtained 1000 units of ‘Body Essence’!]

In that instant, the bracelet on his wrist lit up and words began to form before his eyes.

[Notify! You reached enough ‘Body Essence’ to Unlock/Strengthen the following aspects…]

[You can Unlock ability ‘Power Core Holder’!]

[You can Unlock ability ‘Essence Path Status’!]

[You can Strengthen ability ‘Detector’!]

[You can Strengthen ability ‘Magnetism’!]

[You can Strengthen ability ‘Transfiguration’!]

[You can Strengthen ability ‘Creation Mode’!]

As the words sounded inside his head and formed before his eyes at the very same time, Khal gradually became dumbfounded while no words could escape his mouth.

“Holy shit… I can do so many things with 1000 Essence?” wondered Khal as he examined every ability that he can strengthen or unlock.