Chapter Thirty-Two: The Demonic Beast

"Damn it! Big brother, let’s try the Soul Fusion technique again!"

With a sudden roar, without warning, Tang Hao’s spiritual consciousness erupted, a sea of blood once more spreading through Lin Fan’s ethereal soul space…

A suffocating terror welled up in Lin Fan’s heart; he hastily intervened, his spiritual sense buzzing:

"Haozi, Haozi, don’t be impulsive—impulsiveness is the devil! Stop…"

"My uncle’s uneducated, his parents didn’t raise him well, don’t take offense at his senile outbursts, hehe…"

"Your most important task right now is to recuperate. Once you’re healed, we’ll arrange a fight at night—I’ll help you, I’ve been fed up with that old man for ages, so rein yourself in!"

Meanwhile, that purifying light reappeared, circling Lin Fan’s spiritual consciousness, guarding him.

With Lin Fan’s earnest calls and the deterrence of the purifying light, Tang Hao’s spirit gradually calmed, drawing back into itself.

"For your sake, I’ll let that old fool off for now. But listen… he’s still ranting, cursing nonstop…"

"Just treat it as nonsense. Who bickers with lunatics or beasts? Ignoring is the best response. Go heal, don’t forget the world’s vast—we still need to conquer it together!" To soothe Tang Hao, Lin Fan played the role of a sharp-tongued little rascal.

These days, Tang Hao had been repeatedly abused, accumulating so much resentment he was near depression; Lin Hai’s provocation had made him impulsive.

Once he calmed, he collected himself, "Alright! When my strength is restored, I’ll settle the score with him."

Then Tang Hao’s spiritual sense dispersed, sinking deep into Lin Fan’s soul.

Lin Fan’s mind returned to tranquility.

Tang Hao, by some means, could coexist peacefully with Lin Fan’s soul that possessed the Devourer ability, freely entering and leaving Lin Fan’s body, as if it were his temporary residence.

This baffled Lin Hai, but with Lin Qi’s tacit approval, he said nothing.

In reality, Lin Fan had been dazed for two minutes at the street stall before snapping out of it, only to hear Lin Hai still cursing, his mouth foaming. Lin Fan felt a surge of disgust.

"Uncle! Aren’t you tired? How can someone your age still be so competitive? Early menopause? Even the owner’s looking down on you." Lin Fan gestured at the breakfast stall owner, who was gripping dough in one hand, rolling pin in the other, staring at Lin Hai in shock.

Lin Hai turned, wearing the face of a scoundrel, "What are you looking at! Selling salt now? Got nothing better to do? Hurry up and fry the dough sticks, you still owe me two, didn’t you know!"

The owner, expressionless, turned back to frying.

Lin Hai spun around and noticed everyone staring. He stood, flung up his shirt, and shouted, "What, you all got nothing better to do? Want me to do a strip show for your entertainment? Bunch of idiots!"

Swish! The crowd, who’d been spectating, turned their heads and resumed eating.

Having subdued the scene, Lin Hai stomped on a stool and spat at Lin Fan, "You ungrateful brat! You side with enemies, betray your own—I tell you, if you don’t keep that mutt inside you in check, I’ll beat you both!"

——

Seeing Lin Hai genuinely angry, Lin Fan hurriedly apologized, "Alright, alright, it’s my fault. Don’t hold a grudge, you’re the grown-up here, don’t stoop to our level. Let’s eat."

He then ignored Lin Hai and ate on his own.

The soul communication between Lin Fan and Tang Hao was a mysterious form of energetic contact, using a special object as a medium, operating in the spiritual world. Unless one participated similarly, the outside world had no way to know what transpired in that domain.

Lin Hai was no exception; curiosity got the better of him as he glanced at Lin Fan, who was wolfing down his food, and finally, unable to resist, sat and asked, "So what were you two conspiring about in your toilet head just now?"

"What else! We said you’re handsome and strong, a paragon among men! Told him not to overestimate himself and suffer for it," Lin Fan rolled his eyes.

Trying to fool me? The brat’s getting bold—about to spread his wings. Lin Hai eyed Lin Fan suspiciously, "Hmm? Nephew, your IQ’s been on point lately."

"Hehe! Thanks for the praise! As they say, wise guidance leads the way, a good teacher breeds talented students. All thanks to your teachings." Lin Fan feigned reverence, then abruptly asked, "By the way, you mentioned beasts that can take human form? The Creation Chronicle only glossed over it, I don’t really get it. Could you enlighten me?"

Lin Fan’s strategy was just right; Lin Hai, pleased, praised him, "You’re outshining your teacher! That flattery feels good. Fine, I won’t argue with you, lest I seem petty. Let me explain…"

"Ah!" Lin Fan’s question stirred a melancholy in Lin Hai, who sighed, gazing into the distance:

"No one knows how long ago, but the beast races were born alongside humans on this land. They lived and grew together, the world peaceful. But as humans evolved, they rose and grew clever! Once strong, humans no longer wished to grow alongside beasts, their desires swelled. No longer content to share resources, prosper, and evolve with the myriad races…"

He grabbed a dough stick, bit down hard, and continued:

"Desire breeds war! Humans decided to rule all races, conquer the world, launching devastating campaigns of conquest, suppression, domestication, and assimilation. They say the world was littered with corpses, rivers ran red, life was ravaged, all was ruin… Cruel beyond imagination—slaughter everywhere: internal human strife, massacres against other races, and resistance from the myriad races! I wish I knew what the Creator intended for this world! Why…"

Lin Hai muttered for a while, then suddenly froze, as if his soul was gone, half a dough stick held aloft, staring blankly at his soy milk.

Lin Fan, seeing no movement, shook him, "Uncle! Wake up! Are you alright? You’re rarely so sentimental! But what’s this got to do with you? Carry on—I’m enjoying the story!"

Shaken, Lin Hai recovered as if nothing happened and went on, "Oh! Later, during the humans’ unchecked oppression of the races, some beasts with strong wills and resistance inadvertently triggered their hidden racial talents, resulting in large-scale forced mutations, evolving many powerful beasts. These passive evolutions are divided into four levels, plus those primal beast tribes who failed to evolve but still possess evolutionary potential, making five levels in total…"

At this, Lin Hai’s eyes reddened; he drank some soy milk and said angrily, "Level one beasts are the weakest, but every powerful beast evolved from them. By now, they’ve changed beyond recognition, some even common fare at the dinner table—chickens, ducks, dogs, pigs, all sorts of livestock, or the wild animals you see at zoos, insects in fields, birds in the sky, fish and shrimp in rivers and seas, even the fly swimming in your soy milk… Alas, one thought gives rise to life, all thrive; another, and all turns to dust, things change, people vanish—damn, feels like another world!"

Lin Fan fished out the fly from his bowl, stared at it, and exclaimed, "Damn! Old man, are you joking? If this is a level one beast, how can you say Haozi’s weak?"

Lin Hai pursed his lips, "Strictly speaking, not exactly."

Lin Fan crushed the fly and wiped his hand on his shoe, "I just killed a beast! So what do you mean?"

Lin Hai’s face grew solemn, "I mean, these animals were once beast tribes, but after long-term human oppression and domestication, they gradually degenerated, molded by human will, even going into rare reverse evolution—their intelligence lost, wildness gone, growing ever stupider, losing even basic survival instincts, just loafing around—damn, disgrace to their ancestors!"

Lin Hai grew angrier as he spoke, went off and downed a bowl of soy milk.

Lin Fan stared at him, puzzled, "Uncle, whose side are you on? You seem more anxious than their ancestors!"

——

"Don’t talk nonsense! I’m just feeling sentimental, don’t overthink." Lin Hai blinked awkwardly, then looked at Lin Fan, "Just know that a true level one beast is far fiercer than lions or tigers."

Lin Fan asked, "What about higher levels?"

Lin Hai fetched another bowl of soy milk, drinking as he explained, "A bit stronger are the so-called magical beasts, level two. Unlike level ones, they’re in the midst of evolution, retaining some primal forms but gaining special abilities—different races, different skills. We’ll talk more when we meet them. Level three beasts are those I mentioned who can fully take human form—they’re called spirit beasts. Besides keeping their beast abilities, they can learn powerful human magic, extremely formidable. Not only can they handle red-eyed fiends, but also some low-level black-eyed demons."

Lin Fan said enviously, "If I get the chance, I must catch a spirit beast as a mount!"

Bang! Lin Hai and his stool crashed under the table.

"You’ve got guts! I admire your audacity!" Lin Hai dusted off his stool and sat back down. "Above spirit beasts are level four—sacred beasts! Only those with innate, powerful racial talents can reach this stage. Because of racial limits, most beasts spend their lives as spirit beasts, unable to advance; only a rare few can evolve further. How about catching a sacred beast as your wife?"

"Man and beast? Uh… no thanks, I don’t have that kink! Haha! What about level five beasts?"

Lin Hai recalled carefully, "Level five beasts are legendary divine beasts. I’ve never seen one, nor heard any tales! All I know is they’re kings among sacred beasts, ruling their tribes. They’re beyond our reach, untouchable, so don’t ask."

"Oh, uncle, how do you know so much? I’m jealous!" Lin Fan genuinely praised.

"You ask more questions than a thousand encyclopedias—if I didn’t know a lot, I couldn’t be your uncle! Today’s lesson ends here, no more questions. Eat up, we’ve got things to do!"

"Uncle, what’s so urgent? Maybe we could chat for another five bucks?" Lin Fan, still keen, fished five yuan from his pocket and handed it over.

Lin Hai snatched the money, scolding, "Chat your leg! Who gave you this? If I didn’t work, where would your money come from? Eat, finish, let’s go—don’t delay my business!"

"Damn! No chat and you pocketed the money!" Lin Fan tossed a dough stick into his soy milk, mixing and swallowing it in big gulps.

After the last mouthful, Lin Fan wiped his mouth and complained, "Uncle, I’m still growing! You can’t always feed me this—weren’t you going to treat me to seafood? When?"

Lin Hai said seriously, "Isn’t this seafood? Why aren’t you satisfied?"

Lin Fan gaped, "Where?"

"This is a special order for you—a big plate of fresh, delicious seafood, can’t you see?" Lin Hai picked up a strand of kelp from the table, boasting shamelessly.

Lin Fan took the kelp and exclaimed, "Oh my god! Old man, you’re really stingy—is this seafood? You ate it all already? You… you… you…"

Lin Hai was unfazed, "Have you ever seen kelp grow in the ground? If it comes from the sea, it’s seafood. Didn’t I add a meat dish earlier—the fly?"

"…" Lin Fan was nearly speechless, unable to find any human language to respond.