Little Black's Fortuitous Opportunity

Deep within the pool.

The bone-piercing cold made it hard for Shen Yi to hold on, yet Little Black was not affected in the slightest. It swam all the way to the bottom, grabbed a crystalline stone, and placed it in Shen Yi's hand.

The instant he touched it, Shen Yi was covered in ice and turned into an ice sculpture. Little Black landed atop his head with a mocking expression, repeatedly tapping his forehead.

Trapped beneath the ice, Shen Yi could not move in the slightest. He felt threads of cold seeping into his body, with a tendency to freeze even his spiritual power. Fortunately, the Indestructible Scripture began circulating on its own, continually melting away the cold and sparing him the tragedy of truly becoming an ice sculpture.

It lasted for three full days before he finally broke free with the help of the Indestructible Scripture. Yet Shen Yi was delighted within; the spiritual power in his body had surged by another great deal. Little Black sensed his changes as well, and the next day it carried up a huge crystal from the bottom of the pool and tossed it beside him.

This time, the crystal's icy aura was even fiercer, freezing everything within a hundred meters. All sounds fell silent, save for Little Black's occasional babbling cries.

Shen Yi did not know whether to laugh or cry. Vast waves of cold continuously flooded into his body. Even the Indestructible Scripture could not completely transform this chill, and as more and more cold gathered, the energy accumulating inside Shen Yi gradually became a burden.

Once the final trace of cold had been absorbed into his body, Shen Yi finally emerged from his frozen state, but he could not move his body at all.

After spending another half month, Shen Yi finally guided all the remaining cold into his left arm. As a result, his left arm lost all feeling and became nothing more than a stiff lump of flesh. Seemingly sensing Shen Yi's inconvenience, Little Black fell into self-reproach, believing its mistake had caused him to lose an arm.

"Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise."

Shen Yi stroked Little Black's head, signaling for it not to mind. It was only an arm, after all; it was not as though it could not be restored.

Over the past few days, he had constantly felt uneasy, as if his heart were pounding in alarm. Whenever he thought of that tide of demon beasts, his heart filled with unease.

"Begin simulation!"

Simulation begins. Remaining simulations this month: 0

Year One: You returned to Ninghai City and encountered demon beasts attacking the city. Without hesitation, you defended the city. The beast tide was ferocious, and many cultivators perished.

Year Two: The demon beast offensive did not lessen, and Human Race cultivators suffered grievous casualties. You fought bravely and caught the eye of top-tier powers, who extended olive branches to you.

Year Three: A new king of demon beasts was born. The Human Race could not withstand them, Ninghai City was breached, and the Immortal Academy was destroyed. You followed your new sect in breaking out.

Year Four: The Human Emperor issued an order. You followed the cultivator army in a counterattack without hesitation. During a battle against high-level demon beasts, you met an unfortunate end and were buried in a beast's maw.

Simulation ended. Reward obtained from this simulation: one blank letter of recommendation from Zhi Shou Immortal Academy.

Shen Yi's heart sank. Sure enough, the thing he feared most had happened.

Returning to the Immortal Academy could not be delayed for even a moment.

Black Spirit Wings spread wide as Shen Yi shot into the sky, flying toward Ninghai City.

Along the way, he saw countless demon beast carcasses. The entire Yunluo Mountain Range was permeated by a sky-reaching stench of blood, sending chills through his heart.

Suddenly, a powerful aura rose ahead, one he did not dare look at directly. "Damn it! It's the Nine Nether Sparrow!"

The Nine Nether Sparrow, possessing strength nearly at the sixth rank, erupted with towering demonic flames. With a shrill cry, it came whistling toward Shen Yi. When its wings spread, they stirred up a violent gale that instantly shattered the surrounding rocks.

With the road ahead blocked, Shen Yi had no choice but to turn around and flee deeper into the mountain range. Fortunately, though the Nine Nether Sparrow pursued him, he escaped without danger. It suddenly abandoned Shen Yi and began fighting a sixth-rank demon beast on the ground. Their battle was earthshaking; a single strike destroyed many peaks, and the two violent demonic powers completely sealed off everything within a hundred li.

Shen Yi did not dare approach a battle of this level and could only seek another route. Traces of high-level demon beasts are everywhere. It seems the Yunluo Mountain Range is about to descend into great chaos. Ninghai City—even Huafeng Prefecture—will face a calamity. Though he was worried, there was nothing he could do. He had wanted to warn the Immortal Academy sooner, but demon beasts had intercepted him at every turn, driving him even deeper inside instead.

"Yiya!"

Little Black suddenly poked its head out and gestured for Shen Yi to fly toward a towering peak in the distance. It gesticulated and babbled anxiously, seeming extremely urgent.

"Since we are here, we might as well make the best of it. Let's go take a look!"

That distant peak emitted a holy aura, making even Shen Yi unable to resist investigating it.

He did not see any traces of demon beasts along the way, which truly surprised him. When he came within a hundred meters of the place, Shen Yi sensed an invisible force shrouding the area. Little Black gestured through the air, shattered a barrier, and pulled Shen Yi inside. A ripple spread through the air, as though nothing had happened at all.

"Ya!"

Little Black was extremely excited, rolling around everywhere. Shen Yi looked around and only then realized that they were actually inside the mountain. Trees grew in abundance, a hundred herbs flourished, and life filled every corner. That holy aura came from the palace ahead.

Twelve statues of different shapes stood before the palace. Shen Yi recognized that three of them looked remarkably like Zhu Yan, Gui Che, and Qiu Niu. "I have heard that the Demon Race has the Twelve Fierce Beasts. These must be the twelve statues before us."

When Shen Yi placed his hand on a statue, he nearly jumped. Every single statue contained terrifying energy, and he could even sense a throbbing within them, like war drums beating. "Could these be alive?"

Shen Yi found it hard to believe. If these statues truly were alive, then once they awakened, what would become of the entire mortal world? He did not dare imagine any further.

When he pushed open the palace doors, a terrifying gangwind suddenly rushed at him. Thanks to Little Black, which swallowed it all into its body, Shen Yi narrowly escaped disaster.

"Yiya!"

Little Black babbled as though chanting an incantation. Suddenly, the entire palace blazed with light, and the originally pitch-black surroundings became bright in an instant. Shen Yi was then able to see the scene around him clearly. In the vast palace stood only a throne, upon which lay a beast bone. That aura was emanating from it.

Shen Yi wanted to draw closer, but a gentle force pushed him out of the palace. With a bang, the palace doors slammed shut. Waves of energy fluctuations came from within, yet Shen Yi was not worried about Little Black remaining inside. When he was pushed out, he had clearly seen Little Black excitedly hugging the beast bone and rolling back and forth atop the throne.

"What a fellow whose fortune is overflowing!"

Shen Yi cast an envious glance at the palace, then found a spot for himself and began refining the cold stored in his left arm.

Time was pressing, forcing him to seize every moment to cultivate.

"Beast tide!"

A trace of heaviness flashed through Shen Yi's eyes as black spiritual power slowly enveloped him.