Evolution (Please Bookmark)

In the familiar primeval jungle.

Su Heng and the Anaconda had no idea that some nearby Supernatural Beings had already set their sights on them.

Entering the range of human activity to hunt evil ghosts was certainly a bold and risky idea, but it had also been unavoidable.

Opportunities for evolution were far too rare. If they missed this one, there was no telling how long they would have to wait before evolving into a new realm of life.

There was no such thing as a perfect deal in this world. Growth sometimes had to come with risks.

Fortunately.

This adventure had ended well.

The Anaconda had not been harmed, and it had successfully obtained enough nourishment to advance into a Tier 2 Lifeform.

However, this operation had also buried hidden dangers.

Human society was more dangerous than the primeval jungle, and before Little Snake had fully grown, Su Heng had never intended to let it come into contact with humans too early.

So, after devouring that group of evil ghosts, Su Heng did not remain in the mountain village for long.

Instead, he swiftly departed and vanished into the depths of the primeval jungle.

About ten kilometers from the village, deep within the jungle, Su Heng found a secluded valley.

The valley was beautiful, filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers. At its center lay a steaming hot spring.

The more than twenty-meter-long Anaconda seemed to have grown considerably larger again in just a single day. It lazily coiled itself into a ball and soaked in the steaming spring.

"Pull yourself together."

When the time came.

Su Heng's consciousness descended into the Anaconda's massive body right on schedule.

"This is the most critical moment. If you fail, there's no telling when we'll find another opportunity this good."

Su Heng added, fussing endlessly.

Ever since that damned Mythic Descent System had appeared in his life, Su Heng felt that he was evolving in the direction of an overbearing mother.

And this Little Snake...

He had watched it grow with his own eyes, from a tiny creature less than half a meter long into the giant beast it was now, more than twenty meters from head to tail.

Su Heng's feelings had gradually changed during that process.

After coming alone to another world, he had never expected to find something akin to family in a strange beast separated from him by countless miles.

"Hisss~ With you here... nothing will go wrong."

After reaching the limit of a Tier 1 Lifeform, Little Snake's once-muddled soul had grown much stronger.

Now, it could understand Su Heng's words relatively clearly. Sometimes, it could even express some of its own thoughts in simple terms.

Once Little Snake completely entered the Tier 2 Lifeform stage, it would probably be able to communicate with him normally.

Su Heng guessed.

He skillfully took control of Little Snake's body. That unconditional, unreserved trust was deeply moving.

After reviewing every contingency plan he had prepared, Su Heng closed his eyes.

"Then let us join the glorious ranks of evolution!"

Over the past half month, relying on the rapid digestion granted by the Devour Talent, Little Snake had stored enough energy within its enormous body.

That compressed, stored energy was like barrel after barrel of high-efficiency fuel.

And the evil ghosts Little Snake had devoured in the village two days ago were a blazing fire.

All Su Heng needed to do now was slowly release his suppression over that energy, allowing it to burn without restraint and completely break through the thick barrier separating ordinary beasts from Supernatural Creatures.

Gurgle, gurgle...

The relatively clear hot spring in the valley suddenly began to boil. Large amounts of steam rapidly rose into the air, looking from afar like a huge plume of smoke rising from the forest.

And within the pool.

The Anaconda's already immense body abruptly swelled by another full circle.

Once a fire was lit, it could no longer be extinguished. The steps of evolution could not be stopped either.

An enormous amount of energy exploded inside the Anaconda's body. Vast amounts of flesh grew, its thick dark-golden scales began to crack, and new, even harder scales emerged from the wounds at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The process was undoubtedly painful.

Even a beast normally insensitive to pain could not help roaring now, its massive body twisting wildly in the lake.

Its thick tail lashed out. Whether ancient trees growing nearby or rocks that appeared incomparably solid.

Under the sweep of that steel-reinforced tail, they were as fragile as clay sculptures, hurled far into the distance...

Elsewhere in the forest.

The search for the giant snake by Magic Monk Renguang and the young girl Tsukimi Sakura, who had come from Moon Country, was not going smoothly.

Humans driven mad by the Red Moon's contamination, as well as mutated beasts, often possessed considerable strength, but their minds became unpredictable and mostly displayed a tendency toward destruction.

In Moon Country, such creatures were collectively known as Monsters.

According to the stories passed down among the villagers, after deliberately slaughtering those evil ghosts, the Anaconda that had saved the village had not gone on to attack the people in the village.

The village chief had even insisted that the giant snake had shown goodwill toward pure human maidens.

Thus, based on what he had heard, the young Magic Monk concluded that this giant snake might be an anomaly among Monsters, one without an especially strong desire for destruction.

After all, in Moon Country's records spanning several centuries, such Monsters were rare, but not entirely unheard of.

In the mythological legends passed down orally by the ancients before Moon Country was founded, there were even tales of humans and Monsters falling in love.

Stories such as Undead Knight, Donghu's Ratio, and Intertwined Blossoms were so wonderfully wild that later generations like them could not help exclaiming that their predecessors really knew how to have fun.

Monsters could be good or evil; they could not be judged as a whole.

But generally speaking, the demonic aura surrounding a Monster could never be concealed.

The Magic Monks of Moon Country were Supernatural Beings exceptionally sensitive to demonic aura. Although Renguang was considered fairly capable among Moon Country's younger generation.

His cultivation was naturally still far from profound due to his age...

Even so, from dozens of kilometers away in Moon Country, he had been able to sense signs of evil ghost activity.

And by ordinary reasoning, a giant snake capable of easily devouring more than ten evil ghosts, including a Supernatural-ranked evil ghost leader, should have possessed an overwhelming demonic aura.

Yet after searching this forest for so long, Renguang had found no trace of demonic aura at all.

This abnormal situation left the young monk thoroughly puzzled.

Just then, the quiet forest suddenly filled with the rustling sound of leaves rubbing together, while a faint tremor passed through the ground.