System Mission, First Devour!

"Looks like if I want to grow stronger, I'll have to fight and hunt on my own. I can't rely on outside help!"

"But with this Bloodline Awakening Card, even if I run into a powerful Soul Beast, I won't have to worry about my life. I can hunt without any concerns!"

"Of course, before I start hunting for real, I should train first and get used to this Soul Beast body. That way, I can make sure I get the most out of its combat prowess!"

After checking his attributes, Yao Xuan closed the status panel created by Eye of Detection, ready to get to work.

[ Ding, system mission "First Devour" has been issued. Accept? ]

Just then, a slightly cold, mechanical system notification suddenly sounded in Yao Xuan's ears.

"Accept!"

Hearing the system notification, Yao Xuan replied without hesitation, silently speaking in his mind.

[System Mission: First Devour]

[Mission Description: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! Be brave and take that first step: kill an enemy and devour it to embark on the road of evolution!]

[Mission Tip: Your cultivation is still weak. Try hunting weaker Ten-Year Soul Beasts first, and progress step by step. Don't bite off more than you can chew!]

[Mission Reward: Cultivation x 5 years]

As Yao Xuan gave his response, a mission window appeared before him.

"Not bad! With this mission, I can reach the Ten-Year Soul Beast level faster, grow stronger faster, and Shape-Shift sooner!"

Looking at the mission panel, Yao Xuan nodded in satisfaction and began training in earnest.

In the blink of an eye, half a day passed!

After half a day of practice and training, Yao Xuan had finally grown accustomed to moving in his Auspicious Beast body and could bring his full strength to bear.

Now it was time to hunt!

Having made up his mind, Yao Xuan carefully concealed his presence and moved through the Soul Beast Forest, searching for a suitable target!

Along the way, Yao Xuan naturally encountered quite a few Soul Beasts, including some thousand-year Soul Beasts!

However, thanks to Eye of Detection, he discovered that they were all far too powerful for him to take on!

Fortunately, Yao Xuan had the body of an Emperor Auspicious Beast, protected by the Soul Beast Clan's fortune. As long as he carefully concealed his presence, he wouldn't be discovered easily.

That was why, despite encountering powerful foes along the way, he had remained out of danger.

Just then, a lone-looking wild boar appeared in the distance. It had pink horns and didn't seem very powerful.

"Maybe that's a suitable target to hunt!"

Looking at the wild boar in the distance, Yao Xuan's thoughts stirred, and he activated Eye of Detection.

[Target: Pink-Horned Wild Boar]

[Cultivation: 11 years]

[Description: An exceptionally weak Ten-Year Soul Beast with very poor combat abilities. Easy to hunt.]

[Devour Reward: 1 month of cultivation]

As Yao Xuan gave his response, a status panel appeared before him.

"Good. You're the one!"

Looking at the description of the Pink-Horned Wild Boar on the System Panel, Yao Xuan's eyes lit up.

This was the perfect target for his first hunt and Devour!

Although a month's worth of cultivation wasn't much, with the reward from the mission he'd just received, his cultivation would definitely increase by a large margin!

At that thought, a murderous glint flashed in Yao Xuan's eyes. He moved silently, pointed his head at the Pink-Horned Wild Boar, and suddenly pushed off hard with both hind legs.

"Whoosh!"

With a piercing whistle, Yao Xuan shot forward like an arrow, hurtling toward the distant Pink-Horned Wild Boar.

The Pink-Horned Wild Boar finally reacted to the piercing whistle, but before it could even flee, Yao Xuan had already closed in.

Then Yao Xuan aimed at its throat and swung his dragon-shaped claws.

"Rip!"

The next moment, flesh tore with a wet sound. The Pink-Horned Wild Boar's body was protected by a thick layer of hide.

But against the claws of Yao Xuan's Emperor Auspicious Beast body, it was as fragile as paper, torn apart in an instant.

Yao Xuan's sharp claws then mercilessly sliced through the Pink-Horned Wild Boar's throat, sending blood spraying everywhere!

The grievous wound left the Pink-Horned Wild Boar collapsing limply to the ground. Its legs twitched a few times before it fell still, its eyes turning glassy.

"Not bad! Time to Devour it!"

Looking at the clean, decisive strike he'd landed, Yao Xuan nodded with satisfaction.

To kill his opponent so cleanly on his first attack was a great start.

As he thought this, Yao Xuan walked over to the Pink-Horned Wild Boar and activated the Devour Evolution system ability with a thought.

The next moment, a streak of red light swept over the Pink-Horned Wild Boar's corpse.

Under the red light, its body was instantly disintegrated and vanished.

At the same time, waves of pure bloodline cultivation energy flowed into Yao Xuan's body.

His hunger disappeared at once. He felt stronger, nimbler, and considerably more powerful.

"So this is what Devour Evolution feels like? Amazing!"

"And this way of devouring is pretty good, too. I don't actually have to use my mouth!"

Feeling the results of his first Devour, Yao Xuan smiled in satisfaction.

He'd been a little worried that if the system's Devour required him to actually eat his prey, he might not be able to bring himself to do it to a Soul Master.

After all, he was human, not some beast. He couldn't bring himself to actually eat another person.

But if the system itself took care of breaking down and devouring his enemy, Yao Xuan had no qualms about it.

[ Ding, system mission "First Devour" has been completed. Claim your mission reward? ]

Just then, the system notification sounded in Yao Xuan's ears once more.

"Of course I'll claim it!"

Hearing the system notification, an excited glint flashed in Yao Xuan's eyes, and he answered without hesitation.

Just a month of cultivation had made him this much stronger.

The mission reward was a full five years of cultivation. It would definitely give his strength a huge boost!

With a thought, Yao Xuan chose to claim the mission reward!

[ Ding, mission reward issued! ]

As Yao Xuan gave his response, a stream of bloodline energy, far hotter than the one before, poured into his body like a wave of heat.

Bolstered by this dense bloodline energy, Yao Xuan felt his strength surge to more than double. His body grew lighter, and battle memories surfaced involuntarily in his mind.

That was right: as a member of the Emperor Auspicious Beast Clan, increasing his cultivation improved not only his physical abilities but also his combat instincts!

A few minutes later, the heat coursing through Yao Xuan's body finally subsided.

His cultivation had risen from 1 year and 1 month to 6 years and 1 month.

"That feels amazing! I need to keep getting stronger and break through to the Ten-Year Soul Beast level! Once I break through, I'll be even stronger!"

Feeling how much stronger he had become, an excited glint flashed in Yao Xuan's eyes. He first familiarized himself with his enhanced body, then set off to begin a new hunt.