Upon first meeting Uncle Boya in the Chaotic Ancient City, Ling Xiao immediately became suspicious of his origins.
Under the Heaven's Punishment Divine Eye, everything has a traceable pattern; there are no secrets to be found.
He had read many ancient books in the Snow Heaven Clan, one of which, a book on the Ten Great Mythical Beasts, left a deep impression on him.
Because the Origin-Devouring Beast is one of the Ten Great Mythical Beasts of the True Realm, I remember it very clearly.
Uncle Boya also belongs to this category, ranking among the top ten mythical beasts.
Upon hearing Ling Xiao mention the ten mythical beasts, Uncle Boya's expression changed slightly, his face shifting unpredictably between light and dark, before finally managing a dry laugh.
He wanted to make excuses and came up with countless reasons in an instant, but Uncle Boya knew that since Ling Xiao had mentioned the Ten Great Beasts, he probably already knew his origins.
Even so, he still decided to give it a shot, a relieved smile on his face, as if to say, "I admit it, I'm coming clean."
"You're right, I am indeed one of the Ten Great Mythical Beasts."
Uncle Boya straightened his chest, one hand behind his back and the other on his chest, striking a rather strange pose, like a pot-bellied old nobleman, though in fact he was quite thin.
"The Ten Mythical Beasts are the most mysterious and bizarre beings in the Origin True Realm, each possessing unimaginable power."
Once they grow up and reach their peak, each of these mythical beasts is comparable to the Great Dao and on par with a Realm Lord. However, the Ten Great Beasts are simply too few.
Each appearance of these creatures causes a sensation because they possess incredible power, which attracts the covetous eyes of many unscrupulous individuals...
At this point, Uncle Boya paused for a moment, "Of course, I wasn't talking about you."
"Have you finished talking nonsense?"
Ling Xiao laughed. This guy even started telling him a story, looking quite serious and earnest. If Ling Xiao didn't know his character well, he would have listened attentively.
Unfortunately, this guy's trust in him was nonexistent; how could a torn wound heal easily?
"It's over, it's over, I have to confess." Uncle Boya's expression turned serious, and even his gaze became unusually earnest.
"Just as you said, I am indeed one of the ten great mythical beasts."
"That's right, I am one of the Ten Great Beasts... the Origin-Devouring Beast!"
Uncle Boya paused for a moment, gritted his teeth, and then, as if in resignation, spoke in a heavy voice about his origins.
After he finished speaking, he breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had just released a secret that had been buried in his heart for countless years and felt a sense of relief afterwards.
"Are you Origin-Devouring Beast?" Ling Xiao was taken aback, his expression turning strange as he looked him up and down.
His enigmatic, half-smiling gaze made Uncle Boya Ya feel uneasy.
"Yes! I am the Origin-Devouring Beast, is there a problem? You may not know, but the Origin-Devouring Beast is the most monstrous of the Ten Great Beasts. Once it grows up, it can even devour the Great Dao."
Uncle Boya explained with feigned composure, revealing not a single flaw.
"I know," Ling Xiao nodded gently and said with a smile.
"You know?" Uncle Boya asked, looking surprised.
"Yes! Because I have one too."
"???"
Uncle Boya was stunned, his mind filled with questions. "Are you kidding me? This thing just appears out of nowhere?"
"Uncle Boya, it seems you're still not being honest. In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless."
Ling Xiao's eyes turned cold, and an invisible killing intent emanated from him.
"Wait, wait, I haven't finished speaking yet."
Seeing that something was wrong, Uncle Boya immediately transformed himself, turning into a giant rat as fat as a sow in a flash of light.
"I am the Treasure Mouse, the good brother of the Origin-Devouring Beast. This is my true form."
This time it's for real, without the slightest falsehood.
The Big Rat shrugged and said dejectedly, "Although I am a rat, my every move and expression is very human-like."
It's like a person wearing a leather suit, with waves of fat rolling around, like a surging tide.
Ling Xiao stared at the unusually large rat in front of him, speechless.
You say your original body is already so large, why do you insist on becoming so thin?
This thing is huge, like an old sow, or a standing kangaroo, except this kangaroo is very well-nourished.
Gathering his thoughts, Ling Xiao chuckled helplessly.
"The Treasure Mouse, also known as the Treasure-Seeking Rat, is a mythical beast that is said to know any strange things in the world, sense all opportunities, and seek good fortune while avoiding misfortune."
As the saying goes, owning a treasure-hunting mouse is like owning the richest treasure trove in the world.
"However, you're a little different from what I imagined."
The Big Rat shuddered, raised its head, and retorted with dissatisfaction, "What you're saying! You can't judge a book by its cover. Countless powerful beings would love to treat me like an ancestor and would be more than willing to do anything for me."
"What's the use of good looks? It's superficial!"
"Treat you like an ancestor?" Ling Xiao laughed. "Among the ten mythical beasts, you are the weakest in combat. I think it's more like using you as a tool."
Ling Xiao looked at him with disdain.
"If it's really as lucrative as you say, why are you hiding your true self and afraid to show your face?"
Because of the special nature of the Treasure Mouse, many powerful individuals flock to it. Below the level of Realm Lord, no powerful individual or major force can ignore the Treasure Mouse's influence.
Obtaining a Treasure Mouse is equivalent to possessing the most precious treasure in the world.
In the introduction to the Ten Mythical Beasts, Ling Xiao had read an example: a Treasure Mouse was once captured and imprisoned by a powerful figure, forced to search for treasures for him. If it couldn't find any, it would be severely beaten, suffering the most terrifying torture in the world.
Finally, it is said that the Treasure Mouse was tortured to the point of exhaustion, and on the verge of death, the powerful figure attempted to use a secret method to seize the Heavenly Treasure Mouse 'Treasure Mouse original inheritance and master its inherited abilities.
Therefore, although the Treasure Mouse is one of the Ten Great Mythical Beasts, it lacks combat ability but possesses a great treasure.
A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.
Therefore, the fate of the Treasure Mouse is often tragic.
This is probably why Uncle Boya was afraid of others knowing his true nature.
Ling Xiao used the Heaven's Punishment Divine Eye to discern the general origins of Uncle Boya and made some guesses.
In his view, unless it was a realm lord or some extremely powerful ancient relic, it would be no easy task for others to discover Uncle Boya's background.
Uncle Boya laughed awkwardly and said sheepishly, "You can't say that. I'm just fed up with helping people find treasure and want to go it alone!"
"I understand, I just want to start my own business."
Ling Xiao laughed and said something that made Uncle Boya somewhat bewildered.
Uncle Boya chuckled dryly, "Brother Ling Xiao, we are the same kind of people. Don't make things difficult for me, and don't reveal my background. Let me go."
When I find the treasure, how about we split the profits 30/70?
Hearing this, Ling Xiao frowned.
"How come it's only 70%?"