.

.

.

The six of them dashed through the plains, passing by a few dungeons from time to time. Yuelan couldn’t help her urge, and she wanted to go inside, but Xuan reasonably stopped her.

Of course, he was a little worried that Hanbi wouldn’t get along with the others, but despite her timid nature when she was around him, she was actually a social butterfly.

She befriended Sierra and Yuelan’s two shadows within an hour. As for Yuelan herself, it still seemed like she couldn’t get her approval.

Xuan didn’t push it. The two were grown women. If they couldn’t sort their own stuff out, then it just wasn’t meant to be.

Nonetheless, with them having already reached the edge of China a few minutes ago, they thought the journey from then on would be simple. However, Xuan, Yuelan, and Sierra had all realized something.

<Xiao Yuelan: Someone’s really following us?>

<Xiao Xuan: Looks like it. I feel Demonic Qi... Could it be the Three Evil Kings of the Nether Sea?>

Yuelan scoffed.

<Xiao Yuelan: After I started killing Spirit Grandmasters like flies, I went looking for them. I checked the place where you first ran into them, but they weren’t there. If I had to guess, they took the stairs to another world... So whoever’s following us is someone else.>

<Xiao Xuan: Stairs?>

Yuelan pinched his side.

<Xiao Yuelan: It’s a surprise for when we move onto another world. I’ll tell you then. It’s pretty interesting.>

Rolling his eyes, Xuan continued running alongside the others.

They were all fast, but the ones following them kept up pretty easily.

<Xiao Yuelan: I’m getting the feeling you should’ve probably just gone ahead and cultivated to the Spirit Master realm. The tomb I was talking about is still a day away.>

Xuan shook his head, ignoring her. If he wanted to get the most out of it, then he had to do it in a place where he would get everything he needed.

And so, with those thoughts, they sped up their pace, continuing onward.

They crossed Asia, the Middle East, and eventually, they arrived at the edge of Europe.

It had taken them exactly 18 hours, and despite that...

"Alright, I’m going to beat their ass," Yuelan announced, vanishing from sight.

A moment later, a loud crack resounded from the distance, followed by the ground shaking. Silence ensued for a few moments, and then Xuan spotted Yuelan in the distance, walking toward them.

However, she wasn’t alone. She was holding some sort of pitch-black unicorn with a purple horn. The unicorn was beat up and sobbing, but at the very least, it wasn’t dead.

When Yuelan arrived, she tossed the unicorn on the ground and crossed her arms.

"I’ve never tried horse meat, but if you don’t start talking, I’m going to eat you for breakfast," she said sternly.

"Yuelan, it’s an animal..." Xuan sighed. "Of course it can’t talk—"

"Spare me!" the unicorn pleaded. "I was just trying to find the boy with powerful Demonic Qi!"

What the fuck?

"Still think it’s a normal horse?" Yuelan whistled.

"I’m not a horse, you fool!" the unicorn spat. "I’m a spirit! And my form is a unicorn!"

"Just because a horse grew a horn doesn’t mean it’s a unicorn," Yuelan baited, causing the unicorn’s expression to turn to one of frustration.

But before it could lash out, the unicorn’s gaze landed on Xuan. In an instant, the unicorn rose to its feet and bowed to him.

"Sir, can you accept me as your spirit companion?" the unicorn asked elegantly.

Xuan raised a brow and turned to Hanbi.

Without the need to say anything, Hanbi understood exactly what he had in mind. Therefore, she closed her eyes and manifested Mei Mei.

Mei Mei was smaller than before. Clearly, keeping Hanbi alive drained whatever powers it had, but even so...

"Sup." Mei Mei waved, then turned to the unicorn. "You’re an Earth-ranked spirit, huh? You’re only a Spirit Apprentice too. Just what are you trying to pull here?"

"The name’s Anluo, and I’m not an Earth-ranked spirit. My power has been reduced because my soul was damaged. But I can cultivate it back to what it used to be, I just need someone like this boy to be my companion," the unicorn replied.

"So you want to be a leech," Mei Mei pointed out. "We spirits grow stronger by sharing a portion of our masters’ Qi. Every time our masters cultivate, we refine the Qi they cultivate, and in turn, we increase our own realm. But you? It sounds to me like instead of refining his Qi, you want to absorb it all for yourself."

"Huh? Preposterous!" Anluo shot back. "I wouldn’t dare do something so foolish!"

"Its heartbeat is fast and irregular. It’s lying," Sierra said quietly.

Yuelan sighed, drawing her sword. "Horse meat for breakfast it is."

"W-Wait!" Anluo recoiled, then abruptly bowed. "I lied! Please listen to me!"

"Xuan?" Yuelan turned to him. "Horse meat?"

"Stop saying that," Xuan replied with a sigh. "And hold on a second."

He approached the unicorn and crouched down.

"You said you’re not Earth-ranked. What is your real rank?"

Anluo’s face beamed with confidence. "Mythic. I am revered even in the Upper Heavens! Trust me, kid... If you trust me, then I’ll make you the most powerful Demonic cultivator in all the heavens!"

"It’s not lying this time," Sierra chimed in.

"Hmm... Is that so..." Xuan rubbed his chin in thought.

Mei Mei sighed, landing on Xuan’s shoulder. "If you’re so keen on accepting this thing, then sign a master-servant contract."

"Huh? Are you crazy!?" Anluo sprang to his feet. "Do you think I, the mighty Unicorn of Darkness, would accept such terms!?"

Xuan raised a brow. "Elaborate."

Mei Mei chuckled. "There are three forms of contracts. The most common one is the equals contract. You both get stronger by helping each other out."

"Then there’s the servant-master contract. The spirit is the one in charge, and the cultivator is basically the spirit’s slave."

"And finally... the master-servant contract. The spirit has full obedience and will never betray you. Your Qi gain would be increased, and there are many more boons... which is why you should do it."

Hearing that, Xuan fell into thought for a few moments before nodding.

"Sounds good. Let’s do it."

"Huh? I refuse!" Anluo tried to run away, but Yuelan sliced its legs.

"You came here trying to extort him, and now you’re running away?" Yuelan scoffed. "For someone so manipulative, you sure have no shame."

"Girl... Do you even realize who I am!?" Anluo shot back. "If I disappear, then—"

"Place a hand on its horn and infuse your Qi into it. Think of overpowering the spirit, and you’ll understand the rest," Mei Mei instructed.

Xuan nodded, and with a hum, he crouched down, grabbing Anluo’s horn before doing exactly what Mei Mei told him.

And to his surprise, he immediately felt a connection. However, the more he focused on that connection, the more he realized how little power this spirit actually had.

His vision soon began to fade until finally, a pop-up appeared in front of him.

However, it wasn’t exactly the pop-up he was expecting.

<Ding!>

<Spirit: Unicorn of Darkness (Mythic) is incompatible with you!>

<Forcefully absorbing the spirit!>

You’re doing what?

Before Xuan could even begin to process it, he felt a warm feeling well up in his Dantian. When that feeling, alongside the connection he had felt to the spirit, vanished, he abruptly opened his eyes.

He immediately realized that the unicorn was gone, and the only thing remaining was its horn.

Not only that, all the people surrounding him, including Mei Mei, stared at him in shock.

But they weren’t the only ones shocked.

<Ding!>

<Spirit: Unicorn of Darkness (Mythic) has been absorbed!>

[Demonic Qi - Intermediate - 2.5% → 58.2%]

<Unique Spirit’s skill has been unlocked!>

—

<Veil of the Silent Moon>

<Rank: Divine>

<Mastery Level: 1>

<Description: Significantly reduces Qi consumption during movement and combat while masking your Qi from spiritual detection. The effect strengthens under darkness.>

—

<You have obtained the Unicorn of Darkness’s Horn!>

<Horn of the Unicorn of Darkness (Mythic)>

<Description: An ingredient for a Master-level Mythic-ranked pill. Can be used to refine Qi purity, temporarily increase cultivation speed, or increase the mastery of a Qi type by one rank.>

<Special: If consumed in a pair alongside the Horn of the Unicorn of Light, the effects will be exponentially increased, rivaling even the highest-grade elixir made in the Upper Heavens.>

<Ding!>

<You have comprehended a hidden effect of the Boundless Void Physique!>

<New skill unlocked!>

—

<Spirit Devourer>

<Rank: Divine>

<Mastery Level: 1>

<Description: Forcibly absorb incompatible or defeated spirits. Each absorption refines your Dantian and may awaken traits based on the spirit’s rank and nature.>

—

A deathly silence hung in the air as he stared at all the boons he had just gotten.

But of course, the silence didn’t last very long.

"Xuan..." Yuelan placed her hands on his shoulders, an ominous smile on her face.

"I think you have some explaining to do."