Chapter 148: Lizard (Contains Dragon Extract)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 148: Lizard (Contains Dragon Extract)
I followed Baek Yeon-yeong to a new location.
We arrived in a dark basement.
To be more precise, it was a wide, cavernous space.
Seeing the round objects scattered about, which I presumed were Grain-Free Pills, it seemed to be a training area within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Given that no one else was around, it was either a private space assigned to Baek Yeon-yeong, or she had kicked everyone else out.
“Let us begin.”
Baek Yeon-yeong took out an Inner Core.
It was a core with a whitish hue.
Its appearance was slightly different from the one I had seen before.
[Odusa’s Inner Core]
It wasn't just the appearance that had changed.
When I saw it last, it was clearly named ‘Supreme-grade Inner Core’.
But now, its name was ‘Odusa’s Inner Core’.
It had become a named Inner Core, which was certainly better than a supreme-grade one.
Baek Yeon-yeong must have done something to it after obtaining it.
Just like how the Snake Queen had improved the Jian Bird’s Inner Core.
“Gek…”
I’m a lizard without greed, but looking at that thing made my mouth water.
“I thought it would take at least three years. To think I would be giving you this Inner Core so soon.”
When I first met Baek Yeon-yeong, I was nothing more than a tiny lizard.
I coveted that Inner Core, but I had neither the strength nor the right to claim it.
But Baek Yeon-yeong waited for me to grow, and now, I had finally earned the right to receive it.
Even for someone like her, an Inner Core of this caliber must be a rare sight.
If she sold it to someone else instead of consuming it herself, she could acquire an immense fortune.
But she was giving this precious Inner Core to me.
Normally, I should have feigned refusal a few times, but I’m a greedy lizard.
I immediately opened my mouth wide.
“I wish to give you the Human-faced Bird’s Inner Core as well, but you must understand that I cannot give it to you right away.”
“Gek!”
With most Inner Cores, I could probably just swallow them without any issue.
After all, I’d been gulping down Inner Cores since I was a gecko.
But the Human-faced Bird’s Inner Core was a bit different.
That creature once had a being called Tai Sui dwelling within its body.
Naturally, its Inner Core was likely contaminated by that power.
If I ate that, tentacles might sprout from my arm instead of a hand.
Besides, even for me, consuming two named Inner Cores at the same time was a bit much.
Before giving me the core, Baek Yeon-yeong offered a few explanations.
“This is a special Inner Core. Are you aware?”
“Gek gek.”
My Wild Instincts told me, so I have a rough idea.
“A being that was once an Imugi transformed into an Odusa.”
An Imugi.
The creature’s true identity was an incredibly massive Titanoboa.
It was several times larger than any that had actually existed, a beast truly worthy of the name Imugi.
And what is an Imugi?
A serpent that has undergone immense cultivation is called an Imugi.
If it continues its training and creates a Dragon Pearl, it can ascend to become a dragon.
Therefore, in a way, an Imugi could also be called a type of dragon.
…If I said that in front of a real dragon, I’d probably be fried by lightning on the spot, but it should still have about 2% dragon content.
The Imugi I saw back then had given up the path of the dragon and ended up becoming a five-headed snake.
Since Baek Yeon-yeong was stronger than it had anticipated, it must have evolved on the spot to survive, just as the Human-faced Bird had done.
The Human-faced Bird, the Odusa, and the Snake Queen.
These three have one thing in common.
All of them aspire to become dragons.
In fact, the Snake Queen’s species, the Basilisk, was explicitly described as a type of dragon.
【Basilisk】
A mythical giant serpent, also known as a type of dragon.
Its left eye holds the power of deadly poison, and its right eye holds the power of petrification.
It is an apex predator with the potential for infinite growth.
Of course, it wouldn't be a complete dragon.
Maybe about 10% dragon content?
The Odusa was several levels below the Snake Queen, so I’d say it was about 3%.
“The Odusa is a transformed Imugi. To put it favorably, one could call it a lower-rank dragon.”
If I ate the Inner Core of such a creature, I would become one step closer to being a dragon.
I may be a lizard, but I already possessed some draconic elements.
My scales, my blood.
Even my teeth could be considered dragon-like in a way.
Of course, I didn't think I would immediately become a dragon just by eating it.
Even the Human-faced Bird, which wielded such immense power, failed to become a dragon.
The dragon it sought to become must be a being many times more powerful.
Still, it would be a leap from ‘Lizard (Dragon Scent Added)’ to ‘Lizard (Contains Dragon Extract)’.
I might even evolve into a species similar to the Queen’s.
Something like a Giant Green Basilisk?
“Since it’s a lower-rank dragon, eating this won’t turn you into a dragon right away. But it’s better than not eating it.”
I snapped my jaws in the air.
A signal to put it in quickly.
“It should be quite compatible with you.”
Baek Yeon-yeong placed the Inner Core in my mouth.
Chomp.
Gulp.
I swallowed the Inner Core in an instant.
“Assume the lotus position.”
An Inner Core of this level isn't something you can just eat and be done with.
You have to perform Qi Cultivation to control its energy.
My body was already teeming with the power of numerous elixirs, so it was about time I sorted things out.
“This mistress will assist your Qi circulation, so relax your body appropriately.”
Being disturbed during Qi Cultivation can lead to severe internal injuries.
But it seemed a master of Baek Yeon-yeong’s level could ignore such things.
…She can ignore it, right?
I should trust Baek Yeon-yeong.
Didn’t she lift me up while I was cultivating during our first meeting?
I assumed the cultivation posture, and Baek Yeon-yeong sat behind me, placing both hands on my back.
“Ge-ek…”
Even through my scales, I could feel a ticklish sensation.
“Focus.”
“Gek.”
I closed my eyes and circulated the internal energy from my dantian throughout my body.
“Feel the energy.”
Feel the energy.
She must be referring to the energy of the Inner Core I just ate.
“Among the Yin-Yang and Five Elements, what kind of energy do you feel?”
Yin-Yang and Five Elements.
Light and dark.
Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
Hwari was Fire, and the Snow Ginseng was Water.
The Inner Core I just consumed must also possess its own unique energy.
This would probably determine my next evolution.
“That energy, to your…”
Baek Yeon-yeong’s words trailed off.
Woooong.
Internal energy flowed from her hands.
My master’s energy felt like it was searching every nook and cranny of my body.
After a long time of being thoroughly scanned, she spoke in a tone of disbelief.
“…Huiya, what in the world have you done?”
Huh?
\*
I had consumed a precious Inner Core.
A named one, at that. But there was no effect.
I couldn't feel any of the energies of the Yin-Yang and Five Elements that my master had mentioned.
If I didn't have my Wild Instincts, I might have suspected she was trying to trick me with a regular dango, but I had confirmed with my own eyes that it was Odusa’s Inner Core.
And my master wasn't someone who would deceive me with something like this.
Baek Yeon-yeong slipped her hands under my now-larger armpits and lifted me up.
“Open your mouth.”
“Ge-ek…”
That’s a very rude thing to say.
It feels like I’m showing you my insides.
…Well, I guess that’s exactly what’s happening.
I opened my mouth as Baek Yeon-yeong requested.
She stuck her head into my mouth and looked around.
I wondered what her reaction would be if I closed my mouth, then remembered who I was dealing with.
If it were Tang Soyeong, she would have shrieked something like, “It’s wet! It’s dark!” like a certain long-lived species, but there was no way Baek Yeon-yeong would do that.
No, before that could even happen, the moment I closed my mouth, my teeth would probably shatter.
“Gek…”
I swallowed hard and kept my mouth open.
“I simply cannot understand. For the Inner Core’s energy to vanish in an instant. Hmmm…”
The Inner Core’s energy vanished!
What in the world was going on?
Did it go down my windpipe instead of my esophagus?
“It was clearly digested, so why can’t I feel its energy?”
Baek Yeon-yeong was deep in thought.
It’s fine for her to ponder.
I was also curious about where that Inner Core went.
But could you please do it outside of my mouth?
After what felt like an eternity, just as my jaw was about to dislocate, Baek Yeon-yeong pulled her head out.
“Huiya.”
“Gek gek.”
I put on a sad lizard expression.
To think I’d wasted the Inner Core my master gave me.
It didn't seem like it was my fault, but I had to look as pitiful as possible.
Maybe then my master would coo over me and toss me another one.
“This is merely my conjecture, so do not be certain.”
Baek Yeon-yeong wore a look of intrigue.
“The reason you cannot feel the Odusa’s energy is likely because you have absorbed all of it.”
“Gek gek?”
What does that mean?
If I absorbed it, shouldn’t I be able to feel its energy in my dantian?
Like with Hwari and the Snow Ginseng.
“It seems you have converted all of the Odusa’s energy into potential.”
Converted it into potential?
“Normally, at most, about thirty percent of the energy would disappear like that. For it to vanish without a trace like this…”
Let me summarize Baek Yeon-yeong’s words.
Normally, after eating the Odusa’s Inner Core, I would have to make its power my own.
That’s what happened with Hwari and the Snow Ginseng.
By controlling their powers, I became able to handle a bit of fire and cold energy.
But now, the Odusa’s energy had completely disappeared.
It hadn't escaped somewhere; I had absorbed all of it.
Into where?
Into my so-called potential.
“This is not bad. There may be no immediate changes, but it will be far better in the long run. Besides, are you not on the verge of a Metamorphosis/Body Reformation?”
After the battle with the Human-faced Bird, I hadn't been able to evolve.
I hadn't filled up my level gauge.
And in that state, my potential had increased yet again.
In other words, I was now in a situation where I could see my next evolution with just a small level increase, and the choices would be significantly better.
“Ge-ek…”
Am I going to become a real dragon at this rate?
Like a Black Dragon or something.
“Huiya. Do you remember what I said about the Dragon Gate in the 100,000 Great Mountains?”
The Dragon Gate.
A place Baek Yeon-yeong had told me about.
It referred to four peaks, and she had said that a spirit beast had actually evolved into a dragon at one of them.
“If you, in your current state, can overcome the trial of the Dragon Gate… even I cannot fathom what kind of being you will become.”
Countless real battles.
An incredible amount of elixirs and Inner Cores consumed.
Potential boosted by the Grand Shift of Heaven and Earth.
And not stopping there, I had converted the entirety of Odusa’s Inner Core into potential.
If I were to accomplish the trial of the Dragon Gate on top of all that?
“Gek-gek-gek-ge-gek!”
Master.
Please keep this a secret from that nameless Cult Leader.
He’ll probably ask me to become the divine beast of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
I could see a rosy future.
The Snake Queen will fall for me, Swish-Swish will fall for me, Chirpy will fall for me, Tus and Pus will fall for me, Nephila Jurassica will fall for me…
Why is it only about them falling for me?
“Are you that pleased?”
“Gek!”
I felt like I could run to that place called the Dragon Gate right this instant.
“I must change my plans and send you there sooner.”
As expected of my master.
“Now, then.”
She knows how to strike while the iron is hot.
“Get into position.”
…Huh?
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ge-ek…?”
Come to think of it, this place…
It’s deep underground.
There’s no one around.
It’s incredibly spacious.
It feels like no one would hear me even if I screamed.
…And there’s a huge pile of Grain-Free Pills.
“Let us see just how much stronger you’ve become.”
Baek Yeon-yeong rolled up her sleeves.
I finally understood.
The feeling that Gaechalgoatal must have felt.
“Ge-ge-ge-ge-gek!”
Help me!