Chapter 173 - The Gaze of the Evil God

“Explain in detail.”

Upon hearing Manager Ying mention a trait suitable for Dark Crow, Lu Ran couldn’t help but become intrigued.

“You probably already know the history of the Stellar Moon Continent, correct? Unlike on the Blue Planet, humanity isn’t fragmented by nation-states constantly engaging in overt and covert conflicts.

“Without a world-ending crisis, unity is impossible. However, Stellar Moon Continent is different. The human race there is relatively united because other Transcendent creatures have been developing for far longer. With danger present both within and beyond the continent, they could only band together for survival.

“Although the Beastmaster Empire has seen many emperors over the years, some with Eastern features, others with Western features, and even some of mixed heritage, it has always been regarded as the legitimate authority of humanity, and that has never changed.

“And throughout the history of the Beastmaster Empire, during the era of fending off foreign enemies and expanding territory, there was one war that stood out as the most devastating and challenging.

“The enemy came from beyond the Stellar Moon Continent—Evil Gods. The origin of this species is unknown, but their powers were bizarre. They excelled in Dark and Spirit attributes, specializing in manipulating minds and employing curses.

“In fact, even before the Beastmaster Empire had direct contact with these Evil Gods, humanity was already plagued by individuals they had bewitched.

“Among their most infamous lackeys was an organization called the Witch Council. The female beastmasters within this group were all empowered by the Evil Gods and were able to employ terrifyingly evil methods.

“Ah, speaking of which, the witch who cursed Principal Shi Zhen was one of the Witch Council’s members—a beastmaster bewitched by the Evil Gods.

“Shi Zhen and some other first-generation beastmasters entered an ascension realm for a mission related to the Evil Gods... Although they successfully completed the mission, Shi Zhen was cursed by the Witch Council and became a target of their resentment as they exited the realm.”

“What!?”

Lu Ran was so stunned.

So, that’s what happened.

“The trait you mentioned—the one suitable for Dark Crow, could it be in Principal Shi Zhen’s possession?”

“Exactly. When Shi Zhen completed the ascension mission back then, he received a high evaluation and was rewarded with a Rare trait called Eye of the Evil God. It’s said to be a crystallization of the ocular power of a hawk-like Evil God.

“However, if you’re hoping for Dark Crow to gain overwhelming strength through this trait, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. While it does have some power-amplifying abilities, it is primarily a support-type trait.

“Familiars fused with the Eye of the Evil God will receive additional amplifications to Dark- and Spirit-attribute abilities. Moreover, they will gain the Spatial Eye ability, allowing them to form the Eye of the Evil God and gaze across distances ranging from hundreds of meters to thousands, or even tens of thousands of meters, spanning entire cities.

“Anyone subjected to the Eye of the Evil God’s Gaze will be marked by the Evil God. Their presence will be etched into the Evil God’s memory. No matter where they flee, they will be found, forever living under the Evil God’s gaze.

“This makes it an exceptionally high-level scouting-type trait! At the time, many powerful figures in the Beastmaster Empire nearly lost their minds from being constantly watched. The Evil God’s Gaze could even mark targets across multiple provinces.

“I was thinking, given how elusive your Dark Crow’s curse abilities are, pairing them with the Eye of the Evil God’s scouting capabilities might allow you to curse enemies with pinpoint precision from thousands of miles away!”

“You’ve been training it in projection skills, haven’t you? With this trait, it’s like adding an ultra-long-range, precision targeting system.”

“Holy shit, that’s amazing.” Lu Ran’s eyes lit up.

“This trait is incredible. I already have damage dealers and tanks on my team, but I lack a scout. This really seems perfect for Dark Crow. Wait, if this trait is so powerful, why didn’t Principal Shi Zhen use it himself?”

Manager Ying whistled. “He would need a familiar with both Dark and Spirit attributes, and none of the first-generation beastmasters had familiars that possessed both.

“Of course, that wasn’t the main issue. After all, you could always cultivate a new familiar if needed. A trait like this could undoubtedly offer immense benefits for exploring ascension realms.

“The biggest reason is that fusing with the Eye of the Evil God has side effects. Using the Evil God’s Gaze over ultra-long distances damages the user’s eyes the further they gaze!

“A level 20 familiar might be able to gaze from Green Sea City to Golden Hill, but it would undoubtedly go blind. While the scouting effect is unparalleled, the side effects are also severe.

“The Trait Crystal’s description even includes a special warning: Prolonged reliance on the Eye of the Evil God will cause irreversible eye damage.

“Most beastmasters prefer abilities without such drawbacks. Sacrificing one’s sight for scouting seems excessive. Besides, there are other scouting-type traits available.”

“Moreover, abilities like the Eye of the Evil God are prone to disdain in the Stellar Moon Continent where locals may mistake the user for a servant of the Evil Gods, leading to potential conflicts. So, nurturing such a familiar is quite troublesome. Do you understand?”

“No wonder,” Lu Ran murmured, now fully understanding.

“So, despite being a Rare trait that combines Spirit, Dark, and Space attributes, it’s still lying dormant in Principal Shi Zhen’s hands...

“I want it.”

As Manager Ying finished speaking, Lu Ran made his decision without hesitation.

Eye damage? So what? One of my familiars gets broken fangs, and one gets shattered scales, so why not add a blind eye to the mix? The Divine Deer Pendant is perfect for your recovery needs!

Letting Dark Crow evolve into an Evil God Crow sounded fantastic to Lu Ran. As long as the power was strong enough, no side effect was unacceptable.

“Huh? You’ve decided so quickly? I thought you’d hesitate for a while!”

Manager Ying was surprised.

“But there’s still one issue,” Ying added.

“What issue?” Lu Ran asked, puzzled.

“Shi Zhen is practically retired. What use would he have for your Stone Dragon Egg?”

Lu Ran went silent.

So, after all this, no one wants the Stone Dragon Egg, huh? What kind of destiny would suit this egg, after all the hardships it’s endured...

“Oh! Got it.”

After a brief pause, Manager Ying said, “I’ll tell Shi Zhen that your crow has mastered curse abilities and is now planning to study the Evil God’s powers through the Eye of the Evil God.

“Perhaps, in the future, you might find a way to lift his curse! This way, he’ll see it as an investment in his own happiness and will be willing to part with the Eye of the Evil God. How’s that for persuasion?”

“Brilliant!” Lu Ran gave a thumbs-up.

“If that’s the case, then we’ll trade the Stone Dragon Egg for other resources. But, if Shi Zhen decides to keep the Eye of the Evil God for his own research, there’s nothing I can do,” Manager Ying warned.

“By the way, what’s the real value of the Stone Dragon Egg? Is there truly a high probability of it mutating into a Diamond Dragon? If we’re dealing with our own people, we can’t scam them.”

As an experienced information dealer, Manager Ying valued their reputation and made a point to question Lu Ran. After all, they were talking about a Diamond Dragon, the legendary familiar of a famous beastmaster with immense evolution potential!

“

Cough.

”

Seeing Manager Ying press for details, Lu Ran admitted, “The mutation probability isn’t as high as I hyped earlier. In most cases, even after being bathed in Dragon Blood, it will remain a Common Stone Dragon.

“Even if you’re lucky enough for it to mutate into a Diamond Dragon, it still won’t compare to the one in the secret realm. The one in the secret realm carries Dragon King Bloodline, while this one, even if it mutates, will likely just be a common dragon species.

“So, replicating the legendary Ido’s ace familiar? That’s unlikely. After all, I’ve held back the critical resources needed to make it comparable to a Diamond Dragon King. I plan to save those for Sudden Death King...”

After Lu Ran finished, Manager Ying fell silent.

That’s not what you said earlier.

“Fine.”

Manager Ying understood the situation. If they traded to a beastmaster within their country, they’d stick to the truth while offering a slightly polished version of the facts to let the other party weigh the pros and cons.

But if they were selling it to other nations, like the Eagle Federation or the Cherry Blossom Nation, then this Stone Dragon Egg would instantly become the direct descendant of the Diamond Dragon King!

This is a treasure with immense potential to replicate the legendary feats of the Diamond Dragon King. You won’t regret buying it. No, you wouldn’t even dare to complain. And if the evolution failed? There’s no such thing as trash familiars, only trash beastmasters. That’s your problem. No refunds.

“Oh! Manager Ying, let me take care of the familiar egg for the upcoming freshman competition.”

“You should’ve taken it sooner!”

Manager Ying curled its lips.

This egg is really a case of new things don't come, and old things don't leave.

During Lu Ran's challenge in the Legendary Secret Realm, it had to watch over the egg. It was really about to become a nanny.

“So, you’re not planning to enter ascension realms anytime soon?”

“Yeah.” Lu Ran smiled.

Initially, Lu Ran had planned to enter the ascension realm within a month, timing his return to contract the egg after it hatched. But after spending the past month preparing for the Legendary Secret Realm, entering the ascension realm would delay the egg’s hatching.

If he wasn’t the first being the familiar saw upon hatching, the bond between them might not form properly. Regardless of the species, Lu Ran believed they’d imprint on the first creature they saw as their parent.

So, to foster a strong connection with this egg, Lu Ran decided to stay and care for it until it hatched before entering the ascension realm. The delay of one month was insignificant, and Lu Ran wasn’t in a rush.

Ever since obtaining his black card, he hadn’t had a proper rest. Over the next month, he planned to train as necessary but also focus on letting Captain Doofus, Sudden Death King, and himself rest.

He might even go traveling, perhaps visiting the Lu Village he’d always wanted to see but never had the chance to explore. If he managed to acquire the Eye of the Evil God, this month would also be dedicated to intensively training Dark Crow.

If the newly hatched familiar wasn’t yet suited for combat due to its infancy, Dark Crow would likely become his third familiar. Lu Ran had to ensure that, just like Sudden Death King, Dark Crow would enter the team ready to make significant contributions right from the start.