Chapter 199 - Breakthrough!

“Advance!”

The mission was finally completed. Lu Ran’s thoughts cleared as he saw his rewards. It was the perfect moment to break through.

“Break for me!!!”

Though breaking through in cultivation wasn’t entirely up to Lu Ran, he still muttered under his breath for effect as if to show that his breakthrough was purely the result of his hard work.

At the same time, as Lu Ran advanced, the bottlenecks of Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King were also unlocked. Both familiars raised their heads abruptly, powerful energy surging from their bodies. Their levels began to increase rapidly, one after another.

***

In a place like the City of Death, even the heavens seemed unwilling to shine sunlight upon it. In a nearby courtyard, Black Feather sat cross-legged, focused intently on her necromancy.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, two shocking sword intents, laced with dragon aura, suddenly erupted from the nearby courtyard. The sword intents seemed to tear through the air, reaching towards the sky. The intense aura caused the undead fox cradled in her arms to curl up slightly, like a timid fawn hearing a tiger’s roar.

“Is that a breakthrough?”

Sensing the powerful aura, Black Feather looked surprised.

Has Lu Ran and his familiars advanced?

***

Crack.

After his breakthrough, Lu Ran stretched his body. His joints and bones cracked in unison. He looked into the distance and could clearly see even the tiniest insect flying far away. Level 2, achieved!

[Species: Human]

[Level: 2]

[Beastmaster Skills: Super Beast Mimicry, Flame Spirit]

[Unique Abilities: Telepathy, Blizzard Sword Intent, Flame Dragon Sword Intent, Soul Sword Intent]

Such a formidable level 2 configuration would undoubtedly be seen as exceptional among his generation of beastmasters. A smile appeared on Lu Ran’s face.

This feeling of becoming stronger was addictive. He quickly turned his attention to Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King. By now, the surging energy around Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King had gradually stabilized.

Captain Doofus!

[Level: 27]

Sudden Death King!

[Level: Level 29]

Both familiars had fully unleashed the foundation they had accumulated during the bottleneck phase at level 20.

For Sudden Death King, its rapid growth stemmed from the Dragon-based ingredients Beastmaster University had provided, ensuring every meal was perfectly suited to its needs. Slow growth would have been impossible.

As for Captain Doofus, although its meals were slightly less luxurious, it wasn’t far behind. Moreover, Lu Ran had used 100 upgrade cards from a Legendary Secret Realm to reinforce Captain Doofus’ contract card. While in card form, its growth rate also benefited from a significant boost.

Satisfied with their advancement, Lu Ran knew the increased levels meant a significant enhancement of all their attributes. Facing a 1 versus 100 scenario now would feel far easier.

With half a month still left in the ascension realm, Lu Ran estimated Sudden Death King could likely reach level 30.

“

Awoooo!

”

Both familiars seemed elated by their newfound power. Captain Doofus glanced at Sudden Death King, seemingly eager to test its newfound strength.

“

Rawr!

”

Sudden Death King shook its head repeatedly, a look of wisdom crossing its face as it gestured toward Lu Ran.

Perhaps we should first check the mission rewards!

“Not bad at all,” Lu Ran praised.

“There’s a skeletal frame of a pig-like ferocious beast. It’s something along the lines of a Millennium Soul Bone. It can be used for soup, forging, or possession. It’s likely a Treasure-grade material for soul-based ingredients and forging. Feels like it might pair well with Captain Doofus’ fangs for forging something unique...”

“

Woof, woof, woof, woof!

”

Before Lu Ran could finish, Captain Doofus barked vehemently, strongly advocating for the bone to be used for soup.

“You’ve got a point. Making soup out of it would directly enhance Sudden Death King’s, Dark Crow’s, and your soul strength, aiding in evolution.”

Captain Doofus nodded its head excitedly in agreement.

“Even if I forge with it, as a Treasure-grade material, it'll only make a temporary one. Additionally, a pig’s bone doesn't seem suitable for you. Sooner or later, it will be replaced. It's better to use all teeth this time. Although at first, the weapon may only be of Rare-grade quality and a bit weak, it’ll have growth potential.

“The materials can be replaced at any time. The most important thing is that it's easier to forge. As for Treasure-grade forging materials, I really can't handle them right now, but Treasure-grade bone broth should be manageable. A pot of soup feels like it could last a long time..."

Captain Doofus was dumbfounded.

“

Rawr!

”

Sudden Death King chuckled heartily.

During this period, Lu Ran continued his research into Soul Cuisine. He had successfully forged a Soul-Cutting Blade using a Soul Calming Stone. However, combining Soul Sword Intent with the blade still failed to perfectly sever soul consciousness.

He realized the issue lay in two areas: his lack of proficiency in Soul Sword Intent and the insufficient power of the Soul-Cutting Blade itself.

Not only was his own crafted blade inadequate, but even the Bone Sword from the Undead Faction failed to meet his standards. Glancing at the Millennium Soul Bone, Lu Ran pondered.

Could I forge a small kitchen knife with this as an experiment? Maybe I could use 90% for soup and 10% for forging.

Lu Ran also had plans to replicate the Bone Sword of the Thousand Blades in the future, intending to use Captain Doofus' fangs as one of the materials. However, he hadn't yet decided on the other components. While the pig bone seemed like a decent candidate, it wasn’t necessarily the best option.

Before leaving the ascension realm, Lu Ran planned to borrow the Bone Sword for further study. Since the swordgrass was already in his possession, there was no urgency to finalize the design of a soul-based bone sword.

Obtaining the trait crystal had been an unexpected windfall for Lu Ran. He had always assumed that advanced necromancy, which combined physical and soul cultivation, was a beastmaster skill. But it turned out to be a specialized cultivation method designed for familiars—and now it was among his rewards from the ascension realm.

Undead Clone!

When Lu Ran first held the crystal, he was deeply conflicted. The trait was universally compatible, suitable for Captain Doofus, Sudden Death King, Dark Crow, or practically any familiar. Each stood to gain tremendous benefits.

Giving it to Captain Doofus would enable it to cultivate an undead body, perfecting its mastery of Undead Swordsmanship. Additionally, the Undead Clone trait could inhabit certain weapons, transforming its soul clone into a weapon spirit.

If given to Sudden Death King, it could develop an undead dragon clone. Dragons were naturally formidable, with unparalleled physical and soul strength. This would allow Sudden Death King to simultaneously cultivate both body and soul, achieving dual layers of absolute defense.

Meanwhile, granting it to Dark Crow would enable it to merge its soul power with curse abilities, creating a nearly unguardable Soul Curse. From a compatibility standpoint, Dark Crow's talents made this the most synergistic option.

Lu Ran fell into deep thought, analyzing the possibilities. It didn’t take long for him to decide—he would stick to his initial plan and give the trait to Dark Crow. While all his familiars could benefit from the trait, none were as perfectly suited as Dark Crow.

Captain Doofus, for example, had already fused with the Nature Manipulation trait. Soul power, which wasn’t part of natural forces, would be an awkward fit. Attributes like Wind, Lightning, Light, Water, and Space, which aligned with natural forces, complemented Captain Doofus far better.

Furthermore, Lu Ran had already prepared the universally adaptable Absolute Comprehension trait for Captain Doofus. This trait would remain compatible regardless of which powers it awakened. Given Captain Doofus' strong spiritual talent, it might naturally develop a Sword Spirit-like ability after fusing with Absolute Comprehension.

Introducing the Undead Clone trait would push Captain Doofus toward an overly specialized and unbalanced evolution. Absolute Comprehension was the better fit, and combining it with Undead Clone would be excessive and unnecessary.

Lu Ran had already charted Captain Doofus’ growth trajectory for levels 40 to 60, focusing entirely on Space-attribute abilities. One slot would be reserved for the Ethereal Flower to awaken a new Space attribute, with the other two slots also dedicated to Space abilities.

Compared to the Undead path, the Space path was clearly superior and better suited to Captain Doofus' swordsmanship. Thus, Lu Ran ruled it out.

As for Sudden Death King, the Dragon King Bloodline took priority over the Undead Clone trait. Even if the trait were considered, it would only be after its evolution at level 40.

Upon reflection, Lu Ran doubted the value of giving Sudden Death King an undead dragon clone. Its role wasn’t that of an attacker, and its talents and personality leaned more toward defense.

Besides, what were the chances of facing enough Undead-type enemies to justify it? Overwhelming power was often a better solution than intricate defenses. Creating a secondary undead dragon purely for defense seemed unnecessary.

In contrast, Dark Crow was the one most in need of the Undead Clone trait to solidify its growth path. The fusion of Spirit, Dark, and Soul power would create the ultimate curse ability, capable of targeting a being’s body, mind, and soul simultaneously, leaving no aspect untouched.

Additionally, Dark Crow was the only one of Lu Ran’s familiars without a suitable evolutionary trait. But compatibility wasn’t the only reason behind Lu Ran’s decision—there was another factor. He had just acquired a Soul Amplification skill card.

This unexpected find made Lu Ran reconsider the need for an Undead-attribute familiar. With Dark Crow gaining the Undead Clone trait, it could essentially function as an Undead familiar itself, rendering the Undead Resurrection skill card unnecessary.

The sudden appearance of the Soul Amplification skill card filled Lu Ran with excitement. Amplification-type beastmaster skills were common but highly practical, temporarily enhancing a specific attribute of a familiar at the cost of stamina.

While the effects were temporary, consistent training also brought small but permanent improvements to the familiar's corresponding attribute, though these gains were less pronounced than the temporary boosts.

Soul Amplification was an incredibly rare beastmaster skill, likely something even The Other Shore didn't possess. Unlike element-specific amplifications like Fire or Water, it was a universal skill applicable to any familiar, making it versatile and highly valuable.

“There’s no need to rely on the Undead Clone trait to train Captain Doofus or Sudden Death King in soul power. With Soul Amplification, I can directly enhance their soul power myself.

“Even Sudden Death King’s dragon soul could potentially be cultivated through this skill. And if they gain insights or new abilities, I can use Super Beast Mimicry to learn those soul techniques too.”

Mastering Soul Amplification would deepen Lu Ran’s understanding of soul power, helping him combine it with Soul Sword Intent to finally create the perfect Soul Cuisine. Compared to the highly restrictive Undead Resurrection, Soul Amplification was clearly the superior third beastmaster skill.

After a thorough analysis, Lu Ran swiftly finalized his choices for the ascension realm rewards. Without hesitation, he activated the Soul Amplification skill card.

Placing the card against his forehead, a flood of knowledge and techniques related to Soul Amplification surged into his mind.

[Beastmaster Skills: Super Beast Mimicry, Flame Spirit, Soul Amplification]

“Sudden Death King!”

With a single call, Lu Ran summoned Sudden Death King and, without warning, hurled a brick at it. The brick struck its mark, knocking Sudden Death King’s soul out of its body with a thud.

“Waka, waka!!!”

The small, lizard-like soul of Sudden Death King rolled across the ground, looking helplessly at Captain Doofus, who was barely suppressing laughter.

Before Sudden Death King could recover, Lu Ran cast a Soul Amplification spell directly onto its soul.

In an instant, Sudden Death King’s soul expanded, rapidly growing from its small form. Step by step, it approached the size and shape of its physical body—and then began to surpass it, morphing into the image of the Lightning Dragon it aspired to become!

“It’s possible!?”

Lu Ran stared in disbelief at the undead dragon-like form of Sudden Death King. Without any deep development, a mere amplification spell had already pushed its soul toward dragonification!

Shit.

He hadn’t expected that helping Sudden Death King achieve soul dragonification would hinge not on Soul Cuisine, but on the Soul Amplification skill he had just obtained. Truly, man proposes, but heaven disposes.

However, the transformation was temporary. Once the skill's effects faded, Sudden Death King’s soul reverted to its original form. Achieving permanent dragonification would require prolonged cultivation, and Soul Cuisine would still play a critical role.

Moreover, assisting with Sudden Death King’s soul dragonification came at a steep cost. After just a short session, Lu Ran felt his legs weaken—a surprising effect given his exceptional physical endurance.

“This Soul Amplification skill must be similar to Space Amplification,” Lu Ran mused.

“Both are highly stamina-intensive. The attribute being amplified clearly affects the level of stamina consumption.”

“But the greater the consumption, the greater the enhancement. During the amplification, the familiar’s comprehension may also improve slightly. This is essentially the beastmaster’s version of the Soul Cleansing Fruit! Nope, still feeling lightheaded.”

Lu Ran sensed his dwindling stamina. He suddenly felt a newfound respect for beastmasters who, with the help of supplements, routinely trained their familiars using amplification skills.

Compared to Soul Amplification, both Super Beast Mimicry and Flame Spirit consumed way less energy.

After conducting a brief experiment, Lu Ran canceled the Soul Amplification effect. The next moment, Sudden Death King, with a jubilant expression, reverted to its small lizard-like soul form. It looked up at Lu Ran with its big red eyes.

“

Waka, waka!

”

It seemed thrilled by the experience, as though the process brought it a unique kind of joy.

Beastmaster, can you last a little longer next time? Let me see where your limits truly lie!