Chapter 207 - Contract, Third Familiar

Later, Lu Ran, Gu Qingyi, and Manager Ying engaged in a lively conversation that lasted over an hour before Dr. Gu departed, seemingly satisfied.

At that moment, the Weather Sprite awoke, its energy recovering rapidly. After bidding farewell to Manager Ying, Lu Ran prepared to train the Weather Sprite outside. However, before leaving, he carefully disguised himself—after all, he was at the center of international attention.

“Drip...”

The Weather Sprite curled into a ball and nestled in Lu Ran’s pocket. It peeked curiously at the sky outside as if asking where they were heading.

“We’re going to find a crow. When we meet it, I’ll introduce you to the whole team. And finally... assess your combat strength.”

“Drip!”

As they traveled, Lu Ran became lost in thought. The Weather Sprite was as pure as a blank slate. When it was still in its egg form, he could have left it with Manager Ying or asked Dark Crow for assistance. But now, whether he entrusted it to Manager Ying or Fang Lan, Lu Ran felt uneasy—their personalities would surely influence it negatively.

With Manager Ying, its personality might veer off track; with Fang Lan, even its attributes might shift dangerously. If Fang Lan’s influence caused the Weather Sprite to evolve into a smog cloud, it would be troublesome.

Yet sometimes, Lu Ran needed to enter Limitless City and couldn’t bring the Weather Sprite along. What should he do then? Leaving it alone outside wasn’t an option.

“Should I form a contract with the Weather Sprite first—making it my fourth familiar—and then contract Dark Crow later?”

“Forget it. Let’s contract Dark Crow first. As for this little guy... Hmm! I’ll temporarily entrust it to Manager Ying. With Sudden Death King now at level 30, I can access the level 2 ascension realms at any moment. If I break through fast enough and contract the Weather Sprite soon, its time with Manager Ying won’t be long enough for it to develop any issues.”

Having resolved this, Lu Ran arrived at the Emerald Mountains, where an amusing sight greeted him. Xia Ri, using her signature Spear Intent, held a skewer filled with grilled fish while a line of snakes waited for their portion. Nearby, Dark Crow and Fire Snake maintained order as they trained a serpent army native to the Green Sea.

“My... My King?”

Perched on a branch, Dark Crow was stunned to see Lu Ran approaching. It nearly rubbed its eyes in disbelief. Once it confirmed that it was indeed Lu Ran, Dark Crow was overwhelmed with emotion.

“My King! I missed you so much! You’re finally back!”

“My King?” Hearing this, Xia Ri turned her head and spotted Lu Ran, who was approaching in a hat and mask.

“Have you mastered Spear Intent yet?” Lu Ran asked, noticing Xia Ri’s significant progress. Although she wasn’t in her fused state, her spear consistently emitted Solar Intent. Her progress surpassed Lu Ran’s expectations; she had achieved the ability to wield Spear Intent independently, without relying on a familiar.

By contrast, Lu Ran needed assistance from Super Beast Mimicry to reach a similar level. He suspected her weapon talent exceeded his own.

“Yes. You’re back,” she said, visibly relieved. “It’s about time. Since you’re here, I’ll head back to school tomorrow. Thanks for all your guidance—I’ve mastered Spear Intent!”

Xia Ri expressed her gratitude sincerely to both Lu Ran for the Precise Knife Technique and to Dark Crow. Without Dark Crow assigning her the task of grilling food for the city’s transcendent creatures, her progress wouldn’t have been as swift.

She had originally thought that within a month she would at most master the Precise Knife Technique and maintain proficiency in Intent Projection. However, through sheer workload, she had forced herself to achieve self-taught Spear Intent.

Honestly, after a month of grilling, Xia Ri was completely sick of cooking and didn’t plan to practice culinary skills again anytime soon.

“Caw!”

Dark Crow praised her efforts. “You’ve worked really hard!”

Lu Ran noted that Dark Crow had reached level 25. The resources left behind, combined with Xia Ri’s Dark Culinary Intent, had clearly benefited him.

“Thank you,” Lu Ran said with a smile. “You’ve been out of school for over a month. It’s time to return...”

“How’s your progress with the ascension realms?” Xia Ri asked.

“Hmm... haven’t you seen the news?”

Judging by her sweat-soaked state, Lu Ran guessed Xia Ri had been focused on grilling and probably hadn’t checked the news.

“Check your phone and you’ll know.”

Xia Ri looked confused.

“Fine, I’ll check later. I’m going home first,” she said.

She guessed Lu Ran was here for Dark Crow, so she headed home to shower. Soon, Xia Ri departed. On her way down the mountain, she pulled out her phone to search for news about Lu Ran’s ascension breakthrough. Moments later, she stopped mid-step, lost in thought.

***

Meanwhile, Lu Ran dismissed the Fire Snake and its dozens of followers, leaving only himself, Dark Crow, and the Weather Sprite.

“Fire Snake, you may leave first.”

The Fire Snake hissed in acknowledgment, leading the serpents away. Soon, only the three of them remained.

Lu Ran retrieved a contract card and locked eyes with Dark Crow. The sight of the card made Dark Crow tremble with excitement.

“My King! Could it be—”

“Although you haven’t fully met my expectations...” Lu Ran said, “I’ll make an exception for your dedication.”

“

Wuu, wuu, wuu...

Your Highness...”

Before Dark Crow could finish, Lu Ran flung the card directly at its head. The contract card absorbed Dark Crow in an instant, and moments later, information about Dark Crow materialized on the card.

[Species: Dark Cursed Crow]

[Attributes: Dark, Spirit]

[Species Rank: Low Champion]

[Level: 25]

[Species Talent: Dark Curse (Combines darkness and spirit energies to create a curse!)]

As Lu Ran reviewed the card and felt the mental connection forming with Dark Crow, a slight grin crossed his face.

“Drip—!”

The Weather Sprite watched with a curious, wide-eyed expression.

“Don’t worry. You’re next. Everyone, come on out!”

After contracting Dark Crow, three cards appeared around Lu Ran, glowing brightly. Captain Doofus, Sudden Death King, and Dark Crow emerged together.

“Woof!”

“Rawr!”

The two familiars greeted the newly contracted Dark Crow before turning their attention to the Weather Sprite.

“Cloud Baby, give them a surprise,” Lu Ran chuckled.

The Weather Sprite nodded as it understood Lu Ran’s words. Above Captain Doofus, a snow cloud formed and slowly released snowflakes.

“Awoo?”

Captain Doofus felt the sudden chill as his Blizzard Sword Intent activated in resonance with the falling snow. His eyes lit up in surprise.

“Rawr!”

Sudden Death King was equally intrigued.

Boom!

Suddenly, a bolt of white lightning struck Sudden Death King directly. Though the damage was negligible, his confused expression said it all.

“Huh?”

“Perfect. The Ice Cloud Form boosts Captain Doofus’ combat intelligence and Blizzard Sword Intent, while the Lightning Cloud Form strengthens Sudden Death King’s body with Heavenly Lightning Forging!”

“Drip, drip!”

the Weather Sprite cheered joyfully, even if it didn’t quite grasp Lu Ran’s plan.

“Great King! Great King! What about me? What about me?” Dark Crow eagerly chimed in, already treating the Weather Sprite like a cherished daughter. Possessing a high level of intelligence, Dark Crow had deduced that the cloud-like creature was the lifeform hatched from the egg it once guarded.

“You?”

Lu Ran fell into thought. He glanced at the Weather Sprite, which also seemed contemplative—there was no suitable Weather Blessing for Dark Crow.

In response to Dark Crow’s strong request, the Weather Sprite summoned its rain cloud and doused Dark Crow, leaving him drenched.

“Caw?” Dark Crow hovered midair, utterly baffled.

“Dark-attribute weather doesn’t seem to exist... Does overcast count? A sky filled with impenetrable dark clouds, blocking out the sun and plunging the world into darkness?” Lu Ran pondered aloud.

“That doesn’t sound practical.”

Raising his gaze to the Weather Sprite, Lu Ran noted how much effort its cultivation required compared to Captain Doofus, Sudden Death King, or Dark Crow.

“Caw.”

Dark Crow discreetly wiped his tears.

Am I just unworthy?

For a moment, it felt as though the little jacket it had so lovingly nurtured was now full of holes.

“Stop sulking. Come here, and I’ll awaken a new ability for you,” Lu Ran said, eyeing Dark Crow. Over the past month, he had consumed countless eyeballs.

“My King! I’m ready!”

“Come.”

Lu Ran smiled and tossed an Eye of the Evil God Trait Crystal to Dark Crow. Upon contact, the crystal began merging with the crow’s body, emitting a foreboding red glow.

Captain Doofus, Sudden Death King, and the Weather Sprite all focused their attention on the evolving Dark Crow.

Will it awaken a new species talent?

Lu Ran held his breath, anticipation and anxiety mingling. Though confident, he couldn’t suppress his nervousness.

Please let it awaken something powerful.

“

Ahhhhh!

”

As the trait crystal fused, Dark Crow seemed to feel excruciating pain in its eyes. It immediately shut its pitch-black pupils and covered them with its wings.

“Hold on. Control it,” Lu Ran’s voice cut through the tension, prompting Dark Crow to nod firmly.

During the process, waves of intertwining red and black energy radiated from its body, giving it a color scheme reminiscent of Sudden Death King.

“My eyes... My eyes...”

The talkative Dark Crow kept muttering during the fusion, unable to keep quiet. However, its aura grew increasingly oppressive, exuding an ominous, eerie energy.

Even Captain Doofus and the Sudden Death King furrowed their brows at the discomforting vibe. If Dark Crow weren’t their companion, they would undoubtedly despise this sinister energy. It felt even more unsettling than the aura of the Undead attribute.

However, energy that could affect Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King’s senses attested to the overwhelming strength of Dark Crow’s spiritual power.

“

Drip...

”

Even the Weather Sprite appeared frightened by Dark Crow’s presence.

“Don’t be scared. It used to carry you when you were still an egg.”

The Weather Sprite was dumbfounded.

Lu Ran chuckled, squeezing the sprite’s fluffy, cloud-like body. Its texture was incredibly soft. He couldn’t help but think that the Weather Sprite would make the perfect flying tool in the future.

Somersault Cloud! Like lying on a soft, cotton mattress.

“

Drip, drip!

”

The Weather Sprite protested, signaling for Lu Ran to stop squeezing it. At that moment, Dark Crow’s aura began to recede. Its fusion process had caused less of a commotion compared to Captain Doofus’ and Sudden Death King’s.

On the surface, the change seemed minor. But when Dark Crow removed its wings from its face and slowly opened its eyes, the surrounding atmosphere instantly shifted.

For a brief moment, Lu Ran, Captain Doofus, Sudden Death King, and the Weather Sprite found themselves plunged into absolute darkness.

Countless black eyes, each with a single red vertical pupil, materialized in the sky, on the ground, and all around them, staring down with malicious intent. Though the vision lasted only an instant, the oppressive pressure it brought was immense.

When the darkness lifted, the group realized Dark Crow’s original pitch-black pupils had transformed. They were now blood-red vertical pupils surrounded by a black sclera.

The transformation had not changed its form, but its eyes now radiated an entirely different aura.

“

Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw! Caw!

”

Dark Crow burst into maniacal laughter as it surveyed the world with its new eyes.

“With this power... I observe the world! And the world bows to its king!”

“Shut up.”

Lu Ran’s face darkened as he checked the updated information on the contract card.

[Name: Evil-Eyed Crow]

[Species Rank: Superior-Champion]

[Species Talents: Dark Curse, Enemy Lock (Allows the familiar to lock onto a target using the Eye of the Evil God, drastically reducing energy loss for long-range attacks and preserving significant power upon impact.)]

“This...?”

As Dark Crow continued to cackle, Lu Ran was momentarily stunned by its new talent.

Enemy Lock?

The Eye of the Evil God was originally a scouting-type trait, enabling the user to lock onto enemies across vast distances, influence their mental state, and monitor them. However, it couldn’t directly cause harm.

So, to execute precision long-distance strikes, Dark Crow would normally need to train in Projection Skills, ideally reaching the third stage of projection: Eternal Projection. This stage was where energy could be drawn from the environment to sustain attacks indefinitely.

Only with such mastery could Dark Crow hope to achieve city or nation-spanning strikes. Of course, such a level was still far beyond Dark Crow’s current capabilities.

However, the awakening of Enemy Lock was similar to granting it a low-tier version of third-stage Eternal Projection.

Lu Ran was thrilled. With this talent, Dark Crow’s long-range attacks would suffer minimal energy loss, retaining much of their power until impact. This was true long-distance combat potential.

“Dark Crow!” Lu Ran called out, his excitement evident. He already couldn’t wait to experiment on Dark Crow’s powers.

“At your service!”

“Use your Eye of the Evil God to assist one of the Green Sea subordinates currently on the battlefield. Pick a lucky one and test out your Evil Gaze Lock and long-range curse combo!

“Actually, forget it. Finding a target might take too long. Sudden Death King, you’re up. Run ten kilometers, and let’s see if Dark Crow’s attack will catch up with you!”

Sudden Death King was flabbergasted.