Chapter 354 - The Path of Good and Bad, Mission Complete!

Lu Ran initially felt indifferent toward the reward format of the secret realm, and was even anticipating it. However, after spending time with the Six-Path Flower, he grew reluctant to bring back a blank-slate version of it.

Even if the reborn Six-Path Flower would obey him like an infant, Lu Ran still preferred the current version—the senior who had guided him. Thus, uncertain of whether the Six-Path Flower would retain its memories, Lu Ran fell into contemplation.

I could search for an item capable of replicating memories. Even if the Six-Path Flower is reborn without memories, I can still restore them later. Necromancy has techniques like soul-searching for memories, but that’s not suitable here...

Alternatively, I could wait for the secret realm’s clearance rewards. Generally, the rewards correlate with the participants’ mission and experiences. There might be a resource among them that can resolve this issue.

Having made his decision, Lu Ran felt much more relaxed. He even prayed devoutly to Limitless City, hoping for a solution. He believed such resources shouldn’t be excessively rare as the Beastmaster Empire’s treasury likely had something suitable.

Once he accumulated enough military merits, he could just ask his master for it. Then, he’d convince Six Flower to store its memories in advance.

Unfortunately, Limitless City strictly forbade revealing any details about participants’ identities or the real world. Otherwise, Lu Ran would’ve already come clean with the Six-Path Flower.

Over time, he had also figured out the Six-Path Flower’s temperament. Despite its thousand-year lifespan, its isolation which constantly evaded the world’s rules to cultivate left it no more mature than Captain Doofus. It was just a tsundere at heart. Dealing with something like it required blunt honesty. Reading between the lines was too mentally exhausting.

Now, the priority was figuring out how to convince Six Flower to join him in attacking the Four Great Beast Empires in a few days. Having lived in hiding for so long, the Six-Path Flower wouldn’t act recklessly without sufficient reason.

A faint smirk curled Lu Ran’s lips. He had long prepared for this.

“Six Flower.”

What?

“I’ve found a way to grow stronger quickly, and I need your cooperation!”

The Six-Path Flower materialized before Lu Ran, scrutinizing him with suspicion.

You idiot. After all my training, you’re still stuck at level three. How are you this incompetent? What method could possibly be more effective than my training?

Lu Ran smiled faintly.

“

Hehe...

Come with me.”

As Lu Ran stepped out of the Yan family estate for the first time in days, a servant hurriedly spoke to him. “Young Master, where are you headed? Shall we prepare a carriage?”

Lu Ran waved him off, declining the offer. The Six-Path Flower observed Lu Ran closely, curious about his intentions.

“Six Flower, monitor my energy closely.”

With that, Lu Ran strode toward the busiest street. His gaze locked onto a child happily eating candied hawthorns under a tree. A wicked impulse surged in his heart.

In the Six-Path Flower’s stunned silence, Lu Ran marched over and snatched the treat from the child’s hands.

What are you doing?

Sensing the malice radiating from Lu Ran, the Six-Path Flower was speechless.

The child burst into tears, but Lu Ran remained unmoved. Instead, he conjured a Flame Spirit in his palm and said,

Six Flower, observe my flames.

Although disgusted by Lu Ran’s actions, the Six-Path Flower focused on the Flame Spirit’s energy. To its surprise, its fluctuations resembled a type of sinfire from its hell world, imbued with the power of wickedness.

“I possess a beastmaster skill called ‘Super Beast Mimicry,’ allowing me to simulate my familiars’ abilities. Through our interactions, I’ve gradually grasped the powers of ‘Alignment Perception’ and ‘Alignment Amplification.’ By committing acts of good or evil, I can strengthen myself. The current amplification is negligible, but it proves the concept works.

“Thus, the fastest way to grow stronger is through grand acts of good or evil. Earlier, Master Yun planned to send me to the frontlines to accumulate merit by protecting civilians. But my individual efforts would barely make a dent in the empire’s struggles.

“However, with your help, it’s a different story. We’re a team now, so your deeds are mine, and vice versa. If we take down the Four Great Beast Empires, it would be an unparalleled boon for the Beastmaster Empire, a legacy of righteousness. Conversely, for the beast factions, it would be an unforgivable atrocity.

“The resulting karma, whether good or bad, would reach unimaginable heights, rapidly boosting our strength. I know you fear the rules, but with the Divine Deer’s protection, what’s there to fear? This is for freedom. So, shall we try it?”

Lu Ran’s persuasive words hung in the air, leaving the Six-Path Flower silent. It hadn’t expected Lu Ran to mimic its Alignment Perception and Alignment Amplification.

This guy... actually had such a skill?

Yet, the Six-Path Flower saw through his ploy. Lu Ran clearly wanted it as his enforcer. It suspected he’d been scheming this for a while.

Fine.

“Huh?” Lu Ran blinked, wondering if he’d misheard.

I said fine!

Seriously?

Lu Ran was stunned. He’d prepared nine different scenarios for various reactions, yet the Six-Path Flower had agreed outright.

After a millennium in hiding, it was itching for action. Previously, it had held back from fear of the Legendary beasts. But with the Divine Deer’s backing, it didn’t have to stay low-key.

As Lu Ran said, taking down the Four Great Beast Empires would yield immense karmic rewards, both good and evil. Being stuck at level 99 for so long, the Six-Path Flower saw this as its chance to breach level 100.

As for reaching Legendary rank, it held no such illusions. The world’s restrictions on plant lifeforms’ species rank were far stricter on levels.

Just as Lu Ran reveled in the Six-Path Flower’s agreement, a furious roar erupted.

“You fucking bastard!” A burly man in coarse clothing picked up the sobbing child and glared murderously at Lu Ran, who still held the stolen treat.

Lu Ran snapped back to reality, eyeing the man and child sheepishly. “Ah. Uh, misunderstanding.”

He rummaged through his storage, pulled out a stack of silver notes, enough to buy a house in Imperial Beast City. and shoved them into the man’s hands. Then he turned and fled.

Unbeknownst to Lu Ran, two figures in a teahouse had witnessed everything.

“That’s definitely Lu Ran.”

The golden-generation siblings from India—psychic twins Jiana and Jialan—had staked out the Yan family estate for days, wanting to verify if “Yan Lu” was indeed Lu Ran. Their patience paid off, but their triumph quickly turned to bewilderment.

Why is Lu Ran, a disciple of the emperor, stealing candy from a child? And threatening them with fire? With such a prestigious identity, why waste time bullying civilians?

They couldn’t comprehend it.

“Should we still try to ally with him?” Jiana asked hesitantly.

“I... can’t gauge his mental state. Better not,” Jialan said gravely.

“Our nation’s relations with Xia aren’t great. If he decides to silence us here, we’re doomed. Let’s just accept defeat. We were too hasty.”

While Lu Ran endured inhuman training, the other thirteen participants also strove for elite familiars. But for most, even an Overlord was a distant dream, let alone a Legendary.

Soon, the 21-day mission deadline arrived. Lu Ran spent the final day resting, standing calmly in the courtyard as he awaited Limitless City’s evaluation. New beastmaster skills and trait crystals were imminent.

Honestly, he wasn’t too excited about the skills. He’d already decided to learn the Tree Monarch’s legacy skill, Time Acceleration, at level four. Paired with the Six-Path Flower’s help in racking up military merits, he was confident in being able to rapidly boost Captain Doofus’ levels even past the grueling 40–50 threshold. Time Acceleration’s true value lay in efficient level progression.

“If I play my cards right, I might reach level five before the World War, with Captain Doofus hitting level 60 for its second evolution...” Lu Ran mused hopefully.

[Congratulations on completing the ascension mission!]

[Contracted familiar talent potential ranking: 1st!]

[Score: SSS]

[You have received 10,000,000 crystal coins.]

[You have received a contract card (bound)]

[You have received an Epic resource: Legacy Crystal (Can replicate a contracted lifeform’s core memories and partial ability experience, transferable to any target.)]

[You have received a beastmaster skill: Reincarnation (A Unique beastmaster skill. Upon a familiar’s death, reincarnation activates, reviving them elsewhere in the world.)]

[You have received a trait crystal: Limit Breaker (Fused familiars gain higher odds of breaking through restrictions.)]

[You have received a mysterious egg (Replicates traces of temporary contracted familiars, manifesting as a juvenile of the same species post-mission.)

[You have met the advancement criteria for a level 4 beastmaster. Would you like to advance now?]

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

“Yes.” Lu Ran’s lips curled.

As energy surged through him, the Six-Path Flower, who was deep in meditation, opened its eyes.

Finally. How was advancing to level four this hard for him?