*Ding! The Zheng has accepted the Spirit Beast Contract.
*Ding! Congratulations on forming a contract with a 10-circle Spirit Beast. You received 100,000 credits as a reward.
*Ding! It is an emperor-grade beast. You received 50,000 credits as a reward.
*Ding! You completed the hidden quest, Inheritance of Lan Gengxin. Missile Defense System (Upgradable) was sent to the inventory.
*Ding! You unlocked the X-1 missile. Check out the gallery for details.
*Ding! Lan Ju is detected as a Demigod realm beast. Please upgrade the system to level-6 to place it in the familiars' inventory.
*Ding! Do you wish to erase the memory of Lan Ju and raise its loyalty to 50% for 1 billion credits? Note: If you accept the deal, 5 billion gold coins will be added to the debt.
While keeping his cool on the surface, Mark was celebrating in his head because of how easily he managed to form a contract with the super-powerful Zheng. However, the last notification from the system disturbed his mood.
Upon reading the system's offer, which is nothing but an attempt to trap him in bottomless debt, Mark couldn't help but scoff at it, "Do you take me for a fool? Even if I looted the entire Vermillion Bird Continent, I wouldn't probably be able to gather such an amount. Just the 1% monthly interest itself will amount to 50 million gold coins."
*Ding! You can clear the debt once you start making Celestial/God-grade weapons. You can always purchase relevant ether powder from the system.
"And who should I sell it to?" Mark countered back. He knew that no one is rich enough to buy those ultra-powerful weapons.
It was then the system reminded him of some pretty important.
*Ding! There are thousands of worlds in the universe. You could always find customers who can either pay with gold coins or with equivalent treasures.
"Hmm, that's right…"
Mark would be lying if he says that he wasn't tempted to take the offer. However, his rationality stopped him from making this deal with the devil kind of thing. "No, even after you wipe out its memories, there's no guarantee that the beast would listen to my orders unconditionally. Look at Baltrow… I managed to raise its loyalty to 56%, but I would have to keep my politeness while requesting something, or else, it will refuse to listen to me.
If you can somehow make this beast emperor have an unconditional loyalty to me, then, I might think about it."
If he had a Demigod realm beast emperor at his disposal, then, he would easily have the world at his feet. Atleast, that's what Mark believed.
Unfortunately, the system had a bad piece of news, waiting for him.
*Ding! Please upgrade the system to maximum (rank-10) to unlock such a mechanism.
Before Mark even saw a glimmer of hope, it was crushed by the system's reply. Then, what else he can do? Simple…
*Ding! The system's offer was denied.
"Sigh… it's really a pity… Anyway, let's see this MDS (missile defense system) and what upgradable means. After all, I can improve the grade of any weapon as long as I have enough upgrade stones."
Missile defense system – I (upgradable)
Grade: Copper (max: God)
Weapon type: Mounted
Missile type: X-1
Launchers: 1
Number of missiles per launcher: 5
Missile length: 3 meters
Missile weight: 50 kg
Warhead type: Fragmentation
Max. range of fire: 1 km
Max. speed of missile: mach 1.5
Description: A missile defense system that can be used as an offense or defense, according to the situation. Moving at supersonic speed, X-1 could potentially obliterate all targets below 5-circle in a blink of an eye.
Skills: None
Upgrade >>> 1000 credits.
"Okay, this one is damn good. Upgrading through credits is the best possible gift that the system can give me. I wonder how powerful this one becomes once it reaches god grade. Of course, the upgrading costs will bleed me but it is worth the risk. No wonder the system gave this reward for taming the beast emperor. Maybe, I wouldn't need its power in the future, after all. I will be able to…"
As Mark was deeply thinking of all the possibilities he could achieve with the newly acquired missile defense system, Lan Ju, who was patiently waiting for a while, cleared his throat and brought him back to reality. "Lu Zhen, how long do you plan on standing there in a daze? Come and pay respects to your grandfather."
"Ah, Yes, I'm sorry…" Mark closed the window and walked forward, following the middle-aged-looking fellow to the graveyard where dozens of burial mounds are located without any names.
Still, the beast emperor remembered every name. Upon entering the graveyard, he was actually pointing out every burial mound and telling about them. Mark patiently listened to his story until they reached a burial mound in the center.
Upon reaching the spot, a trace of sadness appeared on Lan Ju's face as he said, "This is where your grandmother and grandfather were buried together. Madam Xian loved my master very dearly. She was nothing but a mere 3-circle Spirit Warrior. But, she possessed a special ability to control the minds of ordinary and fierce grade beasts without forming any contract. In rare instances, she was able to control even a beast king of Exalt realm (7-circle), although it is only for a few moments.
Three decades ago, when a dungeon break occurred in these mountains, many disciples fled in fear, and many elders sent their families away from the danger, and even that traitorous bastard Lan Jing ran away like a coward but she fought alongside her husband despite his objection.
To give her husband those two to three seconds of time, she even attempted to take over the mind of the dungeon overlord, Qilin, a fearsome monster of undying lands, sigh…"
Lan Ju paused for a moment and let out a deep sigh. Mark looked at him curiously and asked, "Did she fail?"
"If that is the case, then, she is a fool," thought Mark. While the story might be touching for some people, for Mark, it was like a teacher explaining to him a chapter from a history textbook. He doesn't even have any feelings for the Lan Sect either. The revival of the sect was just a means for him to gain strength and manpower. That's all.
However, Lan Ju was different. This place holds so many memories for him. He practically grew up here. He witnessed the sect flourish under his master and he also witnessed its destruction.
Forcing out a smile on his face, Lan Ju then proudly said, "Madam Xian managed to stop Qilin for eight whole seconds. Those mere 8 seconds helped my master to finish his ultimate technique and save mankind.
This world owes my master and madam Xian. Had my master failed to kill the beast, the entire continent would have been destroyed by its onslaught."
Mark was taken aback by his words. He felt like this beast emperor is glorifying Lan Gengxin too much. After all, there are several Supreme beings hidden across the continent. Judging by how no one is aware that Song Tai is in the Supreme realm, he won't be surprised if there are a few more of them in the Phoenix Empire.
As they had already formed a contract and Lan Ju wouldn't harm him as a result, Mark spoke his mind freely, displaying his doubt while choosing his words a bit carefully, "Is Qilin that powerful? I heard that it was a rank-9 dungeon break."
"Don't lump us with you humans. The two humans in the same realm might possess similar strength even if their ether quality varies but the bloodlines affect our strength a lot more than you expect," replied Lan Ju as he shook his head in response.
He then explained further, "While the Qilin, back then, was a 9-circle beast, it was still an ancient grade beast, a level higher than us. Even in my current peak strength, I could barely contest against that Qilin. It's actually amazing that an intermediate stage Demigod (mid-10-circle) like my master managed to slay the Qilin Prince."
At once, Mark felt like his heart skipped a beat upon learning that his grandfather is actually a Demigod. No one told him that. Perhaps, the common people might also have been unaware of it. Or it might just be Lu Zhen who doesn't possess such knowledge.
But then again, Lan Gengxin was already dead, and the Qilin was dead, long ago. There's no use thinking about how strong they were, anyway.
Putting away his thoughts, Mark kowtowed before the burial mound and paid his respects to the dead. After rising to his feet, he then looked at the beast emperor, "For now, I'm returning to the Imperial city. What will you do?"
