Chapter 24 : I at least Deserve this much

"The Ancient Families ruled this world ages ago. The Vault of Asher was their treasury! Not just money artifacts, cultivation manuals, rare resources... things that entire sects would slaughter each other over!"

Silvan's gaze shifted back to the orb, now clutched protectively in YunYun's tiny claws. His interest piqued even more.

"And you just found it lying at the bottom of a pool?"

"Yes!" YunYun grinned. "And it's mine."

Silvan sighed. Of course, he would latch onto that part. "Do you even know how to use it?"

"Of course. When the Tower opens, I just have to carry it with me. It will automatically show me the path to the vault," YunYun said, circling around and holding onto it.

"The Tower, huh?" Silvan muttered.

YunYun had already told him about this. Besides the five Sub-worlds that would open, another thing would appear at that time,the Tower that magically emerged every cycle in the middle of Altera and disappeared after three months.

As it sounded, it was a place with each floor containing trials and hidden treasures. Silvan was also looking forward to it.

"Give it to me. I'll keep it safe," Silvan said.

YunYun shook his head. "No, it's mine."

"YunYun, you do realize carrying something like that around is going to paint a massive target on your back. How will you even carry that around with you all the time?"

YunYun puffed out his chest, clutching the orb tighter. "Let them come! I'll just roast anyone who tries to take it. And it's not heavy."

Silvan rubbed his face. "Look, I get it you found it, it's yours. But do you really think you're the best person to guard?"

YunYun opened his mouth to argue but paused. "...Okay, you might have a point."

"Let me hide it for now."

YunYun hesitated, then reluctantly extended the orb. Silvan grasped it. It was smaller than he expected; it had looked quite big in YunYun's hand.

Silvan opened his dungeon portal. "Go place it behind the core. The dungeon door already hides all kinds of energy traces, so it'll be safe. Also, fetch me those two scrolls."

YunYun nodded, did what he was told, and came out holding two white scrolls in his claws, handing them to Silvan.

As Silvan grasped them, two screens flashed before him.

[Void Pulse Circulation (Rank 1): Proceed to obtain the skill?

Hint: Skill assimilation will take 5 hours. During the initial process, pain will be applied as a penalty.]

[Crimson Fang Drain (Rank 1): Proceed to obtain the skill?

Hint: Skill assimilation will take 2 hours. During the initial process, pain will be applied as a penalty]

YunYun, standing to the side, widened his eyes as he watched the screens. He finally understood how this bastard got his hard earned skills just like that!

"Give me one too! I want to be strong, evolve, and get a humanoid form!" YunYun blurted out, his eyes twisting with excitement.

"Quiet down."

"Tell me what they do?" YunYun asked, having no clue what they were for.

YunYun glanced at the screens before his mind clicked. "Okay, I've encountered Dark Valley Sect disciples. The first one is their cultivation technique. And the second one..." He turned his attention to the other screen, his voice trailing off. Eyes narrowing, he coughed. "Crimson Fang Drain...?" He paused. "This is that stupid skill their outer sect disciples use to... suck juice out of fruits faster?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure this was the one. That dude used it to suck an apple dry of its nutrition instead of just eating it. They say it saves time when cultivating."

Silvan stared at the screen. "So, basically... it's useless?"

"Hey, it's more than that!" YunYun protested, flapping his wings. "Think about it fast nutrition absorption. What if you can't use your mouth all of a sudden?"

Silvan raised an eyebrow. "You're really defending this?" Truthfully, it did have some use if, by chance, he couldn't eat or something was extremely nasty. But Silvan didn't have to; for some reason, he hadn't felt hunger at all.

Silvan pushed the idea away. "It's useless."

At that moment, hidden from him, a grin appeared on YunYun's face. "Then let me have it."

"Sure, take it."

YunYun's eyes brightened. He gasped and flew away, sitting down on the sole big rock beside the broken pieces of the sword.

Silvan, meanwhile, made his choice. He decided to learn the cultivation technique since he didn't have one and needed something to absorb Qi faster. The scroll glowed before breaking into nodes of light that entered his body.

[Warning: Assimilation process will induce pain amplification. Estimated duration: 7 hours]

"Last time it was two, now seven..." Silvan took a deep breath, bracing himself. Unfortunately, it didn't work that way the stronger the will, the stronger the side effect.

His body started burning as intense pain washed over his mind and body. He collapsed, gasping for breath.

YunYun watched it all and gulped. He was still nervous, but he gritted his teeth and began the process himself.

Time passed as both simmered in pain.

YunYun gasped for breath, his body trembling as the final wave of pain subsided. He collapsed backward onto the rock, chest heaving. "Damn... that was worse than I thought..." he wheezed, eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Two hours, my ass! That felt like I was being squeezed through a meat grinder!" But the next second, a notification popped up, showing the details of the skill. His grin returned.

"It's worth it!"

[Crimson Fang Drain (Lv. 1): Alters the user's Qi, imbuing it with a corrosive attribute. When this Qi comes into contact with a target, it disrupts their energy flow, causing gradual Qi loss. Additionally, any inflicted wounds will continuously bleed, making them harder to heal during combat]

Yes, this was the real technique. He had just lied! Not that he felt a single shard of guilt. "I at least deserve it from the one who killed me!"

He glanced at Silvan, who was still writhing in pain. "His one was seven hours, right?" YunYun muttered, gulping as he imagined the agony. Having experienced it himself, he shuddered even more, considering Silvan had to endure five more hours. And going unconscious wasn't an option the process attacked both mind and body.

YunYun grew a little nervous, thinking, If this bastard dies, I'll die too.

"Stay alive, you pain-absorbing maniac..." he muttered.

Trying to distract himself, he said, "Might as well see how awesome I am now." With a thought, he opened his Profile window.

---

[Name: YunYun]

Affinity: Blazing Fire

Cultivation: First stage of Body Tempering (45/300)

Stats:

Qi: 70/70

Endurance: 20

Strength: 11

Agility: 15

Intelligence: 17

Genetic Codes:

•Abyssal Dragon bloodline [Rank 1]

Flame Breath (Lv. 1), Crimson Fang Drain (Lv. 1)

---

"I really absorbed Qi," YunYun uttered, glancing at the pool. For monsters or beasts, there weren't cultivation techniques like those humans used. Their only way to break through was to soak in a Qi-rich environment or absorb potent herbs.

His hunch had been right the brief moment he spent in the pool had already increased his breakthrough points by at least 30.

Closing the window, YunYun realized how terrifying actual monsters were. They could just break through passively. Yeah, just by staying here. After becoming a dungeon lord, he had gained 15 points in just a day and a half.

He closed his status window and focused on himself. "So this is how this strange sorcery works... it created all the veins and nodes needed for 'Crimson Fang Drain' to function."

"Perhaps if I obtain all the nodes, I'd be able to cultivate like humans too..."

Then the thought struck him—what if he had chosen the cultivation technique Silvan was merging with right now? Wouldn't I be able to cultivate like a human? The technique was literally designed for that.

YunYun sighed, a hint of regret surfacing. But after a moment, he shook his head. Crimson Fang was still worth it.

With those thoughts swirling in his mind, YunYun dove back into the pool, slowly absorbing Qi while Silvan suffered near the edge.

[To be continued...