Unedited chapter
32. Having Cultivated into a Human
Surrounded by everyone in the middle of the square, the crown prince, after a little bit of rest, would endure one lightning strike after another. Justin watched this scene, his body trembling and the corner of his eye twitching unconsciously.
All the scales were gone from getting struck by such powerful lightning. Only thinking about it already hurt . . . . The crown prince was indeed amazing!
Were we going to inform the Imperial family about the crown prince now? Justin thought about it but still gave up in the end.
If the emperor and the Imperial consort knew that His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince was getting struck by lightning here, their mood would definitely not be anywhere near good . . . . He had better wait for His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince to be all right before notifying them . . . .
Thinking so, Justin was even more concerned about the situation right now.
Jones knew that Justin would definitely not speak out about the matter here. As for the next time . . . the moment Justin found out that Edgar had become a fallen beast, Jones would threaten him. With this man’s courage, he would certainly choose to keep the secret . . . .
The crown prince had become a fallen beast and was struck by lightning on Gass planet. Justin definitely wouldn’t want to let people on other planets know about this kind of news.
Standing together with Justin, Jones continued to watch both Edgar and Shu Shu.
As Shu Shu had expected, this time his disciple indeed met the most difficult heavenly tribulation. According to legend, it was the four-times-nine heavenly tribulation, which amounted to thirty-six lightnings.
The first eighteen lightnings of the four-times-nine heavenly tribulation struck quickly and almost ended Edgar’s life. The eighteen afterwards, however, took their time one after another. Although each of them was getting more and more powerful, but since Edgar and Shu Shu had a good rest, they still relied on today’s tribulation to refine their bodies. They actually felt that it was easier than before.
Of course, they also dragged it on for quite a long time. When the lightning struck for the thirtieth time, those people encircling them had already started eating the next day's breakfast.
The scales on the huge snake’s body had been struck off by lightning several times, and the scales that came off were scattered all around Shu Shu and Edgar. In fact, the scales that came off first had already been struck by lightnings and become black ashes.
At present, the scales on the huge snake’s body had completely turned golden. Its four clawed feet also looked sturdy and powerful. The area on its head that had been struck by lightning repeatedly had had no scales, exposing a bloody hole, but two lumps were currently growing out of the hole. It seemed that two horns were going to sprout out . . . .
The huge snake was no longer a snake now. It looked like it was turning into . . . a jiaolong?
Shu Shu stared at his own disciple, and apart from being in pain, he was rather amazed. According to the information provided by the red bead, a snake that grew four feet was indeed a jiaolong. When a jiaolong levitated heavenwards, it might become a dragon.
Of course, not all snakes could become jiaolong. Generally, they needed to have the corresponding bloodline. It was because of the dragon blood retained within the body that, under the heavenly tribulation, a snake was able to transform into a jiaolong . . . . His disciple’s original bloodline was very good; it was a descendant of the mythical animal. No wonder it could develop intelligence and managed to cultivate so fast!
Although Shu Shu was afraid of snake and recoiled from its scales, but the golden-bright and dazzling scales in front of him made him like them a little . . . . He even wanted to reach out and touch and stroke them. Meanwhile, the thundercloud in the sky once again condensed.
This time, after the thundercloud condensed, the lightning inside was slow to fall, but at the same time, it also brought an unprecedentedly big pressure.
It went without saying that the people around who were watching the scene couldn’t approach at all. After the thundercloud gathered up, they even started to unconsciously draw back. Retreating and retreating, Justin, the fat governor, had even dropped the meat patty held on his hand because of this urgent retreat.
"This is really the last one." Shu Shu said. After getting struck by lightning for thirty-five times, every inch of flesh on his body was charred, and the pain was overwhelming. At long last, everything would be over now . . . .
Shu Shu had cried before, but at this final moment, he, on the contrary, did not cry. Taking a deep breath, he began to cultivate again. Edgar, however, raised his head and looked up at the sky.
This time, the lightning would be stronger and bigger than any of the previous ones. It was going to be rough. It even made Edgar have a gut feeling that this lightning strike would leave him with torn body and crushed bones, but he still didn’t shrink back. Instead, he faced the lightning head-on, uncoiling and rushing over. At the same time, he used his body to protect the little sub-beastman well.
This lightning was indeed very, very strong, and Edgar simply couldn't do anything to defeat it. Actually, having been struck down by lightning, he was already helpless, not to mention the little sub-beastman. Although he had protected the little sub-beastman thoroughly, but the little guy was still affected and somewhat suffered. Shu Shu now was already black; his flesh was lacerated, and he had completely lost consciousness.
Must not let anything happen to the little sub-beastman! Edgar didn't want to think about it; he just sent his spiritual power into the little sub-beastman’s body.
The heavenly thundercloud slowly dissipated, and the area struck by the thunderbolt had become a pit. A huge snake had coiled its body around a sub-beastman, and both of them had already lost consciousness.
Edgar didn't know how long it took to wake up.
The thundercloud was scattered; he was fine, and the little sub-beastman was also fine. The only difference was that he had sprouted four atavistic legs.
But even if he had become an atavism now, he was also just a beast.
Being exposed like this in the public place with numerous people, his identity could no longer be hidden. Everyone knew that the Crown Prince Edgar had become a fallen beast.
The people around him looked at him with sympathy. At the same time, the soldiers on duty were alarmed and started to guard him closely. Everyone was worried that he would be violent and injure somebody.
Jones told him that the little sub-beastman was fine, but he could not see the little sub-beastman. However, his emperor father and his Imperial consort mother had rushed over from the distant capital star to this place.
The matter of him becoming a fallen beast had been on the news. People felt sorry for him, but they all thought that he should be sent to the planet where the fallen beasts lived. He wanted to stay on Gass planet, but because he was too powerful, this request was immediately rejected.
It was at this time that he got the news about the little sub-beastman. The little sub-beastman and that lion race beastman had confirmed their relationship, and the two men was going to become partners!
When he left Gass planet and was sent to fallen beast planet, the little sub-beastman finally appeared in front him and looked at him with fear.
The little sub-beastman was so afraid that he stood far away from him, making him fully suffer a sharp pain in his heart.
"His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince . . ." The little sub-beastman looked at him cautiously and, trembling and looking like he was going to run away at any time, said: "You, don't come to find me again. I beg you . . ."
Not like this, the little sub-beastman should have not been so afraid of him. Moreover, he knew that although his little sub-beastman was afraid of him, but he did not detest him. The little sub-beastman would certainly not state that he should not find him again.
This thought suddenly flashed through Edgar’s mind, and he realized that everything he had experienced was disjointed, and the gaps were practically everywhere.
It seemed like he had entered a space similar to a virtual fantasyland?
The thought flashed through his mind, and then Edgar opened his eyes and instantly felt that something was wrong.
He seemed to be pressing against something . . . . Edgar looked down to his body and saw that the little sub-beastman was being pressed down by himself. He just thought that he might crush the little sub-beastman when he suddenly found himself shrinking.
No, he was not shrinking; he was turning into a human.
He became a man again!
What exactly was going on? ! Edgar instinctively used his spiritual power to check the little sub-beastman’s condition and found that the little sub-beastman was not in life-threatening situation. Only then did he breathed a sigh of relief. Then, looking at his own hand again, he kept staring blankly at it.
Edgar had a feeling of incredulity and immediately wondered whether he had gotten caught up in a virtual fantasyland again or not.
Compared with the previous fantasy, this fantasy was really too lovely. He was thinking that he didn't want to wake up at all . . . .
The clothes on the little sub-beastman’s body had long been destroyed by the lightning strike. Although every inch of the body was charred black, but it was also quite smooth, and Edgar was being pressed against it . . . . He couldn’t help but go down and kiss the little sub-beastman’s mouth.
Right at this moment, there was something covering his body. Edgar lifted his head just to see Jones’ shocked look.
It’s really not good to be seen stealing a kiss from the little sub-beastman, even if this was just a fantasy . . . . Edgar’s expression was a little awkward, and then he saw a fat man pushing Jones aside: “Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, how do you feel?"
"You are..." Edgar turned towards the fat man. He completely didn’t recognize this person.
"I am the governor of Gass planet, Justin. Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, are you all right?" Justin gazed at the crown prince with a smile and then glanced furtively at the incomplete view of the little sub-beastman who was being pressed down and covered by the crown prince.
Could it be that this was the sub-beastman the crown prince chose as his Imperial concubine? He seemed a little small, ah . . . .
Edgar looked around carefully and at last saw that those people who had been far around before were already near now. He abruptly realized that everything was truly not a fantasy.
As for why he could become a human now . . . . Edgar suddenly remembered what the little sub-beastman had said before.
The little sub-beastman had made him cultivate properly on more than one occasion, saying that he could become a "human" after cultivating. He had not understood the meaning of "human" at that time and had even thought that the little sub-beastman had been talking about being able to become a sub-beastman after cultivating. Consequently, he had been very confused. Now . . . it seemed that what the little sub-beastman had meant was that when he cultivated properly, he could become a beastman as well!
Edgar tried to get a feel for the spiritual power within his body and, sure enough, discovered that he once again had a beast core in his body. This beast core was a bit different from his previous one, but there was no doubt that it was indeed a beast core.
"Dr. Jones, can you give me another piece of clothing?" Edgar turned towards Jones. The clothes covering his body now were given by Jones, but only one piece of clothing clearly couldn’t cover two people.
Jones hadn't had time to move yet when Justin directly took a piece of clothing out of his space button and gave it to Edgar: "Your Imperial Highness, this is new; I haven't wear it yet."
Justin's size was much bigger than Jones’, so his clothes were also big. Edgar picked up the clothes and quickly wrapped up the little sub-beastman in his arms. Only then did he find out that his physical condition was better than ever.
He had been seriously hurt by the lightning strike, but now, to his surprise, the condition of his injuries was already fine!
Of course, now was not the time to study the condition of his own injuries . . . . Edgar smiled at Justin and said: "Many thanks."
"You’re welcome." Justin showed a big smile to Edgar. He was looking at Edgar like he was looking at a huge gold mine.
This was indeed a gold mine, ah. Although the current Imperial family’s power was not as big as that in ancient times, but neither was it small. Not to mention the existence of the special Imperial Corps, the Imperial family’s private property was even more overwhelming . . . .
“This time, because I wanted to improve my strength, I came to Gass planet and caused trouble for you." Edgar said again. He didn't intend to tell these people about the matter of him having already become a fallen beast beforehand, assuming that Jones would also help him to keep it secret.
As for Jeress and the other men . . . . He had never told them that he was a beast, had he? He had only suffered some injuries and had had no choice but to stay in beast form, that’s all.
"No trouble, no trouble, it’s no trouble at all." Justin at once replied. How could this be trouble? This was clearly a good thing, ah!
The crown prince had awakened the atavistic bloodline in his planet; his planet would surely become very famous!
Seeing that Justin had been swayed, Edgar smirked. Carrying the little sub-beastman in his arms, he walked over to the house Jones had arranged for the little sub-beastman beforehand.
Having walked a few steps, he suddenly remembered one thing—the little sub-beastman had known that he would become a human, therefore the clothes and utensils that the little sub-beastman had bought should be for his use, right?
Thinking of this, Edgar's walking pace immediately sped up, wishing he could go back already.
TL’s notes:
- 蛟 (jiāo) = jiaolong = a legendary dragon with the ability to control rain and floods
I keep it in pinyin because I want to differentiate it from (real) dragon. Read the Wikipedia entry for more info.
- I changed Cas 加斯 (jiāsī) into Gass.