Chapter 28: Transformation and Lightning
The two snowy foxes moved like the elves in the forest, embellishing the world. The nine-tailed fox had a pair of dark pupils that sparkled, looking like it was deep in thought while recalling something.
“Sister, please, don’t transform? Let’s stay hidden in the forest, please?” The six-tailed fox looked worried, its voice crisp and clear like a young teenage girl.
The nine-tailed fox shook her head with a determined look. “Humans and monsters are different. I’ll only be able to return the favor if I transform.”
“Even if we don’t transform, we can still secretly protect him,” the six-tailed fox said, not understanding her elder sister.
The nine-tailed fox could not help recalling the figure of that man. It said in a low voice, “You don’t understand.”
That day, the nine-tailed fox was about to die when a considerate man took care of its wound and saved its life. Although it did not understand how an ordinary man was able to cure its wounds, ever since that day, its cultivation had sped up and within a few years, managing to cultivate nine tails.
The six-tailed fox sobbed, “Sister, transformation is too scary. I don’t want to watch you die! What am I going to do after you’re gone?”
“You’re now able to protect yourself. After I’ve transformed, I’ll still need you to protect me,” the nine-tailed fox said. Its eyes narrowed slightly as its tails danced behind it. “I feel that there’ll be a chance for my transformation soon!” With that said, it jumped off the branch and flitted into the woods along with the wind.
“Sister!” the six-tailed fox cried out with tears in its eyes. It followed swiftly.
For a monster to transform, one needed at least a thousand years of cultivation along with lightning for the transformation to happen. Humans were the primates of all the animals. For monsters to transform into humans was against the law of nature, thus, lightning was a step one had to go through which was dangerous. One might be killed by a careless mistake.
Furthermore, even if the monsters were able to shield themselves from the lightning, its thousand years of cultivation would be lost and it would have to start from the beginning. Although cultivating in the form of a human would be easier and faster, one had to start from zero. If one’s enemies were to come for them, it would all be over.
Humans and monsters all loved meeting the newly-transformed monster. These kinds of monsters were at their weakest, while their monster Core would still be big. If one was hunted in this state, it would be like a fallen biscuit from the sky. Therefore, monsters who attempted to transform into humans were akin to taking one’s life as a joke. Most of the monsters would not choose to transform into humans. Instead, they preferred living in their original form or the half-human half-monster form.
“Once I’ve transformed into a human, I’ll be able to stay by his side and serve him,” the nine-tailed fox said with a determined and anticipated look.
One month passed quickly, which was especially so in this cultivating realm.
Vroom!
That day, thick clouds appeared in the sky, covering the sun without letting through any light. The entire sky turned dark. It was only noon but it felt like midnight. Sounds of thunder resounded in the sky. If one looked up, one could even see lightning slithering between the clouds like a silver snake.
“What? It’s such a weird timing to be out at this time.” Li Nianfan stood in the woods. He shook his head and smiled bitterly as he looked up at the sky.
Today, he was in the mood for a walk in the woods. He wanted to see if he could bring home some wild meat. Why did it suddenly rain out of the blue?
Pitter-patter…
Within a few minutes, pea-sized raindrops fell from the sky.
“Let’s find shelter.” Li Nianfan glanced around at his surroundings.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Blackie barked in a direction and started rushing toward it. Following behind him, Li Nianfan arrived at a cave.
“We’re lucky! This is a cave! Good job, Blackie!” Li Nianfan laughed joyously as he praised Blackie. Little did he know that right before he got here, a Monster Bear had rushed out from the cave in a panic.
Pitter-patter…
At the moment Li Nianfan entered the cave, a flash of lightning struck, landing somewhere in the woods! The dark forest glowed for a split second, followed by heavier rain. Li Nianfan stood at the entrance of the cave and looked out.
Vroom!
Another strike of lightning. This time, it was more powerful than the previous one, like a silver pillar falling from the sky to the ground.
Terrifying!
Li Nianfan was shocked. He had chills all over his body.
This Immortal Realm was indeed scary. These types of lightning were so rare in his past-realm, one strike of lightning of this intensity would be able to turn off the electricity of an entire city.
“Hmph?” Li Nianfan squinted his eyes and was shocked. He somehow saw something moving below the lightning.
Damn it!
This must have been a bigshot in the Immortal Realm, someone who was able to resist this type of lightning. Could he have encountered two bigshots fighting one another?
Li Nianfan frowned a little as he felt a little uneasy. This was a dangerous place to be. He did not want to go over to check out what was happening. All he wanted to do was to leave as soon as possible. He was merely an ordinary man, even its aftermath would be able to turn him into ashes. Going over was like a suicide mission. As he was thinking, the sky brightened for a second.
Vroom!
The third strike of lightning struck, brighter than the previous two. This flash of light was reddish and seemingly more powerful than the previous one.
Li Nianfan looked attentively. There was indeed something below the lightning’s strike, and it seemed to have flown into the sky.
“What kind of cultivators would fight here at this time?” Li Nianfan muttered to himself. Luckily, the thunder only struck a single spot which calmed Li Nianfan a little.
He hugged onto Blackie tightly, the two of them relying on each other.
After the ninth strike, the clouds in the sky finally dissipated. The rain stopped and the sunshine returned. Showered by the bright rays of light, Li Nianfan almost cried out of relief. He did not want to spend any more time outside. He walked out of the cave and walked in the opposite direction of the lightning, returning home.
“Blackie, hurry!” Li Nianfan pestered.
The soil was muddy after the rain, dirtying his pants and shoes. However, he did not slow down. What if the cultivators behind him broke into another fight? If they were to fight near his place, he would be dead. What if this was a chance for him to start cultivating? Li Nianfan did not want to joke with his life.
After passing through the forest, there was a long lake in front. The lake was as clear as a mirror, shaped like a long ribbon flowing through the mountains. Following the path of this lake, Li Nianfan was able to return to his four-part architecture.