Chapter Eighteen: The Illusory Crystal Palace!

  The next morning, the two of them were already waiting for me outside the rest area. No wonder this is a dreamland, it's even more luxurious than a five-star hotel in the human world. I quickly ran over, these two aren't easy to talk to, making them wait would be too frightening. I carefully said: "Sorry, I'm late."

  "It's okay, I just need to get used to it when I first arrived. Let's go." Yín Yuè said and turned around to leave.

  "Sorry, Oniichan." I said again to the wild oni beside me.

  He just looked at me and nodded, then ignored me again. Sigh, when will this training end?

  After walking for a while, I stopped with the two of them and looked up to see another surprise - a huge palace with "Crystal Palace" written on it. The entire palace was shining, with five floors in total. Was it made entirely of crystal? As I stood there in awe, Yin Yue spoke up: "This is the Phantom Realm. Although we came together, we can't help you. Both Wild Ghost and I are on the third floor. You'll have to start from the first floor. Once you go inside, there will be hints to guide you."

  After entering, a fox-like female demon with a seductive appearance came forward. Her fluffy tail and ears were exposed. She politely approached and said: "Welcome to the three of you, please follow me, new student." I nodded at them and left.

  "This is the first layer of the illusion realm. From here, go inside and there will be trials based on your own situation. If you die, don't worry, you'll automatically return to the outside of the Crystal Palace. After each level, there will be time to rest and recover your soul energy. After passing through smoothly, a ghost servant will naturally come to greet you. Good luck!"

  I entered where she indicated, pitch black, no sound at all. To be honest, I'm really scared now. As the voice of "the first level begins" sounded, the surroundings started to clear up.

  This is the subway in the mortal world, with many people and a lot of noise. I was standing on the subway, everything was normal, when suddenly the man standing next to me changed, his face twisted and he revealed sharp fangs in his mouth, starting to attack humans, one bite could snap someone's neck, the crowd went crazy screaming and running wildly, I stood frozen in place unable to move. The ghosts that appeared were getting more and more numerous, only a few people were still alive, at this time a little girl ran over, grabbed my sleeve, and begged: "Sister, save me."

  I suppressed the trembling and icy feeling, breathing continuously, and could even hear the sound of my heart beating violently. I was stuck there, with only me and that little girl left in the entire carriage, as all the ghosts began to approach us, with bloodstains everywhere, the smell making me nauseous. The little girl clung tightly to me, her big eyes filled with fear. Just as they were about to reach us, I forced my body's soul energy to circulate, and it was as if something burst forth, a dazzling orange-yellow light enveloping my body. "First level, Wind Wing" - the sound of the bone flute was low and terrifying, the nearest ghosts disappearing instantly, while the ones behind began to frantically charge at us, emitting terrifying roars, feeling the pressure growing greater and greater, the pure sound rapidly circulating, until all the ghosts were annihilated. I took a deep breath and sat down against the handrail. The little girl also sat down, smiling at me and saying: "Thanks, sis, but aren't you a bit too naive?"

  I felt a sense of foreboding, but it was too late. She tightly grasped my neck, her sharp fangs about to pierce my throat. This was just the beginning of the first trial. Are you really that weak, Ximeng? Do you always need someone to save you? I kept telling myself to hold on and get out of here. Even if she strangled me, I would shake her off. Suddenly, a pink light appeared - it was Xiaofen! Her green eyes emitted a green glow aimed at the little girl, and in an instant, the little girl disintegrated.

  "Congratulations on passing, take a rest for a while." I let out a heavy sigh and lay down directly. This is the first time no one helped me by my side, it's actually so difficult, looks like I'm still too weak. Xiao Fen also floated down and obediently landed on my leg.

  "Master, I'm pretty impressive, right?"

  My goodness, I was startled. Wasn't it said that the demon beast can only communicate with its master after level three? This little guy seems to be different even at level one. It's easy to see what level a demon beast is, and there are seven levels in total. On each demon beast's forehead, there will be a crystal called "Life Stone" which is as important as the inner elixir. If the inner elixir is like the heart, then the Life Stone is like the brain, and it's through this that they can communicate with their master.

  The shape of the Life Stone is very beautiful, with first-class, second-class and third-class marks being star-shaped, fourth-class, fifth-class and sixth-class being moon-shaped, and the highest seventh-class reaching a perfect state, appearing like a dazzling golden garden shape. At this time, the magic beast's terror is not inferior to that of the Nether Lord.

  Ke Xiao Fen doesn't have anything, because it's still less than a month old infant body. Although the strength of the demon beast is not determined by age, but rather by breed, it also won't evolve this quickly, and there's also its attack power.

  "Master, I can tell what you're thinking, we're connected in spirit now."

  "Would you mind explaining it?"

  "Alright. I'm a variant of the Phoenix Butterfly, a top-tier existence among insect magical beasts, and even among all magical beasts, I'm considered strong. Although I'm still in my juvenile form now, I'll become very beautiful later on. That day, I smelled a large number of Soul-Eating Ants' scent and snuck out to eat them. To become stronger, the fastest way is to consume other magical beasts' inner cores. Originally, it's rare to have such a large gathering of low-level magical beasts, so I didn't hesitate and ran to the outer edges of the Magical Beast Forest. Who would've thought that not far from there, I was spotted by that damned Snow Leopard? Although I'm small, for him, I'm a rare find. Later on...I ended up in your hands." Xiaofen said with a scrunched-up face, looking very unwilling. I didn't even want you, and yet you're still so strong?

  "Because I'm a mutant, I was born with the wisdom to communicate with you, and I can attack at level zero. How's that, pretty strong, right?" He started being arrogant again, his expression changing quickly.

  "You sneaked out, your parents must be very angry," I think his mom definitely knows now.

  "Never mind, you have a powerful force within you, I'll be fine following you, and this way I'll become even stronger later." Xiao Fen looked at me with a serious face. According to the rules of this world, once a demon beast acknowledges its master, it will never change for life, unless the master dies, but the demon beast will also perish. As long as the master doesn't die, no matter how severe the injury is, the demon beast won't die either.

  Xiao Fen said that the power of the pure sound is so great, no wonder the gods must give it to me. Is the power of the divine realm really that great?

  "No matter what, you and I are now connected as one, I'll protect you, let's work together to become stronger, Xiao Fen! Having a variant zero-level magic beast is indeed not easy, variant means strong, generally it's rare to intentionally capture a variant magic beast cub, because its parents must be at least level 5 or higher magic beasts, even if it's a magic saint it would take some effort, if it's a level 7 magic beast, only a dark lord can rival it, and that still depends on whether the attributes are compatible. Magic beasts are inherently proud, unless they surrender to you in their heart, otherwise they cannot be forcibly tamed. So, just like raising pets, the smaller you raise them, the closer and more harmonious they become with you, looks like being able to tame Xiao Fen is undoubtedly a huge stroke of luck."

  Xiao Fen nodded, seemingly very pleased. I glanced at it and then closed my eyes to start sitting on the ground to recover my soul energy.