Chapter 235: Ancient Town Tian

Chapter 235: Ancient Town Tian

Among all of Li Wu's summoned beasts, Hanhan was the most unique and special.

The more it gets beaten, the stronger it becomes.

And the more poisonous the beating, the greater its growth.

Currently, it was enduring an extremely toxic beating.

It crawled onto Li Wu, and within a few minutes, it evolved to a 2-star Leader rank.

As Hanhan evolved, Li Wu's soul was strengthened, and his ability to withstand beatings improved.

Witnessing this, the group of giants shouted 'Battle' even more fiercely.

The louder their battle cry, the faster Li Wu and Hanhan's growth became.

In no time, the bird reached the 3-star Leader rank and rapidly surged towards the Leader-class.

At this rate, it wouldn't be surprising if it achieved the Leader-class within half an hour.

However, everything has its limits.

No matter how talented Hanhan was, it couldn't become infinitely stronger without restrictions.

It still had to abide by the law of conservation of energy; for Hanhan to grow stronger, it needed the energy and potential within its body to support its growth.

After two consecutive breakthroughs, Hanhan's potential was almost depleted.

If it were to take another step, it might achieve the Leader-class, but the price of forcing an evolution would be unbearable.

Forget about forcing a Leader-class evolution; even now, both the bird and Li Wu were suffering.

Li Wu's face had turned pale.

Yuan Hua and the others were also aware of this.

"We can't let them continue like this. Go and handle it."

"Why me? Isn't Iron Xiong over there?"

"Can't you see he doesn't even trust himself?"

Sun Kongsong thought about it and realized that if he let the old man handle it, Li Wu might explode. With no other choice, he reluctantly went to take care of the situation.

In an instant, Sun Kongsong appeared at Li Wu's bedside.

As soon as he appeared, a fist the size of a sand pot came smashing towards his head.

Sun Kongsong's face changed, "Damn it, Iron Xiong, don't hit me! It's me!"

But it was too late; the fist smashed into his forehead, sending him crashing into the wall.

After the beating, the old man spoke, "Oh, it's you, Little Grandson.

I thought you were some bad guy; I got carried away. Are you okay?"

Who would believe him? This old man was truly despicable.

Sun Kongsong was sure that the old man did it on purpose to retaliate for the earlier incident, but he had no choice.

He couldn't fight back, so he could only forgive him.

Sun Kongsong said he was fine while holding his swollen face and limping over to Li Wu. He took out two fruits from his pocket, putting one in Li Wu's mouth and the other in Hanhan's.

Then, he took out a token engraved with the character 'Town' and placed it on Li Wu's, Hanhan's, and the little skeleton's heads.

As the 'Town' character was placed on Li Wu's forehead, the giant monument, the group of terrifying giants, and the 'Battle' cries in Li Wu's consciousness began to dissipate.

At the same time, a special force surged into Li Wu's consciousness.

In that moment, the pain disappeared, and happiness doubled.

Amidst this joy, Li Wu vaguely sensed that something seemed to have been added to his mind.

Ten minutes later, the happiness faded, and Li Wu woke up from his unconscious state.

The first thing he did upon waking was to check his attributes.

...

Name: Li Wu

Strength: Professional Summoner (2-Star Leader)



Skills: Charge (Master), Draw Li Wu (Proficient), Indomitable Growth (Mastery),

Summoner Talent: Heritage Power (Unawakened)



Damage Sharing (Beginner) (Able to establish a connection between summoned beasts, allowing them to share damage.

Currently, only one shared target can be established.)



The Charge skill improved to Mastery, and a Damage Sharing talent was acquired.

This was Li Wu's gain from this wave.

It was a decent harvest, and the pain he endured was not in vain.

As Li Wu checked his attributes, he also noticed the satisfied Hanhan lying beside him. He took the opportunity to check Hanhan's attributes as well.

...

Name: Ice Cloud Sparrow (First Evolution)



Strength: 3-Star (Leader)



Quality: Bronze (Improved)?

Attribute: Ice

Status: Satisfied (This beating felt so good!)



Weakness: Fire

Special Skill: Indomitable Growth (Mastery)



Basic Skills: Defense (Proficient), Ice Aura (Master), Ice Shield (Master), Ice Needle (Master)



Advanced Skills: Frost Body (Master)



Talent: Enhanced Recovery Speed (Advanced)



Damage Absorption (Advanced) (Absorbs damage to a certain extent and can release the stored power)



...

It was undeniable that the bird's growth in this wave was astonishing.

Wasn't Hanhan only a 1-star before? How did it almost reach the Leader-class after a short nap?

But the focus wasn't on the bird; Li Wu was more concerned about the little skeleton. He remembered that the little guy had been blasted away with him earlier.

Li Wu was particularly worried about its safety.

When he turned to look, Li Wu was startled by what he saw.

As Little Skeleton woke up, he immediately looked over at Lu Wu, and after confirming that Lu Wu was okay, albeit a little dazed, Little Skeleton glanced down at his phone.

In that moment, lightning flashed from Little Skeleton's skeletal frame.

Sorrow (Little Skeleton's phone was broken! This was his favorite phone, and he didn't want a new one!)



Lu Wu's gaze fell upon Little Skeleton's phone.

---

Name: Little Skeleton's Phone

Quality: Silver

Status: Damaged

Description: A powerful force shattered its core, severely damaging the phone. However, the data and pig within remain intact, and there's a chance it can be repaired.

---

Seeing these attributes, Lu Wu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It was a relief that it wasn't completely broken; if it were, and the data and pig were lost, Lu Wu would be in deep trouble.

"Don't worry, the phone isn't broken. I'll help you fix it, Little Skeleton."

Little Skeleton's eyes flickered with fire, and his status changed.

Suspicion (Really? Is Lu Wu not lying to me?)



"No, definitely not. Don't worry, I'm sure I can fix your phone."

Lu Wu had some trust with Little Skeleton.

After getting Lu Wu's assurance, Little Skeleton calmed down and stopped crying. However, he started pulling Lu Wu, insisting that he fix the phone immediately.

"Not now. This isn't a good place to repair phones. We need to go back!"

Little Skeleton's eyes flickered with fire, and he even tugged at Lu Wu's sleeve, acting coquettish.

(Can we go back? Little Skeleton doesn't like this place; he wants to go back and fix his phone.)



Lu Wu couldn't help but smile at the little guy's antics, comforting him while casually checking his attributes.

Compared to Hanhan and Lu Wu, Little Skeleton's attributes hadn't changed much.

His strength remained at 2 stars, as he couldn't advance to improve.

As for skills, only the 'Charge' and 'Lightning Strike' skills had improved to the Master level; the others remained unchanged.

On the talent side, the two already awakened talents hadn't changed, but the one in the process of awakening had progressed from 10% to 70%.

It hadn't fully awakened, which left Lu Wu somewhat disappointed.

As Lu Wu was immersed in his thoughts, a coughing sound came from nearby.

Lu Wu turned, only to find a grandson in his hospital room, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

"It seems you're almost fully recovered."

Sun Kongsong, having been immersed in his own world upon waking, finally noticed Lu Wu and quickly said, "Then we should discuss compensation."

"Compensation?"

Lu Wu was taken aback. "What compensation?"

"You just collapsed the War Soul Shrine. Have you already forgotten?"

"The War Soul Shrine? Collapsed? Me? Is that true?"

Lu Wu wasn't trying to deny it; he genuinely didn't know.

At that moment, Iron Xiong stepped forward, "Little grandson, don't wrongfully accuse others. I'm the one who collapsed the War Soul Shrine; it has nothing to do with him."

Indeed, when it came to choosing between his own innocence and the boss's wealth, the old man had a clear conscience.

His own innocence was already compromised, but the boss's money was more important.

Seeing the old man's quick and self-aware acceptance of blame, Sun Kongsong couldn't help but shake his head.

"Alright, let's not count the War Soul Shrine. We'll consider the two Spirit Essence Fruits your bird just ate."

Lu Wu was still confused.

"What Spirit Essence Fruits? Did I eat them?"

"No, I've been watching; it's not true. This kid is trying to scam you!"

The old man insisted that he would firmly protect the boss's property.

Lu Wu, on the other hand, was a bit bewildered.

He genuinely didn't know if he had eaten them, but considering the other party was a big shot from the Cultivation Center, Lu Wu had no choice but to reluctantly say, "Although I don't remember this, if you say I ate them, then I did. Tell me how much I owe you."

"Little grandson, our boss didn't eat them. Don't you dare bully my boss!"

These two guys, one playing the good cop, the other the bad cop, one acting wronged, the other aggressive—Sun Kongsong had no idea what to do.

In the end, he decided not to play mind games with Lu Wu.

He went straight to the point.

"Your Little Skeleton's phone is broken, right? How confident are you in fixing it?"

Lu Wu was a bit confused by the sudden change in topic; they were just discussing compensation, and now they were talking about the phone.

Lu Wu glanced at Little Skeleton and touched his nose.

"I'm quite confident. I can definitely fix this phone!"

Little Skeleton, who was anxiously listening nearby, was thrilled to hear Lu Wu's words.

Happy (Lu Wu can fix it! Lu Wu is the best!)



However, Sun Kongsong chimed in with a dissenting opinion.

"Are you sure? If I'm not mistaken, your phone was damaged by the Battle Soul Monument. It still contains its power, and repairing such a phone won't be easy.

That power is like a ticking time bomb, one wrong move and all your efforts could be for naught.

In my estimation, your chances of successful cultivation are less than five percent."

These words didn't sit well with Little Skeleton.

He glared at Sun Kongsong, baring his teeth.

Angry (You're such a meanie! Lu Wu is the strongest, he'll definitely fix Little Skeleton!), Little Skeleton didn't pay attention to Sun Kongsong's threatening gestures but instead focused on Lu Wu.

Sun Kongsong ignored Little Skeleton's reaction and directed his gaze at Lu Wu.

"I have something here that can eliminate the power of the 'Battle Soul Monument' and a skill for crafting items. These two things should be very helpful for your cultivation. Do you want them? I can give them to you if you do."

Lu Wu realized that this guy must have something important to ask of him; otherwise, he wouldn't be wasting time with all this talk.

So, he casually waved his hand and said, "Just tell me what you need, no need for all the fuss."

Lu Wu looked at him, not saying a word, but his meaning was clear.

Sun Kongsong grinned, "You know about the Breeder's Competition, right?"

"Yes," Lu Wu nodded.

The 1619 version of the book is correct!

"Are you interested in participating?"

"I can't participate, can I?"

Lu Wu was taken aback. He did want to join, after all, it was a competition for breeders, and he might learn a lot from it. But he felt inadequate as he had inadvertently reached the Master level while his peers were still at the amateur and professional levels.

This made Lu Wu feel quite regretful.

Sigh, if only he could have progressed a bit slower, he could have joined this year's competition.

And regarding this matter, Sun Kongsong must have had something planned.

"Of course, you can't compete as a contestant, but you can participate in other roles, like a judge or referee."

Lu Wu was intrigued by this idea.

However, he was still puzzled as to why Sun Kongsong wanted him to join the Breeder's Competition.

Wait, Lu Wu suddenly recalled that during their first meeting today, Sun Kongsong had mentioned this topic and also brought up the issue of not being able to pay the Elder.

Lu Wu had brushed it off at the time, but now he had an inkling of Sun Kongsong's intentions.

"It seems you've guessed it. Yes, that's right! I want you to go and rig the competition!"

Lu Wu was not having any of this.

As a man of integrity, he couldn't just blow the whistle because someone asked him to. He needed to stand up for what was right.

"If you don't go, the winner of this competition will be a descendant of the Gu family!"

Lu Wu's keen senses picked up on this detail.

"What's the connection between this Gu Zhentian and Old Gu?"

Sun Kongsong smiled and said, "His son!"

Lu Wu's eyes narrowed as he heard this, "In that case, I can't refuse!"

...

In the capital city, at the Gu family residence.

The arrogant Gu Tian was currently lying on his sickbed.

It was clear that the Elder's attack had been severe.

Despite spending a fortune on the best healers, Gu Tian still couldn't recover immediately.

Judging by his condition, it seemed he would be bedridden for quite some time.

Suddenly, a soft sound echoed, and the door to Gu Tian's room was cautiously pushed open.

Even though the person entering was being careful, it still startled the ailing Gu Tian.

"I told you not to bother me unless it's important! Get out!"

It was evident that Gu Tian commanded a lot of respect.

His angry shout made everyone within a hundred meters tremble, but surprisingly, the person who entered didn't leave.

Gu Tian, furious, exclaimed, "What, didn't you hear me...?"

"Father, it's me!"

The person walked into the room and approached Gu Tian's bedside.

The initially enraged Gu Tian softened upon seeing the visitor, his demeanor instantly becoming gentle and kind.

"Tian'er, is that you?

Those dog-like servants, I told them not to disturb you, especially with your finals tomorrow..."

"It won't affect me. It's just a family-style competition."

Gu Zhentian spoke calmly, and Gu Tian nodded proudly.

"Yes, yes, my son Zhentian has the talent of a Master. Those mediocre people can't compare to my son."

For Gu Tian, the greatest pride in his life was having a son like Gu Zhentian.

From a young age, Gu Zhentian displayed remarkable talents.

He could recognize words at three and started learning cultivation knowledge at five. By the age of ten, he had already reached the professional level.

Now, at 21, he had long possessed the skills of a Master, but he hadn't gone for certification due to his busy schedule and this year's competition.

If he had sought certification, what could Lu Wu possibly do?

And this was just Gu Zhentian's talent in cultivation; his skills as a summoner were equally impressive.

At 18, he summoned his initial summon beast.

Although the initial summon beast was of average quality, it didn't hinder Gu Zhentian's progress.

Within a year, he had cultivated it to the leader level, and now, at 21, his summon beast had reached the 3-star leader level, just one step away from the Overlord level.

What is this so-called "Master Talent"?

Gu Zhentian is the embodiment of such talent! And he excels in both martial arts and scholarly pursuits.

In Gu Tian's eyes, his son is the number one genius in the world. As for Lu Wu, he's merely a pretentious fraud seeking fame.

This is the reason why he targeted Lu Wu from the start.

It's not just about the phone; he also doesn't want Lu Wu to steal the spotlight from his son.

There are other factors at play as well.

From the beginning, Gu Tian was determined to suppress Lu Wu, ensuring that his son would be crowned the title of "Dual Master Breeder" without any competition.

He had made thorough preparations, but unexpectedly, Liu Cheng and Tie Xiong appeared out of nowhere, foiling his plans and injuring him in the process.

Fortunately, Yuan Hua, fearing the power behind Gu Tian, only docked a few months' worth of his salary as punishment.

However, seeing his battered self in front of his son, whom he had always been proud of, Gu Tian felt a mix of shame and anger.

"Damn brat, if I get the chance, I'll make you pay for today's humiliation!"

A father knows his son best, and this saying holds true for Gu Tian's son as well.

Although Gu Tian didn't voice his thoughts, Gu Zhentian could guess what his father was thinking.

So, as Gu Zhentian tucked his father in, he said, "After tomorrow's Breeder's Championship, I'll go see this Lu Wu."

"Don't do anything stupid. I've received news that Tie Xiong is guarding Lu Wu. If you go..."

"My son isn't looking for a fight. Isn't Lu Wu the youngest Master Breeder? I, as his 'junior,' will ask for his guidance."

Gu Tian understood his son's intention—to help him regain face in the field of breeding.

After a moment of hesitation, Gu Tian couldn't refuse. He smiled and said, "Alright, I'll go with you. Let's see how this so-called Master Breeder will guide you."

It was obvious.

Even after witnessing Lu Wu's impressive display, Gu Tian still didn't consider Lu Wu a match for his son.

In his eyes, there was no comparison between Lu Wu and Gu Zhentian.

One had rushed through his cultivation in just over a year, while the other had been a diligent genius, dedicating ten hours daily to his studies since the age of five.

What's there to compare? "Even if Lu Wu gets the Master Certificate, so what? My son, Zhentian, will show him who the true genius is!"

Just as Gu Tian was reveling in his pride, his phone rang.

"Who's calling at this hour?"

Gu Tian was slightly annoyed, but upon seeing that it was his lackey, he answered, "What's the matter?"

"Director, over an hour ago, Iron Elder took Lu Wu to the War Soul Temple."

"So what if they went there? What's the big deal?"

"No, after they arrived at the War Soul Temple, it collapsed as soon as Lu Wu entered."

"It collapsed? How could the War Soul Temple, which was fine a moment ago, collapse?"

"Vice Dean Sun and the others believe it's Iron Elder's doing, but I think it's Lu Wu's fault.

He fainted after the temple collapsed and only recently regained consciousness.

I've received news that one of his summoned beasts has advanced two stars, and his phone seems to be damaged."

"His phone is damaged?"

Hearing this, Gu Tian abruptly stood up, causing his wound to pull and make him cry out in pain.

"Are you sure his phone is damaged?"

"Yes, I saw him comforting a little skeleton."

These words from his lackey made Gu Tian feel uneasy.

"Damn it, how did it get damaged? What's the extent of the damage?"

"I took a look, and it seems to be cracked?"

Gu Tian was delighted, "Just a crack? Is the summoned beast still inside, or did it escape?"

"No!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Tian was even happier.

"Good, as long as it's not broken!"

The phone was of great importance to him, and if it were completely damaged, it would be a significant loss.

However, just as Gu Tian was feeling relieved, his subordinate delivered another piece of bad news.

"Also, I've learned that Vice Dean Sun intends to let Lu Wu participate in tomorrow's Breeder's Championship."

"He's joining the competition? But it's the finals, and he already has the Master Certificate. How can he compete... Wait!"

Gu Tian's expression changed, "Could it be that Sun is planning to make Lu Wu a judge or referee?"

Almost simultaneously, Gu Zhentian received a message on his phone about a change in the competition rules for tomorrow.

One additional judge had been added.

Seeing this, Gu Zhentian smirked, "Interesting, so he wants to be my judge? Let's see if he's qualified for this!"

...

For the sake of the cross-dressing challenge, my brain is about to explode, but thankfully, I succeeded.

Help me spot any typos, and I'll fix them later!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end