Evolution Begins With A Big Tree

Chapter 84, The Fourth Beast

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silavin

Like a triumphant general returning from war, there was an undeniable air of authority about it.

The Sarcosuchus raised its bulky, stubby legs and leisurely strolled toward a nearby lake.

Crocodiles liked to live in water.

Sarcosuchus was no exception either.

Not to mention, the water of this particular lake was no ordinary water.

After the infusion of Yu Zi Yu’s Life Essence over a long time, it had been turned into something extraordinary–a Spirit Lake in the truest sense.

*Grrooar…* Letting out an indescribable roar, facing the night sky, the Sarcosuchus submerged into the lake, with only its pair of yellow vertical pupils occasionally breaking the surface, glancing toward the shore.

“So, it’s occupying the Spirit Lake!?” Looking at the Sarcosuchus’s actions, Qing Er could not help but reveal a look of astonishment.

“Excellent.” Yu Zi Yu, observing the scene, simply smiled, seemingly unperturbed by the situation.

[This guy’s behavior is pretty good.] Though Yu Zi Yu could not understand why, he could clearly tell that the Sarcosuchus was forcefully suppressing its violent and restless nature. It was holding itself back, battling against its own tempestuous nature.

And its occasional gaze toward Yu Zi Yu’s body moved him.

Its gaze mirrored Bull Demon’s, but compared to Bull Demon’s pure and innocent gaze, the Sarcosuchus’s gaze carried an enigmatic meaning, impossible to decipher.

Nevertheless, Yu Zi Yu possessed an inexplicable certainty that this formidable Sarcosuchus would never harm him.

[Perhaps it’s due to the secondary effect of my Life Essence!?] He pondered for a while, but failed to reach a solid conclusion. [Anyways, delving deeper into this mystery seemed superfluous. Might as well leave it  for now.]

After all, despite its ferocious and brutal nature, Sarcosuchus’ strength was undeniable. Furthermore, even if it desired to harm Yu Zi Yu, it would need to carefully assess its own capabilities.

…

“Sarcosuchus will be the fourth beast under my command.”

Upon careful consideration, the Sarcosuchus’ talents were more than sufficient to warrant the fourth position among Yu Zi Yu’s esteemed beasts.

Yu Zi Yu wanted nine beasts to be under his direct command, each considered equal in rank and status. However, in order to become one of Yu Zi Yu’s nine beasts, one must have outstanding talent and untapped potential. In other words, only the most extraordinary beasts were deemed worthy!

This rigorous selection process not only from Yu Zi Yu’s immense strength, but also from the limitations of available resources.

Nurturing Mutant Beasts a cut above from the rest stretched his capabilities, nine was his absolute limit. Consequently, each spot for the beast was extremely precious.

In Yu Zi Yu’s mind, these nine beasts should be essentially the nine Divine Beasts.

Unfortunately, they were currently too weak, far too weak.

If their hidden potential could not be converted into strength, they were only worthy of being called ‘beasts.’

In this aspect, Yu Zi Yu treated each creature with impartiality and fairness.

…

The night slowly grew darker…

Surprisingly, not a single insect buzzed, nor were there any howls of the nocturnal beasts. A profound silence had settled over the surroundings, akin to a world caught in eternal slumber.

This was the night of North Canyon.

But there was a stark contrast between the tranquility of North Canyon and the outside world, where the mountains resounded with a symphony of insect buzzing and occasional spine-chilling roars.

However, those spine-chilling cries seldom lingered for long.

*Schlick!* Sharp claws tore through the throat of the source, silencing it instantly.

[Master should not be disturbed.] Silently emerging into the night, Nine Tails patrolled the surroundings as usual.

In the wake of Yu Zi Yu’s recent wanton harvesting, the once daring Mutant Beasts that dared to roar near North Canyon had become a rarity.

Nine Tails encountered only a few during her night patrol, only a few Jackals of unknown origins, scurrying aimlessly in the dense mist. Unfortunately, their Tier-0 Level 3 proved to be futile. A flash of red flickered before their eyes before their bodies were swiftly cleaved in two.

*Roooar!* Letting out a low roar, Nine Tails gazed at the Jackal carcasses before shifting her  gaze to the figure behind it.

Moments later, a burly young man tacitly ran over. He then rubbed his head and stated, laughing foolishly, “I’ll take care of it, I’ll take care of it.”

With that, he hoisted the Jackal carcassess and headed toward the depth of North Canyon.

Beside him, Nine Tails casts a deep glance at his back before gracefully lifting her front leg and following suit, resembling an elegant princess.

Now, sustenance has become a pressing problem with the increase in Mutant Beasts residing within North Canyon. Fortunately, the few Humans had arrived, providing a solution.

With their addition in the group, food could be adequately preserved and even cooked into a variety of dishes.

The Mutant Beasts, weary of constantly eating raw flesh, found those dishes very satisfactory. However, the burden of preparing the meal fell heavily on the Humans.

They not only served as teachers, imparting wisdom and guidance to the Mutant Beasts, but they also had to embrace the role of cooks, tending to fires and culinary endeavors.

Ttonight, an additional responsibility burdened their shoulders, when the Divine Tree captured a bunch of newly born Mice, rosy white and tender.

These Mice had gained a bit of sentience due the the nourishment of the Divine Tree’s Life Essence. Thus, the Humans assumed yet another role. Akin to surrogate parents, they had to care and upbring these young Mice.

*Pfft…* Just the thought of it made the burly young man feel like he would spurt a mouthful of blood in anger.

[No, no. My status has to change.] Silently resolving in his heart, the burly young man had made up his mind.

Little did he know that some things were already set in stone.

At this point, Yu Zi Yu wished to capture more Humans to manage his territory. So, how could he possibly agree to the burly young man’s request for a change in status?

Nonetheless, there was no denying that compared to Mutant Beasts, Humans excelled in certain areas.

In this aspect, Bull Demon and Nine Tails’ transformations speak volumes.

Within just a short span of a few days, Bull Demon could already speak a few words, whereas Nine Tails could use its claws to write numerous words on the ground.

Notably, not every Mutant Beast possessed the same level of excellence as Bull Demon and Nine Tails.

Take the Golden Monkey, for example, who was the epitome of mischief. It could never stay still for five minutes.

As for the Honey Badger, it seemed completely indifferent to the presence of these Humans.

On the other hand, the White Tiger studied diligently.

Regrettably, despite its earnest efforts, its limited intellectual capacity hindered significant progress. It was at this juncture that Bull Demon and Nine Tails showed their worth as the eldest of the nine beasts, perfectly upholding Yu Zi Yu’s reputation.

After all, teaching was just teaching.

Qian Qin and her companions harbored doubts regarding the ability of mere Mutant Beasts to grasp the vast and profound Human culture.

However, Nine Tails and Bull Demon proved them wrong through their actions shortly after.

Till this day, Yu Zi Yu vividly remembers the look of incredulity etched on the faces of those Humans when they witnessed Nine Tails writing words with its claws and Bull Demon communicating through telepathy.