Chapter 133: While It Is Still Free

The Sleepy Bug circled Qin Chuan incessantly, sniffing him over and over; the scent remained exactly the same.

"This... this... this is truly Big Brother! This is simply incredible!"

In a mere ten minutes, Qin Chuan had transformed from a three-foot-long azure blade into a living, breathing human being. The Sleepy Bug found it hard to fathom how such a thing had occurred.

Xi Ruo was also deeply shocked, though not by Qin Chuan’s sudden metamorphosis. What stunned her was that Qin Chuan had achieved this milestone at only level 30. Although she had lost many of her memories, she remembered the process of evolution quite clearly. It had taken her countless ages to evolve into a humanoid form, and she had only grasped the secrets of it when she reached nearly level 90. The gap between level 30 and level 90 was immense, and the time required to bridge it was beyond calculation.

If Xi Ruo knew that it had taken Qin Chuan only half a year to go from a piece of rotted wood to a human, she would likely have fainted on the spot. Such a rate of evolution was enough to terrify any spiritual creature. In truth, Qin Chuan’s evolution was a mix of destiny and coincidence, but it relied primarily on his formidable devouring ability—a trait other spiritual beings lacked, one that even a rare anomaly like the Sleepy Bug could only envy.

"Well, Zizi. Is it still comfortable holding me?"

Zizi squinted her eyes and replied subconsciously, "Mm, it’s quite comfortable."

"Ah!"

The next moment, she let out a shriek, quickly pushed Qin Chuan away, and flushed a deep crimson. "That was too unexpected, I lost control."

Qin Chuan smiled. "If you like it, you can hold me again. It’s free for now."

Zizi, who had been feeling quite awkward, couldn't help but burst into laughter at his words. "Tch, same old you, showing off."

Watching Zizi from a human perspective, Qin Chuan found her even more beautiful, especially when she smiled; it was incredibly alluring.

Xi Ruo couldn't help but speak up. "Qin Chuan, I am truly astonished that you reached this step at only level 30."

Before Qin Chuan could answer, Zizi jumped in, rambling on as if reciting a familiar inventory. "Sister Xi Ruo, you have no idea—he’s a monster. Not only does he level up by killing, but he’s also a bottomless pit. When I first met him, he was only level 20, and now he’s already level 30. Nine out of ten good things in this Psychedelic Jungle have ended up in his stomach..."

As she listened, Xi Ruo grew increasingly shocked, eventually wondering if Qin Chuan was even a creature born of the Spirit Realm at all. To have gone from level 20 to 30, and then to pull off such a transformation—Xi Ruo couldn't help but be amazed. In the end, she could only view Qin Chuan as a monster, though her gaze now held a measure of admiration and envy.

Soon, the Sleepy Bug and Xi Ruo busied themselves refining the Five-Colored Crystals, while the Sleepy Bug devoured all the Five-Elemental Qi. Although he didn't need them immediately, he could store them all away. Zizi, feeling spurred on, began to cultivate in her spare time. She thought to herself, *Chuan, the gap between us is becoming more and more obvious. I don't want to fall too far behind you.*

Currently, Qin Chuan and Xi Ruo were at level 30, the Sleepy Bug at 28, and Zizi at 26. In terms of levels, Zizi was the lowest, but she had her own advantage: a complete human body. Cultivation in human form relied on aptitude, and as the pride of the Purple Spirit Mansion, her aptitude was naturally excellent; she had simply lacked diligence.

With nothing to do for the moment, Qin Chuan began to carefully study the changes that came with his humanoid form.

[Host]: Qin Chuan
[Title]: One-Star Senior Elite (All attributes +50)
[Type]: Dragon-Pattern Cold Jade Sword (3)
[Rank]: Tier 4 Mid-Grade (Bonus: Sharpness +20%, Speed +10%)
[Quality]: Legendary (Bonus: All attributes +30%)
[Level]: 30
[Attributes]
Sharpness: 779 + 1090.6 (140%) + 389.5 (50%) = 2258+
Toughness: 687 + 780 (105%) + 206.1 (30%) = 1673+
Speed: 717 + 752.85 (105%) + 286.8 (40%) = 1755+

Beyond the numerical changes, there were adjustments to his skills. First was "Flow Strike": in his humanoid form, only the weapon flew when the skill was activated; his body did not move with it. The kill-refresh mechanic remained, and upon hitting a target, the weapon would return to his hand immediately, allowing for a second-stage glide. Within a 30-meter radius, Qin Chuan could not directly land a basic attack after a hit; he had to use the glide to close in. Currently, his glide distance was only 20 meters, leaving a 10-meter gap—essentially shortening his attack range. However, this flaw would vanish once the second-stage reached level 6, which allowed for a 30-meter glide. At his current speed, 30 meters would be covered in a fraction of a second. The advantage was that if the weapon were damaged, his physical form would not be harmed, though it would cost some essence to re-condense. "Flash" and his passive skills remained unchanged; during a "Flash," his physical body would move along with the weapon.

Finally, there was his ultimate, "Sky-Falling Flow Strike," which saw significant changes. It now required a preparatory motion but could be unleashed in any direction—360 degrees—no longer confined to mid-air. In mid-air, he simply lifted his right hand, while other directions required a pushing motion.

"Hmm, this ultimate is quite effective in humanoid form. This is how a long-range fighter should perform. I was too aggressive before, acting like a melee fighter. I must change that in the future."

Qin Chuan was satisfied with the results. He had a premonition that his ultimate would become increasingly valuable in future battles.

After Xi Ruo and the Sleepy Bug finished refining, they both entered a state of evolution, eventually raising their quality to "Unique." The Sleepy Bug was the most ecstatic, feeling as though he were in a dream.

"Alright, everyone is ready. Let's go."

While idling earlier, Qin Chuan had found a groove in the mine wall that required a Spirit Realm Command to open. A moment later, they encountered a dense cloud of five-colored toxic miasma. After passing through it, the scenery suddenly brightened, and they arrived in a new area. Qin Chuan checked his map and realized they were now in the territory controlled by the Black Wind Cliff.

"I didn't expect us to end up on Black Wind Cliff's turf. It’s quite a coincidence."

"Big Brother, are we going to do some business?"

"Haha, let's go scout around first. Sometimes gathering intelligence is just as important."

Zizi held her Long-Life Bone Jade Staff, which made her appearance look less strange.

"Zizi, what do you mean by 'doing business'?"

"Sister Xi Ruo, it means robbing people! Qin Chuan is a notorious bandit far and wide!"

"Robbing?"

...

Meanwhile, the Purple Spirit Mansion and the Black Wind Cliff were locked in a fierce conflict. The Deer-Chasing Plains had become a disaster zone, and countless spiritual creatures were scrambling to save their lives. To escape the chaos, many flooded into the Psychedelic Jungle, starting new lives. Since Qin Chuan had essentially cleared out the jungle, these refugees actually found a chance to survive.

However, the new arrivals would eventually hear the legends of the Black Demon Sword, though they never caught a glimpse of him. It was only many years later, when a figure of overwhelming dominance emerged, that they realized with a start: this was the legendary Black Demon Sword.