THE BLACK CULTIVATOR

BEAST EGG

I have only eight Foundation Building cultivators with me. The rest are useless Qi Condensation disciples,* Hu thought. *I can already sense more than thirty black panthers at the Foundation level, with only a few in the Qi Condensation realm. With this many, there should be a leader—*

“Elder Hu, how much longer do you need to think?” the brown-eyed female interrupted.

“Shut up, all of you, and wait! I’m still thinking,” Hu replied, his eyes darting left, right, and behind him.

The disciples kept retreating into the center of their box formation as the panthers slowly advanced, step by step. Their red eyes glowed with murderous aura, and low growls rumbled from their throats.

*There should be a leader around here somewhere. I’m betting it’s at the Core Formation realm—or close to the Golden Core,* Hu thought, stroking his black beard hastily. Sweat dripped down his face. *We’d better get out of here now before we’re completely trapped.*

“Elder Hu!” Bia screamed.

*Damn it…* Hu cursed inwardly.

“All Foundation Building cultivators, with me!” he commanded. “We will break through the back and escape!” Hu drew his blade. “The rest of you, pair up and watch each other’s backs!”

They nodded and quickly followed his orders.

The panthers roared and attacked from all sides. The disciples met them head-on.

Explosions erupted almost every minute. The dried earth turned into a river of blood as cultivators and beasts fell one after another. Loud screams of despair and deadly roars filled the air.

Elder Hu moved like lightning, cleaving two panthers in half through their stomachs just as they raised their claws to strike him down. He slashed his silver sword through the air to clean the blood off it before charging back into the fray.

“Help me!” a male disciple missing one hand screamed as he was bitten on the leg and dragged into the shadows.

“Elder Hu! Save me!” another cried as she was pulled into the darkness.

“You! Help those idiots over there!” Hu commanded the Foundation cultivator on his right while severing the heads of three panthers in one swing.

The expert nodded and dashed forward, her blade hissing through the air like poison.

The air grew thick with the stench of fur, sweat, blood, feces, and gas.

“Hey… hey…” Yan-li whispered, crawling across the ground and tapping Bia-li’s shoulder rapidly.

“Damn it, Yan-li,” Bia-li muttered, eyes closed, his body pressed flat against the earth.

“What do you want?” Bia-li asked as a corpse dropped beside him.

Yan-li crawled closer until their faces were inches apart. “Are you pretending to be dead so you don’t get eaten?” he questioned with an awkward smile.

“You fool. You’re an even bigger fool than I thought,” Bia-li said, eyes snapping open. “Lie down and slow your breathing. We may survive this.” He rolled over to the dead body and soaked his robe in its blood, resuming his act.

Yan-li sighed. “Okay.” He followed Bia-li’s lead.

Boom!

Three Qi Condensation disciples unleashed a massive sword technique, instantly killing five panthers.

BOOM!

“s**t! This is so painful, Bia-li,” Yan-li groaned, inching closer.

*God! This bastard should just die,* Bia-li thought.

“What’s painful, you bastard?” Bia asked through clenched teeth, eyes still sealed shut.

Tears flowed from Yan-li’s eyes. “Someone stepped on my balls… It’s bad, Bia-li.” He pressed both hands firmly against his groin.

Bia-li chuckled. “Sorry, Yan-li. But that’s the price you pay for being a coward like me. Now shut your mouth, you stupid idiot.” His voice turned cold. “Endure the pain. It’s far better than dying.”

“Secret Art Number One: Lion Claw!” Elder Hu chanted. His right fist erupted with brown energy as he slashed through the air. Three panthers charged at him, their blood-stained fangs bared.

Three massive, truck-sized claws tore through the air, leaving deep gouges across the earth.

The beasts howled and formed a combined shadowy shield. The claws clashed violently against it.

Boom!

The shield cracked under the pressure. The force pushed the panthers back, their paws digging deep furrows into the soil.

“Lion’s Claws!” Hu roared, unleashing another strike.

This one moved like lightning. It shattered the shield and sliced the three panthers into multiple pieces.

“Elder Hu!” a large male Foundation cultivator called out while swinging his massive axe into a panther.

“What?!” Hu shouted back.

More beasts kept pouring out from the shadows.

“The way out is secured!” the axe-wielding giant reported, smashing a ground-shattering blow into a panther’s ribs.

Bam! Bam!

The ground shook under the weight of the shadowy figure.

A massive shadow panther appeared, one step at a time — its size dwarfed the young panthers.

It roared, the buildings collapsed to ground, the shockwave flung the dead bodies like ragdolls.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock.

“Now! Everyone move!” Hu’s voice thundered.

Whoosh!

They blasted forward through the cleared path. The panthers chased them fiercely, the earth trembling beneath their heavy paws.

---

At the same time, on the Fifth Continent.

[Daily Quest Completion Rate: 100%]

[Daily Quest: 200/200 Beasts Killed]

[Rewards: +120,000 System Points, +1 Void Mask, +6 Advanced Golden Core Pills, +1 Special Mystery Gift, +1 Heavenly Bone and Body Refinement Scroll]

[All Stats Greatly Increased]

[All Talents Upgraded]

[All Skills Leveled Up]

[All Traits Leveled Up]

“Well, everything looks good—though I expected a little more,” Chris smiled awkwardly, scratching the side of his nose.

He sat atop the corpse of the leader ape, his sword still impaled in its skull. Dead apes surrounded him, the overwhelming stench of blood heavy in the air. The ground had become a river of blood.

“Alright,” he grunted, pulling out his sword. He swung the blade a few times, the steel whistling through the air, then stored it in his inventory. His energy rippled as he shot into the sky.

Within seconds, he arrived above the floating platform, his Golden Core aura radiating powerfully. He descended gracefully onto the smooth rocky ground.

[Golden Core Realm: Early Stage — 80%]

[Comprehension of the Void Manual: 35%]

[Comprehension of the Void Sword Technique Scroll: 15%]

“Reveal my stats, System. Let’s see how much stronger I’ve become,” Chris said, standing with his arms clasped behind his back.

[Supreme Hustle African System 2.0]

[Host: Chris] [Age: 20]

[Realm: Mortal] [Level: Golden Core — Early Stage]

[System Points: 166,000 + 20,000 Bonus]

[Strength: 6000] [Speed: 7000] [Agility: 9000]

[Intelligence: 12,000] [Endurance: 20,000]

[Qi Reserves: 10,000% (Backup Reserve: 3000%)]

[Note: Most Golden Core Experts Have A Qi Reserve Of 2000%]

[Special Talent: Nigeria Heritage - Lv8, Craftsman - Lv7]

[SKILLS]

[Blade Art Lv8]

[Shield of Shege Lv10]

[Pressure of Tinubu Lv10]

[Voice of the Streets Lv8]

[Sovereign Flame Core Shockwave Lv5]

[Void Step (Advanced) Lv5] [Core Qi Blast Lv7]

[Yansh of Destruction Lv6]

[SPECIAL TRAITS]

[Undying Courage (Extreme)]

[25x Recovery & Breakthrough Speed]

[Rhythmic Combat Intuition Lv10]

[No Pain No Gain Lv12]

[Void Storage]

[Adrenaline & Willpower Surge]

[ITEMS / INVENTORY]

[Weapons: Dragon Mountain]

[Pills: Healing Pills (200)]

[SCROLLS & MANUALS]

[Heritage Transformation Scroll]

[Core Formation Technique Manual]

[High Grade Core Formation Technique]

[Void Inheritance Manual]

[Heavenly Bone and Body Refinement Scroll]

[Void Sword Technique Scroll]

[TALISMANS & OTHERS]

[Void Card Access]

[Teleportation Talisman]

[Token of Return]

[UNUSED ITEMS]

[Special Bonus {Click to Unlock}]

[TITLES]

[Breakthrough Master]

[Friend of Nature]

[Destroyer of Life]

[Saint Priest]

[Conqueror]

Chris exhaled deeply. “This is a lot. I didn’t realize my stats had grown this much in such a short time,” he muttered, placing both hands on his waist.

He sat on the ground as the cool night air brushed against him, gently playing with his long white hair.

*What is this special bonus, though?* he thought, fingers hovering over the screen.

“System, tell me about the special bonus,” he said, watching with interest.

Bruuuuum!

“Ouch… This worm in my intestines, calm down. I go feed you now.” (I will feed you now.)

Chris reached into his Void Storage and pulled out a tray of cooked ape meat porridge and water.

“System, hold on that explanation first,” he said, raising a finger.

[Notice: Water Supply Running Low]

“See? Water running low,” Chris mimicked in a monstrous voice. “Don’t you have a hidden shop or at least reward me with food, drinks, and water once in a while?”

[That item is not available to the Host at his current level.]

The Naija youth (Nigerian youth) sighed deeply and sat down with his legs spread wide. He placed the food between them, clasped his hands together, and prayed: “Father, bless this food. Amen.”

He opened his eyes and devoured the meat in large chunks, finishing it in less than a minute.

“Alright, System, you can explain now,” Chris said, mouth still full, juices running down his chin.

[Special Bonus can grant Basic to Godly instruments. Chances of obtaining a Godly instrument vary based on the Host’s cultivation level.]

“Hmmm. So it’s like a wheel… only this one is rigged. The higher I climb, the closer I get to a godly weapon. Is that right?” Chris asked, cleaning his fingers with his tongue.

[Yes.]

“Okay. So right now, what are my chances of getting a godly instrument?” the Naija youth asked before gulping down a jug of water.

[9%]

[Host’s level is still too insufficient.]

“Mtcheww. You dey mock me again, this machine,” Chris hissed, veins bulging on his forehead. (You are mocking me again, this machine.)

[Sorry, Host.]

*Ahhh… This i***t even apologized. Mmmm. That’s weird for a machine.*

“Okay. Right now, if I unlock the special bonus, what will I gain?” He poured water into a bowl and washed his hands.

[Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, or Special Scroll, Weapon, Pill, Treasure Map, Technique, Skill, or a Beast Egg.]

“Beast egg? What’s that?” Chris’s eyes narrowed.

[There can be any kind of beast inside the Beast Egg. For example: Dragons, Demon Snakes, Heavenly Lions, Sea Krakens, and more. Depending on their star level, they can dominate the world and even the heavens with ease.]

Chris nodded.

[They grow stronger by consuming other beasts and sharing Qi with their master.]

“Sharp! Na wetin I want be this,” Chris exclaimed. (Nice! This is exactly what I want.) “I will need it soon for my journey ahead.” He smiled, then whispered, “And to escape loneliness…”

The night grew colder, and beyond the void realm, unseen eyes watched carefully.