Chapter 574: Treasures
Unfortunately, Axel slowly shook his head. "I’m afraid not."
He sighed regretfully before explaining, "Mediums like jade bracelets are places that only spirits, fairies, or similar spiritual beings can freely enter. A human body simply cannot go inside."
He paused for a brief moment before adding, "Even if a human separates their soul from their physical body, it is still impossible to guarantee that they would be able to enter the jade bracelet."
Those words shattered Lana’s excitement. She lowered her head and softly murmured,
"So... I possess enormous wealth, yet I can never actually obtain it. How unfair..."
As those words escaped her lips, tears slowly began gathering in the corners of her eyes.
Seeing her on the verge of crying, Axel immediately interrupted. "But there is indeed a way for you to retrieve that gold."
Lana instantly raised her head. "Really?"
Hope immediately returned to her eyes. Axel smiled. "Yes. All you need to do is help your little Shiki become stronger."
Lana blinked several times. "Shikis can level up? I always thought they evolved only when their master evolved."
Axel nodded.
"That is half true and half wrong. Shikis certainly evolve alongside their masters, but they are also capable of cultivating independently and increasing their own cultivation."
Lana frowned as she pointed toward Mr. Crow.
"Then why doesn’t he cultivate? I have never seen him meditate or train his cultivation."
She thought for a moment before continuing, "The only thing I have ever seen him do is occasionally use his psychic abilities to control objects as practice."
Hearing that, Axel looked toward Mr. Crow. Mr. Crow proudly puffed out his chest, looking rather smug.
Axel smiled before turning toward him. "That is because the contract between the two of you is rather special."
He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "If I am not mistaken, it should be a secret contract that only your bloodline knows how to create."
Mr. Crow proudly nodded. "That is indeed correct."
Turning toward Lana, he calmly explained, "The contract between us ensures that as long as I remain bound to you, I will personally guide your cultivation.
I can only provide advice that is absolutely correct. If I ever attempt to give you incorrect guidance, the contract itself prevents me from speaking those words."
Lana’s eyes sparkled brightly. "So amazing..."
Mr. Crow continued, "In return, you help me evolve. However, there is also a drawback."
He spread his wings slightly.
"This contract suppresses my own cultivation. If I try cultivating independently after signing it, my cultivation speed becomes significantly slower. That is the price I have to pay."
Lana frowned.
"But... what if you accidentally contracted someone with terrible cultivation talent? Wouldn’t that mean your own future would also be ruined?"
Mr. Crow chuckled.
"Exactly. "That is why this contract is a double-edged sword for dra..."
He instinctively stopped himself midway through another sentence before quickly changing his wording.
"That is also why every crow in our lineage must carefully choose their master through numerous trials."
He looked at Lana with obvious pride. "I selected you because I believed you possessed extraordinary talent and unmatched potential in mystic cultivation."
Lana rolled her eyes. "Keep flattering me."
Mr. Crow simply laughed. Ignoring him, Lana turned back toward Axel. "So... what about my Shiki?"
Hearing her question, Axel activated his spiritual vision and carefully examined the connection between Lana and the little Shiki.
A moment later, surprise flashed across his face. He immediately looked toward Mr. Crow.
"Did you interfere with the contract between Lana and the Shiki?"
Mr. Crow quickly shook his head.
"No. In truth, the contract formed between Lana and the Shiki depends entirely on what Lana was thinking at the exact moment the contract was established."
He continued calmly,
"If she happened to be thinking about the bond that she shares with me, then the Shiki’s contract would naturally imitate the same type of contract."
For several seconds, Axel remained completely speechless. Finally, he looked toward Lana before smiling warmly.
"Well... Congratulations. You’ve managed to obtain yet another extraordinary companion."
He looked toward the little Shiki before adding,
"Just like Mr. Crow, this little fellow will continue evolving right alongside you as your own cultivation improves."
Hearing those words, Lana forced a tight smile onto her face.
Even though she wanted to celebrate, she simply couldn’t bring herself to do so. Instead of gaining one companion, she had somehow ended up with two little burdens waiting for her to help them evolve.
’Why does every good thing come with so much responsibility?’
Letting out a weary sigh, she looked toward Axel before asking,
"With my current cultivation speed... how long would it take for the Shiki to become solid enough to bring the gold out?"
Axel lowered his head in thought. After silently calculating for a few moments, he finally answered,
"As long as you reach the Spirit Monarch Rank, your little Shiki will naturally be able to solidify her body."
The moment those words entered Lana’s ears, all the motivation drained from her body. She slumped her shoulders as if someone had stolen every ounce of energy from her.
"Spirit Monarch Rank?"
Her lips twitched helplessly.
"That is so far away. I can already feel that I’m on the verge of breaking through to the Celestial Core Rank, but the Spirit Monarch Rank..."
She let out another exhausted sigh. "It feels impossibly distant."
Before she could continue complaining, Mr. Crocodile casually kicked her shoulder with his tail. "Stop acting lazy and go cultivate."
Lana glared at him. "You make it sound so easy."
Axel merely smiled before shaking his head. "Do you even realize how fortunate you already are?"
He folded his arms before continuing,
"For an ordinary Shiki to solidify its body, its master must gather countless heavenly treasures and continue nourishing it for nearly a hundred years."
He looked at Myra before adding,
"In your case, all you need to do is obtain the treasures necessary for your Shiki’s growth."
Lana blinked. "Treasures?"
Her heartbeat suddenly sped up. An ominous feeling quietly rose inside her heart.
’Something tells me this won’t be cheap...’