Chapter 580: Yielding
The Beast Mark of Death was identical to other Totem mystic techniques. It was achieved by killing a desolate beast, extracting the essence of life from it and merging that life essence into one’s body. Previously, when Yi Yun killed the Golden Crow species, he used the Beast Mark of Death to condense his Aspect Totem.
In fact, the “Ten Thousand Beast Totem” remnant copy that the Tai Ah Divine Kingdom had only had the procedure regarding the Beast Mark of Death.
However, in the God Advent Tower, after Yi Yun obtained the complete “Ten Thousand Beast Totem”, he found another procedure to condense a beast mark, that was the Beast Mark of Life.
Under the situation of not killing a desolate beast, but condensing it into a Beast Mark of Life, the entire desolate beast’s spirit, soul, Qi and blood would merge with his body.
In a certain way, this was similar to a Contract Beast. After beastmasters tamed a spirit beast, they could form a contract with the beast, keeping the spirit beast in their bodies. They could then summon their Contract Beasts in battle when required.
The difference between a Beast Mark of Life and a Contract Beast was that the refined desolate beast would never be able to recover its form as a desolate beast. It would become another form of life, similar to Item Spirits and Sword Souls.
After a Beast Mark of Life merged into a refiner’s body, the refiner would obtain many benefits. He could draw upon the desolate beast’s strength and a small portion of its nomological properties. Furthermore, the refiner could constantly nurture the desolate beast that was in Beast Mark of Life form.
With the desolate beast becoming stronger, the cultivator’s strength would correspondingly increase as well.
There were many more benefits that could be derived from the Beast Mark of Life than from the Beast Mark of Death. But in comparison, a condensed Beast Mark of Life had numerous limitations.
Beast Marks of Death could be condensed from killing tens of thousands of primordial species, and form thousands of them.
However, a person, who cultivated the “Ten Thousand Beast Totem”, could only form three Beast Marks of Life.
In the small success stage of the “Ten Thousand Beast Totem”, he could condense one. Two, when in the large success stage, and three when it was completely mastered.
The “Ten Thousand Beast Totem” was an extremely profound and intricate Totem mystic technique, so it was not easy to completely master it.
Hence, every Beast Mark of Life allocation was very valuable to Yi Yun.
Yi Yun chose the Nine Neonate only after deep consideration.
A young Nine Neonate may not be powerful, but it had potential to grow.
If he could let the Nine Neonate Beast Mark survive its nine Heavenly Tribulations, this Nine Neonate Beast Mark would grow into an extremely terrifying one!
However, it was too difficult to nurture a Nine Tribulation Nine Neonate. It might not even be possible in the Yang God Empyrean Heaven. The price to pay was extremely large, so even the mighty figures in the Yang God Empyrean Heaven might fail to do so.
However… Yi Yun believed that human effort was the deciding factor.
As long as he had perseverance, fated luck and hard work, even an ordinary mortal had the chance to become a peerless Great Emperor.
Furthermore, Yi Yun had the Purple Crystal Origins.
The Nine Neonate had the potential to grow, so from this point alone, it was already enough for Yi Yun.
“Nine Neonate!” Yi Yun stood in front of the Nine Neonate’s centermost head. The huge head was slumped on the ground, but its three eyes were looking at Yi Yun.
“You were born in the Tian Yuan world. The Heaven Earth Yuan Qi there is impoverished, so the heavenly treasures it produces are lacking in number. It is nearly impossible for you to survive the Heavenly Tribulations!”
The Nine Neonate did not understand human speech, but with Yi Yun’s spiritual communication, it understood what Yi Yun meant.
Although it was indignant, it had to admit that the human was right.
Trapped in the Tian Yuan world, it was like a carp in shallow waters, impossible for it to transform into a divine dragon.
“Your first Heavenly Tribulation is nearing, and there’s no chance for you to survive it. As nine-headed hydra royalty, who has awakened your ancestors’ bloodline, are you willing to just turn into ashes this way?”
When Yi Yun said this, the Nine Neonate became agitated. It contorted its weak body as if it was extremely emotional.
Yi Yun’s words had hit the indignation that the Nine Neonate was feeling on the head.
As nine-headed hydra royalty, it was meant to enjoy infinite glory as king amongst its species.
But now, its blood had turned into a catastrophe. A Nine Neonate who could not mature was even weaker than an ordinary nine-headed hydra. It had no standing amongst the nine-headed hydra species.
How could it feel reconciled for it to be labeled as a low-class desolate beast while being that of royalty?
“I give you two choices. One, I’ll kill you, and then refine you into a Beast Mark of Death, becoming my second Aspect Totem. Two, you yield to me, and be refined into a Beast Mark of Life. You will carry on surviving in the form of a beast mark.”
“When the time comes, I will nurture you and let you tide through each and every Heavenly Tribulation to become stronger. Maybe you will lose some dignity and freedom, but you will live on, and you might even become a Nine Tribulation Nine Neonate!”
“You can leave the Tian Yuan world, and travel the cosmos to see different things and experience a wider world. You will witness the millions of years of history developing before your very eyes, as you become a top existence of this world!”
Yi Yun described the magnificent future. It was his promise to the Nine Neonate, as well as a goal he set for himself.
The Nine Neonate turned silent. What Yi Yun described was what it had yearned for.
Yi Yun was in no hurry. He stood beside the Nine Neonate and silently waited for its decision.
The Nine Neonate’s 19 eyes opened and 19 gazes landed on Yi Yun. It seemed to be discerning if this human could create the miracles he said.
Although the Nine Neonate had little contact with humans, it could still tell that the human in front of it had terrifying talent and potential.
After a long while, Yi Yun sensed that the animosity in the Nine Neonate’s spirit had disappeared.
Yi Yun knew that this meant that the Nine Neonate had agreed. Even if it was unwilling, it was the best choice that it could make at the present moment.
Some desolate beasts would rather choose their dignity over life.
However, the Nine Neonate would not, not because it was afraid of death, but because it… was indignant!
It felt indignant that it would silently die despite having such a powerful bloodline.
Seeing the Nine Neonate agreeing to him, Yi Yun heaved a sigh of relief. Although he had already decided that even if the Nine Neonate did not agree to it, he would still refine the Nine Neonate into a Beast Mark of Life, the effects as a result of that was inferior to a willing Nine Neonate.
After all, to nurture a Nine Neonate required its cooperation.
He adjusted his mind and formed hand seals one after another as they covered the Nine Neonate.
These seals slowly condensed on the Nine Neonate, deeply imprinting themselves on it to form profound looking Dao patterns.
The Dao patterns spread and covered the Nine Neonate’s entire body. Finally, the Nine Neonate emanated a reddish-gold light.
In the light, its body gradually reduced in size till it was the size of a baby’s palm, before it entered Yi Yun’s body.
With that, a beautiful nine-headed hydra tattoo appeared on Yi Yun’s arm.
He had successfully refined a Beast Mark of Life!
The moment the Nine Neonate merged into his body, Yi Yun felt his blood begin to boil. An immense amount of energy surged through his body as his body slowly transformed. The nomological seed buried deep in his Yuan foundation seemed to move from this amount of energy, and it appeared to begin to slowly sprout!
