44: Selection and Evolution

After spitting out the saliva mixed with black blood, the Wind Flame Lion's condition noticeably improved. The look in its eyes, which had previously been one of deliberate intimacy due to needing help, changed into genuine gratitude.

Afterward, Xu Yan checked the Wind Flame Lion's condition again. After confirming that the attached Curse of Resentment within its body had been completely removed by the Resentment Dissolution Potion, he planned to begin the next stage of treatment for the Wind Flame Lion.

The two Examiners standing nearby had already shown a hint of approval in places Xu Yan couldn't see when they first saw the materials Xu Yan requested.

When Xu Yan used those materials to produce the Resentment Dissolution Potion in just one attempt, and its quality was outstanding—a single bottle having completely cleansed the long-standing Power of Resentment within the Wind Flame Lion—they unanimously agreed that Xu Yan had passed this assessment. The Ning City Breeder Association was about to gain a genius General Rank Cultivator who was only sixteen years old.

And the fact was, this was true. The assessment represented by the Wind Flame Lion focused more on judging its state, confirming the Resentment Skill it was afflicted with, and making the correct choice and completion of the preparation from over ten types of Resentment Dissolution Potion Formulas.

Having reached this point, the remaining State of Energy Confusion on the Wind Flame Lion was much simpler to deal with.

Whether it was briefly suppressing the Wind element and then clearing the potion that suppressed the Fire element, or directly using a Neutralizing Potion to force the Wind Flame Lion to balance its energy at the cost of some injury, followed by recovery using a Healing Potion—any method was acceptable. The only difference lay in the complexity and the final score achieved.

Originally, Xu Yan's plan was also like this, but while preparing the potion, a sudden Flash of Inspiration occurred.

Facing this situation, Xu Yan decisively activated his Innate Talent, and the Golden Lines on his wrist began to ignite.

That's right, one can use their Innate Talent during the Breeder Assessment, provided the talent is effective and capable of conventional use.

Of course, compared to using one's own abilities throughout the entire process, the score obtained by using Innate Talent for assistance is naturally lower than the former.

Hmm, Passive Talents are not included in this calculation.

As the Golden Lines on his wrist burned, a new idea also appeared in Xu Yan's mind.

However, the emergence of the new idea did not cause Xu Yan to stop his original actions. The Wind Suppression Potion and Spirit Cleansing Potion were successively prepared by Xu Yan.

After completing the preparation of the potions, Xu Yan picked up a Tablet and requested several additional materials. Under the somewhat puzzled gaze of the two Examiners, he began preparing a potion once more.

Following Xu Yan's procedure, a pale cyan potion was successfully prepared by him.

Placing all three bottles of potion in front of the Wind Flame Lion, Xu Yan spoke: “These two bottles on the left can directly resolve your current condition, allowing you to return to your original state, and your strength might even increase slightly.

The one on the right, however, is my sudden inspiration. After consuming it, you might undergo a special change. The worst-case scenario is simply using those two bottles after this one is finished; you will still be able to recover after enduring a little hardship.

Choose one.”

The two Examiners who heard Xu Yan's words saw that he was setting aside the “Standard Answer” that would guarantee he passed the assessment, and instead proposed a new alternative. Although they were surprised, they quickly recovered.

For no other reason than that they had seen this situation many times while invigilating. Some were attention-seekers who ended up failing despite having secured a pass, while others generated new possibilities, either lowering or raising their scores. Some even became famous because of it.

Xu Yan's situation was still relatively good; he merely added a step to the original solution and created a safety net plan. At least it wasn't too extreme. The fact that the Assessment System didn't immediately stop it meant nothing major would go wrong.

At most, he would just lose a few points. After Xu Yan produced the Wind Suppression Potion and the Spirit Cleansing Potion, as long as he didn't mess up the spirit food preparation later, passing the General Rank assessment was essentially guaranteed.

Besides, didn't Xu Yan let the Wind Flame Lion make the choice itself? What if the Wind Flame Lion didn't want to take risks and simply chose the safest option?

Under the gaze of Xu Yan and the two others, the Wind Flame Lion glanced left and right at the two sets of potions. Finally, it walked to the right without hesitation, pointed at the bottle Xu Yan had prepared later, opened its mouth, and waited for Xu Yan to feed it.

Seeing this, Xu Yan immediately opened the potion and poured it into the Wind Flame Lion's mouth.

After the potion entered its mouth, flames began to ignite on the Wind Flame Lion's body surface. Then, following a loud Lion's Roar, a light shone brightly from its body.

Seeing this sight, not only the two Examiners nearby but even Xu Yan, who had personally prepared the potion, showed a shocked expression.

Because that light was precisely the Light of Evolution emitted when a spirit beast evolves.

And the appearance of the Light of Evolution naturally signified that the Wind Flame Lion was about to evolve.

Does the Wind Flame Lion, whose bloodline grade is General Rank Upper Grade, have an evolution form? The answer is naturally yes. The Wind Flame Lion King, whose bloodline grade is Marshal Rank Upper Grade.

However, regarding the evolution of the Wind Flame Lion King—including the required materials, location, and the Wind Flame Lion's own condition—the one currently evolving in front of the three of them did not meet any of these requirements.

Yet, the one before their eyes still managed to evolve after consuming the potion.

This indicated that the evolution of the Wind Flame Lion before them was either not evolving into the known Wind Flame Lion King form, or a Method of Evolution that lowered the required conditions had appeared.

Regardless of which it was, it held extremely high value.

Furthermore, due to the special capability of the Assessment System, if a situation harmful to the assessed spirit beast occurred, the system would forcibly stop the action.

Yet now, the Light of Evolution shone on the Wind Flame Lion, and the Assessment System made no move whatsoever. This could only mean that, for the Wind Flame Lion, this situation was at worst one that offered no benefit but caused no harm.

Under the expectant gaze of the three individuals, the Light of Evolution slowly dissipated, revealing the spirit beast inside.

Its general appearance was somewhat similar to the original Wind Flame Lion, but it had become much more imposing.

The biggest change was its entire coat of fur. The Fiery Red Fur inherited from the Wind Flame Lion and its evolutionary form, the Wind Flame Lion King, had directly transformed into a Pale Cyan color.

Gentle Breezes encircled its body, and its originally fluffy fur, blown by the wind, gained an even more ethereal quality. Cyan Flames burned on its four paws, yet there were no traces of fire scorching the ground it touched, nor did Xu Yan and the others feel the heat of the flames.