51: Comparison

Time flew by; nearly two months had passed since Xu Yan entered the Secret Realm.

To be honest, if Xu Yan truly wanted to quickly complete his research, he wouldn't need this much time. He could rely on comparing papers to deduce the approximate range of materials, and then use the cheat-like Heavens Mandate Guidance to instantly achieve the optimal formula of a European Emperor.

However, while this method was fast, it wouldn't provide much improvement for Xu Yan himself.

For Xu Yan, who wasn't short on time and didn't want to be bothered by outsiders, he naturally wouldn't choose this approach.

On the contrary, Xu Yan chose the most difficult method: analyzing the essence. By understanding the fundamental logic of the predecessor's paper and grasping the core nature of the formula, his usage of it became clearer and more flexible.

This method is extremely difficult, requiring a vast amount of time, and places high demands on one's own accumulation and comprehension. Those with lesser Innate Talent might not even succeed in a lifetime.

However, the benefits gained upon success are naturally immense.

The cheat-like Heavens Mandate Guidance, which could originally yield direct results, was instead used by Xu Yan to assist himself in understanding the fundamental logic of the paper.

Even so, it took Xu Yan over a month to completely analyze the predecessor's paper. He then spent more than twenty days deriving the materials needed for the Wind Flame Lion King's other form and conducting experiments.

The result of Xu Yan's experiments was that the Azure Wind Flame Lion King's size increased again, and its aura and majesty grew even stronger.

Instrument detection showed that the deficiencies in its bloodline level had been successfully remedied by Xu Yan's steady feeding of various medicinal agents over this period, reaching Marshal Rank Upper Grade, consistent with the Wind Flame Lion's original evolutionary form.

This meant that as long as Xu Yan could stabilize the materials and conditions for this evolution, the Wind Flame Lion could gain a new form, and its potential development direction and tactical value could be further enhanced.

After compensating for the Azure Wind Flame Lion King's shortcomings, Xu Yan brought it back to the Leader of the Lion Pride and showed it the Wind Flame Lion King's current state.

He informed the leader, “I have fulfilled your request. Can you now cooperate with my research?”

The Leader of the Lion Pride, resting on the grass, looked at the human whom it hadn't seen for over a month and had assumed had given up. Now, the human reappeared, bringing along the previously seen, incompletely evolved junior.

However, this time, within its perception, the junior whose bloodline originally had many deficiencies had successfully remedied them.

Xu Yan's performance successfully proved his ability before the Leader of the Lion Pride.

After a moment of silence, the leader granted Xu Yan its trust. It informed Xu Yan that he could select members of its tribe who were willing to participate in the research, provided there was absolutely no coercion.

In response, Xu Yan naturally agreed to the terms and then walked toward the Lion Pride.

The relationship between Xu Yan and the Lion Pride began to grow closer after the incident where the cub crashed into the house.

Xu Yan accepted the compensation given by the cub's elders, and with the assistance of Wuxiang, he used the Sika Deer compensated by the Wind Flame Lions to make a whole roasted deer, which he shared with the Wind Flame Lions present.

Xu Yan's cooking skills were already good, and with Wuxiang's assistance, the heat control was better. Moreover, during the preparation process, the power of Myriad Affinity automatically infused the food, further enhancing its flavor.

The Wind Flame Lions, who already held a favorable impression of Xu Yan due to the existence of Myriad Affinity, suddenly received feeding from Xu Yan while drooling over the sizzling, oily whole roasted deer.

The Wind Flame Lions quickly shared and devoured the roasted venison, their expressions showing they wanted more, and their favorable feelings toward Xu Yan began to rapidly increase.

Following this, with Xu Yan feeding them a large barbecue every now and then, he quickly captured the stomachs and hearts of most of the lions, forming a deep bond with them.

And Xu Yan's subsequent research was the time to utilize this bond.

After explaining his research content and the potential risks involved, Xu Yan offered ten whole roasted beasts, with the species being selectable, and from the Lion Pride—who were drooling and almost fighting upon hearing the offer—he selected two Wind Flame Lions with the most outstanding Wind Attribute Innate Talent.

One of them had reached the necessary conditions for the Wind Flame Lion's original evolution, while the other was still some distance away from the evolutionary requirements.

Afterward, under the gaze of the Azure Wind Flame Lion King, the Leader of the Lion Pride, and some lions who wanted to watch the excitement, Xu Yan took out three bottles of medicinal agents he had previously prepared.

Of these three bottles of medicinal agents, one was a One-Step Evolution Potion derived by Xu Yan based on the original medicinal agent needed for the Wind Flame Lion's evolution. The other two bottles were part of an experiment by Xu Yan.

After instructing Wuxiang to set up various detection and recording instruments.

With the assistance of Wuxiang's manifested mechanical arm, two bottles of medicinal agents were simultaneously fed into the mouths of the two Wind Flame Lions. The one that met the strength requirements was fed the One-Step Potion, while the slightly weaker one was fed one of the other two medicinal agents.

Fifteen minutes after the medicinal agent entered its mouth, the Wind Flame Lion that was fed the One-Step Potion roared, and a white Light of Evolution emanated from its body.

After the light dissipated, an Azure Wind Flame Lion King appeared before the human and the assembled Spirit Beasts, displaying its might without reservation, drawing envious looks from the surrounding unevolved Wind Flame Lions.

The Wind Flame Lion, having completed its evolution, felt a strength several times greater than before, along with the Wind Element surrounding its body that felt incredibly intimate and completely under its control, revealing an excited expression.

Just as it was about to roar and pounce on Xu Yan to express its gratitude, the nearby watching Leader of the Lion Pride shattered its dream of being a king with one paw. It then somewhat grudgingly followed Xu Yan's instructions and came before the instrument to obediently undergo testing.

Just as the newly evolved Wind Flame Lion King was undergoing various tests in front of the instrument, the other Wind Flame Lion that had ingested the medicinal agent also lit up with the Light of Evolution.

After the light faded, an Azure Wind Flame Lion King, noticeably smaller than the previous one, appeared before Xu Yan and the assembled Spirit Beasts.

However, compared to the one currently at the instrument, this later-evolved one was clearly weaker in strength and majesty.

Furthermore, due to the existence of the previous one, Xu Yan could sense a feeling of incompleteness in this Wind Flame Lion King.