I Have a Golden Crow

”Tsk tsk.” Du Yu sighed softly, stroking the ”Ice Cream Cone” and feeling a hint of coldness at his fingertips.

The Glowing Firetorch still didn’t have a solid form. If you wanted to hold it in your hands, you’d have to wrap your hands full of Demon Breath.

The whole torch was about 60 centimeters long, shrouded in black mist. From bottom to top, it grew thicker, with a flickering flame of phosphorescent green at its tip, radiating a strange glow.

Suddenly, a string of glowing green runes faintly appeared on the body of the torch. As Du Yu’s finger swept past, the runes flashed one after another.

Du Yu had no idea what these mysterious symbols meant, but the exquisite characters had him totally enraptured.

An ordinary Ghost Firefly Torch definitely didn’t have this set of phosphorescent green runes!

This is way too cool!

”Even if you’re not yet an Ancient Ghost Firefly, you still have to be set apart from the normal Mortal Grade ones.” Du Yu muttered under his breath, ”If everyone else calls it a firetorch, you’ll be called a Ghost Firefly Torch!”

With Du Yu’s words, the glowing green runes on the torch lit up again, and this time not only the runes, but a pair of glowing green, big eyes appeared as well.

”Hey!” Du Yu waved, poking under Little You Ying’s eyes. ”No mouth now, huh? Can’t nibble my finger anymore, right?”

Little Ghost Firefly gave Du Yu a look full of resentment, the glowing green mystical runes fading away as the ”Ice Cream Cone” turned pitch-black again.

”Heh heh.” Du Yu grinned, genuinely feeling as if he had gotten his hands on a divine artifact.

He waved the Ghost Firefly Torch in front of himself. Little You Ying quickly shut its eyes as if afraid it would get dizzy?

Layers of glowing green flames spread out, while specks of green sparks splattered, crackling and popping.

Kinda feels like I’m wielding an ”Ice Cream Cone Staff”?

Although the Ghost Firefly Fire Type’s little mouth was gone, I read online you could just toss food right onto the torch.

Du Yu grabbed the Ghost Firefly Torch, looked at the blossoming Nether Leaf Bead next to him, and quickly found a fresh bunch of fruits, hurrying to shove the ”Ice Cream Cone” right into them.

The glowing green flames incinerated the cluster of pale purple fruits to ashes, but didn’t burn the purple leaves.

Clearly, this wasn’t true incineration, but Little You Ying munching happily on fruit.

Little You Ying opened its big eyes wide in joy, but without a mouth, it couldn’t make a sound anymore.

Xiaoyan tilted her head up curiously, looking left and right, thinking her little buddy looked pretty magical.

”Say hello, Ghost Firefly evolved.” Du Yu waved the Ghost Firefly Torch in front of Xiaoyan.

Xiaoyan poked her little head closer, sniffed the green flames, then turned away with a disgusted face: ”Ew~”

But Little You Ying was thrilled, and the flame atop the torch was growing brighter and brighter...

Du Yu was startled and quickly tossed the Ghost Firefly Torch away.

”Bang!”

The green flame at the top of the torch exploded, and as the breeze from the Nether Leaf Small Pearl Cluster blew by, a wave of rich rotten-egg stench wafted over.

Du Yu looked like he was on the verge of tears, diving for the bushes, which rustled: ”What karma did I bring on myself.”

Whoosh~

The Ghost Firefly Torch floated happily back in midair.

”Stop it, I surrender!” Du Yu yelled in defeat, looking up only to see Little You Ying transfixed by the Nether Leaf Bead’s fruit.

At that moment, Little You Ying was hanging head-down, burning up clusters of purple fruit.

Du Yu poked his head out from the bushes, watching his little glutton, and asked, ”When Ghost Firefly learns Demon Skills, does it follow the skill list for the Ghost Firefly Torch?”

Little Fen Yang: ”Yep yep.”

”Alright, let’s see what new Demon Skills it can learn.” Du Yu exited the Nether Leaf Small Pearl Cluster, pulling out his phone while motioning with his shoulder at Xiaoyan, ”You go eat too, there are no other Demon Beasts here today, eat up!”

Xiaoyan didn’t stand on ceremony, darted out at once and joined the all-you-can-eat party.

Du Yu raised his phone, chasing after the head-down ”Ice Cream Cone” and finally scanned it.

Swiping down the screen, he found the Demon Skills the Ghost Firefly Torch could learn:

Unyielding Silver·Ghost Firefly Blow: Gather Demon Breath at the head of the torch, then shoot out a rapidly spinning Wind-Fire Pillar straight ahead, smashing and blowing away the target.

Unyielding Silver·Ghostly Insect Guide: Gather Demon Breath at the head of the torch, creating a rapidly spinning Wind-Fire Pillar ahead that smashes and draws the target in.

Reading the Demon Skill info on his phone, Du Yu’s face turned odd. I really have a ”Magic Staff” now, huh?

Wait a sec! Isn’t this slick little combo all ready to go?

”Ghost Firefly Burn” goes off first with an explosion, the stinkier the rotten egg smell, the better!

Then ”Ghost Firefly Blow” follows up, blasting all the stink right into the enemy’s face~

”Poisonous, Du Yu, you’re seriously vicious.” Du Yu muttered to himself, feeling he truly lived up to his reputation as Number Six!

Sigh...

Just didn’t time the evolution right. If only Little You Ying had powered up a day sooner, facing that army of Little Night Mongooses, wouldn’t a single blast have knocked out a whole crowd?

The sharper a Demon Beast’s sense of smell, the stronger the reaction, right?

”Yip!” A fiery red figure came running over. Du Yu hurriedly put away his phone and reached out a hand.

Xiaoyan hopped lightly on her hindlegs to tap Du Yu’s wrist, borrowing momentum to leap onto his shoulder.

She still had a bunch of Nether Leaf Small Pearl Fruit in her mouth, looking like tiny grapes, offering them to Du Yu’s lips.

”For me?”

”Yip!” Xiaoyan excitedly wagged her beautiful bushy tail.

”Thank you.” Du Yu quickly took the cluster of Nether Leaf Small Pearl Fruit. He could visibly see the berries shriveling as he watched.

Just then, the sky paled with the hint of dawn, and the pale purple glow of the Nether Leaf Small Pearl Cluster faded away.

If you don’t eat these now, the fruit will wither away.

Du Yu hurriedly popped the fruit in his mouth and scarfed down a whole string.

One moment he was delighted by the novelty, the next his face twisted in agony, scrunching up like a steamed bun.

So bitter!?

Is this what Nether Leaf Small Pearl Fruit tastes like?

Nope, this is the taste of my last 17 years...

”So cool and fresh~” In his mind, Little Fen Yang’s satisfied voice chimed in.

Du Yu clutched his face, slowly squatted down, and finally sprawled on the ground. After much mental struggle, he forced himself to swallow the rest of the fruit: ”Gulp.”

”Yip?” Xiaoyan hopped to his face, her tiny paws pressing his cheeks as she curiously watched her master.

Suddenly, a phantom face appeared in front of Du Yu. Little Fen Yang gave a sweet smile and gently kissed Xiaoyan’s nose: ”Thank you.”

Du Yu: ”...”

Other people’s.

Happiness and joy are always other people’s...

Just as Du Yu was wracking his brains, thinking where things had gone wrong, the nearby Ghost Firefly Torch finally finished burning up the Nether Leaf Small Pearl Fruit. Spotting its master lying on his back, its eyes lit up as it floated over in delight.

”Whoa! Whoa!” Du Yu hurriedly sat up, held out both hands in protest, ”Don’t explode, don’t you—”

”Bang!”

Du Yu leaned slightly back, shut his eyes, looking utterly done with life as a thick stench swept over his face on the breeze.

The Demon Taming World really is something else.

It’s got all the color, aroma, and flavor you could ask for...

A few seconds later, Du Yu was covering his mouth and nose in resigned misery as he grabbed the Ghost Firefly Torch and hastily bailed from the area.

”Today’s goal: learn both Demon Skills!” Du Yu glared at the torch in his hand, declaring fiercely.

Little You Ying looked up at Du Yu, eyes brimming, putting on a pitiful ”You’re so mean...” face.

Du Yu grumpily grabbed his phone, opened a cached short video and placed it before the Ghost Firefly Torch. In the video, a regular Ghost Firefly Torch had its eyes shut, blasting a spinning Wind-Fire Pillar from its head.

”Du Yu, Du Yu~”

”Hmm?”

Little Fen Yang asked curiously, ”You’re not going to sleep? You were wiped out yesterday and pulled an all-nighter, aren’t you tired or sleepy?”

Du Yu waved a big hand, scattering sparks from the torch: ”Nah, boosting my power comes first!”

Little Fen Yang whispered, ”You’re already ranking up fast—you’re a Demon Tamer Journeyman now. There’s way more Fire Demon Breath stored in your meridians and acupoints, and I’m living in your Forehead Acupoint alone. You’ve done great already.”

Listening to Little Fen Yang’s words, Du Yu felt a little warmth in his heart. Little Fen Yang knows to care about me now, huh?

Little Fen Yang: ”At least eat something, okay?”

Du Yu: ”You want some dried fruit?”

As he spoke, he took off his tactical backpack. He’d been so focused on leveling up, he’d forgotten breakfast for his Demon Pet.

Little Fen Yang: ”No, not me, I mean you.”

”If I feed you some fruit leather, that’s my breakfast too.” Du Yu pulled out some Firethorn Fruit Leather, licked his lips, and after building up his courage, took a big bite with his eyes closed.

Honestly, fruit leather was way better than raw fruit; at least there wasn’t any juicy mess! Plus, the leather pieces are small enough to swallow like a pill.

”Poor Du Yu~” Suddenly, Little Fen Yang’s figure tumbled out, sunset-colored eyes staring straight into Du Yu’s. ”Why don’t we just finish the ring quest? Then you can sleep in a big bed and eat good food.”

”Huh?” Du Yu perking up, eyes lighting up, ”You got a way to get Dust Spirit Deer beads?”

Little Fen Yang nodded lightly, ”Let’s go to the Twin Trees first and loosen up the Spiritual Qi in your Spirit Ruins Acupoint, so your body gets used to it, then we’ll go look for Little Deer.”

Du Yu looked puzzled, ”Isn’t Spiritual Qi from the extinct profession—Spirit Masters? Dust Spirit Deer are Demon Beasts, they cultivate Demon Breath. What’s it got to do with Spiritual Qi?”

Little Fen Yang whispered, ”There’s a reason Dust Spirit Deer are called ’Dust Spirits.’

Humans can cultivate Demon Breath or Spiritual Qi. Among the Beast Race, a handful of special Demon Beasts can cultivate both Demon Breath and Spiritual Qi.

The Dust Spirit Deer are one of the rare Beast Races that like to eat Spiritual Qi.”

Time for another Fen Yang special lecture?

Du Yu was secretly thrilled to bag another nugget of rare, long-buried lore.

After all, hundreds of years ago, when the Divine Tree withered, Spiritual Qi in the world thinned out and then vanished altogether, and the world forgot about Spiritual Qi. So the Dust Spirit Deer’s taste for such energy would have been buried too.

”Come on, let’s go to the Twin Trees first and make you a real Spirit Master.” With that, Little Fen Yang leaned forward and melted into Du Yu’s body.

It was only then that Du Yu realized maybe Master Qing had told him to train under the Twin Trees with this in mind too.

”Okay, let’s go!”