Chapter 83: The Regressive Nine-Headed Fiendish Dragon

It must be understood that the evolution of the Ice Silkworm depends on devouring massive amounts of energy, or flesh and blood rich in energy. Once he leaves the Azure Python Forest, where else could he find ferocious beasts for the Ice Silkworm to devour? He certainly couldn't let it feast directly on humans.

Thus, he could only purchase treasures of heaven and earth brimming with energy, or other such items, for the Ice Silkworm to consume—an endeavor that would require a fortune. How could such treasures be cheap? Even the Purple Gold Ginseng used at the Qi Drawing Realm started at a hundred or two hundred thousand taels of silver, let alone anything else.

When he left the Lin family, he had left most of his wealth behind for his kin; he carried only a few hundred thousand taels. At the Ice Silkworm's current rate of consumption, that sum might not even last a week before it was gone.

Nor could he let it go hungry—for the more the Ice Silkworm devoured, the stronger the energy it accumulated, and the faster it evolved. Exchanging silver for strength was a deal of a lifetime.

"Never mind, I'll take one step at a time," Lin Fan muttered as he shook his head. By now, the enormous body of the Ice Snow Berserker Bear had already been half-consumed by the Ice Silkworm, the speed truly astonishing.

"Right now, the Ice Silkworm's strength should be at the peak of the Tempering Body Realm. I wonder what level it will reach after devouring the entire bear!" Lin Fan waited patiently. He knew that although the Ice Silkworm devoured rapidly, it didn't mean it immediately digested all the energy; rather, it stored the energy within its body, to be broken down in time. Even so, its digestion was quite swift.

By Lin Fan's estimation, the flesh and blood of the entire Ice Snow Berserker Bear would at least raise the Ice Silkworm to the level of a second-tier beast. If he added the two beast cores in his possession, it might well reach the third tier in one leap.

Although the Ice Silkworm could consume energy to evolve, not all the energy absorbed could be converted for its own use; some amount would inevitably be wasted. Moreover, the energy required for each breakthrough in its cultivation far exceeded that of ordinary beasts.

In addition to the sheer quantity, the purity of energy within its body was also higher than that of common ferocious beasts. Thus, devouring and digesting beastly energy was a process of refining and compressing, stripping impurities from the energy of other beasts.

Only then could it transcend its level and forge its infamous might.

That legendary Ten-Winged Golden Silkworm, with godlike power, had slain many True Gods, precisely because of this trait.

A few more breaths passed. With a resounding crack, the giant skeleton of the Ice Snow Berserker Bear collapsed and shattered, scattering broken white bones across the ground.

With a whoosh, the Ice Silkworm flashed through the air and returned to Lin Fan’s ear. When he took it down for a closer look, he saw that it had swelled from the thickness of a pinky to that of a thumb, its body round and plump.

Clearly, it was thoroughly stuffed...

"You little thing!" Lin Fan chuckled, poking the rotund Ice Silkworm with his finger. Its head had grown so fat that it had lost its shape.

Originally triangular like a snake's, its head was now as round as a lollipop, and with its plump body, it looked both clumsy and adorably silly.

"How about I call you Candy?" The thought flashed across Lin Fan’s mind, reminding him of a TV drama from before Earth’s transformation, in which there was a silkworm called Candy, quite similar to his now chubby companion.

Of course, the so-called Candy’s second male lead, Sha Qianmo—if he were truly the lord of the Demon Realm in reality, his strength would hardly be enough to fill the teeth gap of a grown Ice Silkworm.

At Lin Fan’s words, the black, bright eyes on the Ice Silkworm’s snowy white body seemed to flash with confusion.

Then, as if it understood, it shook its head vigorously.

With its short, fat body, no longer than a finger, it tumbled and rolled in Lin Fan’s palm, so endearingly silly that it could melt anyone’s heart.

Had a little girl been present, she would have been utterly smitten on the spot—such cuteness could well be called lethal.

"Oh? You understand?" Lin Fan rubbed his chin, surprised that the newly hatched Ice Silkworm was so clever, able to grasp his meaning.

He pondered for a moment. "Since you don't like that name, let's try another. How about Little White?"

As soon as the words left his lips, the Ice Silkworm shook even harder, clearly displeased.

"What about Big White? Or Blackie?" Lin Fan continued, peering at the silkworm in his palm.

The result was the same—the Ice Silkworm rolled from his palm to his fingertip and back again, the intensity of its tumbling expressing its vehement protest.

Opposition had reached its peak!

Lin Fan, somewhat helpless, fell into thought for another two seconds before his eyes suddenly lit up. "I’ve got it, you’ll be—damn!"

Of course, he hadn’t meant to name the Ice Silkworm "Damn." He exclaimed because he realized the silkworm’s rolling wasn’t a protest against his names, but rather a sign that, after devouring the Ice Snow Berserker Bear, it was about to advance!

As it rolled, it began to spin silk, quickly cocooning itself in a snowy white chrysalis in his palm, beginning its evolution.

Two black lines rose on Lin Fan’s forehead...

How awkward! He’d spent all that time thinking up names, only to discover that the little Ice Silkworm wasn’t objecting—it was simply busy advancing and had no time to listen.

Utterly embarrassing!

This evolution, however, was not the same as its previous nirvana. For the Ice Silkworm to become a Golden Silkworm, it must undergo nine nirvanas and condense nine crimson death lines.

Each crimson line could be called a thread of life. After forming all nine, it would use the life force of these lines to undergo nirvana once more, thus achieving the true body of the Golden Silkworm.

In this state, its devouring power would become even more terrifying, its evolution more rapid, and its bloodline even stronger. It would awaken a trace of the ancient Nine-Headed Sin Dragon’s lineage, resulting in an astonishing surge of strength.

Of course, the Nine-Headed Sin Dragon was also known as the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon.

The Sin Dragon was immensely powerful; though it resembled a true dragon, it was not of dragonkind—indeed, it preyed on dragons. In ancient times, it was said that the only bloodline rivaling the Sin Dragon was that of the Nine-Headed Nether Phoenix.

Yet the Nether Phoenix had long since vanished from history, leaving only its descendant, the Ghost Bird, which also bore nine heads. Perhaps the name Ghost Bird is unfamiliar, but its other name is widely known—the Nine-Headed Worm.

That was the creature in the classic Journey to the West, who battled Sun Wukong and the Erlang God alone, and was undefeated. If not for the Howling Celestial Dog’s surprise attack, it would not even have been wounded.

In the end, all the gods and Buddhas could do nothing, and it escaped to the North Sea unhindered.

Though Journey to the West is a myth, with Earth’s transformation and the resurgence of spiritual energy, such records seem less and less like mere legend.

Truths once lost to history continually emerge before people’s eyes.

Talking animals, ants lifting thousand-pound boulders, lions breathing fire, pythons summoning tsunamis—such sights were no longer unheard of.

Whether the Ghost Bird truly existed, none dared deny anymore; and the tales of its power indirectly testified to the might of the Golden Silkworm.

Whether the Golden Silkworm truly possessed the bloodline of the Sin Dragon, however, remained uncertain, for never in history had a Golden Silkworm fully evolved into a Sin Dragon.

The most powerful one Lin Fan had ever seen was probably the one belonging to Bei Mingxi—a True God level beast.

Even so, for an Ice Silkworm to undergo nine nirvanas and form nine crimson lines, and then use them to achieve the true body of the Golden Silkworm, before continuing to devour and evolve—such had always been the path, but none had ever seen its end.

Of course, each nirvana was extremely dangerous; even if successful, the silkworm would be left as weak as an ant, forced to start over from nothing. Failure meant utter annihilation.

The final transformation into a Golden Silkworm was even more perilous, reportedly requiring the passage through heavenly tribulation, and each subsequent nirvana after that would demand the same.

Lin Fan had no idea what level the Ice Silkworm needed to reach for each nirvana, or how much energy it would have to consume, but since it had only just completed its last nirvana, even after devouring the Ice Snow Berserker Bear, it would not immediately undergo another. Judging by its aura, this was merely an evolution.

Previously, it had been at the peak of the first tier among fierce beasts; after this evolution, it would at least reach the second tier.

"Sigh, now that you’re full, I should fill my own belly." Lin Fan prepared to tuck the cocooned Ice Silkworm into his clothes.

Yet the silkworm within the cocoon seemed still aware; the cocoon floated through the air, attaching itself to the strands of Lin Fan’s hair by his ear.

From a distance, it looked as if a lustrous pearl was nestled in his disheveled locks—a touch of gentleness amid the wild aura he’d acquired from his recent battles.

It made him look rather like he did before his memories awakened: refined and handsome.

Striding toward the roasting meat, Lin Fan caught the savory aroma before he even arrived, and his stomach grumbled audibly.

"Between the mountain snows and the heavens, the cold wind whirls and clouds dissolve..." On a sudden whim, he sang out, and from who knows where, produced a jug of fiery liquor, raising it to gulp down two hearty swigs.

"Beyond the sea of clouds for a thousand miles, I envy only mandarin ducks, not immortals!"

Clang!

Snowdrift, his blade, was drawn without his noticing. The light of the blade fanned out, slicing the golden roasted haunch into countless pieces.

If you wish to continue reading "Era of the Gods," bookmark this chapter (Chapter 83: The Atavistic Nine-Headed Sin Dragon) so you can find it next time!

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