Chapter 3: Why is it not hatching?

Contracting cosmic beasts even when they are still in their egg form is a delicate thing. It is not something that could be delayed and Zaven immediately checked the current status of his 'taming' and he soon was astonished.

"I-I... I can feel it... I already contracted this cosmic beast?" Zaven said and towards the end, he sounded a bit unsure.

The Ethelric Family is known for their lineage that specializes in cosmic beasts. Of course, not all of them awakened innate talents that enabled them to contract cosmic beasts. However, their innate talents are more or less related to cosmic beasts.

Take Raven for example, although he cannot tame cosmic beasts, his innate ability allows him to form or create ravens. These ravens might not be real living entities with flesh and blood but at the very least, their form was that of a cosmic beast!

After growing up in such a family, Zaven was far from being ignorant of how contracting cosmic beasts usually happen. There should be a struggle between his will and the cosmic beast's will but that didn't happen at all.

What happened instead was that Zaven could feel that he already successfully formed a contract with the cosmic beast. He knew this instinctively but since this situation shattered his common sense, he couldn't help but be a bit confused.

"You succeeded?" Belthric muttered while knitting his eyebrows. Just like that, his son succeeded?

With Zaven's constitution, it wouldn't be a surprise if he failed in his first try, everyone in his family was prepared for that time. But he didn't even actually struggle even for a moment? Isn't this too incredulous?

"Cousin! You're amazing! Your willpower is actually this strong? You successfully contracted the cosmic beast easily!" Raven said with genuine admiration and his words made Belthric realize something.

How can he forget this? His son might have a weak constitution but his willpower was unmatched by anyone at the same age!

If Zaven's willpower was weak, he wouldn't be able to train his body despite the suffering he would experience every time!

Aside from the necessary talent, another crucial element in contracting a cosmic beast is the cultivator's willpower!

"That's right! This is amazing! Now, you just need to constantly feed the cosmic beast egg with your cosmic energy and after around a month, it will hatch and become your companion!" Belthric said, throwing the suspicion at the back of his mind.

"My son is indeed amazing!" Zaven's mother; Elena said as she went forward to wrap her son with her arms.

Their words caressed Zaven's thirsty ego and the young man puffed his chest. "Of course! As the Dragonhead City's next Lord, I couldn't afford not to be amazing!" He said with a tone filled with pride.

In fact, while Zaven sounds like your average third-rate villainous Young Master, this only stemmed from his obsession which is not exactly bad.

What Zaven dream is to become a powerful cultivator. Only when he is a powerful cultivator can he take his family to greater heights. All he wants is to elevate the status of his clan for the sake of his family!

His intentions were pure but the cruel reality caused his mind to be a bit twisted.

Seeing how happy Zaven was, everyone in the family also felt genuine happiness. After all, they love each other genuinely!

—-

Two whole weeks have passed and in these two weeks, Zaven was slowly returning to his original self. He was not the impatient child anymore.

All he did was focus on incubating the cosmic beast and waiting for it to hatch. Since he has hope now, even Zaven's relationship with his cousin has greatly improved.

"Hmph! Wait until my cosmic beast hatches, I wouldn't be inferior compared to you!" Zaven said with a voice laced with jealousy after watching his cousin defeat one of the stronger Village-level guards of the Belthric Family.

A Village-level cultivator is the weakest of all cultivators and they are not worth mentioning. However, for a twelve-year-old child to defeat a stronger than average Village-level cultivator is still very much special! This showcases the talent and strength that a child possesses!

"I can't wait to spar with you too!" Raven said honestly.

It was Zaven's dream to become a powerful cultivator and as Raven sees him as his light, bringing glory to the family also became his dream. Naturally, he would want to spar with his cousin!

"Me too!" Zaven said with a nod but his reason was more childish than Raven's. The latter simply wants to spar with Zaven as a form of bonding but Zaven wants to spar with Raven because he wants to defeat him to show that he too is talented.

Only in moments like these would Zaven be able to have such childish thoughts. As for the future...

——

Another two weeks have passed and it has been a month since Zaven contracted the cosmic beast. However, even after a month, the cosmic beast still didn't show any signs of hatching and this puts Zaven into despair.

"Don't think too much! It would simply take a bit longer than normal before this cosmic beast hatches! The cosmic energy you possess doesn't change much after you awaken and the 1 month standard is for cultivators that were able to cultivate and absorb cosmic energy. No worries! Give it a week or two and your powerful cosmic beast will surely hatch!"

Belthric tried his best to ease the despair and anxiousness of his son. It has been a month and the cosmic beast still hasn't shown any sign of hatching and even Belthric cannot help but be worried.

No matter how weak Zaven was, after pouring a lot of resources and also after constantly feeding the cosmic beast with his cosmic energy, the beast should have shown some changes. It should have developed further but it was still the same as it was a month ago!

It was to the point that Belthric could not help but think that he might have been scammed. If not for the life force that he can sense from the cosmic beast egg, he might have already protested to the auction house for selling him a dead egg.

"Hmm! I will wait a bit more!" Zaven replied while nodding his head but his mind still can't be at ease.

——

Another two months have passed and at this time, Zaven can be seen inside his room lying on the bed while hugging the cosmic beast egg desperately.

"When will you hatch... please hatch as soon as possible... will you even hatch... am I that unworthy... I can't even hatch a single cosmic beast egg..."

The more time that passed, the more Zaven sank into despair. His mood becomes more irritable as gloom fills his entire being.

It has been three months! Three whole months have passed but the egg doesn't show any change at all!

If not for the clear connection that Zaven has with the cosmic beast, he would think that it was already dead.

Just like usual, Zaven fed the cosmic beast with his cosmic energy but the beast simply passively absorbed it.

Zaven frowned and he used his mental power to penetrate the egg, trying to communicate with the beast's will.

However, although the cosmic beast still emits lifeforce, proving that it is alive, Zaven cannot sense the will of the beast at all.

It felt like the cosmic beast was empty inside and Zaven even instinctively felt that he could control the body of the cosmic beast inside the egg if he wished to.

However, no matter how despairing this situation is, the cosmic beast is still Zaven's only ticket and hope to achieve his dream. He is naturally unwilling to risk it and do something that goes against common sense.

As such, he can only continue to feed the cosmic beast with his energy in hopes that it will hatch soon.

"Zaven, how are you feeling? Do you want to go to the training grounds? We can train together!"

At normal times, no one from the Ethelric Family would like to see Zaven train his physical body as he was too prone to sickness but things are different now.

Zaven has been holed up inside his room for days already and everyone is worried for him. They can't take seeing him this depressed anymore and if training would give him some vitality then they are willing to take the risk.

"Go away!" Zaven said weakly and this greatly saddened Raven. He would rather much see Zaven angry at him rather than this.

Just when their relationship was starting to slowly return to normal!

Raven was filled with regret! If only! If only that cosmic beast egg already hatched, things would definitely be different!

Why can't that cosmic beast simply hatch? It was too important for Zaven's mental health! Everyone can't help but harbor deep dissatisfaction to the innocent egg as it seems unwilling to hatch no matter how much effort its contractor exerts!