Ch 22: The Mystery Box

Feng Chen strode into his cave with a purpose, though his mind remained somewhat distracted by the mysterious mark on his forehead. He could still feel its subtle pulse, as if the very essence of the heavens themselves had left their mark upon him.

He plopped down on the floor, legs crossed, and began to focus on the intricate rune-like design that now adorned his skin.

The mark resembled a crescent moon, glowing faintly with a cerulean light, surrounded by swirling concentric circles. The lines were delicate yet powerful, with complex, almost celestial patterns that seemed to shift ever so slightly when looked at too closely.

It was mesmerizing, as though the mark were alive... pulsing, breathing, in tune with the vast energies of the cosmos. In the faint darkness of the cave, it illuminated his face softly, casting an otherworldly glow around him.

"I wonder what this mark actually means," Feng Chen mumbled to himself, tracing the lines gently with his fingertips.

"Is it some kind of divine symbol, or a seal left behind by the energies of Yin and Yang? Maybe it's just the universe's way of reminding me how special I am."

He smirked at the thought, but his curiosity quickly turned elsewhere. His gaze shifted toward the Mystery Box still sitting in his inventory. It had been there for quite some time, and with all the treasures he had recently uncovered, it was hard not to think about what might be inside. Feng Chen chuckled to himself as he summoned his inventory.

"Alright, System," Feng Chen said, rubbing his hands together like an excited child about to open a present.

"Give me the lowdown on this Mystery Box. I want to know exactly what I'm dealing with here."

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System Notification:-

Displaying Description…

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Mystery Box

- Description: A rare treasure box that can contain a variety of items, ranging from common junk to legendary treasures. Its contents are completely random, so even I, the system, have no idea what's inside. Good luck… you'll need it.

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Feng Chen raised an eyebrow, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Completely random, huh? So, it could be anything… from total trash to something that could reshape the heavens?" He grinned widely, feeling his anticipation grow.

"Well, there's only one way to find out."

He stood up and prepared himself for what he hoped would be a moment of divine fortune. Dropping to his knees, Feng Chen began bowing dramatically in every direction, chanting the names of every god of luck he could think of.

"Fortune gods, Taoist immortals, heavenly deities, even that trickster god from the stories! I'm calling on all of you! Just this once, let the heavens smile upon me!"

The system watched silently, if not a bit skeptically, hoping beyond hope that the box contained nothing but rocks. Maybe, just maybe, Feng Chen's dramatic prayers would be met with disappointment.

"Please, let this be garbage " the system muttered internally.

Oblivious to the system's wishes for his demise, Feng Chen grinned as he prepared to open the box.

"Alright… no looking, no hesitation. I trust the gods of luck to deliver me something good!" he declared confidently. With one fluid motion, he popped open the Mystery Box.

A brilliant light exploded from the box, filling the cave with dazzling rays that seemed to dance and swirl around him. Feng Chen shielded his eyes, his heart racing with excitement.

He could feel the power emanating from the box, its energy spreading through the cave like ripples in a pond. The light continued to glow for a few moments before gradually dissipating, leaving the air still and calm once again.

When the light finally faded, Feng Chen peeked inside the box, expecting something incredible... a legendary weapon, an ancient cultivation technique, or perhaps even a divine artifact. But his face fell when he saw what was waiting for him.

An… egg.

A plain, albeit divine-looking egg, sat nestled at the bottom of the box. Its shell was white, almost ethereal, with intricate golden lines etched across its surface. These golden patterns pulsed faintly, as though the egg itself was alive with power.

For a long moment, Feng Chen simply stared at the egg in disbelief.

"An egg?" he said, his voice flat.

"Out of all the things… I got an egg?"

But before Feng Chen could process the disappointment, the system snapped.

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System Notification:-

….. YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. A SPIRIT BEAST EGG?! FUCK THIS SHIT! THIS WORLD IS FUCKING BIASED! I SWEAR, I'M NOT DOING THIS ANYMORE! SCREW YOU, FENG CHEN, AND YOUR DAMN WORLD!

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Feng Chen blinked, then a slow, wicked smile spread across his face. His confusion turned to pure glee as he realized the true potential of what he had just received. He held the egg in his hands, feeling its gentle warmth and sensing the power within.

"Now this," Feng Chen said, his grin widening into something positively evil,

"this is going to be fun." He laughed, a low, satisfied chuckle that echoed off the cave walls.

"A Spirit Beast Egg, huh? System, I can already smell the smoke coming out of your gears. What are you so mad about? I thought you loved random luck."

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System Notification:-

I hate you.

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Feng Chen burst out laughing.

"You can hate me all you want, System, but that's not going to stop me from making the best of this." He cradled the egg, admiring the glowing golden lines on its shell.

"So, this is what a Spirit Beast Egg looks like… not bad. Not bad at all."

His excitement growing, Feng Chen called out,

"Alright, System. Let's hear the details. What am I dealing with here?"

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System Notification:-

Displaying Spirit Beast Egg Details…

- Spirit Beast Egg

- Description: A rare egg containing a spirit beast of immense potential. The final appearance, personality, and abilities of the beast will depend on the nurturing methods used by the host. Proper care and input of energy can shape the beast into a formidable companion.

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Feng Chen's grin turned into an outright wicked laugh.

"So, I get to decide how this beast turns out? I can shape it, mold it into whatever I want?" His eyes gleamed with malice and ambition.

"Perfect. Let's create something that will make the heavens themselves tremble."

The memories of his past life filled his mind... those cultivation mangas he loved so much. He remembered the scenes where the protagonist would nurture their spirit beasts, feeding them the energy from beast cores and watching them grow stronger with each passing day. The very thought sent a thrill through his veins.

He crouched down and gently placed the egg on the ground. It glowed softly in the dim cave, the golden lines flickering like fireflies in the night.

Feng Chen stood up and walked out of the cave, gathering materials to create a suitable nest for the egg. He carefully selected soft grasses, sturdy branches, and smooth stones, layering them together to form a bed fit for something divine. When the nest was ready, he placed the egg in the center, its golden lines shimmering with a soft, pulsing light.

But Feng Chen wasn't done yet. His gaze turned to his Beast Cores each one brimming with spiritual energy. An idea sparked in his mind.

"If the heroes of the mangas could feed their spirit beasts with beast cores to strengthen them," he said with a mischievous grin,

"then I can do the same."

He summoned a few Beast Cores from his inventory, their radiant energy lighting up the cave. The cores hovered in the air, slowly rotating as they glowed with different hues. Feng Chen concentrated, focusing on channeling their energy into the egg. The air hummed with power as the beast cores' energy flowed into the egg like streams of light.

The egg responded immediately. Its golden patterns flared brightly as it absorbed the energy greedily. The shell seemed to swell and grow, its size doubling, then tripling, as the energy continued to pour in. The once palm-sized egg was now large enough to fill both of Feng Chen's hands, its surface alive with energy.

Feng Chen's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"Good… it's growing nicely." He chuckled to himself.

"But what if I could push it even further?"

A thought struck him, and he crouched beside the egg again.

"What if I could give it the power of Yin and Yang? If I could transfer that energy to the beast while it's still in the egg, it might develop those powers from birth." His excitement grew as he placed his hands gently on the egg's surface.

"Imagine the strength it would have… Yin and Yang flowing through its veins."

He began to circulate his Qi, first pulling the Yin energy from within himself, then the Yang. The two energies swirled together in perfect harmony as they flowed from his palms into the egg. The air around him grew thick with energy, the temperature fluctuating between hot and cold as the powers merged within the egg.

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System Notification:-

Beast Will has been Created. Spirit Beast will hatch in 30 days.

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Feng Chen grinned wickedly, holding the now-enlarged egg in his hands, feeling the new life stirring within it.

"Thirty days, huh?" he muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"That's more than enough time to keep feeding it Yin and Yang energy. Let's see if my little experiment works."

He placed the egg back into its nest, the golden lines on its shell still shimmering faintly from the energy infusion. The cave felt alive with power, almost as if the very air itself was crackling with anticipation. Feng Chen took a deep breath and smiled.

"This is going to be fun," he said, rubbing his hands together.

"In 30 days, the world is going to witness the birth of something truly terrifying."

A sudden thought struck him, causing him to chuckle.

"System, I bet you're hoping this egg hatches into a rat or something equally useless, right?"

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System Notification:-

One can only hope…

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Feng Chen laughed heartily, thoroughly amused by the system's obvious frustration.

"Well, let me tell you, System," he said, flashing the egg a devilish grin,

"whatever comes out of this egg, it's going to be anything but ordinary. It'll be powerful, ruthless, and loyal only to me. You can start preparing to have your circuits fried by how awesome it'll be."

He stepped back and looked at the nest with pride, knowing that the beast within would soon become one of his greatest weapons in this world.

But just as he was about to settle back into cultivation, a memory hit him like a bolt of lightning.

"Ah, crap! I almost forgot!" he shouted, smacking his forehead.

"System, sign in! Now!"

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System Notification: Due to the sign-in streak being interrupted for 15 years, the streak has been reset.

Day 1 sign-in successful.

Reward: ???

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Feng Chen's eyes lit up with intrigue.

"What's this?" he said, staring at the notification. The system hadn't revealed the reward yet, leaving it shrouded in mystery. His heart raced with anticipation as he waited for the system to display his prize.

"What could it be this time?" he wondered aloud. "Something legendary? Maybe another growth-type weapon? Or perhaps a divine cultivation technique?"

He could hardly contain his excitement as he pictured the possibilities. The unknown reward seemed to hang in the air, teasing him with the endless possibilities of what it could be. Feng Chen rubbed his hands together eagerly, his mind filled with dreams of grandeur.

The system remained silent, as though it were dragging out the suspense just to toy with him. Feng Chen's grin widened, his anticipation growing by the second.

"Come on, system, don't leave me hanging!" he said, practically bouncing on his feet.

"Whatever it is, I know it's going to be amazing!"