The forest changed.
Not at the surface.
Not in color.
Not in shape.
But in feeling.
Han Chandu stepped forward.
Deeper.
Further than before.
Beyond the outer regions.
Into a place—
Where Sacred creatures existed constantly.
The air was dense.
Alive.
Every direction carried presence.
Every step entered territory.
Han Chandu slowed.
Not from hesitation.
From control.
A faint panel appeared.
[ Sanctuary Panel ]
Status:
Evolution → Not Evolved
Life Span → 200 Years
Genes:
Ordinary → 100 / 100
Primitive → 100 / 100
Mutant → 100 / 100
Sacred → 52 / 100
Beast Souls:
Armor → Shadow Armor
Weapon → Mutant Blade
Weapon → Mutant Sword
Weapon → Sacred Beast Soul
The panel faded.
No reaction.
Because now—
The process was stable.
A presence formed.
A Crystal Back Turtle.
Sacred.
Slow.
Heavy.
Han Chandu moved.
Minimal.
Precise.
Strike.
Joint.
Second.
Third.
Final.
End.
"Creature (Crystal Back Turtle — Sacred) killed."
A pause.
"Beast Soul gained."
Silence.
Han Chandu stood still.
Then—
He activated it.
A form appeared.
Small.
Incomplete.
A Crystal Back Turtle.
But not full.
Not stable.
Its body—
Faint.
Reduced.
Weak.
It did not move aggressively.
Did not attack.
Did not defend.
Only remained.
Barely formed.
An infant.
A Pet Beast Soul.
Han Chandu observed.
Calm.
Because this—
Matched expectation.
No strength.
No function.
Only existence.
He dismissed it.
The form dissolved.
Returned.
Stored.
He crouched.
Prepared the meat.
Ate.
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +0
Stopped.
Remaining meat—
Untouched.
Unusable.
But not wasted.
Han Chandu paused.
Then—
He summoned it again.
The small turtle appeared.
Same weak form.
Same incomplete structure.
He stepped aside.
No command.
No instruction.
But the result—
Clear.
The turtle moved.
Slow.
Unstable.
Toward the meat.
Then—
Began eating.
Not efficiently.
Not quickly.
But steadily.
Because this—
Was its purpose.
The meat disappeared.
Piece by piece.
Consumed fully.
No waste.
A change occurred.
Small.
But real.
Its body—
Stabilized slightly.
Edges—
More defined.
Form—
More solid.
Still weak.
Still incomplete.
But no longer the same.
Growth.
Han Chandu observed.
Because this—
Was confirmation.
Pet Beast Souls—
Evolved through feeding.
Not instantly.
Not drastically.
But gradually.
He dismissed it again.
The form dissolved.
Returned.
But changed.
Slightly stronger.
He stood.
Moved forward.
Because now—
Nothing was wasted.
Not even excess.
A second presence appeared.
A Shadow King Panther.
Sacred.
It attacked instantly.
Han Chandu moved.
Minimal.
Clean.
Strike.
Leg.
Second.
Final.
End.
"Creature (Shadow King Panther — Sacred) killed."
A pause.
"No Beast Soul gained."
A faint drop—
Then gone.
He prepared the meat.
Ate.
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +1
→ Sacred Gene +0
Stopped.
Remaining meat—
Again.
Unused.
He summoned the turtle again.
This time—
Its form appeared slightly clearer.
Still small.
Still weak.
But more stable.
It moved.
Faster than before.
Consumed the remaining meat.
Completely.
Another shift.
Small.
But consistent.
Growth continued.
Step by step.
Feeding by feeding.
Han Chandu stood still.
Because now—
Everything aligned.
Combat.
Consumption.
Conversion.
Growth.
Nothing wasted.
Everything used.
He moved forward.
Deeper.
Because now—
Even what he could not use—
Had purpose.
And that purpose—
Would grow