Monarch of Darkness

Evan felt amazed by the efficiency of his soul technique. He had already employed this technique while forming a bond with Bigblue but he still felt amazed by the power of his own soul. When he was at early stage of Meridian opening realm, he employed this method to subdue Bigblue who was at Late stage of Meridian opening realm. That was two stage higher than his own cultivation level. Now that he was at late stage of Meridian opening realm, he again used this technique and subdued a early stage Profound transformation realm Shadow rat. This was also a difference of two stage but what excited Evan more was that he could subdue a magical beast of another realm. It was a big discovery for him as he was still experimenting on his powerful royal devil soul.

Evan asked some questions to the leader of the Shadow rats and from it, he learned many details about the Redwood forest. According to the leader of Shadow rats, their Shadow rat tribe was only a third rate tribe in the Redwood forest. The forest was so big that even the Shadowrat tribe had not completely explored it yet. There were many danger zones inside the forest and there were also many offlimit areas where the first rate and second rate tribes were staying.

"What a surprise! I haven't expected to get so much information from these Shadow rats. If I would have tried to subdue their leader earlier, I could have saved some time", Evan thought to himself.

Evan separated another strand of his soul and pushed it toward the Shadow rat that he intended to catch earlier. This time also it went smoothly without any resistance but he felt a slight pain inside his mind. Using soul was a consuming process and he knew he would take sometime to recover to his peak. He inquired about a comparatively safe spot nearby and the leader of Shadow rats led him to an inconspicuous place.

Evan rested a bit and after cultivating for a while, he felt refreshed. He knew his body was gradually progressing to match the power of his royal devil soul and he only had to improve his cultivation to unleash it's full potential. He decided to check the targeted Shadow rat first. He commanded it to come out and a palm sized Shadow rat poked his head out from the ground and looked at him curiously.

He commanded it to come closer. It went toward him timidly and he looked at it with interest. It had faint golden lines all over it's body and it's soul fluctuation was strong enough to compare with a late stage Meridian opening realm soul. Evan observed it as it walked toward him but what made him surprised was that it kept looking toward his side with a covetous glance. 

He checked his side and found nothing that could be of interest to a Shadow rat. He asked it about it and it's answer caught him off-guard. It was actually drooling over his short sword. He looked at it with surprise and again asked it to confirm the answer. He got the same answer again and he could sense it's desire through their soul connection.

Evan thought for a moment and a name of an ancient magical beast came to his mind. He checked his spatial ring and took out a small knife made of black iron. He placed it infront of the Shadow rat. Then he looked at the Shadow rat to observe it's reaction.

It looked at him in a pitiful way as if it was begging him. Evan heard a timid childish voice inside his mind. "Can you give this food to me?" This was the first complete sentence Evan heard from it and he felt surprised by the childishness in it's voice.

Evan said it to go ahead and it happily pounced on the knife. His jaw dropped seeing it's speed and within few moments, there was nothing left of the knife. He took out another knife and the result was same. There was nothing left of the knife!

Evan asked the leader of Shadow rats about this unique Shadow rat and it said it knew nothing about its such behaviour. From the leader of the Shadow rats, he found out that it was only a one year old child and it was founded by one of their tribe. After it's founder got killed while hunting, it was being taken care of by the leader's group of Shadow rats. Evan informed the leader of the Shadow rats about his intention to take it away and it obviously didn't object. Afterall, once a magical beast got subdued by the royal devil soul, they became fiercely loyal to that wielder of royal devil soul.

"I never thought I will find a descendant of a goldbiter rat in such a remote place", Evan thought inside his mind and a wide grin appeared on his face. He thought about the information he had learned about the goldbiter rats in his previous life.

Goldbiter rats were one of the most fearsome ancient tribe among the magical beasts. Like dragons and phoenixs and the black tortoises, goldbiter rats were also one of the ancient noble bloodlines. Most of the ancient tribes had problem with reproducing pure blooded descendants but goldbiter rats had no such problem. They reproduce without limitation and some goldbiter rats eventually borned with the most noble bloodline in each generation. With their overwhelming population and the devouring ability, they evoked fear among myriad races.

What Evan this time found was not a pure blooded goldbiter rat but a mixed one. To said precisely, it was a Goldbiter shadow rat. Due to it's low age, it's full potential was not out yet but it would be out eventually with its cultivation progression.

This Goldbiter shadow rat had less bloodline purity than the pureblooded ones but what made it deadlier was it's combination. It could eat away any hard object with its devouring ability and could also become invisible with it's darkness affinity. Discovery of this time made Evan satisfied and he prepared to venture into his next destination- The thunder valley.