After the white light dissipated, a brand-new bird appeared in Jiang Xing's arms.
It did not have the slender and elegant body of the deep gray bird, nor did it possess those strange and beautiful feathers. Instead, it was covered in newly grown, dense white down, like that of a hatchling.
These white down feathers were extremely soft, like a cluster of clouds, wrapping it up and forming a chubby, rounded shape.
On its forehead, three light pink plumes had sprouted, like ribbons, tightly wrapping around Jiang Xing's wrist, unwilling to let go.
It evolved?
Jiang Xing had more than once speculated that the Ugly Waterfowl might have multiple evolutionary forms…
But that had only been speculation. The specifics could only be known after completing the breeding.
Just now, when the Ugly Waterfowl fled off the stage, there had been no sign of evolution whatsoever.
Jiang Xing had thought that was the end of it.
Unexpectedly, after calming down, it had ushered in its evolution.
'This evolutionary form should be a Friendship Evolution…'
'If the deep gray bird represents overcoming hardship and achieving inner completeness…'
'Then this cloud-fluff chubby bird represents letting go of the past and finding emotional attachment?'
Curiosity surged in Jiang Xing's mind, countless thoughts flashing by, before finally turning into pure joy.
He gently stroked the cloud-fluff chubby bird and said with a smile, "Congratulations."
"Gugu~"
The cloud-fluff chubby bird chirped happily, rubbing itself vigorously against Jiang Xing's palm.
It did not return to the stage or go back to the Ugly Waterfowl. It only wanted to stay glued to Jiang Xing's side, chirping "gugu."
The birth of the cloud-fluff chubby bird marked a new beginning.
Not every Ugly Waterfowl could overcome its inner demons and directly defeat the Ugliness talent.
After all, this was the combined effect of three hundred Ugly Waterfowl, enhanced by a mental field—an extremely amplified version of the Ugliness talent, far more terrifying than usual training.
And this mental pressure would not weaken as the number of Ugly Waterfowl decreased—
Just as Jiang Xing had designed in his research, the Auspicious Cloud Qilin was standing nearby, using its mental power to hypnotize the Ugly Waterfowl on stage, maintaining the mental pressure at a fixed level.
From a practical standpoint, this Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix event was more like a trial aimed at the Ugly Waterfowl's hearts—
A Heart-Demon Trial!
Those who passed the trial would undergo a metamorphosis, evolving into beautiful deep gray birds.
Those who failed the trial would still receive Jiang Xing's comforting embrace, evolving into snow-white cloud-fluff chubby birds.
As the event progressed, the proportion of the latter clearly increased, and Jiang Xing was soon surrounded by the cloud-fluff chubby birds.
Very quickly, Ugly Waterfowl No. 156 stepped onto the stage, drawing Jiang Xing's attention.
Chickie had appeared.
It was the only contracted one, and also the bravest Ugly Waterfowl.
But in truth, Jiang Xing had not given it much special treatment.
Not to mention that the Ugly Waterfowl evolution research had official funding—
Even if the project had not been approved, Jiang Xing would not have been stingy with resources. All the Ugly Waterfowl had their move manuals and Phoenix-type food fully supplied.
Jiang Xing regularly recorded their individual differences—such as personality, aptitude, move progress, growth rate, and so on—as comparative data.
Throughout the process, he neither neglected nor favored any particular one.
If there was any "special treatment," it was only that he spent more time with Chickie and put more thought into it.
After all, due to their contract, Jiang Xing naturally valued Chickie more. That was undeniable.
His energy was limited. He could only strive to be as fair as possible—it was impossible to be perfectly fair.
At this moment, Chickie had been randomly assigned to No. 156.
Because of the little Qilin, even though there were only a little over a hundred Ugly Waterfowl left below the stage when it stepped up, the mental pressure it endured did not weaken in the slightest—it was still at full intensity.
Facing the terrifying Ugliness effect, it likewise stood frozen for half a minute, countless images flashing through its mind.
But it did not turn back, nor did it retreat.
Instead, it forcibly suppressed all negative emotions, suppressed every single thought, and began performing the Seduction dance it had practiced for two and a half weeks!
Ugliness, hardship, darkness…
The past it once struggled with and feared had long been replaced by scene after scene.
It remembered when it had first arrived at the research institute—Jiang Xing had taken the Pet Beasts back to the room to rest. The little Qilin and the dragon hatchling had already gotten used to lying on the bed…
Only it had hesitated at the doorway, not daring to step forward, afraid of sullying the room.
It was Jiang Xing who, without hesitation, pulled it into his arms, allowing it to spend a night that was tense, anxious, agonizing—yet filled with memories.
It remembered when it first started training the Seduction move—Jiang Xing, in order to help it overcome its psychological barriers, had even learned alongside it, twisting his waist together with it, pointing out its mistakes…
He had even struck seductive poses in front of many Pet Beasts, and was seen by passing officers, yet did not care about making a fool of himself.
He kept it company, chatted with it, told it all kinds of wondrous stories, and brought it flying into the night sky it had always dreamed of…
Scene after scene—each one was its first time experiencing them.
Genuine emotion—it had long since obtained.
Inferiority and introversion—it had long since overcome.
At this moment, standing on this stage, it did not want to disappoint Jiang Xing's expectations—it wanted to become the most dazzling existence he had spoken of!
As Chickie began to dance, the most proficient and complete Seduction move seen so far in the event finally appeared.
As the power of Seduction spread, the Ugly Waterfowl below the stage were immediately drawn in, and many wild Pet Beasts along with them began throwing their feathers onto the stage.
In the blink of an eye, Chickie felt a surge of power well up within it.
This was the sign of evolution!
The long-awaited moment had arrived.
And yet, at this very moment, relying on its own will, it forcibly suppressed the urge to evolve.
No… not enough!
If it evolved now, perhaps it could become a deep gray bird, transforming into a beautiful Pet Beast.
But it would not be able to become a "phoenix"!
Chickie had studied the Phoenix Grace move, had watched videos of phoenixes.
It had seen that breathtaking figure—the one that etched itself into the heart, unforgettable forever.
Indeed, when the deep gray bird spread its wings, it was an existence of incomparable beauty.
Yet it still could not compare to the legendary phoenix.
That was the most dazzling existence in Chickie's memory.
It wanted to become that kind of existence.
It wanted to become—
A phoenix!
To achieve that, it had to display a charm on this stage that could conquer all Pet Beasts!
It wanted the "feathers" of all Pet Beasts—not just the "feathers" of the Ugly Waterfowl!
However, this was simply too difficult.
Even though the Seduction move Chickie released was enough to completely offset the influence of the Ugliness talent—
The existence of that talent still greatly affected the power of Seduction, significantly weakening its effect.
Even giving it its all, Chickie only managed to attract less than a quarter of the wild Pet Beasts to throw their "feathers" to it.
It felt frustrated.
If only it could master Phoenix Grace.
With the enhancement of the Phoenix Grace move, perhaps it could gain the recognition of all Pet Beasts.
But it was just an ugly waterfowl, without even proper feathers—how could it possibly learn the bearing of a phoenix?
At that moment, on the surface of the stage, the strange feathers gleaming under the sunlight entered its sight.
These were the feathers of the deep gray birds that had evolved from Ugly Waterfowl.
While Chickie danced, they had plucked their feathers and thrown them up as a sign of recognition.
At this moment, Chickie recalled the story Jiang Xing had told—of the hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix—and came to an understanding—
It splashed out a stream of water, drawing the surrounding feathers toward itself. Then it released its power, imbuing those feathers and covering its own body with them…
It was going to use these feathers to weave its own "Hundred-Bird Garment"!
Something like this should have been extremely difficult.
But those strange feathers of the deep gray birds resonated with the power of the Ugly Waterfowl, bursting with a strange radiance and adhering to its body!
A mismatched, multicolored ugly bird appeared on the stage.
From the outside, it was still ugly, still strange.
But no matter how strange its appearance was, it was far better than the Ugly Waterfowl itself.
This bizarre "Hundred-Bird Garment" actually isolated the influence of the Ugliness talent, and even became the medium through which Chickie could release the Phoenix Grace move.
As it danced, it resembled a brilliantly colored young phoenix, spreading its wings upon the stage!
The breathtaking power representing the bearing of Phoenix Grace spread outward along with the mental field.
Though this power was still immature, it successfully attracted nearly all the wild Pet Beasts, causing them to throw their feathers!
Feathers fell like rain, attaching themselves to Chickie's body, completely filling the final gap.
Completing this "Hundred-Bird Garment."
In an instant, white light burst forth!
"Cry—!!"
A clear and resonant phoenix cry echoed across the stage.
A figure formed from countless colors, ultimately converging into a deep obsidian hue, shot straight into the sky, trailing long tail feathers, transforming into a dark phoenix as it spread its wings.
Beauty reached its extreme, becoming pure shock.
Even all things in the world seemed to lose their color, turning into ink-wash tones, surrounding it.
This scene was etched completely into the eyes of every Pet Beast.
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I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
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