CHAPTER 772: CHAPTER 479 GENE METAMORPHOSIS

Based on the experience from the last gene recombination, Ji Xinghuo estimated that Qing Hong would need a long sleep this time, undergoing metamorphosis.

Therefore, he moved into a house nearby.

The house had presumably belonged to a Legendary Mutant before, located close to Zog Soz’s palace, occupying one of the best spots on the island. Well-built, it featured a courtyard and garden, along with a Cultivation Room.

Ji Xinghuo moved in empty-handed and pulled out a pale eyeball in the Cultivation Room, which was none other than the Heart-devouring Demon’s Eye.

He had never heard of a creature known as the Heart-devouring Demon.

However, judging from the traits of this strange, capacity-enhancing object, it was undoubtedly a bizarre mental creature.

Using the Heart-devouring Demon’s Eye required at least a Legendary grade and enhanced mental defense.

"I don’t need that."

Ji Xinghuo directly crushed the eyeball. With a pop, the eyeball burst without spilling any fluid, instead transforming into a mist of spiritual energy that floated up in front of him, and he leaned down to gently inhale it.

Immediately, the translucent mist was wholly drawn into his nostrils.

Ji Xinghuo felt a surge in his spirit.

The next instant, an indescribable sound echoed in his mind.

This seemed to be a whisper from deep within the soul, murky yet filled with the most extreme allure. He could unwittingly become addicted to listening to it, eventually losing his entire self-awareness.

"Ordinary."

After listening for a while, Ji Xinghuo calmly made his evaluation.

This level of mental attack, most mutants above Legendary grade could withstand if they had a strong enough will.

Not to mention his protection from the Wanxiang Star Pupil made it merely an itch through boots.

His consciousness remained fully alert, feeling a coolness coursing through his brain, rapidly spreading throughout his body before integrating into his blood and Star Power, and then being completely absorbed, his interface showing [Fusion Times: 4].

"I can fuse four Alien Species now!"

Ji Xinghuo’s face lit up with joy.

Four fusion times set a new record for him.

One from previously using the Mirage Spirit Pearl, two from fragments of the Wanxiang Star Pupil, and another from the recently used Heart-devouring Demon’s Eye.

How to make good use of these four fusion times was something Ji Xinghuo had pondered over the last couple of days.

It would depend on Qing Hong’s condition.

If Qing Hong acquired the gene of the Xukun Dragon and awakened the "Xukun Dragon Body" after metamorphosis, he would elevate the Alien Coexistence by one level, share it with himself, and the Xukun Dragon Body he had would be given up for Doomsday fusion, thus saving one fusion time.

If Qing Hong did not awaken the Xukun Dragon Body, he would have to fuse the Alien Species into it first, then share it with himself.

Next, he would copy the "Ethereal Exquisite Heart" from Doomsday.

This Star-falling Species was an enhanced version of Ether Resonance, which could increase his limit of Star Power, Star Power recovery speed, and cultivation efficiency.

Benefiting lifelong from Ether-type abilities,

Since he was preparing to advance to the Heavenly King Stage, he could not miss out on the Ethereal Exquisite Heart to hasten progress, which would also greatly assist his future promotion to Shepherd Star Saint.

Then, he would copy the Annihilation Light.

The remaining two expansion times would not be used yet; Ji Xinghuo reserved them for the Strength of the Stars and Magnetic Pole Potential Slash.

Advancing to Sixth Rank, he could also increase one more fusion opportunity.

Then he would have three.

In the Heavenly King Stage, at least three Alien Species could be fused; even without acquiring more capacity-enhancing oddities, it would ensure the enhancement of the ability system throughout the Heavenly King Stage, even though it was a low probability, but better safe than sorry.

At that moment, Doomsday’s head peeked into the Cultivation Room door and gently nudged Ji Xinghuo, emitting a low growl.

Ji Xinghuo naturally knew what it wanted.

"Here you go."

He handed over another Heart-devouring Demon’s Eye.

Doomsday licked it up with its tongue, crushed it in its mouth, then closed its eyes and remained quiet for a while. Upon reopening its eyes, satisfaction was evident.

Ji Xinghuo checked his interface and saw Doomsday’s Fusion Times displayed as 1.

"Let’s wait until Qing Hong wakes up." He sent away Doomsday, who desired the Xukun Dragon Body Alien Species, and then called out Jiu You, using one Mirage Spirit Pearl and one Heart-devouring Demon’s Species on it, increasing the fusion times to 3.

One of these was from previously using the Star Tears.

For Jiu You, a Spirit Serpent, Ji Xinghuo had always struggled to find a suitable Alien Species for it.

Its mode of combat was mainly control and support, either through mimicry or attaching to his body.

Ji Xinghuo started searching in the Azure Sky Ring.

"Got it!"

From Zog Soz’s collection, he found an Alien Species that matched Jiu You perfectly—its form a pitch-black sphere, emitting black light, and it felt painfully hot to touch.

[Alien Species: Shadow Burst]

[Grade: Transcendent]

[Fusion Success Rate: 71%, 28%, 92%, 35%]

[Upgradeable: Yes]

The third number was Jiu You’s fusion success rate, reaching 92%!

Ji Xinghuo examined it closely.

The effect of Shadow Burst was to condense Dark Energy and launch an explosive attack from a distance. The target hit not only suffered from the explosion damage but also incurred corrosion and shadow burns, with the damage increasing if hit by Shadow Burst again.

The deployment of Shadow Burst was very rapid; its drawback was that its range was not far.

However, it was undetectable and did not follow a trajectory.

Even if the enemy’s defense and energy resistance were high, being hit by Shadow Burst several times in succession would increase the damage, leading to devastating destruction.

Ji Xinghuo immediately handed the "Shadow Burst" Alien Species to Jiu You, its head splitting open to swallow it into its body. The pitch-black body shimmered with a ghostly glow, after a wave of turbulence, it successfully fused the Alien Species.

[Ability: Shadow Burst (First Level 1/283)]

The ability upgrade for Shadow Burst did not require too much, and Ji Xinghuo was not stingy, continuously investing Spiritual Origin Ability.

Nearly 50,000 points of Spiritual Origin Ability directly boosted Shadow Burst to (Fifth Level 1/181813).

Jiu You was extremely excited.

Every time it felt happy, its body would continuously undergo Mimicry transformations, at times becoming Qing Hong, at times becoming Doomsday, Flame Cloud Dragon Eagle, Silicon Giant, Meteor Fire Dragon, Xukun Dragon, and so on, constantly changing its appearance.

It even transformed into the appearance of Ji Xinghuo, making faces.

"Stop transforming into my appearance if it’s not necessary."

Ji Xinghuo looked at Jiu You in front of him, who had exactly the same body and appearance as himself, but whose posture and actions were not proper, dancing around like a monkey, moving up and down, and he felt helpless.

Jiu You quickly returned to its original form and, after getting permission from Ji Xinghuo, dashed out to try Shadow Burst at the seaside.

After resting.

Ji Xinghuo called Doomsday back and copied "Ethereal Exquisite Heart" from it.

Copying an ability through a Dragon Vein User required using up a Fusion Opportunity, and the interface showed that his Fusion Times decreased to 3.

[Ability: Ethereal Exquisite Heart (First Level 1/1151)]

Then he invested 200,000 points of Spiritual Origin Ability, jumping to (Sixth Level 1/777877), aligning with Doomsday’s Ethereal Exquisite Heart.

Ji Xinghuo immediately felt the effects.

The sensitivity towards Ether Energy increased drastically again, already having two Ether Resonances, the effects piled up, practically gaining direct control over the surrounding Ether Energy, a mere thought causing the Ether Energy within kilometers to gather around him!

He could gather it, or disperse it.

Ji Xinghuo manipulated the Ether Energy at will, instantly knowing how to apply it; in battle, he would cut off the enemy’s absorption of Ether Energy, unable to recover Star Power, securing an absolute advantage!

The Ethereal Exquisite Heart also reduced Star Power consumption.

Ji Xinghuo tested it, and the consumption of all abilities had been reduced by about a quarter.

Star Power recovery was also faster!

He looked at the other two Ether Resonances on the interface, both at (Sixth Level 2518/182111), which had not upgraded in a long time; one of the Ether Resonances was shared with Qing Hong, perhaps upgrading now could promote metamorphosis.

"Upgrade!"

Ji Xinghuo did not hesitate, immediately investing 360,000 Spiritual Origin Ability, raising both Ether Resonances to (Seventh Level 1/900971).

During the upgrade process, his range of control over Ether Energy rapidly expanded.

At that moment, the range reached three kilometers!

Endless Ether Energy gathered, forming an invisible energy storm, fiercely pouring into Ji Xinghuo’s body, absorbed and transformed into Electromagnetic Star Power by the Star Gland, with the Star Power figure on the interface continuously rising.

A moment later, the storm subsided.

[Star Power: 51275/51275]

Ji Xinghuo felt the expanded Star Power within his body, looking at the numbers on the interface, in just about ten minutes, his Star Power had surged by more than 13,000!

"Really nice!"

This saved him a lot of cultivation time.

With Seventh Level Ether Resonance, both the upper limit and recovery speed of Star Power had increased again, and accordingly, the efficiency of cultivation improved.

Ji Xinghuo did not proceed with further ability upgrades but instead drank a dose of "Ether Refining Solvent" and began to engage in cultivation.

This house had no exercise equipment.

Moreover, with his current strength, ordinary training equipment weighing hundreds of tons no longer had much effect.

Therefore, Ji Xinghuo could only stimulate Star Power through the operation of the Star Gland within his body, circulating it at high speed, consuming the Star Power at high rates, then recovering it each time and enhancing it, this was called "Star Gland Cultivation Method".

Although it was not as efficient as combining it with exercise.

But he owned two Ether Resonances, one Ethereal Exquisite Heart, and one Light Ring that came with an Ether Resonance.

Even without the support of the Ether Energy Gathering Room, the cultivation efficiency was extremely exaggerated.

In one hour, Star Power increased by about 10 points!

In a Star Realm Day, it increased by 500 points.

Such a cultivation speed could be called unprecedented; even the most tedious and monotonous cultivation made Ji Xinghuo immerse himself in it every day tirelessly, almost never resting as though he had forgotten the passing of time.

Thus, ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

During cultivation, Ji Xinghuo sensed something and immediately got up and flew out, coming to Qing Hong’s side.

He monitored Qing Hong’s condition every day, from the first day, Qing Hong had been digesting the flesh and blood of the Xukun Dragon in sleep, as it digested more and more, its body gradually reduced from the Giant Transformation, becoming smaller and smaller.

Yesterday, Qing Hong had completely exited the Giant Transformation and returned to its true form.

The true form of Qing Hong was only over six meters long, not considered large among monsters, and proportionally quite sleek.

This genetic recombination officially broke through a body length of ten meters for the first time, and then grew to twenty meters within a few days.

The overall form hadn’t changed too much, just stronger, completely devoid of any traces of snake-like features. Golden, silver, and Qing colors were intermixed with a bluish gray, the colors blending together, entire body’s scale armor dazzling, with a more luxurious golden mane growing from the neck area, and a pair of sharp horns on top of its head pierced into the void, looking majestic yet graceful.

This appearance was closer to the legendary form of a Qilin.

At this time, Qing Hong opened its eyes.

A bluish-gray glow flickered in its pupils, and Ji Xinghuo sensed a familiar aura from it; it was the characteristic of the Xukun Dragon!

Qing Hong slowly stood up.

This simple action exuded thickness and agility, combining two contradictory senses together as if lifting weights with ease.

Ji Xinghuo’s face was full of satisfaction; undoubtedly, Qing Hong’s gene recombination had succeeded!

Suddenly.

A mischievous look appeared in Qing Hong’s eyes, its body suddenly expanded, instantly transforming into a colossal creature over a hundred meters tall standing in front of Ji Xinghuo, like a gigantic wall blocking the sky, its massive head bowed down, one eye alone larger than Ji Xinghuo, the formidable aura feeling almost tangible, filled with a terrifying oppressive force!