Ultragene Warlord

Fluid gushed down around Zhang Lie, a pale-blue, crystal-clear liquid in which fishes swam. It was filled with vitality, bubbling and vivacious.

Water was the source of life; through his recent revelation about life, his water-attuned genetic energy was granted vivacity.

More of the blue fluid emerged, forming a stream, a river. Zhang Lie sat in the middle of the river and allowed it to rush past him.

Then, within the sky appeared a waterfall. Rapids rushed out of the void and over his physical body.

The river and waterfall together formed an expanding lake. The entire sky turned into a glittering blue ocean, possessed of uncommon beauty.

In the vision of life, Zhang Lie chose the gold attunement and his most frequently used water attunement.

Zhang Lie opened his eyes. His whole body seemed infused with vitality, and he had gone beyond his usual peak condition. His understanding of [Ninecarp Transformation] had deepened. Even though it hadn't advanced to the next level, the framework was fresher, in some sense, than before. His genetic energy bubbled.

Yang Ze and the other hunters had just finished dealing with the last of the enemy cultivators by then. They turned back to see Zhang Lie walking out.

"You're finished, Captain?"

Zhang Lie's absorption of the silver-dragon lotuses and contact with the Dao of life itself resulted in unusual phenomena that had drawn the attention of more cultivators, whom Yang Ze and the other hunters had handled.

Zhang Lie nodded. "Let's set off."

According to the queen's hive soulshard, they would be heading off in a different direction than before.

The land grew rich and lush, filled with vegetation all over. Some of the ancient trees ascended beyond even the tallest peaks of the nearby mountains, thick as could be. Glowing vines hung down from them.

Some fierce avians of tremendous size had constructed nests at the top of the trees. Those nests, woven from silversilk grass, gave off glowing light.

Pythons and giant snakes hundreds of meters long coiled along the trees, hissing at the nests from time to time. They too gave off an aura of intense strength.

On the ground, a thick layer of fallen leaves decomposed into rich and fertile soil. Purple spiders the size of one's face, silver centipedes meters long, golden scorpions half a human tall—all sorts of varied beasts could be seen.

The forest was uncommonly dangerous; stepping into these beasts' territory could result in life-threatening danger.

The four hunters passed through the forest, treading on a thick layer of leaves, with particular caution.

As they passed by a weathered cave, they startled a beast within, a toad no larger than the size of a round dining table, but nevertheless particularly dangerous.

They were strong enough and fast enough to flee immediately.

It wasn't that the four hunters feared a toad, but that any commotion within the forest would surely attract the attention of more beasts in the vicinity. The fight might have devolved into a free-for-all, and it would have become much more difficult for the members of Team Zenith to reunite. Even so, it was too late.

The toad's croaks were like thunder, visibly causing the hunters of Team Zenith to shake.

Howling winds began to blow. The toad opened its mouth wide, forming a hurricane of incredible magnitude. All the ancient trees in the vicinity bent and cracked. Many were uprooted wholesale.

A few of the hundred-meter-long giant snakes and avians were startled by the commotion. Displeased, they took to the air.

A blood-red whip struck them and whisked them away into the golden toad's mouth: its tongue.

"They were eaten just like that?" Yang Ze exclaimed. He sucked in a deep breath, then shrouded the hunters in layers of space, isolating them from the outside world.

Yang Ze knew how difficult of an opponent the toad would be, and he wanted to avoid it as much as possible.

Even Zhang Lie wasn't superior to Yang Ze when it came to techniques related to hiding and running away.

The four hunters strode deeper into the forest, finding mountains turned to rubble and lakes that were completely dried up. They searched for remnant weapons and treasures that might have been left behind.

Deep within the lake, crimson, blood-red rays of light pierced through the air. It was as though sunlight had struck a glittering pool of blood.

The unusual phenomenon was a sure sign of treasure.

Many cultivators rushed over, igniting a commotion.

By the time the four hunters made it there, some cultivators had already ventured deep inside. There was an island in the middle of the lake, wreathed in fog and glowing blood-red. A door of light was visible on the island, resplendent as could be.

Yang Ze turned to the others. "Should we go have a look?"

Zhang Lie was about to say something when the door of light rippled. A figure emerged, and the four hunters' eyes widened.

Zhou Ying's long hair fluttered in the wind, the color of crystalline jade. It gave off motes of vitality. She was so beautiful no one could take their eyes away, and golden leaves whirled around her. The tips of her hair produced gray fog.

The gray power gathered around Zhou Ying's forehead, which cracked apart. A gray eye budded from her flesh. It opened up to reveal a chaotic opal iris, which seemed to be able to penetrate flesh, soul, and space.

Each leaf was like a miniature sun, orbiting around the woman's body. To her back was a pair of golden wings. Above those wings was a glowing sun, giving off a radiant, holy light.

Her jade-green eyes were flecked with gold, and she seemed to have become one with the land. The vitality radiating from her was visible to the naked eye. Stellar light surrounded her as though she were a goddess given form.

Black energy formed a gauzy dress around her, sticking closely to her limbs and revealing her curvaceous features—no, making them even more curvaceous than they originally were.

Two root-like tendrils writhed under her dress; her body radiated a seductive charm.

Zhou Ying seemed to simultaneously exhibit the charm of a holy priestess and a charming succubus.

Yang Ze laughed. "What a surprise."

"Looks like Zhou Ying went on her own adventure, too." Zhang Lie smiled.

The four hunters were about to step forward when a figure appeared behind Zhou Ying.

The cultivator had white hair and a single horn protruding from his forehead. A pair of silvery-white wings sprouted to his back. He was a Holywing, and a particularly strong cultivator at that.

However, he wasn't in good shape at all right then and there. Bloodstains marred his body.

"Hand the treasure over. You don't have the qualifications to wield it!" he shouted at Zhou Ying.

"Rather bad-tempered, aren't you? You failed to trick me, and now you're trying to throw a temper. All you can do is use despicable tactics on your opponent. Do you really think me easy to bully?" Zhou Ying replied placidly.

Yang Ze frowned. "He seems somewhat familiar."

"You think so too?" Li Feng asked.

Zhang Lie said, "From his aura, it seems like he's related to the Holywing cultivator Zhou Ying faced during the qualifiers."

However, he was quite a few magnitudes stronger.

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