Chapter 111 - 110: Your Willow Tree Gene Evolved?

Chapter 111: Chapter 110: Your Willow Tree Gene Evolved?

The next morning.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling onto Ji Zhixing. Opening his eyes, he felt completely refreshed and brimming with energy. He got up, changed his clothes, and pushed open the bedroom door to head out.

"You’re up?" Xiao Mingyue waved at him the moment he stepped out. "I was just about to call you. Hurry up and wash up. I’ve already prepared breakfast."

Today, she wore a light blue casual outfit, her long hair tied into a neat ponytail that gave her a crisp, refreshing look. Seeing him, she looked up, the corners of her lips turning up into a slight smile.

"Okay." Ji Zhixing nodded. He went to the bathroom for a quick wash before heading to the dining room and taking a seat across from Xiao Mingyue.

On the table lay toast, fried eggs, milk, and a small plate of fruit. It wasn’t a lavish spread, but it was delicately prepared. The two chatted as they ate.

"What are your plans for today?"

"I’m going to find Teacher Yang and apply to join the elite class," Ji Zhixing said. "Also, I want to borrow your pillow. I plan to develop the Unmoving Stone Heart ability first."

Xiao Mingyue nodded. "I won’t accompany you to see Teacher Yang. I have some things to take care of as well."

"Alright," Ji Zhixing replied.

After finishing breakfast, Ji Zhixing waved goodbye to Xiao Mingyue, left her villa, and headed toward Yang Man Ni’s office.

It was already eight or nine in the morning, and many students were out and about on campus. Some were discussing where to hunt exotic beasts, while others talked about heading to one of the university’s secret realms. Still others were honing their skills on the training grounds. Taking all this in, Ji Zhixing walked with a brisk pace. He soon arrived at the administration building and stopped in front of Yang Man Ni’s office.

He raised a hand and knocked on the door. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. There was no response. He knocked a few more times, but it remained silent.

"Is Teacher Yang not here yet?" Ji Zhixing thought. He pulled out his phone and sent Yang Man Ni a message.

"Teacher Yang, it’s Ji Zhixing. My Willow Tree Gene has already evolved to the second tier, and I would like to apply for the elite class. When would it be convenient for you?"

After sending the message, he leaned against the corridor wall and waited patiently.

Meanwhile, in Liang Jin’s office on another floor of the administration building.

Liang Jin sat behind a large desk, holding a cup of hot tea as he listened to Yang Man Ni speak.

"Teacher Liang, I’m truly sorry," Yang Man Ni said, sitting in the opposite chair with an apologetic expression. "When I recommended Ji Zhixing to you earlier, I didn’t ask for his thoughts beforehand.

"I called him to my office yesterday and told him that you wanted to take him in as a disciple..."

"He refused?" Liang Jin set his teacup down, his brow twitching slightly.

"Yes," Yang Man Ni nodded. "He said he has a very high synchronization rate with his gene. He can hear its voice and knows it has immense potential.

"Until his gene reaches its absolute limit, he refuses to choose another path."

Liang Jin was momentarily stunned before he shook his head and laughed.

"Then let him be." He picked up his teacup and gently blew on the hot steam. "If he has confidence in himself, it’s not our place as teachers to stand in his way."

Truthfully, he still had a very favorable impression of Ji Zhixing. During the Blood Beast Secret Realm trial, Ji Zhixing had dared to snatch the Weapon Order away from over a dozen genius class students. Such audacity was highly commendable. He liked students with guts. However, since Ji Zhixing had rejected his offer, he naturally wouldn’t force the issue.

"Teacher Liang, this is mainly my fault for not asking him clearly beforehand. I’m really sorry," Yang Man Ni apologized again, her tone sincere.

"What is there to apologize for?" Liang Jin waved his hand dismissively. "You meant well. Besides, taking in a disciple depends on fate. If it’s not meant to be, it can’t be forced."

Yang Man Ni nodded. She chatted with Liang Jin for a few more minutes before standing up to leave. "Then I won’t disturb you any longer, Teacher Liang."

"Go on." Liang Jin smiled, walking her to the door.

After she left, Liang Jin returned to his desk and picked up his teacup once more.

"Teacher." At this moment, a young man who had been sitting in the corner of the office stood up and walked over to Liang Jin.

The man appeared to be around thirty years old. He was tall with resolute features, wearing a dark gray training uniform. His name was Zhou Mu, a student of Liang Jin and also a teacher at Yu City University.

"That Ji Zhixing that Teacher Yang just mentioned... is he the regular class student who took first place in the Blood Beast Secret Realm trial?" Zhou Mu asked.

"Yes, that’s him," Liang Jin nodded.

Hearing this, a look of indignation appeared on Zhou Mu’s face.

"Teacher, young people nowadays are truly too ambitious for their own good," he said, shaking his head with a hint of disdain. "He even looks down on a Tier-6 Blazing Sun Level Gene inheritance. What kind of path does he want to take? Does he actually think he can advance to become a Tier-7 Glory Level Cultivator in the future?

"If he were a genius who had fused with a Morning Star Level gene or a Bright Moon Level gene, it might make a little sense. But he only fused with a Tier-2 gene!

"Under these circumstances, he abandons a broad, promising avenue, stubbornly insisting on walking his own narrow path..."

Zhou Mu shook his head, leaving the rest unsaid, but his meaning was already abundantly clear.

"Alright." Seeing him like this, Liang Jin smiled and waved his hand. "Everyone has their own ideas; you can’t force these things. Besides, the fact that he has confidence is a good thing."

Though he said this, he also secretly didn’t think highly of Ji Zhixing’s prospects. After all, in this world, people who could continuously evolve their genes were far too rare. Even if someone managed to trigger a few consecutive evolutions at the start, they would almost inevitably hit a bottleneck later on, remaining stuck at a certain realm for a very, very long time. He had seen similar cases far too often. But since Ji Zhixing had made his choice, Liang Jin, as a teacher, naturally wouldn’t shoot down a student’s aspirations. He merely felt a bit of pity.

Zhou Mu fell silent at his teacher’s words. He was both a teacher at Yu City University and Liang Jin’s student. In the past, he had only fused with a Tier-2 gene. It was precisely because he obtained the Tier-6 Blazing Sun Level Six-armed Moon-devouring Demon Ape inheritance that his gene was able to evolve continuously. Today, his gene had already reached the fourth tier, transforming into the Tier-4 Morning Star Level Moon-Gazing Demon Ape gene. He understood the immense value of this inheritance better than anyone. Therefore, hearing that someone had rejected it naturally filled him with frustration.

Meanwhile.

After leaving Liang Jin’s office, Yang Man Ni walked down the corridor toward her own. As she walked, she pulled out her phone and glanced at it. The screen displayed an unread message.

"From Ji Zhixing?" she thought. "He just saw me yesterday. What does he need me for now?"

With a tap of her finger, she opened the text.

"Teacher Yang, it’s Ji Zhixing. My Willow Tree Gene has already evolved to the second tier, and I would like to apply for the elite class. When would it be convenient for you?"

Seeing this message, Yang Man Ni’s footsteps faltered, freezing in the middle of the corridor.

"His gene evolved?" she thought.

She stared at the words on the screen, a look of utter disbelief washing over her face. Ji Zhixing’s Willow Tree Gene had evolved to the second tier? She remembered clearly that not long ago, when Ji Zhixing first arrived to report in, she had asked him and learned that his second gene point had yet to fuse with a new gene.

Just how much time had passed since then? Barely over a dozen days. In that brief span, Ji Zhixing had not only fused with the Willow Tree Gene but also evolved it to the second tier?

"This speed..."

Yang Man Ni took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in her heart. She picked up her pace toward her office, simultaneously tapping out a quick reply to Ji Zhixing.

"I’m on my way and will be there shortly. Wait for me at my office door."

Having sent the message, she hurried even faster. Soon, she arrived at her office’s floor and spotted Ji Zhixing waiting there.

"Ji Zhixing," Yang Man Ni called out.

Ji Zhixing looked up. Seeing her approach, he quickly stood up straight. "Teacher Yang."

"Come inside," Yang Man Ni said, opening the door and stepping aside to let him in first.

The two entered the office. Without even sitting down, Yang Man Ni stared directly at Ji Zhixing and cut straight to the chase. "Did your Willow Tree Gene really evolve?"

"Yes," Ji Zhixing nodded. Without waiting for her to ask further, he willed his Five-Colored Mutated Willow Tree Gene into action.

The next moment, a phantom image of a small tree surfaced at his Dantian, swirling with five-colored light. Yang Man Ni stared at the radiant Five-Colored Mutated Willow Tree blooming at his Dantian, her expression one of astonishment.

"It really evolved..." She drew in a deep breath.

It was too fast. This speed was completely beyond her expectations. At the same time, looking at the phantom of the Five-Colored Mutated Willow Tree, she wracked her brain but couldn’t recall ever seeing this kind of gene. Clearly, it was yet another special gene she had never encountered before.

"Teacher Yang," Ji Zhixing spoke up, breaking her train of thought. "You mentioned before that as long as my second gene also evolves into a Tier-2 gene, I could join the elite class. I was wondering..."

"Yes, you can." Yang Man Ni snapped back to reality and nodded. "Hand me your student ID. I’ll process your class transfer right away."

Ji Zhixing immediately handed over his student ID.

"Which of the elite classes do you want to join?" Yang Man Ni looked up and asked.

"Elite Class Five," Ji Zhixing replied without hesitation.

Elite Class Five was exactly the class where Xiao Mingyue, Su Qing, Zhou Han, and Tie Shan were located. Since he was joining the elite class, he naturally wanted to be with people he knew. Furthermore, he had already agreed on this with Xiao Mingyue beforehand.

Yang Man Ni nodded in understanding and operated the screen on her desk for a few moments. "Done." A beat later, she handed the student ID back to him. "From now on, you are a student of Elite Class Five. The reward of one million points will be transferred to your account very soon."

"Thank you very much, Teacher Yang." Ji Zhixing took the student ID and quickly expressed his gratitude.

"No need to thank me." Yang Man Ni smiled and shook her head. "This is the result of your own persistence and hard work."