Chapter 179 - 153: The Next Evolutionary Path

Chapter 179: Chapter 153: The Next Evolutionary Path

"What are you doing here?"

While Ji Zhixing was cultivating, Cao Zhenxing—who hadn’t pitched a tent and had found a secluded spot in the Dead Wood Regeneration Forest to sit cross-legged in meditation—frowned at the figure approaching him. This figure was Gu Zheng.

"I want to talk to you about Ji Zhixing," Gu Zheng said in a low voice.

"I have nothing to say to you. Whatever is going on between you and him is your own business. It has nothing to do with me." Hearing this, Cao Zhenxing immediately waved his hand dismissively.

He had long heard about the relationship between Gu Zheng and Ji Zhixing, knowing they had clashed even before entering Yu City University. And it wasn’t just a minor conflict. But he didn’t care about it at all. He knew exactly what Gu Zheng was here for; he most likely wanted to scheme against Ji Zhixing.

But what did that have to do with him?

His only relationship with Ji Zhixing was one of competition. Although he was somewhat irritated by Ji Zhixing—someone with ordinary talent who had repeatedly overshadowed him—and found him to be a bit of a thorn in his side, that was the extent of it. The relationship between the two of them was absolutely not a life-or-death struggle.

"Don’t you want to deal with Ji Zhixing?" Gu Zheng frowned at Cao Zhenxing.

"Idiot, get lost!" Cao Zhenxing rolled his eyes.

He did want to deal with Ji Zhixing, but this so-called "dealing with" would at most amount to finding an opportunity to retaliate during a secret realm trial. Gu Zheng, however, clearly had much darker intentions.

"You!" Gu Zheng looked furious. But seeing Cao Zhenxing’s dismissive attitude, he could only gnash his teeth and leave.

"Ji Zhixing!"

After leaving, the flames of anger burned even hotter in Gu Zheng’s heart. Ever since he found out that Ji Zhixing had subdued that thundercloud, he had been harboring bitter resentment. He figured that if it weren’t for Ji Zhixing, that thundercloud could have been his. As a result of Ji Zhixing’s interference, he had been forced to return to the Dead Wood Regeneration Forest early.

To make matters worse, that Thundercloud Treasure Land was actually acquired by Ji Zhixing after he left, allowing Ji Zhixing to seize the Twisted Forest in the process. Taking everything into account, Ji Zhixing had reaped untold benefits.

Gu Zheng clenched his fists.

...

On the other side, Ji Zhixing closed his eyes, quietly listening to the voice of the Thunder-Silent Willow Tree gene within his body.

The information echoing from the depths of his genes was incredibly clear, like a whisper right by his ear. The advantage of a 100% compatibility rate was fully demonstrated at this moment. He didn’t need to struggle and grope in the dark like other Cultivators, nor did he need to spend an eternity guessing the evolutionary direction of his genes.

All the information was laid out clearly before him.

"The abilities have changed," Ji Zhixing realized a moment later.

Following the evolution of the Willow Tree gene, his other abilities remained unchanged, but the Root of the Earth and Five-Colored Spiritual Light abilities had transformed. The original three-star quality Root of the Earth and Five-Colored Spiritual Light abilities had directly increased to four-star quality along with the gene’s evolution.

"A four-star quality Five-Colored Spiritual Light..." Ji Zhixing thought, feeling a slight surge of excitement in his heart.

The Five-Colored Spiritual Light ability possessed genuinely formidable Defense Power against all sorts of elemental attacks. Now that its quality had been upgraded to four stars, the effects would undoubtedly be even more significant. And the Root of the Earth ability, now upgraded to four-star quality, would similarly vastly enhance his endurance.

"However, the other abilities haven’t changed." Ji Zhixing shook his head, though he knew this was perfectly normal.

After all, his current Thunder-Silent Willow Tree gene was only a third-rank gene. To have the quality of its two core abilities raised to four stars in a single evolution was already quite remarkable. Taking a deep breath, Ji Zhixing didn’t stop. He continued to listen to the voice of his gene, checking its subsequent evolutionary directions.

"The Centennial Willow Tree Spirit gene..."

A moment later, Ji Zhixing heard the next evolutionary path for the Thunder-Silent Willow Tree gene. His heart stirred slightly. This evolutionary path was different from the previous ones. Before, it was an evolution from one type of tree to another—from a Willow Tree to a Five-Colored Mutant Willow Tree, and then to a Thunder-Silent Willow Tree.

But the next step would no longer be an evolution between trees. Instead, it was embarking on a completely different path.

Becoming a spirit!

This was also the subsequent evolutionary direction for certain plant-type genes. However, different plant-type genes would unlock and acquire entirely different abilities when walking this path. Some Cultivators who fused with the Willow Tree gene might subsequently evolve it into a Ghost Mother Willow Tree Spirit gene, gaining the ability to control ghosts and dark spirits. Others might evolve it into a Blood-Devouring Willow Tree Spirit gene, feeding on blood and becoming brutal and violent.

As for his Willow Tree gene, having first fused with the Five Elements Power and then the power of lightning, its future evolutionary path would be much brighter and far more promising. According to the information he received, continuing down this path could even allow it to evolve into powerful genes like the Innate Willow Tree or the Heaven-Reaching Willow Tree.

"Innate Willow Tree... Heaven-Reaching Willow Tree..."

A wave of anticipation welled up in Ji Zhixing’s heart. These names sounded extraordinary, absolutely incomparable to ordinary genes. He focused his mind, continuing to listen to the information coming from the depths of his genes, memorizing the conditions required for evolution one by one.

"First, the Five-Colored Spiritual Light ability needs to evolve into the five-star quality Five-Colored Wheel Sea ability."

"The Five-Colored Wheel Sea ability..." Ji Zhixing thought, somewhat surprised.

According to the information he heard, the Five-Colored Wheel Sea ability would actually allow him to manifest a five-colored wheel sea within his own body. This condensed five-colored wheel sea could act just like a Genetic Melting Furnace, carrying Genetic Source Power. It might even hold just as much Genetic Source Power as a Genetic Melting Furnace. In other words, once he acquired this ability, the Genetic Source Power within his body would double compared to others.

"That’s too strong!" Ji Zhixing marveled inwardly.

Moreover, once the Five-Colored Wheel Sea ability was developed, his resistance to various elemental attacks would definitely increase yet again. The Five-Colored Spiritual Light was already a defensive ability; after evolving into the Five-Colored Wheel Sea, its Defense Power would only grow stronger.

"Then, the Super Self-Healing ability needs to be upgraded to the five-star quality Regenerative Body ability."

Regenerative Body—just from the name, it was obvious that it was stronger than Super Self-Healing. At that level, ordinary injuries would recover rapidly, and with proper rest, even severed limbs could grow back.

"The four-star quality Thunder of Annihilation ability also needs to be upgraded to five stars.

"This point might be slightly easier. To develop this ability, I can use lightning-attribute Spiritual Objects for assistance, or I can comprehend it on my own.

"I currently have the Purple Gold Thundercloud and the Purple Gold Thundercloud Wing, and my comprehension is high enough to cross-reference them during cultivation.

"In addition to that, I also need to develop a four-star quality Willow Branch Frenzy Ability."

Ji Zhixing pondered for a moment. Most Cultivators who fused with plant-type genes would possess an ability similar to the Willow Branch Frenzy. For instance, back in Yu City Third Middle School, Xie Jia, who had fused with the Paralyzing Vine gene, and Qi Xingzhou, who had fused with the Blue Frost Ice Vine gene, both possessed this kind of ability.

This was an ability that integrated both offense and defense, allowing one to manipulate branches or vines to attack and defend. He hadn’t been able to acquire it before, but this time, he absolutely had to develop it.

"After developing these abilities, if I want the Thunder-Silent Willow Tree gene to evolve into the Centennial Willow Tree Spirit gene, I will also need to refine and absorb some special spiritual substances, such as the power of faith and incense offerings, or other unique Spiritual Objects.

"Only then can it complete the transformation from a tree to a spirit.

"But I’m not too worried about these things," Ji Zhixing thought silently.

As long as he had money, most of these items could be bought. Even if he couldn’t buy them outside, he could get them from Yu City University. If worse came to worst, he could request the school to transfer the goods from elsewhere.

"However, out of all these abilities, the most important one is the Five-Colored Wheel Sea ability..."

Ji Zhixing took a deep breath, his eyes flickering slightly. Among these abilities, the one he looked forward to the most was the Five-Colored Wheel Sea ability. If he managed to develop this ability, his future Defense Power and endurance would be absurdly strong.

"How is it?" Seeing Ji Zhixing open his eyes and noticing the shift in his aura, Xiao Mingyue immediately asked, unable to hide her eagerness.

"It evolved," Ji Zhixing said, smiling at her.

Hearing this, a look of joy instantly flooded Xiao Mingyue’s eyes, and a bright smile bloomed on her face. "Now you have two third-rank genes! With two third-rank genes, once we return to the school, you won’t have any problem directly joining the genius class."

Ji Zhixing nodded. With his current talent, joining the genius class truly wouldn’t be an issue. He wouldn’t even need his genes to evolve to the fourth rank; his current strength was already enough to rank among the top in the genius class.

He certainly couldn’t beat Cao Zhenxing yet. Cao Zhenxing had fused with a fifth-rank Bright Moon-level gene, which was a whole tier higher than the fourth-rank Morning Star level. But when facing the others, he had nothing to worry about. Even against Gu Zheng and the other genius class students who had mastered five-star abilities, he now had the power to hold his own.

Especially after tomorrow, when he gets his hands on his third-rank Thunderous Rod, his strength would surge even further.

Right now, the only gap between him and those genius class students lay in their potential. Every single one of those genius class students had the potential to cultivate into a Fourth-rank Morning Star Gene Practitioner.

But he didn’t. He had to ensure that one of his two genes evolved once more before he could possess that same potential.

"But for me, that time is coming soon!

"Next, I’ll focus on evolving the Ten-foot Stone Monkey gene first."

Ji Zhixing made a decision in his heart. For the Ten-foot Stone Monkey gene to evolve into the Ruyi Stone Monkey gene, three conditions had to be met.

He had already fulfilled one of them: upgrading the Unmoving Stone Heart ability to the Hundred Generations Stone Heart ability.

The second condition—upgrading the Super Gigantification ability to the Size Shifting ability—was something he was actively working on, and he estimated he would accomplish it within a few days.

The third condition was to upgrade the Boulder Body ability into the Innate Stone Embryo ability. For him, this was similarly just a matter of money. And right now, he had over ten million points in his possession.

"First, I’ll develop the Size Shifting ability. If the remaining money is enough, I’ll immediately develop the Innate Stone Embryo ability," Ji Zhixing thought silently.

"So what’s next?" Xiao Mingyue continued to ask. "Did you hear the voice of your new gene? Do you know what abilities need to be developed for it to evolve?"

"I heard it." Ji Zhixing didn’t hide anything and directly told Xiao Mingyue about the abilities he needed to develop.

"These abilities..." Xiao Mingyue frowned slightly after listening to him.

It wasn’t that these abilities were bad. Rather, developing each and every one of them would consume a massive amount of resources. And given the resources she currently had at her disposal, it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to help Ji Zhixing.

Xiao Mingyue bit her lip, then raised her head and looked at Ji Zhixing. "There’s something I need to tell you."