Chapter 102: Experiments (1)

In the following days, Su Chen officially began analyzing Lin Yemao’s bloodline. Lin Yemao was in a state of constantly varying conditions.

Every day, Su Chen would force feed Lin Yemao two of Ulrich’s failed ancestral medicines which caused his bloodline to boil. At the same time, he would also force Lin Yemao to activate the Snaking Mist Steps, observing the bloodline and Origin Energy changes in his body, recording them.

Su Chen’s understanding of biology and alchemy came from Ulrich.

Although Ulrich’s strength was not high, he was merely at a high layer of Qi Drawing, his biological understanding was quite refined – this was the habit of the Arcana Race. Their absolute control over Origin Energy originated from their pursuit of knowledge in the first place.

After less than half a year of study, Su Chen’s study of biology had already reached a certain level of mastery.

Of course, merely study was far from enough. The best method of applying and controlling knowledge was through practice.

Thus, apart from performing analysis, Su Chen and Iron Cliff would go and kill some Vicious Beasts. On the one hand, they could absorb their Origin Energy to increase their strength, while on the other hand they could dissect the beasts while they were alive to increase their understanding of the anatomy of the beasts.

Lin Yemao found that Su Chen and Iron Cliff would bring back a few living Vicious Beasts. After killing them, they would first make some strange movements, as if they were performing an evil ritual. Next, they would begin to dissect the beast, recording things as they cut them apart. Occasionally, Su Chen would also dissect beasts while they were still alive.

Thus, the situation became increasingly bloody.

Vicious Beasts would not cooperate. They would howl furiously during the entire dissection. Thus, fresh blood flew everywhere, as did chunks of meat. Pitiful, tragic howls also commonly sounded out.

This frightening scene completely shocked Lin Yemao to his core. Occasionally, Su Chen would comfort him, telling him, “Don’t worry, I won’t dissect you”. However, the tone that he used when speaking was almost like he was saying “I only have one toy, so I will definitely treat it well”, which caused Lin Yemao to feel even more fear!

Dissection, experimentation, research, interspersed with occasional hunting, made up most of Su Chen’s daily life.

Thus, Su Chen’s third trip to the Scarlet Mountain Range was filled with great progress in different fields.

After many dissections and analyses, Su Chen’s understanding of biology slowly increased, and he was gradually becoming more clear about Ulrich’s writings as well. He felt that things had changed when he looked at Lin Yemao again. The flow of Origin Energy through Lin Yemao’s body was like a secret book filled with cultivation methods. Under Su Chen’s fantastic eyes, it was as if they were just waiting for him to analyze, understand, and open them up......

As time went on, Su Chen also began to understand the unique attributes of bloodlines.

Originally, the Soaring Serpent Bloodline possessed a unique Origin Substance, which could affect Origin Energy. It was this process that resulted in strange changes to the user’s Origin Energy, increasing the power of the Origin Skill. On the other hand, changes in the movement of Origin Energy could result in the expansion of Origin Energy talismans already present because of the Origin Skill.

Using the Snaking Mist Steps as an example, there were originally twelve Origin Energy talismans, located in twelve different positions in the body. Whenever the Snaking Mist Steps were activated, it was mainly in these twelve locations.

When the Origin Energy was changed by the bloodline, the number of Origin Energy talismans actually increased to twenty four, resulting in an increase of the strength of the Snaking Mist Steps. In addition, this was most likely not the limit; if a mixed bloodline could achieve a doubling effect, then inherited bloodlines that were more awakened could potentially have even more Origin Energy talismans.

Changes in the innate nature of Origin Energy and changes in its application were complementary to each other. The two had a very close relationship.

This could potentially be the reason why only those with the Soaring Serpent Bloodline could enhance the Snaking Mist Steps.

However, Su Chen knew that this was not the only method.

His unintentional step in midair told him that even if he didn’t have the corresponding bloodline, he could still perform a more powerful Snaking Mist Steps than what he knew of now.

What Su Chen wanted to do was discover how to do so intentionally.

He wanted to turn sometimes into always!

“A substitute can be used in place of bloodline activation to increase the number of Origin Energy talismans. As long as I find the rules governing movement, I can do the same by voluntarily controlling the movement of Origin Energy. Hm, Origin Energy patterns should be a good method,” Su Chen muttered to himself. He remembered that the Arcana Race changed ancient Arcana techniques by using Origin Energy talismans and patterns.

Then why was it insufficient for him to use these kinds of methods to supplement his Snaking Mist Steps?

Just adding the number of Origin Energy talismans was not enough.

The locations of these twenty four Origin Energy talismans were all exposed under Su Chen’s “Penetrating Eye”, but the power of the bloodline Origin Skill didn’t just rely on the increase in the number of Origin Energy talismans but also changes in the nature of Origin Energy.

Wanting to resolve this issue was not nearly as easy.

“Perhaps I will need to start doing things from two aspects. One side is to improve my absorption technique so that when I absorb Origin energy, I can simultaneously change it. Another is to apply an external force...... The nature of the Soaring Serpent Bloodline Origin Energy shouldn’t be unique. If I can find something that mimics its impact on Origin Energy elsewhere, perhaps it can achieve the same effect.

Upon thinking to this point, Su Chen realized what the direction of his future studies would be.

First, he would construct a new Origin Energy pattern for his Snaking Mist Steps and use it to increase the number of Origin Energy talismans. Second, he could change his absorption technique, raising the quality of his Origin Energy. Third, he would find medicines that possessed the Origin Substance of the Soaring Serpent and begin extracting and processing it.

However, these three matters were not very easy to accomplish.

Su Chen originally believed that he would first finish changing his absorption technique because it was something that he had a strong foundation in. In addition, with the assistance of his eyes, he could more clearly discern different effects.

Unexpectedly, he finished the third matter first – finding a substitute for the Origin Substance.

On his thirty sixth day after entering the Scarlet Mountain Range, Su Chen was performing his research when Iron Cliff strode in and said, “Master, the ring is full.”

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The constant beast hunting that Su Chen had done gave him large quantities of beast hides, bones, and other resources. Most of them were to be sold off, so they were temporarily stored in the ring Iron Cliff wore. Although they had two storage rings, they had both been filled.

“Give the rings to me. Let me take a look at them and see if I can get rid of anything. Tomorrow, take a trip out of the mountain range and sell some of these goods, then buy some more resources to bring back,” Su Chen said as he flipped through the ring.

He tossed a few worthless things to the side as he began to tidy up the ring. While tidying, he suddenly discovered that there was an herb lying in the back.

That was the Frigid Water Herb, an herb that possessed a cold attribute. He had discovered it after searching Lin Yemao’s body. Although Lin Yemao was extremely arrogant, apart from his Origin-Seeking Mirror which was worth a few tens of Origin Stones, he didn’t have anything else valuable. Even his Origin-Seeking Mirror only had three charges remaining. He was so poor that even Su Chen felt pity for him. The Frigid Water Herb had been taken from Lin Yemao, who had found and harvested it during his journey to attack Su Chen.

Because Soaring Serpents liked eating them, Lin Yemao had just grabbed some.

Soaring Serpents liked eating this?

An idea suddenly surfaced in Su Chen’s mind.

He pulled out the Frigid Water Herb and tossed a stalk into a beaker. Then, he added a few drops of liquid and began to observe the changes.

As more liquid was added, the Frigid Water Herb began to separate into microscopic layers.

These changes were not visible to the naked eye, but under Su Chen’s vision, they became very clear.

His originally quite careless test gave him quite a surprise – the Frigid Water Herb possessed the Origin Substance that he had been looking for.