Chapter 509: Divine Transformation Defense, The Final Innate Ability

In the center of an underground space spanning several hundred square meters and standing over twenty meters tall, a cylindrical white crystal pillar, about ten meters in diameter, stood firmly.

Glowing on its surface, streams of light flowed continuously, with countless cascades of data flashing by every moment, processing over hundreds of billions of bits of information in mere seconds—an awe-inspiring, formidable display.

Standing before the crystal pillar, Chen Chu said, "Celestial, I want to search for a secret art that can conceal one’s aura and allow a change in life aura."

"Identity verified. Searching..." a young feminine voice replied. The display on the crystal pillar in front of Chen Chu shifted, revealing the names of dozens of secret arts.

"A total of forty-six relevant secret arts have been found, including twenty-one ordinary secret arts, seventeen high-level secret arts, and eight top-level secret arts."

As the top genius of the human race, Chen Chu’s access rights were nearly on par with that of a king in certain areas, allowing him to search and retrieve information from the entire Federation.

He looked at the top-level secret art named Phantasmal Ocean Demon. It was sourced from a relic of the mythical world and had been translated and cultivated by a king before being stored in the Celestial Think Tank.

Upon cultivating it, one could simulate and store the life aura of another creature, thereby altering their own life aura entirely.

However, this only changed one’s life aura. Moreover, since the technique involved the laws of nature, it was challenging to cultivate and offered minimal benefits in terms of power, making it seem somewhat impractical.

Nevertheless, Chen Chu’s eyes lit up. The Federation certainly had an extensive core database, encompassing every possible type of secret art one could seek.

With the secret art selected, Chen Chu then asked, "Celestial, search for all known level 3 mutated creatures and above with unique abilities in the Blue Planet's oceans. Exclude creatures with physical mutation abilities and elemental abilities."

Data cascaded on the screen, followed by rows upon rows of text and images of mutated creatures.

"There are three hundred and fifty-nine oceanic mutated creatures matching the criteria, including one hundred and thirty-one level 4s, seventy-four level 5s, level 6s..."

With the advent of the New Era decades ago, the number of oceanic mutated creatures had grown exponentially, producing a terrifying array of innate abilities.

Meanwhile, under human surveillance, mutated creatures on land had been mostly suppressed. Oceanic studies also continued, focusing on observing the biodiversity among those creatures.

The thousands of oceanic research sites, managed by high-level and advanced cultivators, had accumulated a large database over several decades.

As Chen Chu tapped on the images of various mutated beasts, he quickly narrowed it down to four specific ones.

The Single-Horned Silver Fish, a level 5 mutated beast; the Green-Eyed Bone-Spike Squid, a level 7 colossal beast; the Azure Orca, a level 6 mutated beast; and the Deep Sea Black-Striped Beast.

The description of the Deep Sea Black-Striped Beast especially caught Chen Chu’s eye.

This oceanic mutated creature had evolved into a new species, with the weakest at level 1 and the strongest reaching level 6. It was discovered a thousand meters deep in the South Sea.

Upon reaching level 4, these Black-Striped Beasts could emit a highly penetrating beam from the single eye on their heads. Moreover, their entire bodies were covered with a unique scale armor.

Researchers observed the mutated beasts possessing strong immunity to various types of energy, be it underwater or in magma.

Through long-term observation, a level 5 Black-Striped Beast was once seen encountering a spatial rift while hunting and survived unscathed.

This was attributed to the unique markings on its scale armor, which enveloped it with a peculiar force field that neutralized and immunized it against all forms of energy-based attacks.

Its neutralization had a limit, but it amazed researchers nonetheless.

By dissecting Black-Striped Beasts and analyzing the runes on their scales, researchers made significant advancements, with some findings even being applied to current technology.

***

Boom!

A vortex in the ocean exploded as three colossal beasts shot skyward, scattering a shower of water droplets everywhere.

Leading them was the Dragon Emperor, its thunderbolt wings radiating a brilliant glow. Black, feathered horns resembling small wings on its back emitted golden flames as it ascended into the clouds at several times the speed of sound.

To the Dragon Emperor’s left soared a red beast resembling an eastern divine dragon, spiraling through the clouds and exhaling mist. It made the impression of a true dragon being summoned.

To its right was the Silver Colossal Dragon, a massive silver dragon with outstretched wings surrounded by an azure storm. Flames from the top-level Dark Molten Divine Fruit still flickered all over it.

Absorbing the energy from the top-level divine fruit, the Silver Colossal Dragon had grown to over a hundred sixty meters in length, exuding an even greater sense of grandeur and majesty.

As the Dragon Emperor led the two dragon kings across thousands of kilometers toward the South Sea, their approach was immediately detected by a satellite positioned outside the atmospheric layer.

[Alert: Mythical-level biological energy detected. Identity confirmed, code name: Thunder Fiery. Alert neutralized.]

Traveling at several times the speed of sound, the three colossal beasts soon crossed thousands of kilometers and arrived in the South Sea region. Gazing down from high above, they searched for the designated coordinates.

After circling the ocean for half an hour, three small islands forming a triangle appeared within the Dragon Emperor’s sight.

Found it.

A thunderous sonic boom erupted as the massive beasts broke through the clouds, descending from above with trails of vapor behind them. They crashed into the sea before the eyes of researchers stationed on a nearby island.

Boom!

The sea surface within a kilometer radius erupted, creating a massive wave display that was nothing short of astonishing.

Within moments, the three colossal beasts had plunged to the ocean’s depths, reaching the seabed a kilometer down. Their presence caused the water to boil, sending countless mutated creatures fleeing in panic from the invisible pressure they emitted.

With a puzzled look in its eyes, the Silver Colossal Dragon glanced around the murky seabed.

Ao Tian, is what you’re looking for here?

Suddenly awakened by the Dragon Emperor and dragged across thousands of kilometers, it was still somewhat confused.

The Dragon Emperor nodded and exhaled a wave of hot water. Arcs of electricity danced along the dorsal fin on its back, transforming into electromagnetic waves that covered a ten-kilometer radius.

A hazy, three-dimensional image appeared in the Dragon Emperor's mind, filled with countless dots of varying sizes moving and scattering.

Saixitia, Zhulong, suppress your auras.

The Dragon Emperor then growled and propelled itself leftward with a powerful swipe of its tail, stirring a fierce current as it swam.

In the pitch-black depths, the three beasts soon covered several kilometers before spotting a dark, serpentine creature over twenty meters long. It was gliding in the distance like a cross between a python and an eel.

Unaware of the three colossal beasts stalking it from hundreds of meters away, the black mutated beast moved slowly through the darkness.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the surrounding water boiled as a golden flame dragon, tens of meters long, roared forward, devouring the black-striped mutated beast in one swift motion.

Roar!

Caught in the blazing fire, the black creature let out a terrified scream as it struggled to break free. In a flash, its scales turned dark red, nearly roasted by the intense heat.

Of course, the Dragon Emperor had controlled the flame’s intensity; otherwise, the mutated beast would have been reduced to ashes in seconds.

After all, a special ability did not equal invincibility—if the attack's strength exceeded its limits, even the most robust defenses would shatter. Still, the creature intrigued the Dragon Emperor.

Zhulong, use your time powers to interfere.

The red beast nodded. With a blink, it made the world around them turn monochrome; its time-slowing power had descended.

The effect of this time dilation drastically slowed the speed of the level 5 mutated beast. A gray light radiated from the patterns on its scales, subtly resisting the time manipulation around it.

Once the black-and-white force dissipated, Zhulong retracted its power, and the Dragon Emperor growled again.

Saixitia, tear it apart with your spatial power.

Got it! The great Saixitia loves destruction!

The Silver Colossal Dragon raised its head proudly, silver light shimmering on the scales at its brow. Spatial fluctuations instantly enveloped the Black-Striped Beast from hundreds of meters away.

Crack!

The immense spatial distortion caused the creature to twist and split into two halves in a second. Blood sprayed out from it as its struggle weakened.

A slight smile crept across the Dragon Emperor's lips. It noticed a reaction in the surface patterns of the mutated beast during the spatial distortion.

The power of this innate ability, along with the strength of the mutated beast, was far too weak to withstand the tearing force of the spatial distortion. However, that didn’t pose a problem for the Dragon Emperor.

As long as the attributes of the innate ability were compatible, it could absorb and fuse with these creatures, enhancing itself to the top level and even achieving divine transformation.

This was also why it had Zhulong and the Silver Colossal Dragon accompany him.

Since this would be the fifth evolutionary innate ability it would absorb, the Dragon Emperor was very cautious; it had to ensure that the creature possessed the requisite abilities.

Once it absorbed and fused with them, there was no way to reset points. It would deeply regret it if it picked the wrong creature.

Boom!

Endless blue lightning flickered beneath the sea. The fearsome radiance of True Lightning caused the water to explode, flipping over countless marine creatures within a range of several kilometers.

Beneath the feet of the three colossal beasts, a dark cave with a diameter of twenty meters led directly to the seabed, and the bodies of deep-sea black-striped beasts slowly floated up in the swirling water.

The largest of these was a thirty-meter-long creature at the peak of level 6.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The surface of the sea, littered with the corpses of countless mutated fish, exploded as torrents of water cascaded down from the three level 9 colossal beasts, whipping up fierce winds that roared into the sky.

In the blink of an eye, the three colossal beasts had appeared above the clouds at an altitude of ten thousand meters, hurtling toward the direction of Passage Three with terrifying speed.

Satellites managed to capture the scene.

Including the deep-sea black-striped beast clutched in the Dragon Emperor's claws, the scene was quickly locked onto, linked to the information that Chen Chu had reviewed, and consolidated for analysis.

Once confirmed to be normal, the information was promptly stored in the Celestial Think Tank, accessible only with king-level permissions or higher.

Around Passage Three, mutated orcas swirled in the whirlpool, frolicking with excitement.

On the edge of the swirling waters, the Single-Horned Kun, the female orca Horn Hime, Hu Yi, Hu Er, and Hu San waited. The Blue Giant Crab and Deep Sea Dragon Turtle lounged on the ground nearby.

Meanwhile, the Nine-Headed Serpent, with its light wounds already healed, curled up in a corner, diligently cultivating and struggling to condense durability runes.

Today, it had been defeated with a single attack by a beginning-stage level 8 human. This deeply frustrated the proud Nine-Headed Serpent, which boasted a king-level bloodline.

Next time we meet, I will ensure that the human named Chu Batian learns what it means to insult a king.

Boom!

Just then, the massive and fearsome Dragon Emperor descended from the sky, instantly shattering the ground that had sunk more than two hundred meters into the center of the whirlpool. Countless rocks flew outward like a tsunami.

The powerful shockwave, the Nine-Headed Serpent, the bored Dragon Turtle, and the Blue Giant Crab, all immersed in their own cultivation, were swept into the deep sea whirlpool like debris.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The water exploded, and the awakened nine dragon heads rose in the water, bewildered.

What happened?!

In the turbulent, violent whirlpool, the Single-Horned Kun let out a gleeful cry.

Thunder Fiery has fallen; you’ve fallen out!

Boom!

The female orca, which had consumed two high-level Dark Molten Divine Fruits and grown to over eighty meters long, smacked Single-Horned Kun with her tail.

The Single-Horned Kun rolled away several times. Feeling a bit wronged, it questioned,

Honey, why are you hitting me again?

The female orca looked at it calmly.

You can’t mock your companions like that.

As the Single-Horned Kun was once again swatted by its mate, Zhulong and the Silver Colossal Dragon emerged from the whirlpool passage, slowly landing behind the Dragon Emperor.

Hu Yi squeaked.

Uncle, you’re back!

Hu Er chimed in,

Uncle, we gathered a lot of crystals!

Uncle, I collected the most! Little Hime, hurry and bring over the bag!

Hu San added.

The three mutated orcas could clearly no longer contain their palpable excitement. They were even more enthusiastic than when they saw their father, leaving the Single-Horned Kun feeling a bit bewildered.

At the enthusiastic call of the now peak level 7 orca, Hu San, the already level 5 female orca Little Hime obediently swam over, a new mutated fish gas bag hanging from her back.

In the ten days that they had spent waiting for the Black Abyss King to arrive at Passage Three, the Dragon Emperor had commanded the mutated orca group to come and work.

After ten days, their army had swelled to over a hundred mutated orcas, sweeping across a range of nearly a thousand kilometers and collecting a large number of low-level Life Crystals.

Additionally, Horn Hime had led the three little orcas to hunt down some level 6 and 7 mutated beasts in the vicinity.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As each mutated fish gas bag opened, a torrent of Life Crystals mixed with seawater spilled out. The Dragon Emperor smiled with satisfaction.

This many low-level crystals combined should be worth about 30,000 attribute points.

Adding to that the level 4 and above crystals brought back from the mythical world, this haul could yield several tens of thousands of attribute points.

Next, the Dragon Emperor planned to enhance its defensive innate ability to the divine transformation level. After consuming the Black-Striped Beast, it could begin its evolution and break through to the mythical level.

Under normal circumstances, colossal beasts would reach the quasi-mythical level, comprehend the most profound and most powerful innate abilities, touch the laws, temper their bodies, and ultimately merge their innate abilities with the laws upon breaking through to mythical level.

The Dragon Emperor, however, had all eight of his innate abilities at the top level. With a bit of time, it could nearly guarantee touching the corresponding laws.

This is the terror of top-level innate abilities.

Once a top-level innate ability was awakened, the bloodline of a transcendent colossal beast could break through to king-level, marking it as a rare and powerful life form among mythical colossal beasts.

Therefore, for the next breakthrough during its fifth evolution, the Dragon Emperor intended to fuse only the Strength and Defense innate abilities with the corresponding upper-level laws.

The other six innate abilities, which had yet to be enhanced to the divine transformation level, would be temporarily suppressed. Otherwise, if it transformed, the laws it touched could be lower or mid-tier.

Such a case would be counterproductive. After all, breaking through to the mythical level and touching the laws would make it exceedingly difficult to enhance the corresponding tier afterward.