Chapter 1302: Another Beast Stampede

The apes cried out in terror and tried to flee, but just then, a large shadow jumped out from a blind spot, raising its arms high into the air as it tried to attack Zhang Lie.

Without turning around, as though already having predicted the attack, Zhang Lie casually waved an arm, sending the huge figure flying. Simultaneously, three other figures launched a sneak attack at Zhang Lie from different angles.

Blue genetic energy gathered around Zhang Lie as space vibrated. The ripples formed a protective barrier around him, shielding him from the three figures' attacks. As he flicked his wrist, the barrier shattered, and the three figures were sent flying.

The skies suddenly darkened as a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.

Howling winds blew past the ruins. As more and more ripples surged from Zhang Lie's arms, he saw a few hairless apes about an order of magnitude larger than the ones he had sent flying.

The four apes howled and screeched as Zhang Lie manifested a whirlpool of blue genetic energy that grew stronger every second.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"

A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched the ground, the fish that manifested from his Ninecarp Transformation slammed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.

Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged black dragons, flooding the ruins.

As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie's signature genetic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. The apes were obliterated; rubble and flesh rained down from the skies.

[You successfully killed a regular-grade evil ape. By consuming the flesh of the regular-grade evil ape, you may receive one to ten regular gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a regular-grade evil ape. By consuming the flesh of the regular-grade evil ape, you may receive one to ten regular gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a mutated-grade evil ape. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade evil ape, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]

The will of the fourth realm's announcements rang out in Zhang Lie's head.

After dealing with the apes, Zhang Lie returned to the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard and had Li Qianlin prepare the carcasses. After Zhang Lie consumed them all, his gene fragments increased considerably.

Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform

Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless Blade (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonblade (pinnacle), Blade of the Heavens (pinnacle)

Genes: Basic, 50; Mutated, 30; Superior, 0; Peak, 0; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0

Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld Clam (disaster)

Zhang Lie continued proceeding onward. Suddenly, the ground quaked and shuddered.

Countless mutated-grade lifeforms and a large group of regular-grade lifeforms were rushing straight toward him, with no care for their lives.

Zhang Lie smiled with his teeth. "More food, so quickly?"

Pale blue water-attuned genetic energy flashed by his fingertips. As he waved his pointer finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, easily cutting apart the lifeforms before him.

[You successfully killed a regular-grade blackwind demon. By consuming the flesh of the regular-grade blackwind demon, you may receive one to ten regular gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a mutated-grade blackscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade blackscale leopard, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a regular-grade blackwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the regular-grade blackwind mantis, you may receive one to ten regular gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a regular-grade darkwind spider. By consuming the flesh of the regular-grade darkwind spider, you may receive one to ten regular gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a mutated-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]

Just as Zhang Lie finished collecting their carcasses, he found that more had appeared over the horizon.

"How lucky I am today!"

Zhang Lie discovered that the genetic lifeforms were all heading in a certain direction.

"Another beast stampede?"

Beast stampedes were somewhat frequent events in the fourth realm, thanks to the large population of genetic lifeforms there.

"A superior-grade stampede?!"

Zhang Lie discovered that the main thrust of the stampede was a group of superior-grade lifeforms. There were some mutated-grade ones in the mix, but they were by far the minority. Zhang Lie even found quite a few peak-grade lifeforms in the mix.

This particular horde was formed of at least ten different races of superior-grade lifeforms.

"They must be going somewhere interesting..."

A group of superior- and mutated-grade lifeforms was heading straight for Zhang Lie.

"[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!"

Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned genetic energy gathered around it. As he waved his finger, sword energy erupted like a wave, sending the superior-grade lifeforms flying back with a spray of water.

The water transformed into deadly blades that pierced through lifeform after lifeform. A shark swam forth and opened its bloody maw, tearing the mutated-grade lifeforms in front apart.

[You successfully killed a mutated-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a mutated-grade blackscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade blackscale leopard, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a mutated-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the mutated-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten mutated gene fragments.]

After the lone superior-grade lifeform was sent flying by the attack, it roared and leapt toward him despite the severe injuries it had sustained.

"[Ninecarp Transformation: Golden Tiger]!"

The image of a golden tiger appeared behind Zhang Lie's back, and its roar echoed through the air. A golden aura suffused Zhang Lie. A mountain of blades rested atop the tiger's back, and Zhang Lie's body itself underwent a transformation. His hair turned silvery-white, until they became akin to silver needles.

His genetic energy likewise became more honed. Silvery-white genetic energy gathered over his body, and tigers' stripes appeared on his arms. His eyes became those of a tiger's, and steely sharpness erupted from every pore.

He slammed a palm forward, cutting the superior-grade lifeform's body into three. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

[You successfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

Zhang Lie's actions roused the attention of a number of other lifeforms, which all pounced toward him.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"

Concentrated genetic energy solidified into sharp silver crystals.

Zhang Lie sent a flurry of punches forward. The sharp silver crystals quickly pierced through the incoming horde like a rain of sharp blades, cutting them apart as easily as a block of tofu.

[You successfully killed a superior-grade inkrune tiger. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkrune tiger, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a superior-grade blackscale leopard. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade blackscale leopard, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a superior-grade madhowl lion. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade madhowl lion, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]