Chapter 591: Disruption of Natural Law

The confluence of the two streams of energy led to the synthesis of a new, refined energy source. There was just a little of this synthesized energy at the beginning, but that was enough to spark a chain reaction.

This new energy began to devour the two streams of energy that fed into it. The will of the world continued supplying more and more refinement energy to the extra-dimensional space, but it still wasn't sufficient.

However, Zhang Lie's situation only went from bad to worse. The new energy seemed to be entirely incompatible with his crystalline body, and it corroded the crystals on contact.

The new energy ran rampant throughout Zhang Lie's body and began dissolving it from the inside out, though it wasn't able to harm his soul.

Instead, while the energy dissolved his body, it also incorporated itself within it.

The bead of energy grew larger as it devoured Zhang Lie's body, and subsequently the entire extra-dimensional space. Energy radiated out from Zhang Lie, then condensed into the facsimile of a human body.

Zhang Lie sat up and clenched a fist. His body was no longer composed of crystalline disaster-grade material; it was pure energy now.

With a moment's thought, Zhang Lie was able to solidify that energy into what seemed to be corporeal form. He poked himself tentatively; there didn't seem to be any difference relative to a body of flesh and blood.

His soulspace had expanded by almost an order of magnitude, and all the genetic energy in his body was being infused into his genetic armor.

Zhang Lie's attention turned to his genetic core, but his eyes bulged upon seeing it anew. His [Ninecarp Transformation] had evolved again!

Caught within the recesses of pain, Zhang Lie had focused singularly on his framework. He had expected significant advancement as a result, but not a full evolution.

After the qilin came a lifeform that looked somewhat draconic, but not entirely so. Lightning crackled and wrapped around it; the accompanying thunder seemed to strike at his soul.

However, it wasn't the time to be carefully studying the changes in his framework. The refinement process was still ongoing. Zhang Lie marshaled the energy of his genetic core to surround his body and those of the disaster-grade lifeforms he had killed to date.

As the refinement energy entered the mix, it looked as though Zhang Lie suddenly became wrapped up in a seven-colored cocoon. Within that cocoon, Zhang Lie began forging the next refinement to his genetic armor. He melted down the crystalline exterior of the disaster-grade lifeforms, then incorporated all sorts of precious materials that he had prepared beforehand into the mix.

Time lost all meaning as Zhang Lie worked on forging his new armor.

After the inclusion of the various disaster-grade lifeforms, his new genetic armor turned black, giving it an imposing and domineering appearance, its edges so sharp they seemed to be able to tear space apart.

.

While Zhang Lie had established a form for the armor, that form had yet to solidify. The cocoon of energy surrounding Zhang Lie dissipated as the bulk of the energy, along with the genetic armor, melded with Zhang Lie's body.

[The refinement process has concluded. Please advance to the third realm immediately!]

The moment Zhang Lie's genetic armor was wholly incorporated into his body, the will of the world rang out in his mind, and Zhang Lie's data automatically appeared for his inspection.

Zhang Lie: ? ? ?

Framework: Foundation, Lv. MAX, Ninecarp Transformation, Sixth Form: River Dragon

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

Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 150; Superior, 150; Peak, 150; Disaster, 100

Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Galewolf (mutated), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Venombane Scorpion (superior), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Flamewing (superior), Runic Salamander (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Dragonturtle (disaster), Mistmeld Clam (disaster), ...

"? ? ?"—the first line of Zhang Lie's data sheet alone was shocking enough. He knew what techniques he had mastered and what gene fragments he had, of course; what he hadn't been certain of was what grade of lifeform the will of the world would assign him.

After his evolution, he had grown to a level beyond even the will of the world's ability to evaluate! If he weren't mistaken, however, he had to be stronger than at least a standard disaster-grade lifeform.

[Because your status exceeds the threshold of the second realm, you are unable to return to the second realm. You must ascend to the third realm immediately!]

The next notification, however, was like a bucket of cold water.

"As expected..."

The extradimensional space around him began to melt away. He felt as though he was being forcibly expelled. Zhang Lie had predicted such an outcome. The feeling of expulsion was strong, but not entirely irresistible, and Zhang Lie certainly didn't intend on being expelled against his will.

"I'm not ready just yet. Don't force my hand," he warned the will of the world, but it only repeated the same warning.

[Because your status exceeds the threshold of the second realm, you are unable to return to the second realm. You must ascend to the third realm immediately!]

Pitch-black genetic energy exploded from Zhang Lie's body as he turned into pure energy, destroying the extradimensional space with an explosion of multicolored light. The space was already in tatters from the bursts of energy that were expelled from Zhang Lie's body during his evolution; now, he destroyed it outright.

In the flash of an eye, Zhang Lie returned to the ocean, but that patch of the ocean seemed to have lost all its ability to sustain life.

[Your continued presence in this realm is warping natural law. Please ascend to the second realm immediately!]

[Your continued presence in this realm is warping natural...]

[Your continued presence in this realm...]