Chapter 134: Entering the Transcendent, Flame Eagle Symbiotic State!

The blue field of vision appeared before his eyes. Cheng Ye casually turned his head, his gaze finally settling ahead.Faint light flickered.

The transcendent seed generated by the Collector popped out from the void, landing in the center of the selected position.

"This small?"

Cheng Ye was stunned.

No matter how large something was when placed in the pendant, it would be miniaturized into a model, but would restore to its original size when taken out.

He had thought this egg-shaped seed would at least be the size of a baby's fist, but after searching around, he discovered it was even smaller than a quail egg. If not for the faint red light flickering, it would almost blend in with the floor patterns.

Cheng Ye crouched down and carefully used his fingertip to roll the seed into his palm.

He had to concentrate fully to make out the golden patterns wrapped around its surface, like several slender dragon patterns winding across the crimson "eggshell."

"Well, it really is a seed prototype."

He even lightened his breathing, afraid that one breath might blow this tiny thing away.

Could such a fingertip-sized thing really allow someone to enter the transcendent world?

A faint warm sensation came from his palm, like holding a piece of warm jade just peeled from its shell. Other than that, there was nothing special about it.

Cheng Ye stared at it for a long time, confirming he couldn't find any abnormalities, before taking a deep breath and opening the panel.

He had tested before that equipping Wild Grass Physique and Iron Body together wouldn't cause any conflicts.

The maximum bonuses from physiques would automatically take the highest values.

For example, some physical changes brought by Iron Body would be covered by Wild Grass Physique.

While the neural speed enhancement from Wild Grass Physique would be covered by Iron Body's neural liberation but this time, equipping a transcendent talent, he hesitated for a moment and carefully unequipped all talents and skills, leaving only a blank skill slot.

With a thought, the fire-red small frame on the panel flickered slightly, first disappearing, then appearing in the skill slot.

In just an instant, the force restraining the "Heart-Protecting Fire" suddenly dissipated.

The fire-red frame completely shattered, transforming the entire skill slot into a burning bonfire!

Rumble.

Like spring rain breaking through frozen earth, like thunder splitting the long night.

Like all things breaking free from shackles, the boundaries of life were violently shattered at this moment.

Cheng Ye watched with his own eyes as the transcendent seed in his palm suddenly transformed into a line of fire, shooting straight toward his forehead like an arrow from a bow.

He tried to dodge but found his body was no longer under his control.

Because countless illusions suddenly exploded before his eyes, far more real than when he had previously equipped Dragon Force and Wild Grass Physique!

It was an eagle.

An eagle soaring in the ninth heaven!

His vision moved with the eagle, his soul seeming to transform into the eagle's spirit.

Sometimes spreading wings to shuttle through seas of clouds, wingtips grazing cotton-like wisps.

Sometimes fighting against wind, rain, thunder and lightning, talons tearing through ink-black curtains of rain.

He completely forgot he was human, fully immersing himself in the eagle's perspective, feeling the resistance of wind, the temperature of clouds, and that proud disdain for all living things when overlooking the earth.

Until.

Rumble!

A volcano suddenly erupted.

This was incomparable to any earthly volcano. In the eagle's eyes, crimson lava poured down like the Milky Way overturning, surging to devour the earth. The gushing smoke and dust blocked out the sky, piercing straight to the heavens, even dyeing the cloud layers blood red.

However, what caused this volcano was not natural evolution but a blurry figure above the volcano.

Two human figures were engaged in fierce battle. The fireball thrown by the person on the left crashed to earth, directly transforming into this erupting volcano!

That power to change heaven and earth with a casual wave made Cheng Ye's soul tremble.

The poor eagle was also caught in the battle's aftermath, falling toward the volcano like a kite with a broken string.

By logic, it should have turned to ash the second before touching the lava, yet strangely landed on a fire lotus floating above the lava.

The fire lotus was entirely golden yellow, its petal edges burning with azure flames, standing gracefully in the scalding lava.

An invisible protective barrier instantly enveloped the eagle, isolating it from the volcano's scorching heat, yet unable to block that soul-penetrating burning sensation.

The next second, indescribable burning pain surged from all limbs and bones, as if bones were thrown into a furnace, as if every inch of skin was being licked by flames.

Ah.

Cheng Ye suddenly cried out in pain, his consciousness swaying precariously in the agony.

This pain far exceeded any injury he had experienced, yet carried a strange clarity.

He instinctively closed his right eye. In his left eye's field of vision, the eagle was curled up in pain within the fire lotus, its feathers crackling as they burned, wisps of blue smoke rising, yet it never turned to ash.

Its beak was dripping blood, talons digging deep into the lotus petals. The flames on the petals climbed up its body along the claw tips, but the moment they touched the feathers, they strangely transformed into points of starfire golden light.

He closed his left eye. In his right eye's field of vision was himself sitting in the room.

After that line of fire drilled into his forehead, it was frantically coursing through his blood vessels. Wherever it passed, his blood seemed to burn, glowing with magnificent red light.

His skin visibly blackened and charred at an alarming rate, even his hair had long since turned to ash. Yet strangely, beneath this charring, something seemed to be awakening, like tender shoots breaking through soil, carrying a vitality so vigorous it seemed about to burst through his skin.

"Heh heh..."

The strange dual vision brought double the pain.

Cheng Ye gasped heavily, his throat feeling like it was stuffed with a red-hot branding iron. Every breath brought searing agony, even his exhaled breath carried a faint burnt smell.

He wanted to unequip Heart-Protecting Fire, wanted to stop this damned fusion, but his will was completely unresponsive at this moment.

The panel flickered violently before his eyes. In the originally blank skill slot, the three characters "Heart-Protecting Fire" were being repeatedly washed by flames. With each flicker, new, more complex patterns appeared between the characters.

He didn't know how much time passed, long enough that Cheng Ye thought he would completely lose consciousness in the pain, long enough that he could barely distinguish whether he was an eagle or human.

The eagle in his left eye suddenly spread its wings. Though most of its feathers were gone, the exposed wing bones gleamed with metallic luster.

Facing the volcano's heat waves, it let out a soul-piercing cry. Without fear, only with desperate resolve, it actively dove toward the most intense flames in the lotus center.

Almost simultaneously, the human form in his right eye's vision suddenly erupted with faint red light beneath the skin.

Those charred skin layers fell away like cracked mud, revealing the newly born skin underneath with a healthy complexion, as delicate as a newborn baby's.

Blood surged through vessels, making sounds like burning flames, a "whooshing" noise.

Pain! Ultimate pain!

Yet accompanied by an indescribable comfort, as if century-old accumulated filth was completely burned away, even his soul becoming light, as if about to fly toward the sky.

Consciousness was repeatedly pulled between the two visions, finally completely merging.

He was both the eagle undergoing nirvana in the fire lotus and himself enduring refinement in the room.

When the last trace of charring fell from his skin, when the eagle's wings were plated with a layer of red-gold luster by the flames, Cheng Ye suddenly opened both eyes.

In his pupils, two leaping flames slowly extinguished, leaving a deep crimson glow at the bottom of his eyes, like burnt charcoal with lingering warmth but strangely, the eagle image in his left eye didn't completely disappear.

It gently circled twice, silently called out, then its form began to rapidly shrink.

Finally transforming back into that original fire-red seed shape, expanding to egg size, quietly floating with golden patterns flowing endlessly on its surface.

Crack.

An almost inaudible breaking sound rang out. The seed's top split with a fine crack.

Cheng Ye held his breath. He saw a bald chick poke its head out from the crack. Its down hadn't grown yet, its skin showing a tender red color. A pair of black bean-like eyes blinked innocently, making "yi ya yi ya" sounds, weak as mosquito wing beats.

Huh?

In my eye?

The sudden scene startled Cheng Ye, instinctively making him close his eyelids.

Yet after his vision fell into darkness, the chick's calls still echoed in his ears, yi ya yi ya, carrying a milky grievance.

He could still see it even with his eyes closed?

Cheng Ye was slightly stunned. Just then, a stream of special information suddenly flooded his mind.

It was the Collector!

The information wasn't vast, but like a thunderbolt, it made him freeze in shock.

"This is... my transcendent power?"

"This is... my Flame Eagle?"

Compared to Liu Kun's transcendent creature on his shoulder with a wingspan exceeding four meters, like a behemoth.

Cheng Ye repeatedly examined the helpless chick wandering in the darkness, only the size of a baby's palm, bald like a piece of red meat, unable even to stand steady, awkwardly flailing in the darkness.

Well, there really was no comparison.

But the moment his thoughts touched the chick, an indescribable feeling of closeness welled up from his heart, mixed with faint joy, like seeing long-separated family. Cheng Ye's previously furrowed brows unconsciously smoothed, his lips even slightly curving upward.

"How do I make contact?"

He was pondering when he suddenly saw the chick tilt its head, its small body swaying, then collapse to one side as if lifeless, motionless.

"Hey!" Cheng Ye's heart tightened, trying to make mental contact.

The next second, he suddenly felt his consciousness sink, as if entering that dark space.

Of course, not in his physical form, but attached to the chick.

A strong crushing sensation came, the surrounding darkness wrapping around him like substance, unable even to turn his head.

Good grief, was he locked in?

Cheng Ye quickly withdrew his consciousness and opened his eyes.

In his vision, that half-dead chick indeed started "yi ya" calling again, its little head even nuzzling his "gaze," as if acting spoiled.

"This is a transcendent creature from another dimension?"

Too magical.

A living being could actually live in his field of vision!

Opening his eyes, he could move around the room freely. Closing his eyes, he'd return to that mysterious dark space.

Cheng Ye smiled wryly and, following the Collector's instructions, raised his hand to press on his forehead.

This time, he clearly felt that his consciousness seemed to have gained an additional, almost imperceptible connection, pointing directly to the chick deep in his left eye.

With a thought.

Plop.

The chick fell out of the space, landing on the bed with a roll. Its little head tilted, black bean-like eyes full of bewilderment, clearly not yet adapted to physical form.

"Spirit form, physical form, both can be switched at my will!"

Cheng Ye tried again. The chick was once more returned to the space, then reappeared, without any obstacles.

Without his consent, the chick could only survive in the spiritual space, unable to interfere with reality but now, transformed into physical form, it was just like any ordinary creature, no different.

Just that, how should he control this transcendent power?

Cheng Ye was puzzled when the familiar hunger struck again, even more fierce than when equipping Wild Grass Physique.

In just an instant, spinning dizziness crashed down hard.

Fortunately, he was prepared, immediately fumbling for the yellow-packaged nutritional paste on the ground, tearing open the packaging and pouring it into his mouth.

Something terrifying happened.

The nutritional paste that previously required chewing and swallowing to digest now skipped all steps entirely.

Cheng Ye didn't even taste the flavor. The liquid disappeared instantly in his mouth like falling into a black hole, leaving only a trace of faint coolness.

This...

His heart jumped in alarm, but he couldn't think deeply.

Because this time, the hunger wasn't like when equipping Wild Grass Physique, where every cell in his body craved energy.

But his soul.

It was emptiness from deep within his soul, like an invisible hand pulling at his consciousness, requiring massive amounts of energy to fill.

Ten bags, twenty bags, fifty bags...

In the blink of an eye, all one hundred bags he'd collected were finished, along with twenty bags from Wang Kang's box.

Cheng Ye could clearly feel his body's needs were satisfied, but that soul-level hunger hadn't diminished at all.

Or more accurately, the connection from the chick continued transmitting intense craving.

It seemed that simply drinking nutritional paste wasn't enough?

Did it need flames?

Cheng Ye frowned, fighting the dizziness as he fumbled for a lighter from the storage compartment under the desk.

Click. Azure flames danced at his fingertip.

The previously listless chick on the bed immediately perked up, flailing around, making the sheets rustle.

As Cheng Ye slowly approached, an even more magical scene occurred.

The chick actually stretched its head toward the flame, gently sucking.

That flame seemed to come alive, moving without wind, flowing into its beak tip, lighting up a red glow in its bald throat.

It could actually eat fire?

Cheng Ye was astonished, eyes widening but the lighter's flame was too weak, its quality terribly poor. Not only did it fail to ease the hunger, it was like adding fuel to a fire, making that soul-level craving even more intense, even causing him sharp pain.

After thinking, he gritted his teeth and took out the pendant, retrieving the fire basin stored inside.

The three-legged small cauldron appeared in the room center, about the size of a small stool. Its jade-like body gleamed with warm luster. In just an instant, the room temperature seemed to jump up by over ten degrees, then returned to normal in the blink of an eye, leaving only faint warmth around the cauldron.

The cauldron's three legs were entirely composed of feathers, hard and flickering with firelight.

Two simple yet mysterious patterns were carved on the body, like flame veins interweaving with each other.

Inside the cauldron, three orange-red flames danced side by side, each nestled against a leg, quiet yet passionate.

Visibly, the chick became increasingly spirited. Just as Cheng Ye hesitated about how to feed it, this little thing actually began wriggling forward.

"Does it want to enter the Fire Basin?"

Cheng Ye hesitated, then carefully picked up the chick and placed it at the basin's edge.

Plop.

The little thing eagerly fell in, landing beside the orange-red kindling fire inside, immediately opening its small mouth to suck greedily.

Streams of flame flowed into its belly like water. Its originally bald body began to faintly show golden luster.

Simultaneously, that soul-deep hunger began rapidly weakening.

In less than half a minute, familiar satiation washed over him like a tide, warm and solid.

"Success?"

Cheng Ye sighed in relief, looking at the chick in the fire basin that contentedly burped, he couldn't help but smile.

From his angle, the kindling fire had barely weakened, still maintaining vigorous dancing.

Opening the Collector, he observed the fire basin's changes through the panel.

Sure enough, a percentage appeared after the kindling fire column, showing 99.3% remaining.

Correspondingly, after he as the collector consumed it, the duration of Dry Wood Fire decreased by 10 minutes.

"Good, if it only needs to eat this little at a time, I can feed it for many days!"

Cheng Ye exhaled in relief with satisfaction.

This was truly a pleasant surprise. Otherwise, he'd have to go find fire right now, who knows how much trouble that would cause.

Thinking of this, he glanced at the charge value in the upper right corner of the panel.

After searching Liu Kun during the day and charging through regular outlets, it had risen another 4% by now.

Taking out the chick cost 1% charge. Cheng Ye returned the fire basin to the pendant.

Unlike the Inspector's Four-Piece Set, which could be explained if discovered, this fire basin, though just the Flame Eagle's feeding bowl, was a genuine transcendent item.

Each use costing an extra 1% charge was acceptable. If discovered by someone, the consequences would be endless.

Nutritional paste packages were scattered all over the floor. Cheng Ye quickly swept them into a garbage bag, planning to take them out tomorrow for disposal.

After finishing this, he sat back on the bed edge and began studying what transcendent power "Heart-Protecting Fire" had brought.

During the fusion earlier, he vaguely felt that this time's physical enhancement was very limited, not even as obvious as the changes Wild Grass Physique had brought last time.

Perhaps his physical condition had reached a bottleneck, making it increasingly difficult to stack numbers higher.

It was also possible that a Lv1 transcendent skill wasn't enough to complete his body's total transformation.

The chick wriggled on the sheets, its bald body twisting around, appearing particularly lively, though looking somewhat comical without feathers.

Cheng Ye smiled at it and opened the panel to enter the personal page.

What surprised him greatly was that this time the page had refreshed early without sleeping.

And moreover.

[Collector: Cheng Ye]

[Current Rank: lv.2 Rising Star (17.1/100)]

[Life Level: 1]

[Skills: Heart-Protecting Fire (Talent; expandable), Empty, Empty, Empty]

[Abilities]: Flame Eagle Symbiotic State (Prototype; only usable while Heart-Protecting Fire is equipped; expandable)

[Not yet unlocked...]

[Evaluation: In developing life levels, you have taken an extremely important step. This step will bring tremendous help for you to continue collecting more civilizational information. However, please note that higher life levels more easily attract the attention of native special creatures. Your strength is still insufficient to face these threats!]

"Life level increased?"

"The fourth skill slot opened?"

"And... Flame Eagle Symbiotic State?!!!"