194: Chapter 194 Gene Potion, Tiny Life Form, Sainthood Level!

"Damn!" Lu Qingyun cursed angrily, stamping his foot hard, causing the hard rocky ground to instantly crack with spiderweb-like patterns.

He had just been in the middle of a heated clash with that Black Flame Giant Beast, his blood burning to the boiling point, and he was just about to trigger Final Dance for a brutal slaughter!

But then, his vision blurred, and the world spun. He was forcibly teleported back to the independent space by the Ancient Tower.

This feeling was like being interrupted midway through a charge, neither here nor there; it was incredibly frustrating.

"What kind of crappy trial is this, dragging me back in the middle of a fight?"

Lu Qingyun clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking, remnants of intense Battle Intent still lingering in his eyes.

Vicious Beasts beyond the Dharma Aspect Realm! And there were two of them! Think of all the experience points that would have been worth! Instead, the Ancient Tower just forced him to exit.

Just as he was complaining inwardly, a cold, rigid mechanical voice echoed in the space:

[Third Stage cleared successfully. Legacy rewards distributed: S-Grade Life Potion × 1, Micro-Level Lifeform Basic Transformation Technique, 5th and 6th Stages.]

As soon as the voice finished, a massive, pure, and vast stream of information, like a galaxy, crashed into Lu Qingyun's mind!

It was unlike the sinister and treacherous Heavenly Demon Arts, nor the fierce and domineering Blood Fiend Arts; it was even... unlike any Cultivation Technique currently known!

This technique was upright and balanced, yet carried an endless power of evolution. It did not follow any specific Realm; its only function was one thing: transformation, a transformation of the life hierarchy itself!

Furthermore, the path was clear and interconnected, truly a foundational method for the martial arts System.

"Good heavens... is this the orthodox path of cultivation?" Lu Qingyun closed his eyes to digest the information for a moment, clicking his tongue in wonder.

If this were released, it would be enough to drive all the Dharma Form Grandmasters in the world into a frenzy. They could use this method to patch their own flaws and significantly increase their combat power!

Unfortunately—he opened his System panel and glanced at the level cap column. LV59. It didn't budge at all.

"That's it?" Lu Qingyun's face instantly fell, his interest waning.

What 5th or 6th stage? To put it plainly, they corresponded to the Divine Intent and Dharma Aspect Realms. To him, this set of techniques had absolutely no effect in breaking through his shackles.

"So after all that trouble, this is what I get?" He curled his lip and stopped thinking about it.

His gaze shifted and landed on a pale gold vial floating in front of him. The vial emanated a gentle luster, and its surface was engraved with intricate star patterns. Just looking at it made every cell in his body stir.

[Item: S-Grade Life Potion]

[Effect: Can significantly elevate a lifeform's life hierarchy and optimize their Bloodline level.]

[Note: As a peak Slime King, this level of potion has absolutely no effect on you. Bah! What kind of trash is this, trying to pollute my genes!]

"I knew it." Lu Qingyun rolled his eyes and casually put the potion away.

Useless or not, it was left behind by the owner of this Ancient Tower for their successor, so its value must be maxed out. Even if he couldn't use it himself, selling it later would be a huge income. After all, even a mosquito's leg is meat; it would be a waste not to take it.

"Alright, alright, stop dawdling." Lu Qingyun waved his hand, urging impatiently, "Hurry up with the fourth stage; the sooner I finish, the sooner I can clock out."

He had figured it out: the first three stages of the Ancient Tower were just appetizers; the real main course was definitely ahead. The Legacy of Realms beyond the Dharma Aspect Realm was what he truly wanted.

[Confirming transit to the fourth stage, teleporting...]

As the mechanical voice faded, the familiar sensation of dizziness struck again.

...

Outside the Ancient Tower. The dust had long since settled.

The Little White Beast crouched atop the head of the Black Flame Giant Beast, its silvery vertical pupils narrowed slightly, staring intently at the mottled bronze gate beneath the Ancient Tower in the distance.

That interesting human kid hadn't died. He had been taken back by that tower.

"Master," the Black Flame Giant Beast spoke in a muffled, booming voice that made the air hum, filled with intense resentment and brutality, "If that crappy tower hadn't suddenly dragged him back, this subordinate could have slapped that kid into a pulp with one paw!"

It had just been rammed head-on by Lu Qingyun; although it looked unharmed, several scales on its head had actually cracked, and its blood was surging uncontrollably. This statement was half to show loyalty, and half to give itself an excuse.

The Little White Beast ignored it, its gaze deep as it continued to stare at the Ancient Tower. To it, that human kid... was merely a bit interesting. But the most important thing... was what lay within this Ancient Tower!

However, if there was such a human kid among the humans, perhaps he really could obtain what it needed.

...

In front of the Ancient Tower, Master Ming and the other four Dharma Form Grandmasters were frozen in place.

They had clearly seen the scene where Lu Qingyun was engulfed by the Black Flame Giant Beast's attack and the fragments of his bloody vine armor scattered across the ground. This caused their hearts to instantly sink to the bottom.

However, the Black Flame Giant Beast's words let them know that Lu Qingyun was unharmed, and had instead been pulled back by the Ancient Tower to participate in the trial. This made them instantly overjoyed. As long as he was still there, humanity still had hope!

But... this ecstasy didn't even last three seconds. The heavy breathing of the Black Flame Giant Beast echoed across the battlefield. It was extremely clear, and extremely... terrifying!

The smiles on their faces froze... because they realized that while Lu Qingyun was safe, what about them? The thousand-foot-tall Black Flame Giant Beast in front of them, and that unfathomable Little White Beast atop its head, were still standing right there!

Two terrifying existences beyond the Dharma Aspect Realm; let alone the five of them at the Dharma Aspect level, even if ten more came, they wouldn't be enough to withstand a single slap from them!

"Form up!" Fang Xingzhou gritted his teeth and shouted in a low voice, his Dharma Form condensing around him once again. Even if they were no match, they absolutely could not retreat. Behind them was the Ancient Tower, the last hope of humanity. Even if they died, they had to die here!

The other four also gathered their focus, their power surging, assuming a posture for a desperate fight to the death.

But to their surprise, the Black Flame Giant Beast merely glanced at them coldly, with no intention of attacking at all. The Little White Beast was even crouching on the beast's head, closing its eyes to rest, as if these five ants weren't even worth attacking. They just sat quietly in the distance, motionless.

"Are they... waiting?" Master Ming lowered his voice, his tone full of suspicion and surprise.

"It looks like they are waiting for young friend Lu to come out." Fang Xingzhou frowned, his mood heavy, "They also have their eyes on the Legacy inside the Ancient Tower."

Their hearts instantly tightened again. Just as the atmosphere became heavy to the point of almost freezing, a gentle breeze swept across the dead-silent battlefield without warning. The wind was light, yet it carried a gentle but vast aura, like the warm sun of spring, instantly dispelling the blood and brutality in the air.

The next moment, countless glowing white light particles slowly emerged from the Void Realm, like fireflies filling the sky, slowly gathering in front of the five of them. The light particles condensed, gradually outlining an aged yet upright figure.

The old man wore a plain long robe, his hair and beard were all white, and his face was lean and refined. No pressure leaked from his body; he looked just like an ordinary elderly neighbor. But the moment he appeared, Master Ming, Fang Xingzhou, and the other five Dharma Form Grandmasters all shuddered in unison!

Their faces were instantly filled with reverence and excitement, and they all bowed in unison, their voices respectful to the extreme: "Greetings, Saint Qin!"

The person who arrived was one of the only two remaining Saint Realm powerhouses in China, Qin Cang! The stabilizing force of the entire human martial arts world!

The hearts that had been hanging in their throats instantly dropped back into their stomachs. Because with this supreme human combat power here, they had a backbone.

However, Qin Cang merely glanced at them. Then, his figure turned into a stream of light, heading straight towards the Black Flame Giant Beast. There was not a shred of killing intent around him, and he had even completely restrained his pressure, as if he were just an ordinary, plain human old man, with no trace of Divine Intent.

"What is Saint Qin doing..." Master Ming held his breath, staring intently ahead. The others' hearts tightened as well.

Just as Qin Cang walked to within a hundred feet of the Black Flame Giant Beast, hum—a soft yet blinding glowing white light suddenly lit up, like the sky falling, completely enveloping Qin Cang and the two Vicious Beasts. Where the light reached, their vision was completely blocked. They couldn't see, hear, or perceive anything. It was as if that space had been isolated and separated.

The few could only stand there honestly and wait, their hearts pounding. No one knew what was being discussed inside, nor did they know if it would result in peace or a fight to the death.

Time passed minute by minute. Half a quarter of an hour; it wasn't long, but it wasn't short either. For them, it was as agonizing as if several years had passed.

Finally, the light slowly dissipated. Everyone's gaze instantly focused on it. They saw the Little White Beast in mid-air stand up, its silvery eyes taking one last deep look at the direction of the Ancient Tower. Then, it gently patted the head of the Black Flame Giant Beast.

"Let's go." An ethereal yet indifferent voice fell. The Black Flame Giant Beast roared to the sky, its black flames surging, and its massive body slowly rose into the air.

Two terrifying existences comparable to the Saint Realm, just like that... left? They just retreated so cleanly and decisively?

Master Ming and the others looked at each other, seeing astonishment and confusion in each other's eyes. But soon, ecstasy surged onto their faces, and they hurriedly went to meet Qin Cang.

But when they saw Qin Cang's expression clearly, all their joy was stuck in their throats. Qin Cang stood there, his back still straight, but his brows were tightly furrowed, his face as heavy as un-dissolvable ink; there was no trace of the relief one would feel after victory. A heavy atmosphere silently permeated the air.

"Saint Qin..." Fang Xingzhou tentatively spoke, his voice tight, "Did something happen?"

Qin Cang slowly withdrew his gaze and sighed leisurely. In that sigh, there was exhaustion, heaviness, and a trace of desperate determination.

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the five of them, and he spoke slowly, word by word: "I made a deal with them; after obtaining the Legacy... I will give them a portion of it. Just like us, these Vicious Beasts... are also looking for a way to advance further, and also want to step onto the correct path!"

"So... now, we really are preparing for a fight to the death."