C3 Super Gene

"Impossible! The rumors from my past life were corroborated from multiple sources; there's no way they could be wrong!"

The individual fortunate enough to encounter a Super Gene Creature claimed it appeared while they were hunting White Liquid Jade Worms. Yet, despite three months of relentless hunting, Zhang Lieh hadn't even caught a glimpse of such a creature.

It wasn't just the Super Gene Creature that was eluding him; his basic cultivation technique was also proving to be a challenge. Drawing on his past life's research, he knew that the White Liquid Jade Worm Soft Core could help push his foundational cultivation technique beyond its limits. Its value was bound to skyrocket, potentially leading to the extinction of the White Liquid Jade Worm in the Void Realm. Consequently, Zhang Lieh made a point to save half of his haul with each hunt.

Despite consuming countless soft cores, a breakthrough still eluded him. Frustration gnawed at Zhang Lieh. His entire development strategy hinged on advancing his gene techniques and encountering Super Gene Creatures. Was it possible that three months of effort would yield nothing?

Rebirth clearly wasn't the smooth sailing he had expected.

Should he change his plan?

The thought of three months' efforts being for naught, coupled with Wang Xiaohua's smug demeanor and his sister's glistening tears, stoked a fire within him that he couldn't contain. In a fit of rage, he punched the cave wall beside him.

Boom!

The impact sent a network of cracks spreading through the wall, and Zhang Lieh's hand was injured, blood dripping from his fingers.

He let out a heavy sigh. Time was slipping away. The incident with Xiaohua meant he could no longer afford a leisurely pace. He had to alter his plan, even if it meant losing his edge. After all, what was the harm in revising his rebirth strategy for the sake of his sister?

As Zhang Lieh, steeped in disappointment, prepared to leave, the wall that had just absorbed his punch suddenly gave way, revealing a vast hole.

Curiosity piqued, he wondered, "Where does this hole lead?"

He had hunted White Liquid Jade Worms in this cave for three months, familiarizing himself with every inch of it, yet this passage was new to him.

"Could it be..."

A spark of realization hit Zhang Lieh. Perhaps this unseen, hidden passage was the path to the hope he had been tirelessly searching for.

"After wasting three months, a little more time won't make a difference."

With a glimmer of hope, Zhang Lieh swiftly entered the hidden passageway.

Beyond the narrow path lay an open space reminiscent of a gallery, where a colossal Silver Liquid Jade Worm stood like a small hill, radiating a soft white glow.

"At last, I've found you."

Zhang Lieh was overjoyed; this was the Super Gene Creature he had been tirelessly searching for.

In his past life, many events had unfolded, leading to the discovery of this concealed tunnel. It was only by chance that someone stumbled upon this enormous Silver Liquid Jade Worm.

Unaware of the full story and having only heard rumors, Zhang Lieh had struggled to locate it. But perseverance had finally led him to his quarry.

In the First Void Realm, life forms are categorized as ordinary Gene Creatures, Mutant Gene Creatures, and Super Gene Creatures.

Super Gene Creatures represent the pinnacle of life nurtured by the First Void Realm.

The Silver White Liquid Jade Worm before him was such a creature, the lowest level and weakest in combat, yet possessing the most valuable genes and Soul Jade—making it an ideal target for Zhang Lieh.

"You'll be the first rung on the ladder of my new life!"

Having hunted White Liquid Jade Worms for three months, Zhang Lieh had mastered their anatomy. With precise swordsmanship and no wasted motion, he aimed a direct thrust at the White Liquid Jade Worm, harboring the coveted Super Gene.

He expected a single strike would suffice, but he had underestimated the resilience of a Super Creature. The blade only managed to nick the surface of the massive Silver Liquid Jade Worm, unable to penetrate further.

The creature, enraged by the attack, saw its core turn a deep crimson as it shot out like a projectile.

As a reborn individual, Zhang Lieh easily sidestepped the predictable attack.

Despite its Super Gene, the Silver Liquid Jade Worm was still a soft-bodied insect. Other than its formidable size and enhanced toughness, it was not much different from a regular White Liquid Jade Worm, lacking any additional strengths. Its attack patterns were straightforward and easy to anticipate.

While evading, Zhang Lieh swiftly turned to the side, his alloy sword blossoming into a flurry of sword flowers in an instant, carving dozens of gashes into the body of the Silver Liquid Jade Worm.

The Silver Liquid Jade Worm, writhing in pain, suddenly swelled and leapt high once more, intent on crushing Zhang Lieh into a pulp. Unfortunately for the worm, Zhang Lieh was far too nimble, effortlessly dodging its attacks at the very last second each time.

Simultaneously, his alloy sword danced like a blooming lotus, swiftly etching countless fine marks across its body. Chunks of gelatinous coating were sliced away, falling to the ground and dissolving as Zhang Lieh deftly maneuvered the Silver Liquid Jade Worm around the cave.

With every projectile-like strike from the Silver Liquid Jade Worm, Zhang Lieh brandished his alloy sword, shearing off portions of its jelly-like coating. This kiting tactic allowed him to steadily strip away the creature's outer layer.

Yet, the Silver Liquid Jade Worm was a formidable Super Gene Creature, and as Zhang Lieh persistently cut away, its core drove the continuous regeneration of the jelly coating.

As one side diminished, the other regenerated, transforming their clash into a war of attrition. Ultimately, Zhang Lieh's swordplay proved superior, and in a remarkably short time, the once mountainous Silver Liquid Jade Worm had reduced by a third. At this rate, no matter its size, it was bound to exhaust itself.

But in truth, Zhang Lieh's stamina was likely to give out before the Silver Liquid Jade Worm's reserves did. His foundational techniques had yet to break through, his ordinary genes were incomplete, and his Gene Points totaled a mere twenty, leaving his physical condition woefully inadequate.

No matter the skill, without the physical strength to match, it was all for naught. As the prolonged battle wore on, Zhang Lieh's shortcomings became glaringly apparent.

Ten more grueling minutes passed, and Zhang Lieh's body hit its limit. Soaked in sweat, gasping for breath, his muscles quivered uncontrollably, each movement driven by sheer force of will.

Was this the end of the line for him?

After his rebirth, Zhang Lieh hadn't even begun to implement his plans when he found himself facing a Super Gene Creature. Now, it seemed he might meet his end at its hands. As the Silver Liquid Jade Worm lunged for another attack, Zhang Lieh, refusing to give up, fought back in a desperate moment of life and death. His alloy sword burst into a blinding silver light just as it made contact with the gelatinous coating. It felt as though a barrier within Zhang Lieh had been shattered, and his strength surged forth like a deluge.

His basic cultivation technique had achieved a breakthrough!

The silver-white alloy sword's speed increased more than tenfold, piercing through the layers of the Silver Liquid Jade Worm and embedding itself firmly into its soft core.

It was somewhat ironic. Zhang Lieh had long sought to push past the limits of his basic cultivation technique, but how could he achieve such a breakthrough without the crucible of a life-and-death struggle? Drawing upon his experiences from his past life, he had chosen what he believed to be the safest path to advancement, yet it had led to a stagnation in his foundational skills. It wasn't until he faced the brink of death that he finally made the breakthrough.

Zhang Lieh felt an immense sense of relief wash over him, as if he had undergone a transformation. Without time to fully relish this newfound sensation, he immediately tapped into his Soul Sea and shattered a standard White Liquid Jade Worm Soul Jade.

From his past life's knowledge, he knew that destroying a Soul Jade within ten seconds of a Gene Creature's demise could increase the likelihood of obtaining more Soul Jade. If it was the Soul Jade of the same creature, its appearance was guaranteed.

Previous research had shown that a Soul Jade was the condensed form of a Spirit Body after a Gene Creature's death. Destroying a Soul Jade could temporarily raise the density of Soul Essence in the air, thereby increasing the odds of a dead creature's Spirit Body absorbing this essence and forming a Soul Jade.

"Hunting down the Super Gene Creature, the Silver Liquid Jade Worm, has yielded the Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade."

"Hahaha! The Super Gene Soul Jade is mine at last!"

Eagerly, Zhang Lieh reached for the Soul Jade, and the silver-white gem materialized in the center of his palm.

With a mere thought, the Soul Jade in his hand transformed into a colossal water orb, comparable in size to an average human. It radiated a silvery white glow, and within its core was a soft nucleus resembling the Silver Liquid Jade Worm.

"Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade, Soul Jade Type: Weapon Type."

Despite being categorized as a weapon by the Void Will, hunters from the Void Realm regarded the Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade as the most treasured of the Hundred Transformations type.

With a mere thought, the Soul Jade, resembling a silver orb of water, transformed once again, this time into a set of silver-white glass armor.

The color was quite striking, yet due to Zhang Lieh's lack of proficiency, the armor's appearance was rather unsightly.

After extensive study, Zhang Lieh eventually managed to shape the Soul Jade into a complete suit of armor.

This translucent silver glass armor featured a pale red bead at the chest—the core of the Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade. As long as this bead remained intact, the armor could regenerate indefinitely.

The Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade was immensely powerful, capable of taking on a battle armor form and also compatible with other Super Gene Creature armor-type Soul Jades.

In his past life, the one who had acquired the Silver Liquid Jade Worm Soul Jade mastered it to such an extent that he could morph into countless forms, earning the formidable title of Hundred Transformations Demon Lord.

Currently, Zhang Lieh could only manage to transform a single arm, and even then, he struggled to use it proficiently.

However, the Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade wasn't capable of just any transformation. Due to its liquid glass nature, it could only assume soft forms and was unable to become a sharp weapon.

Nevertheless, for the time being, this level of transformation was more than sufficient.

As for this limitation, it wasn't irremediable. In the Third Void Realm, there existed a unique item known as Pandora's Box.

This one-time-use artifact could merge with Soul Jades of the same or higher caliber.

This was precisely why the reborn Zhang Lieh held the Silver Liquid Jade Worm King Soul Jade in such high regard.

Having met the criteria for fusion, this versatile Hundred Transformations Soul Jade had boundless potential for growth.

Provided Zhang Lieh was prepared to invest his resources, this Soul Jade could even ascend to the Heavenly Calamity Level, or perhaps even to the King Level.

Most importantly, the Silver Liquid Jade Worm was initially considered a bottom-tier entity. To Zhang Lieh's knowledge, it was unprecedented for such a lowly creature to produce a Super Gene Creature. This suggested that it might be a truly unique phenomenon within the entire Void Realm.

Trading three months for a Hundred Transformations-type Soul Jade with vast potential for growth and a wide array of capabilities was an enormous gain.

Above all, it was only with this Soul Jade that Zhang Lieh's daring plan stood a chance of success.