CHAPTER 192: CHAPTER 192: TIANXIN GRASS MOTHER PLANT, SYMBIOTIC METEORITE_1

"Huh, so it actually looks like this? Does that mean if zombies want to complete themselves, they must involve spiritual power?"

Wang Linchi stared at the virus crystal and Soul Kind that the Saint Master had retrieved. The virus crystal looked identical to the one Wang Linchi had previously, appearing as a small, spiky ball rather than the rhombic form seen in unmutated zombies.

As for Meffidia, she had died so brutally that the Saint Master had shattered her virus crystal.

However, if one were to dissect it, it would most likely look like this.

So the power of the GOD virus is somehow connected to the Spirit aspect?

Wang Linchi began examining the meteorite and Tianshin Grass.

A living thing, yet without self-awareness, or the instinct to seek good and avoid evil... It should have possessed this initially, but prolonged disuse likely caused it to disappear.

Adaptive evolution dictates that unnecessary features are discarded; otherwise, the symbiotic system between the Tianshin Grass and the meteorite couldn’t support too many evolutionary abilities.

The body’s ability to evolve naturally incurs a cost, much like the human visual system. One can’t maintain vision without consuming nutrients, can they?

Whether in the Kingdom of Meffidia or at Base Seven, the Tianshin Grass and the meteorite were always kept in safe locations, so they naturally lost their instinct to seek advantages and avoid harm. A millennium of continuous change was enough for these two entities to lose such instincts through disuse.

Wang Linchi carefully removed a leaf from the Tianshin Grass to observe it and attempt to extract the original virus.

The Tianshin Grass possesses an impressive Regeneration Ability. Even if its rhizome was damaged, it wouldn’t necessarily die, as it would recover over time and display extremely strong vitality. These were all evolved abilities. After all, Meffidia had consistently consumed leaves from the Tianshin Grass. Later, the Dawn Watch even transplanted it, so it was natural for it to evolve corresponding abilities. It no longer had the instinct to seek good and avoid evil, but it did possess features like a resilient rhizome.

GOD virus... oh, wait. Here it should be called the original virus. The GOD virus is the failed product of a gene modification serum manufactured by Base Seven.

Wang Linchi quickly identified the problem with the original virus.

Although the name sounded grand, it was essentially an enhanced version of the zombie virus. Injection caused rapid zombification, directly transforming individuals into Mutated Zombies. They then needed to pass through the unstable period by absorbing radiation as quickly as possible. To completely stabilize the virus structure in their bodies, zombies need to go through a mutation stage, after which they are no longer afraid of ultraviolet light. This original virus and the meteorite’s radiation expedited this process. That was why Meffidia entered the mutation stage the moment she became a zombie. This was because her special, adaptive constitution—developed from long-term intake of the Tianshin Grass Mother Plant—already contained residual original virus. When Wang Linchi injected her with the GOD virus serum, the original virus and the GOD virus rapidly synchronized. This allowed Meffidia to skip the regular zombie stage and transform directly into a Mutated Zombie. If the ultraviolet light had continued to stimulate her, and if the Saint Master hadn’t killed her, her adaptive evolutionary constitution would have forced her cells to stabilize. Not even an Exposed-Brain Zombie could have evolved as quickly.

But turning these two things into plugins is a bit difficult.

Currently, he had two main ideas. The first was to turn them into a genetic drug for direct injection, since both were living organisms. The second problem was that the Tianshin Grass changed daily. Even if Wang Linchi wanted to manufacture something from it, he couldn’t. If he finalized a plan today and tried to produce it tomorrow, he’d find the plant had mutated beyond recognition.

Therefore, his other idea was to emulate the Stand-in Saint Master: it didn’t matter if the components were alive or dead, as long as they could be effective when incorporated into him.

Wang Linchi preferred the latter, and he happened to be lacking a Saint Master of a certain form.

Yes, a Spirit-form Saint Master.

He had a touch of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Since he had already utilized the normal and statue forms, adding another to make a set felt right. If things went as expected, he would likely enter a Secret Realm only one or two more times. And if he didn’t survive the upcoming collision with the Great Ruins, well, that would save him a lifetime of trouble anyway.

But what on earth is this meteorite? Wang Linchi quickly finished studying the original virus and then gave up on it.

Whether it was the original virus or the GOD virus, both were derivatives of the Tianshin Grass Mother Plant. Why bother with the derivative when I have the time to study the source itself?

He was very tempted to dissect it to see if it contained a biological organism or if the meteorite itself was a unique life form. Base Seven had also tried various methods to peer inside the meteorite but had found nothing; it was seemingly shielded by some kind of force field, preventing any observation. I had also considered using my Thought Field combined with spiritual power, but the result was the same. The meteorite seemed to possess some immunity to mental effects—though this was just speculation. It could also be mental absorption or refraction. Immunity was unlikely; if it were truly that powerful, it wouldn’t have ended up in its current state.

"Next, I need to..." Wang Linchi muttered to himself and began his work. He estimated he should have results within a month at most.

I also need to add an automatic ’Hang Up’ function, otherwise my Cultivation progress will be awkward. He had originally entered the Secret Realm to grow stronger, planning to leave after achieving the Golden Pill Nine Transforms. However, he had encountered something so intriguing here that he had to temporarily shelve those plans. Still, this matter needed to be resolved. He then considered his own Cultivation; conveniently, he had the necessary raw materials at hand.

「 」

"This must be the place," a gloomy-looking middle-aged man muttered as he appeared in the abandoned steel city. He was dressed in the robes of the Baylong Religion and was a Black Dragon Envoy from the Black Dragon Vein of the Baylong Religion.

I never expected him to hide in a Medium Secret Zone. No wonder I couldn’t find him. If I hadn’t paid a hefty price to have a Dragon God perform a divination, this scoundrel might have roamed free for the rest of his life. But a Medium Secret Zone is still quite large. Finding him won’t be easy; I’ll just have to take my time. However, if he doesn’t leave the Secret Zone, he’s bound to cause some commotion.

In the middle-aged man’s view, an Elite Gold Level Awakener entering a Medium Secret Zone would naturally go on a killing spree to gather resources.

It’s a pity those Dragon Gods were so cowardly, actually suppressed by a mere youth. That Yan Ming King was just lucky! Why stoop to cooperate with him? If they had disregarded it and sent in a Morning Star Level expert, they could have easily eliminated that scoundrel.

His son had died while fighting for the Beast God’s inheritance in the Beast Garden Secret Realm. Of course, his son wasn’t a Saint Heir, just an attendant; the Saint Heir of the Black Dragon Vein was the bishop’s son.

However, the bishop had many children. Although that Saint Heir was his most outstanding one, he wasn’t indispensable; they could simply replace him.

But this wasn’t the case for him; he only had one son.

Although his actions faced public opposition, many secretly supported him. After all, the Baylong Religion had effectively lost an entire generation; those who died weren’t useless servants or cannon fodder, but their own children. Who wouldn’t be heartbroken? Yet, they couldn’t resist the prevailing circumstances.

However, despite paying a huge price to ask the dragons of Dragon Island for divination, he had only managed to locate this Secret Realm. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact location because the target had some form of concealment.

Actually, his strength was not weak. He was considered a half-step Morning Star Level. This meant he had failed his breakthrough to the Morning Star Level and could never succeed, yet he retained some Morning Star Level power.

He could crush most Elite Gold Level cultivators. He said ’most’ because true prodigies couldn’t be judged by normal standards.

He considered Wang Linchi a prodigy. That was why he had brought many Soul Devices and entered with a do-or-die resolve.

What else could a person who could easily slaughter the Sons and Daughters of Sanctity of the Baylong Religion and their many attendants be, if not a prodigy?

Before that, I mustn’t alert him. It’s best to assassinate him with a single, fatal strike. He was here for revenge, not a duel. Naturally, as long as he could kill his enemy, that was all that mattered. Why would he challenge him openly?

Furthermore, if I challenge him openly, I might not win.

He was well aware of his own limitations; even if the other party was only Elite Gold Level, a lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit.

As for the mission in this Secret Zone, he didn’t care. Besides, it was only for thirty days, and he doubted the rewards from a mere Medium Secret Zone would interest him. No matter how many creatures he killed, the best he could get was an Excellent Level Soul Kind. He had no need for other Soul Devices or Natural Treasures. The items capable of healing the hidden injuries from his failed breakthrough could only be found in Large and Gigantic Secret Realms.