072 Super Evolution

Page 1 of 3

Inside the cavern, blue gas spread quietly step by step. Like a viscous gel, it seeped through the gaps between bones, crawling across the filthy ground. The moon-blue vapor rolled up the cave walls like twisting tendrils.

Xiu Nan waited patiently, also shrouded in a thick cloud of blue gas. Yet the mysterious power carried by the Secret Ring of White Bone was of such high order that it granted him direct immunity.

The lesser Eyebright Vultures were not so fortunate.

Within the bird’s roost, those Eyebright Vultures closest to the ground had already begun to stagger, as if drunk, liable to topple at any moment.

Thud...

At last, a small vulture near the gas outlet could hold on no longer. Its legs buckled, and it collapsed face-first to the ground.

What followed was like a chain of dominoes—one vulture after another succumbed, toppling in heaps, their wings and talons still twitching.

The gas continued to climb, spreading into the rocky alcoves where more vultures dropped on the spot. Some unlucky souls even fell from above, crashing violently onto the stone below.

From such a height, even supernatural beings like the Eyebright Vultures could not escape injury.

By now, the blue vapor had engulfed two-thirds of the cavern. Waves of vultures rained down like dumplings tossed into a pot.

Suppressing his delight, Xiu Nan waited calmly a bit longer. Once more vultures were incapacitated, he would dash out during meditation time.

He closed his eyes, then opened them—a new world lay before him.

At the cave’s mouth, a vulture drifted down like a leaf upon water. Xiu Nan could even see the drool trailing from its beak.

Rip!

In an instant, the vulture was torn in two, a pair of long iron talons discarding the corpse as if it were rubbish.

Xiu Nan lunged forward, Whitewood soaring overhead at precisely his pace, striking down any vulture that fell in their path.

Advancing steadily, Xiu Nan heard the pounding of his own heart as he swiftly reached the altar.

Whitewood followed close behind, releasing two vultures with a thud to the ground—both throats savagely pierced, blood gushing forth in streams.

Xiu Nan looked down: sprawling runes lit up with fresh blood, and the entire altar began to tremble.

At the center of the ring, a column rose.

Xiu Nan gazed upon it, eyes ablaze with longing.

Page 2 of 3

As the first meditation ended, his blurred form gradually became distinct, visible once more in the open air. The second meditation began seamlessly, and Xiu Nan vanished again from the altar.

In the blink of an eye, he stood before the column, seizing the finger bone—it was his second Sacred Bone!

Shrill cries erupted at that very moment—a cacophony of bird calls overlapped and echoed. At the top of the cavern, where the blue vapor was thinnest and its effects weakest, the Eyebright Vultures sensed something amiss at the altar and began to scream alarms, trying to rouse their kin.

Instantly, those only lightly affected by the gas shook themselves awake and joined in the uproar.

"I’ve got the big prize—time to retreat!"

Xiu Nan was sorely tempted to finish off all the unconscious vultures below, a bounty of evolution points ripe for the taking. But escaping alive with the Sacred Bone was his true aim.

One must remain rational in the face of temptation.

During meditation time, Xiu Nan sprinted toward a nearby passage. He had barely set foot inside when a chorus of clicking sounds echoed through the cavern—over a hundred Eyebright Vultures simultaneously activated their Bonefield domain!

Crack—the foot he left outside the passage was paralyzed.

Without hesitation, Xiu Nan pushed off with his right foot, leaping awkwardly inside. His bones creaked and groaned like rusted bearings, dry and unlubricated. He hurriedly called for Whitewood, who dragged him back to the main hall.

Huff...huff...huff...

Xiu Nan half-sat, half-lay on the floor, chest heaving violently. Dust clung to him from being hauled along the ground by Whitewood.

He was battered, but he had the second Sacred Bone!

He opened his right hand—a bone gleamed, white as jade and radiating warmth, fine lines of blood fading into it. There was no need for a blood sacrifice: the extraordinary blood of the two vultures had already been absorbed.

Bathed in blue light, beneath the jade-like surface of the Sacred Bone, threads of blood writhed and crawled. Xiu Nan did not hesitate, swallowing it whole in a single gulp.

It tasted just the same as before—slightly salty.

He drew a deep breath and clenched his fists, bracing himself for another bout of agony. Yet time passed and no pain came; instead, a refreshing clarity swept through his body, as if cool water had been poured from crown to sole.

All fatigue and hunger vanished, replaced by vigor and clarity.

The wheel behind his back spun, its form growing heavier, its color deepening to a richer white.

Page 3 of 3

"You have gained Evolution Points: 105."

"The effect of your Secret Ring of White Bone has been enhanced."

"New Support Ability Acquired: Rune Biomorphosis."

"Additional Rune Slot Acquired: 1."

As he examined the new abilities of the Secret Ring, Xiu Nan walked along the initial passage toward the laboratory.

Upon entering, he went straight to the gas stabilizer and detached the pale yellow hose.

He now possessed a total of 130 evolution points—an unprecedented wealth. Most were from the Sacred Bone, with the rest earned by Whitewood’s slaughter of the vultures.

Along the way, he had encountered many battle wraiths, collecting an abundance of incomplete runes—five or six types, each with several similar variants.

Flame, thunder, frost, explosion...

Xiu Nan had long wanted to try the fusion ability. Now, with plenty of evolution points and the moon-blue gas as a stabilizer, he was ready.

He approached the gas stabilizer and turned the precision screw beside it, opening the valve to its maximum.

In an instant, he was enveloped by moon-blue gas, cascading over him like a pale waterfall.

"Whitewood!" he called, summoning the runes on the spot.

"Notice: Fusion has a chance to fail. Your Eyebright Vulture Rune, having evolved to its limit, now has increased tolerance and can withstand three fusion failures."

"Notice: Upon failure, the corresponding incomplete rune will dissipate and cannot be reused."

"Notice: Each fusion attempt consumes a large amount of evolution points. The more failures, the higher the cost for the next attempt. First fusion requires twenty points."

"Eternal God Emperor"

"Would you like to initiate fusion? Yes/No."

"Yes!"

"Whitewood, let me see how far you can go!" Xiu Nan trembled as he stretched out his rune-marked hand...