Chapter 18

With a thought, the evolution cube that had been spinning around the genetic chain suddenly flickered with a blue glow.

The blue glow reflected on the genetic chain, and the stabilized genetic chain had a tremendous change once again.

This time around, the change was even more intense than when he was going through the engraving and recording process.

Lu Yuan’s muscles, bones, organs, and all other parts of his body seemed to be torn up and reforged.

What came thereafter was intense pain. Lu Yuan’s mind was blank because of the intense pain.

The evolution started.

Lu Yuan didn’t know how much time had passed, but just as he almost found the pain that reached deep into his soul unbearable, the blue glow slowly dissipated and the pain gradually disappeared.

The flickering blue light from the evolution cube started to become a lot dimmer as well, and the cube began to look a little translucent.

It had stored energy to be used for evolution. There had been some previously, but most of it had been used up now.

As for how it could be replenished, it was through recharging the spirit energy.

As the pain gradually dissipated, a great power gushed out from the depths of Lu Yuan’s body.

The comfortable feeling he felt when his gene elevated earlier also appeared.

The evolution was completed!

However, no lifeform’s will appeared.

After all, the will of the lifeform from this extraordinary gene had been wiped out by Lu Yuan earlier.

To Lu Yuan, this was quite a good piece of news.

In the future, when engraving and recording genes, he could choose one of a grade that he was sure he could endure. He could then evolve it, and there’d be no danger at all.

At the thought of this, his lips curled up into a hint of a smile.

This was great!

The feeling of the elevation continued for a while and then eventually dissipated. It instinctively let Lu Yuan know what the extraordinary gene after the evolution was.

Blackiron Body.

It primarily raised one’s defensive abilities, strength, as well as bringing about a slight improvement to the body’s agility and explosive ability.

Compared to the common-grade Stoneskin, the Blackiron Body provided more comprehensive improvements, including agility.

That wasn’t all. The improvement in all areas was close to double what it was before.

This was double of what he had after equipping the Bugclaw Sword!

This showed how much more powerful elite-grade extraordinary genes were compared to common-grade ones.

Even elite-grade ones were already so powerful. Then, how horrifying would the boss-grade, leader-grade, lord-grade, and even king-grade extraordinary genes later on be?

Lu Yuan was filled with anticipation just at the thought of it.

It was a pity that the evolution cube’s energy couldn’t evolve the extraordinary gene he had right now.

Moreover, even if he wished to evolve it, his body’s strength wouldn’t be able to increase any further. He wouldn’t be able to take it.

If he wished to have another evolution, he probably had to refine his genetic chain further first.

However, he was plenty strong now.

He had an elite-grade gene and a genetic armament. Given that he was in a newbie area like the Graystone Forest, he could have his way in things!

Lu Yuan felt that he’d be fine even if he were to take on a black-rune graystone beetle now.

Speaking of black-rune graystone beetles, Lu Yuan thought of the two from previously.

He wondered what happened to them. Should he go and greet them?

Lu Yuan thought about it and felt that it could be done. Therefore, he left his hiding spot and headed to the route he came from.

In the past, Lu Yuan would have to be very careful when walking on the top of the stone walls.

However, after he had a tremendous improvement, the strong gales at the top of the stone walls were like light breezes to him. He could walk or even run here with great ease.

The wind and sand, which had caused some piercing pain to Lu Yuan’s skin previously, felt like gentle massaging hands when blowing on his face now.

This made Lu Yuan feel a little complicated.

(Although I’ve become stronger, my skin seems to have become thicker too.)

Hastening his speed, he ran toward the area in front.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at the U-shaped stone walls area. He had just gotten close when he felt a remnant warmth.

This was the high temperature that was left behind after the firewall from earlier had been extinguished.

Lu Yuan took a look at the bottom and then was stunned.

It was because the two black-rune graystone beetles were already dead. Their corpses had been dealt with as well, their precious stone armor shells taken away.

They had clearly met their match.

He had wanted to deal with the two black-rune graystone beetles himself but didn’t expect that someone else had beat him to it.

It was probably some gene fighters that had been lured over by the fire earlier.

Lu Yuan heaved a slight sense of relief, feeling a little thankful.

Thankfully, he ran fast enough earlier. Gene fighters and black-rune graystone beetles were different. Their intelligence was higher.

Given gene fighters’ intelligence, they should be able to notice that there was a problem with the stone wall. If Lu Yuan had stayed here, he might have been discovered.

Since the black-rune graystone beetles had died, Lu Yuan naturally didn’t plan on staying here for long.

After climbing down the stone wall, he passed by the black-rune graystone beetles’ corpses and took additional looks at them. He then randomly found a passageway to leave.

It wasn’t long before Lu Yuan encountered two graystone beetles munching on rocks under a stone pillar.

His eyes gleamed.

He wanted to test out his current capabilities.

The Bugclaw Sword appeared in Lu Yuan’s hand, and he walked toward the two graystone beetles.

When Lu Yuan was about 20 meters away from them, they paused and turned to look toward him.

Thereafter, they screeched and dashed toward Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan looked at their savage mouths and wasn’t as nervous as he was when he first encountered graystone beetles.

When the graystone beetles got close, he swung his longsword and pitch-black sword light brushed past them.

They suddenly stopped in their charging motion. When their bodies passed by Lu Yuan, they fell down behind him. Their short legs kept on convulsing endlessly as they lost their vitalities.

Death.

Lu Yuan’s lips curled up and he broke into a surprised smile.

(As expected of me!)

Previously, two graystone beetles could be a bit of trouble for him. He didn’t expect to be able to kill two graystone beetles easily within such a short time.

Lu Yuan picked up the spirit crystals and removed the stone armor shells. He then left the place and continued hunting more.

…

Two hours later, in an area in the Graystone Forest.

Chi!!

Lu Yuan killed a graystone beetle that was on its own with one sword attack. After that, he let out an exhale and went up to pick up the spirit crystal.

Just then, Lu Yuan heard the sound of footsteps.

He paused and looked up toward the passageway where the sound of the footsteps was coming from.

The sound of footsteps kept on getting closer. Thereafter, two kobolds wearing black leather armor and holding long blades walked out.

The two kobolds had gray and brown fur respectively.

They looked a little familiar.

When the two kobolds saw Lu Yuan, they were stunned too.

Both sides met each other’s gazes and then broke into brilliant smiles at the same time.

At this moment, the brown-furred kobold wore a savage expression and laughed maniacally.

“Hahahahahaha! Human, you must not have expected this! We meet again! Let’s see how you’re going to run this time around!”

Lu Yuan smiled as well.

“I was wondering if I could see you guys again. I didn’t expect my luck to be quite good.”

“Meeting us is lucky? It seems that the genetic armament you obtained gives you confidence, huh? Your confidence is worthless!”

The gray-furred kobold took a glance at the Bugclaw Sword in Lu Yuan’s hand and let out a smirk. He held onto his long blade and got closer to Lu Yuan.

The brown-furred kobold followed after him.

“Do you not know that both of us are also using genetic armaments? But we’ll need to thank you for bringing us additional gains.”

Just as the two kobolds were getting closer to Lu Yuan, some people passed by the passageway not far away. They noticed this scene.

They were the party of four with the handsome elf leader.

When they saw Lu Yuan and the two kobolds seeming to be ready to fight each other, they were stunned.

“Hmm? Isn’t this the guy who was chased by the graystone beetles earlier? And his two kobold companions?”

The tall and skinny elf was stunned for a moment, feeling a little perplexed.

“What are they doing? Are they going to fight?”

The handsome elf took a look and said, “There might have been an internal strife.”

His lips curled up, breaking into a hint of a smile.

“Let’s not go over first. We’ll hide and then wait for them to fight it out.”

Hearing the handsome elf’s words, the other three instantly understood.

“We’ll listen to Leader!”

“Hehehe… I didn’t expect to come into unexpected gains. Not bad, not bad.”

“Our business in scamming newbies recently hasn’t been good. Such opportunities are very rare.”

The four of them hid behind stone pillars in the distance and watched Lu Yuan and the two kobolds.

The two kobolds were already charging toward Lu Yuan.

When the brown-furred kobold saw that Lu Yuan was standing on the spot and not moving, he smiled savagely and said.

“Human, it seems like you know that there’s no escape for you. Are you planning to let us kill you? Don’t worry, I’ll be very fast!”

As he spoke, he charged up to Lu Yuan, raised his long blade, and then slashed down toward Lu Yuan at great speed.

In the past, Lu Yuan would naturally be unable to dodge such attacks.

However, after having engraved and recorded an extraordinary gene, he had improved in all aspects.

That naturally included his dynamic vision.

Lu Yuan raised his hand slightly.

Keng!

The Bugclaw Sword blocked the long blade easily, creating a sound of metals colliding.

Lu Yuan’s hand didn’t budge at all.

On the other hand, the brown-furred kobold felt the counteracting force in his hands, which were slightly numb now.

His eyes opened big as he looked at Lu Yuan in disbelief.

“You stopped it?! How is that possible?!”

“Why is it not possible?” Lu Yuan smiled.

The pupils of the other gray-furred kobold that was slightly behind the brown-haired one also contracted, looking a little astonished.

Thereafter, he revealed a savage expression.

“You can block one, but can you block two?”

His speed suddenly erupted and he slashed his blade horizontally toward Lu Yuan’s waist.

Lu Yuan smiled and exerted force in his right hand. As a result, the brown-furred kobold felt a tremendous force coming and his body backed off unknowingly.

After shaking off the brown-furred kobold, Lu Yuan turned his wrist and put up a block at a lower angle with his longsword.

Keng!

The Bugclaw Sword steadily blocked the gray-furred kobold’s attack.

“This speed!”

Upon seeing Lu Yuan’s movements, all of the hair on the gray-furred kobold stood up. The capabilities that Lu Yuan showed were beyond his expectations.

The gray-furred kobold immediately had the thought of retreating. They weren’t a match for him!

Just then, Lu Yuan’s longsword shook once again, pushing the gray-furred kobold one step behind. After that, black sword light flashed by the gray-furred kobold’s neck.

Blood gushed out and the gleam in the gray-furred kobold’s eyes slowly dissipated. His corpse swayed for a little before falling to the ground.

The brown-furred kobold was about to go out to help when he saw the gray-furred kobold falling to the ground. He then stopped on the spot.

“Elder Brother?!”

He glared at Lu Yuan, his eyes filled with astonishment.

“How is that possible?! You were still being pursued by us earlier! It’s only been such a short time since then. How did you become so much stronger?!”

Lu Yuan looked at the brown-furred kobold, whose hair was all standing up. He broke into an amicable smile and got close.

“Why don’t you make a guess?”