Chapter 1307: Setting Off Again  

Lin Lingfeng was stunned for a moment. If the hunters were to return now, it would be akin to opening the city right up to the genetic lifeforms.

Zhang Lie clarified, "They'd hinder me."

Pale blue genetic energy rippled about Zhang Lie's arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"

A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish slammed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.

Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged black dragons, flooding the land and sweeping countless lifeforms away.

A huge rumble shook the heavens, and the entire world quaked.

As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie's signature genetic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. Huge boulders were sent flying, and the will of the fourth realm sent Zhang Lie a barrage of announcements.

[You successfully killed a superior-grade blackwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade blackwind mantis, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a superior-grade inkspider. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade inkspider, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a superior-grade titan snail. By consuming the flesh of the superior-grade titan snail, you may receive one to ten superior gene fragments.]

Only a few peak-grade lifeforms survived the tsunami-like attack.

"[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!"

Then, Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned genetic energy gathered around it.

[You successfully killed a peak-grade blackwind mantis. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade blackwind mantis, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a peak-grade inkspider. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade inkspider, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]

[You successfully killed a peak-grade goldenvenom beetle. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade goldenvenom beetle, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]

Only one genetic lifeform remained, a peak-grade one that was black all over, like a mountain of black metal.

This lifeform had survived not out of overwhelming strength, but rather because of its overwhelming defense. Zhang Lie's attack hadn't managed to take it down in one blow.

Before Lin Lingfeng could be amazed by Zhang Lie's techniques, Zhang Lie had vanished from sight. The next moment, he appeared atop the walking mountain of black metal. Ripples of water encircled his sword. Zhang Lie thrust his hand into a scar left on the surface of the metal mountain, then transmuted his genetic energy.

"[Ninecarp Transformation]!"

A black serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now so large and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.

Black genetic energy surged into the mountain through Zhang Lie's palm, causing it to shudder and quake as the corrosive genetic energy dissolved it from the inside out.

Shortly after, the will of the realm rang out. Discover, Devour, Delight: N♡vεlB¡n.

[You successfully killed a peak-grade titanium snail. By consuming the flesh of the peak-grade titanium snail, you may receive one to ten peak gene fragments.]

Lin Lingfeng had frozen on the spot. Zhang Lie had just ended a stampede that could have been a city-ending crisis for them in the blink of an eye. Peak-grade lifeforms were nothing more than ants in front of him.

Why was there such a disparity between him and other hunters? Was it because of the disaster gene fragments he had accumulated? Or the power of limit gene fragments?

Lin Lingfeng was tempted to restart her journey from the first realm. The genetic hunters present had all frozen. Zhang Lie's attacks weren't particularly flashy, but were incredibly strong. The hunters were shocked to see what an apex hunter could do for the first time.

Zhang Lie was right—for someone like him, the participation of ordinary hunters would only hold him back. With them gone, Zhang Lie could attack indiscriminately. Lin Lingfeng was just about to command all hunters outside the city to return and shelter when she found that Zhang Lie had reappeared beside her. "There's no need. They're all gone now."

Only then did Lin Lingfeng realize that all the lifeforms had been turned into carcasses. She was beyond shocked—was this really something a genetic hunter could accomplish?

Zhang Lie began cleaning up the battlefield, keeping the peak-grade and relatively intact superior-grade carcasses for himself and bringing them into the disaster-grade dragonwhale soulshard.

Li Qianlin grumbled, "Even more?"

"I'll leave it to you, my dear lady."

Li Qianlin cut apart the carcasses with a practiced hand. Zhang Lie had a sumptuous meal as he filled up his gene fragments.

[For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade blackwind mantis, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 101]

[For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade inkspider, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 102]

[For consuming the flesh of a superior-grade titanium snail, you received one superior gene fragment. Current total: 103]

[For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade black-armored rhinoceros, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 31]

[For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade armored sandstorm beetle, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 32]

[For consuming the flesh of a peak-grade lightning snake octopus, you received one peak gene fragment. Current total: 33]

Zhang Lie: an emperor-grade lifeform

Techniques: Rippling Walk (pinnacle), Three-Wave Crescendo (pinnacle), Calm Waters (pinnacle), Fists of the Silent Sea (pinnacle), The Boundless Blade (pinnacle), Eclipse (pinnacle), Syzygy (pinnacle), Ninesoul Dragonblade (pinnacle), Blade of the Heavens (pinnacle)

Genes: Basic, 160; Mutated, 130; Superior, 150; Peak, 70; Disaster, 0; Monarch, 0; Emperor, 0

Soulshards: White Grub (superior), Blood Ant (superior), Potbellied Toad (mutated), Eternalspring Cocoon (superior), Dragonwolf (superior), Moonlight Wyrm (peak), Golden Roc (peak), Dragonwhale (disaster), Mistmeld Clam (disaster)

Zhang Lie had finished maxing out his superior gene fragments and acquired forty more peak gene fragments besides. The peak-grade titanium snail, which Zhang Lie had decomposed with corrosive genetic energy, he had chosen to leave outside—he wasn't interested in consuming sludge.

After his feast, Zhang Lie returned to the city and headed straight for Lin Lingfeng, who was overjoyed to see him again. "You're back, Sir!"

Zhang Lie nodded. "I'd like some peak-grade lifeform meat. I can exchange it for other meat at a two-to-one or even ten-to-one rate. As you know, I killed many genetic lifeforms during the stampede.

Lin Lingfeng frowned. "I'm afraid it won't be so easy. It'll take some time."

"How much time?"

Lin Lingfeng splayed her arms. "I don't know, Sir. You've seen the status of our city for yourself. We just survived a crisis that might have destroyed our city, but a new stampede appeared not two days later. We're short on defenders and can't go out hunting, and no one in the city has any stock left. If they did, they'd have eaten it by now."

The strongest hunters in the city were only on the level of peak-grade lifeforms, and if they wanted to kill a peak-grade lifeform, all the strongest hunters, in addition to a large number of supporting hunters, would have to work together to do so.

This was very different from the second and third realms, largely because in all previous realms, superior- and peak-grade lifeforms largely wandered alone. In the fourth realm, however, such lifeforms tended to roam in packs. Taking down a pack was as tiring as participating in a war.

After killing a peak-grade lifeform, all genetic hunters participating in the kill would be eligible for a piece. As such, no matter how large the lifeform was, there wouldn't be much meat to be shared.

Lin Lingfeng continued, "Sir, as a benefactor who has saved our city twice over, we'll treat you with the utmost respect. If you need peak-grade lifeform meat, I'll gladly arrange a team of the strongest hunters in the city to kill one for you, once I finish dealing with urgent affairs. I'll be able to promise you peak-grade meat within a month."

"Forget it, then. A month is too long."

Zhang Lie hadn't harbored high hopes of obtaining more peak-grade lifeform meat from within the city, so this wasn't much of a disappointment.

"How about mutated-grade meat?"

Lin Lingfeng replied, "That's no problem at all, Sir. There's plenty of such meat available in the city. How much do you need?"

"I simply need two different lifeforms' worth of meat. I can exchange it for six different lifeforms'—I have a pretty large supply." "Please, take it for free, Sir. I have some in my inventory, I believe." Lin Lingfeng retrieved three lifeforms' meat from her extradimensional storage, neither of which were species Zhang Lie had just killed.

As Zhang Lie took the meat, Lin Lingfeng asked, "Sir, would you be interested in becoming the deputy leader of this gathering point? I'd gladly offer up my position as leader if you'd like as well."

If Zhang Lie was willing to be the leader of this gathering point, they wouldn't ever have to worry about stampedes again. If she could, Lin Lingfeng would have exchanged ten such positions in a heartbeat.

Zhang Lie shook his head. "I'm not interested in becoming a leader of any gathering points. I have tasks to be done, and a place I'm heading towards."

"Where to, Sir? I'm quite familiar with the vicinity."

Zhang Lie shook his head. "I'm going somewhere far away."

"What a pity."

"Why don't you tell me about the locations of nearby peak-grade lifeforms?"

Lin Lingfeng was very grateful that Zhang Lie would ask such a question.

Zhang Lie had killed fifteen such packs of lifeforms near the city. Within the short term, the gathering point would be particularly safe, but as more lifeforms encroached on the area, it would become dangerous again. If they weren't able to repair the city walls before more such lifeforms appeared, they would suffer another city-ending crisis.

However, if Zhang Lie were intending to take down even the peak-grade lifeforms in the vicinity of the city, it would be far harder for any lifeforms to invade.

She hurriedly took out a map of the gathering point and marked the locations of all peak-grade lifeforms she knew of. There were none in the immediate vicinity, of course; otherwise, the city would have long since been destroyed.

Zhang Lie returned to the disaster-grade dragonwhale to find Li Qianlin still cleaning up.

Li Qianlin turned around and asked, "What's the matter?"

Zhang Lie grinned as he took out the mutated-grade meat he had received from Lin Lingfeng.

Li Qianlin groaned. magic

This was a 'happy' problem to have, in her estimation. She enjoyed being able to see Zhang Lie so often. In the third realm, Zhang Lie had been so busy dealing with problems all around that she had very few opportunities to be with him. Now, however, he popped up so often that Li Qianlin was starting to get a little peeved, especially since he would always bring back a huge quantity of lifeform meat.

Li Qianlin was happy to be able to help Zhang Lie, but she was getting annoyed that Zhang Lie only returned when he needed her to cook. Even so, she made another feast.

Zhang Lie obtained another thirty gene fragments.

[For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade swordblade tiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 131]

[For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade glazed carp, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 133]

[For consuming the flesh of a mutated-grade flatstone tiger, you received one mutated gene fragment. Current total: 134]

As he maxed out his mutated gene fragments, Zhang Lie waved to Li Qianlin. "I'll come back soon!"

"Scram!" Li Qianlin shouted back.

Zhang Lie returned to the fourth realm proper and headed off in the direction his map was leading him.

Following Lin Lingfeng's additions to his map, he headed toward the marked peak-grade lifeforms' territory.

The region with the highest density of peak-grade lifeforms nearby was the dark swamp, an area that no ordinary genetic hunter dared brave. Any being from outside the swamp who wandered in would never return.

The superior-grade lifeforms that lived outside the swamp were dark red leeches, each the size of a long snake. They were thick and extremely long, and looked particularly disgusting as they squirmed around the mud of the dark swamp.

"I don't think I could bear to eat those..."

They were too vile for the likes of Zhang Lie, even with the temptation of peak gene fragments.

Zhang Lie had just stepped forward when a group of leeches surged toward him.

Expressionless, Zhang Lie sent a pulse of pitch-black genetic energy spreading out from him. Struck by the corrosive genetic energy, the leeches fled, not daring to draw near.

As Zhang Lie walked deeper into the swamp, he saw all manner of strange superior-grade lifeforms, one of which was a sphere with countless mouths arrayed all over. It didn't look edible, either.

As Zhang Lie stepped into lifeforms' territory, he was surrounded and attacked by those lifeforms. He repelled them all with pulses of pitch-black genetic energy.

There were unusual fish nearby, streamlined, with small eyes, and two protruding lips, each with two petal-like teeth on either side of both lips. Its gills resembled combs with a dense series of tines, and its skin patterned like black flowers.