The Predator's Advantage
As mentioned earlier, the progress of an awakened person's cultivation is like climbing a mountain peak.
The Yellow Realm is the preparatory stage for reaching the mountain peak, while the Profound Realm is the starting point for climbing.
The Earth Realm is on the mountainside looking up at the mountain peak.
The Heaven Realm, on the other hand, represents the process of reaching the summit, as well as the stage of attempting to touch the sky and break through to the Heaven-Controlling Realm.
Upon reaching the Heaven Realm, the awakened one's physical and spiritual potential will be maximized.
In other words, it means reaching the upper limit of that individual.
Therefore, within the Heaven Realms, even at the First Realm, differences in talent, aptitude, and nutritional level will manifest in strength.
For example...
On the Ruolan Star, those of the same species who spend a hundred years barely crossing the threshold of the Heaven Realm are compared to those elites who achieve Heaven Realm status in just over a decade.
At the same level, the elite with better aptitude has the ability to instantly kill the former.
This is the difference in cultivation talent between individuals.
Even within the same species, there are chasms that are difficult to overcome through effort alone.
Not to mention the fact that predators at higher trophic levels are far more powerful than their prey among different species.
The difference between the two is so great that the former can cross borders to prey on the latter, who has a higher level of prey.
This is the predator's advantage.
This is also why there's a saying that Ruolan Star has a natural enemy.
Predator-prey relationships between species are difficult to reverse.
However, given the current technological capabilities of Ruolan Star, improving innate qualities is extremely difficult.
Only in rare, once-in-a-millennium events such as rare Heavenly Earthly Spirit Treasures, biological experiments, genetic mutations, and advancements in life levels would such an event be possible.
Oh, right, there's also a realm where you can ignore your aptitude after advancing to a higher level.
The Heaven-Controlling Realm a realm that truly transcends the limits of species and allows one to communicate with the Planetary Will.
After the breakthrough, they are no longer essentially a member of the original species, but have ascended to a higher level of life.
However, to reach the Heaven-Controlling Realm, talent, aptitude, temperament, and timing are all indispensable.
As things stand, Shisui, who has just ascended to the Heaven Realm, doesn't need to rush into advancing to the Heaven-Controlling Realm.
The most urgent task is to devour the part of the body of the Heaven-Controlling Realm expert in front of us.
This will replenish the energy that was depleted due to advancement.
A long-lost feeling of hunger spread, like thousands of ants gnawing at the Shisui body.
The pain itself wasn't so bad, but it was mostly annoying.
Shisui mobilized the gigantic Kagune behind him, and as his two Ukaku were waved, a large amount of Feather Powder gushed out.
The usually sweltering Jade Swallow Continent was suddenly blanketed in heavy snow.
In the blink of an eye, the trees and vines in the nearby mountains were completely swallowed up.
The body that Dragon Whisker left behind felt an immense threat.
Parasitic roots, hidden among the vines, sprouted and waved, searching for a more powerful puppet.
In an instant, no flower, tree, bird, or beast was spared; they were all captured by the parasitic roots of the Dragon Whisker.
They may become nutrients for root growth, or they may become puppets charging into battle.
But all of this was in vain.
Shisui of the Earth Realm Ninth Realm might have a sliver of hope left because these vines have the backing of the Heaven-Controlling Realm.
After ascending to the Heaven Realm, he had nothing left to worry about.
Moreover, that Heaven-Controlling Realm was just suppressed, and it's uncertain whether he'll wake up.
The swirling "snowflakes" suddenly began to churn violently.
A blizzard has arrived!
Unlike before the promotion, the Feather Powder has now undergone a qualitative improvement.
The Rc Cells crystals, as fine and dense as dust, increased in intensity due to the advancement.
When it hits its prey, it has extremely strong penetrating power, like a bullet.
Wherever the blizzard passed, almost everything exposed to the air was smashed to pieces.
Animal flesh and blood exploded into bright red fireworks, and plant stems and leaves were shattered into pieces.
Immediately afterwards, these upgraded Feather Powders, with the Radiant Feathers at their core, enveloped the scattered remains of their prey in groups of three to five.
Spatial Energy surged, and a Flesh Crystals instantly formed.
The branches of the Dragon Whisker didn't have time to parasitize or repair themselves before being harvested in large swaths.
In just a moment, they instinctively realized that the other party was not their prey.
They couldn't win, so they had to retreat.
However, Shisui would not let his prey escape.
A terrifying pressure instantly swept across the entire area.
This time, without the command of the Dragon Whisker itself, these vines were powerless to resist.
They stood there, stunned.
Their fear of predators rendered them immobile, leaving them helpless as Feather Powder assaulted and shattered them.
The heavy snowfall, which covered at least two mountain peaks, lasted for a full five minutes.
This completely devoured the Dragon Whisker branch that was constantly repairing itself.
This speed was achieved only after they were completely suppressed and then subjected to a large-scale area-of-effect attack.
One can imagine how desperate ordinary awakened beings would feel when faced with these vines.
However, he could not empathize with the despair Shisui of ordinary awakened beings; he only felt that there was still more to say.
Dragon Whisker is, after all, a plant, and a vegetarian diet would be too bland for a Ghoul.
In the center of the blizzard, the scarlet Kakugan gazed into the distance.
In that direction, there stood the Shen City, perched on the coast.
At this moment, inside Shen City, the City Hall was in complete chaos.
Not long ago, the City Hall received a notification from the military.
Their mayor died in Yinling Valley along with the entire Jade Swallow Continent Fifth Army.
The vice mayor was overjoyed upon receiving the notification.
This would mean he could skip the accumulation of seniority and directly become mayor.
But his joy froze the next moment.
No... that's not right!
The Jade Swallow Continent Fifth Army has a total of 50,000 cavalrymen, including no less than 10,000 Earth Realm Awakened.
Not to mention the accompanying officials and guards, as well as several Bound Captive from the Heaven Realm and Earth Realms.
Did that damn army get wiped out?
Is this the strength that the local power Yinling Sect, could possibly possess?
He disregarded his position as mayor and immediately inquired about what had happened.
The military representative on the other side sighed and continued.
"Mr. Ke Yu, please activate the Psychic Energy Shield of Shen City as the interim mayor."
"The Dragon Whisker branch that slumbered beneath the surface of the Jade Swallow Continent has awakened."
These words nearly caused Ke Yu's brain to shut down.
What does it mean when the branches of the Dragon Whisker awaken?
This person had been sleeping peacefully for nearly fifty or sixty years, how could they suddenly wake up?
Even if it's just a branch, it's still a branch of the Heaven-Controlling Realm!
"Your Excellency!" he hurriedly inquired, "Has there been any instruction from the higher-ups?"
"We have already reported this matter to the Upper House, and we believe that reinforcements will arrive soon. Please bring the people with you to buy some time."
The people in Shen City are all ordinary citizens; isn't this just letting them wait to die?
Ke Yu was internally devastated, but outwardly remained respectful and continued to ask.
Will your side send troops to provide support?
The military representative remained silent for a few seconds before replying after Ke Yu anxiously urged him.
"I'm sorry, Jade Swallow Continent military needs to ensure the security of the research base."
After that, Ke Yu stopped listening to those encouraging words.
He hung up the call in a daze, and the mayor's office fell into a deathly silence.