Star Evil Body Refinement

Leave? Or gamble?

Li Su's divine sense locked tightly onto the few Strange Crystals surging out with the Sha Qi.

Starlight flickered within them, the coolness of Taiyin Essence intertwining with the vastness of Innate Star Evil Energy, exuding a temptation that stirred the soul.

The system prompt's "significantly increase Evolution Points" and "chance to improve spiritual root" rang in his ears like a demonic chant, nearly drowning out all other thought.

Spiritual root! This was the foundation that determined the upper limit of one's future in the Primordial World!

He was only at Mid-Grade Acquired Spiritual Root now—if he could use this to advance, the path ahead would broaden immeasurably!

And on top of that, the generous Evolution Points would let him complete his second evolution immediately, skyrocketing his strength!

But the danger was just as lethal! The terrifying pupil shadow he had glimpsed in that deep cave was unfathomably powerful—definitely something that could crush him with ease.

Trying to snatch its "belongings" now was like pulling a chestnut from the fire, or stealing food from a tiger's mouth!

Reason screamed at him to flee at once, but deep inside, a surge of unwillingness and craving roiled violently.

Surviving in the Primordial World meant defying heaven itself, treading on thin ice at every step. If he let this opportunity slip, when would he ever find another treasure that could improve his spiritual root?

Besides, the underground upheaval had already begun—this place was now a danger zone. If he didn't boost his strength soon, even if he escaped now, how far could he go in this land teeming with Fierce Beasts?

Bet on it!

Fortune favors the bold!

Li Su made his decision in an instant.

But he wasn't reckless.

His divine sense operated at full capacity, frantically calculating the trajectories and speeds of those Star Evil Crystals as they were blasted out by the Sha Qi, as well as the fastest and safest route for his bamboo roots to snatch them.

At the same time, he did something extremely daring—he took the relatively mild Sha Qi he had absorbed and refined, mixed it with a faint wisp of his divine sense imprint, and carefully injected it into the roots of the agitated Purple-Black Strange Plant beside him!

That plant was already furious from the underground upheaval and the loss of energy from the Earth Essence Stone in its roots. Suddenly receiving this "foreign" Sha Qi supplement (though weak) and sensing the provocative, alien divine sense within it, the plant instantly blamed it for everything!

Boom!

The Purple-Black Strange Plant flew into a full-blown rage!

All its leaves thrashed wildly, and its thick roots burst from the ground like frenzied venomous pythons, following the source of that divine sense imprint to lash and stab toward Li Su's main body!

It would tear this thief apart! This provocateur!

Now!

The moment the plant went berserk, creating a massive commotion that drew everyone's attention—

Li Su's strongest, most resilient main root, lying in wait like a coiled serpent, shot out at top speed, hugging the ground, dodging the core of the violent Sha Qi flow, and precisely coiled around the few Star Evil Crystals that were about to fall back into the deep cave!

Fast! Fast! Fast!

Li Su's divine sense was stretched to the breaking point; he could almost hear the faint sound of his bamboo root tearing through air and scraping against the ground.

He could clearly sense that cold gaze in the deep cave shift slightly, sweeping over the disturbance caused by the Purple-Black Strange Plant with a hint of annoyance.

The root finally touched the largest Star Evil Crystal! An icy, piercing yet warm and vast energy surged through instantly!

Coil! Pull back!

Without a second's hesitation, the root wrapped around the three largest Star Evil Crystals, along with two or three smaller ones nearby, and yanked them back with all its might!

The very next second after the root left its spot, a silent, condensed jet-black Sha Qi arrow shot out from the depths of the cave, striking the exact spot where the root had been, annihilating the rock and Sha Qi there in an instant!

Li Su's divine sense nearly shattered from fright as he desperately retracted the root!

But the Purple-Black Strange Plant's frenzied attack had already arrived—countless roots slammed viciously into Li Su's bamboo body!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ink-jade bamboo body shook violently, its light flickering wildly, and his newly stabilized Earth Immortal realm nearly collapsed!

Fine cracks even appeared on the bamboo surface!

But at this moment, Li Su couldn't care about any of that!

The root, clutching the hot potatoes, finally retracted beneath his main body, and without hesitation, it stabbed directly into the Star Evil Crystals, frantically absorbing!

[Absorbing Innate Star Evil Energy and Taiyin Essence, Evolution Points +15!]

[Absorbing... Evolution Points +12!]

[Absorbing... Evolution Points +8!] ...

Evolution Points skyrocketed at an unprecedented rate! 68... 80... 95... 110! It even exceeded the 100-point requirement for evolution!

At the same time, a cold, vast energy carrying the eternal essence of stars surged into his bamboo body, violently clashing with his original soul-devouring attribute, yet strangely merging, frantically reshaping his bamboo foundation!

[Sufficient Evolution Points and high-grade energy detected. Evolution conditions met. Beginning evolution!]

[Warning! Severe energy conflict during evolution. Risk of collapse!]

[Absorbing trace amounts of Innate Star Evil Energy... Calculating probability of spiritual root improvement...]

The system prompts were drowned out by the torrent of energy. Li Su's consciousness was instantly pulled into the earth-shattering upheaval within his body!

His bamboo body cracked inch by inch, then reformed under the scouring of Star Evil Energy and Taiyin Essence. On the ink-jade surface, specks of starlight began to emerge, interweaving with the original dark patterns, making it seem ever more mysterious.

The bamboo joints hummed, as if playing a symphony of stars and the underworld.

The pain surpassed any before, yet the overwhelming sense of power brought by the evolution was equally clear!

Deep within the cavern, the terrifying entity, perhaps because its strike had missed, or perhaps disturbed by the incessant noise from the Purple-Black Strange Plant, did not immediately launch a second attack. Still, its icy pressure continued to blanket the area, suffocating all.

The Purple-Black Strange Plant, enraged that its frenzied assault had failed to instantly destroy this "damnable bamboo" and had instead suffered some root damage from the bamboo's own counter-shock, grew even more furious. Its attacks came down like a storm!

Unmatched energy surged within, driving the evolution; the Strange Plant raged without; the terrifying entity's pressure locked on from above!

Li Su was caught in an unprecedented crisis!

He could only desperately cling to a sliver of clarity in his mind, using all his strength to guide the clashing energies within his body to push forward the evolution, while enduring the Strange Plant's onslaught, praying for the process to finish as soon as possible!

Evolve! It must be done quickly!

Once the evolution succeeded and his strength increased, there might be a sliver of hope!

The Eight-Zhang Ink Bamboo swayed brilliantly amidst the storm of attacks, its surface covered in cracks, starlight and ghostly radiance interweaving, as if it would shatter completely at any moment, yet also as if it was gestating some world-shaking transformation...