Finally Shapeshifting

Just as Lin Yan was filled with emotion, the system's familiar voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

[Ding! Detected that the host successfully killed an Innate Fierce Beast, preventing the collapse of the regional ecosystem and producing a significant positive impact on the stability of the ecological environment in the canyon and surrounding areas. Hidden reward trigger conditions met.]

[Reward issued: one piece of Nine Heavens Breathing Soil. Automatically stored in the System Space.]

[Notice: The current mission, "Improve the ecological environment within the current thousand-li radius and prevent an Ecological Disaster," has not yet been completed. The canyon environment has suffered severe damage from the battle, and the Ecological Index has sharply declined. Please repair it as soon as possible to achieve the mission objective.]

Lin Yan's consciousness immediately cleared considerably.

"Nine Heavens Breathing Soil?" His heart jolted. He knew that name all too well—it was a top-tier earth-element treasure from Primordial Flow novels. Legend had it that Empress Nuwa had used this very thing to mold humans from earth. Da Yu and his father had used it in their flood-control efforts too. System Dad had finally been generous for once.

But before he could celebrate for long, the thought of the canyon camp that had been utterly wrecked by the fierce beast filled him with sorrow again. Years of painstaking work had been destroyed in a single day, sending him right back to square one. Who knew how much effort it would take to restore the canyon to its former state?

The other Earth Dragon subordinates sensed their leader's frustration and gathered around him, gently rubbing their bodies against his as they awkwardly conveyed their comfort. It was as if they were saying that although their home had been destroyed, Lin Yan still had them.

Feeling the comfort of his subordinates, Lin Yan finally recovered from his grief.

"Isn't it just rebuilding our home? That's what I'm best at."

"Fierce beasts, huh? Pangu's Malice Aura, huh? You like destroying things, huh?"

"Just you wait. Once I grow stronger, let's see which one of you still dares come cause trouble. Our Earth Dragon Clan isn't to be messed with either!"

After venting at the sky, the dejection vanished from Lin Yan's eyes, replaced by blazing fighting spirit.

"The great undertaking of rebuilding our home starts now!" Lin Yan shouted to the Earth Dragon subordinates.

Thus, over the following days, the ten Earth Dragons busied themselves endlessly within the canyon camp, which was filled with Malevolent Qi and devastation.

First came the removal of soil contaminated by the Malevolent Qi brought by the fierce beast. The best way to clear away that Malevolent Qi was to use the Earth Dragon Clan's special ability—Devour and Purify.

They swallowed the contaminated soil, then relied on the Earth Dragon Clan's unique conversion ability to break down and transform the Malevolent Qi within their bodies. The soil they expelled afterward became earth rich in Spirit Qi.

As Lin Yan and his subordinates tirelessly ate dirt, the Malevolent Qi within the canyon was cleared away at an astonishing speed, and the land rapidly returned to spirit soil brimming with Spirit Qi.

While eating dirt to purify the Malevolent Qi, Lin Yan also used his innate abilities to clear the clogged Earth Veins and purify the contaminated Water Vein. The smooth flow of the Earth Veins and Water Vein further accelerated the canyon ecosystem's recovery.

The restoration work went far more smoothly than expected. Though it took a long time, the results were excellent.

The canyon floor, once a complete mess, was now covered once more in lush spirit herbs. The air was suffused with the fresh scent of vegetation and pure Spirit Qi. The canyon's environment had become even better than before the great battle.

[Ding! Detected that the canyon's ecological environment has fully recovered. Its Ecological Stability Index has surpassed its pre-destruction level. The mission, "Improve the ecological environment within the current thousand-li radius and prevent an Ecological Disaster," has been completed!]

[Ding! Detected that the host successfully guided his clan in ecological construction. Clan cohesion and the budding of civilization have significantly increased. The mission, "Establish at least one social clan group and perpetuate clan civilization," has been completed.]

[Ding! The host's cultivation has reached the peak of the Shaping Stage (100%) and can break through into the Earth Immortal Realm at any time. During the breakthrough, stabilize your mind and absorb sufficient Spirit Qi. It is recommended to use an Innate Spiritual Object to assist the breakthrough.]

[Notice: Shapeshifting is a leap in the level of life. Please ensure you are in optimal condition and proceed with caution.]

"I can finally shapeshift..." Lin Yan let out a long breath.

Over the years, Lin Yan had already accumulated enough Spirit Power within his body, but it had always been suppressed by an invisible force. It was as though a pair of invisible shackles had been fastened around his head, preventing him from breaking through the Shaping Stage.

Now that the two missions given by the system had finally been completed, the shackles binding him suddenly vanished. The Spirit Power within his body surged and roared like a burst dam.

Across his enormous hundred-zhang-long Earth Dragon body, all eighty-one segments simultaneously bloomed with dazzling earthy yellow light. Every segment was like a miniature energy vortex, frantically drawing in the Spirit Qi between heaven and earth!

Centered on him, the Spirit Qi between heaven and earth within a radius of ten thousand li was suddenly stirred. Visible streams of multicolored spiritual light gathered from every direction, forming an enormous Spiritual Energy Vortex above the canyon. The vortex slowly rotated, emanating a pressure that made hearts tremble.

Drawn by the Spiritual Energy Vortex, distant Spirit Qi rushed over like a storm, forming an immensely powerful Spirit Power tempest.

At the edge of the canyon, the nine Earth Dragon subordinates burrowed underground, leaving only the feelers on their heads exposed. As they sensed the vast, ocean-like might of heaven and earth, they were both terrified and full of anticipation.

Spirit Qi surged madly into Lin Yan's body, washing through his meridians and cleansing his physical body. The process was unbearably painful, as if every inch of flesh and every cell were being torn apart and rebuilt. Yet he kept his mind clear and, following the Shapeshifting Method from his Bloodline Inheritance, guided this immense energy as he began reshaping his form.

First, his massive body began to shrink. His hundred-zhang-long form continuously condensed within the spiritual light. The dark gold scales covering his entire body fell away one after another, transforming into pure Earth Element Origin and merging into his newly formed body. His head began to differentiate, his mouthparts shrank and changed shape, and the outlines of facial features gradually emerged...

At the most critical moment of his shapeshifting, Lin Yan's mind stirred, and he brought out the [Nine Heavens Breathing Soil] that he had been nurturing within his body.

The Breathing Soil floated above his head, casting down streams of dense xuan yellow radiance that enveloped him completely. Immediately, purer and more fundamental Law Power of the Earth Element Great Dao flooded into Lin Yan's sea of consciousness, intertwining with his own Earth Element Origin.

The Nine Heavens Breathing Soil not only contained pure Earth Origin, but also a trace of the ever-renewing Creation Law. Lin Yan absorbed the Earth Origin within the Breathing Soil and, along with it, drew that trace of Creation Law into his body.

The light gradually receded, and the Spiritual Energy Vortex slowly dispersed. A figure appeared in midair.

He was a young man, appearing to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He stood tall and straight, with refined features. Between his brows lay both a scholar's elegance and the calm steadiness and resolve of someone who had weathered countless hardships.

He wore a plain-colored long robe formed from the purest Wu Tu Qi, while a faint earthy yellow glow lingered around him.

This was the Innate Dao Body Lin Yan had molded from his own Earth Element Origin, combined with the Creation Law of the Nine Heavens Breathing Soil. As for its appearance, Lin Yan believed it bore more than ninety percent resemblance to how he had looked in his previous life.

Lin Yan lowered his head to look at his hands, then touched his face. Feeling this body that was both familiar and strange, the corners of his lips unconsciously lifted into a smile.

Having a human body again felt incredible!

"Haha! I finally don't have to crawl when I walk anymore!" Lin Yan roared at the sky, his excited voice echoing endlessly through the canyon.