The gene monster that had completely engulfed the desert seemed to have entered a brief period of digestion.
It remained motionless, with only a few tentacles formed from its ceca swaying in the air.
An Liya had expected this.
The gene monster had only just begun to evolve, and the desert already shared a special symbiotic relationship with its Lava Hound. This greatly benefited its growth, allowing it to strengthen its advantageous genes far more than any other organic matter could. Other organic matter contained too many impurities, which the gene monster needed time to metabolize and eliminate.
So.
High in the air, she extended her right index finger and pointed at Pofeng, who held a broad greatsword.
Pop!
The air warped slightly, but Pofeng dodged sideways in an instant.
After shifting more than ten meters, Pofeng looked toward the spot where he had just stood. A small crater, about a meter wide, had appeared in the rubble-strewn ground. At its center lay a black organic substance that was swelling at a visible rate. It had been no bigger than a fingernail moments ago, but in the blink of an eye it had grown to the size of a fist—and it seemed ready to keep growing.
A veteran of countless battles, Pofeng could not make sense of An Liya's strange methods. Since scholars who fought entirely through their academic arts were difficult to assess, it was hard to judge the actual power behind her techniques. Still, he could easily tell that the thing before him was dangerous.
A flash of blood-red light. Pofeng's greatsword swept through the air.
The black organic mass, swelling like a piece of popcorn, split in two.
But then something astonishing happened.
The two halves became separate entities and continued to swell.
Only then did An