Intelligent Lifeform · Ika! The End of the Monster Era!

Turning the page, one enters an entirely different world.

[Mission "Final Metamorphosis, Prologue to the Starry Sky" completed!]

[Rewards issued:]

[1. C9-grade Spaceship]

[2. Artificial Intelligence]

[3. 10 Billion Black Dragon Coins]

[4. Soul Slavery Secret Technique: Star Pupil: Soul Capture]

The cold, mechanical voice echoed deep within his mind, yet it sounded more melodious than any music in the world.

Deep in the East Sea, the sea breeze howled.

The air was thick with a heavy, pungent scent of blood—the blood of an Emperor-level monster, scorching and violent, yet rapidly cooling.

Lin Yuan stood suspended in mid-air, his feet resting on the Arc Wheel, his body wreathed in a faint, starlit glow.

With a mere thought, the rewards that would drive countless powerhouses across the galaxy into a frenzy—the C9-grade spaceship, the artificial intelligence, and the ten billion Black Dragon Coins—already lay quietly within his system space.

"It is over."

Lin Yuan lowered his head, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the sea surface beneath him.

There lay the Thunder Dragon Emperor, once one of the sources of humanity's nightmares since the Great Nirvana period, the hegemon that commanded billions of aquatic monsters.

At this moment, its massive body, thousands of meters long, floated miserably on the sea like a collapsed mountain range.

Under the absolute power of the Star-level and the sharpness of a Controller's spirit weapon, this Beast Emperor, which had run rampant on this planet for decades, was as fragile as a slightly stronger ant.

"This is the gap between life levels," Lin Yuan whispered to himself, his eyes devoid of pity, filled only with a yearning for and awe of greater power.

Having finished, Lin Yuan raised his wrist and activated his communication device.

A light screen popped up, revealing the face of Hong, usually cold and stern, now showing a trace of undisguised tension.

"Hall Master," Lin Yuan's voice was so calm that neither joy nor sorrow could be detected, "The Thunder Dragon Emperor and the Octopus Beast Emperor have both been dealt with. I have sent you the coordinates; send someone to handle the carcasses."

On the other end of the line, even for someone with a mental cultivation as high as Hong's, his breathing stalled for a moment.

"...Very well." Hong's voice was somewhat hoarse, but it carried a sense of relief and excitement, "I will arrange it immediately. Lin Yuan, you... have worked hard."

"These are the spoils of the Extreme Martial Arts Hall; it is inconvenient for me to carry them, and I have no need for them," Lin Yuan added casually.

He truly had no interest in them.

The carcasses of two Beast Emperors were priceless treasures to any faction or individual on Earth.

Their scales could be used to craft top-tier SS-grade combat suits, their flesh could be refined into gene serums that could reshape a person's potential, and their bones were excellent materials for forging spirit weapons.

For these, the world's Inspector-level powerhouses would likely fight until they bled, perhaps even triggering wars.

But in the eyes of Lin Yuan, who possessed the System, these things were not worth a single Silver Blue Coin. His horizons were no longer confined to the small patch of land that was Earth.

"I will not take a single bit; I leave it entirely to the Hall to dispose of." Lin Yuan cut the connection.

Almost the same second he hung up, his War God communication watch vibrated.

This time, it was not a private call.

It was a top-level notification broadcast to every Inspector-level powerhouse across the globe.

[To all martial artists of the world:]

[Passed unanimously by the Supreme Council of the War God Palace: In view of Inspector Lin Yuan's slaying of two Beast Emperors, ending the monsters' blockade of human maritime hegemony, we hereby appoint Lin Yuan as the "First Council Chair" of the War God Palace!]

[Earth will forever remember this day. The Age of Monsters has ended!]

Following this came a barrage of private messages from major factions.

The HR Alliance, Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall, the European Union, the United States, Soviet Russia, India...

The major factions, usually locked in constant intrigue and conflicting interests, now displayed unprecedented tacit understanding and humility.

"The HR Alliance, on behalf of all our families, extends our highest respects to the strongest man on Earth, Council Chair Lin Yuan. We are at your service."

"The Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall unconditionally supports all decisions made by Council Chair Lin Yuan..."

Between the lines, the messages were filled with sycophancy and awe.

This was an extremely realistic world. When Lin Yuan demonstrated the strength to crush a Beast Emperor as easily as an ant, he became the only "god" on this planet.

So-called power, wealth, and status were merely appendages easily obtained in the face of his absolute martial might.

"First Council Chair, is it..." Lin Yuan looked at the words on the screen, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth, though he felt little pride, "A mere empty title."

With the Beast Emperors gone, the remaining King-level monsters, while numerous, no longer posed an existential threat under the systematic counterattacks of human martial artists.

It was only a matter of time before humanity reclaimed its lost territory and returned to the oceans.

Lin Yuan had no interest in the tedious matters of post-war reconstruction and the redistribution of power.

"Let Hong and Thunder God have the headache. As long as they do not challenge my dignity or do anything to disgust me by overstepping their bounds, I cannot be bothered to care about their little schemes."

Lin Yuan casually closed the communicator and set it to "Silent Mode."

"Whoosh!"

A deep black triangular fighter jet appeared out of thin air, its hatch sliding open. Lin Yuan transformed into a streak of light and darted inside.

The next second, the fighter jet erupted with a piercing sonic boom, instantly tearing through the sky and departing the blood-scented sea at a terrifying speed several times that of sound.

Half an hour later.

Deep within the Australian Continent, atop a desolate, reddish-brown wasteland where even monsters rarely ventured.

The fighter jet descended slowly, kicking up clouds of dust and smoke.

Lin Yuan stepped out of the hatch, his feet landing on the hard, gravelly ground.

The surroundings were deathly silent, save for the occasional whistle of wind in the distance. This was one of the quietest corners on Earth, and also the most suitable place to take stock of his gains.

"Hoo..."

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged on a massive boulder, his consciousness sinking into the system space.

Watching the rewards floating quietly, his heart couldn't help but accelerate uncontrollably.

"Intelligent Life, Black Dragon Coin, C9-grade starship..." A sharp glint flashed in Lin Yuan's eyes. "These are the true tickets to the vast starry sky."

Those ten billion Black Dragon Coins were enough for him to purchase countless primitive civilization planets like Earth.

That C9-grade starship would allow him to ignore the vast majority of dangers in the universe and conduct long-distance interstellar travel.

But what intrigued him most was—

Lin Yuan flipped his palm, and a primitive-looking, pale gold metal bracer appeared out of thin air.

It looked unremarkable, with no intricate patterns on its surface, possessing only a natural, fluid grace.

Touching it, he felt a strange chill, as if it did not belong to this time and space.

[Item: Intelligent Life (Inactive)]

[Description: Inside this pale gold bracer is stored an inactive Intelligent Life core. This lifeform possesses extremely high growth potential and computational ability. Inject your Force or spiritual power to activate it.]

[Note: Activation automatically binds it to the user; it serves only one master for life.]

"So that's how it is?"

Lin Yuan muttered to himself, his fingertips gently stroking the surface of the bracer.

Intelligent Life was an extremely expensive and rare existence in the universe.

An intelligent lifeform with self-awareness, capable of assisting in cultivation, piloting starships, and hacking networks, was the most reliable partner for any lone powerhouse.

"Let's begin."

Lin Yuan hesitated no longer, his mind stirring!

"Hum—"

As energy was injected, the previously dull bracer began to tremble instantly.

Dazzling golden halos emerged from the surface of the bracer, then rapidly expanded, weaving into a complex and magnificent web of light before Lin Yuan.

The surrounding air seemed to solidify.

A few seconds later, a cold, mechanical voice devoid of any emotion echoed directly in Lin Yuan's mind:

"Energy source detected... meets standards."

"Core logic library initializing! Soul binding in progress—"

"Binding successful."

"Respected Master, I am Intelligent Lifeform No. X-9981. Currently in initial void form, please confirm my specific appearance settings and personality modules."

The light flickered, and the mechanical voice continued: "You may set me to any race or appearance according to your preference."

Lin Yuan was slightly stunned, then fell into deep thought.

In this cruel devouring world, the road ahead was destined to be lonely and long. Since it was to be a partner, he naturally had to choose an image that was pleasing to the eye and could bring him a sense of tranquility.

He looked up at the vast starry sky, which he could faintly perceive even in the daylight.

"Since my cultivation technique is Nine Star Transformations, and since my journey is the sea of stars..."

The corners of Lin Yuan's mouth curled up slightly, a decision forming in his heart.

"Then, an Elf it is."

He said softly, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation. "With stars as the base theme. Noble, mysterious, yet full of vitality."

"Command received."

The mechanical voice vanished instantly.

Immediately after, the web of light suspended in mid-air began to churn violently, countless golden light particles rapidly gathering, reorganizing, and shifting.

The original pale gold light began to undergo a qualitative change, gradually taking on a deep, dark blue and purple hue—the color of the deep cosmos.

Specks of starlight lit up within the light mass, resembling a miniature galaxy.

"As you command, my Master."

This time, the voice was no longer cold and mechanical; it had become crisp and melodious, ethereal like a mountain spring, yet carrying a hint of ancient, distant starlight.

The radiance suddenly retracted.

After a dreamlike halo of light swirled and dissipated, a petite figure hovered before Lin Yuan.

It was a young girl, roughly five feet tall.

She had long hair that cascaded like a waterfall, not a single shade of black or gold, but rather like a flowing galaxy, with tiny stardust twinkling within the deep blue.

Her skin was fairer than snow, possessing a translucent quality. Behind her, two pairs of wings as thin as a cicada's fluttered gently, their clear veins pulsing with a pale blue glow.

Most striking of all were her eyes.

Those orbs were incredibly deep, as if they held two rotating nebulae—mysterious and vast, enough to make one lose themselves with a single glance.

She wore an exquisite dress woven from starlight, the hem swaying gently with her movements, shedding tiny specks of stardust.

The Star Sprite spun gracefully in the air before slowly flying to Lin Yuan's eyes, lifting her skirt slightly to perform an impeccable aristocratic curtsy.

"The Star Sprite pays her respects to you."

She raised her head, her starry eyes fixed on Lin Yuan, and asked respectfully:

"Master, please bestow a name upon me."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan paused for a moment before speaking, "I shall call you... Ika."

--

ps: Chapter 2 is currently being written.