Mid-grade Gene Optimization Serum

Chapter 22: Mid-Grade Gene Optimization Serum

After sending the three extortionist disciples packing, Chen Lin returned to his room.

He pondered for a moment before taking out the jade slip Qiu Ming had given him. He pressed it against his forehead and scanned it with his eyes closed.

The jade slip contained a vast amount of information, including the sect's rules, the distribution of power among the seventy-two demon lineages of the Myriad Demon Sect, the forbidden grounds, and more.

After a long while, Chen Lin put the jade slip down and opened his eyes, his expression a mix of solemnity and sudden realization.

It turned out that while the seventy-two demon lineages each performed their own duties, the true core of the Myriad Demon Sect lay in the Elder Hall, the Elite Academy, the True Inheritance Hall, and the Punishment Hall—places inaccessible to entry-level disciples.

Outer sect disciples and registered disciples were merely the lowest existences in the Myriad Demon Sect; to put it bluntly, they were "farmed" disciples.

This realization dampened the joy Chen Lin had felt upon breaking through to the Xiantian stage, replacing it with a heavy, icy sensation in his heart.

Farmed disciples, in plain terms, were treated no differently than the pigs, cattle, or sheep raised by humans. The Myriad Demon Sect viewed these disciples of limited aptitude as mere livestock.

From the day they entered the sect, every farmed disciple had to reach the Sea-Opening realm within thirty years. If they failed, they would be treated like livestock awaiting slaughter, left to the sect's mercy. The lucky ones might be sent to mines as slave laborers to dig for spirit stones and rare materials. The unlucky ones would have their souls and flesh harvested to concoct pills or forge artifacts...

A naked, brutal elimination system—the law of the jungle!

This had led the outer sect and registered disciples to band together into small factions, scheming and fighting for cultivation resources. Naturally, newly arrived disciples became the "fat sheep" in their eyes, ripe for extortion.

Of course, they would not easily offend those gifted disciples with boundless futures. Instead, disciples like Chen Lin, who possessed average aptitude and no background, became their primary targets.

Unfortunately for Senior Brother Jiang and his two companions, their luck had been poor. They had assumed Chen Lin was a fat sheep, only to find they had kicked an iron plate. Not only did they fail to snatch any spirit stones or pills, but they had also lost the savings they had accumulated over many years.

It seems that strength is respected everywhere, Chen Lin sighed to himself before standing up and walking out of his courtyard.

He was headed to the Immortal Treasury Pavilion to select a cultivation technique.

The Immortal Treasury Pavilion was where entry-level disciples chose their techniques. It housed many methods suitable for the Demon Race, but the truly formidable techniques were held by the lineage masters and powerhouses, taught only to direct disciples. Outer sect and registered disciples like him could only cultivate the inferior techniques found within the Immortal Treasury Pavilion.

Half an hour later, Chen Lin gazed at the elegant pavilion bearing the three bold, sweeping characters of "Immortal Treasury Pavilion" and stepped inside.

The pavilion was divided into four floors; the higher one went, the higher the grade of the technique. The first floor contained various Yellow-grade techniques.

Techniques were divided into four tiers: "Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow," with each tier further split into "High, Mid, and Low" grades. Yet, even a Heaven-grade technique was merely a crude method for barely opening the sea of consciousness. Above these four tiers lay even higher-level techniques—those were the true, profound arts of the masters.

Within Chen Lin's body, aside from the Dao Heaven manual—the grade of which was unknown—the Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art he practiced was an Earth-grade technique with limited power. While an ordinary ferocious beast might rely on the Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art to reach the Sea-Opening realm, Dao Heaven was extremely demanding; it had used the Dragon-Elephant Nirvana Art merely as a foundation for stepping into the Xiantian stage. Having already mastered it, Chen Lin now had no subsequent cultivation path other than Dao Heaven.

Ignoring the hundreds of jade slips protected by restrictions on the first floor, Chen Lin headed straight for the top floor, where the Heaven-grade techniques were kept.

"Six Prisons Mad Blade"

"Reckless Baleful Thunder Palm"

"Green Flame Demon Art"

"Nether Finger Technique"

Chen Lin frowned, putting down one jade slip after another and returning them to their places. Although these techniques were terrifyingly powerful, they were not what he wanted.

"You must be a new disciple, right? Judging by your aura, you've just broken through to the Xiantian stage. Are you looking for a body-refining technique?"

Just then, a disciple nearby, who was also browsing, glanced at him and asked lazily.

Chen Lin was startled. He examined the disciple and discovered he possessed the respectable cultivation of a mid-Xiantian stage. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Indeed, I am looking for a body-refining technique. Does this Senior Brother have any recommendations?"

"Heh, body-refining techniques aren't that easy to find. None of the Heaven-grade techniques on this floor are for body-refining. Most of the powerful body-refining methods are held by the lineage masters. If you want one, you'll have to look among the Profound-grade techniques."

The disciple seemed to be in a decent mood. He looked at Chen Lin and said, "Currently, the outer sect disciples generally practice the mid-Profound grade Hundred Refinement Art. It's the best body-refining technique in the entire Immortal Treasury Pavilion, and the results are quite good. You can go directly to the management disciple on the second floor to request it."

With that, the disciple turned his head, pressed a jade slip to his forehead, and ignored Chen Lin.

"Many thanks."

Chen Lin's eyes flashed. He cupped his hands in gratitude and immediately headed to the second floor.

Chen Lin had his reasons for choosing a body-refining technique. Simply put, for a Xiantian expert to advance further and reach the Sea-Opening realm, they had to temper their physique. The stronger the physique, the easier it was to open the sea of consciousness within the soul. Only by opening the sea of consciousness could one practice true divine abilities.

A cultivator's body was like a country. The soul was the emperor, the skin and bones were the ministers, and the spirit energy within the body was the common people. Controlling spirit energy was like a wise emperor governing his nation, constantly strengthening the bones and skin so that the country would remain prosperous and enduring.

Most disciples chose techniques that enhanced their physique. Only by tempering the body through fire and iron, forging it into a true stone-like physique that was impervious to blades and swords, could it bear the power of the soul and open the sea of consciousness!

Chen Lin stepped onto the second floor, handed his identity token to the management disciple, and successfully obtained the Hundred Refinement Art.

Finally, because he enjoyed the special privileges of a direct disciple, he returned to the fourth floor and selected two powerful techniques: Thunder Flash Step and Six Prisons Mad Blade, before returning home, satisfied.

Back in his room, Chen Lin did not immediately begin practicing the Hundred Refinement Art. Instead, he took the two bottles of Gene Optimization Serum rewarded by the main quest from his storage bag.

Mid-Grade Gene Optimization Serum: Extracts superior DNA molecular fragments from a biological body for recombination and evolution, stimulating the organism's potential and bloodline purity. Hint: There is a small probability of triggering dormant ancient genes within the bloodline, causing unpredictable changes.

He gently shook the two bottles. The low-grade serum was sea-blue, while the mid-grade serum was a vibrant, jade-like green, translucent and thick, exuding an air of mystery.

Chen Lin sat cross-legged, uncorked one bottle without hesitation, and tilted his head back to swallow it.

The liquid entered his throat and melted into his body, leaving nothing behind.

Before long, a look of agony twisted Chen Lin's features.

The green veins beneath his skin began to pulse violently, and his entire body started to spasm as he endured excruciating pain.

"Ah!!"

Finally, Chen Lin let out a shrill cry. His clothes were shredded instantly, flying into fragments as his true form was revealed.

He was a giant mantis nearly a zhang tall, his body a translucent emerald green, with eerie red patterns winding across his head and abdomen.

Suddenly, the pair of antennae twitching restlessly on his head tightened, then twisted and shortened, melting into his skull in a bizarre fashion. At the same time, two pitch-black, ox-like horns abruptly sprouted from his forehead. They were sharp and covered in strange green veins, looking both hideous and terrifying.

Simultaneously, his two scythe-like forelimbs grew increasingly curved and massive. The sharp edges were no longer green but had turned a shimmering, metallic black, wreathed in red patterns like the soul-reaping scythe of a grim reaper.

Suddenly, as if sensing something amidst the agony, Chen Lin felt an unbearable itch along his spine. Something alive seemed to be writhing beneath his skin, as if it were about to burst forth!