Gene Adaptation

Early morning.

Second floor of the inn, Quan Cangtian's room.

Sunlight squeezed through the gaps in the curtains and fell onto the floor, forming a thin, bright streak.

Quan Cangtian sat on the edge of the bed.

His right palm faced upward.

A dark red crystal pulsed beneath his palm.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

The frequency was fast. More than three times faster than yesterday.

And this time it was different.

It wasn't a passive pulse.

It was an active response.

He could feel it.

To the southeast, the Dark Alley District.

The aura of the Dark Soul Cult was approaching.

Very far away, separated by half of Tianhun City.

Yet the crystal was responding.

Like two frequencies synchronizing.

His heartbeat accelerated.

His breathing grew quicker.

His blood surged.

An urge spread from his palm to his arm, then to his shoulder, and then to his chest.

He wanted to go.

He wanted to get close.

He wanted to walk toward the southeast.

This wasn't his own thought.

It was the urge of his genes.

He was losing control.

Quan Cangtian closed his eyes.

He felt the Miracle Trait flowing within his body.

Silver-white light.

Autonomous cultivation.

Autonomous adaptation.

Soul Power Critical Strike.

He concentrated.

Mobilizing Autonomous Adaptation.

He made the silver-white light surge toward his palm.

The instant the light contacted the dark red crystal—

Pain.

Intense pain.

It felt like someone was thrusting a red-hot iron wire into his blood vessels.

He clenched his teeth.

Sweat broke out on his forehead.

Sweat slid down his cheek and dripped onto the floor.

Autonomous Adaptation was permeating.

Adapting.

Merging.

The crystal pulsed.

Resisting.

Two forces clashed in his palm.

Silver-white and dark red entangled.

Quan Cangtian felt his genes changing.

Not being excised.

Being adapted.

Autonomous Adaptation was making his genes adapt to him.

Instead of him adapting to the genes.

This process was very slow.

Very painful.

He felt his consciousness sway.

He almost passed out.

But he didn't.

He gripped that strand of silver-white light tenaciously.

Forcefully making it permeate into the crystal.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

The crystal's pulse slowed down.

Changing from three times per second to twice per second.

Then to once per second.

Decoupling from the Dark Soul Cult's frequency.

He opened his eyes.

The crystal in his palm was still there.

But the pulse had slowed down.

He could control it.

The door was pushed open.

Zixiao walked in.

She saw Quan Cangtian's complexion.

Pale. There was still sweat on his forehead.

She walked over.

Your complexion is terrible.

Quan Cangtian extended his hand.

The dark red crystal in his palm pulsed.

Yet the pulse had slowed down.

Zixiao watched.

It's moving.

Unlike before.

Quan Cangtian.

Before it was passive.

This time it's active.

The genes are responding to the Dark Soul Cult.

They want me to go to the southeast.

Zixiao frowned.

The Dark Soul Cult is controlling you?

Quan Cangtian.

Not control.

It's genetic resonance.

The thing they planted is inside my body.

It's growing.

I can feel it.

Zixiao fell silent.

She looked at Quan Cangtian's palm.

Can you suppress it?

Quan Cangtian.

Not suppression.

Adaptation.

I used Autonomous Adaptation to make the genes adapt to me.

Not to make me adapt to the genes.

Zixiao.

Autonomous Adaptation?

The Miracle Trait?

Quan Cangtian nodded.

Zixiao.

Can you control it all the time?

Quan Cangtian.

I don't know.

But right now I can.

Zixiao looked at him.

Watching for a few seconds.

You've grown stronger.

Before yesterday, you couldn't do this.

Quan Cangtian.

I entered an Instance Dungeon yesterday.

Obtained the Crystal of Destruction.

The Seed of Destruction was strengthened.

The effect of Autonomous Adaptation strengthened along with it.

Zixiao nodded.

She walked to the window.

Looking out the window.

The Dark Soul Cult won't give up.

They'll continue to monitor.

Continue to wait.

Quan Cangtian.

I know.

That's why I need to grow stronger.

Afternoon.

Quan Batian walked in.

He sensed that Quan Cangtian's aura was changing.

More stable than yesterday.

Yet a strand of dark red aura was surging.

Very faint.

But present.

He looked at Quan Cangtian.

The genes are moving?

Quan Cangtian explained the situation.

The genes were responding to the Dark Soul Cult.

But Autonomous Adaptation was keeping them under control.

Quan Batian fell silent.

He walked up to Quan Cangtian.

And grabbed his right hand.

The Dark Red Crystal in his palm beat.

But it beat very slowly.

Autonomous Adaptation?

Quan Cangtian asked.

Miracle Trait.

Quan Batian let go of his hand.

He walked over to the window.

He looked out the window.

Aha's blessing.

Bestowed at random.

Your luck is quite good.

He paused.

But Autonomous Adaptation is not omnipotent.

Quan Cangtian.

I know.

Quan Batian turned around.

What do you know?

Quan Cangtian.

It can only control.

It cannot eradicate.

Quan Batian nodded.

The gene is still in your body.

It is still growing.

Autonomous Adaptation can only suppress.

It cannot eliminate.

Quan Cangtian.

Then what should I do?

Quan Batian.

Grow stronger.

The stronger your strength.

The stronger the effect of Autonomous Adaptation.

The slower the gene's growth rate.

When you are strong enough.

Autonomous Adaptation will be able to completely suppress the gene.

Quan Cangtian.

How strong is strong enough?

Quan Batian looked at him.

Titled Douluo.

Path Rift.

Underfoot was black ground, and overhead was a starry sky.

Silver-white stars flickered.

Then—

A voice came from behind.

You've come.

Quan Cangtian turned around.

The Envoy of Elation stood there.

He wore a set of black and red robes.

There was a smile on his face.

The gene is moving?

Quan Cangtian.

You saw it.

The Envoy of Elation.

Of course I saw it.

I've been watching.

He walked up in front of Quan Cangtian.

Autonomous Adaptation is controlling the gene.

Not bad.

Quan Cangtian.

But it can only control.

It cannot eradicate.

The Envoy of Elation smiled.

You want to eradicate it?

Quan Cangtian.

It's in my body.

It's growing.

I don't want to be controlled by it.

The Envoy of Elation.

Then grow stronger.

Quan Cangtian.

Titled Douluo?

The Envoy of Elation nodded.

Titled Douluo.

At that time, your Autonomous Adaptation will evolve.

From 'adaptation' to 'assimilation'.

The gene will be assimilated by you.

It will become a part of you.

Instead of you becoming a part of it.

Quan Cangtian.

What about after assimilation?

The Envoy of Elation.

After assimilation, the gene is your strength.

The thing planted by the Dark Soul Cult will become your weapon.

You can control it in turn.

Instead of it controlling you.

Quan Cangtian fell silent.

The Envoy of Elation looked at him.

But there is a problem.

Quan Cangtian.

What problem?

The Envoy of Elation.

Time.

The gene is growing.

You are also growing.

But the growth rate of the gene depends on the Dark Soul Cult.

They can accelerate the growth of the gene.

You cannot.

Quan Cangtian.

They will accelerate it?

The Envoy of Elation.

They will.

They planted the gene precisely to control you.

If they find you out of control.

They will accelerate it.

Quan Cangtian.

Then what should I do?

The Envoy of Elation.

Be faster than them.

Before the gene grows completely.

Grow strong enough to be a Titled Douluo.

Assimilate the gene.

Control the thing planted by the Dark Soul Cult in turn.

Quan Cangtian.

How much time?

The Envoy of Elation.

I don't know.

It depends on the Dark Soul Cult.

Maybe a month.

Maybe three months.

Maybe even shorter.

Quan Cangtian clenched his fists.

I will grow stronger.

The Envoy of Elation smiled.

Then grow stronger.

I'll wait and see.

His figure began to dissipate.

By the way.

There is one more thing.

Quan Cangtian.

What?

The voice of the Envoy of Elation came from the void.

The Pontifex is just like me.

He wants you.

I also want you.

Which one will you choose.

Or.

Choose neither.

The voice vanished.

Quan Cangtian stood in the Path Rift.

Silver-white stars flickered overhead.

He raised his right hand.

The Dark Red Crystal under his palm was still there.

But the beating had slowed down.

He could control it.

But time was running out.

The Dark Soul Cult was waiting for him.

The Envoy of Elation and the Pontifex were fighting over him.

He needed to grow stronger.

Faster than the gene's growth.

Faster than the Dark Soul Cult's plan.

Quan Cangtian opened his eyes.

Back at the inn.

Night outside the window.

The lights of Tianhun City flickered in the distance.

He sat on the edge of the bed.

Unmoving.

Zixiao sat beside him.

Not speaking either.

Yet both knew.

A new stage had begun.

Genes were growing.

Autonomous Adaptation was taking control.

Time was passing.

He needed to grow stronger.

Faster than time.