[Ding!] [Congratulations, host, on opening a rare-grade treasure box and obtaining the Evolution Stone.]
Upon hearing the system notification, Ling Feng murmured inwardly, A rare-grade treasure box, the same grade as the Taotie bloodline. It should be quite a treasure.
He immediately had the system explain the Evolution Stone's properties.
"Holy shit! The Evolution Stone can actually help its holder evolve their bloodline. It can even give my Creation Characters the ability to improve further..."
After hearing the system's explanation, Ling Feng could not help exclaiming under his breath, "As expected of a rare-grade treasure box. That's fucking awesome!"
According to the system's explanation, the Evolution Stone was a support treasure that could help its holder transform their bloodline and strengthen its power.
Gu Xun'er, for example, had yet to awaken her Ancestral Rune or manifest her Divine-Grade Bloodline. With the Evolution Stone's help, however, she could awaken her Ancestral Rune early, and even advance her Divine-Grade Bloodline by another grade... such was the Evolution Stone's power.
Moreover, the Evolution Stone could help Ling Feng's Creation Characters improve further. The Dou Ling-level Itachi Uchiha he had created, for instance, possessed a Three-Tomoe Sharingan. With the Evolution Stone's help, Ling Feng could enhance his Kekkei Genkai, evolving it into a Mangekyo Sharingan!
At the same time, Itachi Uchiha's strength would increase further.
It was precisely this powerful enhancement ability that had made Ling Feng lose his composure.
"Hehe... with the Evolution Stone, I'm a tiger with wings."
Holding the emerald-green gem, Ling Feng's eyes flashed with a piercing gleam. "Just you wait, Yao Chen, Ling Ying. I'll definitely make you regret it!"
Ling Feng had swallowed the humiliations of the past. He would grow stronger swiftly on the Tianxuan Continent. When he set foot on the Dou Qi Continent again, it would mark the return of a king!
"Now, let's see what gains this Evolution Stone can bring me!"
With that thought, Ling Feng prepared to test whether the Evolution Stone's powers were truly so miraculous.
However, he was currently at the Myriad Gold Merchant Association, in Xuan Su's rear courtyard. On someone else's turf, Ling Feng still kept his guard up. Thus, he created another Kakashi Hatake and another Itachi Uchiha, ordering them to stand guard alongside the Sound Four.
Once everything was ready, Ling Feng sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and entered a state of cultivation.
"Evolution Stone, grant me spiritual power, temper my blood and cleanse my veins, return me to my primal essence, Genesis..."
After entering that state, Ling Feng stirred the Yuan Power within him, suspending the Evolution Stone in the air before him. As he recited the activation incantation, the Evolution Stone emitted a beam of emerald-green light that shone upon him.
In an instant, an emerald-green glow enveloped Ling Feng. Before long, his body suddenly began to petrify, eventually becoming a human-shaped mass of emerald-green stone. Like a human figure carved from jade, it looked utterly wondrous.
What no one knew, however, was that after Ling Feng's body petrified, the bloodline within him began to boil. Though his body had turned into emerald-green stone, his brown bloodline seemed to be undergoing a sublime transformation, flickering with an eerie blood-brown radiance that stood out clearly against the green stone.
Meanwhile, Ling Feng's body gradually became transparent. His brown bloodline slowly began emitting golden light, and faint traces of a golden glow appeared in the bones beneath his flesh.
As time passed, Ling Feng's features could no longer be discerned. Yet his flowing bloodline, glowing golden bones, beating heart, and other organs clearly outlined a human form.
At a certain moment, Ling Feng's bloodline turned dark gold. His skeleton, too, shone with a strange dark-golden luster, and an oppressive aura steeped in antiquity emanated from his stone body.
Had anyone been there at that moment, they would have seen an enormous, translucent Ancient Ferocious Beast with a savage visage looming above Ling Feng's head.
Boom!
An invisible surge of aura abruptly erupted. In an instant, the entire courtyard collapsed amid billowing dust. Hearing the commotion, Xuan Su, Xia Wanjin, and the others from the Myriad Gold Merchant Association rushed over.
"What happened?"
That question lingered in the minds of Xuan Su and the others. Yet when they tried to approach, Itachi Uchiha and the others darted out together, blocking their path.
Seeing this, Xia Wanjin stretched out a hand, stopping Xia Zhilan and the others in their tracks. Xuan Su's beautiful eyes kept scanning the center of the billowing dust, as though she were worried about something.
Just then, the dust suddenly stirred, seemingly being dispersed by someone's power. Soon, a figure appeared before everyone's eyes. It was Ling Feng, who had successfully transformed his bloodline.
"The Evolution Stone truly lives up to its name. I can clearly sense that the Taotie bloodline within me has become purer..."
Sensing the changes within him, Ling Feng's face lit up with wild delight. "Is this a new ability of the Taotie bloodline?"
His eyebrows rose, and the curve of his lips deepened.
However, upon noticing Xuan Su and the others, Ling Feng temporarily stopped examining the changes in his body. He stepped forward and waved at Kakashi Hatake and the others. Understanding his intent, they concealed themselves again.
"Mr. Ling, are you all right?"
Seeing Ling Feng approach, Xia Wanjin hurried forward to greet him respectfully.
He did not mention a word about Ling Feng destroying the buildings and courtyard. Ling Feng's power left Xia Wanjin afraid to offend him, so he addressed him with outright deference.
After all, even an organization as powerful as the Blood Wolf Gang had been wiped out at a single command from Ling Feng. Naturally, Xia Wanjin dared not offend him. He feared that one careless mistake would send him down the same road as Yue Shan.
The strong commanded respect, and strength reigned supreme. That was simply how this world worked!
"I'm fine. You can leave."
Ling Feng waved a hand, but his gaze remained on Xuan Su. Watching from the side, Xia Zhilan secretly pouted. Even Father has to bow his head before this fellow. Where on earth did he come from? He really makes me curious. But why does he only ever have eyes for Aunt Su? Am I not pretty?
Of course, Xia Zhilan only grumbled inwardly. Even her father had to bow before Ling Feng, so how could she dare act out?
Still, having witnessed Ling Feng's mystery and strength, Xia Zhilan, who was at an age when romance began to blossom in her heart, had clearly become a little smitten.
Perhaps that was the allure of the strong.
In particular, Ling Feng's looks were just her type. Yet he only had eyes for Xuan Su, leaving Xia Zhilan both resentful and somewhat unwilling to concede.
Unfortunately, Xia Zhilan did not know that although she was quite pretty, she was a little too bony. Flat runways were not to Ling Feng's taste, so he had overlooked her.
After all, Ling Feng's taste in women leaned toward mature ladies-sensual, grown-up women.
As the saying went, cuteness was worth nothing in the face of sex appeal.
Ling Feng was more partial to mature women. As for Xia Zhilan, all he wanted to say was that she was too skinny and should eat more papaya.