Ultragene Warlord

As space shifted once more, Zhang Lie was teleported back to the sage.

"Now for the second disaster-grade lifeform!"

"The second disaster-grade lifeform is also in the bearmen region. If the bearman deity is considered the guardian deity of the bearmen, then the second disaster-grade lifeform is his nemesis, his counterpart and bitter rival, with whom he frequently fights: a demonwolf."

With a wave of the draconian sage's hand, Zhang Lie was surrounded by ripples in space. The next moment, he found himself before a gigantic cave, one so dark he couldn't identify what was inside. However, Zhang Lie could feel a strong presence emanating from the depths of the cave.

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As Zhang Lie released a breath, something began to happen from within the cave. Glowing green dots lit up—glowing pairs of eyes, from black figures who leapt out of its depths. These were huge, fierce black wolves, their fur standing straight up. Wind blew around them like black smoke. They opened their mouths and revealed sharp teeth.

Most of the wolves in the pack were superior-grade lifeforms. A small fraction was peak-grade, and there were even a few post-peak-grade ones.

However, whether or not these wolves were strong was immaterial to Zhang Lie.

He activated his mistmeld clam soulshard, his eyes gleaming in all colors of the rainbow. The moment the wolves glanced into his eyes, they rolled on the floor and revealed their furry bellies, then obediently led the way deeper into the cave for him.

"It looks like I'll be able to make use of these wolves for the upcoming invasion, too..."

Suddenly, a disaster-grade aura emerged from deep within the cave as a pair of glowing green eyes radiated light. Black smoke drifted forward like the tide, surrounding Zhang Lie.

"A disaster-grade domain that inhibits vision? No, it can't be—it's far too simple and straightforward an effect for disaster-grade lifeforms! There has to be more to it, I'm sure." Zhang Lie found that the genetic energy around him was slowly dissipating away—this was something he was innately familiar with. "It looks like the occluded vision is just a side effect—it's an aura of corrosion or assimilation."

A slash suddenly came out of nowhere, but Zhang Lie easily countered it with a fist of his own. As the energy from the explosion dissipated, Zhang Lie smiled. "It's useless. You might be able to sense my scent, but I can sense your breath, too."

As he clenched his fists, blue genetic energy gathered and rippled around his arms. He flicked his wrists, spawning a frightening aura as a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!" Zhang Lie's technique possessed such strength it made the very air warp. The water-attuned genetic energy shook the cave and launched shockwaves toward the disaster-grade wolf. The waves sounded like peals of thunder, like stampeding hooves.

A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish slammed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging into the cave. The combination of spatial manipulation and water-attuned genetic energy caused the water to spread out around Zhang Lie like a hurricane of water.

The water-attuned genetic energy weakened the power of the black mist, clearing out a patch of air surrounding Zhang Lie and sending the disaster-grade demonwolf flying into the distance.

The other wolves in the pack fled in fear as a cold gaze fixed itself on Zhang Lie. Black mist came pouring back into the cave from all directions, trapping Zhang Lie within.

Just as the mist was about to envelop Zhang Lie, the disaster-grade demonwolf struck from all directions. Zhang Lie didn't move; he surrounded himself with water-attuned genetic energy. When the wolf's attack struck that energy, it caused the air to vibrate, but that was it.

"[Rune: Gravity]!" With a thought, the image of a dragonturtle manifested behind Zhang Lie, and the runic tablet of gravity crashed into the ground.

The tablet shook, and the runic script inlaid within it began to glow almost at random. A crushing force of gravity enclosed the space— but right before it could trap the demonwolf, it leapt high up and escaped the domain. Zhang Lie smiled. "I'll grant that you act fast, at least. [Ninecarp Transformation]!"

A black serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now so large and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening rustle as its scales creaked.

The black serpent began devouring the mist around itself, thinning it and revealing the disaster-grade demonwolf, who attacked in a burst of speed. When its claws landed on the serpent's scales, however, all that energy was sucked dry in an instant.

The mist had thinned to the point that the demonwolf, understanding that it was no opponent for Zhang Lie, chose to flee.

Zhang Lie pointed toward the direction in which the wolf was heading. The wolf might have fast reflexes and even faster speed, but the serpent outshone it in even those areas. When it caught up, it didn't give the wolf any opportunity to run away. It immediately wrapped around the wolf, which exuded black mist in an attempt to force the serpent to back off.

However, the serpent absorbed all that mist entirely, nullifying the attack that was the demonwolf's pride and joy. The demonwolf's signature black mist, high movement speed, and rapid flurry of strikes allowed him to dominate the entire forest, countered only by the bearman chieftain and deity.

If not for their working together, he wouldn't have to hide in this cave at all—but even combined, they were hardly able to kill him. His speed was far superior to theirs; they couldn't prevent him from running away.

However, Zhang Lie, who had suddenly appeared before him, was able to counter him easily and completely.

When all the mist finally thinned, Zhang Lie was able to see the disaster-grade wolf's true form for the first time. Its green eyes were bloodshot, revealing its anger and rage. Its body was about half the size of the bearman deity, and its glossy fur had turned black from long-term exposure to the black mist it gave off.

With a snap of his fingers, Zhang Lie commanded the serpent to kill the wolf.

[You successfully killed a disaster-grade demonwolf. By consuming the core of the peak-grade demonwolf, you may receive one to ten disaster gene fragments.]

The demonwolf left behind a pitch-black orb trailing black smoke. As spatial fluctuations enveloped him, Zhang Lie found himself teleported back to the black desert, where he absorbed the core, obtained another ten disaster gene fragments, and returned to the sage's residence...