Chapter 11: Chen Ye

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Chen Ye

"Zhixing, do you dare to spar with me when school starts next Monday?"

On their way back to Tingyu Garden, Liu Qifan looked at Ji Zhixing with a grin.

"As long as you allow me to use my Genetic Equipment, it won’t be a problem," Ji Zhixing replied with a chuckle.

"Deal!" Liu Qifan agreed without hesitation.

He had fused with the Ironback Wolf gene. Since Ji Zhixing had only fused with the Three-inch Stone Monkey gene, Liu Qifan felt confident in his victory, even if his friend used Genetic Equipment.

After parting ways with Liu Qifan at the gate of the Tingyu Garden residential area, Ji Zhixing walked home alone. "There shouldn’t be anyone home at this hour, right?" he thought.

His apartment was on the fifth floor of Building Three, which had no elevator. He climbed the stairs step by step, took out his keys, and opened the door. Just as he expected, the apartment was completely silent.

"Mom isn’t off work yet, and Zhiyu won’t be out of school for a while," Ji Zhixing noted after checking the time. It was only a little past two in the afternoon; it was indeed still early.

He went into the kitchen, found some leftovers, heated them up, and sat at the dining table to eat leisurely.

As he ate, he sank his consciousness into his body. Inside the hazy Gene Furnace Space, the black longstaff floated quietly, emitting a warm, gentle glow. Besides the staff, wisps of mist drifted slowly within the Furnace Space.

"This is Gene Source Energy..." Ji Zhixing thought silently.

He knew that after fusing with a gene, Gene Source Energy would be born within the body. Stored inside the Gene Furnace, this energy was the foundation for Genetic Cultivators to cast their abilities.

"From now on, whenever I use genetic abilities like Stone Skin or Gigantification, I’ll need to expend Gene Source Energy.

"At the same time, I can also channel it to augment my own body, enhancing my strength, speed, and defense to unleash power far beyond that of an ordinary person.

"However..."

Ji Zhixing frowned slightly as he looked at the thin mist of source energy inside his Gene Furnace. "The Three-inch Stone Monkey gene is just too weak. The augmentation I can receive is significantly weaker compared to other Tier One Gene Cultivators.

"Even if we both use Gene Source Energy to enhance ourselves, Liu Qifan, who fused with the Ironback Wolf gene, will have at least a thirty percent greater boost in strength and speed than I do.

"That’s the inherent gap between the genes themselves.

"But that doesn’t matter."

Ji Zhixing quickly adjusted his mindset. "Once I develop Stone Skin, Gigantification, and Innate Staff Heart, causing the Three-inch Stone Monkey gene to evolve into the Staff Soldier Stone Monkey gene and raise its tier, everything will be different!

"Let’s give it a try."

After finishing his meal, Ji Zhixing focused his intent and attempted to mobilize the Gene Source Energy from the Gene Furnace, willing it to spread and integrate into every fiber of his being.

A warm sensation flooded his entire body. He could clearly feel himself growing stronger in that instant. Surging strength, tightening muscles, the accelerated flow of his blood—he could sense it all vividly.

"This feels really good," Ji Zhixing thought, clenching his fists to feel the power coursing through him.

"It’s still early. I’ll go downstairs and practice my staff techniques!" He glanced at the wall clock. It wasn’t even three o’clock yet. He washed his dishes and headed downstairs.

The open space downstairs wasn’t large; it was usually where the neighborhood residents parked their cars. There weren’t many people around right now, just a few elderly men and women chatting under the shade of a nearby tree.

Ji Zhixing walked to the center of the clearing. With a mere thought, the black longstaff instantly materialized in his hand.

The moment he gripped the staff, that profound sensation of man and weapon becoming one rushed over him again.

"Let’s begin." Ji Zhixing took a deep breath as the training methods for the Basic Staff Technique surfaced in his mind.

The Basic Staff Technique consisted of twelve forms in total:

Cleave, Sweep, Point, Flick, Burst, Deflect, Block, Catch, Thrust, Hang, Parry, and Guard.

Each form had multiple variations, and combining them could evolve into countless offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Ji Zhixing tightened his grip on the longstaff and began his practice.

WHOOSH!

The staff was raised high before slashing down fiercely, drawing a sharp, vicious arc through the air. The movement was fluid and natural, without the slightest hint of clumsiness.

Soon, he had executed all twelve staff forms perfectly from start to finish.

"Exhilarating!" Ji Zhixing felt refreshed in both body and mind.

"After refining this staff, the abilities imprinted within it established a connection with me. As long as I’m holding it, I can proficiently execute these moves.

"It wouldn’t work if I switched to any other staff.

"But that doesn’t matter."

His eyes burned with determination. "As long as I practice it over and over again—ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times...

"I can make my body remember this sensation and build muscle memory.

"Once I’ve practiced enough, I’ll be able to truly master the Basic Staff Technique, even without this specific staff."

In the open clearing, he wielded the longstaff, practicing the forms again and again.

With the staff in hand, his body seemed to be guided by an invisible force. Every swing was executed with flawless posture and the perfect application of force.

Through this rigorous practice, his mastery over the Basic Staff Technique grew increasingly proficient.

After practicing for a while, he opted not to rely on the staff’s innate technique, relying instead on his own memory. But after going through the forms just once like this, he immediately noticed various flaws in his power delivery.

In the distance, under the shade of the tree, the elderly folks were still chatting.

At that moment, a young man in his twenties walked over from afar. Dressed in a simple tracksuit, he was tall and heavily built, but his facial features were noticeably ugly.

He approached the shade and nodded to the elders. Hearing the sound of wind being sliced open in the clearing, he glanced over.

He saw Ji Zhixing swinging a longstaff with a clumsiness that was obvious at first glance.

"Must be a new student who just fused his gene," the ugly youth thought casually. "At least he’s practicing earnestly."

He retracted his gaze and struck up a conversation with the elders, paying the boy no further mind.

Seeing him approach, the other elders greeted him warmly.

Tingyu Garden hadn’t produced any big shots in the past. This ugly youth, named Chen Ye, had fused with a Tier Four Morning Star Gene two years ago and was extremely famous throughout the entire neighborhood. It was no exaggeration to say that everyone knew his name.

If it weren’t for Chen Ye’s grandfather refusing to leave Tingyu Garden, he would have moved out of this place a long time ago.

"It’s still not right. I need to keep practicing!"

After trying to practice solely from memory without the black longstaff’s assistance, Ji Zhixing immediately shook his head, realizing he still had a long way to go.

Thus, he resumed his assisted training, tapping back into the Basic Staff Technique inherent to the weapon.

The sun blazed down, and sweat soon soaked his clothes. But he remained completely oblivious, solely focused on swinging the staff in his hands.

WHOOSH!

In the distance, Ji Zhixing practiced until he was thoroughly exhausted. Only then did he stop, leaning on his staff to rest.

He knew that things like the Basic Staff Technique—abilities that anyone could learn—were fundamentally a type of genetic ability as well. It was just that they were classified as universal genetic abilities.

Universal genetic abilities did not require fusing with a specific gene to learn and master. Aside from the Basic Staff Technique, there were many other universal genetic abilities in this world, such as various forms of sabermanship and Swordsmanship.

He had heard of a Gene Beast called the Blood Blade Asura. Once refined, there was a chance it would yield saber-type Genetic Equipment imbued with various saber techniques.

The Basic Staff Technique he was practicing had originally come about in the exact same way.

"Keep going!"

After a sufficient rest, Ji Zhixing pondered for a moment before resuming his practice, once again relying solely on his memory.

Cleave, Sweep, Point, Flick, Burst, Deflect...

Move by move, over and over again.

Compared to earlier, his movements were significantly more fluid, possessing a natural, water-like grace. It was as if this set of staff techniques had been tailor-made for him.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The sound of the longstaff tearing through the air echoed continuously across the clearing.

Under the tree shade, Chen Ye looked up once again.

"Hm?"

This time, as he looked over, his gaze paused.