Chapter 30: Using the Stone Skin Gene Potion

Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Using the Stone Skin Gene Potion

"Old Ji, tell us quickly! When did you master the Breaking Army Staff Technique?" Liu Qifan asked, his eyes wide.

Zhang Haoceng leaned in as well. "Yeah, it’s only been a few days! How did you practice?"

Ji Zhixing smiled. "I just mastered it during my fight with the Iron Feather Pheasant King," he explained. He paused for a moment before continuing, "Actually, I figured out how to integrate my will into the staff technique yesterday, but I couldn’t pull it off every time. It was only during the life-and-death struggle with the Iron Feather Pheasant King just now that I completely mastered this staff technique."

"Badass!" Liu Qifan gave a thumbs-up, his face full of admiration.

Zhang Haoceng also sighed in awe. "Your talent is truly second to none."

Luo Yongguang and Xie Jia looked on with profound respect.

Ji Zhixing just smiled and didn’t say much more. He glanced at the long staff in his hands, then at the school bus in the distance. "You guys go get on the bus and rest first. Don’t wait for me; I’m going to try out the Rock Staff Technique."

"You’re still going?" Liu Qifan looked exasperated. They had been running around all day and fought so many times; they were already dead on their feet. Yet, Ji Zhixing still wanted to practice his staff technique.

"I’m just going to test it out," Ji Zhixing smiled. "You guys go rest."

"Alright, since that’s the case, let’s get on the bus first," Zhao Qing said. She looked at Ji Zhixing, a hint of astonishment in her eyes. Having led the squad for two days, she had personally witnessed both his talent and his incredible work ethic.

"This guy might truly achieve great things in the future," Zhao Qing thought to herself as she led Liu Qifan and the others onto the school bus.

Ji Zhixing watched them board before walking over to an empty clearing. With a thought, he stored the long staff into his Genetic Furnace.

"Refine." Activating the Genetic Furnace with his mind, he began to refine the long staff.

A moment later, the refinement was complete. Streams of information flooded his mind, and he instantly grasped the cultivation method for the Rock Staff Technique. At the same time, the sensation of becoming one with the staff surged through his body once more.

"This feeling again." Ji Zhixing reached out and retrieved the long staff.

This long staff was called the Yellow Stone Rod. The names of Genetic Equipment were all chosen by their original acquirers.

"The Breaking Army Staff Technique requires integrating the Breaking Army will into the movements—forging ahead with an indomitable, invincible momentum," Ji Zhixing pondered. "The Rock Staff Technique, on the other hand, requires the integration of the Rock will—remaining as steady as a boulder and completely unmoving. These two wills are polar opposites. Breaking Army is offense; Rock is defense. Mastering the Breaking Army Staff Technique first and then trying to learn the Rock Staff Technique might not be so easy. However, now that I have the Tier 1, Two-Star Innate Staff Heart talent, it’s hard to say for sure."

Ji Zhixing tightened his grip on the Yellow Stone Rod and began to practice.

Unmoving Rock!

Gathering Stones into a Mountain!

...

I Stand Majestic!

He practiced stance after stance. With his foundation in the basic staff techniques and the Breaking Army Staff Technique, he quickly learned all the moves of the Rock Staff Technique. Under the guidance of the Yellow Stone Rod, he could feel a steady, substantial weight rise in his heart as he executed the technique. It was as if he had truly become a massive boulder, rooted deep in the earth and absolutely unyielding.

"Let’s try it without the Yellow Stone Rod’s guidance," he murmured.

After running through the routine a few more times, Ji Zhixing attempted to perform the technique without relying on the rod.

"It really doesn’t work." A moment later, he shook his head. Without the rod’s guidance, he simply couldn’t enter that state where his body and mind felt like solid rock.

"It seems it’s just like when I was practicing the Breaking Army Staff Technique," Ji Zhixing realized. "I still need to practice it over and over again so my body remembers the feeling before I can try to fully comprehend it."

Abandoning any thoughts of a quick success, he continued to practice.

Once, twice, three times...

It didn’t take long before his arms felt sore and swollen, and his stamina began to give out.

"No good, I’ve exhausted too much energy today." Ji Zhixing shook his head and put away the Yellow Stone Rod.

Instead of rushing onto the bus, he walked over to a large rock and sat down with his back facing the vehicle. After resting for a while, he began to refine the Genetic Source Stones stored in his Genetic Furnace to replenish his depleted Genetic Source Energy.

About half an hour later, his Genetic Source Energy was fully restored.

"That should do it." Ji Zhixing opened his eyes and, with a thought, took out a small, white bone vial from the Genetic Furnace. It was the vial of Stone Skin Genetic Potion he had obtained earlier today from refining the petrified crab.

Sitting with his back to the bus, his position perfectly blocked the view of anyone looking his way.

"Stone Skin Genetic Potion." He took a deep breath and unscrewed the cap. A faint, stony, fishy scent wafted out, though it wasn’t unpleasant.

Ji Zhixing didn’t hesitate. He tilted his head back and downed the entire vial.

The potion felt slightly cool in his mouth. Carrying a faint bitterness, it slid down his throat and quickly dissolved into his body.

The next moment, a bizarre sensation welled up from his Genetic Aperture. Vaguely, he seemed to see a monkey activating the Stone Skin ability. He quickly closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his body.

Inside the Genetic Aperture, the phantom that had integrated the Three-inch Stone Monkey genes was trembling slightly, greedily absorbing the potion’s power. He carefully comprehended the information being transmitted to him through the genes.

Developing the Stone Skin genetic ability mainly relied on the genes absorbing the Stone Skin Genetic Potion. However, if a Cultivator actively cooperated and deeply comprehended the process, they could accelerate it and reduce the amount of potion consumed. In fact, beyond just the Stone Skin ability, the development of most genetic abilities required a Cultivator’s active comprehension.

"As expected, one vial of the Stone Skin Genetic Potion isn’t enough." After an unknown amount of time, Ji Zhixing felt that special sensation fade away. He opened his eyes and let out a soft sigh. Though he had anticipated this, he couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

"People online say that some individuals have used dozens of Gigantification Genetic Potions and still failed to develop the gigantification ability. It’s completely normal for me to fail after using just one vial of the Stone Skin Genetic Potion," he thought.

Stowing the empty vial away, he stood up and turned to walk toward the school bus.

On the bus, Liu Qifan and the others had already fallen asleep, their soft snores filling the air. Ji Zhixing quietly found his seat and soon fell into a deep slumber.

The night passed quietly.

Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, everyone woke up one after another. After a simple breakfast, the squads set out once more.

"Zhixing, where are we heading today?" Liu Qifan asked.

"Let’s go back to Shi Lake and take a look," Ji Zhixing replied. "I want to see if we can reap any rewards there today."

"Alright, Shi Lake it is." The others nodded, voicing no objections. When it came to Ji Zhixing, they were thoroughly convinced of his leadership.

The five of them left the camp and headed south, soon arriving at the shores of Shi Lake once again.

In the early morning, Shi Lake was cloaked in a thin mist. The water was crystal clear and shimmering, making for a beautiful scene. However, as Ji Zhixing swept his gaze across the area, he noticed that there were already people by the lake.

They weren’t students from their school, but rather the group from Yu City Middle School. They stood by the water’s edge, gazing out toward the center of the lake.

Hearing the approach, the students from Yu City Middle School glanced back at them briefly before turning away, completely ignoring their presence. Their eyes held no more regard than if they were looking at pebbles on the side of the road.

"Let’s go," Gu Zheng said shortly after. He took out a palm-sized toy boat and tossed it forward.

The small boat expanded in the wind, rapidly transforming into a wooden vessel with a bow shaped like a carp. With quick movements, the members of his squad leaped onto the boat. Gu Zheng stood at the bow while the others took up the oars. The wooden boat slowly left the shore, heading straight for Lake Heart Island in the center of the lake.

"Genetic Equipment?" Ji Zhixing wondered, feeling a pang of envy.

"They’re going to Lake Heart Island again?" Zhang Haoceng asked in surprise. "I wonder what’s even on Lake Heart Island. I heard they spent all day there yesterday."

"These guys!" Liu Qifan watched the departing students from Yu City Middle School, grumbling indignantly. "Back at our camp, I thought they were pretty polite. I didn’t expect them to not even give us a nod when we ran into them here."

"Who can we blame but our own poor talent?" Luo Yongguang shook his head, his expression tinged with a self-deprecating sigh.

"Sigh!" Liu Qifan sighed deeply. "Genetic evolution is just too hard. I still haven’t even heard the Voice of the Gene yet. Even if Zhixing can evolve his genes to Tier 2, trying to evolve to Tier 3 or Tier 4 in the future will probably be as hard as scaling the heavens."