Chapter 476: Genetic Mutation

“Three Upper Fifth-Ranks... None of them are top-tier, but with my strength, I can handle one. Two would be a stretch. Against three, I’d have to run.”

Yang Ling calmly assessed the situation, then smiled and cupped his fist in greeting.

“Seniors, the Golden Dragon Treasure Fish isn’t with me.”

“Isn’t with you?” The other two darkened and looked coldly at Shi Jinglong.

Shi Jinglong immediately stepped forward and searched Yang Ling. After checking him over, his face turned ashen.

“Where is the Golden Dragon Treasure Fish? How could you not be carrying such a treasure?”

“To be honest, Senior Hua took the Golden Dragon Treasure Fish back afterward.”

Yang Ling sighed. “How could Senior Hua possibly give such a treasure to a Zhao State martial artist?

“Although I don’t know what Senior Hua intended, I imagine he had his reasons.

“If the three of you don’t believe me, you can ask him yourselves. I’m willing to face him and confirm it in person.”

The three Fifth-Ranks exchanged looks.

One of them mused, “Senior Hua and the others mustn’t find out about this. Otherwise, we’ll be in serious trouble.”

“Then what do we do? I doubt we can keep this kid quiet.”

Another looked Yang Ling up and down, a trace of coldness flickering in his eyes.

Shi Jinglong fell silent for a moment, then slowly said, “Then let’s just kill him. He’s only a Sixth-Rank from Zhao State. So what if he dies? Even if our superiors figure out we did it, what can they do?”

The other two approved of the suggestion.

After only a brief consideration, they nodded in agreement.

Yang Ling suddenly looked toward a certain spot, feigning astonishment.

“Senior Hua!?”

The three were startled and all turned to look.

【Exclusive Dungeon: Devour Heaven Palace】

【Entries This Month: 1】

【Enter?】

“Yes.”

……

The moon shone brightly over Devour Heaven Palace.

Smiling, Yang Ling walked out of his cultivation room and sat in the courtyard, waiting for dawn.

The Snow Spirit Marrow was with his master. He could go ask for it as soon as the sun rose.

“Next, I’ll break through to Lower Fifth-Rank and spend all my Free Attribute Points!”

“After the breakthrough, I’ll eat the Golden Dragon Treasure Fish. That’ll increase my Flesh-and-Blood Regeneration by another twenty percent.”

“Compared with an ordinary Fifth-Rank, my recovery will be 2.2 times as strong!”

The thought set Yang Ling’s heart ablaze.

He had coveted the position of Fifth-Rank Lesser Master for a long time, and he had yearned for the terrifying regenerative ability that came with genetic mutation.

Now that he was about to gain this special ability, his strength would make another huge leap. Once he left the dungeon, he’d be better prepared for the battle on Fire Flood Dragon Island.

“Shi Jinglong, huh? You’re 103 years old and still trying to steal from a kid. Shameless!”

“When the time comes, I’ll kill all three of them, then disguise myself as Shi Jinglong. That’ll let me escape this house arrest. I’ll find out what the Star-Sea Fishing Alliance is plotting.”

“Right, I should try to get some more Spirit Nurturing Pills this time.”

Yang Ling glanced at the Green Dragon Ring. One hundred thousand taels of gold and more than 350 jin of Centenary Refined Blazing Gold, that was enough for him to splurge to his heart’s content!

Before he knew it, dawn had arrived.

Yang Ling went straight to pay his respects to Yun Tianqing.

“Your disciple Yang Ling pays his respects to Master!”

He stood at the entrance to Yun Tianqing’s courtyard and saluted with cupped fists.

A few breaths later, Yun Tianqing slowly emerged. She looked as though she had just finished meditating in seclusion.

Her expression had been calm, but the moment she glanced at Yang Ling, a flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes.

“Your Vital Qi has reached perfection?”

Yang Ling replied respectfully, “It’s all thanks to the pills you gave me, Master. I feel that my Vital Qi has reached perfection, so I’d like to ask for the Snow Spirit Marrow to help me break through to Lower Fifth-Rank.”

Although his Spirit was very high, and he was confident he could break through without the Snow Spirit Marrow, the agony of the life tribulation was still fresh in his mind. If he could break through without suffering, of course he wouldn’t deliberately put himself through pain. After all, he wasn’t a masochist.

“Very good, very good.”

A gentle smile appeared on Yun Tianqing’s face.

“Since you intend to begin breaking through to Lower Fifth-Rank, there’s something else I need to explain to you. It’s closely connected to your breakthrough to Fifth-Rank, so remember it well.”

Yang Ling’s expression shifted. “Please, Master.”

“I told you before that the life and death tribulations are difficult to overcome. If you fail, you die.”

“There is another possibility.”

“When you break through to Fifth-Rank, you’ll fall into an illusion. During that time, you may forget who you are.”

“That doesn’t matter. The only thing you must do is hold fast to your true self and remember your roots!”

Yun Tianqing said.

Yang Ling paused, then asked curiously, “Master, what happens if I can’t remember?”

“I don’t know. Everyone’s circumstances are different.”

Yun Tianqing’s expression turned distant.

“If you can’t hold fast, then it will depend on your luck.”

“Is it really that terrifying? Can’t even a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster predict what will happen to me?”

Yang Ling’s heart sank. It seemed this breakthrough would be difficult.

“If you aren’t mentally prepared, you can keep strengthening your foundation for a while. You’re still young, and your Vital Qi is vigorous. There’s no need to rush into a breakthrough.”

Yun Tianqing said.

Yang Ling replied solemnly, “Master, I’m ready. I’ll enter seclusion and break through today!”

Yun Tianqing thought for a moment, then took out a crystal bottle containing Snow Spirit Marrow and handed it to Yang Ling.

“Take it when you feel the death tribulation coming. Don’t take it beforehand.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Clutching the Snow Spirit Marrow, Yang Ling hurried back to his cultivation room.

He sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, with the Snow Spirit Marrow placed before him.

Then he opened his Status Panel and added one point to Agility.

His Agility instantly rose from 149 to 150!

A faint current of warmth spread through his body, accompanied by a sensation like an electric shock.

“Huh, this doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all?”

Yang Ling was a little surprised. This was nothing like the death tribulation he had imagined.

“Could it be...”

His body jolted. “I don’t need to undergo the death tribulation at all?”

As soon as the thought arose, the warm current seemed to turn into a tingling sensation, relaxing his entire body.

His flesh tingled, his bones tingled, even his internal organs tingled.

“This is supposed to be the death tribulation? Doesn’t that mean I’ve passed it with ease? It must be because my Spirit is so high.”

Yang Ling looked at the Snow Spirit Marrow, thoughtful.

“This stuff is worth a fortune. I wonder if I can take it out of the dungeon. If I can, maybe I could trade it for some martial arts sacred medicine...”

“Zhao Zheng is already Upper Sixth-Rank. I doubt he prepared any Snow Spirit Marrow either.”

“I wonder if he’d trade martial arts sacred medicine for this...”

As he thought this, the waves of tingling suddenly transformed into a stabbing pain that pierced to the bone.

Yang Ling instantly felt as though ten thousand swords were impaling him.

Cold sweat poured from him in great beads.

His clothes were soaked in an instant.

The scene before his eyes seemed to sway. His vision gradually darkened. He was about to pass out from the pain!

“It hurts... I’m in so much pain...”

Trembling, Yang Ling grabbed the Snow Spirit Marrow and gulped it down. A chill flowed into his body, making him shudder.

The soul-deep agony eased slightly, then gradually faded away.

A few breaths later, Yang Ling was still shaken.

“I really underestimated the death tribulation. I was right, I can’t do this without the Snow Spirit Marrow.”

As he thought this, something suddenly stirred in his body, as though it were undergoing some kind of transformation.

Yang Ling inexplicably felt that he was a praying mantis. A few bristles suddenly began to sprout from his body...