Chapter 148: Original Body Returns, Shadowflame Lv.5, Mythic Battle! (4K)

Chapter 148: Original Body Returns, Shadowflame Lv.5, Mythic Battle! (4K)



High in the sky, Xue Jing had just slashed through the Sky Pirate Leader's armor and was about to give chase when his Twin Instincts, ever vigilant, signaled another warning.

Without hesitation, he summoned a black slab and, with a swift kick, propelled himself backward, swiftly retreating.

As he pulled away, the Sky Pirate Leader's body began to undergo a startling transformation.

The amethyst crystal armor that covered their body began to writhe and pulse as if it had a life of its own. Countless crystalline spikes, each several dozen meters long, erupted from the surface, thick and dense, transforming the pirate into a colossal purple sea urchin.

The spikes lashed out with incredible speed and sharpness. Had it not been for Xue Jing's quick retreat, he would have been pierced countless times.

Xue Jing conjured several slabs in mid-air, maneuvering nimbly to land on the plane's body. He looked up at the massive 'urchin' before him.

"What the hell is that thing?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

Hu Ren flew to his side, hovering in the air as she, too, gazed at the urchin-like creature. "That's an ISE," she said. "Formally known as the Implant Silicon-Based Organic Exoskeleton. It's made from a special boundary creature called a Living Crystal Seed, a truly 'living' armor."

"By surgically implanting the ISE into the spine, it connects with the nervous system, allowing the user to control it like their own limbs," she continued. "The ISE can absorb the body's energy to transform, reproduce, and more... The strength of the ISE depends on the grade of the Living Crystal Seed used. This Sky Pirate's ISE is at least B3-grade or higher."

Hu Ren spoke rapidly, explaining the ISE in under ten seconds. "Skilled ISE users can perform a technique called 'Original Body Return,' surrendering their physical and mental selves to the ISE and reverting to the biological form of the Living Crystal Seed."

As Hu Ren finished speaking, the 'urchin' in the distance seemed to respond to her words, undergoing another transformation. All the crystals softened, curled, and retracted, condensing into a massive purple spherical crystal on the Sky Pirate Leader's body.

Then, the sphere began to contort and elongate, forming a rectangular shape before angles and corners emerged as if an invisible artist were carving it. A head, four limbs, and a tail...

Soon, a wolf-like creature stood before Xue Jing and the others. Its body was nearly fifteen meters long, with sleek and graceful limbs, massive, sharp claws, and a crystalline purple body, its eyes a striking red.

"ROARRRR!!!"

The amethyst wolf unleashed a thunderous roar, the air shaking and warping as a shockwave blasted forth. Xue Jing, along with the plane he stood on, was blown backward.

Hu Ren, too, was caught in the shockwave and went tumbling through the air. She managed to stabilize herself and placed a finger behind her ear, her communicator crackling with Xiao Jing's voice.

"Captain!..."

Hu Ren's expression changed as she heard the report, and she quickly turned to Xue Jing. "Xiao Jing roughly assessed the data. This 'Living Crystal Seed Original Body' has a danger level of at least Level 5 or higher!"

Xue Jing extended his arm before his eyes, shielding them from the strong winds, his dark helmet revealing narrowed eyes. "Captain Hu Ren, get inside the cabin and have the plane move away from here."

She nodded, understanding that her presence here would only slow him down. She flew to the cabin door, and Shan Chuen opened it for her. She quickly slipped inside.

Once she was gone, Xue Jing took a deep breath, channeled his energy, and, with a slight bend of his legs, propelled himself higher into the sky.

He moved his fingers, and the dark red seeds beside him sprouted countless thick roots that cast countless shadows in the sunlight.

Then, he opened his panel.

[Divinity: 962]



His gaze shifted to the skill column.

[Shadowflame Lv.4 (Upgrade Requires Divinity: 962/800)]



The Sky Pirate Leader's ISE was exceptionally potent, and the current level of Shadowflame, whether in terms of its annihilating power or its strength when materialized, would struggle to inflict significant damage.

While the opponent's attacks had not landed, the warnings from his Twin Instincts indicated a clear and present threat.

Now, with the 'Original Body Return' technique, their strength had evidently increased significantly.

If he didn't upgrade soon, he feared he might lose this battle.

When faced with the choice between upgrading the Plant Contract from Level 2 to Level 4 or upgrading Shadowflame to Level 5, Xue Jing didn't hesitate to focus on Shadowflame.

In his current situation, what he needed most was pure combat power.

While upgrading the Plant Contract to Level 4 might offer more versatility, Shadowflame was currently his most powerful skill, representing the pinnacle of his strength in a particular area.

Therefore, upgrading this skill would directly raise his overall power level, making it the best choice for the present circumstances.

Xue Jing clicked to upgrade.

[Shadowflame Lv.5 (Divinity Required for Upgrade: 162/1200)]



In the next moment, countless tendrils of black flame erupted from Xue Jing's body, igniting the pitch-black armor that enveloped him.

Within the shadows cast by the intertwining roots, innumerable dense streams of pitch-black energy were drawn out by Xue Jing, surging towards his body.

The black flames burned brighter and hotter, eventually enveloping a radius of several dozen meters around him. Then, they began to materialize, forming a semi-transparent, gigantic black skeletal frame.

Next came the tendons, flesh, and other bodily tissues, layer by layer, emerging from the skeletal structure until a complete, robust humanoid form stood at a towering height, no longer resembling the previous upper-body-only apparition.

Xue Jing's true body was nestled within the chest cavity of this colossal entity.

"BOOM!"

The shadowflame continued to burn, animating and transforming into a full set of ornate, ancient armor that covered the gigantic figure from head to toe. Each piece of armor was more exquisite than before, with a deeper, more pitch-black hue, adorned with flickering black flames.

As the helmet materialized, concealing the head and leaving only a pair of pale, hollow eyes visible, the Shadowflame giant finally reached its full height of nearly fifty meters, completing its awe-inspiring manifestation.

"ROARRR!!"

The amethyst crystal wolf let out a defiant roar, its voice so powerful that it seemed to make the very heavens tremble.

Far away, within the aircraft's cabin, Xu Ren and Shan Chuen peered out the porthole, their eyes wide with disbelief as they witnessed the mythical scene of the giant and the crystal wolf facing off.

"He... he wasn't even using his full strength before?"

Xue Jing, situated within the 'cockpit' at the giant's chest, carefully sensed the changes that came with the upgrade to Level 5 Shadowflame.

"Excellent. The scale has increased, and the strength has improved significantly."

"It's also more responsive to my control, allowing for more refined and delicate maneuvers..."

Xue Jing's eyes sparkled as an idea occurred to him.

"Perhaps I can try..."

As the momentum from the giant's leap began to wane, the inability to fly became apparent as it started to fall back towards the earth.

"ROARRR!!"

The amethyst crystal wolf roared once more, its four legs sprinting through the air as it charged towards the descending giant with incredible speed. The massive wolf's body disturbed the airflow, ripping the surrounding clouds apart as it closed in.

Xue Jing manipulated the giant, spreading its arms and legs wide, freefalling towards the wolf below.

Just as the two colossal entities were about to collide, Xue Jing's eyes narrowed in concentration.

Within the shadowflame giant's simulated humanoid form, a transformation began to take place.

At that moment, if there had been a martial artist with X-ray vision present, they would have been astonished to discover that the giant was... practicing a breathing technique, channeling its energy!

On the giant's right arm, covered in armor, spiral grooves began to emerge.

Xue Jing's eyes lit up with excitement.

Although it couldn't compare to the precision of a true human body, and the technique was rather crude and forceful, by manipulating the giant's internal tendons and muscles, he had managed to generate a semblance of energy flow, producing a tangible increase in power!

"Here it comes!"

The giant's right arm rose high.

"Super Cyclone Thunder Punch!"

The massive armored fist, covered in black flames, swung down with tremendous force, unleashing a spiral-shaped shockwave that was visible to the naked eye as it hurtled towards the crystal wolf's head.

"BOOOOOMMMMM!!!!"

An unprecedentedly terrifying sound reverberated through the air, accompanied by a violent shockwave that tore through the clouds within a hundred-meter radius, creating a partial vacuum. The intense sound waves shook the area, causing the portholes on the distant aircraft to crack and threaten to shatter completely.

"Quick, move further away! Get some distance between us and them!"

Xu Ren quickly gave the order.

"Crack... Crack... Crack..."

The crystal wolf's amethyst head was directly shattered by the punch, sending crystalline shards flying in all directions. The giant's entire forearm also disintegrated into countless fragments of black flame.

"ROARRR!"

The crystal wolf let out a pained roar as it was knocked back several dozen meters before managing to halt its momentum. It shook its head, the shattered pieces of its head shifting and reforming as it prepared to lunge forward once more.

Xue Jing immediately drew out the dense black energy streams, transforming them into black flames to replenish the giant's arm.

Then, the spiral grooves appeared on both arms—

"Orah! Orah! Orah! Orah! Orah! Orah!"

Countless black fists, generated by the shadowflame, rained down on the crystal wolf, pounding it relentlessly.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The continuous, erratic barrage of punches landed on the wolf's crystalline body, causing it to burst into countless fragments that prevented it from getting too close.

Each punch carried the weight of a thousand mountains, and each strike was delivered with ruthless abandon, forsaking all familial bonds.

The amethyst crystal wolf howled in agony as its crystalline fur stood on end.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"

A barrage of crystal spikes rained down on the black giant, piercing its body and creating a cacophony of metallic clangs.

The black armor was shredded, and the crystal spikes penetrated over a meter into the giant's body before stopping. Seeing this, Xue Jing retracted the giant's arms to block his chest.

"Creak, creak, creak, creak—"

In just a few seconds, the giant's body was riddled with countless slender crystal spikes.

Xue Jing raised an eyebrow as he looked at the giant's arm, now pierced through and revealing the tips of the crystal spikes.

Black flames erupted from the giant's body, incinerating and obliterating the embedded crystal spikes before repairing and regenerating its body.

Then, the giant assumed a posture with both hands clasped together. Black flames burned in its palms, materializing a black longsword.

"It's time for the finishing move, the Ultimate Dragon-Slaying Sword!"

The giant brandished the black longsword and brought it down with the force of a mountain splitter, cleaving the amethyst crystal wolf from head to abdomen.

The wolf was split in two, the gash extending from its head to its abdomen, nearly severing its entire body in half.

With his Twin Instincts active, Xue Jing keenly noticed something unusual within the wolf's split amethyst body.

On the right side of its body was a slightly brighter 'dot'.

That must be where the Sky Pirate Leader is—Xue Jing instantly realized.

His entire body leaped out of the 'cockpit'.

Twin Instincts, activate!

A black slab appeared, and Xue Jing, standing on it, kicked off with all his might, propelling himself toward the gradually closing gap in the wolf's body.

"The Gundam battle is over; now it's time for the pilots to fight."

With Twin Instincts, Xue Jing's speed was akin to an arrow leaving the bow, instantly closing in on that 'dot'.

His right fist ignited with black flames, and the materialized dragon energy coiled around his body as he activated his Twin Powers.

"Cyclone Thunder!"

Thunderclaps reverberated as the spiral energy caused the black flames to swirl and crash into the crystalline wall ahead.

"Crack!"

The crystal shattered, creating a deep, spiral-shaped hole, at the end of which a rubber-like material could be seen embedded within the crystal.

That was where the Sky Pirate Leader's body was located.

Xue Jing immediately dived into the hole, his fist raised high. His blood boiled, as if countless stars had been ignited and exploded within him.

"It ends here."

He muttered to himself.

His fist, capable of shattering steel and breaking iron, penetrated through the crystal wall, bypassed the resilient implanted membrane, and detonated within the pirate's body.

...

Far away, on the plane, Xu Ren and Shan Chuen peered anxiously through the cracked porthole, witnessing the epic battle between the giant and the crystal wolf.

"Did Xue Jing just jump into the wolf?"

"What's going on now?"

Shan Chuen swallowed nervously, his voice tense.

Xu Ren spoke up, "Xue Jing has an exceptional talent for combat and wouldn't make a reckless move. I believe he must have spotted a weakness in that Sky Pirate."

As if in response to her words, the amethyst crystal wolf's body suddenly stiffened.

Soon after, cracks began to appear all over its body, growing in number and size.

As the cracks spread, the wolf's body reached its limit, and with a final crack, it shattered completely.

Countless crystal shards glittered in the sunlight like a dazzling rain. Xue Jing stood tall amidst the crystalline downpour, holding a robust man who seemed limp and boneless.

Xu Ren stared at the scene, transfixed.

"Oh my god, he won!" Shan Chuen exclaimed in shock.

Xu Ren snapped out of her daze, picked up the intercom from the wall, and said, "Xiao Jing, go pick him up."

...

Xue Jing leaped onto the plane's body, maneuvering with the black slabs, and soon reached the cabin door.

The door opened, and he flipped backward, gracefully entering the cabin while holding the Sky Pirate Leader.

"Big Brother!"

Shan Chuen immediately knelt before him and hugged his legs.

"Shan Chuen has wandered aimlessly for half his life, longing to meet a worthy master. If you are willing to accept me, I am willing to become your sworn brother!"

He spoke sincerely, his eyes filled with earnestness.

Xue Jing tossed the Sky Pirate Leader onto the ground and ignored Shan Chuen. He pretended to wipe non-existent sweat from his brow and exhaled, "That was close. Luckily, my skills are superior..."

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end