Chapter 375: Shadow Clone

Chapter 375: Shadow Clone

"Windstrider Beast!" Ji Xinghuo exclaimed in delight.

Ever since his first visit to the Bloody Highlands, he had been searching for the elusive Windstrider Beast. Over the past two years, he had made countless trips across the plateau but had never managed to find one.

Just as Xia Qingyu said, the Windstrider Beast was a rare and unpredictable encounter.

Ji Xinghuo had all but given up hope. Today, out of habit, he activated his electromagnetic sensing, and to his utmost surprise, he stumbled upon one when he least expected it!

Ji Xinghuo slowed down and activated his Stealth Ring in the sky, concealing his presence.

The Windstrider Beast possessed extremely keen senses.

It had a powerful sense of smell and hearing, as well as a form of telepathic ability that allowed it to sense impending danger.

Ji Xinghuo glanced at his altitude and suddenly realized something.

In the past, he would fly at lower altitudes to maximize the range of his electromagnetic sensing. Today, by sheer coincidence, he was flying higher than usual, which was why the Windstrider Beast had not detected the impending danger.

"About 3,200 meters."

Ji Xinghuo observed the Windstrider Beast. It had the ability to camouflage and change its color, and at that moment, it was lurking among the rocks and bushes. If not for his electromagnetic sensing, it would have been nearly impossible to spot it with the naked eye, even with the Myriad Manifestation Star Pupils.

The Windstrider Beast was lying in wait for a herd of mountain rams.

These mountain rams could run swiftly along the cliffs, but the Windstrider Beast was fully focused on the hunt, its vigilance lowered.

"A mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!"

A silent smile curved Ji Xinghuo's lips as he took out the Spirit String Song from his dimensional pouch.

This one-star Revelation bow had just come into his possession, and it was already bringing him good luck. He decided to use it to hunt his first target.

He activated his ring, and his spiritual energy transformed into a bowstring, gradually drawing back.

Stellar power condensed on the string, forming an "Arc Arrow," a name Ji Xinghuo had given it because it resembled an arc of electricity when fired.

The Windstrider Beast was only an exceptional monster, and a regular Arc Arrow would be enough to kill it.

If the attack was too powerful and destroyed the beast's heart, it would be a waste.

However, just as Ji Xinghuo took aim, the Windstrider Beast sensed his presence.

The Windstrider Beast suddenly bolted from its hiding place. Its wind wings unfurled, hugging its body as it took off. Its body turned transparent, blending into the air as a formless wind, leaving only a faint shadow that moved at incredible speed, quickly putting over three hundred meters between them.

This speed was already supersonic on Earth, and it moved silently and invisibly. Ordinary mutants wouldn't be able to catch up or even detect it.

But to Ji Xinghuo, it was as clear as day.

His right pupil flashed.

Myriad Manifestations, All-Encompassing!

The world around Ji Xinghuo slowed down, and all sounds ceased. The Windstrider Beast's figure became even clearer in his vision, and despite the nearly four-kilometer distance between them, he could make out every detail of its skin texture. Its every movement was under his control, as if he were observing patterns on his palm.

Almost as soon as the Windstrider Beast started to flee, Ji Xinghuo loosed the Arc Arrow.

A melodious song rang out.

High in the sky, a bolt of lightning suddenly appeared and plummeted downward, striking directly toward the Windstrider Beast's escape route. The beast struggled to change direction in the wind, but in an instant, the lightning had caught up, striking it right in the head as if they had rehearsed the move a thousand times.

The Windstrider Beast let out a mournful cry, its body falling from the air, lifeless.

Ji Xinghuo calmly put away the Spirit String Song, unsurprised by the outcome.

For other mutants, even if they encountered a Windstrider Beast, it would be incredibly difficult to kill, purely a matter of luck. But with his speed, Ji Xinghuo had too many ways to take it down, and doing so was effortless.

Using the Spirit String Song was just the easiest option.

He descended to the ground.

The Windstrider Beast's body lay on the slope, measuring over five meters from head to tail. There was a hole in its head, piercing through its brain, while the rest of its body remained untouched.

Ji Xinghuo reached out and pressed his hand against the beast, and a holographic interface appeared before him.

[Monster: Windstrider Beast]



[Rank: Exceptional]



[Mutations: Form of Sound, Wings of Wind, Sixth Sense, Panoramic Vision, Spirit Scent, Chameleon Skin, Shadow Flash]



As Ji Xinghuo looked at the information on the interface, he felt a twinge of nostalgia.

He had spent half a year on Earth without hunting any monsters, and it had been a long time since he had felt the sense of accomplishment that came with a successful hunt.

Then he carefully examined the details.

The Windstrider Beast had seven mutations, which was considered a lot for an exceptional monster, and all seven were extremely powerful.

The most valuable ones were "Sixth Sense" and "Shadow Flash."

Both of these were limit-breaking mutations. The Sixth Sense was an incredibly powerful perception ability, separate from the regular five senses. It was a premonition that came from the depths of one's soul, allowing the Windstrider Beast to instinctively avoid various dangers, making it extremely difficult to kill.

Shadow Flash was one of the most sought-after mutations among agile mutants. It created multiple illusory shadows to confuse enemies while also causing the user's body to flicker, allowing them to dodge lethal attacks.

He drew out the Thunder Chaser Battle Blade and stabbed it into the Windstrider Beast's chest, slicing through skin and muscle to dig out a heart dripping with fresh blood. It was about the size of two adult fists and still faintly beating.

The heart of the Windstrider Beast had to be consumed while it was still warm.

For those of Legendary rank and below, consuming it would grant one chance to fuse with a foreign gene.

"Eat it raw..."

Ji Xinghuo looked at the warm heart in his hand, feeling a bit squeamish.

Qinghong jumped out of his pocket, eyeing the heart of the Windstrider Beast greedily and wagging its tail at Ji Xinghuo, indicating that it wanted to eat it.

"No way!" Ji Xinghuo exclaimed in a bad mood.

During his return to Earth, he had bought a Red Worm Essence for Qinghong, which it had already used. It still had one more chance for a fusion, so he needed to reserve it for a suitable gene. Perhaps they would encounter a monster that could be directly devoured for another genetic reorganization.

Not giving Qinghong the chance to drool any further, Ji Xinghuo overcame his psychological barrier, closed his eyes, and stuffed the heart of the Windstrider Beast into his mouth.

He swallowed it in big mouthfuls, soon finishing the entire heart.

With blood on his mouth and face, he looked a bit frightening.

"Burp..."

Ji Xinghuo wiped the fresh blood from his mouth, feeling that his mouth was filled with a pungent taste. However, to his surprise, the flavor was actually quite pleasant, with a nice chewy texture, warm and soft. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted before, and he struggled to describe it.

Soon, the heart of the Windstrider Beast was digested, releasing a strange energy that spread throughout his body and merged with his stellar power.

"Not bad, not bad at all!"

Ji Xinghuo was delighted as he now had an additional chance to fuse with a foreign gene.

He had gained one chance when he reached the Legendary rank, another chance from using the Star's Tears, and had used one chance during the Overload Fusion.

Now, after consuming the heart of the Windstrider Beast, he had two more opportunities for gene fusion.

"I can consider fusing the Shadow Clone now."

Ji Xinghuo thought to himself as he quickly collected all the genes from the Windstrider Beast. He left the remaining corpse untouched, knowing that it would soon be devoured by the wild beasts and monsters in the area.

After flying for a few hundred kilometers, he landed in a secluded valley and took out a foreign gene.

[Foreign Gene: Shadow Clone]



[Grade: Limit-Breaking]



[Successful Fusion Rate: 88%]



[Upgradeable: Yes]



The Shadow Clone gene manifested as a transparent thin film, roughly the size of a human face. It looked like a piece of skin peeled off a monster, as soft and smooth as silk. When exposed to sunlight, it would cast multiple shadows.

On Earth, there were quite a few Abnormal beings who possessed the Shadow Clone gene, and many countries and organizations had conducted research on it.

However, the research yielded little fruit, as they could not comprehend its principles, and many of its effects contradicted the laws of physics.

In the end, it was concluded that Shadow Clone belonged to the category of mysterious psychic powers.

The temporary clones it created not only replicated the appearance and internal structure of the original body but also duplicated the clothes worn, weapons held, and even the current state of the original. However, all aspects of the clones were only half as powerful as the original.

However, there seemed to be no pattern to what could or could not be replicated.

The number of Shadow Clones and their duration would increase with the psychic power level, and it consumed a significant amount of stellar power.

To control the Shadow Clones effectively, it was best to possess the "Multitasking" ability.

"High-Frequency Thought Control" would also suffice.

Although Ji Xinghuo had not fused with "Multitasking," he possessed "High-Frequency Thought Control," which had already evolved into "Super-Frequency Thought Control." He was confident that he could control the Shadow Clones effectively, and the results would be even better than a lower-level "Multitasking" ability.

"A successful fusion rate of 88% is already very high."

"Anyway, I'm only missing the 'Titanium-Cobalt Dragon Body' to complete the Electromagnetic Overlord profession template. From now on, I'll be aiming for Super Templates, and it will be extremely difficult to find Super Templates with a fusion rate of over 90%. It might not even provide a greater boost to my strength compared to the Shadow Clone."

Ji Xinghuo pondered, his face thoughtful.

He had actually been considering the pros and cons of fusing with the Shadow Clone gene for a long time, so he quickly made up his mind.

He pasted the thin film of the Shadow Clone gene onto his face, covering it completely.

It was like wearing a transparent mask.

After sticking it on, Ji Xinghuo controlled a strand of stellar power to seep into the film from his face. Immediately, the gene began to change, becoming even softer and eventually turning into a liquid-like substance that merged with his face. A few minutes later, it completely disappeared.

Ji Xinghuo waited for the fusion to take effect, and soon, a strange vitality spread from his face throughout his entire body, covering his skin.

It felt cool, as if his body was being wrapped in a layer of skin.

He turned his head to look at his shadow.

Under the sunlight, Ji Xinghuo stood still, but his shadow seemed to come alive, shaking violently as if a monster was trying to break free from it.

[Foreign Gene: Shadow Clone (Level 1/499)]



The newly fused Shadow Clone was only at Level 1, and upgrading it would require 499 points of spiritual source energy.

Ji Xinghuo was a bit surprised, as this was more challenging to upgrade than most of the other abilities he had fused. Among the super-limit foreign genes, only Spiritual Power and Symbiotic required more spiritual source energy; Rotating Magnetic Field and Electrostatic Field fell a little short.

"Let's test it out."

He tried to activate the ability.

In an instant, more than 600 points of stellar power were consumed from the Magnetic Spirit Star Core, and two shadows flew out, taking a stance beside him.

The two Shadow Clones stood on his left and right, their appearances identical to his, as if they were perfect replicas with real bodies. Even the light armor they wore was an exact match, and only their slightly vacant gazes, due to his lack of focused control, set them apart.

Ji Xinghuo observed them closely, and without relying on his electromagnetic sensing, he couldn't distinguish the real from the clones with his naked eyes.

This feeling was very unique.

His brain simultaneously received information from three sources, providing him with three different angles of vision, and his auditory, olfactory, and tactile senses were completely synchronized.

When he tried to move one of the Shadow Clones, its movements were incredibly smooth.

They could run, fly, shoot arrows, and use Electric Spiral Power, and most of his abilities could be utilized normally, except they didn't possess a Dimensional Pouch.

Nor did they have the Myriad Manifestation Star Pupils!

When Ji Xinghuo controlled one of the Shadow Clones, his main body and the other clone became a bit sluggish, so he immediately entered High-Frequency Thought Control, and instantly, the actions of his main body and the two Shadow Clones became fluid and harmonious, as if they were one entity.

He performed a series of tests in the valley and found that the strength, speed, and defense of the Shadow Clones were only about half of his main body's capabilities.

Their neural thoughts were identical to his, as they were extensions of his control.

The existence of the Shadow Clones constantly consumed stellar power, and once the invested stellar power was exhausted, the clones would dissipate.

With over 300 points of stellar power, they wouldn't last long in an intense battle.

Different attacks consumed varying amounts of stellar power.

Close-range combat consumed the least, followed by archery.

However, the clones' replicated Spirit String Song was significantly weakened, and while they could still shoot various types of arrows, their damage and range were reduced by an order of magnitude. Shooting Star Arrows would also hasten the clones' dissipation.

If they were to unleash a full-power punch of Electric Spiral Power, the clone would instantly vanish.

The clones could be maintained the longest when they were just standing still.

They could last for almost three hours!

Ji Xinghuo conducted numerous tests, controlling the Shadow Clones to coordinate with each other. In the instant of creating the clones, he could even swap positions with one of them, making it difficult for enemies to pinpoint his main body.

However, once the clones were created, he couldn't swap positions anymore.

This could still be a lifesaver in emergencies.

There was also a cooldown time for creating Shadow Clones; he would have to wait around 90 minutes before he could use this ability again.

Ji Xinghuo quickly mastered the application of Shadow Clones and then proceeded to upgrade them.

He still had a few hundred points of spiritual source energy left over from his previous overload fusion, which he used to upgrade the Shadow Clones to Level 2 (2/5099).

With the upgrade, the number of Shadow Clones doubled!

Additionally, the amount of stellar power required to create each clone increased to over 500 points, allowing them to last longer and improving their overall abilities.

Controlling four Shadow Clones was much more challenging, and it took Ji Xinghuo several hours to adapt.

He had read about this ability before.

With each level upgrade, the number of Shadow Clones would double.

At Level 1, he could create two clones, at Level 2, four clones, at Level 3, eight clones, and so on.

However, on Earth, there had never been a record of anyone upgrading Shadow Clones beyond Level 3, resulting in a maximum of eight clones.

"Swordmaster of a Thousand Illusions," Li Xuan, was one such example.

In their third match, Ji Xinghuo had easily seen through the eight clones Li Xuan created, identified the real one, and prevented the Shadow Clones from demonstrating their true potential.

"I'm not that useless piece of trash, Li Xuan," Ji Xinghuo scoffed.

Most people used their Shadow Clones to confuse their opponents, focusing on defense or simple numerical superiority. But Ji Xinghuo's clones were different; combined with his other abilities, they could be a game-changer, enhancing his strength even more effectively than his Starfall ability!

He didn't linger in the valley for long and soon took off toward Peach Blossom Gully, eager to see Ren Jie again.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end