Chapter 43: Heart-to-Heart
Chapter 43: Heart-to-Heart
It was no surprise that the Patrol Leader possessed seven exotic abilities.
After all, he was a fourth-rank Patrol Warrior, equivalent to a Super Exhuman.
With each evolutionary stage, one could merge with a different exotic species, granting four abilities. Combined with one's innate talent, having seven abilities was not unusual.
All the Star Realm exotic races possessed innate talents.
On the other hand, the majority of extraterrestrial races lacked such innate gifts, like humans, who relied entirely on merging with exotic species to gain power.
Some powerful Star Realm exotic races possessed extremely rare and unique innate talents. During their evolutionary stages, they had a chance to awaken even more abilities, making them targets of extraterrestrial races, sparking countless conflicts and genocidal wars.
However, an exotic species could only be merged with once!
Upon seeing four abilities marked with asterisks on the interface, Ji Xinghuo immediately guessed that these were the abilities the Patrol Leader had gained from merging with exotic species, and they could no longer be formed into new species.
On the right side of the virtual image, there were indeed only three slots for exotic species.
These three were the Patrol Leader's innate talents: Forest Tongue, Spirit Scent, and Bloody Frenzy.
Forest Tongue was an innate talent possessed by every member of the Patrol race, considered a quality ability, though not as valuable as Qing Luoxin's ability, hence its low market value.
Spirit Scent was the Patrol race's reliance for tracking prey, and most members of the Patrol race would awaken this ability during their first evolutionary stage.
Spirit Scent was also a quality ability and one of the template abilities for trackers.
And the last one was Bloody Frenzy...
Ji Xinghuo was shocked when he saw it. Bloody Frenzy was a Superlimit ability!
It was a comprehensive enhancement of the quality ability "Berserk," burning one's blood to instantly boost strength by more than twice, entering a mad and fearless state, immune to most mental attacks, with increased running speed and significantly enhanced reaction time.
Moreover, Bloody Frenzy lasted longer, and after its effects wore off, there was no weak period as with "Berserk."
As long as one's blood was not burned beyond the point of sustaining life, the frenzy could be maintained!
When combined with abilities like "Extreme Self-Healing," "Carnivore," or "Blood Drain," which could rapidly replenish blood, Bloody Frenzy could be used at a small cost to unleash tremendous power, making it a regular combat tactic.
For power-type Exhumans, Bloody Frenzy was an ability that could truly skyrocket one's strength!
Its value...
Ji Xinghuo felt like he was looking at a pile of cash.
Generally, it was rare for a member of the Patrol race to awaken Bloody Frenzy. At least, he had never heard of it before. However, it made sense for this Patrol Leader, a Blood Rage Warrior with Blood Flame, to have awakened Bloody Frenzy during his evolutionary stage.
"Sister Ren."
Ji Xinghuo immediately turned back and said, "I think he might have the exotic species for Bloody Frenzy."
"Bloody Frenzy!" Chi Zhonglin exclaimed in delight, abandoning the other Patrol warrior's body he had been harvesting and quickly rushing over, "Where is it?"
Ren Mian also stepped forward to observe, "That's indeed a possibility. He's a Blood Rage Warrior, and I once..." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I've heard that Blood Rage Warriors have a fifty percent chance of awakening Bloody Frenzy, and the exotic species should be in the heart."
Chi Zhonglin's eyes lit up.
"Xinghuo, lend me your knife." He took Ji Xinghuo's Leichi and sliced open the Patrol Leader's chest with one swift stroke.
A few minutes later, Chi Zhonglin pulled out a piece of pulsating heart valve, dripping with blood, from which a surging vitality emanated.
There was even a heartbeat, like that of a living creature.
"Found it!" Chi Zhonglin exclaimed in delight, "The Superlimit ability, Bloody Frenzy! We're in for a fortune, hahaha..."
"Let me see it," Ji Xinghuo said.
Chi Zhonglin passed him the bloodstained exotic species, and as soon as Ji Xinghuo held it, an information interface popped up before his eyes.
[Exotic Species: Bloody Frenzy]
[Grade: Superlimit]
[Fusion Success Rate: 80%]
[Upgradable: No]
After reading the information, Ji Xinghuo was taken aback for a moment, his eyes fixing on the last line. This was the first time he had come across an ability that couldn't be upgraded.
He had always wondered why every exotic species he encountered showed whether it could be upgraded or not, and the answer was always "yes."
Now he realized that there truly were abilities that couldn't be upgraded.
Ji Xinghuo had been somewhat tempted by Bloody Frenzy, but upon seeing that it couldn't be upgraded, his interest waned significantly.
His greatest advantage lay in using spiritual source energy to rapidly enhance ability levels and unlock their potential. An ability that couldn't be upgraded was of little use to him.
Even though Bloody Frenzy was a Superlimit ability, its value was diminished in his eyes.
Moreover, with only an 80% fusion success rate, it indicated that the compatibility between the ability and himself wasn't particularly high. Had it been 90% or higher, he might have considered trying it, as it would have greatly boosted his strength in the early stages.
After glancing through the information, Ji Xinghuo passed the exotic species to Ren Mian.
She, too, seemed disinterested and handed it over to Jiang Nancayi, who eventually returned it to Chi Zhonglin.
"I want to merge with this exotic species!"
Chi Zhonglin's expression turned serious as he said, "If I had Bloody Frenzy earlier, I could have fought him head-on," he pointed at the corpse on the ground, "and with my Fungal Giant, which can rapidly generate blood, it would have been a perfect match, doubling or even tripling my strength!"
After finishing, he looked at Ren Mian, hoping for her support.
However, Ren Mian gently shook her head, "Bloody Frenzy is indeed good, but it might become a liability in the legendary realm. Its potential isn't as vast as you imagine. As your strength grows, this ability will seem increasingly mediocre, unless..." She paused, "...you seek the blessing of the Red Emperor and master the Blood Flame."
Ji Xinghuo was surprised.
It seemed that the drawback of Bloody Frenzy not being upgradable had already been discovered by others.
The four of them collected all the exotic species from the Patrol warriors' bodies.
The Patrol warriors who died here were at least second-stage, and they managed to collect ten 'Forest Tongue', eight 'Spirit Scent', three 'Dim Vision', and two each of 'Precision' and 'Balance', all of which were potential abilities that the Patrol race could awaken.
While the abilities weren't of the highest quality, their quantity made them valuable.
After collecting the exotic species, the team immediately withdrew.
Ren Mian changed directions and led the group for several dozen kilometers through the night until they found a concealed spot to set up camp. They washed up, changed into clean clothes, ate something, and soon fell asleep in the tent.
A few hours later...
Ji Xinghuo woke up to daylight, but the rain outside showed no signs of stopping, although it had lessened to a soft drizzle.
He turned to check on Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi, both of whom were still deeply asleep from their severe injuries.
Ren Mian sat at the entrance of the tent, gazing out at the curtain of rain.
"You're awake?"
"How are you feeling?"
Ji Xinghuo heard her voice in his mind as she had activated the Thought Necklace, not wanting to disturb the others. He carefully sat up and replied, "I'm fine, I didn't sustain any serious injuries, and I've fully recovered now." As he spoke, he moved to sit beside her.
"That's good." Ren Mian nodded slightly.
"Aren't you going to sleep, Ren Jie?" Ji Xinghuo looked at her profile, her hat and scarf having been destroyed in the battle. Her perfect side profile was captivating, far more beautiful than the scenery outside.
"I don't feel sleepy." She replied calmly, "I don't need much sleep. A couple of hours a week is enough for me."
Ji Xinghuo understood and felt a twinge of envy.
No wonder during their previous pursuit by the Patrol race, while everyone else was exhausted, she remained energetic and vibrant, with an astonishingly quick recovery, as if she never tired.
If he didn't need to sleep, he could gain an extra seven or eight hours of cultivation time every day.
"That must be a very powerful ability." Ji Xinghuo asked curiously.
Ren Mian turned to face him and smiled without speaking, but he heard her voice in his mind, "Asking about others' secrets isn't a good habit."
Ji Xinghuo was stunned for a few seconds.
He finally understood the saying, "A single glance could captivate a city, and a second glance could overthrow a country." As a physically and mentally healthy young man with little romantic experience, he found it hard to resist such a gentle, intelligent, and stunningly beautiful woman. She had a deadly allure.
In that moment, a seed was planted in Ji Xinghuo's heart.
While he pursued strength and climbed the evolutionary ladder of life, it wasn't just about the results, but also the journey and the wonderful experiences along the way. He shouldn't miss the scenery of this journey.
He might encounter setbacks and obstacles, but how would he know the outcome if he didn't try? What if he succeeded? Life was short, so why not give it a shot!
Ren Mian noticed his distraction and felt a twinge of annoyance, but she was also helpless, as she had grown accustomed to this.
"Ren Jie, you have a lot of secrets, don't you?" Ji Xinghuo finally spoke up.
In his eyes, Ren Mian was shrouded in too many mysteries, veiled in layer after layer of secrecy, making it hard to discern her true self.
"Everyone has secrets, it's just a matter of how many and whether they are valuable or not." Ren Mian countered, "You also have secrets, and they're not small ones."
"Yes."
Ji Xinghuo nodded frankly, and in his heart, he added, "Mine are huge."
He didn't voice the latter part of his thought, but at that moment, they were in a mental link, and if he wasn't careful with his thoughts, she would hear them.
Ren Mian's body stiffened slightly, and she shot him a glance.
"Uh..." Ji Xinghuo felt embarrassed, "Ren Jie, I meant that my secrets are huge." The Thought Necklace was truly troublesome, as it easily revealed one's thoughts.
"You need to learn to keep secrets. You're still not cautious enough and are too obvious." Ren Mian resumed her serious expression and admonished him, "Sometimes, you need to know when to let go. Last night, for example, you should have retreated with Chi Zhonglin and Jiang Nancayi instead of revealing your trump card. Fortunately, it was me, or you would have gotten yourself into big trouble by now. Do you understand?"
"I understand, but I can't abandon my teammates."
Ji Xinghuo looked directly into her eyes, "Moreover, it was to save you. And because it was you, I was willing to take the risk."
His words were nine parts truth and one part lie.
The Myriad Illusion Divine Eyes might not have been able to help him defeat the Patrol Leader, but it wouldn't have been difficult for him to protect himself in the battle. The previous night's situation hadn't yet reached the point where he had to risk everything.
As for his secret, he didn't believe anyone could guess the truth, and they would most likely assume he possessed a powerful ability.
Ren Mian held his gaze for a few seconds, her eyes reflecting complex emotions.
She suddenly smiled, "Maybe one day in the future, I'll need you to save me, but that day is not today. Xinghuo, keep working hard!"
"I'll rest for two hours, and then you can take over the watch."
With that, Ren Mian cut off the mental connection, walked to the back of the tent, lay down, and closed her eyes.
Ji Xinghuo tore his gaze away from her beautiful figure and looked out at the rainy forest, pondering her words, "Will I be needed in the future?"
He chuckled at himself and pushed the chaotic thoughts aside.
Then, he opened the interface of the Myriad Illusion Divine Eyes, his gaze falling on the last line of text: 【Spiritual Source Energy: 313】
(End of Chapter)
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