Chapter 43: Section 44: I have a Demon Crystal inside my body?


    The battlefield was no longer teeming with a single head of the rat horde; in panic, the swarm collapsed and scattered in all directions.


    “Victory!”


    “This is a great triumph.”


    “Zhenjin, Zhenjin!” Huang Zao and Lan Zao led the cheer, as everyone raised their arms and hollered in joy.


    “This is the might of the Holy Temple Knight…” Cang Xu exclaimed, with a hint of curiosity, “But what exactly happened just now? His entire arm swelled in size, was that some kind of secret skill? Could he actually harness fighting energy? Did he use some method to temporarily break through the island environment’s suppression? What’s the cost? And what level of fighting energy does he possess? Golden Fighting Spirit?”


    Although Zhenjin had previously made it clear to Cang Xu that he couldn’t use fighting energy, that was when Zhenjin had just taken charge of the exploration team. Cang Xu thought it was very likely Zhenjin concealed his true power from others at the time, as he didn’t trust them yet.


    ...


    Zi Di remained silent, merely casting adoring and admiring glances at Zhenjin.


    Everyone knew that letting the Black Iron-level head rats charge into the crowd would have resulted in heavy casualties. But Zhenjin saved everyone by sheer force of his own will.


    Without a doubt, he was a hero!


    From start to finish, he had control over the battle.


    He was a competent leader!


    The members of the exploration team were happy to be led by Zhenjin, and they were proud of it.


    Zhenjin slightly furrowed his brow.


    The strange sense was gone, just like the last time.


    That mysterious invisible force had also dissipated, and the young man’s arms returned to normal.


    At the same time, he was enveloped by an intense feeling of emptiness.


    Fatigue swept over him like an endless tide.


    Zhenjin maintained his composure, concealing his feelings of emptiness and weariness, while feeling somewhat relieved: This time the mutation in his arms had been hidden beneath his armor and clothing, and had not been revealed. Otherwise, he would have had to explain it to others.


    The feeling of relief quickly dissipated, replaced by an ever-growing sense of puzzlement.


    “It seems that the source of my mutation lies in the blood-red sphere within my heart.”


    “What on earth is it?”


    “How does it feel like the crystal core of a magic beast?”


    At this thought, the young man let out a self-mocking laugh—how could a person have a demon crystal? Only Magic Beasts have crystal cores.


    The cheers of the people around were getting louder, Zhenjin looked around, suppressing the various doubts in his mind, and issued the order to clean up the battlefield.


    The flames blazed fiercely, but under the potions supplied by Zi Di, the fire was quickly extinguished.


    Huang Zao and others were searching through the charred battlefield, stopping now and then to pick up the carcasses of the Flying Squirrels.


    Due to the burning, the bodies of the Flying Squirrels were all charred black, their surfaces carbonized.


    Huang Zao slapped the carcass with his hand, and the black char fell off in chunks to reveal the cooked red meat underneath.


    Huang Zao inhaled deeply through his nostrils, and a rich aroma of meat surged into his nose.


    “Another great piece of meat!” Huang Zao smiled broadly, surveyed the battlefield, and let out a heartfelt exclamation, “This is the hunting method I like best.”


    In recent days, he had also been responsible for hunting alone outside.


    With almost no results to show for it, the survival skills of a hunter were not so easily mastered.


    Huang Zao had always made a living at sea, and the experience of hunting in the forest reminded him of his own clumsy and hard early days on board the ship.


    On the other side, Lan Zao was processing the only Black Iron-level Flying Squirrel leader.


    Only half of the blood of the Flying Squirrel had been collected. After Lan Zao gave it a preliminary treatment, he picked up the Flying Dagger that had killed the Black Iron head rat, a thought crossing his mind.


    Examining the flying dagger, Lan Zao’s pupils couldn’t help but narrow slightly.


    The entire front end of the flying dagger was completely deformed, not a bit of its sharpness visible.


    “All it took was the force of the throw to give this ordinary dagger the power to kill a Black Iron Magic Beast!” Lan Zao’s gaze towards Zhenjin was filled with even more awe.


    The cleanup of the battlefield yielded a great deal, one could say a bountiful harvest, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces.


    The bloodstains on the battlefield, as well as the completely charred and inedible Flying Squirrel meat, were all disposed of properly, making sure no other fierce beasts would be attracted by the smell of blood and meat.


    The exploration team returned victorious to camp and continued to process these trophies.


    Nighttime.


    A campfire was lit, people gathered around it, discussing the day’s harvest. Seeing so much food with their own eyes, the team members felt completely at ease.


    The completely deformed Flying Dagger was being passed around among them.


    “It’s indeed an ordinary dagger, and just like that, it killed a Black Iron Magic Beast.”


    “Lord Zhenjin is really strong.”


    “I think, at that moment, he must have invoked his fighting energy; otherwise, how could he have unleashed such terrifying power?”


    “I really want to know Lord Zhenjin’s true strength.”


    “Anyway, it’s not Bronze or Black Iron level, at least he’s a Silver Knight and wields Silver Fighting Spirit.”


    “Silver Fighting Spirit… At such an age, Zhenjin is truly a genius.”


    “It could possibly be Golden too; after all, none of us has actually seen the Lord’s fighting energy.”


    “If it’s Golden, that’s even more terrifying. Following such a figure, the prospects are definitely bright!”


    “We can only be under the Lord’s command now because of the shipwreck. Otherwise, how could we?”


    “If we can keep following the Lord, maybe one day, when Lord Zhenjin becomes the White Sand City Lord, I might become an official in White Sand City.”


    “`


    “Damn it, I don’t care about anything else; I just want to become a gate guard. I used to get hassled every time I entered the city, and now I want to be the one guarding the gate, hassling others for a change!”


    “`


    Someone’s thought provoked a burst of collective laughter among the crowd.


    The success of the hunt had earned Zhenjin the recognition of everyone.


    The exploration team had always believed that Zhenjin had a very bright future.


    People tend to gravitate toward benefit and shy away from harm. Many began to openly express their desire to follow Zhenjin indefinitely, something that would never have happened before.


    “This is another layer of harvest,” Cang Xu mused from a corner, observing the lively exchange among the crowd with clear understanding.


    His gaze also focused on the dagger currently held by another person.


    Recalling the scene on the battlefield, Cang Xu speculated to himself, “That moment, Zhenjin’s arms clearly swelled, and then he unleashed a terrifying power.”


    “The bloodline of the Hundred Needle Family originates from the Legendary-level Magic Beast Gold Needle Queen Bee. This bloodline is not renowned for its strength.”


    “Did he use some kind of Fighting energy secret skill?”


    The dagger eventually made its way into Bai Ya’s hands.


    Bai Ya, looking at the dagger, lit up with hope in his eyes, “This is what it means to be a Knight. I want to be someone like that too.”


    “Hey, Bai Ya, are you done looking? Hand it back when you’re done. This dagger is of great significance; it will be my family’s heirloom from now on!” Huang Zao said playfully.


    Reluctantly, Bai Ya handed the dagger back to Huang Zao.


    No matter the continent or the race, all admire the strong. And this admiration can easily be transformed into loyalty.


    “It seems the brothers, Huang Zao and Lan Zao, have decided to devote themselves entirely to Lord Zhenjin, hoping to become his house servants,” Cang Xu said meaningfully to Zi Di.


    Zi Di sat next to Cang Xu. She glanced at the people clustered around the campfire and then started to shake the potion she held, “Those two brothers aren’t particularly talented. If they don’t stumble upon some opportunity, Bronze Level may well be their limit. But based on what I know about Lord Zhenjin, he will not shortchange any of his followers.”


    At this point, Zi Di turned her gaze to Cang Xu, adding emphasis, “Regardless of whether the follower is Transcendent or not.”


    Cang Xu immediately grasped the implication of Zi Di’s words. He chuckled bitterly and shook his head, “An old tree, no matter how much sunlight it bathes in, will not burst into spring anew.”


    The potion in Zi Di’s hand gradually changed color. She stood up, “I have things to take care of.”


    Zi Di returned to her tent, while Zhenjin sat inside his, deep in thought.


    His face was etched with frustration.


    “I still can’t sense it.”


    Zhenjin had tried his best to commit to memory the peculiar feeling that came with the Mutation, but that didn’t allow him to sense the Crystal Core within his heart actively.


    It was as though it never existed.


    Subconsciously pressing his palm against his left chest, feeling his heartbeat, Zhenjin furrowed his brow, “No, I definitely found it at the time. There was something… hmm, similar to a Demon Crystal growing in my heart, coexisting very naturally and harmoniously with it.”


    “Why can’t I sense it?”


    “I could sense it so clearly before!”


    “What am I missing?”


    Zhenjin was caught up in his thoughts.


    He was eager to discover a way to utilize the Crystal Core.


    Currently unable to call upon his Fighting energy, this Mutation could enhance his combat power in an instant, significantly aiding him! Sёarch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first Mutation allowed him to slay the Silver Magical Beast, the Blade Spider.


    At that time, it was the feeling of a strange surge of blood that he noticed.


    The second time, when the Flying dagger killed the Black Iron Flying Squirrel.


    He not only felt the surge of blood but also became further aware of the mysterious Crystal Core in his heart. It was the intangible force bursting from the Crystal Core that infused his bloodstream, spreading throughout his body, and finally surging into his arms.


    “So, my previous guess was wrong. The real cause is not the blood, but this Demon Crystal.”


    “This power is neither Fighting energy nor Magic.”


    “It really is amazing,” Zhenjin marveled.


    He continued to analyze these two experiences.


    “As it stands, I can’t trigger the Mutation at will. So, what exactly triggered this ability during these two incidents?”


    “What do these two Mutations have in common?”


    “The first time, I was on the brink of death, with lost memories resurfacing. My emotions were incredibly complex and intense.”


    “The second time, I faced the Black Iron Flying Squirrel, wary of its electric shock abilities, which made me anxious and facing the threat of death.”


    The biggest commonality between the two experiences was the threat of death that Zhenjin faced.


    This led to a mix of emotions such as tension, anxiety, fear, determination, and killing intent.


    “If emotional stimuli lead to the trigger of Mutations, then going further, could it allow me to master the ability to initiate these Mutations?” mused Zhenjin.


    There was a marked improvement between the first and the second Mutation. The first only involved sensing the blood flow. The second went deeper into the heart, discovering the mysterious Crystal Core.


    “Moreover, the last time it Mutated into claws, while this time, it was an arm Mutation.”


    Zhenjin speculated that the location of the Mutation seemed to follow his subconscious, shaping itself most suitably to the situation at hand.


    “Could I possibly control this Mutation ability and transform any part of my body whenever I wish?”


    “And if I undergo a complete transformation, would it be in the form of a Monkey-tailed Brown Bear?”


    “Moreover, I noticed that after the Mutation, the blood light from the Crystal Core significantly weakened. How many more times can it support my Mutations?”


    Zhenjin delved deeper into his contemplation. As he did so, some of the mysteries in his heart were dispelled, yet more questions arose.