With his stamina recovered, Luo Zhen didn't waste a second. He vanished from the battlefield.
The clearing was a death trap. There was no telling what other creatures the scent of blood might attract. He needed to put as much distance between himself and that spot as possible.
He pushed deeper into the suffocating density of the forest, finally finding a narrow crevice between two massive stones and slipping inside. Only then, hidden from the world, did he let himself breathe. He leaned back against the cool rock and finally took stock of his winnings.
He'd gotten lucky, taking down a level-six Earthly Tyrant Bear, and the rewards were staggering.
The first thing he saw was a clean one hundred experience points.
There was no hesitation. Upgrade.
[You have consumed 30 experience points. Upgrade complete: Level-Three Beast.]
[You have consumed 50 experience points. Upgrade complete: Level-Four Beast.]
As the system notifications chimed in his mind, a wave of power washed over him. He felt his entire body expand, the energy coiling within him growing thicker, more potent. The snakeskin, torn and battered from the fight, healed in an instant, growing tougher than before.
No—stronger. Much stronger.
Then, a new notification appeared.
[First beast kill mission complete. Advanced reward functions unlocked!]
[Bonus Reward: After each major realm breakthrough, the host has a chance to trigger a Bloodline Awakening or Evolution.]
Bloodline Awakening? Evolution? Luo Zhen's eyes went wide.
"What kind of bloodlines are we talking about? Give me the details," he demanded, his voice low as he tried to contain the sudden, explosive excitement.
[The specific bloodline awakened is dependent on the host's unique destiny and circumstances,] the system explained. [However, be advised: awakening and evolution are not guaranteed. Success is based on probability.]
"And what's the probability?"
[Undetermined. Success depends on the host's luck and destiny.]
"Ugh…" Luo Zhen felt a flicker of annoyance. So, it wasn't a sure thing. Still, he could live with that. He was never one to get greedy. Besides, he already had the power to evolve just by devouring his foes. This was just a potential bonus—the icing on the cake. If he got lucky enough to awaken some legendary bloodline, it would be a game-changer.
When you thought about it, dragons were just a type of snake, right?
Or maybe it was the other way around. A snake, evolved to its absolute limit, becomes a dragon. A great serpent becomes a python, a python becomes a boa, a boa becomes a lesser dragon, and a lesser dragon becomes a True Dragon!
Wait, where was I going with that?
He shook his head, clearing the strange tangent from his thoughts, and pulled up his status screen.
Name: Luo Zhen
Race: Serpent (Poison-Patterned Armored Snake)
Bloodline: Unawakened
Innate Ability: Venomous Fangs
Passive Ability: Resilience
Experience: 35/70
Realm: Level-Four Beast
System Note: Major realm breakthroughs offer a chance for Bloodline Awakening or Evolution!
A grin spread across his face as he scanned the panel. Then, he noticed another unread notification he'd missed.
[You have slain the Earthly Tyrant Bear. As its power level far exceeded yours, you have triggered a random loot drop!]
[The Earthly Tyrant Bear has dropped its memories.]
Killing a monster doesn't just give XP; it can drop loot, too? Luo Zhen was surprised, but it made sense. For a level-two creature like he had been, the level-six Tyrant Bear was basically a boss fight. A special drop wasn't out of the question. Still, knowledge was a strange reward.
[Random drops will expire if not claimed within one hour. Absorb the memories of the Earthly Tyrant Bear?]
"Yes," he said without hesitation.
He was navigating this world completely blind. This "Misty Marsh" was a mystery, and the constant feeling of vulnerability was wearing on him. If he could access the bear's knowledge, he could learn how to survive here—how to grow stronger in the shadows.
[Absorbing memories. Please remain focused.]
The moment the notification cleared, a torrent of information flooded his mind. Images, feelings, instincts—decades of a beast's life slammed into him all at once.
Minutes later, it was over. Luo Zhen processed the new knowledge, his mind reeling.
There's an ancient, monstrous serpent deep within this marsh. It's been the apex predator here for years, a true hegemon. It has to be a level-ten beast, at least.
There's a human town bordering the marsh, filled with powerful warriors who hunt here regularly.
When a beast reaches level ten, it undergoes a massive transformation, forming a core of pure energy within its body. They call this the Demonic Qi Realm.
And there's more… so much more.
Sorting through the flood of information, Luo Zhen connected the dots. Based on the bear's memories and the system prompts, he realized that reaching the Demonic Qi Realm was the "major realm breakthrough" he needed. If he could get there, he'd get his first shot at a Bloodline Awakening.
Hope, sharp and clear, ignited within him.
He shook his head and slithered out of the crevice, heading back toward the battlefield.
He had to eat the Earthly Tyrant Bear. If he devoured it, he might absorb one of its passive abilities, just as he'd done with the Jade-Water Crocodile. Their species were different, so he knew he couldn't get the bear's active skills, but a passive ability was still a huge win.
Killing and devouring were two different things. He'd killed the bear and gotten the XP. Now he had to consume it to get its power.
He moved silently back to the clearing, senses on high alert. The smell of blood was even thicker now, a coppery tang hanging in the still air, yet the area was dead silent. Not a single creature was around. The Tyrant Bear's aura must have been so overwhelming that it had terrified every other beast for miles.
Confident he was alone, Luo Zhen approached the massive, furry corpse. The three-meter-tall beast was far too large for him to swallow whole, but he had a plan. The system only required him to devour a creature's "essence." He didn't need to eat the whole thing.
And where was the bear's essence concentrated?
It's the gallbladder.
He bit a hole in the bear's side and slid into the warm darkness of its body cavity.
Fifteen minutes later, he emerged, stomach bulging and slick with grease. The bear's massive frame looked almost deflated, a shadow of its former self. He had consumed all of its vital essence.
A loud burp escaped him, and right on cue, the system chimed.
[You have devoured the Earthly Tyrant Bear!]
[Species mismatch. Active abilities cannot be acquired.]
[You have acquired the passive ability: Thick Hide!]
Another defensive skill, he thought, flicking his tongue with a hint of disappointment. He'd been hoping for the bear's Demonic Might, the terrifying roar that could paralyze weaker enemies. But that was an active skill, and their biology was just too different.
Then, a new notification popped up, one he hadn't expected.
[System Alert: Two abilities of the same type have been acquired. Synthesis function unlocked.]
Synthesis?
[Two or more abilities of the same type can be combined to create a single, more powerful ability,] the system explained.
I get it, Luo Zhen thought, nodding his head. He had [Resilience] from the crocodile and now [Thick Hide] from the bear. Both were defensive.
[Synthesize Resilience and Thick Hide?]
"Do it."
[Synthesis in progress…]
[Synthesis complete!]
[Congratulations! You have acquired the new ability: Thick Armor!]
The moment the notification cleared, he felt his skin contract violently. An incredible feeling of weight and density spread over his entire body. He twisted his head back and saw that his scales had transformed. They were no longer just scales; they were now a seamless layer of thick, interlocking plates that shimmered with a dark, metallic light.
"Incredible," Luo Zhen hissed in awe.
His defenses were on a whole new level. He was tougher, stronger, and much, much harder to kill.