Chapter 79: Third-Level Life Evolver

The god-level gene of the Iron Spike Demon was a shape gene, allowing its body to extend infinitely. Yet this was a gene Qin Hao could not accept.

Dragons were native creatures, and Qin Hao could tolerate fusing with their gene, but not with the Iron Spike Demon’s. He decisively eliminated the gene.

This was Qin Hao’s first time rejecting a god-level gene, but he knew it wouldn’t be the last. His path to godhood would not be one of indiscriminate acceptance, absorbing everything without question.

Yet the Iron Spike Demon’s other genes had their merits. Its exoskeleton was tough and sharp; for humans, only fingernails counted as exoskeletal structures. Pursuing perfect genetics, Qin Hao would not overlook such details, so he fused that fragment, making his nails hard and resistant to damage.

Next, the gene of the Crocodile Beast was found.

The Crocodile Beast’s bite was astonishingly powerful, a force gene of sorts, enhancing explosive strength and skeletal toughness. “Devour!” The Gene Devouring Technique absorbed this fragment, merging it into his own genome.

In an instant, Qin Hao felt a surge of immense power strike his genes, causing his body to tremble. His muscles writhed, rapidly transforming and renewing. All around him, massive amounts of stellar energy crystals were consumed by the Gene Devouring Technique to forcibly suppress this gene’s influence.

After a while, the gene was fully integrated. Qin Hao felt his strength rise once more.

Following that, Qin Hao devoured the gene of the Flame Demon. Among the five thousand Flame Demons he’d slain, two god-level gene fragments emerged. One controlled fire elements; the other granted perpetual motion—so long as there was fire within, he could fight endlessly, greatly increasing human endurance.

Both fragments were excellent. Qin Hao absorbed them, and among his powers, he gained mastery over the fire element.

Finally, there remained one last gene fragment—the gene of the Liquid Walker.

“Immortal gene!” Qin Hao exclaimed. Before reversing time, he had absorbed this gene as well, and its presence had carried him through countless crises.

The Liquid Walker’s gene was tremendously powerful. In the Great Night civilization, intelligent species were marked by white coloration—the closer to white, the higher the intelligence. Blue-black Liquid Walkers were mere beast hunters. Due to differences in race and form, even Qin Hao could not distinguish between the intelligent species and hunting creatures of the Great Night civilization. The confusion was worse than an Asian’s inability to tell European faces apart.

But their genes were all exceptional.

Qin Hao began to devour them.

The immortal gene enabled unlimited cell division, requiring only stellar energy. This meant any injury or damage could be rapidly healed. Yet, due to species difference, this gene was the hardest to fuse.

In his previous life, Qin Hao managed to fuse it only as a third-level evolver, for the Ancient Demon civilization appeared at that stage.

“But now, my strength surpasses what I had then. With all these god-level fragments fused, my genome is excellent—I should be able to bear this gene.” Thinking thus, Qin Hao prepared more stellar energy crystals for absorption.

After all preparations, he activated his innate ability. “Gene Devouring Technique.”

Qin Hao began the fusion.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Within his body, Qin Hao’s genes fiercely rejected the new fragment. Their forced fusion caused enormous turmoil.

In an instant, Qin Hao’s entire body began to collapse. His skin turned gelatinous and started flowing downward; blood gushed in torrents.

Gripping the stellar energy crystals, Qin Hao absorbed them frantically. He stabilized his genes; his skin regained elasticity, slowly returning to normal—only to start flowing again the next moment.

Agonizing pain swept over him. It felt as if he were constantly being melted and then rejoined, over and over.

Every inch of skin hurt; every cell screamed.

His organs shifted, his brain roared.

Qin Hao shielded his heart and mind, extending his mental power with a furious cry. “Devour! Devour! Devour!”

He activated stellar energy.

Countless crystals turned to powder; vast amounts of energy surged into his body.

At last, under his formidable will, the two genes fused.

Moreover, the many fragments he’d previously absorbed, like patches on his genome, had granted him myriad abilities.

Now, the immortal gene became a blender, shattering the other god-level genes and his own, then fusing them anew, reconstructing his entire genome from scratch.

In that instant, Qin Hao felt an ascension burst forth from within. The god-level fragments resonated, celebrating his rebirth.

His appearance returned to normal, and from his pores, black muddy water was expelled again.

Pus flowed from his ears; black tears streamed from his eyes. Then, his senses cleared.

Qin Hao summoned water elements to cleanse his body, feeling a new lightness.

With every gesture and step, a marvelous rhythm and power flowed through him.

Ding!

A gentle chime echoed in Qin Hao’s body. There was no pain, no sense of imprisonment—just a natural transition into a new existence.

The mechanical female voice of the Hero System sounded in his mind:

【Your life force has increased, reaching the limit of a second-level evolver.】

【Your life force has increased; you may purchase goods and unlock the second-level gene lock.】

【Your gene lock has been detected as open. Recommend attempting to breach the third-level life barrier.】

The abilities from the various god-level fragments he’d absorbed began to multiply as his life force reached the third level.

“Character.”

Qin Hao summoned the Hero System’s character interface.

【Qin Hao】

Life Force: Third-level life evolver.

Mental Force: Third-level mental evolver.

Innate Ability: Gene Devouring Technique

Powers: Gold [God-level], Poison, Lightning [God-level], Ice [God-level], Water, Fire.

Combat Techniques: Blood Sacrifice Demon Body, Dragon God Transformation.

Combat Power Rating: E+

His strength had grown to a level other heroes could scarcely imagine.

“Whew!” Qin Hao took a deep breath.

With such power, he could reshape the world at this moment, but some things remained beyond his reach, no matter how mighty he became.

“The Ancient Demon clan is attacking early. Will they send those monsters? No matter what, I must prepare in advance.”

Qin Hao closed his eyes in thought, then opened them again.

He took out his spatial disc, chose a direction, and began to move.

Qin Hao was heading to the capital.