Chapter 73: Rainbow of the Qi

“Can symbiosis with the exotics evolve?”

Ji Xinghuo was surprised by what he saw on the interface.

As he knew, symbiosis usually allows the sharing of one ability between the master and the combat pet. If evolution is possible, might they not share a second or even a third ability?

This was a secret unknown to ordinary people.

Without a source of psychic energy, how could one evolve this unique ability? There seemed no way to train it.

A 97% fusion success rate shows a high compatibility with the symbiosis.

Seeing Ji Xinghuo’s hesitance, Ren Mian said, “The fusion method for symbiosis is simple. Make a small cut on your body, and it integrates through the bloodstream.”

“I understand.”

Ji Xinghuo had investigated symbiosis before. It requires self-integration first, then select the combat pet you want to share abilities with.

He pulled out a tactical knife and made a cut in the palm of his hand.

While the wound was still fresh, Ji Xinghuo gently squeezed the exotic species, which deformed like putty, stretching like glue without breaking. He placed it on his wounded palm, and like a locust sucking blood, it quickly burrowed into the cut.

Ji Xinghuo felt a prickling, itchy pain in his palm.

A slight movement in the magnetic field quickly healed the wound.

At the same time, he felt a strange energy spreading through his arm into his body with the blood, pervading every corner, though the pain disappeared.

Through the Wanxiang Star Pupils interface, the process was clear. Symbiosis spread rapidly throughout his body like a virus.

The fusion began, and his celestial energy started to grow.

Ren Mian and Jiangnan Caiyi observed Ji Xinghuo closely, but his expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing.

After several minutes, he opened his eyes.

“Did it succeed?” asked Ren Mian, concerned.

Ji Xinghuo nodded slightly.

The Wanxiang Star Pupils interface displayed new data【Ability: Exotic Symbiosis (Level 1/3299)】and his celestial energy reached 383 points!

Symbiosis could indeed evolve.

But the psychic energy required for its growth was exorbitant; even at level one, it needed nearly twice as much as a level two magnetic rotation field. Any short-term upgrade was unthinkable.

Unaware of Ji Xinghuo’s thoughts, Ren Mian said, “You can now share abilities with Iron Arrow Green.”

Ji Xinghuo looked at Jiangnan Caiyi.

She had been feeding the Little Green Snake, which was enjoying lavish meals and had noticeably grown. However, it still spent most of its time with him, remaining familiar.

The Little Green Snake crawled out of Jiangnan Caiyi’s pocket.

It revealed its true form as Iron Arrow Green on the table, its golden eyes fixed on Ji Xinghuo, seemingly aware of what was to come.

“Open your mouth.”

At Ji Xinghuo’s command, Iron Arrow Green obediently opened wide.

He cut his palm again, deeper this time, enduring the pain as he squeezed out blood into Iron Arrow Green’s mouth.

As he fed his blood to Iron Arrow Green, Ji Xinghuo smiled at the two, “Let’s hope my luck isn’t too bad.”

Symbiosis wasn’t without flaws.

It doesn’t allow selection of the desired shared ability; it randomly picks one from the combat pet’s abilities, good or bad, it’s all about luck.

The abilities shared back from the master to the pet are also random.

Of Iron Arrow Green’s abilities – Dimensional Stomach, Shrink, Iron Scales, and Spiritual Sniff – Ji Xinghuo would undoubtedly prefer the Dimensional Stomach. Next would be Shrink, a vastly functional super-limit ability.

Iron Scales and Spiritual Sniff were just decent abilities, far inferior to the first two.”

“It has to be the Dimensional Stomach!”

Ji Xinghuo prayed silently as he continued to bleed himself.

Iron Arrow Green gulped down the blood, and when it had taken in about 200 milliliters, a faint blood-light appeared on its scales.

“That should be enough,” Ren Mian advised.

Ji Xinghuo immediately stopped the bleeding and let the wound heal.

Having filled with blood, Iron Arrow Green lay drowsy on the table, blood-red light flowing around its body. The blood enriched with symbiotic properties flowed from its stomach to every organ, much alike the process Ji Xinghuo underwent.

Watching Iron Arrow Green, Ji Xinghuo gradually felt a faint connection forming. He didn’t need to look to sense its presence.

This connection grew stronger, reflecting physical changes in himself.

Suddenly, Ji Xinghuo felt an itch on his skin.

“Xinghuo, your face is turning green!” exclaimed Jiangnan Caiyi.

Ji Xinghuo touched his face, feeling a hard, smooth texture, like scales.

“Oh no!”

Alarmed, he looked at his hands and saw scales emerging, jade green in color with golden edges, thin as paper, perfectly fitting his body with almost no gaps.

Soon, scales rapidly spread from his arms to his neck and then to his chest and back, even changing his eyes to a golden hue.

“I’ve become a little green man, just like Chi Zhonglin.”

Ji Xinghuo looked distressed.

Despite his efforts, he didn’t get the Dimensional Stomach or Shrink abilities, but instead the one he didn’t want – Iron Scales.

Iron Scales was a high-quality ability that, when activated, produced scales covering the body, enhancing defense and resistance significantly without affecting speed or agility.

This ability was inferior to Chi Zhonglin’s Tungsten Dragon Scales, but still better than Spiritual Sniff – it was at least useful and had potential.

That’s how Ji Xinghuo consoled himself as he accessed the Wanxiang Star Pupils interface.

He was startled by what he saw.

The interface had split into two!

One large, one small.

The larger displayed his own information as usual, while the smaller was newly appeared, revealing fresh data.

【Spiritual Creature: Iron Arrow Green】

【Level: Elite】

【Abilities: Dimensional Stomach (Level 1/1021), Shrink (Level 1/349), Golden Scales Iron Spine (Level 2/257), Spiritual Sniff (Level 2/113), Ether Affinity (Level 3/1439)】

To the right of the small interface, a silhouette of Iron Arrow Green highlighted where each ability was located within its body.

This interface was identical to his own!

Ji Xinghuo managed to keep his composure, not wanting to make a scene in front of Ren Mian and Jiangnan Caiyi.

This new interface held too much information; crucially, he could now enhance Iron Arrow Green’s abilities using his psychic energy!

It had shared his Ether Affinity.

This would undoubtedly accelerate Iron Arrow Green’s growth, and as the progress of Ether Affinity was synchronized with his own, future upgrades to Ether Affinity would benefit it in the same way.

Why wasn’t it Iron Scales?

Ji Xinghuo had always assumed Iron Arrow Green possessed the high-quality ability Iron Scales, but the interface revealed he was mistaken.

Golden Scales Iron Spine!

From its name, besides having strong defensive scales, it also fortified the bones, especially the spine.

He felt an increase in his strength as he assessed this.

“Just like Iron Bone!”

The Iron Guard’s career template included “Iron Bone,” a high-quality ability that hardened the entire skeleton to steel-like strength, providing significant support and power boost when bones are enhanced.

Ji Xinghuo speculated that as Iron Arrow Green mutated into a spiritual creature, its Iron Scales also evolved.

Golden Scales Iron Spine not only provided hard scales but also a powerful spine. Two high-quality abilities combined, advancing into an exceptional one.

“Not bad at all.”

Ji Xinghuo quickly came to terms with it.

Golden Scales Iron Spine compensated for his defensive weaknesses and could still be upgraded. It seemed that as its level increased, the color would shift from green to gold.

Now he was a little green man, but soon he’d be a little gold man.

“It’s a pity…”

Seeing the scales recede from Ji Xinghuo’s face, Ren Mian shook her head in regret. Jiangnan Caiyi also looked disappointed, knowing missing a starfall ability would upset anyone for a lifetime.

They didn’t realize that symbiosis could evolve, giving future opportunities to gain shared abilities again.

“No worries.”

Ji Xinghuo was rather carefree, laughing. “I’m well-synced with the Little Green Snake. I can still use its Dimensional Stomach. Not much difference.”

“You still call it Little Green Snake?” Ren Mian chuckled. “It’s time to name it. It’s a spiritual creature and will accompany you for many years.”

“Ren, you know more than I do. Could you help me with a name?”

“Let me think.”

Meanwhile, Iron Arrow Green awoke.

Its golden eyes filled with wonder, Ether Affinity allowed it to perceive previously invisible information, quickly understanding the value of this ability.

Ji Xinghuo motioned with his hand, thinking, “Come here.”

Iron Arrow Green immediately understood his intent and shrunk to just a few centimeters, swiftly climbing onto his palm and joyously circling before coiling around his left middle finger, resembling a ring-shaped serpent of green and gold – easy to mistake for a ring.

Ji Xinghuo found this amusing.

But upon reflection, appearing as a ring was too conspicuous. Perhaps masquerading as a bracelet would seem more natural.

The Little Green Snake immediately moved to his wrist, slightly elongating its body to wrap around as a green scaly bracelet.

Man and snake were in perfect sync.

Ji Xinghuo had already thought of several combat strategies.

Hiding arrows in the Dimensional Stomach, he could launch them unexpectedly. Who could defend against that?

He could also stash a bow in the Dimensional Stomach, drawing it suddenly in close combat.

The Dimensional Stomach could be defensive too.

It might swallow an enemy’s weapon unawares or absorb incoming attacks, then return them unchanged.

However, this would require practice and tactical research with the Little Green Snake, developing a higher level of understanding.

As Ren Mian watched the Little Green Snake play affectionately with Ji Xinghuo, she suggested after some thought, “It’s like your sword, always with you through thick and thin, and its body is green – how about calling it ‘Qinghong’?”