Chapter 324

Chapter 324: Racing Mode

At dawn, the vast expanse of mycelium life forms suddenly sprang to life.

The forest, grasslands, and open fields—all areas under the control and simulation of the mycelium—began to stir in an instant, like a Giant Beast awakening from a long slumber.

Nutrients accumulated over time flowed through the milky white mycelium, forming biological pipelines that connected everything, supplying the towering trees capable of nurturing extraordinary beasts. The nutrient-rich state caused the hidden biological pipelines beneath the ground to emit faint glimmers.

At this moment, Lin Qingliu was leaping through the forest, cradling a cat in his arms. The essence of his high-energy life form drove his low-level abilities to their limits, skillfully extracting every last ounce of potential.

Under the dual enhancement of Slow Time and Ephemeral, time slowed to a near standstill. Yet, even then, after each leap, Lin Qingliu could still see dozens, if not hundreds, of new “cocoons” emerging in the crevices of the Giant Tree.

He was not idle either. As his feet moved rapidly, his hands were busy wrapping the six newly acquired tokens around Fulan’s neck.

“Master…”

With Lin Qingliu’s assistance, Fulan, who was within a small radius around him, did not fall into sluggishness. Instead, her thoughts synchronized with his through their shared blood, and in a sense, they were now sharing the same blood system.

“You are responsible for delivering the message. Inform Hope City about these tokens and the impending large-scale beast tide.”

“Understood, I’ll go now.”

Fulan showed no signs of fear. Though she had reached the Third Level and was not known for her combat prowess, her skills in evasion were unmatched.

Already naturally agile, Fulan could also create illusions within a limited area to aid her escape.

“Wait.”

Lin Qingliu suddenly interjected,

“That’s too slow.”

Fulan hesitated for a moment, realizing that compared to Lin Qingliu’s leaps and mastery over time, her agility seemed almost trivial.

Before she could voice her question, Lin Qingliu had already grasped her neck and leaped diagonally forward.

Fulan, feeling a twinge of unease, instinctively tensed.

Ahead of them stood a towering tree, even more lush and robust than the one they had first encountered.

In the gap between a branch and the trunk, a new “cocoon” was forming and expanding, within which a soft translucent embryo could faintly be seen.

It was a purple cocoon!

A Third Level extraordinary beast was developing inside, and the majority of extraordinary beasts born at this level were avian in nature.

Lin Qingliu’s figure flashed to the base of the branch. Without a care for decorum, he tore open the still-growing “cocoon” like a starving man seizing a meal, pulling out the nascent two-headed Avian Creature—

Instantly refined!

A red light flickered in Lin Qingliu’s eyes as he swiftly recorded the notable traits of the Avian Creature’s body and began replicating them at the genetic level.

Fulan, held in his left hand, felt a painful swelling in her body, as if new joints and limb-like structures were sprouting from her spine.

The blood Lin Qingliu had left within her received his will and began replicating the recently recorded traits in her body.

Fulan’s small frame required less energy, and soon, two pairs of wings—utterly out of place on a cat—began to grow from her chest and near her lower back.

Pale bones were encased in a web of blood vessels, overlaid with a translucent membrane.

The moment the wings met the air, fine grayish-purple feathers began to sprout and grow in the wind, and within half a minute, they were indistinguishable from those of a fully grown bird.

Just as Fulan was recovering from the swelling and had no time to ask questions, she heard Lin Qingliu’s command:

“Wrap your body with your wings!”

This was Lin Qingliu’s wisdom—having recently attacked Hope City in griffin form, he had mastered the technique of streamlining his body.

Fulan quickly complied, and the next moment, she felt a tremendous force beneath her!

She was hurled high into the air toward Hope City, propelled not only by Lin Qingliu’s strength but also by a whirlwind he conjured in an instant.

“Master! I can’t fly!”

Fulan felt her cheeks puffing up from the rushing air, but she shouted with all her might.

“It’s fine, just learn how to fly before you land.”

Lin Qingliu responded with what seemed like a casual remark and continued to dash deeper into the forest without looking back.

He still had a basic level of confidence in Fulan.

She had absorbed a wealth of scientific knowledge from the dream realm and fully understood the principles of avian flight.

That throw likely sent Fulan soaring to a height of one or two hundred meters, and from ascent to descent, she had at least ten seconds—enough time to recall flight techniques and put them into practice.

Streamlined, Fulan reached her peak, then began to descend in a near-parabolic arc.

Fulan’s scream pierced the skies, but she managed to stretch out as she neared the ground, executing a textbook-perfect take-off.

She flapped her wings furiously, her face contorted with effort, but Lin Qingliu’s voice echoed in her mind:

“My ability can only last an hour on you, so fly with all your strength.”

Two streams of tears vanished in the fierce wind, and Fulan accelerated once more, pushing herself to the limit.

Meanwhile, Lin Qingliu had ventured deeper into the forest. Though Fulan’s message was crucial, he couldn’t afford to rely entirely on her at that moment.

With a thought, Lin Qingliu triggered anomalies in the basement of the inner city, a hundred kilometers away.

—

“There has never been a savior~ only endless sweeping…”

[Skydome] sang mournfully yet joyfully as he used his high-tech prosthetic to perform a task as old as time itself, his screen displaying no discernible emotion.

He had learned to regulate his fan speed to prevent his core from overheating while ensuring the gathered dust wasn’t scattered.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind him, and [Skydome] immediately stopped what he was doing.

He turned his camera to see Lin Qingliu’s expressionless face, mistakenly assuming his singing had annoyed the man.

Just as he was about to apologize, Lin Qingliu spoke abruptly,

“Stop working for now. Contact your father and tell him an unprecedented beast tide is brewing outside the city. He needs to prepare.”

Though [Skydome] nodded, he was puzzled—what did Ji Yongxing, a researcher, have to do with a beast tide?

Lin Qingliu seemed to sense his confusion and added without turning,

“Perhaps he’ll need to take his place on the city wall as well.”