Super Gene

Things began smoothly enough. No hassle was posed by other creatures, as they all seemed to avoid the Blue Dinosaur. Furthermore, Han Sen could hide his lifeforce.

The further they went, the more the smell intensified. Soon, a number of rock rats emerged, and their countless numbers made it difficult for the Blue Dinosaur to continue moving forward.

Every footstep of the Blue Dinosaur was met with the squelch of a number of rock rats being trampled underfoot.

The rock rats were very similar to ordinary rats. They were a little bigger than the average rat, with a disheveled grey look. They moved with a singular, focused purpose as they raced towards the scent, uncaring for their friends and brethren that were being killed unceremoniously by the dozen.

And so, the Blue Dinosaur continued to accompany them. It carried on leading the way, following the endless stream of rats. It wasn’t long before the tunnels they followed became wider and wider. Han Sen wondered how large that underground labyrinth might have actually been, as he knew he had only traversed a small portion of it thus far.

The underground realm was huge, and he got a better idea of just how big it was when the tunnel opened to a grand cavern. Their road now skirted a precarious cliffside, and down below, a lake stretched out to fill up what could have been an abyssal chasm. There was an abundance of waterfalls, feeding it from various spots across the landscape

On one side of this titan of a lake stood a tree. This tree was a goliath, and it stretched upwards and outwards. It was so wide and thick, one could easily believe it was supporting the entire underground region with the sturdy boughs that brushed against the ceiling of the cavern.

The roots at the bottom were like coiled, slumbering dragons. The branches high above all touched the ceiling.

The tree’s actual color was dark and yellowish, and the leaves were of a similar color. It looked fairly ordinary, as such.

But the lifeforce the tree had was what immediately told Han Sen how special it actually was, and when his eyes first caught sight of the fruit that adorned those thick boughs, he was more than surprised.

Han Sen had seen a lot of different geno plants in his time in the Third God’s Sanctuary. He had seen the tree that gave birth to Disloyal Knight, which was magnificent. But all he had seen thus far paled in comparison to this tree underground. He wouldn’t be surprised if the fruit it bore gave birth to genuine angels or demons.

His eyes became glued to the fruit of that tree. He couldn’t stop staring at them. The fruit were like jellyfish, alive and flickering like lightbulbs.

Their tentacles waved up and down as if they were already underwater. They writhed and wriggled, ready to detach from the tree and float away.

Across the tree, there were thousands of them. If they could all yield a benefit for Han Sen, he thought it’d be quite frightening.

“I wonder what the use of this fruit is,” Han Sen thought to himself.

Queen was just as surprised as Han Sen was, as she bathed in the atmosphere and soaked in the landscape before them. The jellyfish fruit were of particular interest to her, and she could barely keep her eyes off them, as well.

The Blue Dinosaur began to drool, adding to the number of waterfalls that checkered the cavern. It was eager to get moving and visit the tree.

The rock rats were like a rapid river, as well, continuing to race there in unison.

The vermin were everywhere, and there was not a single vista left untarnished by their scruffy bodies. They spread out for at least a dozen miles, all packed together without an inch free.

On a pillar near the tree stood another rock rat. This was the king, and it stood on its pedestal with its eyes fixed on the jellyfish.

Aside from the rat king, though, no other rat was willing to remain too close to the lake and tree. While he observed the rats, Han Sen noticed a shadow below the waters. It lurked, waiting.

He wondered what it might have been, but there was plenty of space near the roots of the tree it could have occupied. No rock rat was getting that close, after all.

On the east side of the tree, the area looked to be on fire. Han Sen saw giant red toads there, impatiently ribbeting and jumping, waiting for the jellyfish to be theirs.

There was one particular toad that stood out to Han Sen. It was a giant red one, as big as a rhino. Han Sen didn’t need to use the dongxuan aura to determine that it was a super class creature.

On the west side of the tree, there was a collective of black bugs. They were unfamiliar to Han Sen.

They were each the size of a fist, and they looked like crickets. Their antennas looked surprisingly sturdy.

Their eyes creepily clashed against their black bodies, and as they waited, they produced a sharp and irritating noise. At the front of this group was a cricket that was bigger than the rest, equal to the size of a fully-grown cat. As it waited, it remained silent.

“Another super creature,” Han Sen thought to himself.

But that couldn’t have been all. Han Sen could detect the presence of many stronger lifeforces observing the fruit, waiting for their opportunity to snag a prize.

When the fruit became mature, it wouldn’t just be the three clans of super creatures battling for it.

In fear of what might happen, Han Sen did not allow the Blue Dinosaur to get too close to the tree. Despite its appetite, the Blue Dinosaur was willing to adhere to its master’s commands.

There were too many rock rats, though, and they continued to appear fearless and uncaring for the Blue Dinosaur. But it wasn’t just the rats like this, either. None of the other creatures in the vicinity appeared to want a fight.

The jellyfish fruit were more captivating than anything else in existence at that point in time.

Strangely, though, no creature wanted to get too close to the tree.

Han Sen did not share their fears, if fear was what stayed them. So, he ventured closer to the tree in deep observation. The jellyfish were living up to their namesake, shimmering and wobbling like jelly. Han Sen really wanted to give them a nibble.

But Han Sen’s face changed when he viewed one of the branches of the Mother Tree up close.

On the branch, Han Sen saw a human shadow.

No creature dared venture close to the tree, but as for what was amongst those boughs right now, Han Sen could not hazard a guess.