Super Gene

Even more creatures were joining the fray; a dozen insects, each a meter long, began to rise from the lake.

The super creatures were bee-lining for Han Sen, that much was clear.

They wanted nothing more than to dine on Xiang Yin’s flesh, but they had previously been unable to disrupt her ascension. Now that Yaksha had appeared, proving formidable enough to do so and give the creatures what they desired, they had hope. But Han Sen had come along to stop Yaksha, and with only him in their way, they all thought it best to chip in and stop the meddler.

Han Sen had done what he could in the time he had, but under fire from so many super creatures, he knew it would now be best to run.

While he wished to save Xiang Yin and ensure her success, Disloyal Knight and the Blue Dinosaur were not enough to repel the assault of a dozen super creatures.

Even if Han Sen did stay and fight, Yaksha would be free to fly towards that door while the super creatures kept his foe occupied. Remaining there would be a pointless endeavor, and stopping Yaksha any further would be silly.

“Run!” Han Sen yelled back towards Queen and the Blue Dinosaur.

Blue Dinosaur was no sharper than a bag of socks, but even it wasn’t dumb enough to try to withstand a dozen super creatures. It knew it was time to run, and so it did.

Queen was atop it, and she rode it back into the tunnels they had come from.

Han Sen tried to veil the seven senses of the creatures, so they could neither hear nor see him.

But its effectiveness on super creatures was practically null, and it did not quell their raging stampede towards him. All Han Sen could do was focus on his flight out.

“You had it coming!” Yaksha coldly mocked, before turning to go for the door.

The nine steps Xiang Yin had traversed were brutal and endowed with a hungry fire that ravaged all who sought to ascend. She was little more than a shadow at this point, and that shadow was flickering faintly, as if it was about to be completely dispelled by a dazzling light.

Xiang Yin had been aware of what was occurring outside of the door, and she had been touched by Han Sen’s bravery in trying to secure safe passage for her.

When he fled from the attacks of the super creatures, she completely understood.

Nearing the end of her painful journey, Xiang Yin decided to forget about Yaksha who was now homing in on her. She now had to focus on completing what she had started.

She concentrated on withstanding the fire that sought to incinerate her. She could not allow her mind to waver, falter, or be distracted by the incoming threat. If her mind wandered for a second, it’d be her demise.

“Maybe this is my fate.” Xiang Yin was still composed, and she didn’t feel hatred for the one who came for her.

Han Sen had already fought on her behalf for a while, but she hadn’t yet been able to make that final step. Even if Yaksha wasn’t there to disturb her, she was teetering on the brink of failure.

This was a life and death moment for her. This was the single moment that would decide her future, for there would be no return to the present.

Xiang Yin had no choice now but to ascend. She could not return; she could only go on. Go on or fall.

The jellylike fruit would vaporize shortly after becoming ripe, so she couldn’t eat it anywhere else at any other time.

Yaksha had now reached the door. He could tell Xiang Yin was about to fail, even if he hadn’t come to meddle with her ascension.

“It is a shame you have become my enemy, but I cannot allow you to go to the Fourth God’s Sanctuary,” Yaksha said as he watched her burn.

Xiang Yin paid no heed to his words and maintained her focus on the task at hand.

Although she looked like she was going to fail, just in case, Yaksha pulled out something to throw beyond the door.

Yaksha had not yet opened ten gene locks, so he was not foolish enough to enter himself. If he went inside, he’d be turned into soot in a matter of seconds.

So, aware of this, he had an item. If he threw this item inside, there was a high chance it would secure her demise.

What Yaksha was holding was a black-metal fruit called a “Crimson Fruit.” It was attuned with the element of fire, and it had been obtained from a king spirit tree.

If he threw it inside, it could pollute the holy, cleansing fire.

The holy fire cleansed those who walked through it. It rinsed and burned away past sins and removed your old body to provide a new one that was spotless. It was a necessary process to become a demi-god.

Once the tenth step had been reached, you would become a demi-god.

Yaksha wanted to pollute the holy fire, though. The dirt of the fruit was said to warp and sour the cleansing process and provide greater damage to whoever walked through it.

“Xiang Yin, I will take your place in the Fourth God’s Sanctuary and find Ancient Devil Emperor.” Yaksha smiled as he prepared to chuck the fruit inside.

Xiang Yin believed there now to be no hope. Seeing the fruit leave Yaksha’s hand, she sighed.

But the moment the fruit was about to cross through the doorframe, it stopped. It appeared as if something was pulling it back.

In the next second, the flight of the fruit was course-corrected, and it ended up flying in the opposite direction. A hand then grabbed the Crimson Fruit.

Yaksha saw it happen, and he realized that someone had just claimed his fruit.

“It’s you!” Yaksha and Xiang Yin both exclaimed.

Han Sen, all bloodied, now possessed the fruit. He smiled and said, “You are a noob who does not even have ten gene locks open. You’re using this to disrupt her ascension? Cheap. It’s a shame it’s mine now.”

“You are dead.” Yaksha’s face turned green. He flapped his wings and soared towards Han Sen.