Chapter 1032: A Perfect Fusion
The pale blue domain of celestial flame that Hong Xi had erected was far stronger than Zhang Lie's aura of [Eclipse].
Hong Xi's twinned eyes glowed. Her black left eye was ringed with crimson flame, and her silver right eye with a pale blue flame.
The two antipodal flames flickered in sync with each other. Suddenly, both eyes glowed gold, and Hong Xi reined in the manifestation of her newfound strength.
Zhang Lie smiled in satisfaction. "It looks like you've succeeded."
Hong Xi lowered her head. "Thank you for taking me in, Master."
"Your success is due to the fruits of your labor. I merely gave you an opportunity."
Hong Xi continued seriously, "No, Master. When [Eclipse] and [Black Sun] merged into a cohesive whole, I was given a vision of the past by karma. It reminded me that, if you hadn't been present to save me and my brother, we would have perished. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Zhang Lie touched his nose, about to say something, when a white figure scampered up to her. Zhang Hanxiang dashed forward and pounced on her, hugging Hong Xi tightly. "Hong Xi, you've succeeded too!"
"Yes, I have." Hong Xi smiled gently and hugged Zhang Hanxiang back.
Zhang Lie asked curiously, "What special abilities do you have now that [Eclipse] and [Black Sun] have merged?"
Hong Xi's understanding of the two techniques far surpassed Zhang Lie's own.
Although Zhang Lie had also merged [Eclipse] and [Black Sun] together to form [Syzygy], Hong Xi's merger of the two techniques was entirely different.
Zhang Lie had done so forcefully with his overwhelming strength and experience, but Hong Xi instead connected the two techniques via karma. Neither strategy was necessarily superior to the other; they were simply different, as would be the resulting techniques.
Hong Xi's back flashed blue. "There are two effects. The domain of [Lunar Eclipse] saps away the strength of all enemies in the region and transfers it to me, whereas the domain of [Solar Eclipse] strengthens all allies in the domain, much as [Black Sun] did."
"Very impressive!"
Perhaps because of how much the recent war had weighed on her mind, Hong Xi had manifested this twin pair of techniques, an advancement over [Eclipse] and [Black Sun].
On the battlefield, she would be able to strengthen all her allies and weaken all her enemies, which was where her true strength would shine.
Zhang Lie continued, "Although I'd like to allow both of you to remain here to get a sense of the powers you've unlocked, to extract as much of the potency from the potion as you can, we need to move on. Let's return to Sun Mengmeng and the others."
The draconian sage suggested, "Let me teleport all of you back."
Zhang Lie asked curiously, "Sage, have you finished inspecting the changes to the superior draconian world?"
"Yes, I have. There were massive changes—I barely recognize my own world."
The draconian sage himself had grown stronger. Careful inspection and understanding of his world was a path to growing strong as a king of the realm.
In the past, the draconian world was limited in scope and size, and the effect of this study was minimal. Now that the draconian world was a superior world, the effect of such understanding was noticeably more pronounced.
Zhang Lie's eyes gleamed. "Did you discover anything good?"
The draconian sage groused, "This is the main thrust of your questioning, isn't it?"
Zhang Lie shrugged. "I'm just asking."
The draconian sage continued, "And what of it?"
"A newly evolved superior world must have lots of goodies, surely." Zhang Lie grinned as he pulled out a list of ingredients for Potion #5, for disaster-grade limit fragments.
There were surely many spiritual herbs and ingredients that had popped out after the draconian world evolved into a superior world, and Zhang Lie would claim what he could. He intended on making quite a few excess disaster-grade potions, and he intended to collect all the ingredients he could.
When the draconian sage saw the list, he glared at Zhang Lie and frowned, "What do you take me for, an apothecary?" This is my world, a superior world! Are you trying to turn my superior world into an apothecary?
The draconian sage sighed and took the list. "There are many herbs on this list that I don't recognize. Once I'm done with my affairs, I'll ask the Yeluo chieftain for assistance."
The draconian sage didn't refuse Zhang Lie's request because he knew what an impactful role Zhang Lie and the members of Team Zenith had played in allowing the world to evolve.
As long as their requests wouldn't actively harm the draconians and destroy their foundations, he would accede to as many of them as he could. After all, the draconian world had only grown to its current glory because of them. Without them, there would be no superior draconian world.
"Thank you for your hard work," Zhang Lie replied, grinning.
The draconian sage sniffed as he transported them all back to the members of Team Zenith. When Sun Mengmeng saw them return, she smiled. "It looks like you're all finished with Potion #4, then."
Zhang Hanxiang smiled as she puffed out her chest. "I've grown quite a bit stronger!"
Yang Ze glanced at Zhang Hanxiang's chest. "Where?"
Zhang Hanxiang scowled at Yang Ze as she hurriedly folded her arms.
Zhang Lie flicked his fingers, sending a stream of water-attuned genetic energy at Yang Ze. Caught by surprise, Yang Ze was sent flying. He landed sprawled on the ground.
Zhang Hanxiang stuck out her tongue at him. "Serves you right!"
The other members of Team Zenith laughed.
Sun Mengmeng patted Hong Xi on the shoulder.
"Hong Xi, you're stronger than we were back then. We could see the manifestation of your evolution all the way over here."
Hong Xi smiled in embarrassment.
Zhang Lie turned to the draconian sage. "Have you thought of a good replacement?"
The draconian sage suggested. "How about Chen Fan?"
"He's not too reliable."
The draconian sage replied, "Chu Feng's one option, and I can select someone I'm relatively familiar with among the draconians as well. Yun Bing would also be suited for the task, but it's a pity..."
Zhang Hanxiang asked curiously, "A pity? Why, Sage?"
The draconian sage replied, "Yun Bing is helping me deal with interspecies conflicts among the aliens. If she has to be sent here, I'd have a huge headache."
Everyone knew how skilled Yun Bing was at administration.
Zhang Lie smiled. "Yun Bing is indeed very reliable, but it's a waste for her to work on such a small scale. She should have a grander stage on which to shine."
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