Chapter 99: Bad News: A Frankenstein; Good News: Fully Stitched

"Analysis failed! Analysis failed!"

Listening to Sara repeatedly report "analysis failed," Feng Xue paid no mind, roasting fish with the 【Fire-Transforming】 Jade Talisman; though wood was readily available on the island, unseasoned firewood produced too much smoke, and the island's timber was a scarce resource—far more economical to use renewable mana than to cut down trees.

But the cost was that Sara, unable to comprehend artifact craftsmanship, had become a playback machine.

Cutting off a piece of fish, Feng Xue first waved it in front of the repeating Sara, then handed it to Fina; seeing Fina take and eat it without hesitation, Feng Xue concluded the fish was likely non-toxic—even though Sara had already analyzed it.

"Sss! This fish!" As the flesh entered his mouth, an indescribable texture made Feng Xue involuntarily inhale sharply—the meat was tender and delicate, rich with a unique fatty aroma; though white flesh, it had surprising chewiness, and with only a light sprinkle of salt, it delivered a flavor experience far surpassing any grilled fish he'd ever tasted in the dark food stalls of his past life.

Even better, under the effect of the 【Digestive Technique】, this fish flesh produced far more Nutrient Qi than ordinary food—so much so that after just a few bites, Feng Xue had to immediately begin circulating the 【Body-Forging Technique】 to digest it.

The sensation of nutrition flowing through his limbs and organs was so intense that Feng Xue didn't even need to stand in a stance—he could clearly perceive the arrangement and flow of his blood vessels, and even the pulsing sensation he'd felt during his full-power spellcasting at the station reemerged; faintly, Feng Xue seemed to have surpassed the stage of merely sensing Nutrient Qi, beginning to perceive the flow of Defensive Qi, and alongside it, the secrets of the meridians emerged.

Feng Xue immediately assumed the stance, deepening his perception of qi and blood; the network spreading through his body was so complex it momentarily left him "dizzy."

"Huh..."

After a moment, the enhancement from the 【Body-Forging Technique】 faded, and Feng Xue exited the still-stance posture, gazing at the half-eaten roasted fish with a complex expression before turning to Sara:

"What kind of fish is this? A phantom beast?"

"Target scientific name: Yellow Spine Fish, belonging to the class Osteichthyes, subclass Actinopterygii, order Perciformes; a relatively common marine fish. This individual's phantom transformation level is 72.3%, incapable of becoming a phantom beast—consume with confidence."

Sara gave a flat reply, but Feng Xue heard a new term:

"Phantom transformation? What's that? A hybrid between phantom beasts and ordinary creatures?"

"Phantom transformation level refers to the activation rate of activated nanounits within a biological organism; only organisms with activation rates above 98% may become phantom beasts. Hybridization is merely one method to increase activation rate. The primary current method of phantom activation is trophic enrichment: selecting high-activation organisms to establish concentrated ecosystems, thereby increasing the probability of phantom beast emergence among upper trophic-level species."

"What the hell are nanounits? Gourmet cells?" Feng Xue felt the description was eerily familiar; Sara paused slightly before responding:

"Database contains no records of 'gourmet cells.' For comparison, please input more detailed data. Nanounits are the crystallization of pre-civilization ecological engineering technology, possessing three traits: mimicry, regeneration, and evolution."

"After the Sea God Apocalypse, global ecosystems collapsed. The pre-civilization's ultimate solution was activated: nanounits were deployed into ecosystems according to preset protocols, restoring missing links and maintaining ecological balance and stability, successfully preventing mass extinction."

"Additionally, nanounits enhance biological adaptability and boost self-healing capabilities; if activation exceeds 85%, the 【Special Protocol】 may be triggered."

"To this day, all organisms on the planet contain nanounits—the Phantom Beast Implant Technology is built upon this achievement..."

"Correction: Wild Specimen One does not..."

"Correction: After ingestion, it now..."

"Further correction: For unknown reasons, Wild Specimen One, after consuming organisms containing nanounits, did not acquire nanounits. Cause unknown. Project initiated..."

"... " Feng Xue no longer knew what to say—how could such brief sentences contain so much information?

Eating two more pieces of fish, Feng Xue, while circulating the 【Body-Forging Technique】, said:

"What's this Sea God Apocalypse? Did the pre-civilization do something to anger the Sea God?"

"According to historical records, the Sea God Apocalypse originated from a pre-civilization extremist environmentalist group—the current Sea People—who awakened the Ocean God and made a prayer, wishing to expand oceanic area. The Ocean God answered the prayer, causing Terra's sea levels to rise catastrophically, leading to the pre-civilization's collapse."

"Ah, so the fat-headed fish woke up? Then what about the Earth God? —Wait, I mean, the Earth God?" Feng Xue, back in his comfort zone, immediately asked; Sara's projection made a human-like shrug gesture—

"This is precisely the question all of Terra now wonders about. After the Sea God Apocalypse, the Ocean God's authority spread globally, and the Sea People expanded rapidly. Information regarding the Earth God was destroyed; all factions attempting to seek the Earth God were placed under warrant. The Seven Archipelagos were forced to sign the Seven Islands Accord, pledging not to actively seek the Earth God—anyone who ventures out to search for land is branded a pirate..."

"Holy shit, I'm speechless—can't fly, now you're forced into a dress? Seriously? (Note ①)"

"Meaning unclear, incomprehensible. Language system detects error..."

Hearing Feng Xue's bizarre remark, Sara suddenly doubted her earlier judgment—had she misjudged? Were they merely using the same script, but with vastly divergent meanings? Had their prior conversations been talking past each other, only accidentally aligning—and now, they no longer did? (Note ②)

Feng Xue, meanwhile, paid no attention to Sara's self-doubt—he was considering something far more important:

Sara mentioned that after he ate nanounits, his body contained none.

That leaves only two possibilities:

First, he, as an outsider from another world, does not meet the pre-civilization's screening criteria for nanounits.

Second, the combination of the 【Digestive Technique】 and the 【Body-Forging Technique】 digests nanounits within his body.

But regardless of which, one point is certain—

The organisms of this world are potent tonic substances for him, who cultivates Nutrient and Defensive Qi!

"Think of it another way—this is like bringing cultivation techniques from the End of the Dao Age into a primordial era where medicinal herbs grow everywhere. Wouldn't you eat your fill?"

Feng Xue stared at the dozen roasted fish, eyes gleaming—becoming a Wudao Sect Grandmaster in record time might not be impossible!

"I recall—becoming a Wudao Sect Grandmaster extends lifespan by sixty years, right?"

Enough talk. Time to feast!

(End of Chapter)