Chapter 164: Finally Ascending to a Seventh-Rank Fierce Beast

The crocodile chieftains immediately recognized the figure—a strange bay crocodile image that seemed to awaken ancient memories buried deep within.

Finally… the blood-red mist began to recede, then seeped into Lu Chen’s body through his pores.

Boom!

He felt a thunderous roar inside him as the evolution completed in an instant.

After a moment, Lu Chen opened his eyes and carefully examined the data on the system panel.

Host: Lu Chen
Possessed Species: Special Bay Crocodile
Weight: 48.39 tons
Length: 20.1 meters
…
Claw Strength: 60.96 tons
Bite Force: 70.35 tons
Speed: 100.22 meters/second
Scale Armor Defense: 6283
Heart Enhancement: 5891
Mutation Abilities: Ancestral Bloodline Regression (78%), Compressed Energy Orb (Tier 4), Earth Swamp (Tier 3), Inner Space (Tier 3), Military Formation Domain (Tier 1)
Evolution Level: 7 (Upon accumulating 1 billion energy points, the next evolutionary level will unlock…)
Artifact: Mutated Demon Tree Seedling (Bound, currently Grade 2…)

To become an eighth-tier ferocious beast, the required energy points had reached a staggering one billion—something Lu Chen had entirely anticipated.

However, a new mutation ability had appeared: “Military Formation Domain.” What on earth was that?

Filled with curiosity and anticipation, Lu Chen carefully read the detailed explanation.

“The Military Formation Domain is a fusion-type mutation ability. When the host attacks an enemy, they can summon and consolidate their subordinates into a military formation, drawing upon the energy laws therein to unleash tremendous power…”

There was no need for study; Lu Chen immediately grasped how to use this Military Formation Domain.

Looking at the crocodile leaders gathered around him, he felt a stirring in his heart. There was no better time than the present—since these fellows were all here—why not demonstrate the power of the Military Formation Domain right on the spot?

Having made up his mind, Lu Chen first activated his communicator to record the scene. Then he leapt onto a large boulder and issued his command to the nearby bay crocodile leaders:

“Hiss, hiss hiss! (All subjects, heed my command! Immediately gather around me and form a conical attack formation!)”

Though none of the hundreds of bay crocodile leaders understood why their king had issued such a strange order, they resolutely obeyed.

But as it was their first time forming such a formation, chaos ensued. Many didn’t even understand what a cone shape was and scrambled about disorderly within the ranks.

Lu Chen was utterly speechless. He could only select a dozen or so captains from among them and divide the rest into smaller squads.

After a full half hour of effort, the hundreds of bay crocodile leaders finally arranged themselves into a massive triangular cone-shaped attack formation.

As the crocodile king, Lu Chen naturally stood at the very front. The crocodile chieftain, serving as captain of the guard, led over fifty subordinates close behind.

Though the formation was not perfectly neat, all present were at least early fourth-tier in cultivation.

With hundreds gathered together forming a colossal force, an overwhelming aura of killing intent emanated instantly.

“Awooo…” Looking back at his subjects, Lu Chen’s heart swelled with pride. With a roar, he activated the Military Formation Domain.

“Awooo!!”

Hundreds of bay crocodiles responded in unison.

Through the Military Formation Domain, Lu Chen gained a clear perception of every bay crocodile’s status.

As their roars filled the air, fierce and brutal auras radiated above their heads.

These energies were originally scattered, but under the enhancement of the Military Formation Domain, they began to slowly merge.

Within seconds, a gigantic illusory image of a mutated bay crocodile appeared in the air dozens of meters above them.

Its massive, dark body, glowing crimson eyes, sharp fangs and claws, raised dorsal spines, and long tail—all bore strong resemblance to Lu Chen himself.

Only this figure was more than ten times larger, and above its head floated a faint starry void.

“Awooo!” Lu Chen roared again.

“Awooo, awooo…” The bay crocodile leaders echoed his call.

Within the formation, their blood surged violently, and an indescribable, mystical sensation filled their hearts.

It seemed that through their roars, the power within them was being strengthened, growing ever mightier.

“Awooo!!” Lu Chen called out a third time.

The hundreds of bay crocodile leaders continued their response.

Above the formation in the void, the giant crocodile’s figure grew clearer, exuding a wild, primal aura as if it had descended from a distant star system!

After three resounding roars, Lu Chen sensed the formation’s momentum had reached its peak.

He did not extend it further but instead activated the energy laws within his body.

Almost immediately, the giant crocodile illusion opened its wide jaws, and a colossal compressed energy orb nearly fifty meters in diameter rapidly took shape.

“Attack!”

Lu Chen’s consciousness shifted, targeting a small hill several miles away.

Boom!!

The void shattered, leaving a long, red streak as if sliced cleanly in half by some invisible weapon.

Two seconds later, a tremendous explosion erupted.

The small hill was utterly obliterated… terrifying shockwaves rolled outward, sending countless dust and debris skyward.

Even seven or eight miles away, Lu Chen could feel the ground beneath him shaking violently.

Countless boulders tumbled, tree branches snapped and fell, as if a minor earthquake had been triggered.

In the distance, countless birds and beasts fled in panic, their cries filled with terror as they scattered.

Many animals ran several hundred meters before blood seeped from their mouths, noses, ears, and eyes, and they collapsed dead.

Had anyone dissected their bodies, they would find their internal organs completely shattered by the shock of the blast.

This abnormality lasted for over ten seconds before gradually subsiding.

“Hiss, hiss hiss! (Formation temporarily disband. All leaders, follow me to investigate!)” Lu Chen issued the order and dashed toward the dust-shrouded area.

A large crater suddenly appeared before them—reminiscent of the marks left by the psychic cannon test Lu Chen had conducted in the misty space days ago.

However, this pit was larger, nearly a thousand meters in diameter and fifty meters deep.

At the bottom, water churned turbulently, likely disturbed by the explosion’s impact on the subterranean water veins.

Lu Chen stood silently at the rim of the crater for a long while.

Before the trial, he had vaguely sensed the terrifying potential of the Military Formation Domain but had not expected it to be so powerful.

In terms of sheer destructive force, it was comparable to a small nuclear bomb possessed by humans on Blue Star.

It was no exaggeration to say that a single compressed energy orb could nearly wipe out a small town. A few more would make destroying any city on Blue Star a mere formality.

This was the power of a domain—or rather, the amplified strength gained through collective synergy.

The Military Formation Domain concentrated the power of weak individuals, twisting them into a single rope, united in purpose.

When finally unleashed against an enemy, the power multiplied tenfold, even a hundredfold.

And this was only the effect of a military formation formed by a few hundred bay crocodiles.

After all, Lu Chen had just acquired the “Military Formation Domain” mutation ability and could not yet command more individuals.

Now Lu Chen felt deeply wise for having begun establishing crocodile civilization at the dawn of the great upheaval—otherwise, he would have to start from scratch gathering bay crocodiles.

He always believed that whether in a past life or the present, a lone king could not go far; a collective was the most steadfast support.

Currently, the Military Formation Domain was only at Tier 1. As the strength of the bay crocodile leaders grew or as the number of members in the formation increased…

If there were thousands or even tens of thousands gathered, the terrifying energy unleashed would be beyond Lu Chen’s current imagination.