Chapter Eighty: The Ancestral Return of Bloodlines

“Host has accumulated 100,000 energy points. Evolution condition completion: 100%. Would you like to initiate this evolution?”

To Lu Chen, these were the most wonderful words imaginable.

Without the slightest hesitation, he released his consciousness and began a new journey of evolution…

Itching!

Pain!

Both itching and pain!

As time passed, the sensations alternated between itching and pain from his internal organs, bones, sinews, and even the scales covering his body. It felt as if countless ants were crawling inside him, gnawing and biting…

At this moment, an indescribable agitation overtook Lu Chen. His beast-like pupils turned completely scarlet, his entire skeleton crackled and popped, and his spine swelled along his back, raising fist-sized bulges as if something within was struggling to burst through the scales.

He opened his mouth and let out a twisted, savage hiss.

An urgent need to vent surged through him, a wild desire to destroy everything nearby.

Inside the cave, the three bay crocodiles huddled together, shivering.

The third crocodile before them had become terrifying and unrecognizable, as if he might go berserk at any moment and tear them apart.

As for Black Spot, it had fled the cave at the first sign of trouble, flapping off into the trees and shrieking amid the branches.

“Hiss… hiss…” Caiman Sister cautiously approached, trying to comfort her brother.

“Roar… hiss…” Lu Chen forced down the murderous rage in his heart, and with what little reason remained, he swatted her away.

Then he bolted on all fours from the cave in a frenzy.

Splash!

His body, like a runaway vehicle, plunged straight into the water.

“Roar…” Lu Chen continued to bellow, the sound utterly changed from before.

He had no idea how much time passed before he slowly opened his eyes and, using the water’s reflection, examined himself.

Along his spine, a new ridge of scales had emerged, running from the nape of his neck all the way to the tip of his tail.

Aside from that, his body hadn’t changed much.

Yet Lu Chen could clearly feel that after this evolution, he was utterly transformed.

Thump-thump-thump, his heart beat with powerful force.

The blood pulsed steadily through his veins.

Not only were his heart and blood changed, but many other organs were undergoing transformation as well.

Host: Lu Chen

Host Species: Mutant Bay Crocodile

Weight: 292 kilograms

Length: 3.96 meters

…

Optimal temperature: 0–50°C

Other attributes: None

Mutant ability: Primordial Bloodline Revival (10%)

Evolution level: 4 (when host…)

His body had finally mutated.

Yet it was completely different from what Lu Chen had imagined.

He had thought he would evolve toward a terror crocodile, an emperor crocodile—becoming larger and stronger, with greater attack power.

But now it seemed that “Primordial Bloodline Revival” was a very different evolutionary path.

It seemed… more extraordinary.

And the “Optimal temperature: 0–50°C” was a delightful surprise. This meant that, on Blue Star, he could now explore almost everywhere. Perhaps, someday, he could return to the Tiannan Mountain Reserve of the Grand Xia Nation and finally uncover the secrets of the Hot Spring Valley.

He had never let go of his curiosity about that mysterious underground cavern.

After carefully sensing the changes in his body, he crawled ashore.

“Chirp, hiss…” Black Spot immediately flew over, calling out, but didn’t dare land on his head as usual.

The little fellow instinctively sensed that the aura now radiating from Lu Chen’s body filled it with dread.

The other crocodiles felt the same—eyes filled with both awe and fear.

Third Crocodile was growing more and more unfamiliar…

Seeing the look in his siblings’ eyes, Lu Chen sighed inwardly, but there was nothing he could do.

As he continued to evolve, the gap between his power and theirs would only widen.

Perhaps, one day, he really would leave.

But for now, they were still a family.

“Hiss…” Lu Chen greeted the little ones softly.

“Hiss?” Caiman Sister drew out her call, as if puzzled.

She then hurried over and carefully nuzzled him with her head.

Lu Chen reached out his forepaw and patted her, offering comfort.

The magpie landed on his head again, chirping merrily.

Everything seemed almost as it had always been.

The entire process of evolution had consumed an enormous amount of energy. Upon reaching the fourth evolutionary stage, Lu Chen’s first sensation was hunger.

After greeting the others, he eagerly plunged into the depths of the forest to hunt.

Passing through a patch of shrubs, he sniffed the air and noticed the scent was fading. Clearly, since the last conflict, the female Bengal tiger had already left with her cubs.

Lu Chen paid it no mind.

He understood well that animals in their nursing period are highly vigilant and acutely aware of any potential threat to ensure the safety of their young.

Now, with this stretch of forest claimed by other predators, the tigress had no choice but to depart.

Continuing on, Lu Chen soon came upon a herd of spotted deer nibbling at tender leaves among the trees.

These creatures resembled sika deer, their pale brown coats covered in white spots. The leading male sported a three-pronged antler over a meter long, striking and imposing amid the greenery.

The antlers were not only formidable weapons for offense and defense but also symbols of status that attracted the attention of females—much like a 24-karat gold chain hanging from a socialite’s neck.

After sneaking into ambush position, Lu Chen let out a roar and sprang forward, aiming straight for the largest buck in the group.

It took little effort to snap its neck.

This deer weighed nearly a hundred kilograms, and even after discarding its innards, it was still around seventy-five kilograms.

Lu Chen had thought he wouldn’t be able to finish it, but after tearing the whole animal apart and devouring it, he was just barely full.

Clearly, his appetite had grown astonishingly after this evolution.

He didn’t let the two massive antlers go to waste, planning to carry them back and leave them near the cave as decorations.

***

After a day’s rest, Lu Chen decided to officially set off on his explorations.

However, he altered his original plan; instead of plunging deeper into the forest, he intended to swim and roam the ocean.

Before leaving, he imitated the behavior of felines and marked the area around the cave with his unique scent as a warning to other carnivores to stay away.

It was just a precaution.

Crocodile Eldest was now over two meters long and weighed more than seventy-five kilograms. The second and fourth crocodiles weighed over fifty kilograms each.

In truth, with their current size, the three bay crocodiles could easily protect themselves and had little to fear from ordinary predators.

That encounter with the Bengal tiger had been an exception, mostly due to Black Spot’s reckless antics.

Lu Chen glided down the broad river, heading toward the estuary, displaying an air of utter indifference.

When he passed through the territory of another bay crocodile, he paused to greet it.

If he remembered correctly, this crocodile was nearly five meters long and one of the river’s dominant rulers.

Lu Chen’s approach immediately drew its attention.

The creature raised its head and let out a deep, menacing growl.

It looked as if it might launch an attack at any moment.

Curious to test his current strength, Lu Chen patiently waited for it to come closer.

But after growling for quite a while, the other crocodile stayed rooted in place.

When Lu Chen swam a bit nearer, it immediately turned and fled.

Damn… what a waste of my anticipation.

Realizing he faced a coward, Lu Chen lost all interest in a contest and continued downstream.