Chapter 00094: The First Strongest
# The First Strongest
Chapter 94
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 94: The First Strongest
At the Martial Vein Mountain Range, Li Wanran stared at the news on her phone, her hands trembling slightly.
Almost everywhere, there were praises for Ding Huan and his disciples, but her name was nowhere to be found in these reports.
Did she not count as one of Ding Huan's disciples?
But that wasn't what hurt the most.
What truly pained her was the news that Qu Yi, one of Ding Huan's disciples, had been invited to become the Director of the Puhai Security Bureau due to his outstanding military achievements.
Not only that, but Qu Yi had also been awarded an international Star Protector rank of two stars for his contributions on the human corridor defense line.
The Director of the Puhai Security Bureau? Forget about sitting in that position; even standing in front of the Director would make her feel uneasy.
Such a high position, and he could just step into it like that?
And since when was Qu Yi a disciple of Ding Huan?
Fang Chong and Ai Xi had also become celebrities, both earning one-star international Star Protector ranks for their contributions on the human corridor defense line.
Fang Chong was a disciple of Ding Huan, but since when was Ai Xi also a disciple of Ding Huan?
And the news even mentioned that Qu Yi, Fang Chong, Ai Xi, and even Lu Zi had all become fourth or even fifth-level gene cultivators.
How was that possible?
She had been cultivating like crazy, pouring all her time, energy, and resources into her training, yet she was still only a barely second-level gene cultivator.
Setting that aside, Ding Huan had only taught them the first three layers of the Thousand Veins Gene Technique.
How had Fang Chong and the others managed to reach the fourth level?
No, she had to find Fang Chong and Lu Zi and ask them directly.
With that thought, Li Wanran could no longer sit still.
If she didn't get to the bottom of this, she wouldn't be able to focus on her cultivation.
...
As the last piece of Yuan Qi stone in Ding Huan's hand crumbled, he let out a sigh.
The Yuan Qi stones were all used up, and he was still only a fifth-level gene cultivator.
Forget about reaching the seventh level; he wasn't even close to the sixth.
It seemed he was different from others.
Perhaps it was because he had fused several extraordinary gene potions.
Every time he advanced, the amount of Yuan Qi stored in his dantian increased severalfold.
His meridians also became more畅通, causing his strength to skyrocket after each advancement.
This was a good thing, but it also meant he consumed more Yuan Qi from the world.
It was probably time to leave this place.
He wondered if that giant ape would still be waiting for him by the shore.
From what Ding Huan knew about these beasts, that giant ape wouldn't give up easily.
But the ape was likely still recovering from severe injuries and wouldn't regain its full strength anytime soon.
Ding Huan was about to call out to Qi Xin Yue when he noticed she was deep in cultivation, seemingly trying to break through to the second level of gene cultivation.
How was she progressing so fast with the Thousand Veins Gene Technique?
Ding Huan was puzzled.
When his divine sense fell upon Qi Xin Yue, he immediately realized she wasn't cultivating the Thousand Veins Gene Technique but the Vein Consciousness Scripture.
Wasn't Qi Xin Yue supposed to be unable to cultivate the Vein Consciousness Scripture due to her lack of spiritual roots? How could she suddenly do it now?
Ding Huan didn't disturb Qi Xin Yue and stepped out of the cave.
The reef island was quiet.
The nearby aquatic beasts seemed to know Ding Huan was not to be trifled with and didn't even approach the edges.
Once Qi Xin Yue finished her cultivation, he planned to leave this reef island.
No matter what, he had to try to escape this ocean.
Only by leaving here and finding more Yuan Qi stones would he have a chance to reach higher levels.
A piece of a broken ship caught Ding Huan's attention.
The fragment had crashed into the edge of the reef island and was stuck between the rocks.
On it were written Chinese characters.
Ding Huan landed by the edge of the reef and picked up the fragment:
"I will never return to the shore in this lifetime. If anyone sees these words, please inform the Security Bureau or the leader of the Martial Alliance, Qu Weimin. I, Zhong Chi, was ambushed by Shi Changyi from the Gene Alliance. Zhong Chi leaves this message."
Zhong Chi? That name sounded familiar.
Ding Huan quickly remembered.
Zhong Chi, the strongest man in China, had gone missing during a battle with gene beasts.
The general assumption was that Zhong Chi had been killed by the gene beasts.
Zhong Chi was supposed to be an innate-level expert.
It didn't make sense for an innate-level expert to be surrounded and killed by beasts.
Even when Ding Huan was just a fourth-level gene cultivator, he could break out of a beast encirclement.
If it weren't for that giant ape, he wouldn't have had to flee into the ocean.
Ding Huan tossed the fragment aside and looked out at the sea.
It was a vast expanse of blue, with waves crashing against the rocks, creating a monotonous sound.
Ding Huan wondered if Zhong Chi was still alive, like Qi Xin Yue, having escaped to some reef island.
There were many reef islands nearby.
If that were the case, he should try to rescue him.
With that thought, Ding Huan retrieved his Starry Sky Blade from the cave, kicked up a log, and dashed out of the reef island.
Qi Xin Yue still had some time left in her cultivation.
He would search around first.
As soon as Ding Huan left the reef island, dozens of arrow-like projectiles shot out from the sea, heading straight for him.
This time, Ding Huan didn't speed up.
Instead, his Starry Sky Blade flashed, creating dozens of afterimages that tore through the projectiles in an instant.
Following that, Ding Huan sent out a dozen wind blades.
As if by agreement, just as Ding Huan released the wind blades, another fifty or sixty projectiles shot toward him.
Ding Huan knew these projectiles weren't from the same group of blade-backed fish as before.
These blade-backed fish needed several seconds to prepare after firing their projectiles.
The dozen wind blades Ding Huan had sent out seemed to have eyes of their own, accurately striking and killing a dozen blade-backed fish.
After the Starry Sky Blade sliced through the fifty or sixty projectiles, Ding Huan sent out another fifty or sixty wind blades.
At the same time, a few more projectiles shot out from the sea.
Blood blossomed on the surface of the water as Ding Huan's wind blades struck true, killing every single blade-backed fish.
These blade-backed fish were formidable with their projectiles, but they had a fatal flaw: to fire their projectiles, they had to stick their heads out of the water, making them easy targets for Ding Huan.
For the few projectiles that came next, Ding Huan didn't even bother using his Starry Sky Blade.
He easily dodged them and sent out a few more wind blades.
The sea fell silent once more.
Ding Huan didn't speed up.
He despised these blade-backed fish that could fire projectiles.
Now, he wished they would come and die.
These blade-backed fish weren't completely brainless.
Realizing that attacking Ding Huan was suicide, they mostly fled far away.
There were many blade-backed fish, but only a rare few could fire projectiles.
These fish had to undergo multiple evolutions, enduring countless hardships, before they could develop the ability to fire projectiles.
Yet, they were easily killed by Ding Huan.
Even the dumbest blade-backed fish wouldn't dare come looking for death now.
With no more blade-backed fish to ambush him, Ding Huan carefully searched the area.
There were many reef islands in this part of the sea, and Ding Huan checked each one he came across.
...
Qi Xin Yue stood up excitedly.
She had reached the second level of gene cultivation.
Ding Huan had said it would take one or two months to reach the second level, but she had done it in just a few days.
Was it because her talent was better?
Wait, where was Ding Huan?
Qi Xin Yue suddenly realized Ding Huan wasn't in the cave.
Her heart tightened, and she rushed out.
Then she felt a hollow emptiness.
Ding Huan wasn't outside either.
This reef island wasn't big, and after living here for so long, she knew it well.
With Ding Huan's strength, it was impossible for him to be tricked by fish.
The only possibility was that he had left.
Qi Xin Yue gazed out at the endless sea, feeling a sense of loneliness.
When she first escaped here, she hadn't felt lonely, only afraid that her pursuers would find her.
Now, she felt a deep sense of solitude.
Even though Ding Huan hadn't spoken much with her, she had grown accustomed to his presence in just a few days.
Now that he was suddenly gone, she felt out of place.
She didn't blame Ding Huan.
It was hard enough for one person to leave this place, let alone with her in tow.
Besides, on Earth, aside from Ding Huan, who wouldn't try to capture her?
In fact, she felt Ding Huan was too kind.
He must have left quietly to spare her the pain of a farewell.
"Good luck, I hope you reach where you want to go," Qi Xin Yue murmured, her spirits visibly dampened.
Perhaps it was best to go back to cultivating now, but she had lost the will to do so.
...
Ding Huan stopped at another reef island.
This time, he didn't immediately go searching.
He was certain someone had lived here.
There were signs of life at the edge of the reef.
Ding Huan's divine sense penetrated the area, and he soon discovered a man holding a short knife, cautiously watching his direction.
His arrival had been noticed.
Was this Zhong Chi?
The man looked to be in his thirties, not like a martial artist but more like a scholar or a researcher.
From his aura, he was indeed a strong individual.
Ding Huan stepped onto the reef island.
"Who are you?" Zhong Chi didn't hide any longer but stepped out from behind the rocks, looking at Ding Huan.
There was a long scar on his neck, running down from his throat.
Though the scar had healed, Ding Huan could still see how severe it must have been.
"Are you Zhong Chi?" Ding Huan asked.
"Yes, who are you?" Zhong Chi could sense Ding Huan's age, seemingly only in his teens or early twenties.
How could someone so young have come here alone?
"My name is Ding Huan. I saw the message you left not long ago and came to check. I didn't expect to actually find you," Ding Huan said with a smile.
Zhong Chi's eyes widened as he noticed the log behind Ding Huan.
After a while, he said, "You traveled across the sea with just a log?"
"Yep," Ding Huan nodded.
"How old are you? How did you reach the innate level?"
Zhong Chi was even more shocked.
Only an innate-level expert could do such a thing.
He, due to severe injuries and deep poisoning, couldn't leave this place.
"I'm not at the innate level. If you don't mind and trust me, we can leave here together. I'm heading to the shore soon," Ding Huan said straightforwardly.
(End of Chapter)