Inside the Nature Alliance's laboratory.
Leilin stared at the massive iceberg before him, a trace of regret on his face.
Surrounding the iceberg, a large number of crystal stones radiating blue fluorescence formed the pattern of a magical array. Blue beams of light continuously swept across the surface of the iceberg.
"Simulated frost radiation has failed! The Ice Jade Scorpion King's life data continues to decline!"
The Chip's feedback rang out, devoid of any emotion.
Crack, crack! Suddenly, the blue-glowing crystal stones began to explode one after another, and the magical array's glow dimmed in an instant.
"So it failed again?" Leilin sighed.
This Ice Jade Scorpion King he had captured had seen its life force steadily weaken ever since being taken from the Frost Cavern. That was only because it was in an icy transformation state — otherwise, it would probably have died long ago.
Leilin had no better solution. After multiple failed attempts to simulate the special radiation of the frost world, he had abandoned that line of thinking and shifted to making the most of the Ice Jade Scorpion King he had.
"Extracting the ancient bloodline is no longer possible, and I've already recorded all the information within its bloodline, so…"
Leilin shifted his gaze to the Ice Jade Scorpion King's back, where a distorted woman's face rune stood out with crystalline clarity — it even seemed as though it had come alive.
Through the memories within the Ice Jade Scorpion King's bloodline, Leilin knew that all Ice Jade Scorpions descended from that scorpion man of Morning Star strength.
And when that scorpion man had been swept away by the spatial rift, a single drop of the giantess's blood had fallen onto his back!
From that point on, the scorpion man's bloodline had been tainted by a far more powerful one.
And that rune would appear on the scorpion man's descendants.
Strictly speaking, the rune on the Ice Jade Scorpion King's back was merely a faint projection of that giantess's bloodline power.
Yet even just that faint projection had released a howl that had nearly trapped Leilin in an illusion.
Moreover, even a sliver of a high-ranking creature's bloodline carried all manner of extraordinary power.
"Chip! How is the analysis of this Fear Rune coming along?"
Leilin asked directly.
"Analysis complete: 45 percent. Obtained incomplete ice-transformation rune, healing rune, and enough data to supplement 31 percent of the Banshee's Wail!" The Chip reported faithfully.
"Oh?" Leilin was somewhat surprised. "So the Ice Jade Scorpion's ice-transformation healing ability was actually shaped over time by the influence of the giantess's bloodline…"
A sudden idea sparked in his mind — a way to make the absolute most of the Ice Jade Scorpion King.
"Combine the sea-of-consciousness repair technique I obtained earlier with the Ice Jade Scorpion's ice-transformation ability. Burn the Ice Jade Scorpion King's bloodline, activate the rune's power on its back, and form a one-time bloodline imprint…"
Blue light flickered through Leilin's eyes as he calculated. "This way, I could use an ice-transformation ability once myself — an amplified version. The bloodline power within should be more than enough to repair the damage to my sea of consciousness…"
Using solidified Spiritual Power could accomplish the same thing, but it would take far too long. Besides, Leilin wanted to recover his Second-rank Warlock strength as soon as possible.
Ice transformation was originally the Ice Jade Scorpion's unique talent. When gravely wounded, it could encase itself in a thick shell of ice — not only an excellent defense, but also a means of gradually recovering from injury.
Now, Leilin intended to apply that ability to himself.
"Chip, if I go about it this way, what is the feasibility?" Leilin immediately asked in his mind.
A torrent of information and images flashed by, and the Chip promptly delivered its conclusion: "Feasibility: 87 percent. The subject must first undergo frost radiation tolerance modification!"
"As expected!" A gleam of delight flashed through Leilin's eyes.
The Ice Jade Scorpion King's ice-transformation ability, combined with a sliver of projection from an ancient and powerful bloodline — at that level, it would surely be enough to repair even a Second-rank Warlock's sea of consciousness.
This was also the best possible way to make use of the Ice Jade Scorpion King.
After all, Leilin already had a great stockpile of Ice Jade Scorpion materials. And to him, what were mere external materials compared to his own strength?
"Right! If that's the case, certain preparations must begin now!"
Leilin looked at the Ice Jade Scorpion King encased within the iceberg. Surrounded by vast quantities of ice, the creature looked even more ethereal — the green of its body seemed almost alive.
Only the ever-weakening pulse of its life force still testified that its days were numbered.
"Chip! Prepare a Bloodline Burning Potion. Certain preliminary preparations must also be made!"
A cold gleam flashed in Leilin's eyes.
To fully harness the Ice Jade Scorpion King's ice-transformation ability — to burn its bloodline completely, stimulate the Fear Rune on its back, and form a specific ice-transformation bloodline imprint — would naturally require extremely intricate manipulation.
But certain groundwork had to begin now. First, he needed to ensure the Scorpion King survived until that moment. Second, he needed to acclimate his own body to the extreme cold of the ice transformation.
…
Three days later, inside the laboratory.
"Leilin! May I come in?" Xiling's voice drifted in from outside.