The Ultimate Evolution - Chapter 648

Chapter 648

TL note: For those who see a bugged content for the previous chapter, it should only happen for app users . Just remove the novel from the reading list and re-add it . It should be fine after that .

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Chapter begins:

As this scene unfolded before his very eyes, Sheyan released a deep sigh .

"Ah indeed, it’s true… . . . Mbenga, you even know the supreme secret of the Ndipaya Tribe!! Then, could it be your true identity is . . . . I really hope I’m wrong, otherwise, will the ultimate standoff be between us?"

Within this short span of time, those big black ants ultimately fulfilled their use; the toxins of the Sun Altar had been finally neutralized . Like a black tide, they flooded in; their goal wasn’t the Flower Terrace in the middle, but the blooming vegetation that coiled around the Sun Altar .

Those ants swiftly crawled up the stems of plants, before sinking their incisive mandibles into the flowers . After chomping what they needed, they transported it back into their ant nest .

Only with these flowers, would the ant tribe be able to propagate a new assembly of fledgling ants . Actually, the flowers aren’t a cure for ants fertility, instead, it was the only method to breed herculean ants . It was no wonder these ants abandoned their lives to pillage the Sun Altar .

Sheyan soon discovered that it wasn’t that the ants weren’t interested in the ‘Stairway of the Sun’ within the Flower Terrace . Instead, to them, the canal encircling it was like a heavenly moat . Any ant that plunges in would be instantly corroded by the mysterious liquid .

Since the toxins had been neutralized, Sheyan took a deep breath . He could no longer wait and didn’t dare to tarry any longer because time was mercilessly elapsing . After all, he couldn’t be too sure how much time Mbenga could win for him outside . To prevent this reverie from metamorphosing into a nightmare, risks ought to be taken .

Sheyan directly stepped onto the tiny walkway of skulls . Immediately, a tinge of elasticity feedbacked against the bottom of his feet . It was unclear what sort of method had been used to preserve a fresh moisty state, resembling flesh and blood, onto these skulls that had been exposed for countless hundreds of years .

Once he acted, Sheyan raced towards the Sun Altar without a sliver of hesitation . Bright sunlight cascaded onto his head; clear and radiantly, he could seemingly observe the dust hovering in the air .

The rich and diverse leaves of the ‘Stairway of the Sun’ swayed as they revealed a slight translucency . One could observe plants' distinct venation, that was as comparably clear as that of human veins . The plants were seemingly brimming with nutrients as fluids coursed through their xylem .

Sheyan took a deep breath . In his mind, the intoxicated warnings from Mbenga still flowed with great clarity .

"When harvesting the ‘Stairway of the Sun’, you must only pluck the dried leaves . Your action must be swift but you mustn’t touch other branches of leaves, otherwise, you will meet with unforeseeable consequences . "

However, at this moment, Sheyan noticed that amidst the soil of this Flower Terrace, the craggy edge of an azure colored stone had been exposed .

The grain and luster of this ‘stone’ was exceedingly mystifying, not resembling at all something that belonged on earth .

Stirred emotionally, Sheyan carefully examined around . Eventually, he noticed similar edges of those azure ‘stone’ protruding out from the surrounding cavern walls .

Instantaneously, a thought flashed through Sheyan’s eyes .

Several thousands, or perhaps, several million years ago, a meteor streaked past the sky of the African continent . Nearly destroyed by the friction from the atmosphere, it smashed into the ground and crumbled into pieces; with fragments scattering sporadically around . Still, it had successfully crashed through a hidden underground karst cave, thereby forging an averagely sized skylight over this enclosed cave . This was probably the reason for the bizarre cavern ceiling hole .

After the meteor settled, the largest fragment had landed onto the middle region, now known as the ‘Sun Altar’ . Perhaps due to this meteorite carrying an unprecedented wave brand of radiation, it ‘alien-ized’ the existing vegetation here . Either that, or seeds of life had already been concealed inside the core of this meteorite previously .

With such unique environmental conditions supplying suitable warmth, moisture content and light, a prodigious plant, never seen by the likes of earth, was born… . . . . . … . nevertheless, it remained incapable of propagating extensively, due to its harsh growing demands .

Eons of years later, a tiny group known as the ‘Ndipaya Tribe’ coincidentally discovered this place .

After years of exploring, they uncovered methods to tap on the energy source of this mystical plant, and flourished into a magnificent kingdom . . . . They believed, buried within this plant, were powers bestowed by the sun god . Only by obtaining such powers, would one be conferred the way leading to the sun god .

As such, it was given the name – ‘Stairway of the Sun’ .

At this moment, Sheyan also noticed that beside the main stem of the ‘Stairway of the Sun’, there were unexpectedly several independent seedlings . Moreover, right above it, the vines and leaves of the ‘Stairway of the Sun’ were mysteriously shaped to look like a womb . It seemed as though even the ‘Stairway of the Sun’ needed to breed out younger generation, and unexpectedly in the form of viviparity .

However, to his matchless dismay, Sheyan realized the majority of the seedlings had withered! Furthermore, they withered due to the tight constrictions of several tentacle-like roots of their own mother .

How ruthless and intelligent was this plant!!

It could definitely sense that the nutrients and water content of the atmosphere, were only sufficient for its own growth . If it allowed these fledglings to mature, they would assuredly vie for the limited existential resources present . The mother plant would ultimately perish . Therefore, even though this plant had adorned the primitive instincts of propagation, it wisely eliminated its descendants to ensure its very own survival . How callous and heartless this was!

Although Sheyan was moved by this scene, his gaze was fixated on the largest, most vigorous seedling . This seedling was similarly coiled tightly by its mother’s roots .

Yet even though its brothers and sisters had all withered into oblivion, it persistently resisted death as its tiny branch maintained a ray of hope .

Observing such obstinate tenacity, Sheyan was stirred as he lashed out without hesitation .

A contestant’s superhuman strength was naturally incomparably to an ordinary person . With a flick, Sheyan attempted to directly snap the coiling root around that seedling . Yet when he tugged, he realized that root wouldn’t budge; it was essentially like pulling a steel wire .

Nevertheless, Sheyan exerted his full might and finally snapped off that root . Mild yellowish sap spewed out from the snapped ends of the root, a scene analogous to that of ripping a human’s arm apart .

After snapping the root, Sheyan stabbed his hand into the soft moist soil . Gently excavating out that live seedling without harming it, he tossed it into the party storage . Following that, Sheyan grabbed that fist-sized azure stone fragment and turned to flee .

It may seem like this sequence of actions was complicated, but it was as smooth as the moving clouds and flowing water! It only took a mere two seconds .

After feeling its roots being ripped apart, the mother ‘Stairway of the Sun’ became wildly infuriated . Its thick vines trembled violently, as soil and sediments instantly scattered . Then, it unexpectedly whipped towards Sheyan ferociously like a man-eating flower!

On the contrary, after committing this evil deed, Sheyan hadn’t the slightest guts to block the assaulting plant . With a hasty roll forward, he scrambled to escape .

At this moment, a single notion jolted through his mind with lightning pace .

"Do I go ahead and consume the ‘Stairway of the Sun’ now? No! Absolutely not! I have no interests in metamorphosing into a Licker or a Plaga Host . "

Yet just as Sheyan was joyously making his getaway from this Sun Garden section, his pupils shrank . The berserking mother ‘Stairway of the Sun’ had actually triggered a mechanism .

Towards the left of Sheyan, a stone door coated with dust suddenly shuddered and swung forth .

Inside, a crooked, bony, dark, moist and shriveled figure trembled slightly, before leisurely standing up! Centuries of accumulated dust repeatedly roiled around his body .

Sheyan inhaled deeply .

He knew, this was the ultimate test for doing as he pleased and not listening to Mbenga’s advice .

That shriveled figure marched unhurriedly towards him like a robot . One could scarcely notice its grizzled hair, shabby attire and stooped posture . Under the sunlight, even its gum could be seen beneath its yellowish and blackened teeth . Nevertheless, dry muscles remained forcibly anchoring its teeth; maintaining a chewing motion .

Evidently, this was similarly a Plaga Host that Sheyan had encountered before . Yet unknown why and unexpectedly, the Ndipaya natives bestowed it the responsibility of being the last line of defense!

"AH~~~~~~~~~!"

This shriveled figure abruptly released a drawn-out sigh . In response, Sheyan’s facial muscles twitched reflexively . This was his first time encountering a Plaga Host that could talk . Undoubtedly, that implied it possesses a definite level of intelligence . . . .

As such, it also implied this would be an incomparably bitter fight; a grueling battle bordered by life or death!!

"How many years has it been since I last saw sunshine? A century, or two centuries? Dwelling within that endless darkness, how I thirst for the warmth of sunshine . "

That Plaga Host raised its arms and cried out . Yet while executing its actions, tattered cloth rags rustled off it and slumped to the ground; revealing its crackling bony vertebra .

At this instant, it suddenly shifted its gaze towards Sheyan, before unleashing a frenetic roar filled with rapacious thirst .

"BUT! I thirst more for the sweetness of flesh . Ah, the juiciness of steaming intestines and a beating heart . Oh, how wonderful the satisfying chew of splashing blood!"