Chapter 352 : Inkband Advances to a Lord-level Ferocious Beast
Chapter 352: Inkband Advances to a Lord-level Ferocious Beast
Within the Dark Domain, inside a remote, nameless Cavern, bone-chilling cold permeated every corner.
Abnormal black frost coated the surrounding rock walls, transforming the entire Cavern into something resembling a frozen hell.
The source of this phenomenon was the giant serpent lying at the center of the Cavern.
More accurately, it was Inkband, who had previously evolved into a Molting Snake.
At this moment, Zhou Ming was using the Bloodline Jewel of the Frost Giant Python to help Inkband advance into a Lord-level Ferocious Beast.
Under the guidance of its bloodline, dim shadow energy particles and frost energy particles converged into a funnel, enveloping Inkband's body.
With Zhou Ming's assistance, the two kinds of energy particles fused through a unique transformation, stimulating an entirely new evolution within Inkband's bloodline.
However, as time passed, the transformation seemed to become stuck, unable to cross the final step.
"Aina, protect me."
Keeping his eyes fixed on Inkband's transformation, Zhou Ming instructed Aina before clasping his hands behind his back and appearing before Inkband.
After receiving her master's command, Aina immediately transformed into a shadow and concealed herself, silently standing guard.
"The Bloodline Will of the Frost Giant Python?"
After only a brief inspection, Zhou Ming immediately discovered why Inkband had been unable to complete its advancement.
The next moment, a crimson crown appeared above Zhou Ming's head as the power fluctuations of the Molting Snake Emperor Bloodline spread outward.
Using the power of his own Emperor Bloodline, Zhou Ming assisted Inkband in refining the Frost Giant Python's Bloodline Will, allowing it to completely merge into the vacant bloodline node that had been reserved earlier.
With Zhou Ming personally taking action, Inkband, which had been somewhat restless, finally calmed down.
At the same time, the surrounding energy particles surged toward it like an incoming tide.
Under Zhou Ming's guidance, shadow remained its primary attribute while frost became its secondary attribute.
The two powers gradually fused and transformed within Inkband's body.
Long ago, Zhou Ming had already made up his mind regarding the evolution of his serpent swarm.
He intended to use shadow power as the core, integrating the bloodlines of different serpent species into it to forge a path that belonged solely to him.
When the powers of shadow and frost fused perfectly, the power within Inkband's body finally underwent a qualitative transformation.
"Roar—"
With a resounding roar, Inkband's body began to change.
Its enormous body rapidly expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye, while mysterious azure patterns gradually appeared across its jet-black scales.
At the same time, Zhou Ming seized the opportunity to use Inkband's advancement to nourish his own Spiritual Power.
As Inkband successfully advanced, Zhou Ming's Spiritual Power also underwent a transformation, directly reaching the peak of the early-stage Transcendent realm.
For Zhou Ming, he now only needed a single opportunity to smoothly advance to the mid-stage Transcendent realm.
Meanwhile, Inkband's transformation also came to an end.
Its body length had doubled, reaching a full thirty meters.
Compared to the Frost Giant Python, the newly advanced Lord-level Ferocious Beast Inkband was still noticeably smaller.
However, the aura radiating from its body was powerful enough to leave ordinary high-tier Ferocious Beasts unable to move.
"Master."
Just after Inkband completed its advancement, a childish yet affectionate voice echoed within Zhou Ming's mind.
It was the thought transmitted instinctively through their Spiritual Thread.
"Congratulations, Master. Your strength has advanced once again."
Aina, who had been standing guard, appeared beside Zhou Ming and immediately congratulated him.
The joy on her face was even greater than if she herself had grown stronger.
The moment Aina suddenly appeared, Inkband immediately raised its enormous serpent head.
Its emotionless serpent pupils locked firmly onto Aina.
As Zhou Ming's Beast, protecting its master was Inkband's instinct.
"Hmph, you dead snake. You're actually thinking of attacking me?"
Back at the underground lake, she had personally taken care of Zhou Ming's serpent swarm.
Seeing Inkband repay kindness with hostility immediately made Aina somewhat dissatisfied.
"Alright. Why are you getting angry with Inkband?"
Having calmed the changes within his Spiritual Power, Zhou Ming smiled faintly and interrupted the conflict between Aina and Inkband.
One was his Beast, while the other was his maid.
Both were among his most capable subordinates, so naturally he had no desire to see them clash.
Seeing that even her status seemed inferior to Inkband's, Aina immediately turned away and sulked, looking nothing like a Transcendent expert.
Faced with this, Zhou Ming did not indulge her.
Instead, he instructed Inkband to demonstrate the changes in its abilities after advancing.
A short while later, he had gained a detailed understanding of Inkband's new capabilities.
The first was defense.
After obtaining the Frost Giant Python's bloodline, the Lord-level Ferocious Beast Inkband possessed a layer of frost power covering the surface of its scales.
This power resembled a Beast Tamer's Innate Force Field. Not only did it provide formidable defensive capabilities, but it also inflicted freezing and slowing effects upon anything that came into contact with it.
The second was its control over shadow power.
Besides retaining shadow power's corrosive characteristics, it now also carried the freezing properties of frost.
When combined with its first ability during close-range constriction, it could effortlessly shatter an opponent's resistance before rapidly corroding away their life force.
As for the third ability, it was similar to the Frost Giant Python's innate breath attack.
After fusing with frost power, Inkband's naturally paralyzing snake venom could now be expelled as a terrifying poisonous mist imbued with extreme cold.
After personally testing it, Zhou Ming discovered that this frost venom could freeze both his bloodline power and his Spiritual Power, reducing the strength of his physical body to less than half its normal performance.
Although the frost venom possessed considerable potential, further research would still be required before its true power could be fully unleashed.
This was because even after Zhou Ming transformed into the Molting Giant Serpent and used the Gathering Sand Secret Technique to borrow Inkband's abilities, the effectiveness of the frost venom still did not improve significantly.
However, with Scorpion-Lion's engagement ceremony fast approaching, Zhou Ming could only temporarily set aside further development of Inkband's abilities.
Afterward, he recalled Inkband and returned to the camp with Aina.
……
The following day, beneath the warm sunlight of early spring, a small airship slowly rose into the sky from the fortress within the Snake King Fortress camp.
It was Zhou Ming's personal airship—the Snake King.
After advancing to Transcendent Master, he had naturally obtained the qualifications to purchase an airship.
Therefore, Su Mei had long since purchased it from the Alliance in Zhou Ming's name.
Even the crew responsible for piloting it had been trained from within the camp itself.
This trip to Yunhai Base for Scorpion-Lion's engagement ceremony, Zhou Ming not only brought Aina but also over a dozen Snake Guards, including Li Hu.
As both a partner of the Duanmu Family and Scorpion-Lion's friend, it was only natural that he would help support the occasion.
Meanwhile, as Aina wandered curiously around the airship, admiring the scenery outside, Zhou Ming sat within the luxurious cabin, contemplating the deeper significance of this gathering.
The Duanmu Family now possessed two Transcendent experts.
Combined with himself and Aina, they already formed a considerable faction within the Alliance.
If both sides deepened their cooperation, perhaps they could one day dominate the northern territories of the Alliance.
After all, the Duanmu Family also had the Hunter Guild standing behind them.
As Zhou Ming continued pondering, the airship pierced through the clouds at tremendous speed, flying straight toward Yunhai Base.