The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.

Wang Xiangxiang: “(angry.jpg)(angry.jpg)(angry.jpg)”

She sent a series of emojis before sending a message.

“You took it seriously?! I was only kidding! I’m in Storm City, a different initial city from where you’re at! Moreover, my refinement rate is already at 98%!”

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment, feeling a little awkward.

Wang Xiangxiang was already so strong?

Lu Yuan then recalled that Wang Xiangxiang had awakened in year one of high school. Moreover, she also came from a family of gene fighters, and they’d definitely be able to help her out a lot.

It had been almost two years, so it was very reasonable for her to almost reach a breakthrough to tier-1.

He said seriously.

“You think I didn’t know that you were kidding? I was kidding as well. Did you actually take it seriously? That couldn’t be, right?”

Wang Xiangxiang: “?????”

Zhuo Ming: “@Lu Yuan, as expected of the boss! My idol! To think that you’d dare to make a pass at Elder Sister Xiangxiang!”

Gu Yu: “@Lu Yuan, as expected of the boss! My idol! To think that you’d dare to make a pass at Elder Sister Xiangxiang!”

Wang Xiangxiang: “Little Kid Ming, Little Kid Yu, do you guys want to die?”

Zhuo Ming: “Cough, why don’t we talk about something else?”

Wen Ni: “Oh, right, we haven’t met Classmate Lu Yuan before. When should we have a gathering?”

Gu Yu: “I feel that it’s a good suggestion. Classmate Lu Yuan is already a boss, so shouldn’t he give us a treat?”

Wang Xiangxiang: “(smirk.jpg) That’s fine. I want to go to the Nine Lakes Grand Restaurant!”

Lu Yuan: “Please sell me. I don’t have money.”

The Nine Lakes Grand Restaurant was the highest class restaurant in the entire Xili City. It was a place even someone like him, who was from the slums, knew about.

To have him treat them there?

What was she thinking?

He couldn’t afford it at all.

Wang Xiangxiang: “Just kidding, just kidding. There are many places in which gene fighters have to spend money. Just treat us to something simple. Oh right, let’s wait until Little Kid Yan and Lili come out.”

Wen Ni: “Agree.”

Zhuo Ming: “That’s decided then! I shall not eat from today onward and will wait for Boss to give us a treat!”

Lu Yuan: “Sure, don’t eat.”

Gu Yu: “If Big Bro Cao can come out alive this time around, he should be close to having a refinement rate of 95%, right?”

Zhuo Ming: “I’m so envious. I’m only at 36% now.”

Wen Ni: “That’s considered good. I’m only at 33%. If this goes on, it’ll be a little hard for me to reach 35% before the college entrance examination. Gu Yu, how much is yours?”

Gu Yu: “I’m at 64%. I can’t compare to Elder Sister Xiangxiang and Big Bro Cao.”

Zhuo Ming: “That isn’t bad either. Given your refinement rate, in addition to having engraved and recorded an extraordinary gene, you’ll be able to get into a mid-level Gene Fighter Academy. However, it would be hard for me and Wen Ni.”

Wang Xiangxiang: “If you can continue to come out alive from your future trips to the Land of Origins, Little Kid Ming and Wen Ni still have a chance of reaching a 50% refinement rate.”

Zhuo Ming: “(cry.jpg) It isn’t that easy to come out alive from the Land of Origins. Those ferocious beasts and other fighters in the Land of Origins aren’t humane at all! All of them just want to kill you! It has been a year since I f*cking awakened, but I only came out alive ten times! This time around, I’d have come out dead too if it wasn’t for Brother Yuan!”

Wen Ni: “If it really doesn’t work, my dad plans on spending money to buy me a batch of spirit crystals. At the very least, I’ll be able to raise my refinement rate with them.”

Zhuo Ming: “@Wen Ni… Rich lady! I’m hungry! Food!”

Wen Ni: “(smile.jpg) Scram.”

Wang Xiangxiang: “@Wen Ni, you’ll have to be fast then. The college entrance examination is nearing after all.”

Wen Ni: “En, I know.”

Wang Xiangxiang: “(sigh.jpg) It’s hard for me too. The difficulty of breaking the genetic lock is too much. It’s hard to get my hands on the materials I need within a short period. If I can make a breakthrough to tier-1, then I may be able to fight for a chance to enter one of the top ten Gene Fighter Academies.”

Gu Yu: “Is this what a boss is? While we’re fretting over how to come out from the Land of Origins alive, she is already considering how to break the genetic lock. We’re all humans, so why is our difference so big?! I’m sorry to be born as a human. (sob.jpg)”

Wen Ni: “Is this what a boss is? While we’re fretting over how to come out from the Land of Origins alive, she is already considering how to break the genetic lock. We’re all humans, so why is our difference so big? ! I’m sorry to be born as a human. (sob.jpg)”

Zhuo Ming: “Is this what a boss is? While we’re fretting over how to come out from the Land of Origins alive, she is already considering how to break the genetic lock. We’re all humans, so why is our difference so big? ! I’m sorry to be born as a human. (sob.jpg)”

Lu Yuan: “Is this what a boss is? While we’re fretting over how to come out from the Land of Origins alive, she is already considering how to break the genetic lock. We’re all humans, so why is our difference so big? ! I’m sorry to be born as a human. (sob.jpg)”

Lu Yuan, who had been silent while reading the chat, couldn’t help but repeat what the other three said.

After seeing Lu Yuan’s message, Zhuo Ming asked curiously.

“Oh right, Brother Yuan, what is your refinement rate?”

Lu Yuan: “Mine is lower than all of you guys. I’m only at 10%.”

Wang Xiangxiang: “?”

Wen Ni: “?”

Gu Yu: “?”

Zhuo Ming: “?”

Lu Yuan was a little puzzled: “What’s wrong?”

Wang Xiangxiang: “…It has only been a week since you f*cking awakened, right? You’re already at 10%?!”

Gu Yu: “Why are you so fast?”

Zhuo Ming: “I suddenly don’t understand if it’s Brother Yuan who’s too strong or if it’s just me who is too weak.”

Wen Ni: “This speed is too scary. If this continues on, with there being about two months or so to the college entrance examination, won’t you be able to strive for tier-1?! (scream.jpg)”

Lu Yuan: “Maybe it’s because my efficiency of absorbing spirit energy is higher. I heard someone say that I’m a genius.”

Moreover, a large part of the spirit crystals he depleted was used on the evolution cube.

Wang Xiangxiang: “If this is really the case, then Lu Yuan, you’re really a genius! Moreover, you aren’t an ordinary genius! Your speed can catch up to the members of the major clans! Really, if you can continue like this, you’ll definitely be able to become a major character! You might even be able to become a battle general or a battle lord!”

Zhuo Ming: “Battle lord?! F*ck! To think that a future major character is right next to me?!”

Wen Ni: “Boss! Can I hug your leg in advance?”

Gu Yu: “Which leg* do you want to hug?”

Zhuo Ming: “?, Old Gu, something isn’t right with what you said.”

Wen Ni: “?”

Gu Yu was banned from sending messages for 24 hours.

Wang Xiangxiang: “Alright, it’s quiet now. I’ll go beat Little Kid Yu up later.”

Zhuo Ming: “(candle.jpg)(pray.jpg) I hope that he won’t be fine.”

Lu Yuan looked at the messages in the group chat and his lips curled up.

He hadn’t known previously that the awakened gene fighters from his class were all very talented.

…

Everyone continued to chat for a while, talking about things related to the Land of Origins.

Wang Xiangxiang and Cao Yan came from gene fighter families and had help, so they did quite well.

Things were a little harder for the others.

They’d always come out dead from the Land of Origins.

In one year, it was hard for them to even have ten or more times in which they could come out alive. Hence, their progress was slower.

Of course, compared to ordinary cultivation, it was still a lot faster.

After all, most people’s speed of absorbing spirit qi was really mediocre.

There weren’t many geniuses like Lu Yuan.

They chatted until the sky gradually turned bright. At this moment, Lu Yuan got out of the group chat and opened a browser to start searching for information about the ferocious beasts in the Sandstone Underground Palace.

Very soon, he found the information in a post for newbies.

[Sandstone City Ferocious Beasts Illustrated Handbook]

Lu Yuan’s eyes lit up and he clicked on the post.

Thereafter, his expression turned grim.

To think that it was a pay-to-read post!

The cost was $3,000!

“Isn’t this robbery?! Even if I were to die, I wouldn’t pay this money!”

Lu Yuan was a little unwilling to accept this. He left the post and continued searching.

After searching for a very long time, Lu Yuan found a few other posts about the ferocious beasts in Sandstone City. However, they were all pay-to-read posts.

The first one he saw was the cheapest.

Lu Yuan was helpless and could only go back to the first post.

“Isn’t it just $3,000? It’s not as if I can’t afford it!”

Thankfully, he still had $4,000 or so in his bank account. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to pay for it even if he wanted to.

“This post is an illustrated handbook on the ferocious beasts in the Sandstone City, an initial city.” (Note: This post only includes common ferocious beasts. Some unique ferocious beasts aren’t included.)

Lu Yuan took a look at the first line and his lips couldn’t help but twitch.

However, he could understand this. After all, the Land of Origins was too big and there were too many varieties of ferocious beasts.

Some ferocious beasts hadn’t even been encountered by gene fighters before. Hence, it was understandable for them to not know what those ferocious beasts were.

“Graystone beetle: Common-grade ferocious beast. The weakest ferocious beast in Sandstone City. It is primarily distributed in the Graystone Forest but can also be found in other areas. It is weak, its food is rocks, and its speed is very slow. Newbie benefit… ”

“Black-rune graystone beetle: Elite-grade ferocious beast. Primarily lives in the Graystone Forest. It is weaker amongst elite-grade ferocious beasts and is about as strong as a gene fighter who has a 40-60% refinement rate of a common-grade gene. Possess battle technique: Stoneskin…”

“Metal beetle: Common-grade ferocious beast. Primarily lives in the depths of the Graystone Forest. They are lower in numbers and they are stronger than graystone beetles. They have strong defense and slow speed…”

“Small stoneman: …”

“Black scorpion: …”

“Underground palace sand ants…”

The entire post listed several hundred types of ferocious beasts. Out of which, over 100 of them were from the Sandstone Underground Palace.

These included the small stonemen and black scorpions he had met before, as well as the underground palace sand ants, blackline snakes, underground palace sand kuis, and others.

There was information on their unique traits, power, and which parts were more valuable.

After reading this, Lu Yuan suddenly felt that the money was worth spending.

After knowing about the types of ferocious beasts in the Sandstone Underground Palace, Lu Yuan felt a lot more confident.

There were some ferocious beasts in which even if he were to encounter them now, he could only flee. Otherwise, he’d die.

If it was in the past, he might foolishly charge up to them since he didn’t know those ferocious beasts.

Lu Yuan gave it some thought and then wanted to buy a map of the underground palace.

Although the ferocious beasts’ nests and resting places in the underground palace would move at different durations, if there were no major changes to the passageways, there wouldn’t be any tremendous changes.

After buying a map, the chances of getting lost would become a lot lower.

However, after he opened up the post for purchasing the map, the $10,000 cost caused him to fall silent.

He only had slightly over $1,000 left in his pocket.

Thankfully, he still had some materials in his space that he hadn’t sold.

Reading the Ferocious Beast Illustrated Handbook post earlier took him two hours, so it wasn’t early anymore. The shops should be open right now.

He should go sell the materials first.

Hence, Lu Yuan switched off the computer and went out.

Maybe due to the matter from last night, all the other people in the co-rental apartment hid in their rooms. None of them went out.

Lu Yuan took a look at the tightly shut doors and didn’t think much about it.

He left the rental apartment and took a taxi to the Nine Lakes Business District.

Footnote:

[1] The male p*nis is sometimes referred to as the third leg.