Supreme Electromagnetic Tyrant
Chapter 345 - 249: Change of Appearance

Chapter 345: Chapter 249: Change of Appearance

In the evening, Xia Qingyu and Misha came back.

"What’s that smell?"

Sniffing the air in the courtyard, Xia Qingyu followed the scent of burning into the Cultivation Room, where she found chaos strewn about. The ground and walls were marred by black marks, as though licked by flames, with various training equipment also damaged to varying degrees.

Ji Xinghuo was still in the Cultivation Room, evidently unscathed.

"What happened here?"

Xia Qingyu looked puzzled, meeting Ji Xinghuo’s gaze and, perhaps it was an illusion, but she felt his eyes were incredibly sharp, as if her spirit had been pricked by a flash of lightning.

She had felt this way a few times before, always when facing terrifying enemies.

Xia Qingyu’s heart skipped a beat.

Ji Xinghuo was still experimenting with Spiritual Energy and the Magnetic Spirit Star Core, and only now did he retract it, calmly saying, "It’s nothing, I just advanced, and had a bit of trouble controlling my strength."

"Advanced!"

Xia Qingyu was shocked, "A Super Mutant?"

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"You’ve been a Mutant for just two years, and you’ve already become a Super Mutant!" Xia Qingyu couldn’t believe it, suddenly feeling a sense of urgency. In just two years, Ji Xinghuo had caught up to her, and then a wave of dejection hit her; even without advancing, Ji Xinghuo was already much stronger than she was.

"Freak!" Xia Qingyu shook her head, "So pointless..."

Misha and she couldn’t understand the conversation, but they guessed some of it and kept sizing up Ji Xinghuo. This young man seemed mysterious to her.

"Do you have any plans for the near future?" Ji Xinghuo suddenly asked.

"What’s up?"

"I’m going to leave Sky Falling Cliff," Ji Xinghuo said. "I’ll definitely come back, but when that will be, I’m not sure myself."

A look of astonishment crossed Xia Qingyu’s face.

There was a hint of reluctance in her eyes, but it was quickly concealed, "Where are you headed?"

"I should still be on the Bloody Plateau, wandering around, trying my luck in finding a Gale Beast." Ji Xinghuo then asked, "What about you? Weren’t you preparing to become Legendary?"

"Yes, the next time you see me, I’ll already be a Legendary Mutant," Xia Qingyu confidently asserted with a carefree laugh: "I will likely stay in Sky Falling Cliff for the next few years, you can always find me here, and if I’m not around, you can leave a message at the tavern on the corner."

"Okay," Ji Xinghuo nodded.

"Good luck!" After saying this, Xia Qingyu went upstairs with Misha again.

Ji Xinghuo continued to cultivate.

In his Electromagnetic Induction, he realized that after Xia Qingyu went upstairs, instead of getting busy with Misha as usual, she was unusually sitting alone on the balcony, silent and seemingly in a low mood.

It wasn’t until nightfall that Xia Qingyu’s spirits recovered, and the upstairs began to vibrate intensely once more.

Ji Xinghuo wordlessly smiled, his feelings mixed.

He continued to cultivate for two more days until the effect of the "Refined Ether Solvent" wore off, concluding this session of secluded Cultivation.

His Star Power increased to 3,253 points.

Ji Xinghuo estimated that, at the Super Mutant stage, if he merged with two to three more Alien Species, increased his limit, and reached the threshold for advancing to Legendary, his Star Power could potentially reach 12,000 points!

This was four times that of other Super Mutants.

The reason for this incredible potential was, firstly, because he had merged with an exceedingly high number of Alien Species; already possessing 13 Abilities upon becoming a Super Mutant. Secondly, due to the Ether Resonance and Magnetic Spirit Star Core, both of which could significantly raise the upper limit of his Star Power, far surpassing those of the same level.

Considering his current rate of cultivation and using Refined Ether Solvent throughout, he could average an increase of 12 points of Star Power per day.

To reach the Superpower upper limit would take 20 Star Realm Months.

Or, coincidentally, two Earth years.

By that time, around his 26th birthday, he would have the chance to strive for the Legendary rank. When viewed on a global scale, this evolution speed was astonishing.

"Less than two years left on the three-year agreement with ’Big Sister’ Ren..." Ji Xinghuo muttered to himself.

He put on his Taogang Armor, slung his bow and sword over his shoulder, and walked out of Xia Qingyu’s house, strolling around Sky Falling Cliff while gradually forming a plan in his mind.

The following days.

Ji Xinghuo sold both of He Yan’s weapons, totaling just over 100,000 True Dragon Coins, equivalent to 45 million Ya Yuan on Earth. Although both weapons were Superpower Two Stars, their quality wasn’t particularly outstanding, so this price was reasonable.

With these 100,000 True Dragon Coins, he purchased a batch of items.

During this time, he visited the chieftain of the Snow Ape Tribe, Han Qiu, several times, overpaying for two pieces of equipment and thereby improving their relationship.

Seeing Ji Xinghuo’s generous offer, Han Qiu took the initiative to ask and, upon learning that Ji Xinghuo wanted an information channel to learn about the ongoing wars on the Bloody Plateau, he agreed readily to help.

But, there was a cost.

Payments were to be made on time, every quarter to the Snow Ape Tribe, requiring one Ether Crystal per Star Realm Year, which had two seasons, cold and hot, amounting to two Ether Crystals in annual fees.

If the fees weren’t renewed at the end of the season, the provision of information would stop.

This price was steep.

Simply passing messages was easy for Han Qiu, who controlled many resources and information channels in the eastern part of the plateau, requiring no additional effort or cost.

However, Ji Xinghuo didn’t hesitate and immediately agreed.

He prepaid with two Ether Crystals, and Han Qiu gave him an advanced communicator made from Resonance Crystals, capable of transmitting voices much further than ordinary ones, reaching a distance of about 10,000 kilometers, covering half of the Bloody Plateau, and allowing him to receive messages at any time.

Getting the communicator, Ji Xinghuo felt secretly pleased with himself. This thing could very well be his lifeline in the future.

If he could get in touch with Han Qiu in a dire situation and was willing to pay for assistance, maybe help would arrive in time.

"I’m leaving."

It wasn’t long after daybreak when Ji Xinghuo packed up everything, shouldering his bow and sword, and spoke while sitting atop Qing Hong in the courtyard, towards the second-floor bedroom.

"Take care, no need to see me out," Xia Qingyu’s languid voice came in response, though he didn’t show his face.

Ji Xinghuo waved his hand, signaling his farewell.

He could sense Xia Qingyu, who had been entangled with Misha in bed, suddenly open his eyes and sit up sharply, but ultimately he didn’t get up and instead lay back down, turning over and remaining still.

Qing Hong walked out of the courtyard, swiftly disappearing down the street with Ji Xinghuo on its back.

Descending from the elevator at Sky Falling Cliff.

Ji Xinghuo headed westward. Roughly three hundred kilometers in that direction, there was an area spanning tens of thousands of square kilometers, where Gale Beasts were likely to appear.

If he continued farther west, there were several Highlander and Biao Clan tribes along the six-thousand-kilometer journey to the central part of the plateau, where friction was constant and wars frequent.

Westward bound.

Ji Xinghuo reached that region in just half a day.

But he didn’t start searching right away. Instead, he entered a deserted valley, leaped down from Qing Hong’s back, and stored the Invisible Stab, Lei Chi, and Demon Sound inside his Dimension Stomach, taking off his ceramic-steel armor and anti-cold underwear, stripping down completely.

Then, he took out a jar of blood-like paint and began to apply it to his body.

With Thousand Spirit Skillful Hand advanced to fifth level, Ji Xinghuo’s hands moved with the precision and stability of robotic arms.

Moments later, he had covered himself in red markings; a fierce Red Emperor’s Emblem was on his right chest, a skull dripping with blood encircled by flames.

A thick red line, like a band, started from his waist and wrapped around his left arm up to his shoulder, while the other end went up his back, along his neck to the top of his head. His hair had been completely shaved off, the marking came down from the forehead, crossing over the left eye, finally reaching his cheek.

The other parts of his skin were also filled with numerous symbols and markings, and as the paint seeped into his skin, it dried quickly, looking just like a real tattoo.

Standing boldly in the middle of the valley, Ji Xinghuo approached a pond and saw his current image reflected on the water surface.

Baldheaded, muscular, covered in blood markings.

He was the spitting image of a Red Emperor devotee from the Highlands!

However, he was still shorter than a real Highlander. He took out a pair of arm guards from his Dimension Stomach and put them on, feeling a surge of blood energy rolling inside him.

Within seconds, his stature had grown over ten centimeters taller.

His muscles also expanded slightly, making him look even more robust.

The arm guards, called "Fierce Brace," were part of the equipment he had purchased from Han Qiu; they were made of an extremely tough metal, covering from the wrist to the elbow, the left arm embedded with "Giant Strength" and the right "Angry Blood," both enhancing strength and increasing the size of the wearer’s body upon being worn.

Both arm guards were Superpower One Star equipment, though they were sold at the price of Superpower Two Stars.

Since the Fierce Brace required no activation and did not consume Star Power, the Abilities it provided were passive effects, very convenient to use.

Though somewhat overpriced, they were worth it.

"Now that looks right!"

Ji Xinghuo nodded in satisfaction, put on highlander-style leather underclothing, and then donned a set of dark, rugged armor, also in the style of the Highlanders, revealing his sculptured abs. He then took out a bear skin cloak and secured it over the shoulder armor on both sides for warmth.

Last of all, a two-handed battle axe appeared in his hands.

The double-edged battle axe, with a total length of about one point six meters, had one blade larger than the other, three times as big. The curved handle, which looked wooden, was also forged from an alloy, making the entire battle axe weigh over one hundred kilograms!

The wide axe blade bore complex, mysterious patterns, akin to a star map, emitting a cold aura.

"Ice Veiner’s Axe!"

This was also purchased from Han Qiu—a top weapon among Two-Star Superpower weapons, infused with four Abilities: "Heavy Strike," "Cold Bloodline," "Frost Burst," and "Ice Roar." Each "Heavy Strike" could cause low temperatures, slowing down surrounding enemies, and the axe blade was extremely sharp, with a potent lethal power.

The most valuable feature was "Cold Bloodline," a passive effect that could suppress the wearer’s inner rage, maintaining composure without decreasing strength.

Many Highlander warriors, once in Frenzy or Bloody Frenzy for too long, would lose their sanity.

The Ice Veiner’s Axe could, to a certain extent, prevent madness.

And alleviate the side effects of Frenzy.

For Highlanders and Red Emperor devotees, the Ice Veiner’s Axe not only enhanced physical strength but also protected their minds, delaying their descent into insanity.

The Snow Ape Giant Tribe specially crafted the Ice Veiner’s Axe, which had a low production rate, only three to five axes forged every Star Realm Year.

For this particular axe, Ji Xinghuo paid two Ether Crystals and thirty thousand True Dragon Coins.

He hung the battle axe on the hook on his back.

Besides the axe, he also carried five customized iron spears, each weighing 20 kilograms, bundled and strapped in a quiver on his back.

In his Dimension Stomach, he stored several more spears, heavier and longer, ready for emergencies.

Ji Xinghuo looked at his reflection in the water.

His attire left no traces tying him to Earth, presenting him entirely as a Highlander Berserker.

"Feel like I’m missing something..."

He rubbed his chin and immediately remembered. With a thought, he activated the Rotating Magnetic Field on his chin and quickly grew a thick beard. After simple trimming, it became a full beard that wrapped around his chin and cheeks, looking rugged and fierce.

In this guise, even his family wouldn’t recognize him standing right in front of him.

After examining his reflection in the water several times and ensuring there were no flaws, Ji Xinghuo hopped onto Qing Hong’s back and left the valley, racing towards the west.