Astral Cockroach

The bamboo species obtained by hybridizing 'Colorful Red Bamboo - No. 1' with 'Colorful Cold Bamboo' is named 'Little Fire Bamboo,' and the corresponding God-given Seed is also named Little Fire Bamboo.

A small bamboo species, it prefers dampness and is suitable for planting near ponds, to be nurtured by cattails.

Cattail advanced to L3 Advanced Warrior in the winter of Banbu Year 6.

Banbu Year 7, early spring, planting in mid-January.

The development pattern of all bamboo God-given Seeds is the same.

Corresponding to a Primary Warrior, the mother plant divides into 8 underground stems, growing into 8 bamboo clumps, producing 8 bamboo poles.

Corresponding to an Intermediate Warrior, each of the 8 bamboo clumps divides into 8 underground stems, growing into 64 bamboo clumps, producing 64 bamboo poles.

Corresponding to a High-level Warrior, extrapolating, it would be a new growth of 512 bamboo poles.

Bamboo-type God-given Seeds grow very quickly. The total of 584 bamboo poles are completed in one go in the spring, growing into a delicate and petite red bamboo forest surrounding the specially dug pond.

The aura of flame is rich. Obviously, the condensed bamboo rice strengthens fire abilities. Judging from experience, the quality will not be bad, it should be low-end of high-grade.

It's just the yield... A small bamboo species, the bamboo poles are short, the yield is certainly not high.

...

This year's trade with the caravan brought in 291,000 Origin Stones.

Banbu is not stingy either, spending 150,000 Origin Stones to purchase a batch of Origin Power food for all members of Lizhu Peak.

Taking out 30,000 Origin Stones to build a tap water pipeline, installing the faucet at the entrance of the cave where he lives.

He won't spend the rest randomly, starting to save money to prepare for the future development of Lizhu Peak, and to ensure his own rapid growth after being promoted to County Lord.

Rat King is worthy of his S-grade talent, spending less than half the Origin Stones of Fengling, yet surpassing Fengling, advancing to L9 Advanced Warrior in the spring, only one step away from being promoted to Mountain Lord.

...

Early April, the midday sun is starting to get a little scorching.

After awakening his fire ability, Banbu likes to bask in this scorching, hot sun, feeling warm and comfortable all over.

"Banbu!" Baizhu shouted from afar.

Banbu was deducing his cultivation technique, his thoughts interrupted. He looked up, unable to contain his annoyance: What's wrong with this Baizhu again? Even the way he walks is different.

He stood upright on his two hind legs, his two front legs bent, hands on his hips, head held high, swaggering up the mountain.

Looking smug and elated.

"Baizhu, what's wrong with you again?"

"Banbu, I've advanced to L7 Advanced Warrior! Haha, Mazhu and the others are only L6 Advanced Warriors."

"So fast..."

Banbu shook his antennae to signal, and said, "Come over, let me take a closer look."

The seven Bamboo Rat Warriors, the Rat King's Origin Power food is given in full at once. Originally, the Origin Power food for the other six Bamboo Rat Warriors was distributed monthly. Later, it was discovered that Baizhu was being robbed even more severely. Banbu changed it again last year to be distributed every 5 days.

From then on, Baizhu grew rapidly as if he had a cheat, evolving almost every half a year.

An abnormal rate of evolution.

It's not a talent issue. Banbu had already checked. Baizhu is a very ordinary C-grade talent, two grades worse than the S-grade talent Rat King.

It can be confirmed that the bit of Dominator-level metal core he ate triggered some kind of gene mutation in Baizhu.

Baizhu stepped forward.

Banbu scanned with his mental power, checking inside and out. Apart from the fluff on his body, there was no change in his physique. He was still a C-grade talent, and nothing seemed wrong.

Judging from his previous life's experience as a human cultivator, it was impossible for Baizhu to maintain this super-fast evolution speed forever. After a certain period, it would naturally return to normal.

"Banbu, I feel that if I had more Origin Power food, I could surpass Rat King and become the third Mountain Lord level warrior of Lizhu Peak. And I would awaken multiple metal abilities, a Mountain Lord level warrior with combat capabilities, much more powerful than Rat King."

Baizhu said seriously: "Banbu, you should give me a raise!"

"Stop talking nonsense." Banbu waved his antennae and scolded: "Get down the mountain and work! Believe it or not, I'll deduct your salary for this month?"

"Uh... Banbu, don't be anxious, I have something important to talk to you about." Baizhu looked around furtively, lowered his mental power, and said: "Banbu, look!"

After speaking, the fluff on his body exploded, turning into black steel needles.

Baizhu said triumphantly: "I have awakened my metal ability in advance, and now I can freely control and use this ability."

After speaking, the fluff on his body softened, and with a thought, it turned into hard steel needles again.

Baizhu said: "Banbu, I have been very careful to hide this ability according to your instructions, and have not shown off everywhere."

Baizhu was still obedient, obtaining the metal ability in advance, he was very proud, but he didn't forget himself, and didn't forget Banbu's instructions.

"Very good." Banbu nodded his antennae in satisfaction, and said: "Including the matter of the metal core, don't talk about it everywhere."

"Understood!" Baizhu patted his chest to assure, and said pitifully: "Banbu, can you give me a raise? My Origin Power food is really not enough to eat."

Banbu did not respond directly, but asked: "Baizhu, does your ability consume Origin Power when used continuously?"

"Of course it consumes Origin Power." Baizhu pointed to a tuft of silver-white fluff on his forehead, and said: "I feel that Origin Power is stored here, and using the metal ability will consume Origin Power."

Banbu asked again: "After Origin Power is consumed, can you absorb natural Origin Power to replenish it?"

"Of course." Baizhu said, directly exploding his fluff, pointing to his forehead, and said: "Banbu, sense it carefully, they are absorbing Origin Power, but the rate is very slow."

Banbu probed with his mental power, and sure enough, the tuft of silver-white hair on Baizhu's forehead was absorbing natural Origin Power at a slow rate. It was too slow, and it was difficult to detect without careful sensing.

Upon closer observation, it was because Baizhu was currently only an L7 Advanced Warrior, and due to his strength limitations, the corresponding Origin Power patterns had not yet formed.

"Banbu, um, can the salary be..."

"You think you're great just because you awakened your metal ability?" Banbu spread his wing-veins, a wisp of flame jumped from the tip of his wings, floating towards Baizhu.

"Squeak!"

"I'm just asking, it's okay if you don't agree..." Baizhu screamed in fright, turned his head, and fled down the mountain.

"With such little ability, you want to fly to the sky?"

Banbu muttered, retracting his wing-veins, and lay down again. Being interrupted like this, he completely lost the mind to continue deducing his cultivation technique.

Dominator-level metal core, Baizhu only ate such a tiny bit, yet it accelerated his growth and awakened his metal ability in advance.

He himself fused the whole thing, but didn't accelerate his growth. He did inherit the supernatural powers, but he couldn't autonomously absorb natural Origin Power. Its only use was to make tap water pipes, and it was especially expensive...

Why is there such a contrast?

Racial physique? There is this possibility, but it is definitely not the main reason.

Unscientific!

Or did he overlook something...?

Banbu calmed his mind, and his mental power scanned his body, focusing on his front heart, carefully examining the supernatural power patterns on the surface.

The patterns were as thin as hair strands, silvery-gray when Origin Power was exhausted, and bright silver-white after being replenished with sufficient Origin Power and activated. The color was similar to the mutated hair on Baizhu's forehead...

Each pattern was between 0.5 cm and 1 cm in length, winding and twisting, interlinking with each other to form a whole.

Each pattern represented at least one metal ability. There were a total of 3001, many of which were repeated, which could be divided into 23 types of abilities. Each type of pattern represented at least 1 metal ability.

23 kinds of patterns, different kinds of abilities, combined together to form the famous 'D-108 Ultimate Metal Riot Domain,' this supernatural power stunt.

The supernatural power patterns that Banbu had previously activated were only 0.5 centimeters in length, corresponding to the two abilities of 'Metal Conversion' and 'Metal Control,' which were the most basic abilities and the foundation upon which the supernatural power was performed.

Among all 3001 supernatural power patterns, this type of pattern was also the most numerous, numbering as many as 300.

"These supernatural power patterns... are in a state of energy depletion, shutdown, and paralysis... If I replenish the Origin Power to perfection, and all the supernatural power patterns are lit up, they will be reactivated. Theoretically speaking, I should be able to restore the function of drawing Origin Power from nature, and I can use each type of pattern corresponding to the metal ability at will..."

"One supernatural power pattern costs 20,000 Origin Stones..."

Banbu thought for a while, and then didn't dare to continue thinking, feeling depressed for a while. He switched his thinking and thought of another possibility:

"Those 300 basic patterns belong to an ability system. If they are all lit up, can they activate a part...?"

Calculating carefully, it would require 6 million Origin Stones, still a huge sum of money, but not without hope.