Chapter 12: The Second Host
Accompanied by the Raven Trickster's black feather, Zhang Yuan began searching the area surrounding the small valley.
This mountainous region was dense with forests and uninhabited. The natural environment was complex, and countless species might be dwelling within it.
Trying to find a second host here was clearly no easy task.
It was like looking for a needle in a haystack!
Fortunately, the Divine Nest could sense nearby containable genetic entities and alert the host.
That significantly reduced the difficulty.
Even so, Zhang Yuan hacked through the underbrush with a machete and diligently searched for nearly two hours, disturbing many hidden creatures like snakes, bugs, and rodents.
The Divine Nest showed no reaction.
Still, Zhang Yuan didn't feel discouraged and wanted to keep searching.
However, the Raven Trickster's black feather hovering in the air began to tremble continuously, emitting a low hum.
It seemed to be reminding Zhang Yuan — time was almost up!
Understanding the message, Zhang Yuan reluctantly turned back toward the small valley.
If he couldn't find anything today, he would try again tomorrow.
Since he found one host already, he believed that with persistence, he could definitely find a second and a third!
[Containable genetic entity detected!]
To Zhang Yuan's great surprise, just after taking a dozen steps, a prompt suddenly appeared in his field of vision.
He nearly jumped in shock.
Joy always comes so suddenly, catching people off guard!
He immediately widened his eyes and scanned around for the lifeform sensed by the Divine Nest.
There was an intense thrill — like opening a mystery box.
The next moment, Zhang Yuan's gaze locked onto a bush just three feet away.
Amid the dense branches and leaves, a bright green mantis was in a standoff with a black-and-white banded silver-ringed snake.
Zhang Yuan held his breath.
The mantis looked like it had been carved from jade, its shell gleaming with a beautiful luster. It waved its scythe-like forelegs, testing its prey with tentative strikes.
The silver-ringed snake, although small, was still larger than the mantis.
Yet it was clearly at a disadvantage, curling its body, raising its head, and dodging repeatedly.
It was losing!
Zhang Yuan didn't immediately intervene but watched patiently.
The green mantis had an evidently fiery temperament. After a few failed probes, it launched a sudden and fierce attack.
A flash of "blade light" — one of its thorn-covered forelegs slashed the snake's left eye with lightning speed.
A deep wound instantly appeared.
The silver-ringed snake, struck in pain, instinctively opened its mouth to bite the mantis.
But the mantis dodged with incredible agility.
As it avoided the counterattack, it unleashed a flurry of strikes like a storm.
Each blow targeted the snake's head!
Though this kind of fight wasn't much in the grand scheme of the ecosystem, as a spectator, Zhang Yuan found it thrilling.
He couldn't even clearly see the mantis's moves — it was just too fast.
The silver-ringed snake suffered blow after blow. Its head was torn open, blood flowing, and one eye destroyed.
It turned and darted into the bushes in panic, trying to flee.
It couldn't win — not even close!
Seeing its prey escaping, the green mantis raised its sharp forelegs high.
Ready to chase.
Just then, a "giant hand" suddenly descended from the sky.
Grabbing it tightly!
The mantis hadn't expected this "big yellow bird" lying in wait. Caught off guard, it instinctively flailed its forelegs in resistance.
It managed to leave several shallow cuts on Zhang Yuan's palm.
Zhang Yuan didn't flinch.
The Divine Nest emblem on the back of his hand glowed faintly, and an ancient incantation silently emerged from his tongue.
The green mantis in his palm suddenly vanished.
A new host had been added to the Divine Nest's second chamber!
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[Host: Zhang Yuan]
[Divine Nest: Level 1 (30%)]
[Host 1: Level 2 Black Giant Ant (9%) / 4x Strength]
[Host 2: Level 1 Jade Mantis (2%) / Basic Blade Mastery]
[Vitality: 68/75]
[Source Essence: 0]
Basic Blade Mastery!
The newly acquired host data on the Divine Nest panel brought Zhang Yuan yet another big surprise.
This extraordinary lifeform — the Jade Mantis — actually possessed a "mastery" skill.
"Mastery" meant deep knowledge and proficiency.
It was a rare and valuable supernatural ability, even if limited to "blade techniques."
Zhang Yuan took a deep breath and silently activated the Jade Mantis he had just obtained, imbuing himself with "Blade Mastery."
A strange power surged from his left hand, sweeping through his body.
It made him shudder.
He instinctively gripped the machete in his hand.
In that moment, Zhang Yuan felt that this ordinary-looking machete had accompanied him for decades, like it was part of his own body.
Connected to his flesh and blood!
He casually swung it once.
A sharp blade gleam flashed before him, slicing a branch cleanly.
The cut was smooth and neat!
Even though he had never formally studied blade techniques.
At this moment, with the blade in hand, Zhang Yuan faintly carried the demeanor of a master swordsman!
He believed that in this state, if he faced the wild boar from before, one slash would be enough.
Just as he was about to further test "Blade Mastery," the Raven Trickster's feather vibrated again.
No choice — he had to end it for now.
Zhang Yuan looked again at the Divine Nest panel and noticed that only 10 vitality points had been consumed.
Unlike the energy-hungry strength of the Black Giant Ant, the Jade Mantis's "Blade Mastery" required far less vitality to activate and maintain.
This meant it could last a lot longer!
Zhang Yuan was extremely pleased with this result.
His joy was beyond words.
Still, he didn't let the excitement get to his head.
He followed the black feather back to the small valley.
There, he discovered the pile of wild boar entrails he had dug out earlier had vanished.
The Raven Trickster was also nowhere to be seen.
Only the empty-stomached sow lay on the ground.
Zhang Yuan wasted no time. He swiftly chopped the boar in half.
One half was sacrificed for source essence, the other slung over his shoulder as he rushed down the mountain.
If he didn't leave now, he might not make it back to the village before dark.
And the wild outdoors at night — without the safety of a village — was extremely dangerous!
Zhang Yuan spared no effort. Guided by the Raven Trickster's feather, he ran at top speed.
Finally, just as dusk was falling, he arrived at the mountain pass.
Seeing the smoke curling from chimneys in the village ahead, he could finally relax.
Zhang Yuan turned his head — the black feather had vanished without a trace!
(End of Chapter)
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