Chapter 122: Ambergris

This form of regeneration differs from that of the Liquid Walkers; it is a manifestation of immense vital energy. Although this regenerative process also relies on star energy, one can kill the opponent by depleting their reserves or by ensuring the speed of destruction outpaces the rate of recovery.

Qin Hao’s mental energy coalesced into a fierce gale. Even when the giant squid’s tentacles lashed out at him, the Star-Slaying weapon in his hand cleanly severed them. In mere seconds, seven or eight tentacles were sliced away. Only then did the giant squid realize the situation was dire and flee toward the city. Its massive tentacles and body crushed buildings, causing the earth to tremble with its movement.

Qin Hao’s surrounding wind elements formed a tornado that pursued the creature. His mental energy elongated into a massive blade over ten meters long, which he swung at the squid. The creature had no way to evade; in an instant, one of its eyes and half its head were severed by the wind blade. Furthermore, the corner of the building it was scaling was sliced off, causing the structure to collapse.

"Boom!" The steel and concrete crashed into the flooded street with a thunderous sound.

"Squelch!" Blue blood sprayed from the giant squid, splattering across the buildings.

However, the creature’s regenerative ability was terrifying; the massive wound began to knit together, and even the eye started to restore itself to an intact state. Qin Hao had encountered such giant squids frequently in coastal regions during his twenty years in the apocalypse. Once they grew to such a size, they possessed multiple hearts, and the more hearts they had, the stronger their regenerative capabilities. He had to sever every single heart to truly kill it. Since the giant squid was a delicacy, Qin Hao did not want to burn it to a crisp, so he was forced to rely on the precision of his wind blades.

"Wind Tornado!" A whirlwind erupted from the ground, containing hundreds of wind blades, and surged toward the squid. The violent winds lifted the creature into the air, where the hundreds of blades shredded it instantly. Blue blood fell like rain.

"Gene Devour." Qin Hao absorbed the blood into his body. A pure, rich surge of vital energy nourished his frame.

The genes within the blood were captured by Qin Hao. He rapidly discarded the segments he did not need and began to assimilate the beneficial portions of the giant squid’s DNA: the strengthening of the heart and the mastery of regenerative abilities. Qin Hao’s own genetic makeup was further enhanced.

As Qin Hao dispelled the gale, the squid’s carcass fell. Its tentacles continued to twitch, but it was merely lingering nerve activity. Although the creature was gargantuan, its strength was only at the limit of a Tier 2 evolved beast, making it no match for Qin Hao’s mental energy. With star energy only just beginning to recover throughout the world, these exotic beasts were no threat to him.

Qin Hao stepped forward and stowed the giant squid’s body into his spatial ring, not leaving a single scrap behind. Meanwhile, several giant crab beasts began to gather on the ground.

"Hmph!" Qin Hao let out a cold snort, distorting the metal within the seawater to pierce through the bodies of the crab beasts. These creatures could survive in water and possessed significant combat power, but they lacked the Liquid Walkers' ability to grow stronger in water, though their penchant for consuming marine life was uncertain.

Pale green blood flowed from the crab beasts. Qin Hao unleashed his Gene Devour technique, collecting and absorbing the blood into his body. To his surprise, the blood of these dozen or so crab beasts contained "God-tier" genetic fragments. The specific trait was the immense strength of their forelimbs. Qin Hao retained this God-tier gene, discarded the useless remnants, and absorbed it. He felt his arms grow significantly more powerful as the gene refined his physique.

"Among the three hunter species of the four civilizations, only the Frogman genes remain to be absorbed. Once this sea beast tide passes, I will hunt them down," Qin Hao thought. He did not pause, instead heading toward the shore to find the giant sperm whale.

The whale’s head was already rotting, and its life force was fading. While water buoyancy helps whales reduce the strain on their skeletons, stranding itself had become a massive burden on its body. Now, having been infected by Qin Hao’s toxins, it was only sustained by its star energy reserves, but Qin Hao would not let it escape.

He released a sphere of iron and manipulated it with his mental energy, reshaping it into a heavy, ten-meter-long blade. Wielding this massive weapon, he activated the "Blood Sacrifice Demon Body," which granted him tenfold combat power. Combined with the previously acquired forelimb enhancement, he possessed immense strength. He channeled star energy into the blade and struck.

"Squelch!" The blow tore through the whale’s massive body, leaving a three-to-four-meter-deep wound.

"Aoo!" The sperm whale let out a pained cry, churning the water, but its resistance was too weak to contend with Qin Hao.

Qin Hao swung the giant blade again and again, eventually severing the whale's body in two. At that moment, the massive creature finally expired. As blood sprayed from the severed torso, Qin Hao immediately absorbed it. This was the blood of a peak Tier 3 exotic beast, rich in vital energy capable of boosting his strength. The total volume was equivalent to the blood of fifty or sixty thousand Liquid Walkers.

"Blood Sacrifice Demon Body." The vital energy within his body was compressed, making Qin Hao’s strength and defense even more formidable. He then used the Gene Devour technique to absorb the creature's DNA. No God-tier fragments appeared, but he gained a near-perfect gene for skin durability. He discarded the unwanted genes, especially those that would increase his physical size—he had no desire to become as gargantuan as a sperm whale. Alien genes were a form of hereditary material; if they were changed too much, he would cease to be human.

As the genes were assimilated, Qin Hao felt his skin toughen to the point where it would be difficult for ordinary weapons to leave a scratch. He then placed half of the sperm whale into his spatial ring. That half had not been contaminated by toxins and remained edible, so he kept it.

Just then, a pungent odor wafted over. Qin Hao did not recoil; instead, he inspected the severed body of the sperm whale.

"Ambergris? I wonder if it contains star energy."

Because sperm whales consume giant squids, they are unable to digest the beaks of the squids and octopuses, secreting substances that form ambergris. Initially, it smells foul and pungent, but after exposure to the air, it releases a unique fragrance. Before the apocalypse, this was considered a luxury item. In the post-apocalyptic era, the aroma of ambergris could sharpen the mind and enhance mental agility, making it one of the rare treasures of the Blue Star.