Chapter 72

Chapter 72

The deep blue mass extended all its tentacles, which looked smooth and soft but now pierced through the egg-shaped container as if it were tofu.

Watching the spilled liquid from the broken containers and the writhing mass, Bai Qi's gaze fixed on the tentacles that had penetrated the container. The tentacles were covered with a layer of tiny, wriggling appendages, making his scalp tingle.

What alarmed him even more was that this mass seemed to have a strong hostility towards him. All its tentacles were stretched out in his direction, as if ready to pounce and drain him dry.

After attacking the container, the deep blue mass could no longer support itself; its tentacles went limp, and it felt drained of energy.

Staring at the person outside, it was this person who had trapped it.

This person also prevented it from finding its little tail, and it would never forget this person.

It wished it could rush forward and tear the person apart, but it lacked the strength.

Moreover, it was extremely hungry. Ever since its little tail disappeared, it had never been full.

In the past, its little tail always found food for it. Now, it was so hungry it couldn't move. It had never felt this hungry before.

Feeling increasingly aggrieved, the deep blue mass retracted its tentacles and tightly hugged the round center.

Bai Qi breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, it had no more energy to cause trouble.

He replaced the container with a new one and watched the motionless mass inside. Recalling the feeling of being stared at earlier, the hairs on his back stood up again.

Unable to resist, he dialed Old Qi's optical brain, waking the sleeping man. Facing Old Qi's clearly displeased expression, Bai Qi hurriedly explained the situation.

Old Qi's drowsiness vanished instantly. Remembering the unusual behavior of the small tentacle he had brought over not long ago, he frowned and said, "Wait a moment. I'll go check on the small tentacle outside."

He got out of bed and quickly walked outside. Soon, he noticed a tiny hole in the metal box. His pupils constricted as he opened the box and found the transparent, specially-made metal bottle empty, with a small hole in it and all the liquid spilled out.

Both Old Qi and Bai Qi were shocked.

"That thing is gone."

"How is that possible?"

No wonder they were so surprised. That bottle was specially made using mecha materials, and it contained the lowest-level tentacle of a prince in its infancy, along with targeted anesthetics that should have made escape impossible.

Old Qi, startled, felt a chill down his spine. He immediately extended his mental tendrils around his body. The creature's destructive power was undeniable, and it had a particular fondness for high-energy beings, especially high-level beasts with strong constitutions and mental powers, which were a great tonic for it.

Even tentacles instinctively hunted, and he was now a potential target.

Though his mental power was high, having already reached 3S, and his constitution was strong, he wasn't overly afraid. However, the creature's lethality was too great. If it managed to ambush him, even a single touch could drain his hand in a short time.

During the prince's infancy, it absorbed the flesh and energy of other creatures, but once it entered the growth phase, it devoured them entirely, leaving nothing behind.

Old Qi cautiously searched the room but found nothing.

Now he couldn't understand why the small tentacle hadn't attacked him, choosing instead to vanish rather than feast on such a valuable target. Little did he know that he was far less appealing than the beloved little tail.

Bai Qi: "Maybe the tentacle thought it couldn't beat you, Old Qi, so it fled."

Old Qi, considering his mental power level, found this plausible.

However, the creature was too small, making it difficult to find. Besides, they couldn't ask Feng Shuang'er to lend them Royal Guard personnel. After all, these people were not simple, and they couldn't risk exposing their possession of a prince.

They compared the times when the small tentacle and the main body exhibited unusual behavior and concluded that the small tentacle was likely influenced by the main body.

Recalling the more aggressive behavior of the mass, Bai Qi had another theory, "Could it be that your small tentacle affected the main body?"

Old Qi: "That's possible, but it's only the lowest-level branch tentacle, so theoretically, it shouldn't affect the main body."

As they conversed, the mass in the container stirred slightly, watching Bai Qi's back and emitting a special sound wave.

If they could understand it, they would realize it was a mocking laugh.

Unbeknownst to them, when they collected a part of its body, the deep blue mass had deliberately disguised a newly grown main tentacle as a low-level branch tentacle.

Its main tentacle had its own neural center, allowing it to operate independently even when separated from the main body. These detached tentacles could hunt, gather energy, and reconnect with the main body, transferring the energy.

The closer the distance, the stronger the connection between the tentacle and the main body, enabling direct control. The farther the distance, the weaker the connection, and beyond a certain range, the main body could no longer control the tentacle.

Currently, the deep blue mass could only faintly sense its tentacle finding the little tail but couldn't control it. However, it could estimate the distance and general direction based on its tentacle's movements.

Unfortunately, it couldn't escape.

The deep blue mass grew increasingly violent, destroying several more containers.

Bai Qi: "Old Qi, this thing has become harder to control recently. We need to implant the chip as soon as possible."

Old Qi nodded, "I'll finish up here and arrange for the implantation upon my return."

Bai Qi: "Good. What about the missing small tentacle?"

Old Qi: "We're not on our turf here. I'll instruct the assistants to search discreetly. Plus, I brought some insect crystals that can lure it out."

Insect crystals are formed from the crystallized remains of deceased insect princes. Princes absorb vast amounts of energy during their lifetimes, and most of their bodies crystallize after death. These pure energy crystals are typically used by insect emperors to nourish their princes.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Institute naturally collects these crystals, and obtaining some for research is relatively easy.

Old Qi took out a crystal, resembling a blue gemstone the size of an egg. One side had a smooth curve like the outer surface of a tentacle, while the other sides were irregular, indicating it came from a part of a tentacle.

Bai Qi finally felt relieved, "Old Qi always has a solution."

After ending the call, Old Qi prepared to use the crystal to lure the creature into a trap.

Meanwhile, Bai Xiaoyu returned with the blue filament he had placed back in the water sphere.

After this incident without any real danger, no one was at ease with Qi Yanhuan carrying the thing. Originally, they wanted to put the original tentacle back in for her, but the other tentacle refused and would explode as soon as it separated.

In the end, amidst Qi Yanhuan's reluctance, both small tentacles were taken away by Bai Xiaoyu.

Bai Xiaoyu looked at the transparent sphere in his hand, now about the size of an egg. Inside, the originally hair-thin blue tentacles, after feeding, had swollen noticeably. This growth rate was even faster than that of the tentacles inside the egg.

Considering how dangerous this thing was, Bai Xiaoyu added a thin strand of mental energy around the sphere. If the small tentacles attacked the sphere, he would immediately sense it.

However, after feeding, the small tentacles began to stir again. Bai Xiaoyu injected another dose of nutrient solution, and the blue tentacles continued to feed.

But even after absorbing, they still wouldn't stop, repeatedly trying to break out of the shell.

Bai Xiaoyu looked at the sphere in his palm, using his mental energy to prod the blue tentacles inside. After failing to attack the sphere, they instead pointed persistently in a certain direction.

On his way back to his room, Bai Xiaoyu suddenly understood something and changed direction.

As he walked, he soon realized he was heading towards the student dormitories. When he stood in front of a building, the blue tentacles in the sphere pointed directly upward.

Bai Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow. Suddenly sensing something, he put the sphere into his pocket and looked up, meeting Old Qi's gaze from above.

This building was where Feng Shuang'er and Old Qi were staying, along with the guards.

Old Qi had been waiting for the tentacle to be lured by the insect crystal since he set it up. That thing, driven purely by instinct, could not resist the crystal's allure.

He waited for a long time but saw no sign of the blue tentacle; instead, Bai Xiaoyu arrived.

Old Qi looked at Bai Xiaoyu with suspicion. Was this just a coincidence?

Old Qi: "Young Master Bai, why did you come here at this hour?"

Feeling the restless tentacles in his pocket, Bai Xiaoyu replied, "A master called me late at night. I passed by here on my way back and thought I'd drop by."

Old Qi: "Would you mind introducing us?"

Bai Xiaoyu: "I'll convey your message."

After a brief exchange, Old Qi continued his stakeout, while Bai Xiaoyu returned with the restless blue tentacle.

Looking at the tentacles inside the sphere, which seemed to react similarly when encountering Old Qi, he recalled that the timing of the egg's agitation in Qi Yanhuan's belly coincided with Old Qi's arrival. Later, when Old Qi came over, the egg calmed down again.

Now, seeing the hostile reaction of the small tentacles toward Old Qi, Bai Xiaoyu began to form a hypothesis.

This thing must have been brought by Old Qi and his group, and now that it was missing, it was searching for it. They might even be using some method to lure the tentacle out. So, one was waiting for the tentacle to show up, while the other was led here by the tentacle, leading to their encounter.

Given Old Qi's identity as the president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Association, having such a thing wasn't surprising. Before leaving, Bai Xiaoyu decided to avoid any interaction between Qi Yanhuan and Old Qi. He needed to keep a close watch on the tentacle, or else they might discover the existence of the egg inside Qi Yanhuan through it.

Old Qi watched Bai Xiaoyu's retreating figure for a long time, thinking it was probably just a coincidence.

That thing would drain anyone it encountered.

Old Qi checked the time and continued waiting. But by morning, there was still no movement.

His face darkened, and he began to doubt whether the insect crystal was genuine.

The next morning, Bai Xiaoyu was busy because the parents were arriving for the enlightenment ceremony.

Last time, there were only eighteen eggs, with most parents coming, totaling nearly thirty people. Now, with almost a hundred eggs, there were many more parents.

This time, Zhang Yi and Lu Qing greeted the parents outside, while Bai Xiaoyu stayed in the incubation room, live-streaming and waiting for the parents to help enlighten the eggs.

The viewers in the live stream were excited, each focusing on their favorite egg, hoping to guess the creature inside based on the parents' traits during the enlightenment.

Bai Xiaoyu started the live stream early, before the parents arrived. The interns were also present. The large black egg and the metal egg were beside him, but he had blocked them from view so the audience couldn't see them.

The audience watched the rows of eggs in the incubation room.

"Good morning, streamer. Today, all the eggs are behaving well, staying in the incubation room."

"Maybe they went wild yesterday, so they're being good today."

"True, the eggs fought fiercely yesterday. Some were causing trouble, and watching them drive you and the assistants crazy made me laugh."

They continued teasing Bai Xiaoyu while watching the eggs until the first parent arrived, capturing their attention.

Due to the number of parents, the enlightenment times were not fixed.

The first to arrive were two young parents, visibly excited.

The live stream audience was equally excited.

"Let's see whose parents these are. Could it be the one I'm following?"

"Maybe it's mine!"

The parents greeted Bai Xiaoyu, their excitement making them speak incoherently. After a brief conversation, they rushed to their egg's incubation room, gesturing wildly.

These parents were local residents of Zone Nine, living nearby and arriving early.

Their egg, which usually slept, was rolling around in the incubation room. Since Bai Xiaoyu had risen early and checked all the eggs, adding nutrient solutions for breakfast, the eggs were particularly active. Upon seeing the strangers, the egg stood up, seemingly observing them.

The young parents introduced themselves enthusiastically and tried to approach the egg.

The egg, sensing their care and anticipation, slowly moved closer...

The process went smoothly, and the young father picked up the egg, which was taller than his knee, and walked over to Bai Xiaoyu.

"Breeder Bai, the egg is willing to accept us, but it seems reluctant to be enlightened here. Can we take it to its favorite spot?"

They watched the livestream every day and naturally knew that Dandan loved to play bumper cars at the amusement park. They had long wanted to accompany Dandan there, and now, holding Dandan, they were even more eager.

Dandan rolled in their arms, heading toward Bai Xiaoyu. The father, understanding Dandan's wishes, promptly handed the egg over.

Bai Xiaoyu held it for a moment before returning it to them. "I wish you all the best with your enlightenment."

This couple was just the beginning. As soon as they left the cultivation room, another set of parents rushed in, both anxious and hopeful.

As time passed, almost all the eggs from District Nine had been taken out, and parents from other districts began arriving one after another.

These were the parents of the eggs from the same batch as Xuedan. Unlike most parents from District Nine, who arrived in pairs, these were mostly single individuals.

Many still bore marks of injuries inflicted by the insectoids, as the nightmare-like experience had occurred less than three months ago.

During this period, most of them had been recovering from their wounds. The other parent who didn't show up, aside from a few who couldn't make it due to various reasons, had likely remained on the planet ravaged by the insectoids, unable to come.

Now, many of them had prosthetic limbs provided by the Empire's hospitals, replacing missing legs or arms.

Seeing their once-lost eggs again and thinking of their departed partners, their expressions were a mix of joy and sorrow. Approaching the eggs, they watched as the eggs with blood-red patterns rolled around in the cultivation compartments, tears welling up in their eyes.

When they were fortunate enough to be saved by the Sixteenth Legion and woke up, they found their homes and families gone, nearly losing hope.

But then they received notice from the Cultivation Association that their eggs had been delivered by the Sixteenth Legion. Before they could fully rejoice at the news that their eggs were alive, they discovered that the damage was so severe that no cultivator would take them on.

Just as they were about to give up, someone took on their eggs.

They watched as the eggs, on the verge of becoming silent, were painstakingly revived by the young cultivator.

The blood-red patterns on the eggs were not only a testament to their past damage but also a symbol of the miracle that brought them back.

To see them so lively and active now was truly... wonderful.

Overwhelmed with joy, some parents bowed to Bai Xiaoyu, startling him, and he quickly stopped them.

After calming the parents down, since they had likely arrived on the same spaceship, this batch of parents came together, bringing out about twenty to thirty highly combative eggs.

The eggs immediately started fighting upon release, with the blood-patterned eggs and white eggs engaging in a chaotic battle, making the scene uncontrollable.

Though Bai Xiaoyu was worried, he was also glad, as it helped dissipate the somber mood of the parents.

New life always brings joy.

The eggs continued fighting as they moved out, with their parents following behind, creating a rather comical scene.

After sending off this batch of eggs, the parents from the Sixteenth Legion and the Twenty-ninth Legion arrived.

Coincidentally, they disembarked from their aircraft simultaneously.

Walking toward each other with determined looks, they formed two rows, each determined not to be outdone by the other. They marched faster and faster, heads held high.

Thus, Bai Xiaoyu and the interns present, along with the livestream viewers, watched as the two rows of parents, dressed in different-colored military uniforms, rushed into the cultivation room like a gust of wind, reaching Bai Xiaoyu in an instant and blowing his bangs. They then saluted him together.

After a brief exchange of greetings, the parents swiftly found their respective eggs and stood behind them.

Facing each other again, the tension between the two groups grew as time passed.

Even the eggs, which had already fought once, gradually stood upright, mirroring their parents' posture, staring intently at the opposite eggs.

Parents stared at each other, and the eggs did the same, creating a scene that seemed to herald an epic battle.

The livestream audience was in stitches.

"Hahaha, I knew these eggs were always opposing each other. Turns out their parents are from the Sixteenth Legion and the Twenty-ninth Legion!"

"I've heard that these two legions always try to outdo each other. Seems like this attitude is ingrained in their genes."

At this moment, soldiers from both legions, who were on break, also tuned in to watch their own eggs, getting equally worked up.

"Good job, kids! Our legion's eggs are definitely better than theirs!"

"Keep it up, don't be afraid."

After a while, the parents, remembering their purpose, bent down and picked up their eggs.

Saluting Bai Xiaoyu once more, the two rows of parents walked out, still eyeing each other.

The original formation lengthened, with four parents leading and four eggs following closely behind.

They kept staring at each other, walking in unison. The two rows of eggs also stared at the opposite eggs, hopping along, mimicking their parents' actions.

Both groups of parents and eggs seemed ready to erupt into a fight at any moment.