Zhou Qi looked at the Five-Order Snail Monster that had been strengthened to the fifth Rank; this Snail Monster's body had become even more massive.
Its shell, which was already as thick as a mountain, was now even more exaggerated, with a diameter of over ten meters. The spikes on its surface were thick and long, glinting with a cold metallic luster, like sharp long spears.
The color of its shell had also changed from the previous dark brown to an even darker shade, as if it had absorbed endless dark power.
Each piece of the shell had mysterious patterns that seemed to flow slowly, emitting strange energy fluctuations.
Its body was more robust than before, with bulging muscles, full of a terrifying sense of power.
Its eyes, originally the size of green beans, were now as large as lanterns. Its blood-red pupils revealed endless ferocity and brutality, capable of directly devouring any creature that dared to look into them.
Its triangular head was held high, and its mouth was filled with sharp, inward-curving fangs, each as thick as a bucket.
Green, foul-smelling mucus dripped from between its teeth, and whenever it landed on the ground, it would make a "sizzle" sound, instantly corroding a large pit.
Zhou Qi opened the Apostle panel to check:
Apostle: Five-Order Snail Monster
Rank: Intermediate Life Form
Species: Snail Monster
Gene: Intermediate Snail Monster Gene
Life Origin: Carbon-based Life Form
Talents:
Four-Star Talent:
Iron Wall Thorny Shell: Shell hardness is elevated to the extreme, capable of resisting most attacks, and also has a certain weakening effect on energy attacks.
Three-Star Talent:
Brute Strength: Exaggerated muscles give it overwhelmingly powerful strength.
Two-Star Talent:
Regenerative Shell: The shell has strong regenerative abilities and can quickly repair itself after being damaged.
One-Star Talent:
Heavy Defense: The defense of other parts of the body is also greatly improved, reducing damage taken.
Environmental Adaptation: Can adapt to most environments and will not weaken with changes in the environment.
Life Strength: 25
Just as Zhou Qi finished checking the Snail Monster's Apostle panel, the Six-Order Four Fiend Insect Soldiers, who had been sent out to search for other insects, returned.
They brought back a batch of insects of various appearances. Some of these insects already existed on the Blue Star's surface, but their bodies had now become larger than they were on the surface.
Others were unique creatures of the Geocentric World, unheard of on the surface.
Even more exaggerated, the group was also escorting several beetle-like creatures that walked upright, terrifying upright insects?
Zhou Qi immediately called You Long over to ask what these beetle-men were.
You Long respectfully said, "Master, these beetle-men are also a small, intelligent ethnic group of the Earth's Core, called Underground Insect People. They have built complex nests underground and possess their own culture and social system."
Zhou Qi was very happy after hearing this and immediately decided to strengthen this Underground Insect Person to the fifth Rank.
"Beep, 500,000 Evolution Points consumed. The Underground Insect Person has been strengthened to a First-Order Underground Insect Person. Congratulations to the host for obtaining Elementary favorability with the First-Order Underground Insect Person."
...
"Beep, 16 million Evolution Points consumed. The Underground Insect Person has been strengthened to a Fifth-Order Underground Insect Person. Congratulations to the host for obtaining the undying loyalty of the Fifth-Order Underground Insect Person."
"Beep, congratulations to the host for successfully strengthening a Fifth-Order Underground Insect Person and advancing to a First-Order Apostle, gaining new talents: Beetle Brute Strength, High-Speed Movement, External Carapace, and Blade Hands."
As the Evolution Points were injected, the Underground Insect Person began to undergo astonishing changes. Its originally human-like body became taller and more upright, reaching two meters in height, covered in a layer of bronze-glowing carapace.
Its head became wider, and its two large compound eyes gleamed with wisdom. Below them was a human-like mouth, but filled with sharp teeth.
Its hands became thicker and more powerful, and the nails on its palms became long and sharp, like blades.
A pair of huge wings grew on its back, spanning six meters when unfolded, covered with complex veins, as if containing some mysterious power.
Zhou Qi checked its talents:
Apostle: Fifth-Order Underground Insect Person
Rank: Intermediate Life Form
Species: Underground Insect People
Gene: Intermediate Insect Person Gene
Life Origin: Carbon-based Life Form
Talents:
Four-Star Talent:
Beetle Brute Strength: Possesses immense strength far exceeding its body size.
Two-Star Talent:
Blade Hands: The nails on its palms can retract and extend at will, are extremely hard, and can easily tear through enemy defenses.
High-Speed Movement: Agile in movement, with greatly increased movement speed, making it difficult for enemies to catch.
External Carapace: A thick keratin layer grows outside the main body, which can be used to resist damage.
Life Strength: 22
Upon seeing this, Zhou Qi was extremely excited. Discovering these Insect People in the Geocentric World had already far exceeded his expectations, and they could greatly compensate for the lack of intelligent creatures among his Apostles.
Next, Zhou Qi investigated the other few insects one by one, and only two of them pleased him more.
One insect, similar in appearance to a spider, was named "Shadow Demon Spider" by Zhou Qi. It had eight long, slender, spiky legs, each nearly a meter long, and its body was black, gleaming with a dark blue light.
The other was a creature called "Phantom Mantis." It was massive, reaching three meters in height, and entirely emerald green, like a huge piece of jade.
Its forelimbs had evolved into huge scythes, their blades glinting with a cold light, as if they could easily tear through space and see the Origin of things. Its hind limbs were strong and powerful, giving it powerful jumping ability.
Zhou Qi strengthened both of these insects in one go. There was no obvious change in their body size, but it might have been a misconception. Zhou Qi only felt that the two Apostles had become more substantial, and their body density had increased.
No longer thinking too much, Zhou Qi suddenly had a bold idea: what new creature would be born if he combined and strengthened these few Apostles?
He acted on the thought immediately. Zhou Qi gathered the Five-Order Snail Monster, the Five-Order Shadow Demon Spider, the Five-Order Phantom Mantis, the Five-Order Underground Insect Person, and the Six-Stage Army Ants, and initiated the Fusion strengthening.
"Beep, current Fusion types: 5. Due to the low gene compatibility of the 5 creatures, the success rate is 40%. It requires 10 million Evolution Points."
Looking at the success rate displayed on the light screen, Zhou Qi felt it was indeed not high. There were only a few of these Underground Insect People currently, and if the Fusion strengthening failed, he wouldn't be able to strengthen them again for a while.
Zhou Qi fell into a momentary internal struggle, like a battle between heaven and man. Ultimately, he decided to continue with the strengthening; if it failed, then it failed.
Instantly, white light emanated from all 5 Apostles. Gradually, the white light began to converge and fuse, forming a huge sphere of light.
As the light within the sphere slowly dissipated, a never-before-seen new creature was revealed. Zhou Qi then slowly exhaled a breath, feeling like the European Emperor had possessed him—successful on the first try!