[Advanced Regeneration]: Newly awakened skill. Consumes spiritual power to rapidly heal injuries and restore lost Vitality. Recovery effects increase with skill level.
"Tsk..."
Reading this, Bai Jie inwardly drew two sharp breaths.
Both new skills had substantially increased Bai Jie's combat power—one could say they provided a qualitative improvement. Perhaps, if faced with missile bombardment again, he might be able to withstand it with his flesh and blood body.
Then, what about the new Talent?
[Night Affinity]: Newly awakened talent. Innate affinity for nighttime and dark environments. Grants the ability to communicate with nocturnal creatures and dark kin, and to intimidate them.
"Looks decent enough, but somehow doesn't feel as strong as 'Thunder Control.'"
"Speaking of which... what exactly are 'dark kin'?"
Bai Jie was about to test his skills when he heard a familiar mental transmission—it was from Lin Binbin.
"Lord Bai Zhi?"
Only then did Bai Jie notice two human figures standing not far beneath the tree, each wary of the other. Besides Lin Binbin, Long Ge was also there.
"These two actually bumped into each other? And why is Long Ge injured?" Bai Jie puzzled inwardly.
"Big Sister Bai Zhi, who are those two humans?" Bai Huahua had also woken up by now.
Bai Jie noticed that the little snake's Vitality had also risen to over 20—perhaps due to being nourished by the fourth meteorite fragment's influence.
"My servants," Bai Jie explained.
"Servants? Then can I eat them? This one has never tasted human flesh before." The little snake bared her fangs, transmitting eagerly.
Forget about you—even I haven't tasted human flesh. What a waste of my previous "Man-Eating Demon Spider" species name... Bai Jie grumbled inwardly.
"Dame. They're still useful to me alive." Bai Jie sent a tiny electric arc that left the little snake limp on the ground, as a warning.
"Besides, human flesh is sour and bitter—not tasty at all. You'd be better off eating the loaches and eels in your pond."
He wasn't worried about the two Agents being eaten by the golden-white little snake, but rather feared the little snake would suffer for nothing.
After pondering for a second, Bai Jie transmitted to the two Agents:
"I am here."
Thud.
The two men instantly dropped to one knee.
"Lord Bai Zhi, is this man a new Agent you've recruited?" Lin Binbin asked.
"Correct. Although his strength doesn't match yours, he has some value to me. Moreover, the amount of 'Spirit Fluid' in his body is far less than yours," Bai Jie transmitted to Lin Binbin alone.
At this point, Bai Jie also heard Long Ge's complaints about Lin Binbin and couldn't help but pause: "It was you... who injured him?"
Lin Binbin said awkwardly, "This subordinate did not know beforehand that he was Lord Bai Zhi's Agent. Combined with the fact that he struck first, this subordinate had no choice but to counterattack. I beg Lord Bai Zhi's forgiveness..."
"Forget it."
Bai Jie waved a foreleg and transmitted to both: "It was merely a misunderstanding."
Then Lin Binbin also told Bai Jie about the killing desire that had arisen after seeing Long Ge spit blood, holding nothing back.
Bai Jie immediately understood—this was a characteristic of those infected by Mutagenic Venom: they would desire to seize the Mutagenic Venom within other infectees, thereby strengthening themselves.
"My Mutagenic Venom... why does it act like a forbidden drug..."
Bai Jie frowned inwardly. He realized that Mutagenic Venom had always harbored some hidden danger.
But he didn't pursue that thread. Instead he asked: "What have you brought?"
Lin Binbin had brought mutant animal corpses, which still retained faint traces of spirit essence. Long Ge had brought venomous insects and Gu items.
Of course, given Long Ge's status in the Wu Gu inner sect, he couldn't produce particularly high-quality venomous insects. These could only barely serve as snacks for Bai Jie.
"Tell me, how did you explain things to your clan when you returned?" Bai Jie asked Long Ge.
Long Ge then slowly recounted.
...
Several days ago, the deaths of the Wu Gu Elder and several inner sect disciples had naturally caused a huge uproar within the inner sect.
However, because the Wu Gu Elder had wanted to monopolize Bai Jie and refine him into his own Gu creature, he had controlled the scope of those who knew about the spider-encirclement operation.
Aside from Long Ge, everyone else who knew about the encirclement operation had died at Bai Jie's hands.
Long Ge had lied to the clan, saying that the encirclement hunt had taken place in the wilderness and that the culprit had already vanished without a trace, while he alone had narrowly escaped.
"Lord Bai Zhi, I have another important matter to report."
"What is it?"
"Before long, the inner sect will dispatch another new Elder to take charge of Yongan City!"
"I fear she will see through my abnormality."
Hearing this, Bai Jie merely said lightly: "'Spirit Fluid' is only sensed by those of the same source. Even if she is an inner sect Elder of the Wu Gu Clan, it will be very difficult for her to detect."
Actually, there was a half-sentence he didn't say: even if Long Ge was discovered, he couldn't do anything about it.
If Bai Jie had to worry about everything personally, why would he need these Agents? Even if Long Ge were subjected to interrogation and torture and revealed Bai Jie's existence before that new Elder, he would suffer the backlash of the Mutagenic Venom.
Although verbally saying it was fine, Bai Jie still bestowed Long Ge with three more drops of Mutagenic Venom, not only strengthening his physical fitness but also making his Gu-controlling abilities even stronger.
This way, Long Ge had sufficient strength to protect himself and could also seek higher status within the inner sect.
Now, aside from operating the reptile business on the surface, the Wu Gu inner sect disciples also needed to raise Gu Insects to exchange for contribution points. These contribution points determined one's status and the cultivation resources they could acquire.
Thus, Bai Jie was not stingy with Mutagenic Venom. Moreover, the more he gave, the more Long Ge's dependence on Bai Jie would increase, and his loyalty would only grow higher.
"Introduce this new Elder," Bai Jie transmitted calmly.
"Yes, Lord Bai Zhi." Long Ge nodded.
"That new Elder is named Long Bingheng. She is the female Elder whom Long Xiaofeng was pursuing before. Rumor has it she is beautiful as a celestial maiden, yet cold as frost. Currently, she seems to be ambiguously entangled with the Clan Leader, and there are also rumors that her private life is rather... unclean..."
Bai Jie: "...."
Several black lines descended from the demon spider: Did I ask you to introduce that?!
Fortunately, Long Ge timely steered back on track:
"Without question, she is one of the strongest Elders in the Wu Gu Clan, her strength second only to the Clan Leader, far above the Long Snake Elder."
Bai Jie understood: So she's at the first-tier level of the Wu Gu Clan's strength.
Long Ge continued: "Before I came up the mountain, I inquired and learned that the reason such a powerful Elder is being sent to Yongan City is because of the influence of those fusion monsters. They want to investigate the source of the mutations, in hopes of obtaining an opportunity to revitalize the Wu Gu Clan."
"Oh?"
Only then did the demon spider respond with interest.
After hearing Long Ge's account, Bai Jie had developed some interest in the new Elder who was about to arrive. He not only wanted to know about this beautiful elder's private life...
Pfft! His gossip addiction was flaring up again.
Bai Jie not only wanted to know just how strong this beautiful elder was and how much hidden depth the Wu Gu Clan still possessed, but also wanted to understand—against his own combat power, how much chance of victory would he have against her?