225: Duan Long's Research Invitation, Silkworm Baby's Cross-Sequence Evolution
Su Ningyu looked at Duan Long, then at Zhang Hengyu.
"So, the so-called help is Senior Duan's beast evolution research project?"
Zhang Hengyu nodded, "Correct."
Duan Long rubbed his hands together and lowered his voice, "It's, well, you know, the attempt to evolve Silkworm Baby towards the [Tenglong Sequence]."
Su Ningyu's eyebrows twitched slightly.
Silkworm Baby.
Tenglong Sequence.
This is about turning a bug... into a dragon?
He looked at Duan Long's face, which was filled with excitement and a hint of obsession, and remained silent for two seconds.
"Senior Duan, you still haven't given up on that idea?"
Before Duan Long could speak, Zhang Hengyu couldn't help but start laughing.
His laughter drew side-eyes from several people in the front row. He quickly covered his mouth, but his shoulders were still shaking.
"Isn't this all because of your influence?"
Zhang Hengyu said in a low voice.
He nudged Su Ningyu with his elbow. "You let Bell Flower cross-evolve from the Green Spirit Sequence to the Blazing Sun Sequence."
"After seeing that, this kid Duan Long went completely obsessed."
"Every day he mutters, 'If Bell Flower can cross over, why can't Silkworm Baby?'"
"Then he dove headfirst into this research project, and no one can pull him out."
Duan Long didn't deny it; instead, he puffed out his chest righteously.
"That's right! Junior Su, if you can do it, I want to do it too!"
"Why can't Silkworm Baby become a dragon? Between a bug and a dragon, there's only the word'Soaring' between them!"
Su Ningyu: "..."
There's more than just one word's difference between a bug and a dragon.
Su Ningyu hadn't realized that his Sunlight Flower had such an inspiring effect.
He glanced at Duan Long's bloodshot eyes, then at Zhang Hengyu's "see, I told you" expression, and finally sighed.
"moonlight dew, do you really have it?"
Duan Long immediately pulled out that metal box and opened a crack.
A cool energy, carrying the scent of moonlight, wafted out from the crack, condensing into a faint silver-white halo in the air.
"Ninety-two percent purity, is that enough? I heard you also need a Feline-type beast's Soul; I can help you with that too."
Su Ningyu reached out to take the box, closed the lid, and tucked it away.
"Deal."
Duan Long's eyes lit up instantly, and he almost jumped out of his seat.
"Good brother! I knew you were reliable!"
Zhang Hengyu shook his head with a smile and said nothing more.
...
The meeting on the stage continued.
As Su Ningyu listened to the discussions about the World Breeder Competition, he silently calculated his own schedule.
Coal Ball's evolution, Little Bell's next stage, Lucky Frog's skill development...
Suddenly, Duan Long's voice sounded in his ear.
"By the way, Su Ningyu, do you want to participate in the World Breeder Competition?"
Su Ningyu turned to look at him.
Duan Long was counting on his fingers: "Both Zhang Hengyu and I are participating. This is the highest-level Breeder competition in the entire Longteng Federation, held once every five years. This time, it's finally Yunmeng Star's turn to host it."
"Participants come from various federations, and experts are as common as clouds. And—"
He lowered his voice mysteriously.
"I heard that the prizes for this competition are extremely precious."
"The specifics haven't been announced yet, but according to internal sources, it's the kind of thing money can't buy."
Zhang Hengyu also nodded beside him: "Yes, I've already signed up. Even if I don't get a ranking, it's a rare opportunity to see the level of Breeders from other star systems."
Su Ningyu was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"If I have the time, I'll definitely participate."
He truly didn't want to miss such a grand event.
The highest level in the entire federation.
Geniuses from all walks of life and various factions are gathering.
On such a stage, what one can see, learn, and gain are all unknowns.
And the unknown often means opportunity.
...
The meeting on the stage finally ended.
Xiao Yixun announced the adjournment, and people in the hall began to leave one after another.
The Advanced Breeders in the front row left in small groups, while the young people in the back were much more lively, discussing the information they had just heard in groups of three or five.
Su Ningyu followed Zhang Hengyu and Duan Long out of the hall, through the corridor, and to the laboratory area of the Breeder Association.
Duan Long pushed open a door, revealing a spacious laboratory inside.
Various instruments and equipment were neatly arranged on the workstations: Energy detectors, Gene analyzers, and Evolution simulators were all present.
But the most eye-catching thing in the laboratory was the several transparent incubation boxes in the corner.
Inside the incubation boxes, Silkworm Babies were lying comfortably on Mulberry leaves. Their plump white bodies moved in segments as they crawled slowly. Occasionally, they would lift their heads, look around with their small black eyes, and then go back to eating leaves.
They were very well-raised.
Too well.
Su Ningyu looked at those Silkworm Babies, his brow furrowing slightly.
"This way, this way," Duan Long called out to him.
"Junior Su, take a look at our progress first."
He walked to a Data light screen and pulled up a series of complex energy maps and gene sequence data.
"This is the current data for the Silkworm Baby. I got some inspiration from your place before and tried to have the Silkworm Baby learn Dragon-attribute Moves first before evolving, but the result was still a failure."
He pointed to a section of the energy fluctuation curve on the map, his tone carrying clear frustration.
"Look here, Dragon-attribute energy simply cannot fuse with the Silkworm Baby's Origin energy."
"Every time it's guided in, it dissipates before long or even backfires. So, at this stage, these Silkworm Babies can't learn Dragon-type Moves."
Zhang Hengyu tossed a fruit from a nearby fruit plate to Su Ningyu and took a bite of one himself.
"That's why he's so anxious, looking for help everywhere."
Su Ningyu caught the fruit, took a bite, and walked to the incubation boxes while chewing.
He crouched down and carefully observed the Silkworm Babies.
Plump and white, eating well, sleeping well, they exuded an aura of being very comfortable.
Su Ningyu watched for a few seconds, then stood up and turned to Duan Long.
"Senior Duan, let me ask you a question."
"Go ahead."
"You want to turn the Silkworm Baby into a Dragon-type beast of the Tenglong Sequence. So tell me, what does a Dragon-type beast of the Tenglong Sequence feel like to you?"
Duan Long paused for a moment, then answered without hesitation, "Powerful, fierce, domineering."
As he spoke, his eyes lit up as if he had remembered something.
"By the way, have you heard that rumor from a month ago?"
"It was during the Zerg Empress's Calamity, someone saw a Black Divine Dragon kill that Empress insect in one Move! That divine dragon might be the pinnacle existence of the Tenglong Sequence!"
Zhang Hengyu chimed in as well.
"It's gone viral on the internet. Many people are discussing it, saying that Yunmeng Star has always hidden a big shot who possesses such a terrifying divine dragon."
"Sigh, I really want to pay my respects to that big shot and see for myself what that level of Dragon-type beast looks like."
Su Ningyu took a bite of the fruit, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.
The netizens weren't lying.
The big shot is right next to you.
Of course, he couldn't say that.
"Hmm," he swallowed the fruit and said casually, "What's the use of just envying others? Why not just breed one yourself?"