Without a clear objective, trying to find a Rathian was no easier than trying to find a specific bird in a vast forest in his previous life. Flying creatures were troublesome that way; they ignored the constraints of terrain, left no tracks on the ground, and their range was vast and unpredictable.
Half a month had passed since he hunted the Purple Ludroth, yet Logan hadn't seen so much as a shadow of the Rathian again.
However, it wasn't all bad news. He noticed that the population of Fulgurbugs inhabiting his body was gradually increasing.
Fulgurbugs are social insects. Their primary means of self-defense is to cluster together and discharge electricity. They seemed to have a unique way of communicating—perhaps through a specific radio frequency, or via pheromones.
Ever since those first two Fulgurbugs had made a permanent home on him, more and more would fly out from the bushes, tree bark, and rock crevices to land on his back whenever he hunted near the edge of the Ancient Forest.
Once they tasted the "frosting" (his secreted nutrient-rich fluid), these Fulgurbugs became obsessed, refusing to leave.
The process was like a rolling snowball: a cluster of bugs attracted loners, and a larger swarm attracted even more companions. Typically, a swarm would only disperse—akin to a bee colony swarming—when the local food supply could no longer sustain it.
But for Logan, this wasn't an issue. The energy a single bug consumed was negligible; even with hundreds or thousands of them, he could easily sustain them.
To accommodate them, he cut two thick branches. He hollowed one out to make a bucket; the other he split down the middle to create two wooden troughs, similar to feeders.
He placed these troughs in a secluded corner of his nest. Using the bucket, he fetched clear water from the upper reaches of the swamp, poured it into the troughs, and mixed in some of his secreted "frosting." The result was a nutrient-rich fluid that provided both energy and hydration.
This "nutritional supplement" served not only as food for the Fulgurbugs but also as daily drinking water for Zhu Peiniang, helping to accelerate its evolution.
As the Fulgurbug population grew, another issue arose. One night, while resting, Logan happened to see two bugs coupled together, engaged in mating activities.
After a moment's thought, he realized it was beetle breeding season; they were preparing to lay eggs.
Thus, he headed into the forest to gather a large amount of dry, decaying wood, breaking it into fine mulch to pile in a dark corner of the nest. By regularly sprinkling the pile with his nutrient fluid to keep it moist and fermenting, he created an excellent substrate for the larvae.
If the next generation of Fulgurbugs grew up consuming these high-nutrient substances, they would surely be stronger than their predecessors. Generation after generation, they might even evolve into a unique Subspecies.
Aside from the changes brought by the Fulgurbugs, there was another piece of good news: Logan was beginning to perceive the existence of Earth Energy.
This was a miraculous energy that circulated through all things in the world. In his perception, it felt like trickling streams flowing slowly from the environment into his body, making a circuit before flowing back out. This energy was neither under his control nor fully integrated into his system.
If one compared Earth Energy to a surging river, then every living creature was a circular channel carved into the riverbank. Water flowed in from one end and eventually returned to the main river from the other. However, as time passed, the channel would widen, and the surrounding soil would become more saturated.
Because of this, as long as the monsters of this world lived long enough, they could become increasingly powerful—evolving into so-called Tempered individuals. Certain beings with a natural affinity for absorbing Earth Energy could even become the "Apex" predators or "Lords" of their ecosystems.
Combined with specific environments, this gave rise to numerous Variants and Subspecies.
This was undoubtedly a different path to power than Logan's reliance on Evolution Points. Though progress was slower, the cumulative effect over time would be immense.
Without hesitation, Logan invested all the Evolution Points he had earned over the past half-month into the [Earth Energy Absorption and Retention] node.
The familiar warm current emerged once again. This time, it concentrated in his brain and followed the neural pathways throughout his body, flowing into every nerve cell. These cells began to consume massive amounts of nutrients, thickening and merging more closely with the electrocytes in his body. This allowed fine currents to race across them at incredible speeds, gradually forming a unique bio-electrical field.
This invisible field surrounded Logan like a vortex, gently stirring the ambient Earth Energy. The energy flowing into him accelerated under this attraction, but when it tried to leave, it was hindered by the field's subtle pull, making its departure less efficient.
Before the old energy could fully cycle out, new energy merged in. This effectively increased the concentration of Earth Energy within Logan's body. If the previous flow was a thin thread, it had now thickened into a cord.
He soon felt the tangible benefits of this change. Most notably, the potency of his electrical discharges increased significantly.
Earth Energy is a fundamental, non-elemental power. Once it enters a biological body, it can be metabolized and expressed in various forms—electricity being one of them. Whenever Logan discharged, a portion of the Earth Energy within him would be converted into that electrical output.
Secondly, his need for food decreased. The circulating energy seemed capable of supplementing his biological activity. It was no wonder some Elder Dragons could sleep for decades and awaken full of vigor.
Yet, this wasn't all. Other changes—such as enhanced physical attributes, beneficial mutations, and increased lifespan—would take longer to manifest.
If he stayed in a place rich in Earth Energy for a long time—such as the Elder's Recess—this process would be much faster.
After all, a living being is a channel. The amount of Earth Energy is the volume of water, and its concentration is the flow speed. Only when the flow is both plentiful and fast can the channel be eroded deeper and wider to hold even more.
But Logan was different. His unique evolutionary ability allowed him to partially dam the "outlet" while simultaneously installing a "pump" at the "inlet."
---