The life preserving innate secret technique, Clone, could practically be considered a second body rather than a simple puppet.
A clone had to be nurtured within the internal world, much like a woman carrying and giving birth to a child, or like the ancient legend that the universe was born from an egg that gave rise to Pangu. The principle was the same. Through the nurturing process of the internal world, the clone would gradually form as an embryo and develop step by step until it fully matured.
A Golden Horned Beast could possess three additional bodies during its lifetime.
The first could be created at the Planetary level.
The second at the Universe level.
The third at the World Master level.
Because clones could cultivate independently, the first clone was unquestionably the most important.
Therefore, the bloodline chosen for it was equally important.
For example, a Golden Horned Beast would usually choose an exceptionally powerful bloodline for its first clone. The requirements for creating an embryo were actually very low. A single strand of hair or a drop of blood was enough, as long as it contained genetic material.
“Luo Feng, are you certain you want to use your first clone slot to create an Earth human?” Babata could not help asking. “All it takes is a strand of hair. In the future, you could easily obtain genetic material from a powerful human bloodline, such as the Manka people. Possession would be difficult, but obtaining a strand of hair would be easy. Then a cosmetic alteration could make the clone look exactly like Luo Feng. That’s incredibly simple.”
“I’m certain.”
“My first clone will be an Earth human,” Luo Feng said. “And it will be created using my own genetic material.”
Creating a clone was extremely demanding.
This was because, in the future, whenever the clone appeared outside, the Golden Horned Beast body would have to remain inside the internal world.
Any ordinary person entering the internal world would immediately die.
Only after reaching the World Master level, when the internal world became as complete as the outside universe, could living beings safely enter it.
The original Golden Horned Beast had likely considered humans and Earth monsters unworthy of using one of its three precious clone opportunities.
Luo Feng, however, immediately began the process.
Inside the Golden Horned Beast’s body.
A transparent crystal sphere over twenty centimetres in diameter floated there, covered with countless profound golden patterns. Rays of golden light continuously radiated from it.
This transparent sphere was called the Core.
Also known as the Star Core, World Core, or Soul Core.
It was the very source of the Golden Horned Beast’s existence.
Even if its head were destroyed and its body shattered, as long as the Core and soul remained intact, it would not die.
Inside the Core.
A vast starry space stretched endlessly.
At its centre was a dazzling sphere radiating brilliant light like a miniature sun, slowly rotating.
This had formed after Luo Feng absorbed his teacher’s Soul Imprint inheritance and devoured the Golden Horned Beast’s soul.
This star like sphere was his Soul Core.
It represented the fact that Luo Feng’s spiritual power had reached the first level of the Stellar level.
As for the Golden Horned Beast’s genetic energy, it was stored within the golden horn on its forehead.
The horn was the hardest part of its body and also the place where its energy was stored.
That was why the horn always lit up first whenever an innate ability was activated.
“My internal world.”
With his soul now perfectly fused with the body, Luo Feng could sense something.
Within the vast space inside the Core, an invisible connection linked it to another world.
The internal world.
It was an independent continent.
The landmass measured roughly ten kilometres across.
Ten kilometres above the continent, as well as throughout the endless surroundings, were boundless golden mists.
The continent itself was golden.
There were hills and mountains scattered across it, but they were all made entirely of metal.
It was a world of metal.
A world completely controlled by Luo Feng.
“Babata, release my previous body.”
A strand of Luo Feng’s spiritual power contacted Babata outside.
Then, using the Devour innate ability, he swallowed his own body into the internal world.
Whoosh!
A human figure suddenly appeared atop a hill on the metal continent.
It was Luo Feng’s former body.
As a third level Planetary fighter, after one or two months the body had merely become stiff, pale and cold.
The various items he had carried had long since been removed.
As for the Cloud Vine, since it could not enter storage space, it remained outside protecting the surroundings.
“Clone ability, activate. Begin nurturing.”
Luo Feng issued the command with a thought.
Rumble…
The entire metal continent trembled.
His former body floated into the sky, lifted by an invisible force.
This was one of only three opportunities available during a Golden Horned Beast’s lifetime.
The internal world would not gain another opportunity until reaching the Universe level.
Yet now, Luo Feng was using the only chance currently available to him to create a clone.
“Hiss…”
His floating body instantly dissolved into vapour.
“Whoosh, whoosh…”
The endless golden mist above and around the continent surged frantically towards the centre.
The tiny amount of genetic material left behind by Luo Feng’s vaporised body was rapidly wrapped up.
Moments later, it formed into an oval shaped golden egg.
“It has begun.”
After learning about the Clone ability, Luo Feng naturally understood many related details.
The time required to create a clone depended on both his own strength and the genetics of the body being created.
The stronger the internal world, the faster the process.
The lower the genetic quality, the easier the creation.
At his current first level Stellar internal world, the process was not particularly fast.
Some noble and powerful races required hundreds or even thousands of years to produce.
Why so long?
Because creating a clone was not the same as producing an infant.
For example, if a World Master level Golden Horned Beast obtained a strand of hair from a World Master level human, the resulting clone would emerge as a fully fledged World Master.
The genetics were perfectly copied.
The body was perfectly copied.
Since becoming a World Master required countless years of cultivation, producing such a body in only a few hundred years was already remarkable.
Of course, one could never create a clone stronger than oneself.
At most, it could match one’s own level.
One day later.
“Hmm. Judging by the progress, it should be completed within one or two years.”
Luo Feng understood that when the process finished, he would possess a body identical to his original one.
The genetic material would be 99.99999 percent the same.
Only…
There would be an extremely tiny difference.
Because the body was nurtured by the internal world, the genetic structure would contain an almost imperceptible alteration.
Even a DNA test would likely fail to detect any difference between the two bodies.
In the vast universe, a gigantic star blazed like a massive fireball, continuously radiating light and heat.
A silver grey spacecraft swiftly passed an asteroid nearly five kilometres in diameter.
Inside the spacecraft.
Within a private lounge, the handsome middle aged captain sat with his eyes closed.
A small indicator light on his auxiliary optical computer glowed faintly.
Clearly, part of his consciousness had entered the Virtual Universe Network.
The Virtual Universe Network was an extraordinary existence.
The universe was unimaginably vast.
Yet through the network, people separated by millions of light years could meet face to face in a completely realistic virtual environment.
Ding.
The indicator light went dark.
The handsome captain opened his eyes.
“Although it cost quite a bit, I finally managed to purchase an ancient star map showing this Void Region from a million years ago.”
His face filled with excitement.
“Within nearly a thousand light years, this region occupied less than a millionth of the Silver Blue Empire’s territory. Fortunately, there were two inhabited planets recorded here.”
“Two life bearing planets. This time we’ve truly made a fortune.”
“The nearest one is quite close. At our ship’s current sub light speed, it’ll take two years and eight months to reach.”
“The second inhabited planet, however, will require 136 years.”
The captain looked slightly dissatisfied.
Although his lifespan exceeded ten thousand years, spending more than a century travelling was still a long time.
Still, acquiring two inhabited planets would make him rich beyond imagination.
“Two years and eight months.”
“I hope there are valuable goods there. Selling them to slave traders could earn a huge profit. If not, I’ll simply sell the entire planet.”
As he imagined the possibilities, his eyes shone brightly.
An inhabited planet was worth an enormous amount of money.
Time passed.
The clone continued developing inside the internal world.
Meanwhile, Luo Feng began studying Absolute Space and Deity of Heaven and Earth.
At the same time, he continuously devoured vast quantities of metal using his claws.
In truth, the Devour ability was activated through the Core, so it did not matter whether it was used through claws, jaws or tail.
The Golden Horned Beast preferred using its mouth.
Luo Feng preferred using his claws.
Meanwhile, the adventure spacecraft continued its journey through the cosmos, steadily approaching the star system containing Earth.
On Earth.
12 September 2060.
“Viewers, behind me is Jiangnan First Hospital, where Xu Xin, the wife of Luo Feng, one of the Eight Heroes and the pride of Yangzhou, is currently awaiting childbirth. According to reports, Xu Xin is staying in the hospital’s most luxurious VIP maternity suite. The reservation fee alone reportedly cost two million Chinese yuan.”
“The monthly rental fee exceeds twelve million yuan. Including medical staff and prenatal care costs, Xu Xin’s monthly expenses are estimated to reach tens of millions of yuan. Sources claim that the hospital director has granted her a special seventy percent discount.”
“Friends watching at home, our reporters have arrived at Jiangnan First Hospital. According to reports, Xu Xin is likely to give birth within the next few days. Furthermore, according to confidential information obtained from internal sources and medical staff, she is carrying twins. Previous reports claiming triplets were apparently false.”
15 September 2060, 8:15 am.
Xu Xin was wheeled into the delivery room.
Outside Jiangnan First Hospital, the media presence had become overwhelming.
Even foreign correspondents from other countries had gathered there.
After all, among the Eight Heroes, only Luo Feng’s wife had been pregnant.
Now that Luo Feng had sacrificed himself and his child was about to be born, the entire world was paying attention.
Countless internet users, along with ordinary elderly people around the globe, were all wondering the same thing.
Luo Feng had been such an extraordinary genius.
What would his children become?
What would their futures hold?
Even before their birth, Luo Feng’s children had already become the focus of worldwide attention.
Deep beneath the Pacific Ocean.
The Golden Horned Beast, now 230 metres long, transformed into a golden streak racing through the water.
He was diligently training Absolute Space.
“Luo Feng, Luo Feng.”
Babata’s urgent voice rang out.
“What is it?”
Luo Feng stopped.
A trace of confusion appeared within his enormous dark golden eyes.
“Good news. Wonderful news. Xu Xin has just given birth to two children. Mother and sons are safe. Your eldest son weighs seven jin and six liang. Your second son weighs six jin and one liang.”
Babata’s voice was filled with excitement.