Zhou Yi had once again battled his mirror image, managing to catch his breath afterward.

It was already the third day.

He still hadn't achieved synchronization.

Upon contact, the mirror image wouldn't stay calm like other normal life forms but would rapidly punch and knee the original body.

It was impossible to synchronize consciousness in a battle state.

The mirror image, like himself, would never pause for an opponent to transform or switch skills... In this regard, it was also the most troublesome enemy he had encountered.

After repeated failures, Zhou Yi made changes and learned from the experience provided by Wu Yi.

Bone Man's approach to connection was imitation.

"Mirror image is an imitation of us, and we need to imitate it again. As long as this imitation tends toward synchronization, like looking in a mirror, then both sides will be in a stable state."

"Next is the most difficult part, consciousness connection. Although it's much easier inside an alien body, you still need to learn to radiate your consciousness outward and entangle and connect with the mirror image. Daydreaming is a good way to practice."

"The key is to complete all these steps within an hour, and you need persistent practice over the years, don't be disheartened by a rough start…"

Zhou Yi began to imitate his mirror image.

Initially, he subconsciously anticipated the opponent's movements, often being a beat slow or misjudging, then scrambling to adjust and correct...

Later he found out he didn't have to do that; he needed to let his brain not overthink and purely react based on bodily instincts.

If he was strong, the mirror image was strong.

If he relied purely on instinct, so did the mirror image.

His body and the mirror image gradually synchronized.

The opposite mirror image seemed to truly become a reflection, matching his moves precisely, creating a subtle connection.

Then, Zhou Yi found his consciousness synchronizing with the mirror image.

He closed his eyes and entered the double helix structure of the memory core.

The mirror image also slowly emerged from the white Conscious Key.

They started fighting again.

The fight grew fiercer, but he was unable to do anything to his energy-state self.

Zhou Yi decided to take a mid-game break.

The second half brought in changes.

Mecha 2, Xiao Fu, was summoned by him to continue the fight.

Fortunately, Reverse Flow had greatly improved, featuring Black Soul Combat Species, which pushed the mirror image back.

Xiao Fu couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing? Creating an energy body to practice fighting with?"

"It's for breaking the seed."

Zhou Yi explained to him.

"So it's to break through the existing Species Rank of the Spark... This method is quite primitive."

Xiao Fu said, "It's completely unnecessary. If you want to push the Spark further, violent breakthroughs are very dangerous, likely causing irreversible local damage or latent problems."

"Entering the Embryo Stage only requires enough energy and elements, it's pretty simple…"

"I almost forgot!"

Reverse Flow realized, "This world lacks 'Firewood Mound,' no wonder it's so troublesome."

Zhou Yi confused, "Firewood Mound, a kind of mountain?"

Xiao Fu explained, "Firewood Mound is a conglomerate of highly concentrated information and material. You call this Circular Flow the Dead Sea, so Firewood Mound would be the precious mines within the Dead Sea."

"Its appearance is irregular, some look like mountains, clouds, islands, or caves… They are energy states formed by a large amount of information restructuring and solidification, primarily composed of various incomplete Conscious Keys from the Circular Flow."

"But strangely, I haven't found any Firewood Mound in this world."

"Logically, a world where Circular Flow erupts must have Firewood Mound. Even if the shape, contents, and concentration vary, they shouldn't be utterly traceless as if they've disappeared… It always feels like something is wrong with this world."

Reverse Flow lamented, "Life evolution in this world is slow, with the majority at Species Rank, probably that's why."

Firewood Mound.

Zhou Yi was reminded of the mythical paradise islands.

He then asked, "Species Rank, does that refer to combat species?"

"According to the world's definition, yes."

Xiao Fu replied, "As long as one has not entered the Embryo Stage, it is collectively referred to as Species Rank."

"The Embryo Stage is a completely different life stage that causes a qualitative change, but it requires much more, or else further evolution cannot be achieved."

Zhou Yi asked in detail and understood.

A-level lives are at the Embryo Stage.

B-level and below are at Species Rank.

During the Wasteland Era, Earth's life forms found it difficult to break through the Species Rank due to the lack of Firewood Mound.

What Xiao Fu originally thought was easy had also become difficult.

"It may be difficult for other life forms, but for you, it is still okay, because your body can withstand intensely high impacts."

Reverse Flow said, "The method you are adopting essentially involves using brute force to break open the structural restrictions of the Species Rank. So long as you grasp this Energy Body, integrating it into your body and continuously refining it should do the trick."

It explained the method.

Zhou Yi slowly opened his eyes and looked at the mirror image standing opposite him.

He reached out toward the other—the other also reached toward him.

At the moment of contact, the two merged into one.

Zhou Yi's entire body clanged and banged, as if countless tiny people inside were hammering and smacking with hammers and mallets.

His head buzzed as if he were on a massive construction site.

The optimized automatic crack seed process began.

On the fifth day,

Zhou Yi, sitting on the stone platform, slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

His whole body was sore and fatigued, yet there was also a strange sense of refreshment.

At that moment, the panel also suddenly changed.

"Combat" became "Battle Reconfiguration☆☆☆☆," with the limit increased by one star, although the other values remained unchanged.

In terms of abilities, "Stretching" and "Alert" descriptions were still as usual.

It appeared that these two abilities had only increased in strength, not enough to undergo a qualitative change.

...

When they met again, Bone Man was surprised, "Your crack seed is already complete?"

Zhou Yi bowed his hands, "Thank you for the guidance."

"It seems this is the difference in talent..."

Bone Man muttered, "It took me seven or eight years to complete this step."

Zhou Yi felt that Wu Yi was already very exaggerated. Bone Man, who was not known for his bodily strength, had managed to find another way through by leveling up in prison to become an A-level life form.

"Since you've reached this point, I'll give you another piece of advice."

Bone Man solemnly said, "The key to reconfiguring combat species is 'elements'; you should choose an item that is both familiar and unique to you. This way, the growth of the combat species will maintain high compatibility with you, and its abilities will be hard to decipher by others."

"I made a mistake in my choices when I was exploring on my own, and I faced setbacks later on; I suffered a lot in the Outer Sea, defeated by everyone... In the end, I had to come back here."

Taking the lesson from the predecessors, Zhou Yi humbly learned, "Understood, I'll be careful."

Wu Yi reminded, "Remember my Rolex."

"Got it."

In the following time, Zhou Yi and Wu Yi primarily discussed the watch. He also told the other why there were so many fake Rolexes, which infuriated Skull Man and made him curse the prehistoric humans from the Divine Era.

The days flew by quickly.

At a large gate of Mei State Prison.

Amid the white light, Zhou Yi walked out from inside.

Not far from here were two tents, and several enhancers immediately looked at him.

Red Kestrel swooped down beside Zhou Yi, "It's good that you're okay."

"Yeah."

Zhou Yi turned to look back.

Behind the tall, closed iron gate, Mei State Prison was as quiet as a mountain.

He turned his face and headed toward Jade City.

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