Chapter 996: Doctor's Heart

However, all of that became irrelevant, because in the very next moment, Xu Yang was startled to find that the Doctor, using an unknown method of attack, suddenly unleashed an incredibly powerful energy fluctuation.

Immediately afterward, a bizarre cultivation technique activated within him, rapidly engulfing the entire experimental space in a very short time.

The life force on the ground, which had been attempting to reorganize itself, was rapidly and frantically absorbed into the Doctor's arms. He was, in fact, forcibly seizing the life force of his laboratory assistants who had risked their lives for him.

First, he stripped and altered their souls; now, he was forcibly plundering and devouring their life force. This was the extent of the Doctor's actions as a leader.

One might ask how a mercenary individual like him could ever gain the willing submission of others?

Undoubtedly, with Xu Yang's current influence, if he were to simply snap his fingers and make such a request, every member of the Glory Team would likely willingly sacrifice their lives for him.

However, someone like the Doctor, who completely disregards the value of others' lives and solely indulges his own desires, deserves nothing but downfall.

After their life force was briefly devoured, the surrounding assistants completely lost their chance at survival, while the Doctor seemed to have become even more powerful than before.

His bloated body was filled with vibrant life force, and this method of energy replenishment allowed the Doctor to elevate his strength to a new peak in a short period.

At this moment, the Doctor vigorously swung his arms, striking the ground where Xu Yang stood. With a thunderous roar, the spot where Xu Yang had been standing suddenly sank dozens of meters.

Had his movement speed not reached its peak, allowing him to leap into the air the instant the Doctor attacked and evade this lethal blow, Xu Yang would likely not be standing there now.

“Do not attempt to be my enemy and contend with me any longer, my experiment. You cannot kill me, because I am now like a living fountain of life. How can you conquer me?”

Xu Yang's expression gradually turned cold. He placed the Jade Bone Divine Sword in front of his chest and gently wiped its blade with two fingers from his other hand. Simultaneously, the divine sword itself emitted incredibly solid sword energy fluctuations.

The powerful sword energy materialized into endless ethereal sword constructs, frantically cleaving through everything in the surrounding space. No matter how composed the Doctor's aura was, he couldn't help but be astonished by the power Xu Yang unleashed.

“My heavens! To be able to push the power of the sword cultivation lineage to such an extent? Lad, even if you fall by my hand today, you should be proud. At the very least, you are the young man with the deepest foundation in sword cultivation I have ever seen.”

Xu Yang, however, burst into laughter.

“You should have known your place from the beginning. With your strength and status, you have no right to judge me. You are merely an ant. Now, I will show you what kind of posture you should adopt in front of me.”

As soon as Xu Yang finished speaking, he unhesitatingly unleashed the full power of the Jade Bone Divine Sword. This time, Xu Yang's target was precisely the Doctor's heart. The Doctor seemed to sense a hint of danger and instinctively scrambled wildly towards other areas, his movement speed reaching its peak.

At the same time, two biochemical tentacles suddenly materialized from his back, helping him further enhance his mobility. However, what good were such various transformations?

In front of Xu Yang, unless one possessed absolute overwhelming strength to contend with him, attempting to compensate with such unorthodox methods was utterly meaningless.

In that instant, the Jade Bone Divine Sword in Xu Yang's hand unhesitatingly pierced through the Doctor's heart. Finally, the ceaseless life force flowing within the Doctor began to rapidly leak out.

However, what was even more crucial was that Xu Yang saw the Doctor's beating heart. Lying in the center of a pool of blood mist on the ground, it was still powerfully pulsating.

Xu Yang had a flash of inspiration. With a flick of his palm, he forcibly snatched the heart from the ground into his hand, feeling its incredibly powerful pulsations.

Xu Yang held it in his palm and examined it carefully. He was astonished to find a seed resembling a greenish seedling right in the center of the heart.

The reason this heart pulsed so powerfully and exuded such vibrant life force was entirely due to that seed playing a crucial role within it.

“So that’s it. The reason your physical strength is so immense is that you’ve integrated this plant-like biological system into your life system. Otherwise, a shattered body would never be able to recover in such a short time. This super-strong regenerative ability must be provided by this plant-based energy system.”

Xu Yang held the pulsating heart in his hand while staring at the Doctor with an icy expression.

And indeed, just as Xu Yang had said, the Doctor had fully restored his physical form in an extremely short time.

Even though this heart had already been separated from his body, as long as its pulsating rhythm remained, the Doctor's life force would not disappear.

The West Emperor, who was nearby, also had a sudden realization.

“So that’s how it is. Indeed, the growth potential of plants is something that human or beast life forms with physical bodies can never compare to. To implant a plant's life system into a cultivator's body—such an idea is truly audacious. It’s simply a groundbreaking innovation. Although it cannot compare to my power of immortality, this method certainly shares a similar marvelous effect with it.”

Xu Yang, however, let out a cold snort, then, with apparent interest, began to toy with the heart containing the special seed in his hand, coldly gazing at the Doctor before him.

“I know you really want this heart back, don't you? That's not impossible, on one condition: you must answer one of my questions.”

For the first time, the Doctor finally relented in front of Xu Yang. He knew that if he lost this heart, all his research achievements would become meaningless, for this heart, with its special seed, was the source of all his life force.