Apocalypse Gachapon

Chapter 1782: Genius or stupid

In the end, Ye Zhongming chose to learn the ability that created clones, which then turned into smoke. Aslan said it was called Double Poison Shadow.

It allowed the user to create two clones to block attacks. When shattered, they would explode into poisonous smoke, controlling nearby targets to some extent.

If not shattered, they could still attack the target, dealing damage while gradually weakening themselves. If left uncontrolled, they would automatically explode at their limit. If controlled, the user could detonate them at any time.

A good ability—at least Ye Zhongming thought so.

Learning a completely new skill naturally couldn’t be as simple as the wheel’s direct instillation.

Aslan taught with great care. Though the ability was complex, she explained it methodically and even shared her own experience with Ye Zhongming.

According to Aslan, most abilities obtained from the wheel wouldn’t remain in the body, but those fused with one’s bloodline could be retained—such as bloodlines or abilities like Beautiful Heavenly Body.

Thus, evolution levels could also be retained, along with the Soul Refining Technique Ye Zhongming had learned in the secret realm.

It had to be said—this was truly something remarkable.

Ye Zhongming had always thought that rebirth wasn’t much of an advantage for him. After all, as an ordinary person in his past life, he couldn’t have known many secrets, so rebirth didn’t change that. The extra experience only extended up to level six.
Compared to the Five Keys Alliance, who had known about the apocalypse in advance, this at best evened the playing field.

What made Ye Zhongming feel like he had heated the system were two things: First, Exclusion Technique—an ability that likely belonged to Mu Xinfei in his past life—was the foundation of his rapid rise to power. Second, the Soul Refining Art.

This ability not only granted Ye Zhongming vast mental strength and the power to forge soul weapons but also gave him an advantage in using skills more frequently than others while being less vulnerable to mental attacks.

Against the lives in Darkstripe City and the true Slave Races he might encounter in the future, Ye Zhongming had some confidence—at least half of which came from the Soul Refining Technique.

Now, aside from the heightened physical and mental development from evolving to level nine, it was unclear whether it was due to the Soul Refining Technique, but Ye Zhongming could always comprehend and master what Aslan taught him with astonishing speed. This left the female birdman utterly shocked, shifting from doubt to certainty—she knew she was dealing with a genius.

Without direct instillation, only comprehension was possible. Even if Ye Zhongming learned quickly, mastering a technique in a single day was impossible. He moved through the jungle with Aslan in tow, taking care of everything since the birdman couldn’t move—fetching water, hunting, cooking, and tending to the injured.

Only after two days did he fully memorize the basics of Double Poison Shadow and begin practicing it slightly.

During these days, Ye Zhongming faced some challenges in the rainforest, but none were major. Level six or seven creatures posed no threat as long as he was careful, and even level eight ones only caused minor trouble before being dealt with.

Aslan’s injuries had mostly healed. In truth, the so-called Ayr gas healing medicine was only used four times before running out. The birdman’s recovery relied more on her formidable regenerative abilities.

Ye Zhongming couldn’t help but admire this. Even a level nine evolved human would take at least a week to fully recover from having most of their bones broken—yet this creature was already bouncing around after just three days.

”Your hand seals are wrong! Your left hand is off by one degree—this will affect the overflow of your ability. If your speed is even slightly off, the shadow won’t form!”

”Poison! Poison! Don’t forget, garbage—the latter half of this ability, or rather its most threatening aspect, is the poisonous gas! Right now, you don’t have materials to use, so your clones can’t release poison mist, but you can’t pretend it doesn’t exist! Why are you making your clones so defensive? When are you going to release the poison? How much damage can two clones even do?!”

”You’re so stupid! Control your energy properly—do you want to dump all your power into the clones and then pass out?”

”Pay attention to your movement! The Star Eye Race’s greatest strength lies in finding opportunities to deliver a fatal strike. You have to weave around—do you understand?! Why do you keep charging straight in like an idiot?!”

”Distance! Create distance! Distance is life! Why did you beat me? Because I carelessly let you get close!”

”...”

Once Aslan recovered, she began sparring with Ye Zhongming, teaching him how to use the ability, what to pay attention to, and other key points.

Though she kept calling him stupid, in truth, Aslan was a little jealous. Back when she first learned Double Poison Shadow after systematic training since childhood, it took her nearly an entire cosmic month to grasp the basics. Truly mastering it and making it instinctive took almost two cosmic years.

Yet this person in front of her memorized the steps in two days, comprehended the most difficult aspect—clone density—in one day, and after sparring with her, managed to summon a single clone in just two more days.

How could she not envy such talent?! By Aslan’s estimate, at most half a cosmic month, this garbage called Ye Zhongming would be able to use this ability in combat. Reaching full proficiency would likely take two months.

She had taken two years—he would take two months. The gap was so vast it made Aslan despair.

Gradually, this insurmountable difference, while stirring envy, also made Aslan take her teaching with extreme seriousness. She poured all her effort into it, genuinely wanting to see just how far this little garbage could grow.

Ye Zhongming could naturally sense the birdman’s meticulous teaching and studied earnestly. He didn’t resist her harsh attitude or strictness—except during practice, where he occasionally used the ability according to his own understanding. This became the biggest point of contention between them. At one point, after realizing Ye Zhongming refused to change, Aslan snapped in frustration that if he had just obediently followed her teaching, he probably would’ve been able to summon the second clone by now!

But Ye Zhongming stubbornly stuck to his ways, making Aslan grind her teeth in frustration. If only she could beat him—she’d have done so eight hundred times a day!

Her opinion changed on the eighth day.

After successfully summoning a clone on the fifth day, three more days passed—yet Ye Zhongming still couldn’t summon a second one.

Aslan’s expectations began to plummet.

She slowly realized that this garbage’s talent might not be as incredible as she had thought.

Because the hardest part of this ability was summoning the first clone. Once that hurdle was crossed, summoning a second one should follow naturally.

Yet… he was stuck.

Two more days passed—still no second clone. Aslan’s attitude noticeably cooled.

Not toward Ye Zhongming as a person, but rather a disillusionment with her own expectations.

”According to regulations, after ten days of learning an ability, you’ll face an assessment. This determines whether your path ahead will be smooth or difficult—whether your trial’s challenge increases or decreases.”

Aslan led Ye Zhongming to a location where a beast lay sleeping, radiating a powerful aura.

This was a level nine lifeform!

”Kill it using your newly learned ability. Succeed, and your trial’s difficulty won’t be high. Survive it, and you can learn your next ability. Fail, or if you kill it using other attack skills you’ve mastered… then your future path will become much harder.”