The translucent light sphere floated on his palm. A lump of sand kept circulating within it, forming a vortex.

　　To think that there were gene drops from killing monsters!

　　Sand Gene module!

　　Feng Lin knew that once he equipped this gene module onto himself, he would be able to obtain the power to control sand.

　　It was a pity that this wasn’t his own gene.

　　If possible, Feng Lin hoped that he would be able to obtain his own Monkey Gene module as well as the Stonebirth Gene module. He wanted to use the virtual universe to simulate his abilities in real life and have a feeling of his cultivation path in advance.

　　However, by the looks of it, the gene drops from killing monsters were randomized. It wasn’t a sure thing what gene would drop.

　　He could only equip it first!

　　Feng Lin thought that it was fortunate that the equipped gene could be unequipped. Otherwise, it would be a great loss.

　　“Equip!” With a single thought, the Sand Gene immediately entered his body, turning into data currents that encompassed his entire body. A mysterious change was happening.

　　Feng Lin clenched his fists and sensed a mysterious power flowing in his body. It seethed in his body, wanting to break out from the restraints of his body.

　　He instinctively stretched out his hand and grasped…

　　Swoosh swoosh swoosh!

　　Violent sandstorm raged and sand moved about in the absence of wind. They kept on circling, eventually forming a vortex and sank into the ground.

　　Feng Lin had a mysterious feeling. It seemed as if his consciousness had left his body together with that strange power, forming a strange sensation together with these sand.

　　With a single thought, he would be able to control them with great ease as if they were his arms.

　　Was this the feeling of controlling matter?

　　Feng Lin was amazed. His genetic ability strengthened his body, and extraordinary strength was hidden deep within it. However, this was the first time he was using a genetic ability that controlled matter.

　　To be able to control extraordinary powers with just a single thought. He had to say that this was a lot more convenient compared to his Monkey Gene and Stonebirth Gene.

　　There was only one trick in using body strengthening genes—to be rash!

　　Moreover, such genetic ability that controlled matter was a lot more flexible and would allow one to freely make changes.

　　For example, the sand was taking on various forms under Feng Lin’s control—flowers, birds, fishes, bugs, sabers, blades, spears, and staffs…

　　The virtual universe was a simulation of the real world.

　　Feng Lin reckoned that the Sand Gene’s ability in the real world should be very similar to what he was experiencing now. It could even be exactly the same.

　　Pffft pffft pffft!

　　Sand surged up all of a sudden, forming many sand dunes. Many huge, vicious-looking bugs appeared. Intelligent glows gleamed in their eyes, and they had fierce and vicious gazes.

　　Feng Lin’s countenance turned grim. He understood that these were no ordinary bugs but were a terrifying race in the Interstellar Era—the bug race.

　　The bug race possessed an explosive reproduction rate and rapid evolution ability that other races couldn’t compare against. They could evolve into the most suitable form according to the environment they were in, be it in the sky, ocean, land, outer space, or underground. There were different species within the bug race, with each possessing a great number of soldiers.

　　Once they initiated their attacks, they would gush forth with an overwhelming force like tides, engulfing everything in the world.

　　Therefore, the bug race was also the most notorious destroyer of civilizations in the universe. They could be considered as the common enemy of all civilizations and races across the universe.

　　Feng Lin had only heard of how terrifying the bug race was before, but now, he was finally witnessing it for himself.

　　He had just stepped into this place and immediately, it was as if he had poked the hornet’s nest. Countless members of the bug race instantly darted out from the ground.

　　There were great scorpions with toxic barbs, huge centipedes that were the size of a tank and were covered in a layer of crust, flying bugs that had translucent wings that flapped and released sharp sounds… They were of different forms, but all of them were evolved species of the bug race that were accustomed to the desert environment. They could be seen everywhere, both in the sky and on the ground.

　　This was just the easiest stage in the gene hunting ground. Although there were a large number of them, they were at the lowest level.

　　“Good timing!” Feng Lin wasn’t too anxious because he had the thought of having some fun. This was a good chance for him to test out the ability of the Sand Gene.

　　“Rise!” With a deep bellow, the sand under his feet seethed and formed a stretch of sand waves, instantly pouring down.

　　The bug race soldiers couldn’t dodge in time and were drowned. However, at the next moment, they immediately charged out again.

　　Sand waves were completely ineffective to them.

　　“Interesting!” Feng Lin changed his attack, and sand gathered in his hand, taking the form of a longspear.

　　Roar!

　　He charged at them with skillful spear techniques, piercing into the mouth of a large beetle that was pouncing toward him. The longspear pierced through its body, killing the beetle with a single move.

　　Swoosh!

　　A black figure came darting out.

　　It was a huge scorpion trying to lift its stinger.

　　Feng Lin let go of his grip, and that longspear turned back into sand, scattering over the ground. He then dodged rapidly.

　　Pffft pffft pffft!

　　Another bug race soldier screamed shrilly and spurted out smelly corrosive acid from its mouth.

　　With a single thought, sand gathered on Feng Lin’s body, instantly forming a layer of armor.

　　The acid was rendered useless when they landed on the armor.

　　Sand Golden Armor!

　　Feng Lin’s valiance increased as he continued fighting. He swept out the spear, killing the bug race soldiers one after another.

　　It didn’t take long for him to obtain four more genes.

　　Sand Gene modules x2, Tornado Gene x2.

　　Feng Lin equipped them once again and discovered that the gene modules on his body had turned into Sand Gene x3, Tornado Gene x2.

　　He could clearly sense the strange power in his body growing by a lot compared to before. If it could be said to be a small stream earlier, it was now a great raging river!

　　“Sand rise, tornado appear!”

　　Feng Lin swung both his hands.

　　Sand rose up and strong gales blew, forming many sandstorms that raged in the surroundings. Its force exploded three times stronger than before.

　　The members of the bug race squeaked and were implicated in the sandstorm.

　　Great Sand Burial!

　　With a single thought, a strange power gushed out from within.

　　Sand stacked up together like a huge mountain, forming something like a pyramid and burying all the members of the bug race.

　　After a short while, Feng Lin was the only one left standing. The chaotic battlefield had been swept clean and had completely calmed down.

　　He sunk into deep thought.

　　The virtual universe was a simulation of the real world.

　　Equipping gene modules repeatedly was the equivalence of gene strengthening.

　　Then would it be possible for him to combine the gene modules, evolving them into a higher grade gene?

　　It was very likely!

　　With a single thought, the genetic equation in his body started circulating, depleting 32% of his genetic potential and obtaining a genetic formula.

　　Sand Gene x2 + Tornado Gene x3 = Windsand Gene

　　Sand Gene x5 + Tornado Gene x6 = Hurricane Gene

　　Sand Gene x7 + Tornado Gene x9 = Sandstorm Gene

　　Three formulas appeared at once.

　　Feng Lin tried testing things out. Since he wanted to combine them, he must obtain the strongest one.

　　There were endless numbers of the bug race, and they continued to surface from the ground.

　　Feng Lin started a massacre, and all the bug race soldiers were slain under his spear. They turned into data currents, disappearing and dropping many light spheres.

　　Feng Lin did a rough estimation of the drop rate of the genes. On average, there would be one gene module dropped after he killed about 50 of them.

　　Very soon, he managed to collect the required amount. He had even obtained a few other gene modules like the Acid Gene, Crust Gene, Nymphosis Gene…

　　Sand Gene x7, Tornado Gene x9.

　　As Feng Lin reached the limit of equipping gene modules, he combined the Sand Gene with the Tornado Gene, causing the two completely different genes to merge together, turning into a red gene module. A strange scene of a sandstorm appeared in the core of the gene module. Sand and raging strong gales covered up the sky.

　　=======

　　Gene: Sandstorm Gene

　　Grade: High-grade basic gene

　　Ability: Freely control sandstorms

　　=======

　　Feng Lin sensed the powers in his body become extremely powerful, gushing out in waves.

　　Was this the feeling of a Gene Cultivator?

　　Feng Lin had the feeling that with a single thought, he would be able to control the wind and sand. It was as if he had the power to cover up the sky and drown everything within his sight.

　　This was a strong power he had never felt before—a transformation to the essence of life. People who had yet to experience the evolution wouldn’t understand this feeling.

　　Right now, the bug race soldiers were still gushing forth like endless waves.

　　Feng Lin swung his hand. “Sandstorm!”

　　Endless sand and dust were blown up, covering the sky. The world fell into darkness, and it appeared extremely terrifying.

　　Countless members of the bug race were drowned by the sandstorm, with many blown off far into the distance.

　　The chaotic and noisy desert once again fell silent.

　　Feng Lin stood on the spot and with a single thought. “Unequip!”

　　A gene module floated out from his body. It was the Sandstorm Gene.

　　Although this place was a simulation of the real world, the virtual universe had its own unique rules. Unlike how it was in the real world, one could not only combine and evolve gene modules in their body but also unequip them at any moment.

　　A great idea appeared in Feng Lin’s mind.

　　Did this mean that he would be able to combine genes freely?