System: Replicating The Heavens-Chapter 520: Ch : Successively Advancement (3)

Without holding back, Alex started circulating the Primordial Chaos Nine Transformation cultivation technique while firmly holding on to the Dragon Marrow Crystal in his palm.

The moment he began circulating the Primordial Chaos Nine Transformation, a deep aura awakened within the crystal. Soft golden light seeped through his fingers as the crystal's energy began to surge forth. A warm energy surged outward, carrying the overwhelming vitality of an Astral Dragon. It was vast, pure, and tyrannical, yet strangely gentle as it entered Alex's body. The moment the energy flowed into him, his Saint Foundation trembled slightly, as though a dry land had finally been touched by a divine river.

The Dragon Marrow Crystal melted at a visible speed, turning into streams of luminous essence that were devoured by Alex's cultivation technique. The Primordial Chaos Nine Transformation refined everything with absolute dominance, breaking down the dragon essence into the purest form before transforming it into Chaos Energy.

Alex's aura rose steadily with an unstoppable momentum. In just a short moment, the first crystal was completely absorbed, leaving behind only faint dust that scattered in the air.

Alex did not stop. He took out a second Dragon Marrow Crystal and started absorbing it as well.

Following the second crystal was a third and then a fourth.

One after another, he refined them without pause. Each crystal released an ocean of energy, and each time, cultivation was strengthened greatly.

When Alex refined the fifth Dragon Marrow Crystal, a powerful wave of aura surged out of his body. The ground beneath him cracked slightly as a new level of pressure descended. His cultivation officially stepped into the Second Layer of the Saint Foundation Stage.

Alex didn't stop. He continued to take out the Dragon Marrow Crystals and absorb them without hesitation.

By the time the twelfth Dragon Marrow Crystal dissolved into nothingness, Alex's aura changed once again. He had stepped into the Third Layer of the Saint Foundation Stage. The improvement was not only in quantity but in quality.

Still, he did not stop.

One crystal after another vanished in his hand. The forest around him was filled with the faint scent of dragon essence and the heavy pressure of a growing Saint. Spiritual energy gathered uncontrollably, forming invisible currents that swirled around his body.

When the twenty-fifth Dragon Marrow Crystal was refined, Alex's aura surged violently for a brief moment before settling into an even more terrifying calm. His cultivation had reached the Fourth Layer of the Saint Foundation Stage.

He continued refining without slowing down.

Finally, when the fiftieth Dragon Marrow Crystal dissolved, the transformation was even more striking. Space around him seemed to thicken under his presence, and his aura became so condensed that it felt almost tangible. His cultivation stepped into the Fifth Layer of the Saint Foundation Stage.

It was finally at this moment that Alex stopped absorbing the Dragon Marrow Crystals and slowly opened his eyes.

He stopped because he was left with only three Dragon Marrow Crystals. He took them out and glanced at them.

Just three Dragon Marrow Crystals were far from enough to have a strong effect on him. If he wanted to continue increasing his cultivation rapidly, then he must either gather more Dragon Marrow Crystals or look for another treasure—or another way.

---

"What is this place?"

Alex frowned as his eyes fell upon the scene before him. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Deep within the forest, where only ancient trees and beasts should exist, there were actually streets stretched ahead of him, paved with jade bricks that were now almost buried beneath thick layers of weeds and moss. Nature had claimed them so thoroughly that the road was barely recognizable at first glance.

On both sides of the streets stood rows of old buildings. Some had already collapsed into ruins, while others were leaning dangerously, as if they could fall at any moment. Their walls were cracked and broken, their roofs caved in. Even strange vehicles lay overturned along the roadside, half-sunk into the earth, rusted and forgotten.

Green vines crawled over the houses like living chains, wrapping around walls, windows, and pillars. Trees had grown through shattered structures, their roots tearing apart stone and brick without mercy. It was as if the forest was slowly devouring the city, erasing every sign that humans had ever lived here.

"This place must have been a town filled with life and voices once, but for some reason, it now become a part of the forest."

Alex shook his head and sighed.

After advancing to the Fifth Layer of the Saint Foundation Stage, Alex thought for a while and decided to hunt demonic beasts and devour them. Devouring them would increase his cultivation much faster than refining a treasure into Chaos Energy.

After all, the might of Devouring God's Body is simply too domineering.

So, he started roaming into the forest while looking for beasts. In the past two days, he had already hunted more than fifteen Saint Foundation Stage beasts and devoured them, raising his cultivation to the Sixth Stage.

Today, while he was moving deeper into the forest, he came across this strange place, which appeared to be an abandoned city, where people once used to live, but for some unknown reason, it was now in ruins.

While he was still observing his surroundings, a rustling sound came from the dense bushes by the road.

Shua~ Shua~

Two thick black shadows flew out from the grass with a foul smell and collided with Alex before he could look towards the bushes.

Alex's figure flashed with the slightest movement, dodging a fang in the shape of a scimitar that was attempting to pierce his chest.

At the same time, his eyes turned cold. Chaos Energy surged in his body before it gathered in his right hand, turning into a blade. He slashed fiercely at the black shadow's head, creating an extremely sharp scarlet arc.

A ferocious beast head left its body and flew away with a poof. Fresh blood spurted out from the severed neck like a fountain. Its body ran for several meters more before it collapsed.

It was at this moment that the second beast's shadow attacked him.

Alex didn't dodge. He simply kicked his right foot up, drawing a sharp arc.

Bang!

The black shadow was sent flying from the impact; however, before it could even land on the ground, Alex appeared before it in a flash and slashed his hand down.

The black shadow split into two from the middle and fell to the ground. Just like that, the two black shadows were killed by Alex.

Only then did Alex carefully examine the corpses on the ground.

These were corpses of beasts that looked similar to boars. They were at least three meters tall. Their entire bodies were covered in black spikes. Their fangs were sharp and long, like two sharp scimitars.

"Dark Thorn Wild Beast!"

Alex recognized this beast. He had killed several of them in the past few days. These beasts were all in the Saint Foundation Stage, between the Third Layer and the Seventh Layer.

Shaking his head, Alex moved inside the abandoned city while looking around.

Suddenly, he saw a fleeting figure in an old villa in front of him from the corner of his eye. He instantly rushed over like an arrow to the front of the old villa that was covered in vines and leaped to the second floor of the villa.

He stepped on the balcony on the second floor and leaped up to the third floor.

Swoosh!

Alex had just entered the third floor of the villa when a shadow pounced on him at lightning speed.

Alex instantly felt a sharp pain in his neck, as if a sharp claw was about to tear his neck apart. It wasn't too late for someone like him to dodge, but he didn't dodge. Instead, he chose to attack.

A powerful energy burst out of his body as two golden blades manifested in Alex's hands. These blades were a condensed form of Chaos Energy. Alex immediately slashed out intersecting arcs in the air using these blades.

Sizzle~

"Roar!"

There was a sizzling sound in the air, and the next moment, blood bloomed in the air, accompanied by a shrill and ear-piercing scream.

"Umm?"

Alex raised his brows in surprise, not expecting this beast to actually dodge his attack. Although his attack landed on the beast and even injured it, the beast still managed to dodge the fatal blow at the critical moment.

Swoosh!

The next moment, Alex saw a large gray panther appearing a few meters away from him, standing on a metal box. Its two sharp claws, shimmering with a metallic luster, were dug deep into the box.

One of the claws had two additional lines of blood that were slowly seeping out.

"No wonder it's so fast that it managed to dodge a fatal blow. It's actually a beast at the Second Layer of the Saint Manifestation Stage!"

Alex looked at the Panther on the metal box with slightly narrowed eyes.

This panther was fast, and now that it was injured, it must have been infuriated. The next time it attacks, it will come at Alex with all it has.