Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1237: The Mysterious Spirit of the Ritual

Totoro's speech remains a mystery to human ears. Earlier, Zhang Yi had asked Lu Keran to develop a device that could translate its sounds.

Yet, for this unique creature, data was scarce, and deciphering its vocalizations proved challenging.

They had no choice but to gradually interpret its everyday noises over time.

Thus, Zhang Yi felt intrigued by Frog's interpretation.

"How did you figure that out?"

Frog replied with what seemed like a grin—given its features, it perpetually appeared cheerful: "Ribbit! As I mentioned, tunes can touch the soul directly. I grasped the essence of its recent utterance."

"Alright, so what exactly did it express?"

Zhang Yi settled into a cross-legged position, his expression brimming with interest.

Frog explained: "Sacrificial, spirit."

Zhang Yi furrowed his brow in contemplation briefly, then enlightenment struck him abruptly.

"Are you referring to that purple crystal?"

Frog gestured openly: "I'm not certain, but I perceived its intent via the melody."

Totoro let out another call, one that rang a bell for Zhang Yi.

Apparently, since their return from under the Qinling Mountains, such sounds had become frequent for it.

Back then, Zhang Yi had dismissed it, assuming mere hunger pangs.

Little did he realize it was actually alerting him to the nature of that item.

Slipping into his slippers, Zhang Yi rose and rested his hands on Totoro's shoulders.

"Totoro, are you familiar with operating that object?"

Totoro met Zhang Yi's eyes. Under his earnest stare, it blinked a couple of times before cocking its head.

"Ah?"

Zhang Yi: "..."

Verbal exchange remained out of reach; Totoro clearly couldn't comprehend his words.

Feeling somewhat helpless, Zhang Yi turned to Frog: "Frog, could you spend more time interacting with Totoro going forward? If it vocalizes anything noteworthy, please let me know, alright?"

"Ribbit ribbit! Sure thing, my friend!"

Frog responded cheerfully.

After a brief pause, Zhang Yi retrieved two Ground Centipedes from his Dimensional Space, offering one to each.

Totoro beamed with delight; the creature dwarfed it in size.

Nevertheless, it hoisted the lengthy form with its paws, adorably parting its wide jaws to expose sharp teeth.

"Crunch!"

The resilient exoskeleton shattered under the bite, spilling verdant fluid all around.

Totoro devoured chunks of the centipede's innards as casually as savoring a pastry.

Recalling Totoro's feats in the subterranean realm, Zhang Yi pondered: Just what sort of being is this? Its talons and dentition appear extraordinarily keen, slicing through earthen strata with ease. Yet, its fighting prowess seems modest.

Frog eyed Zhang Yi oddly: "What's this for?"

Zhang Yi glanced upward at Frog with a grin: "A token I fetched for you. This one's superhuman index exceeds 9000 points easily. Taking it in will boost your power."

Frog shrugged helplessly: "Oh, friend. Strengthening myself doesn't appeal to me."

Zhang Yi countered: "Certain items might not seem essential, but possessing them proves beneficial. Powering up is always advantageous. Plus, this pest's flesh has a surprisingly decent flavor!"

Frog mulled it over: "Fine, your point holds water. Thanks for the present!"

Thus, Frog took hold of the squad leader-tier Ground Centipede from Zhang Yi.

Regarding Frog's capabilities, Zhang Yi lacked precise knowledge.

As a peace-loving sort, Frog had rarely engaged during the prior Cockroach Swarm crisis.

He preferred lounging in the lakebed silt, dozing away.

Though their acquaintance was recent, Zhang Yi had grown fond of Frog.

Individuals with such laid-back vibes often uplift those nearby, bringing Zhang Yi joy as well.

...

Over the ensuing days, Lu Keran stayed the most occupied.

Every item Zhang Yi hauled from below the Qinling Mountains fell to her for handling.

Elemental ores were straightforward; refining them yielded pure Elemental Stones.

Still, devising applications for this novel energy material demanded further study.

On top of that, they probed the activation of the purple crystal, dubbed the sacrificial spirit.

Throughout this period, Zhang Yi lingered nearby, offering constant support to prevent mishaps.

Following days of experimentation, Lu Keran at last unlocked the method to extract and channel its inner power.

This constituted a intricate energy form, infused with "emotion" essence.

The arm-sized sacrificial spirit, once processed through elaborate apparatus, saturated numerous large energy tanks.

"Brother, this crystal's power resembles Divine Source and source sprites. However... differences exist."

Through testing, Lu Keran reached this verdict.

Zhang Yi stroked his chin: "Does that mean it's valuable?"

Lu Keran affirmed: "As pure energy, no harmful aspects appear present."

With safety assured, Zhang Yi proceeded to absorb the energy.

He positioned his arm against the intake.

Instantly, an elusive, arcane sensation overwhelmed him.

Torrents of immense energy flooded his form, yet distinct from prior superhuman origin intake.

As it coursed in, he sensed the ambient space and time freezing.

Zhang Yi pivoted his head leisurely; the surroundings had halted entirely.

The tabletop clock, Lu Keran's hand motions, even airborne particles.

Zhang Yi cocked his head, puzzled by the phenomenon.

Yet, the instant after, tumultuous sounds exploded in his realm.

His vision blurred into streaks of light, yanked rearward swiftly.

A whoosh propelled him into a blank, pristine expanse.

Threads of sentiments, akin to celluloid reels, wove through this immaculate void.

A throbbing ache swelled in Zhang Yi's mind. It felt as though volumes of recollections had surged in, though indistinct.

Moments of elation alternated with sorrow.

As if, in a fleeting span, he had endured millennia.

Indefinable, a blend of grief and delight intertwined, evoking bewilderment.

After an indeterminate duration, the sentiments gradually receded.

Upon reopening his eyes, Zhang Yi beheld myriad soft, luminous orbs materializing in the boundless white.

He remained stationary, wary of hasty actions, perceiving it all as illusory.

Zhang Yi mused inwardly: "Perhaps ingesting this peculiar energy has induced toxin-like visions."

Despite no experience with psychedelic fungi, he was convinced his psyche had altered, immersing him in an odd trance.

Eventually, the scenes before him dissolved.

He reemerged into reality.

That pristine, enigmatic energy integrated into him. Lacking intensity or warmth, it nonetheless sparked subtle transformations in his physique.

Enhanced. His superhuman index had surged by no less than 3000 points!

Yet, these gains weren't his primary focus.

Author's Note