In that instant, the hall was stunned all over again, utterly dumbfounded.

Team leader: Shi Jin, student of Ancient Capital University's Archaeology Department.

Members: Dr. Zuo Jiangyun, director of the Demon Capital Insect Research Institute; the breeder Xia Yan; the insect-type legendary beast-tamer Hua Xiajin…

The crowd: ???

Imperial Capital University: ???

Magic City University: ???

Good grief—plenty of people were crying good grief.

Imperial Capital University had one professor leading four students; here at Ancient Capital University, not only was the team led by an archaeology student, but that student had also brought along a famous doctor and a legendary beast tamer?

What kind of trick was this?

Zuo Heng, Hua Che—which of them wasn't a heavyweight in the insect-field?

Why were they listed as members, while the person in charge was a student?

At that moment, apart from the few in the know, most people were utterly thrown into confusion.

Over on the Imperial Capital University side, Tang Yun was hopelessly bewildered. So it really was the Shi Jin she knew?

She looked over in endless bewilderment... and as a young man in a white research coat walked calmly onto the exhibition stage, her bewilderment only deepened.

It was absolutely that Iron-eating Beast Knight, no doubt about it.

This made no sense!

Why him?

The archaeology department didn't dig up ruins—it had come to research breeding instead?

Was Shi Jue strong in battle too? If he wanted a double specialty, it should be battle—why had he come to research breeding?

At Magic City University, some of those present felt a twinge of discomfort seeing the names of Dr. Zuo Jiangyun and student Xia Yan.

But the changes in the outside world could no longer affect Shi Jin, now up on stage.

He swept his gaze across the whole hall, then toward the judges' bench.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Shi Jin, a student from Ancient Capital University. Because of the special nature of the Green Silk Worm, its evolved forms have always been an eternal research topic in the breeding world. And the breeding achievement we've brought this time is 'an entirely new evolved form of the Green Silk Worm.' However, this evolved form may be somewhat different from the evolutions you know."

Shi Jin wore a smile.

When he finished, the whole hall erupted. Good grief—what was Ancient Capital University up to?

"I won't waste words." Shi Jue was a professional breeder, and right now he just wanted to show off the results quickly and make a splash!

"First, please take a look at our research results."

As he spoke, Xia Yan, also in a research coat, stepped onto the stage.

"That one... seems to be Dr. Zuo Jiangyun's daughter, a member of Magic City University's school team, and in the breeding department, like me..." At Imperial Capital University's side, the sight of Xia Yan stirred Tang Yun's memories, and she looked toward the Ancient Capital University team with even greater incomprehension.

Professor Fang Lin and many others were just as unable to understand.

At this moment, along with Xia Yan up on stage came a Green Silk Worm.

Seeing this Green Silk Worm, everyone wanted to know what Ancient Capital University was really selling.

"This is a Green Silk Worm at Awakening level ten, with silk proficiency at the Mastery grade—a skill-proficiency stage most beast tamers can reach," Shi Jin said slowly.

"According to statistics, the Green Silk Worm is the pet beast species most commonly contracted by beast tamers, which has to do with its enormous numbers and evolutionary potential."

"Thus, researching the Green Silk Worm's evolved forms has long been a mainstream topic in the Donghuang breeding world. Many breeders, attracted by these two special qualities, have hoped to find a powerful Green Silk Worm evolution suitable for the masses."

"However, because its race skills are too difficult to improve, and because the species itself is weak and needs many high-grade materials to improve its aptitude, this line of research has never produced very good results."

"But now, we've finally found an evolutionary path with an extremely low threshold, whose evolved race is nonetheless very powerful!"

"Its birth will rewrite the landscape of the Donghuang beast-taming field!"

When Shi Jin finished, many beast tamers' eyes went wide.

What was he saying!

Everyone had assumed Ancient Capital University had merely stumbled onto some new evolution by accident.

But as Shi Jin finished speaking, they suddenly realized that his description was unimaginably grand.

A Green Silk Worm evolution with an extremely low threshold suitable for the masses, yet very powerful after evolving?

The breeding world had researched for decades without finding a suitable evolution plan—and now Shi Jin claimed he had developed one?

"How is that possible." At the Imperial Capital University display team, several students stared blankly at Shi Jin.

Did he know what he was saying?

If such a thing had truly been developed, its strategic value might well exceed that of the Battle Roar Fruit.

Apart from the audience, all three judges narrowed their eyes.

"Now, please witness its evolution."

As Shi Jin finished speaking, Xia Yan placed the Green Silk Bug on the exhibition platform.

"Squeak!"

Once on the platform, under the gaze of so many people, the Green Silk Bug showed no nervousness at all. It skillfully spun its silk and began to form a cocoon!

Before long, an ordinary cocooning was complete.

Everyone stared at the Green Silk Bug's cocoon on the platform, a little puzzled, but a moment later their eyes flew wide open.

Because, without any external stimulus, the moment this Green Silk Bug finished its cocoon, its entire body was wreathed in the light of evolution!

"Wait!"

"After a Green Silk Bug forms its cocoon, doesn't it have to sleep for at least a few days and absorb the power of evolution before it can break out and evolve?"

"Zuo Heng's beast-taming talent seems able to accelerate a beast's growth, including beasts still in cocoon form..."

"The thing is, Zuo Heng isn't on stage. And that girl up there hasn't even touched this cocoon!"

Watching the Green Silk Bug's cocoon evolve out of nowhere, quite a few people were stunned.

Everyone watched the platform closely.

By now, the light of evolution wreathing the Green Silk Bug's cocoon had faded.

The Green Silk Bug's brand-new evolved form appeared directly before the crowd.

At that moment, every expression froze, because after the Green Silk Bug's cocoon evolved... it seemed to have evolved into absolutely nothing?

No matter how they looked at the thing, it was still a cocoon.

At first, some thought it might be a matter of distance, but the next instant, as the cocoon turned and opened its large eyes, every breeder present gaped in unison.

And that was not the end of it. Once its eyes were open, Xia Yan, standing beside the Green Bug Cocoon, pulled out an item and held it up.

And then.

With a "boom," psychic ripples poured from the Green Bug Cocoon's entire body, and a psychic blast pierced clean through the item Xia Yan held aloft. At the sight, many shot to their feet.

"Holy shit, the Green Silk Bug's cocoon came back from the dead? No... turned into a spirit? No, either... it, it's awake?"

"And is that... psychic power??"

Many breeders wore expressions of astonishment. Shi Jin spoke slowly: "This is one of the fruits of our breeding work: we evolved the Green Silk Bug into the Green Bug Cocoon, and awakened a new racial skill in it—psychic power."

Quite a few mouths fell slightly open. Green Bug Cocoon???

That was allowed?

It certainly was not the evolved form everyone had pictured. No wonder Shi Jin had said it might defy everyone's expectations!

Other bugs evolve into butterflies—and you lot went and evolved yours into a cocoon?!

"Hold on... Green Bug Cocoon?!"