This suggests that the electric dragon's mutation into the Azure Rathalos was likely caused by consuming the Thunderjaw's jade.
The Thunderjaw's jade, much like armor, transmits energy and biological information through contact, influencing the electric dragon in a stimulatory manner. However, when this influence accumulated to a certain degree, the unique Azure Rathalos emerged.
But was mutation truly that simple? Only fewer than twenty special individuals have been confirmed.
Excluding adaptive mutations, the number of stimulated mutations relying on jewels and reverse scales is even smaller.
If this were the correct mutation pathway, special individuals like the Azure Rathalos, which do not use Elder Dragon jewels as a stimulus, should be more numerous.
Wait a minute...
Could it be that mutation is the result of two jewels influencing each other, which is why it's so rare?
Li Fan wrote his hypothesis in his notebook.
It was already 11:30 PM when he left the top-secret archive room.
"Senior Hunter Li Fan, while you enjoy academic research, remember to take care of your health," Vega Sya advised as she locked the iron door of the top-secret archive room.
"I was too engrossed in my research during my first visit to the top-secret archive room today and lost track of time."
After stopping his research, Li Fan also felt a wave of fatigue.
"Since you're so fond of ecological research, why not consider obtaining researcher qualifications? With your demonstrated diligence and talent, you might even become a dual Senior Member of the Dragon History Institute."
Vega Sya suggested.
"I will consider it, Director."
Li Fan bid farewell, had a simple late-night meal at the headquarters' restaurant, and then went to rest in the senior hunter's quarters.
The next day, at five in the morning, he returned to the research institute.
Vega Sya was not present, so he began his research using books from the hall's bookshelf.
Vega Sya arrived at 8:30 AM.
"Thank you for your hard work, Director. I'll trouble you again today."
"You're welcome. I'm happy to help the younger generation."
The two re-entered the top-secret archive room.
The third, fourth, and fifth days passed...
Director Vega Sya, who accompanied him, developed increasingly heavy eye bags, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.
On the sixth day, at 3:27 AM, the research room window was pitch black.
Li Fan glanced at the time on his handheld device and thought about the 3 AM meeting he had arranged with Director Vega Sya yesterday. It was already 3:30 AM, why wasn't she here yet?
Creak! The research institute's main door opened, and an Felyne wearing a graduation cap rubbed its eyes as it walked in.
"It's you, meow! A member of the team that hunted the electric dragon!"
Xik exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Li Fan.
"You're... Xik, the Deputy Head of the Research Team?"
Li Fan asked tentatively.
It was Xik who led the strength test when he submitted the Blazing Shell.
"That's right, meow. Thank you for remembering me."
Xik said as he approached the table and sat opposite Li Fan.
"Shouldn't you be on the Pioneer?"
Li Fan asked curiously.
"That's right, meow. But with the discovery of the Sky-Piercing Tower, even at its maximum altitude, the Pioneer cannot reach the top. So, I was assigned by Devyn to return to headquarters to modify a small research airship capable of exploration missions."
"I see... Are you here to look for information?"
"No, meow. The blueprints are complete, and the artisan team is working hard. I'm here to fulfill the Director's request."
Xik explained.
"So that's it... The Director is asking you to take over from her."
"She said she's getting old and can't handle it anymore... and hopes I can accompany you, meow."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Xik."
"You're welcome! May I ask, meow, will the daily accompanying time not be too long?"
"Uh... it's alright."
"Oh, then I'm relieved, meow... Whose bed is this?"
"It's mine. I haven't put it away yet. The research institute is a bit far from the dormitory area, so I've been staying here."
"So that's how it is, meow..."
Xik had a premonition of something ominous.
On the eleventh day, at the headquarters' restaurant.
Eudora stared at the approaching young man for a long time before recognizing him as Li Fan.
"Li Fan... why do you look thinner?"
Eudora asked curiously.
"Perhaps I've been eating less lately. How have you all been doing recently?"
As Li Fan spoke, he pulled the sleeping Xik off his neck and placed him on the table.
"I'm learning the True Charged Slash, but I'm still lacking in strength. If only Big Bear were here."
Eudora said, flexing her wrists.
"I'm training at the Headquarters Hunter Cat Center and have learned many skills, meow!"
Dilu said, pulling out a honey insect from her bulging backpack.
"If you get injured in battle, meow, just break this honey insect carrying the honey. The honey juice splashed within its range will have a strong healing effect."
Dilu introduced.
"That's good, but doesn't this honey insect look quite heavy when it's full of honey?"
"Uh... it is a bit heavy, meow, and it takes up a lot of backpack space. But I've been doing strength training, so I'll be able to carry it soon."
Dilu explained.
"Excellent. Let's work hard together then."
"Li Fan, what have you been researching during this time?"
Eudora inquired.
"There are no actual results yet, and even if there were, they are not suitable for public disclosure."
"So secretive."
Eudora was a little surprised.
Xik on the table smelled the aroma of food, his nose twitching, and his dull eyes slowly opened.
"Researchers who don't sleep or rest are too terrifying, meow..."
Li Fan pushed his plate towards him. Xik, mustering his strength, began to eat heartily.
After two days of rest, Li Fan not only slept soundly to replenish his energy but also organized the information he had gathered during this period.
In front of the Dragon History Institute Director's office, Li Fan knocked twice and entered.
"You're here, Li Fan. Please wait a moment..."
Vega Sya selected two from the numerous blueprints spread across her desk and handed them to Xik. After giving some detailed instructions, Xik rolled up the blueprints and left.
Lifting a potted green plant from the corner, Vega Sya retrieved a silver key from the bottom of the pot and inserted it into a tall metal cabinet placed against the wall.
After a moment of observation, a square, gray stone chest was brought out.
"The Rathian Ruby you requested from the Guild is inside. However, they were very cautious and marked the material, so be sure not to let it appear on the market."
"Uh... I didn't quite understand, Director."
Li Fan was puzzled.
"This jewel was allocated from the Guild under the guise of researching the
Vega Sya said in a low voice.
"This is acceptable too..."
"Don't worry, Director, I will absolutely not sell it."
"Also, if you intend to incorporate the jewel into equipment, it's best to do so in the headquarters' workshop. The processing of the jewel requires encapsulation and has very high craftsmanship requirements."
Vega Sya reminded him.
"I don't plan to process equipment in the short term. Its primary use is for ecological research."
"Oh?... Researching monster jewels? That's a rather rare direction. It seems there isn't even a relevant category in the Elder Dragon Observation Post. If you achieve any results, I hope you'll submit a research report as soon as possible. Perhaps you can trick... I mean, allocate more jewels from the Guild."
Vega Sya offered her suggestion.
"Submit a research report, and then from the Guild... allocate more jewels?"
This method of acquiring materials was new to Li Fan.
"That's right. In the current academic field, the Guild is only superior to the Dragon History Institute in the areas of Elder Dragons and Frenzy Disease. In all other aspects of ecological research, they have long been surpassed. The discovery and tracking of special individuals, as well as this research into the Elder Mail, are all led by the Dragon History Institute. If the Guild wants to share firsthand research reports, they must pay something, right?"
Vega Sya explained.
Li Fan understood. Although the Dragon History Institute gave the impression of being very heroic, its full name was the Dragon History Research Institute, an independent academic institution.
To share information, one either had to offer an equivalent research report in exchange or provide convenience for the research.
Otherwise, if the Dragon History Institute hunted monsters, conducted research, and then shared the results for free, wouldn't that make them a fool?
No wonder Eudora was so determined to establish an investigation agency back then.
Even if she couldn't track the Kushala Daora, as long as she accumulated enough research results, she could still exchange them with the Guild for information sharing.
"Remember to take precautions during your research. Jewel materials have strong energy leakage."
"Thank you, Director."
Li Fan took the gray stone chest.
In the afternoon, the Ignis departed from the headquarters' airport.
The primary objective of this trip was to find a desolate place to conduct research.
Secondly, the monsters had not been released from their spheres to hunt for a long time while he was researching mutations.
Li Fan opened the stone chest on the square table in his cabin, revealing a round, smooth jade stone, reddish-green in color.
He meticulously observed it while taking notes.
The Rathian Ruby was about the size of a basketball, with a smooth surface devoid of cracks. It had a circular imprint on the top and bottom, left by the Guild as a mark on the material.
Inside, green, mist-like gas was moving, and an unknown red light emanated outwards from within the jewel.
After recording this, Li Fan looked at his hands, which were slightly warm under the red light, and continued his notes.
The scattered energy was preliminarily inferred to be harmful radiation. No obvious physical abnormalities were perceived during short-term contact.
After completing the preliminary investigation, Li Fan quickly closed the lid of the gray stone chest.
No wonder Director Vega Sya said that jewels required encapsulation and protection during processing.
But what could he use to protect himself from harmful radiation?
He didn't want to end up like the Hulk while researching monster mutations.
Concrete seemed to have good protective effects...
Li Fan immediately thought of Shasha.
The next issue was the storage of the Rathian Ruby.
Since it was suspected to emit harmful radiation, it was definitely not suitable to keep it in his living quarters.
The cargo hold was filled with all sorts of frozen food, and leaving it there for too long would risk contamination.
Li Fan carried the stone chest around the Ignis and finally found a good spot at the bow of the ship.
Normally, no one in the team ever came here.
He used several ropes and the mooring cleats on the deck to secure the stone chest beneath the bronze bell at the bow.
After two days of flight, the Ignis hovered over an uncharted area not marked on any map.
The flying monsters were released one after another, entering a state of free hunting.
"Don't fly too far, remember to come back early, and if you encounter something you can't defeat, shout for help!"
After Li Fan's instructions, he and his team descended to the ground.
By a lake, Shasha flew out of its sphere and appeared on the ground.
After explaining his needs, Shasha dug about half a meter deep with its crown.
After stomping on the mud in the pit with its paws, Shasha indicated that the soil quality here was not good.
"There's another lake to the north, meow. We can try going there."
Dilu pointed in a direction with the map she had drawn, and the team set off.
Before long, Kulu, with a Shieldcrab in its beak, flew back to the Ignis's deck.
Wow!
Kulu spat out the Shieldcrab, which had curled into a ball, and kicked at the cockpit with its foot.
"Kulu! I have to guard the airship, meow! I can't play with you, and don't peck the Shieldcrab on the deck! If you peck through the deck, the repair costs will be very expensive!"
Frey issued a warning.
Coo coo!
Yeye, standing on the railing, let out a sound of agreement.
Kulu's gaze darkened. It picked up the Shieldcrab and flew to the middle of the deck. However, besides two training wood piles and a wooden rack for training weapons, there was nothing else there.
Wow...
Kulu couldn't hide its disappointment and drooped its head.
Kulu, who had been confined in its sphere for a long time, had been looking forward to this outdoor excursion, but everyone seemed to be busy.
Wow!
Kulu suddenly remembered that there was a bronze bell at the bow that could be rung.
Not only was the sound loud, but Dilu would also rush over in a short period of time each time it pecked and rang.
Wow!
Kulu raised its wings, tilted its head, and ran excitedly to the bow.
"Kulu! Don't run around on the deck, meow! It can easily affect the airship's balance!"
Frey said, gripping the steering wheel.
Kulu's raised beak was about to peck the bronze bell.
Suddenly, it noticed a stone chest on the deck, secured tightly with ropes.
Wow?
Kulu tilted its head and began to observe.
Dong! Dong! Dong!....
The distant sound of the bronze bell rang out.
"What's going on?"
Li Fan looked back at the sky, towards the Ignis's location.
"How strange, meow. Who's ringing the bronze bell when I'm not here?... Could it be Kulu again?"
Dilu speculated.
"Kulu has been in the sphere for too long, if it wants to ring it, let it ring..."
Li Fan suddenly realized something was wrong.
"Li Fan, the mud Shasha dug is solidifying too slowly just by sun exposure. Why don't we let Little Fool and Naughty heat it up a bit... Where did he go?"
Eudora, who was applying a mud mask by the lake, turned around and realized Li Fan was gone. Just as she was about to search for him,
Naughty swooped down. Li Fan, not far away, shot out two silk threads and leaped onto Naughty's neck.
"Uh... what's the rush?"
Eudora was a little curious.
A moment later, Li Fan swung his silk threads and flew to the deck.
"Kulu! What's wrong, meow?"
Coo coo! Coo coo!
Frey and Yeye looked at the fallen Kulu and called out anxiously.
Wah... oh...
Kulu let out a weak cry, its eyelids constantly drooping.
Li Fan glanced at the empty stone chest at the bow and quickly walked over to Kulu.
He gently stroked its scales, starting from its neck and moving down.
Finally, at its abdomen, Li Fan's hand felt a warmth through its scales.
"The Great Bird's gizzard is in its chest, so the heat source in its abdomen..."
Li Fan sighed helplessly, feeling that the matter had become clear.
At this moment, the handheld device chimed.
Remembering that the handheld device could check the monster's status, Li Fan quickly took it out.
He needed a way to save Kulu.
However, upon seeing the latest notification, Li Fan was stunned.
Great Bird (Kulu) is undergoing mutation! Please take good care of it!