Chapter 25. The Beginning of Everything, The Day of Awakening

In the villa's gym, Lu Yuan lifted a barbell weighing a full five hundred kilograms. Effortlessly, with just one hand. Up and down, again and again, his movements smooth and unhurried, without the slightest sign of strain.

If anyone had witnessed this scene, their jaw would have probably hit the floor.

It was simply beyond belief. Not even the world's strongest weightlifter could dream of matching that feat.

If I can lift five hundred kilos with one hand, then with both, I should easily surpass a ton. And that’s not even my full strength. If I go all out in a fight...

Lu Yuan thought as he set the barbell down.

He had gained a fresh new understanding of his power and physique. Ever since he had absorbed the pill essence from the Meridian Heavenmend Furnace, his strength had been growing with each passing day.

The essence was gradually being assimilated into his cells and merging into one with his body. And this process, this transformation, was still ongoing.

Ever since he returned from the farm in Zhouwu City, he had mostly stayed at home to adapt to his enhanced body.

Though he was clearly aware that he was growing stronger by the day, Lu Yuan never slackened on physical training. He pushed himself harder to become even stronger.

It could be said that if the global awakening hadn't been about to happen, the current Lu Yuan would definitely be the strongest human on Earth. The only things that posed a threat to him now were high-powered modern weapons.

No matter what, at the end of the day, Lu Yuan was still made of flesh and blood.

But even so, his current body was considered monstrous.

After his training session, he returned to the living room and sat down for breakfast. His gaze couldn't help but wander to the ancient Bodhi Tree in the courtyard.

During his time at home, Lu Yuan kept up with the world through the internet and the news.

As the Day of Awakening drew nearer, strange phenomena began to emerge across the globe. The land stretched unnaturally, roads split and fractured, and even some of the world's most renowned mountains began to rise in elevation. Wild beasts and birds of prey grew increasingly restless, their cries echoing through the mountains with eerie frequency.

In remote regions, ancient trees sprang up overnight, their vast canopies blotting out the sun and covering dozens of kilometers in dense shade.

In the snowy highlands, crimson snow fell without end near the world's tallest peak, and at night, haunting, otherworldly sounds drifted through the cold air.

Even the barren deserts saw transformation. Lush greenery burst forth, filling the once lifeless dunes with vibrant, flourishing life.

Photos taken were posted on the Internet and gained huge traction.

Many sacred mountains belonging to both Buddhist and Daoist sects also announced sudden closures to the public. All visitors would be barred, with no indication of when they would reopen.

And these were just domestic news. Though much of this information and eyewitness accounts had been deliberately scrubbed from the internet, countless others still slipped through the cracks and were known by many. There were just too many strange happenings to erase.

And then there was the international news.

The Pope in Vatican City had publicly declared that an angel would soon descend to save humanity. He proclaimed that the child he had once knelt before in prayer was a future miracle, destined to bring true light to the universe. Following the child's guidance, he announced the search for the twelve Apostles had begun.

Meanwhile, a group of devout believers claimed to have received divine revelations and set out to climb Mount Olympus. One among them had already reached the summit and boldly proclaimed himself a descendant of the gods.

Across the globe, phenomena like these were unfolding. The flood of news couldn't be suppressed by the authorities and spread like wildfire.

On the internet, forums and social media platforms buzzed with theories and speculation. Some claimed that those were explainable natural phenomena.

But yet others insisted that something huge was coming soon, and that many things would change.

Of course, these posts never stayed online for long. They got deleted as quickly as they appeared.

But there were just too many of these posts, too many of these discussions, so much so that the online community had started to realize that there was something deeper beneath the surface.

"Three more days," Lu Yuan muttered, a hint of awareness flashing across his eyes.

The closer they were to the Day of Awakening, the more frequent the occurrence of the omens.

These were the precursors.

This was the beginning of everything.

Perhaps, many would feel thrown into confusion, or even feel lost when the day arrived.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

But not for him. He had already lived through it once. There was nothing much to be done; he merely had to perfect the next phase of his plans. Furthermore, Lu Yuan had already made his preparations.

No matter what happened outside, they had nothing to do with him. For now.

The villa was located on the outskirts of Hu City, which was a remote and sparsely populated area. That was exactly why Lu Yuan could be at ease and wasn't worried that he would be disturbed.

Of course, there was still one thing he needed to stay cautious about: the meteorite incident at the farmland. Though he had taken measures to mislead any investigation, with Longevity Genetics' vast resources and deep connections, it was only a matter of time before they traced it back to him. There was no way they would simply let it slide.

However, Lu Yuan wasn't worried. Once the Day of Awakening arrived, the divine artifacts in his possession would unleash their true power, strong enough to fuel a terrifying transformation. When that moment came, even a behemoth like Longevity Genetics would no longer be a threat.

Ideally, they wouldn't come looking. But if they did, he wouldn't show mercy.

A second chance at life and the three months of meticulous preparation—that was the source of Lu Yuan's confidence.

Without wasting another word, Lu Yuan switched off the television and resumed his training. There was nothing to do now but wait.

And so, the seconds, minutes, and hours ticked by. He paid no attention to the world beyond the four walls of his villa. He remained focused on making his preparations, adapting to his newly enhanced body, and refining his physique.

Finally, the day arrived—the last day of August.

Night had settled in. It was a peaceful and calm night, no different from any other.

In the courtyard of the villa, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged beneath the ancient Bodhi Tree.

The fruits of his three months' labor were laid out in front of him.

The Ghost Seal.

The Sarira Bead.

The Heavenquake Bow.

The Mysterious Cauldron.

The Great Luo Sword Embryo.

The Wordless Stone Stele.

The Primordial Qi Robe.

The Meridian Heavenmend Furnace.

The Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda.

And the complete

Dao De Jing

.

They appeared plain and had no signs of power or anything out of the ordinary. But after tonight, each one of them would awaken as a true divine artifact.

Even in the post-awakening world, treasures of this caliber would be rarer than phoenix feathers.

As Lu Yuan's gaze swept over the items, he recalled the memories over the past three months. A quiet smile spread across his face. He then lifted his eyes to the stars above.

I've been preparing for this day all too long!