Chapter 28. A Leap of Life, The Beginning of a New Era

"Foundation Realm VIII? This..."

Lu Yuan was stunned, and his face was painted with disbelief. In his previous life, he had spent years, shed blood and tears, and paid an unimaginable price just to become an Awakened. Even before taking his last breath, he had been stuck at Foundation Realm IX and couldn't advance to the next tier.

He had endured so much pain and suffering for ten years. And yet even then, he remained a non-significant figure in the grand scheme of things.

But now, all he had done was fuse with the Bodhi Tree. That itself was nearly equivalent to a decade's worth of torment.

Moreover, his previous self had exhausted every ounce of potential within him just to reach the ninth tier.

But this lifetime? This was just the beginning.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

After fusing with the ancient Bodhi Tree, he had shattered the natural limits of a human body, and the hidden potential within him had been fully awakened. It was as if he had laid an unprecedented, unshakable foundation before constructing a skyscraper. And this foundation of his was so solid that it far surpassed anything possessed by anyone else in the world.

"Considering my current state, it won't be long before I step into the next realm—the Awakening Realm!" Lu Yuan muttered to himself, a confident glint flashing across his eyes.

The Awakening Realm, as its name implied, was the true mark of becoming an Awakened. At this stage, they would have fully adapted to the changes brought about by the Global Awakening and set foot on the path of true evolution.

It was also the stage where the mythical genes hidden deep within one's body would be unlocked, granting extraordinary and supernatural abilities.

If the Foundation Realm merely enhanced one's physique and strength, then the Awakening Realm was an entirely different playing field. Some Awakened gained control over flames, others wielded frost, while some could even command lightning itself.

No two Awakened shared the same power. Abilities were as varied as the stars, each shaped by the individual's unique constitution.

This was the second stage of an Awakened's evolution.

Unlike the Foundation Realm, which was divided into nine tiers, the Awakening Realm had only one.

At the pinnacle of this realm, one could then attempt to break through to the next realm—the Unfettered Realm.

The human body was bound by the laws of heaven and earth. Countless invisible shackles existed to restrain potential and barred one from ascending to a higher form of existence.

The Unfettered Realm was the stage where one began to break those chains, unlocking the body's hidden reserves, elevating life itself, and transcending the limits of humanity.

According to rumors, those who reached this realm possessed terrifying power and only very few ever reached it. Such individuals could awaken depths of potential beyond imagination. With a single strike, they could easily level an entire mountain.

"They say that the human body has one hundred and eight shackles," Lu Yuan muttered to himself. "The average Awakened can break twelve, but the greater the potential, the more shackles one can shatter. I wonder, with the foundation I have now, just how far I can go."

But soon, he shook his head. That realm was still far out of reach. Thinking that far ahead now was pointless.

Pushing the thought aside, he refocused his mind and was about to check the next divine artifact when he noticed that the sky had brightened.

It's dawn already? Did it really take me the entire night to fuse with the Bodhi Tree?

Lu Yuan picked up his phone. The screen lit up—September 10th.

Not one night but ten whole days?!

The revelation startled him, but he quickly came to terms with it. After all, the ancient Bodhi Tree was a peerless, revered divine artifact. There was no way something of that caliber could be fully assimilated overnight.

With that in mind, he began scrolling through his phone to catch up on what had happened in his absence. What he found left him momentarily stunned. The world had plunged into chaos. Strange phenomena were erupting across the globe. Rivers had appeared out of nowhere in front of people's homes; seawater had surged inland, flooding valleys.

Yet, the majority of the headlines centered on people.

One individual had awakened overnight with herculean strength, and their fleshly body became as tough as tempered steel.

Another had eaten a mystical fruit and grown horns while their height shot up to three meters, resembling the legendary Bull Demon King from Journey to the West.

Yet another had brushed against a flower of dazzling color and sprouted delicate wings, soaring into the skies with the swiftness of the wind.

In the wake of these events, the wealthy began offering astronomical sums online in hopes of buying a mystical fruit or enchanted ingredient to grant them similar powers. But their offers were met with ridicule.

The reason? Shortly after the Global Awakening, currency had plummeted in value. In some remote parts of the country, even a hundred thousand yuan couldn't buy a single steamed bun.

Global Awakening! Humanity Embarks on the Path of Evolution! Seize the Moment and Become a God!

A post with this title had appeared on a forum—its author unknown—but it ignited a wave of speculation. Many believed it to be true.

Those who had yet to awaken any abilities began posting online in search of companions to venture deep into mountains and forests to hunt for mystical fruits.

They hoped they could change their destinies and perhaps, just as the post claimed, they too could one day become gods.

And so, netizens began calling the days after September 1st... the New Era.

Lu Yuan then opened the chat group with his old classmates. Led by Li Hansheng, a discussion on the latest happenings was in full swing. As expected, the boldest among them, Wang Zibo, was already proposing an expedition to search for mystical fruits and was inviting others to join him.

However, most hesitated and no one made any firm decisions. The outside world had grown far too dangerous that even survival itself was becoming a challenge for ordinary people.

Just like in my past life... the world has changed drastically overnight and with the arrival of the new era, fear has gripped everyone at first. But soon after, that fear gave way to desire for supernatural powers.

Lu Yuan shook his head. Back then, he had been one of those scrambling in the dark, always reacting too slowly, always a step behind.

But not this time. This time, he was ahead of everyone. He had prepared long before the Global Awakening began.

As for the strange flowers and mystical fruits that could trigger human evolution? Those were also mediums. But they were of the lowest tiers. They were indeed mediums, but the lowest tier of them. Even if successfully assimilated, the benefits were minimal, barely enough to push someone to the first tier of the Foundation Realm.

Top-grade mediums were either still undiscovered or already in the possession of hidden powers like the Wuzhou Group. Of course, there were also rare cases where one had surfaced in plain sight, only to be dismissed as worthless by those ignorant of its value.

Mediums were a peculiar existence with their worth not determined by age or rarity, but by their true nature, something that could only be confirmed through careful verification.

Lu Yuan, however, was different. He carried with him memories filled with knowledge of such items. This was his greatest trump card, the advantage that allowed him to seize the lead in this lifetime.

He didn't waste time dwelling on it. He cleared his thoughts and turned his gaze.

Within the courtyard, the ancient Bodhi Tree had vanished completely after fully merging into his very being.

But before him, the remaining ten divine artifacts still floated in the air, each radiating its own ethereal light, each exuding an extraordinary aura.

After the New Era begins, the world will enter a period of chaos. It will take months before things stabilize. During that time, no supreme treasures will appear. This is the perfect chance for me to familiarize myself with what I already have.

Lu Yuan was clear that the treasures he had painstakingly collected over the past three months were without a doubt the best the world currently had to offer.

Any one of them, if revealed, would cause a storm and draw the covetous eyes of every hidden power.

But now, they were all within his possession. And he could slowly unravel their potential.

He didn't need to concern himself with the turmoil outside. He just needed to stick to his plan and grow stronger in silence.

His gaze slowly swept across the ten artifacts. After a moment of contemplation, his eyes fixed on the weathered book placed at the far right.

It was the complete version of the

Dao De Jing!