Chapter 32. Divine Thunder Art, Buddha's Palm Domain, and the Pill's Completion! (1)

After the Ninth Tier of the Foundation Realm came the Awakened Realm. Unlike previous stages, the Awakened Realm had no further subdivisions. To put it simply, there was only a single tier.

As its name suggested, it marked the beginning of unlocking the body's hidden potential and awakening the mythical genes lying dormant within.

The human body was a vault of endless mysteries. Before the Global Awakening, most people couldn't access even a ten-thousandth of their potential. The greatest reason was that this innate power had been sealed away by the heavens and earth. But after the Day of Awakening, the path of evolution opened, and the shackles of the world were broken.

The deepest genetic locks within the human body shattered, unleashing limitless potential.

This was the foundation stone for life's great leap forward.

Reaching this realm meant one's very genes began to take on divine qualities, granting strange and extraordinary powers, marking the true birth of an Awakened.

By comparison, those in the Foundation Realm, for all their abilities, were still human, knocking on the door to evolution.

Now, Lu Yuan had broken through the Ninth Tier of the Foundation Realm and officially stepped into the Awakened Realm.

The height he had struggled for ten long years to reach in his previous life, he had now surpassed that in an instant.

So when the surge of power flooded through him, a glint of joy inevitably flashed in his eyes.

Yet upon reaching the Awakened Realm, no new ability manifested.

The reason was simple. The Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda he had just fused had gathered all of his genetic potential into one.

If his current ability were to be named, it would be the Bloodforce Pagoda.

Once the pagoda manifested, his flesh would become as unshakable as a mountain. With a single strike, he could end the life of an Awakened of equal cultivation. This level of might was far beyond anything as common as flame or frost manipulation.

In his previous life, he had witnessed firsthand the terror of one who had fused with the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda.

A single step from that person was like the stampede of countless primordial beasts. Mountains shifted and rivers changed course.

Of course, Lu Yuan had only just stepped into this realm. He had yet to adapt to his newfound strength and could not display its full might immediately. But if he continued to grow and evolve, his power would only climb higher. With the Bloodforce Pagoda, he would one day achieve perfect unity between body and spirit. His physique would become as strong as divine metal, and utterly indestructible.

Coupled with the complete

Dao De Jing

, there was no doubt that a day would come when he could shake the stars themselves and stride freely across the cosmos.

"This power... is truly remarkable..." Lu Yuan muttered to himself.

He swung his fist forward ever so slightly. Bloodforce surged, muscles and bones resonating in perfect harmony. But he kept his movements restrained. He knew that even the smallest excess of force might reduce the villa behind him to rubble.

After all, his current strength was terrifying and far beyond the scope of human imagination.

In truth, Lu Yuan wanted to leave seclusion immediately, to test his strength against the world outside.

But he held himself back. There was no need, yet. It was better for him to master every divine artifact in his possession first, and then, with an invincible stance, dominate the New Era!

I've used the ancient Bodhi Tree, the complete Dao De Jing, the Great Luo Sword Embryo, Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda...What's next?

Lu Yuan shifted his focus away from his own body and turned his attention to the remaining artifacts. These were items that could not be merged into him. They were considered external objects, yet each possessed an extraordinary use.

He first picked up the Ghost Seal in one hand and the mysterious cauldron in the other. Both emitted a faint, soft glow.

The Ghost Seal was much the same as before, still radiating that strange, malicious aura. The moment his fingers brushed its surface, a chill seeped straight into his bones.

The mysterious cauldron, by contrast, appeared far more unassuming. Greenish in hue and no larger than the span of his hand, its surface was densely carved with intricate, winding patterns.

A cauldron.

In ancient times, such a vessel was used for sacrificial rites. It was a ceremonial object, a symbol of prestige, and forbidden to common hands.

And these two items were the keys to opening the tomb of the First Qin Emperor. They were also the most critical pieces in Lu Yuan's plan.

For within the mausoleum beneath Mount Li lay something he had sworn to obtain—an unparalleled breathing technique!

If a Visualization Method served to open and illuminate the path of evolution for a human, then a Breathing Technique was the means to push one's power to its absolute limit.

But whether Visualization or Breathing, both were exceedingly rare.

Unless one belonged to a faction with an ancient bloodline and heritage—or was an existence from beyond the domains—such methods were all but impossible to obtain.

Lu Yuan knew of several breathing techniques, but none could compare to the one sealed within the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. One day, he would have to make that journey himself. That was why the cauldron and the Ghost Seal were indispensable. Without them, he couldn't even set foot inside.

After all, that was the resting place of the Dragon Emperor. How could one possibly enter without the proper methods and the right keys?

For now, however, he had no use for these two items, so Lu Yuan set them aside.

He then turned and reached for the Primordial Qi Robe.

Once tattered, it was now smooth and light as silk. The fabric was translucent, so light in his hands it felt like holding nothing at all, and it was pleasant to the touch.

At first glance, one might think something so thin could be torn apart with a single tug.

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

But in reality, the Primordial Qi Robe was woven from a special material that was impervious to water and flame, unscathed even by lightning.

Lu Yuan had tested it himself; even with his strength, he could barely leave the faintest mark.

Looking closer, he could see a subtle, mysterious radiance flowing over its surface. It was the very essence of heaven and earth after the Global Awakening, which the robe was absorbing entirely on its own.

The benefits of wearing it were beyond imagination.

As for why Lu Yuan chose it first, there were two reasons.

First, though his body was formidable and hard as steel, that didn't mean he was incapable of injury. The Primordial Qi Robe would boost his defense to near-invincibility, making him impervious even to divine forces.

Some might argue that true powerhouses were forged through hardship and trials, but Lu Yuan had no interest in such ideals. To him, survival was the only way to reach the end. If he had something good, why wouldn't he use it?

As for the second reason... After merging with the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda, he had been drenched in blood and needed a wash. He intended to put the robe on directly afterward.

Quickly, he headed to the bathroom for a rinse.

When he stepped back into the courtyard, he was still wearing the same clothes as before—unchanged.

That was the other power of the Primordial Qi Robe. It could shift its appearance at the user's will.

With it, Lu Yuan no longer had to worry about his clothes being ruined in battle, and could even conceal himself in plain sight, striking a fatal blow at the perfect moment.

If not for such qualities, why else would he have spent three whole months gathering divine artifacts?

Every item he collected was the finest and perfectly suited to him.

After finishing his earlier tasks, Lu Yuan calmed himself down and turned his gaze to the Meridian Heavenmend Furnace, once used by an immortal sage to refine pills.

He had obtained the same item in his previous life, so he knew it well and understood its function.

The method was simple: once activated, the furnace would draw in the essence of heaven and earth, or rare divine fruits and exotic herbs, and refine them into pills.

Taking these pills would aid one's cultivation, much like the fantasy stories of cultivators who swallowed miraculous elixirs to ascend toward immortality.

Of course, as a treasure once belonging to Immortal Ge, the Meridian Heavenmend Furnace required the proper method to activate.

Fortunately, that method was recorded in the ancient tome Gramps Ge had given him.

Lu Yuan paused for a moment in thought. In his previous life, even up to the moment of his death, he had never managed to draw out the furnace's full potential. It was a lingering regret. So why not try it now and see the results for himself?

Once the thought arose, he acted without hesitation.

He flipped open the book, and with a single reading, the entire method became clear to him.

It couldn't be helped. Boosted by his billionfold Talent, his comprehension had reached a terrifying level.

Drawing a deep breath, Lu Yuan followed the gestures described in the tome, striking the furnace at several precise points along its body.

Clang!

In the very next instant, the Meridian Heavenmend Furnace expanded to a height and width of three meters, lifting into the air.

Dazzling rays of light burst forth from its surface.