The Great Sun Flame God Furnace.
In terms of function, it served a purpose similar to the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda, only far more formidable, promising even more pronounced effects. The aura radiating from it made it evident that it contained a power of supreme firmness and ultimate yang. Just as Jiang Ningxian had said, it was an exceptional treasure for tempering both physique and blood-qi.
Lu Yuan was certain its true utility extended even beyond that.
At present, however, another consideration occupied his thoughts: his body had already integrated the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda, granting him an immensely robust physique. What would happen if he could fully fuse both divine treasures into one?
A premonition stirred within him that doing so would yield unexpected benefits. Over the recent days, he had studied the matter extensively and concluded that the approach was entirely feasible. After all, both artifacts were treasures designed to refine blood-qi and the physical form; they would not repel one another. While fusing them would undoubtedly prove difficult, Lu Yuan felt it was well worth the attempt.
Thus, returning to Mount Tai this time, he planned to enter secluded cultivation once more to merge the two completely. In human evolution, the physical body was of paramount importance—the stronger it was, the greater the future advantages. That was the very reason he had been determined to obtain the Eleven-Tier Blood Pagoda in the first place.
"Master, Mount Tai lies just ahead," the Golden-Winged Great Peng called out, its sharp eyes fixed on the majestic mountain rising in the distance.
"Good. You've worked hard on this journey. For the coming period, you can concentrate on purifying your own bloodline without distraction. The world is about to undergo another immense transformation, and you will need formidable strength to face it." Lu Yuan nodded, retrieving several spirit fruits and exotic herbs from the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace. These were items he had acquired from the ancient castle on Mount Olympus; to him in his current state, their effects were no longer significant.
"As your mount, this is merely my duty," the Golden-Winged Great Peng replied, continuing, "I previously discovered many mutated beasts bearing dragon blood along the coastline. I intend to head there when the time comes, so please do not worry, Master."
By now, it had long ceased harboring any reluctance toward serving as a mount. Having such a mighty master was a source of pride, even in the eyes of a Golden-Winged Great Peng. A single man had set forth and suppressed all the mutated beasts beneath the heavens.
"Very well, then." Lu Yuan nodded without saying more.
He had no intention of meddling excessively in the Golden-Winged Great Peng's evolution. No matter who it was, relying on oneself was the true path; one could rarely depend on outsiders, a principle that applied universally. Of course, as its master, he would naturally lend some aid, but given the creature's current level of strength, it had no immediate need for extra intervention.
*Skreee—*
With a sharp cry, the Golden-Winged Great Peng picked up speed. Before long, the Mount Tai Trial Academy came into view, and it glided slowly to the ground.
The soldiers standing guard made no move to obstruct them in the slightest, instead raising their hands in a respectful salute. At the same time, Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and the others had already received word of his arrival and stood waiting in the plaza below to welcome him.
Once Lu Yuan stepped down, the Golden-Winged Great Peng spread its wings, leapt back into the sky, and vanished from sight.
"This time, we truly must thank King Lu once again." Elder Ji stepped forward to greet him, his face bearing a smile of deep respect alongside a touch of excitement.
"Traversing the famous mountains and great rivers, crushing Beast King after Beast King—with one man stepping forth, every Beast King under heaven was struck silent. King Lu, please accept our bow." Elder Yun also stepped forward, bowing with cupped hands in the manner of the ancients, his expression brimming with admiration.
They had originally assumed such an undertaking would require a great deal of time, yet he had accomplished it in less than two months. Countless civilian lives had been saved as a result; it was an immense service to the nation. Thus, carrying profound reverence, Elder Ji and Elder Yun prepared to bend deep in a formal bow.
Lu Yuan stopped them with a slight shake of his head, expressing that he had merely done what needed to be done. Possessing power and capability, certain responsibilities naturally fell to him. Besides, in his previous life, had he not also been well protected by others?
Afterward, through the accounts of the two elders, Lu Yuan learned that following his sweep through the famous mountains and rivers, mutated beast attacks across the country had plummeted in a short span of time. Even if sporadic incidents still occurred, the authorities possessed the means and strength to keep them fully contained.
Naturally, the leadership was also doing everything possible to accelerate the construction of the five super cities so that as many citizens as possible could be relocated inside. After all, through Jiang Ningxian, everyone was now aware of the impending descent of extraterrestrial beings. Whether that day would bring fortune or disaster remained unknown; the only option was to accumulate strength and protect ordinary people.
To this, Lu Yuan naturally had no objections; the authorities' actions were entirely sound.
"That reminds me—that Miss Jiang gave us several breathing methods and visualization methods, saying her clan used them to lay their foundations. She offered them as a show of sincerity in our cooperation and promised more would follow. We examined them, and they are indeed exceptional," Elder Ji recalled suddenly, though a hint of hesitation lingered on his face. He intended to distribute them among the various Zhendan Academies for the students to practice. After all, even the authorities possessed very few such techniques. Yet because they came from an outsider, he worried about unforeseen complications, which was why he now sought Lu Yuan's counsel.
"Since she gave them freely, there shouldn't be any issue, but take it slowly and do not rush." After a moment's thought, Lu Yuan recalled that in his previous life, the authorities had gained immense benefits from cooperating with the Jiang clan, and the breathing and visualization methods were merely the beginning. Later, various evolutionary resources would follow, accelerating humanity's adaptation to the New Era. In truth, the Jiang clan bore no hostility toward them and was genuinely sincere about cooperating. Even so, to set their minds at ease, Lu Yuan advised them not to be too hasty; trust was something built piece by piece.
"Understood, we see your point." Elder Ji nodded. While he might maintain his guard against Jiang Ningxian and her companion, his trust in Lu Yuan was absolute.
After conversing for a bit longer, Lu Yuan took his leave and returned to his designated residence.
He went directly into the cultivation chamber. After resting briefly, he brought out the Great Sun Flame God Furnace. Unchanged, it emitted wisps of scorching heat, appearing extraordinarily divine. The blood-qi within his body surged in resonance, seemingly gripped by a profound craving.
Without hesitation, he drew the Daluo sword core and sliced open his palm. The moment drops of golden-hued blood touched the furnace, they boiled instantly, resembling molten magma.
Brilliant rays of light burst from the Great Sun Flame God Furnace, flooding the entire chamber. As Lu Yuan's heart pulsed and his blood continued to infuse the vessel, the furnace resonated with him, its aura growing increasingly potent. In a mere instant, it seemed to transform into a blazing sun, dazzling and fierce.
He knew this was the omen of impending fusion. The process demanded absolute, undivided focus and would require considerable time.
Lu Yuan stilled his mind completely, attuned to the beating of his heart and the power of the Great Sun Flame God Furnace.
*Thump, thump, thump—*
*Thump, thump, thump—*
In the very next moment, the Great Sun Flame God Furnace transformed into a streak of radiance and sank straight into his chest.
Within him, the Blood-Qi Pagoda manifested and resisted the intrusion. Yet Lu Yuan's goal was to fuse the two entirely; channeling his power directly, he suppressed both sides at once.
*Sizzle, sizzle—*
In an instant, every drop of blood within him came to a violent boil. The Blood-Qi Pagoda ceased its resistance, joining forces with the Great Sun Flame God Furnace to temper his physique down to the cellular level. Every single cell seemed to turn into a blazing sun, resplendent and radiant, brimming with the power of supreme firmness and pure yang.
As for Lu Yuan himself, he was completely enveloped in glorious light, and his flesh and blood began to undergo a transformation. Just as he had anticipated, the fusion of the two artifacts was triggering a profound mutation. Ordinarily, refining the physical form was an arduous and agonizing process, but he was simply too powerful and his foundation far too solid, making the ordeal negligible to him. All that remained was to concentrate on controlling both artifacts and await the moment of complete fusion.
Time slipped quietly away.
While Lu Yuan remained in seclusion, many developments unfolded in the outside world. First and foremost, the authorities poured massive effort into reinforcing the construction of the super cities. Meanwhile, Zhendan Academies across various cities initiated expanded enrollments; with the resources from Mount Tai now at their disposal, they could cultivate far more Awakened. After confirming that the breathing and visualization methods provided by Jiang Ningxian were completely safe, the authorities began introducing them to students on a limited scale.
Coupled with Lu Yuan's earlier deterrence of the world's mutated beasts, the nation entered a brief period of peace following the arrival of the New Era. Neither the Awakened nor ordinary citizens had to live in constant fear of beast attacks as they had before. Furthermore, with the establishment of the Human Alliance, internal strife and external threats were largely resolved, granting humanity precious time to cultivate and evolve.
This rare period of calm allowed many to breathe a sigh of relief. Everyone understood that a tremendous portion of the credit belonged to King Lu, and praise for him across the internet reached unprecedented heights.
Yet this very peace left some people unsettled, and worry began to creep into their minds. While the mutated beasts had been addressed, natural disasters were growing increasingly frequent—earthquakes and tsunamis struck one after another, each more violent than the last. The oceans in particular were extraordinarily turbulent, and these upheavals were not the work of mutated beasts.
One day, an unprecedented, colossal tsunami erupted in the direction of the Bohai Sea. Waves towering a hundred meters high, accompanied by howling tempests, battered the region for three full days. The entire sky turned a somber gray, an ominous spectacle that felt like the end of the world. Moreover, within the famous mountains and great rivers, mutated beasts howled incessantly, as though both the earth and the seas were undergoing some form of revival.
Alarmed by this terrifying phenomenon, the authorities and many Awakened rushed to the Bohai Sea region, intent on discovering what was truly taking place. Yet several days of continuous investigation yielded no abnormalities.
Then, one day, after the waves had completely settled, coastal residents suddenly spotted boundless multihued radiance stretching across the distant horizon. Accompanied by dense purple vapors, the light rolled in from the east, tinting even the clouds above with rich violet hues. It was breathtakingly magnificent, carrying a mighty aura that surged directly toward the edge of the continent.
The authorities detected the anomaly the moment it appeared and immediately dispatched personnel to observe it closely, though they held back from approaching, wary of unknown dangers.
A few more days passed.
Then, amidst the boundless shimmering light, people faintly discerned three islands. Although the distance was immense, modern technology still allowed them a clear view. The islands were lush with vibrant greenery and teeming with vitality; immortal cranes seemed to soar above, seven-colored rainbow bridges arched through the air, and pavilions and palaces rose amid swirling purple mist—a scene bearing an uncanny resemblance to the legendary immortal islands recorded in ancient texts!
Chapter 110