The Awakened gained transcendent power and formidable physical bodies.
They were indeed vastly stronger than ordinary mortals.
Those with higher strength could even withstand bullets with their bare flesh without injury.
Yet that was all. As a member of Longevity Genetics, Wang Tao understood a great deal. Ordinary grenades and bullets might be useless, but what about heavy thermal weaponry?
Tests had been conducted before: even someone with a powerful bloodline like his elder brother had little defense against such firepower.
That was precisely why so many Awakened still obeyed major factions and the authorities despite their growing numbers.
With sufficient firepower under specific conditions, heavy thermal weaponry could easily annihilate vast numbers of Awakened.
Even now, holding off the rampant mutated beasts relied on conventional armies and their arsenals.
The destructive force unleashed earlier by that sword was something heavy thermal weapons could achieve as well.
Of course, no matter how foolish a person was, they would never stand still and take a barrage head-on.
Therefore, Wang Tao planned to lay an ambush in advance and catch Lu Yuan completely off guard.
He truly had no counter to that sword itself, but with proper preparations, the chances of slaying Lu Yuan would be far higher. Even if it failed in the end, he could simply escape by helicopter.
He had neither entered the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum nor chosen to leave, all so he could use these past few days to make arrangements.
"All right. If there's nothing else, you head back first. But remember—not a word of this to my elder brother."
Wang Tao turned toward the elderly man beside him. "You belong to my brother's faction, but you're also part of the Wang family."
As long as he obtained that sword, his standing within the family would surge dramatically.
Hence, no one else could know about this—at least not yet.
"What is the Second Young Master saying? If you are not leaving, I naturally will not depart either," the old man replied with a smile.
Internally, he was astonished. He had not expected Second Madam to go so far for her son, offering total support without hesitating to deploy heavy thermal weaponry.
She had surely consulted the family head, and under such circumstances, it was best for him not to act rashly.
This was a struggle between the first branch and the second branch.
He was merely an outsider.
If he offended certain people over this matter, the company's internal resources would be entirely beyond his reach in the future.
More importantly, a thought had surfaced in the old man's mind: perhaps he could throw his support behind the Second Young Master.
After all, if the young master truly obtained that divine sword, the gap between the first and second branches would narrow significantly.
Backing both sides was the safest wager.
In the end, the ultimate master of Longevity Genetics would only emerge from between these two brothers.
With that in mind, the old man added, "If the Second Young Master requires assistance, I will step in."
"Oh?"
Now it was Wang Tao's turn to be slightly surprised.
This old man was no ordinary figure; even within Longevity Genetics, he was an expert who stood at the seventh stage of the Initial Realm.
Combined with his own strength at the sixth stage, alongside the heavy thermal weapons, the odds of killing Lu Yuan and seizing the divine sword were greater than ever.
"Very well. I understand your intention. If we succeed this time, your reward will not be lacking."
In the end, Wang Tao agreed to let him stay.
He then issued several orders through his phone.
Before long, squads of figures clad in combat suits arrived. Fully armed with firearms, they concealed themselves across the terrain.
Dark, large-caliber gun barrels pointed toward the mausoleum gate, and several operatives were equipped with high-yield explosives.
Helicopters circled far above, keeping their distance, carrying snipers within.
Others took positions hidden in the distant woods, armed with grenade launchers, machine guns, and other heavy arms.
It was virtually a small strike force.
More crucially, every operative wielding these heavy weapons was an Awakened, part of Longevity Genetics' ace squad.
Everything was set, awaiting only the target's appearance before launching a coordinated strike.
It had to be said that Second Madam had spared no expense to support her son.
Even for an entity like Longevity Genetics, mobilizing such assets was a ruthless move. They also had to find ways to evade the authorities and Zhendan Academy; if discovered, explaining their actions would prove troublesome.
"Hurry out, Lu Yuan. I can hardly wait," Wang Tao muttered, staring at the mausoleum entrance with a cruel grin.
***
Elsewhere, Beidou Biology, represented by the Ice Fairy, was also preparing to depart.
"Has Mr. Lu still not emerged?" the Ice Fairy asked as she concluded her final wrap-up.
Among the Five Great Sovereigns, she was the only one who had not yet left.
Her original intention had been to wait for Lu Yuan.
He was a rare talent whom Beidou Biology could recruit.
"Not yet," an aide replied before continuing, "Headquarters is urging you to return immediately."
"Is it so urgent?"
The Ice Fairy was somewhat surprised. "Did something happen while I was inside over the past few days?"
"Yes," the aide reported. "Mutated beasts across various regions are growing restless, and beast tides have broken out in several places. Shuntian City was attacked two days ago, led by a colossal serpent evolving into a flood dragon. It was extraordinarily powerful, and a missile strike was ultimately required to temporarily drive it back.
"It is similar in the Shu Region, the Snow Region, and elsewhere. Right now, various factions are coordinating with Zhendan Academy to relocate more people into the supercities.
"Furthermore, the higher-ups predict Chang'an may face a similar situation. Anomalous movements have been detected in the Qinling Mountains."
He relayed the major recent developments, chief among them the beast attacks on cities.
The overall situation was perilous.
Humanity's greatest threat, the mutated beasts, was stirring everywhere.
"I see. It seems we cannot afford to delay any longer."
The Ice Fairy sighed, feeling a pang of concern. Beidou Biology had a close relationship with Zhendan Academy and was formally allied with it.
They had official backing as well; otherwise, how could they have established themselves in Shuntian City? Both entities shared the same objective of stabilizing the domestic situation as much as possible, though few outsiders were aware of this.
She knew that under these circumstances, a climactic battle between humanity and mutated beasts was inevitable. She had to raise her strength.
The Five Great Sovereigns were currently all at the ninth stage of the Initial Realm.
The next step was the Awakening Realm.
The reason figures like the Northern Emperor and the Southern Sovereign had left so quickly was to complete their evolution in the short term.
The Ice Fairy understood she had to keep pace with them to maintain the balance among the major factions.
"Very well, let us head back. But make sure to leave someone behind. If the chance arises, reach out to Mr. Lu. Let him know Beidou Biology's offer of cooperation is entirely sincere, and we can also help him resolve unnecessary troubles."
She gave her instructions, placing great value on Lu Yuan.
The aide nodded, assuring her it would be done.
Without further delay, the Ice Fairy boarded a helicopter and departed for Chang'an. The next time she showed herself, she would be in the Awakening Realm.
Outside the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum, the vast majority of people had already left, leaving fewer than a hundred behind.
Those who remained had a simple goal: to see if the mausoleum would undergo any further changes so they could seize benefits at the earliest opportunity.
***
Meanwhile, within the Imperial Mausoleum's Ancestral Dragon Hall.
Lu Yuan sat cross-legged before the imperial throne.
Powerful surges of aura constantly erupted from within his body.
Between his mouth and nostrils, vital essence condensed into dragons, which he continuously inhaled.
Over the course of three days, after absorbing the energy of the Nine-Leaf Golden Rhyme, the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method finally yielded results.
Behind Lu Yuan, a pitch-black aperture manifested. Like a black hole in the cosmos, it exerted tremendous suction, drawing external energy into itself.
More remarkably, as energy merged within, a shadowy figure sat quietly inside the black hole. Though its facial features were obscured, its outline was identical to Lu Yuan's.
This was the grotto-heaven opened after cultivating the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method and absorbing immense energy.
"I've finally succeeded." Lu Yuan could feel the power of the grotto-heaven.
A grotto-heaven opened, harboring a true god within.
The emergence of a true god doubled one's combat prowess.
It was only a pity that although the Nine-Leaf Golden Rhyme was a divine item, the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method was simply too profound; opening a single grotto-heaven was already the limit for now.
However, Lu Yuan was not disappointed.
He had mastered the breathing method; possessing 108,000 grotto-heavens in the future was merely a matter of time.
Now, he needed to attend to another task: breaking his genetic shackles!
Between cultivating the breathing method and consuming the Nine-Leaf Golden Rhyme, his foundation was more than sufficient.
Without hesitation, Lu Yuan mobilized the mighty force within his body, driving it into every corner of his physical frame.
*Crack!*
In an instant, the fifth shackle shattered with effortless ease.
Yet this was merely the beginning. He chose to continue; after all this time, what satisfaction was there in opening only one?
*Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!*
The Blood-Qi Pagoda manifested, and his five viscera and six entrails vibrated in unison.
Lu Yuan's skin radiated a brilliant glow—a sign that his life tier was undergoing another leap.
*Crack—*
*Crack—*
*Crack—*
Three genetic shackles were broken in succession.
An indescribable comfort washed through every fiber of his being.
Having severed several shackles consecutively, Lu Yuan found that when he focused his attention, he could perceive his internal state with absolute clarity—bones, blood, and even cells appeared as distinctly as the lines on his palm.
His bones were resilient, like divine metal; his blood surged like molten magma.
Most striking were his cells.
Because the complete *Daodejing* allowed one to visualize cosmic expanses and gaze upon vast galaxies, his cells now glittered with prismatic light, shining as brightly as stars.
A surge of power welled from within them.
Seeing this, Lu Yuan seized the momentum to shake the power in his body once more.
*Crack—*
Yet another shackle shattered. In other words, he had now broken nine shackles in total.
One had to know that the further one progressed, the harder it became to break genetic shackles. Yet for him, it seemed effortless.
The entire process had taken less than ten minutes.
Lu Yuan had anticipated this. His foundation was formidable, having fused multiple divine items, making him far beyond ordinary mortals.
He was certain that although he possessed no unique or potent bloodline, his talent and potential could stand supreme across the entire globe.
"Nine genetic locks. Breaking three more would allow me to advance into the next evolutionary stage, but for me, that is not enough," Lu Yuan muttered to himself. Remarkable geniuses could sever many shackles, but he intended to push it to the absolute limit.
Only then would his future path be truly unobstructed.
"That should be enough for now."
Sensing he could not push further for the moment, Lu Yuan stopped. The grotto-heaven, the Blood-Qi Pagoda, and other anomalous phenomena faded away.
Under the effects of the Innate Qi Robe, his formidable aura was concealed from outside eyes.
Yet that was merely one of the garment's capabilities.
Rising to his feet, he gazed around the empty Ancestral Dragon Hall.
This was the final sanctum of the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum, the resting place of the Ancestral Dragon, yet no coffin or sarcophagus was anywhere to be seen.
It had been the same when he visited in his previous life, for reasons unknown.
*Could it be that the Ancestral Dragon was never buried here?*
A strange thought suddenly surfaced in Lu Yuan's mind.
Then what about the historical records?
Shaking his head, he decided dwelling on it was pointless. Such secrets would have to wait for future exploration.
Stepping out of the Ancestral Dragon Hall, he saw the thousands of nether soldiers ahead once more.
After commanding them to return to their dormancy, Lu Yuan felt no regrets and walked straight toward the exit.
The Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum opened once a year, remaining accessible for five days each time. Although he could have lingered longer, there was no need. He had already claimed the finest treasures; departing early was also a sign of respect.
*What a pity. My strength has surged by a vast margin, yet I have nowhere to test it for now.*
*Never mind. Once I leave the mausoleum, I'll take a short rest and proceed with the next plan.*
Lu Yuan pondered his next moves as he made his way through the passageway.
The Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum was only one of his objectives in coming to Chang'an.
Now that this was accomplished, he naturally had to take the next step.
His destination was none other than the nearby Qinling Mountains.
There were quite a few extraordinary treasures there, several of which were of vital importance.
With the global mutation, Qinling ranked among the most renowned mountain ranges, in no way inferior to Mount Tai or Mount Longhu.
Moreover, even though the landmass had expanded, its distance from Chang'an remained roughly the same as in the old era.
Lu Yuan had previously assumed such geography was random. But after cultivating the Ancestral Dragon Breathing Method, he began to realize that certain mountains, rivers, and famed cities shared profound connections. It was difficult to articulate; if forced to describe it, one would call it dragon veins. After all, Chang'an was an ancient capital of thousands of years, inherently extraordinary.
Before long, Lu Yuan finally stepped out of the mausoleum.
Few people were visible outside; most had likely departed.
Paying it no mind, he continued forward.
Yet at that moment, his senses keenly caught a faint, looming sense of danger.
Having evolved to his current realm, he could perceive impending harm unless an opponent was nearly his equal in strength or possessed special abilities.
"Lu Yuan, we've finally waited you out."
Sure enough, Wang Tao walked over from the distance.
As an Awakened, each stride covered dozens of meters, bringing him to a stop a hundred meters away, flanked by the elderly man.
"You know me?" Lu Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled. He had never met this man before.
"That doesn't matter."
Wang Tao shook his head, cutting straight to the point. "The sword in your hands—you obtained it from the meteorite at the Wuzhou farm, didn't you? Right now, I'm giving you a chance: hand it over. I don't wish to use force."
Folding his arms, he spoke with utter confidence. "I won't repeat myself, and you have no time to deliberate."
As his words fell, crimson laser sights locked onto Lu Yuan, pinpointing his forehead, temples, heart, and various other vital spots.
It was clear these lasers belonged to heavy sniper rifles capable of punching through steel plates.
Furthermore, five helicopters circled in the sky far above, laden with weapons and bristling with firepower.
Lu Yuan could also sense the presence of Awakened concealed in the distant woods—by a preliminary estimate, no fewer than fifty.
This was an immense force, one virtually impossible to muster without the backing of a major faction.
"So you're from Longevity Genetics."
Lu Yuan smiled as the realization dawned on him.
Just a moment ago, he had regretted having nowhere to test his newfound strength, yet here someone had delivered themselves as a target.
In truth, these people were foolish. Then again, greed blinded reason—who could blame them when the Daluo sword core had performed so brilliantly?
"This is our Longevity Genetics' Second Young Master, brother to one of the Five Great Sovereigns, the Southern Sovereign," the old man announced. Since he had chosen to support the young master, he would back him to the hilt.
Seeing this scene from afar, the remaining Awakened panicked. Knowing thermal weapons were aimed across the area, they hastily retreated far into the distance, unwilling to provoke such a colossal power.
"Originally, I had already put you out of my mind."
"Yet now, blood must be shed."
Lu Yuan took a step forward, his gaze turning serene.
This was already the third time Longevity Genetics had come looking for trouble with him. Since that was the case, there was no need for further restraint.
Only slaughter could put an end to slaughter!
Chapter 51