The First Apostle, Transformation, Creating a Progenitor Bloodline!

Late at night, Shanghai. A skyscraper stood tall, ablaze with lights. At its very peak blazoned four massive characters: Tianshen Technology! Consequently, the edifice was also known as Tianshen Tower. As one of the Four Great Factions, Tianshen Technology had been a corporate titan in the country even during the Old Era. It engaged in research spanning technology, biology, genetics, and more, boasting immense achievements. When the New Era dawned, it rose to prominence almost instantly. Among its ranks, Asura stood as a representative figure, previously hailed on the internet as one of the Five Great Sovereigns. Beneath him were numerous Awakened, making the faction exceptionally formidable. Yet Tianshen Technology had not acted like Longevity Genetics, which seized a supercity outright to become its hegemon. Instead, it chose to remain in Shanghai, coexisting alongside Wuzhou Group. Unlike the other three major factions, however, Tianshen Technology kept an exceptionally low profile. Apart from Asura, it seemed to have no standout Awakened, appearing somewhat out of place. Yet no one doubted its might. After all, partnering with official authorities was not something an ordinary faction could achieve. At that moment, on one of the middle floors of Tianshen Tower. There was a room here, but it was far from ordinary. It could better be described as a prison cell, forged entirely of alloy. Extremely resilient, it could withstand artillery bombardments, and once locked inside, not even an Awakened could break out. Within the cell, Asura hung suspended by his wrists. Half of his body was battered and bloodied, while the other half consisted entirely of bionic machinery. His aura was exceedingly faint. The cloak that once concealed his frame was gone, exposing a youthful face that looked no older than his early twenties. "Now, I'll give you one more chance. What actually happened in Shennongjia? "You should know that the company values you greatly; they even gave you the Asura Blade. Don't let down the company's efforts in nurturing you." Outside the cell, a middle-aged man in a sharp suit spoke, staring at the blood-drenched Asura with an indifferent gaze. He had a tall stature and deep-set eyes, clearly of mixed heritage. This man was the actual controller of Tianshen Technology: Liu Changyuan, who also went by the foreign name Tom Liu. He was likewise an Awakened, situated in the Awakening Realm, slightly stronger than Asura. "Boss Liu, I've told you many times already. We encountered mutated beasts in Shennongjia. Miss Jennifer and the others all died at the claws of mutated beasts. That is the whole truth," Asura said, his voice raspy. At present, he bore no resemblance to one of the Five Great Awakened. The flesh-and-blood side of his body was covered in wounds. "You should know that I can end your life at any moment," Liu Changyuan said. A remote resembling a car key appeared in his hand, and he cast a glance toward the bionic mechanical heart on the other side of Asura's chest. "I knew that from the very beginning." Asura lifted his head, flashing a faint smile. "That's why I conscientiously carried out every mission you assigned. What I've said this time is also nothing but the truth. "Boss Liu, they were merely a few Westerners. There's no need for you to keep interrogating me. I've said all I should say. If you refuse to believe me, there's nothing I can do." From the moment he returned from Shennongjia, he had gone straight back to Tianshen Technology and reported the situation to the executives as planned. However, the upper management had refused to buy that excuse and flew into a genuine rage instead. They locked him away and subjected him to torture. Asura had never imagined that the executives would go to such lengths over Jennifer and her companions. He had heard before that the company maintained very close ties with the West. Originally, he thought it was merely ordinary business cooperation. Now, however, he realized he had been far too naive. The relationship between the company and the West was vastly more complicated than he had imagined. "Miss Jennifer was an apostle of the Holy Angel. I must give them an account." Boss Liu looked at Asura and continued, "You know my methods. I'll give you one more day. If you still refuse to speak the truth, I will send you to the laboratory and have you completely rebuilt into a pile of scrap metal. You should know well enough that the company possesses that capability." "Of course, of course," Asura replied with lowered head. "Yet what I said is still the truth." Indeed, Lu Yuan was the one responsible, but out of a shared sense of kinship as fellow Huaxia people, Asura had intended to shoulder the burden by himself and let the matter rest. He had assumed the company would not pursue it. Yet their reaction thoroughly disappointed him, stirring defiance in his heart instead. Deep down, he knew that confessing might spare him further suffering. After all, he had no real relationship with Lu Yuan; they were not even friends, having met only a handful of times. Yet Asura understood that he was, first and foremost, a man of Huaxia. He knew that once the company learned the truth, they would certainly join forces with the West to target Lu Yuan. In any case, he had already undergone numerous modifications and could scarcely be called human anymore. Under such circumstances, why drag someone else into trouble? "Fine, fine, fine. Don't blame me for being ruthless then." Liu Changyuan's patience appeared completely exhausted, and he stepped out of the room. Yet just as he crossed the threshold, a figure approached—a Western face holding a cross scepter identical to Jennifer's, clearly another of the Twelve Apostles under the Holy Angel. "Mr. Wade, what brings you here?" Seeing the newcomer, Liu Changyuan walked forward at once with a smile. He was a believer in the Western Church, and to him, the Twelve Apostles were emissaries of God, commanding immense deference. More importantly, the man before him was the most powerful among them—the First Apostle! "I performed Western divine arts on the others who traveled to Shennongjia and already learned what took place. I came specifically to inform you, Mr. Liu, so that you need waste no more time." Apostle Wade spoke in fluent Chinese. In truth, following the New Era, foreign languages were not difficult for Awakened to learn. With just a bit of time, one could easily master them. "Oh? What happened?" Liu Changyuan asked immediately upon hearing this. Wade wasted no words and revealed everything plainly. "What? It was actually Lu Yuan?" Upon hearing the name, Liu Changyuan's expression shifted slightly, his brows knitting deeply. "Mr. Wade, I know of this Lu Yuan. He acts without restraint. Back then, he directly slew prominent figures from both Longevity Genetics and Wuzhou Group, and he enjoys good relations with Zhendan Academy. "Moreover, he is exceedingly powerful and possesses astounding comprehension. If he is the culprit, dealing with him will be very difficult." "No matter who he is, anyone who murders a servant of God offends God Himself, a crime beyond pardon," Wade stated solemnly. "The great Holy Angel has already decreed this a sacrilege against the divine. In short, that man named Lu Yuan must die! "Let the world know that whoever offends God shall pay a tremendous price!" His tone was grave, his grip tight around the cross scepter. Within his emerald eyes burned unbridled killing intent. "Since this is an order from Lord Angel, I will naturally offer my full support." Liu Changyuan pondered for a moment before consenting, adding, "However, Tianshen Technology has recently been targeted by Zhendan Academy, which severely ties our hands." The Western nations were currently divided into two factions: one centered around the Vatican Church, and the other led by the Divine Knights of Mount Olympus. Liu Changyuan's underlying meaning was straightforward. Certain affairs of Tianshen Technology could no longer be kept under wraps, and the official authorities were deeply displeased. Furthermore, except for Shencheng, the beast tides elsewhere were gradually tapering off. Once the authorities freed up their resources, they would undoubtedly turn their sights directly on Tianshen Technology. Unable to handle it on his own, he had to seek assistance. "Rest assured. You have done so much for us; we have our ways of handling your difficulties," Apostle Wade replied. Tianshen Technology was vital to them, and they naturally had no wish to see it suppressed. "That is a relief!" Liu Changyuan felt reassured. He then glanced back toward the cell. "Now that we know the culprit's identity, should we..." As he spoke, he made a throat-slitting gesture, hinting whether they should dispose of Asura. "Keep that man; he still serves a purpose," Wade remarked with a smile. "He will make an important piece of bait. The one we truly want to deal with is that Lu Yuan! "As for the other operatives, forget about them. They are inconsequential. Once this matter concludes, we can dispose of them as needed." "Understood." Liu Changyuan nodded, knowing what had to be done next. Still, everything required careful planning. The first step was to prepare every detail to prevent unforeseen accidents. Wade said no more. His thoughts were simple. Once Lu Yuan was eliminated, they could proceed with their subsequent objectives. *** Shennongjia. After more than ten days, the Golden-Winged Great Peng had completely refined the dragon's blood. Its body appeared largely unchanged from before, yet the radiance flowing through its plumage was noticeably more dazzling. In particular, the aura it radiated could now be released or reined in at will. So long as it did not display ferocity, an outsider would find it impossible to discern that it was a mutated beast king, able only to infer from its outward appearance that it was extraordinary. "My bloodline has been purified significantly, but it's still not enough. I must continue hunting mutated beasts that possess dragon blood." It examined its internal condition, recognizing that it was still some distance away from fully awakening its bloodline and becoming a Golden-Winged Great Peng in the truest sense. Even so, this was already remarkable. The Golden-Winged Great Peng had now broken five genetic shackles. It did not seem like many, but for its combat strength, it was a massive leap. If it were to face the White King again, it was certain it could achieve victory directly. Furthermore, across the coming period, it could continue to grow steadily until reaching the Golden Body Realm. The bloodline of the Golden-Winged Great Peng was exceedingly potent and endowed with sublime talent; unlike ordinary creatures, it would not be limited to breaking merely twelve shackles, but far more, holding far more terrifying potential. *Buzz, buzz, buzz—* Just then, the Golden-Winged Great Peng suddenly felt a formidable aura sweeping outward from the elevated dais. Looking up, it saw that the presence emanated from Lu Yuan, who sat cross-legged within the blood pool. This aura was unimaginably magnificent. More importantly, the blood surrounding Lu Yuan was no longer deep red, but golden, dreamlike and ethereal. Simultaneously, waves of inscrutable power surged ceaselessly from that golden blood-qi. Even without drawing near, the Golden-Winged Great Peng could clearly perceive that its master's bloodline had undergone a terrifying metamorphosis—a leap, an apotheosis! As time passed, that sensation grew increasingly intense, to the point where even its soul was shaken. "Th-th-this aura... has he created a progenitor bloodline?" The Golden-Winged Great Peng's eyes widened. From its inherited memories, it recognized what such an aura signified. Even though it was merely in its nascent stages, the peng was nonetheless shaken to the core. All living creatures possessed their origins and roots. Generally speaking, mighty beings inherited the bloodlines of their ancestors. The higher the purity, the more fully the bloodline's might could manifest; if purity was lacking, its power remained dormant. Unless one could create a progenitor bloodline. As the name implied, it meant that an individual originally lacked the powerful bloodline of a great ancestor, yet through some monumental stroke of fortune, broke through human constraints to sublimate every cellular particle of the physical body, attaining an unfathomable realm. In other words, the individual became the first generation of a bloodline, and their descendants would inherit that bloodline's gifts! It was akin to the Ancestral Dragon, Yuanfeng, and the Origin Qilin—or the primeval Golden-Winged Great Peng itself. Yet such a phenomenon was unheard of to the peng, and for a human, achieving this step was harder still. Within its inherited memories, barely any humans in Huaxia had accomplished it, and every single one had been a paragon of their age. "No wonder... no wonder even my bloodline is being suppressed. But how did he do it?" It was flabbergasted, entirely unable to comprehend how this was possible. Just how vast of a fortune had he encountered? *Wait.* A thought suddenly struck the Golden-Winged Great Peng. Shennongjia... could its master have obtained the great fortune left behind by Shennong, one of the Three Sovereigns? *Buzz!* At that precise moment, Lu Yuan opened his eyes within the blood pool. Instantly, the golden blood-qi across his body surged forth, transforming into a pillar of light that dyed everything around him in brilliant gold. His transformation had reached its final juncture, on the very verge of completion!