Global Awakening: I'm the Only One Ready

This was the manifestation of a grotto-heaven after absorbing a vast amount of energy by using the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique.

”Success. Finally,” Lu Yuan muttered as he sensed the might of his newly opened grotto-heaven.

Each grotto-heaven contained a true god, and the formation of each true god would multiply his strength once. Unfortunately, despite the Nine-leaf Golden Resonance being a divine item, the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique surpassed it in strength.

To open a single grotto-heaven was already the limit.

However, Lu Yuan was not even the least disappointed. He had already mastered the breathing technique, and it was a matter of time before he fully opened all 108,000 grotto-heavens.

Now, he had another matter on hand that demanded focus: Shattering his genetic shackles!

Having cultivated the breathing technique and consumed the Nine-leaf Golden Resonance, he had accumulated sufficient power.

Without hesitating another second, Lu Yuan began to channel the raging energy flowing within him to every corner of his body.

Crack!

In just a fraction of a second, the surging energy shattered the fifth shackle with ease. Yet, this was just the beginning. How could he stop after unlocking only one, after all the time and effort he had poured into this moment?

The towering Blood Pagoda manifested behind him. His vital organs trembled in perfect resonance as each beat of his heart echoed through the room. A radiant brilliance flared from his skin—an unmistakable indication that his very life was transcending the limits of mortality toward a higher realm of existence.

Crack!

Crack!

Crack!

Another three shackles shattered in swift succession.

An indescribable sensation coursed through every fibre of his being, flowing into every cell within him. As his focus sharpened, realization dawned upon him—he could suddenly perceive his body in astonishing detail. His bones, his blood, every single cell—he saw them as clearly as if they rested in the palm of his hand.

His bones gleamed with the resilience of divine gold, while his blood roared like molten lava coursing through his veins. Most remarkable of them all were his cells. Each of them shimmered with a radiant brilliance like stars scattered across the vast expanse of a night sky.

Having comprehended the complete version of Dao De Jing, Lu Yuan could visualize things on the cosmic plane and gaze upon the stars. He could see it—the surging force hidden within those ”stars,” threatening to burst forth.

Immediately, he seized the moment and roused the strength coursing through his body.

Crack!

Yet another shackle was shattered. That meant he had now broken through nine genetic shackles.

It was well known that the further one progressed, the harder it became to break each successive genetic shackle. Yet for Lu Yuan, the process seemed effortless. In less than ten minutes, he had shattered five—none of which were among the initial, easier shackles out of the 108.

Then again, Lu Yuan expected nothing less of himself. His foundation was simply too solid. With the aid of several heavenly treasures, his starting point had already far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.

Even without possessing a rare or powerful bloodline, Lu Yuan was confident. In terms of talent and potential, he believed he stood unrivaled under the heavens.

”Nine genetic shackles. Just three more, and I’ll reach the next stage. But... that’s still not enough,” Lu Yuan murmured.

A genius might shatter more shackles than most, but he had no intention of stopping there. He intended to push himself to the limit. Only by doing so could he ensure that the road ahead would be smooth and unimpeded.

”That’s about it,” he finally said, sensing a bottleneck. The energy circulating within him began to recede, and in that moment, the grotto-heaven and the Bloodforce Pagoda behind him dissolved into nothingness.

Even his previously overwhelming aura became cloaked once more beneath the Primordial Qi Robe, a garment whose true power extended far beyond simple concealment.

Lu Yuan stood and looked around the now-quiet Primordial Dragon Hall. This was the final chamber within the Mausoleum of Mount Li, the legendary resting place of the Primordial Dragon—Qin Shi Huang. And yet... there was no coffin to be found.

It was exactly as he remembered from his past life. But the reason behind that absence remained a mystery.

”Could it be... that the Primordial Dragon was never buried here at all?” The sudden thought sent a ripple through his mind.

But what of the historical records?

Lu Yuan shook his head, dismissing the idea. There was no use dwelling on such speculation. Sooner or later, the truth would reveal itself.

He stepped out of the hall, where the thousand Yin soldiers still stood silently, awaiting command. With a wave of his hand, he instructed them to return to their slumber, to awaken only when intruders dared trespass again.

Without looking back, Lu Yuan strode toward the world outside—calm, composed, and without regret.

The Mausoleum of Mount Li only opened once a year, for five days at a time. Though he had time left, there was no need to linger. The greatest treasure had already fallen into his hands. Leaving early was, in its own way, a gesture of respect.

A shame, really... My strength has improved by leaps and bounds, yet there’s no one to test it against, Lu Yuan mused as he passed through the passage out of the Mausoleum.

No matter. Once I’m out, I’ll take some time to rest... before moving on to the next phase.

The Mausoleum was only one of his many objectives in Chang’an. Now that it was checked off the list, it was time to turn toward the next destination: Qinling.

That place was teeming with treasures, some of immense value and significance.

With the advent of the Global Awakening, Qinling, one of the famed sacred mountains, had grown no less mysterious than Mount Tai or Mount Hulong. Though the land had expanded in this new era, its distance from Chang’an remained unchanged, just as it had in the old era.

At first, Lu Yuan had thought it a mere coincidence. But ever since he began cultivating the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique, he had sensed something more—subtle connections between the mountains, rivers, and ancient cities of this land.

He couldn’t quite put it into words. But if he had to quote a reason, it would be the dragon vein. Chang’an, once the imperial capital for over a thousand years, had always been extraordinary. And now, as the ancient energies of the world had reawakened.

Soon after leaving the Mausoleum, Lu Yuan discovered that the bustling crowd from the first day had all but vanished. Only a handful of figures remained scattered in the distance. He spared them no attention and continued walking forward.

But just then, his heightened senses detected a faint and elusive sense of danger. At his current cultivation level, unless an opponent was of comparable strength or possessed a unique means of concealment, no threat could escape his perception.

”Lu Yuan. You’re finally here.”

A voice echoed from ahead.

Wang Tao emerged from the distance, striding forward with ease. As an Awakened, each step carried him dozens of meters, and in the blink of an eye, he closed the distance to stand just over a hundred meters from Lu Yuan. An elderly man stood quietly at his side.

Lu Yuan furrowed his brows. ”Do we know each other?”

He had no recollection of ever seeing this man.

”That’s not important.”Wang Tao replied, shaking his head. He wasted no time with pleasantries. ”The sword in your possession—you acquired it from the meteorite that crashed at Wuzhou Farm, didn’t you? I’m giving you a chance. Hand it over now. I don’t want to resort to violence.”

He crossed his arms, his tone steeped in arrogance and absolute confidence. ”I won’t say it again. And I won’t give you time to think.”

As soon as the words left his lips, crimson laser dots began to flicker across Lu Yuan’s body. His forehead, temples, heart—every vital point had been locked on with deadly precision.

The scarlet tracers belonged to high-powered sniper rigs, modern weapons designed to pierce through steel plates with ease.

Above, five helicopters hovered in formation, their rotors cutting the air with a deafening rhythm. Mounted with advanced artillery, their combined firepower was enough to reduce a mountain to rubble.

Lu Yuan’s senses swept out, and he immediately detected more figures hidden in the surrounding forest—Awakened, at least fifty by rough count, lying in wait.

Such a massive deployment of force could not have been mobilized by any ordinary group.

This was clearly the work of one of the major powers.

”Ah... So you’re with Longevity Genetics,” Lu Yuan said with a faint smile, the pieces falling into place. Just moments ago, he had been feeling a tinge of regret—regret that he had no suitable opponent to test his newfound strength. Who would’ve thought someone would be foolish enough to not only build the stage for him but also offer themselves up as targets?

Then again, their actions made a certain kind of sense. Greed had a way of clouding judgment, and the dazzling brilliance of the Great Luo Sword Embryo was not something easily ignored.

”This is the Second Young Master of our Longevity Genetics—the younger brother of one of the Five Supremes, the Southern Sovereign,” the old man beside Wang Tao declared, stepping forward. Since he had chosen to back Wang Tao, he had no intention of being vague about his allegiance.

In the distance, the Awakened surrounding Lu Yuan were struck with panic. They knew that modern weapons were now trained on the area, and none of them wanted to risk becoming collateral damage. Without hesitation, they retreated far away, careful not to draw the ire of a great power by mere proximity.

”Actually... I had almost forgotten about Longevity Genetics.” Lu Yuan stepped forward, his gaze calm and unshaken, like the surface of a still lake. ”But now... blood will be spilled.”

This was already the third time Longevity Genetics had come for him. Such audacity could no longer be tolerated.

Only through blood could bloodshed be brought to an end!