Chapter 25: The Beginning of Everything, The Day of Transformation

The gym inside the villa.

Lu Yuan lifted the thousand-pound barbell and swung it up and down. He used only one hand, yet showed no sign of fatigue, appearing utterly relaxed.

If an outsider were to witness this, their jaw would surely drop in disbelief.

It was simply unbelievable—no strongman in the world could compare to this.

“One hand for a thousand pounds. With both hands, it should be over a ton. If I gave it my all, my strength would be even greater.” Lu Yuan set the barbell down, gaining a renewed understanding of his own power and physique.

Ever since fusing the essence of the elixirs from the Meridian-Heaven Mending Furnace, his strength had increased almost daily. The medicinal power was gradually being absorbed and adapted to by his cells, finally becoming one with his body.

And this process was still ongoing.

After returning from the Wuzhou farm, he had mostly stayed at home, adapting to his changes. Even though he knew he was growing stronger by the day, Lu Yuan never gave up his training, intent on becoming even more formidable.

It could be said that if the world hadn’t started to change, he would now undoubtedly be the strongest human alive. Only the most powerful modern weapons could threaten him.

After all, he was still flesh and blood.

But even so, his capabilities were truly fearsome.

After finishing his exercises, he returned to the main hall for breakfast, occasionally casting his gaze toward the ancient bodhi tree.

During his days at home, Lu Yuan kept up with outside events through the internet and the news. With the day of transformation drawing near, strange occurrences were happening everywhere: the land stretching, highways splitting apart, famous mountains rising ever higher, and wild beasts and birds of prey becoming more active, their roars echoing through the hills.

In more remote places, ancient trees were growing overnight to gargantuan sizes, their canopies covering dozens of kilometers. In the snowy regions, the world’s tallest peak was shrouded in red snow, and at night, eerie sounds could be heard.

Even arid desert areas saw new vegetation sprouting, lush and vibrant. Photos taken by onlookers circulated online, drawing massive attention.

Many sacred Buddhist and Taoist mountains had announced their closure to visitors, with no word on when they would reopen.

This was just within the country. Though many reports were deliberately censored, plenty slipped through, for the events were simply too frequent to conceal.

Abroad, the news was just as bizarre.

The Pope in Vatican City declared that angels would soon descend to save humankind. The child to whom he once bowed was proclaimed a future miracle-worker who would bring true light to the universe. Following his instructions, twelve guardian apostles were being sought.

Elsewhere, a large group of believers claimed to be guided by divine will and were climbing Mount Olympus. One among them had already reached the summit, declaring himself a descendant of the gods.

All over the world, extraordinary incidents were taking place, impossible to suppress, and news was spreading everywhere.

Online discussions about these phenomena abounded. Some dismissed them as natural occurrences, while others insisted that something monumental was about to happen, and the world as they knew it would change.

Such posts didn’t last long before being deleted. Yet, the sheer volume of speculation left many netizens sensing something was amiss.

“Only three days left.”

Lu Yuan’s eyes gleamed as he read the latest reports. The closer the date, the more frequent the anomalies—a clear sign, the very beginning of everything.

Many would be caught off guard, lost and bewildered. But for someone who had been through it once before, it was nothing to fret over. All that remained was to perfect his plans—preparations he had already made.

Whatever happened in the outside world, for now, it didn’t concern him.

The villa lay on the outskirts of Hu City, far from the crowds. This gave Lu Yuan peace and solitude, free from disturbance.

Of course, there was one matter that required vigilance: the meteor incident at the farm. Although he had used misdirection, with Longevity Genetics’ resources and connections, it was only a matter of time before they came looking for him. They would not let the matter rest.

Still, he was unconcerned. Once the day of awakening arrived, the divine artifacts in his possession would empower him to an unimaginable degree. Not even a force as formidable as Longevity Genetics could intimidate him.

If they never came, all the better. But if they did, Lu Yuan would not show mercy.

To be reborn and to have prepared for three months—this was the source of his confidence.

Without another word, Lu Yuan turned off the television and resumed his training.

Now, there was nothing left to do but wait.

And so, time passed, minute by minute. He no longer paid any attention to the outside world, focusing instead on preparing himself, growing familiar with his body, and training his physique.

At last, three days later—the final day of August.

Night fell as usual.

In the villa’s courtyard, Lu Yuan sat cross-legged beneath the ancient bodhi tree.

Before him lay many items:

The Ghost Seal!
The Relic!
The Heaven-Shaking Bow!
The Mysterious Small Cauldron!
The Grand Luo Sword Embryo!
The Wordless Stele!
The Innate One Qi Robe!
The Meridian-Heaven Mending Furnace!
The Eleven-Level Blood Pagoda!
The complete Dao De Jing!

They sat quietly before Lu Yuan, appearing utterly ordinary.

But after tonight, each would become a true divine artifact, rare even in the transformed world.

At this moment, Lu Yuan looked at the fruits of his three months’ labor, a smile spreading across his face. He raised his eyes to the sky.

This day—

I have been ready for a long time!