"My consciousness can't penetrate this gourd..."
Lin Yuan's expression grew slightly serious as he carefully observed the palm-sized gray gourd.
In the vast universe, many materials are extremely hard and difficult to destroy, but few can block an evolver's consciousness.
Consciousness power is harder to detect than world power and soul power, as it is a derivation of spiritual/mental willpower.
Given Lin Yuan's current level of mental willpower, unless it was an eighth-rank treasure or rare item, he could at least get a rough understanding, if not a detailed one.
"Eighth-rank treasure or rare item?"
Lin Yuan stroked the surface of the gray gourd, feeling its cold, almost frictionless texture, similar to some advanced alloy.
"How was this formed?"
For a moment, Lin Yuan couldn't discern if the gray gourd was manufactured or naturally formed.
"Wisdom Goddess, do you know what this gourd is?"
After thinking for a while, Lin Yuan decisively connected to the Wisdom Goddess.
As one of the three ultimate intelligent deities of human civilization, the Wisdom Goddess contained records of all known human materials.
Treasures and rare items, as long as they had been uploaded by human evolvers, were recorded by the Wisdom Goddess.
So, when in doubt, consult the goddess.
This was not just a saying in human civilization.
"Honorable Milky Way Star Lord, there is no item similar to this in the database."
The Wisdom Goddess's solemn and cold voice came through.
"No similar item?"
Lin Yuan was slightly taken aback.
The Wisdom Goddess had only conducted a preliminary scan. To perform a more in-depth 'identification', the gray gourd would need to be sent to the central star domain.
Lin Yuan's consciousness couldn't penetrate it, but that didn't mean human civilization couldn't do it.
However—
Even with just a preliminary scan, for the Wisdom Goddess to conclude there was no similar item was extremely rare.
In over two million years of Star Sea history, had countless human evolvers seen everything?
Even if there wasn't an exact match, there should be many similar items, right?
But the Wisdom Goddess concluded there were none.
"This must be a treasure."
Lin Yuan collected his thoughts and looked at the gray gourd.
For an ordinary item, even if the Wisdom Goddess hadn't seen it, there should be information on similar items.
"This gray gourd, I got it from a rogue alien?"
Lin Yuan began to recall that the gourd's previous owner was a seventh-rank rogue alien.
Compared to special lifeforms, rogue aliens liked to travel across the universe, and over time, they collected many odd items.
This gray gourd was in the space ring of that seventh-rank rogue alien, mixed with other miscellaneous items of unclear origin.
Clearly, that seventh-rank rogue alien hadn't discovered the gourd's uniqueness either.
Perhaps the alien only noticed the gourd's hardness and its ability to block consciousness power.
Those rogue aliens didn't have the Wisdom Goddess's 'identification' methods.
In a vast universe, finding a hard object wasn't unusual.
Initially, Lin Yuan didn't pay much attention to the gray gourd, thinking it might be worth a few universe crystals.
"Hard?"
"Let's see how hard you are."
Lin Yuan grasped the gray gourd and began to squeeze it.
Buzz.
Terrifying power began to affect the surrounding void.
Lin Yuan's awakened the physical divine ability 'Moving Mountain' related to the rule of strength.
With his current martial eighth-rank body, enhanced by the 'Mountain Moving' power, he could easily crush a high-life planet.
Even ordinary eighth-rank evolvers couldn't withstand such a squeeze.
This was the suppression brought by absolute strength. Among the nine strongest humans, one followed the ultimate path of strength, capable of tearing space in the main world with mere gestures.
This ultimate strength powerhouse and Xia Qin were known as the two strongest killers in the Human Civilization Alliance.
"Hmm?"
"Still intact?"
After squeezing for a while, Lin Yuan released his grip and found that the gray gourd hadn't even a scratch, his expression changing once again.
Even the eighth-rank armor he wore would have shown marks under such force.
And this gray gourd, which clearly wasn't a defensive weapon, was harder than eighth-rank armor?
"I don't believe this."
Lin Yuan's thoughts moved.
He took the gray gourd into his inner world.
Swish.
His inner world, now over 700,000 miles in radius, had merged with three universe rare items and, combined with Lin Yuan's understanding of the rules, was becoming increasingly similar to the real world.
"Go."
Lin Yuan threw the gray gourd.
Instantly.
The power of the inner world surged and swept over the gray gourd.
The terrifying world power, as if recreating the heavens and earth, attacked the gray gourd from all directions.
However.
No matter how Lin Yuan mobilized the world power.
The gray gourd remained unmoved, floating in the overwhelming world power.
"Even world power can't do anything?"
Lin Yuan's expression grew serious. In his inner world, he could exert power comparable to an eighth-rank invincible who had mastered some cosmic force.
Yet even so.
He still couldn't shake the gray gourd.
Lin Yuan even felt that even if he became an eighth-rank invincible or advanced to the ninth rank.
He still wouldn't be able to deal with this gray gourd.
"This gourd..."
Lin Yuan felt a bit troubled.
"I'll study it for a while longer."
"If I still can't figure it out, I'll give it to the Wisdom Goddess for rewards."
Lin Yuan thought to himself. Even if this gray gourd was an incredible treasure.
But if he couldn't use it, it was as good as useless, just like its previous owner, and it ended up in his hands.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Not to mention, just the fact that the gray gourd could withstand his world power crush might make it worth a lot, perhaps one or two universe rare items?
In the following days.
Whenever Lin Yuan had time, he tried various methods.
Since force didn't work, Lin Yuan tried a gentler approach.
For example, using his soul power to get close to the gray gourd.
But it was useless.
He also tried placing the gray gourd in the source ocean of his inner world.
Some treasures, like primal fine gold, craved world source power.
But it was still useless.
The precious world source power couldn't touch the gray gourd.
Several days later.
Lin Yuan finally gave up.
"It seems we're not fated."
Lin Yuan stared at the gray gourd with some regret.
He knew the gray gourd held great secrets.
But he didn't know how to unlock them.
Having a treasure mountain but unable to enter it was a frustrating feeling.
"Should I try dripping blood?"
Lin Yuan suddenly thought, though he didn't have high hopes.
The so-called 'blood recognition' method was a very outdated technique.
In the Human Alliance and among other races, soul transfers were common. Many evolvers would even cultivate and integrate special life bloodlines into replicated bodies for a higher starting point for their offspring.
So.
Bodies were not fixed.
Bloodlines were not fixed.
The soul and mental will were fundamental.
Blood recognition was eliminated by human civilization ages ago.
Recognition methods were based on the soul and mental will.
But now.
Lin Yuan had no other choice but to try.
Even if it didn't work, he wouldn't be surprised.
Whew.
Lin Yuan exhaled softly.
He raised his right hand, squeezed out a drop of blood.
With Lin Yuan's current body strength, blood wouldn't flow out unless he intentionally squeezed it.
Drip.
A viscous drop of blood fell onto the gray gourd.
"Hmm?"
Lin Yuan's expression changed slightly.
Due to the 'Blood Rebirth' divine ability.
Lin Yuan had absolute control over every drop of his blood.
No matter how far, he could sense its specific condition.
But just now.
When the blood touched the gray gourd's surface.
Lin Yuan instantly lost sensation of the drop of blood.
Not only that.
The blood on the gray gourd's surface quickly fused into the gourd.
"So, it requires blood?"
Lin Yuan's eyes brightened as he carefully observed the gray gourd's changes.
Buzz.
A slight vibration began emanating from the gray gourd.
The moment Lin Yuan sensed the vibration, his mind left his body, as if entering an endless crimson ocean.
"The power of rebirth in the bloodline matches the activation condition..."
In a trance, Lin Yuan heard a mental fluctuation with a meaning easily understood.
After a long while.
Lin Yuan opened his eyes again.
"This gourd?"
Lin Yuan examined the gray gourd again.
Now, the gray gourd's color was changing slightly.
No longer purely gray, it had traces of crimson.
Through the brief contact earlier, Lin Yuan learned that the gourd contained some special liquid.
This special liquid had incredible effects on the evolution of life, but the side effects were severe, and only those with 'Rebirth Power' in their bloodline could try to absorb it.
"Rebirth Power?"
"It should refer to my 'Blood Rebirth' physical divine ability."
Lin Yuan thought silently.
At the seventh-rank evolver level, even if the body was shattered, as long as the soul remained, it could recover.
But that recovery was merely healing, not true rebirth.
Rebirth from a drop of blood didn't mean just a drop of blood; it meant as long as there was a trace of life essence, rebirth could occur.
Blood was just the 'medium' for carrying life essence.
"What kind of transformation requires such preconditions?"
Lin Yuan marveled. He had never seen another evolver with a similar 'Blood Rebirth' ability.
Even Lin Yuan's physical power wasn't from the main world but from the Immortal World.
He had comprehended this power in the Immortal World, formed a divine imprint, and 'brought' it back to the main world.
"Let's see what the effect is."
Lin Yuan picked up the gourd, gently shook it, then turned it upside down.
After the gourd recognized him, Lin Yuan had the initial qualification to use it. Soon, a drop of liquid formed at the gourd's mouth.
The liquid was crystal clear, crimson, as if containing a vast crimson ocean.
"So beautiful."
Lin Yuan gazed at the liquid, his mind almost entranced, feeling as if the liquid held the entire universe.
"According to the information I received, I just need to drink it?"
His consciousness returned to the gray and crimson gourd.
The crimson liquid still hung at the gourd's mouth.
"The liquid in the gourd has seven colors, from red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, to purple."
"Only by fully absorbing the red liquid and transforming the body completely will the second color liquid appear..."
Lin Yuan thought.
"Let's try."
Lin Yuan's thought moved, and a drop of blood floated out of his body.
According to the information from the gourd, absorbing the liquid required great risk.
With a drop of blood outside, even if something went wrong, he could quickly regenerate.
Although Lin Yuan had left blood on the Red Kun Main Star, it was too far away.
"Begin."
Lin Yuan steadied himself and swallowed the red liquid from the gourd's mouth.
Rumble.
In an instant.
Lin Yuan felt his body ignite like flames.
His flesh burned, his organs burned, his bones burned, everything burned.
Then.
Under the 'Blood Rebirth' power, everything that burned in Lin Yuan's body quickly regenerated.
So, the burning power of the red liquid and Lin Yuan's rebirth power began to stalemate.
After half a day.
Lin Yuan's body couldn't hold on and turned to ashes.
The red liquid's effect vanished, and the scattered 'ashes' quickly regenerated, re-forming Lin Yuan's figure.
"What is this stuff..."
Before Lin Yuan could comment.
He was shocked to find his regenerated body had doubled in vitality.
It had doubled.
Not just increased by a small margin.
Even a small increase was incredible.
At Lin Yuan's level, body and soul approached their limits. Further transformation and evolution required breaking through the current realm.
Or consuming precious universe rare items.
But even then, the improvement wasn't huge, at most a small margin, not a doubling... Lin Yuan couldn't even imagine it.
"No."
"Not just the body."
"My inner world..."
Lin Yuan's expression turned to shock, his mind quickly entering his inner world.
Rumble.
The inner world surged.
Originally 700,000 miles in radius, it had now expanded to 1,500,000 miles.
The world power operated like heaven and earth collapsing, and the sun formed by the universe rare item 'Primal Flame' had 'shrunk' significantly, clearly not keeping up with the inner world's expansion.
"My inner world? It also doubled?"
Lin Yuan murmured, incredulous.
...
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