Life's Transformation

"What exactly are you?"

Under the rain eaves of the Old House, Lin Tuo asked the question with utmost seriousness.

Everything that had just happened was far too mysterious. No one would believe it if he told them. At this moment, he was both thrilled and uneasy.

As he asked, the "Evolution Sandbox" in his mind actually gave him an answer:

Keyword triggered by host detected. Initiating "Beginner's Guide."

Evolution Sandbox: A tool of mysterious origin.

Primary function: Assists the host in gathering "Aether" energy to achieve advancement in life level.

Squatting beneath the eaves, Lin Tuo froze for a moment. So he really had picked up a system, huh?

This system was a tool for gathering this so-called "Aether" energy?

"What is Aether?" Lin Tuo tried asking.

He remembered that, in Observation Mode, the Aether concentration in Yangcheng City within the Sandbox had been low.

Aether: A stream of consciousness that composes space; the first and most fundamental element created when the Spirit Realm created the material phenomenal world. A mysterious gas that exists throughout the universe, wherever Sentient Beings are active, possessing the power to elevate life levels...

As the explanation appeared, a vast amount of related information flooded into Lin Tuo's mind. He could not help pressing a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes to sort through it for a while before finally understanding.

Put simply, this so-called "Aether" was similar to the Spiritual Energy found in entertainment works, a substance that accompanied life.

Its source lay in the mystic sense of the "Spirit Realm."

According to the information provided by the Evolution Sandbox,

on any planet in the universe, as long as Sentient Beings emerged, "Aether" would emerge as well.

The amount and concentration of "Aether" were closely tied to the overall quality of the Sentient Beings on that planet.

In other words,

"Aether" existed widely across every human gathering place on Earth, whether cities or villages.

If everyone's physical health and mental state were the same, then the greater the population, the greater the amount of Aether injected from the "Spirit Realm" into the material world.

If the population remained constant, then the stronger and more vigorous, the better the mental outlook of the individuals, the more Aether they would produce.

Therefore, on Earth, the concentration of "Aether" above cities far surpassed that of the countryside, while economically and culturally developed regions far surpassed impoverished lands.

The amount of Aether also changed dynamically with the state of Sentient Beings.

Simply put, when the world was at peace and nations prospered, Aether concentration would rise.

Once war, famine, illness... and so on occurred, Aether concentration would fall.

Aether was normally invisible, but it could be observed and absorbed through special means, thereby achieving life evolution.

And this "Evolution Sandbox" was a tool that assisted in gathering Aether.

Opening his eyes again, Lin Tuo slowly exhaled. He had roughly understood the purpose of this system and immediately developed a strong interest in this so-called Aether.

"According to you, how am I supposed to gather Aether?"

Please follow the instructions.

1. Click the Virtual Panel and return to the main page.

Information surfaced in his mind. Lin Tuo paused, then focused once more on the Virtual Panel overlaid on his retina. It was still in "Observation Mode," but because he had left the Sandbox's range, his field of view was empty.

Only after examining it carefully did he notice a tiny, faint "Return" icon in the upper-left corner of the Virtual Panel... He had not noticed it before.

"So Observation Mode is just a subpage?"

He tried clicking it with his thoughts.

The Virtual Panel immediately changed, exiting "Observation Mode" and returning to the "main page."

From a Designer's perspective... the main page was still rather... crude...

On the left were two lines of text arranged one above the other:

Observation Mode

Creation Mode

Farther to the right floated a lone "Store" button.

Other than that, there was nothing at all.

2. Please open the "Store."

"...Why would a tool even have a Store?"

Lin Tuo grumbled inwardly and opened it with his thoughts as well.

A "Store" page promptly popped up.

It was equally empty.

There were only two products in the Store:

Qi-Eating Method: Free

Observation Range: 1,000 points / 10,000 square kilometers

Lin Tuo first fixed his gaze on the latter, and an explanatory window popped up beside it. He skimmed it briefly. It roughly meant that he could spend Aether to purchase observation range in the Store.

That was: the area of the city displayed by the Sandbox in Observation Mode.

For example, he could currently observe only Yangcheng City and its surroundings, approximately fifteen thousand square kilometers of land in total. If he wanted to expand his observation range, he could spend Aether points to purchase it.

Every additional ten thousand square kilometers required one thousand Aether.

"How much Aether do I have right now?" Lin Tuo asked instinctively.

Host's current Aether points: 0

Lin Tuo: ...Fine.

He decisively shifted his gaze to the free "Qi-Eating Method." As expected, this should be the method for gathering Aether.

"Purchase!"

He clicked it with his thoughts. The next second, Lin Tuo saw a "Purchase Successful" prompt, and then a huge amount of information poured into his mind.

3. Please enter Observation Mode and use the Qi-Eating Method to gather Aether.

Lin Tuo immediately rose to his feet, returned to the Old House, approached the Sandbox, and entered "Observation Mode" again.

Within the Sandbox, Yangcheng City was still operating normally. Cars traveled in orderly streams along the roads, while dense crowds of citizens went about their Daily Life in places like malls and cinemas.

Dark clouds still layered the sky above the city. The hole Lin Tuo had torn open among the clouds had already closed once more.

It was a scene of prosperity.

"Hm?" Yet this time, Lin Tuo spotted something new above the city, beyond the clouds.

Wisp after wisp of illusory cyan-white gas drifted through the sky. Like turbulent currents, they surged and undulated, utterly different from the clouds. There was more of it over the city center, and it grew thinner the farther outward it went.

At the edges of the Sandbox, over the suburban districts and rural fields, it was so thin it was nearly invisible.

"Could this be Aether?"

A realization dawned on Lin Tuo. With a thought, he moved closer almost instinctively, adjusted his breathing rhythm, and activated the "Qi-Eating Method."

Immediately, the cyan-white gas seemed to be drawn in, slowly gathering from above the Sandbox toward Lin Tuo before entering his body through his nose and mouth.

The sight was extraordinarily strange. In the blink of an eye, Lin Tuo had consumed every bit of Aether produced by Yangcheng City's nearly six million permanent residents!

Yet the city's inhabitants noticed nothing at all.

Nor did they suffer any harm.

According to the Evolution Sandbox, Aether was simply a form of energy. If it was not gathered, it would be wasted, and even if it was taken away, it would not affect Sentient Beings in any way.

Moreover, after some time, Sentient Beings would produce Aether again.

But Lin Tuo had no mind to think about such things now. As that cyan-white gas entered his body, he felt as if every cell in his body had awakened.

It was like sweet rain after a long drought.

An indescribable exhilaration made it impossible for him to pull himself free. It was transcendence! It was evolution! It was the transformation of life itself!

A fierce heat suddenly rose throughout Lin Tuo's body. Within his Meridians, his blood rolled like a mighty river, and he felt as though boundless power were seeking release.

Whoosh!

Lin Tuo turned and leaped out of the Old House, landing in the broad Courtyard at the center of the residence—the Martial Arts Hall's Training Ground.

Standing firm at the center of the Training Ground, Lin Tuo's mind stirred. He abruptly assumed an opening stance, and then his entire presence changed!

His eyes shone like stars. His body moved with his intent, his waist and back bent like a bow. He threw a punch at extreme speed, creating a booming blast through the courtyard!

"Rustle..."

Where the fist wind swept, the silent weeds in the courtyard swayed, while the leaves of several century-old trees along the walls rattled loudly.

This was not the "Qi-Eating Method," but the martial art Lin Tuo had practiced since childhood.

A powerful fist art passed down by Lin Tuo's grandfather:

Weapon Transformation Fist!

Using human sinew, bone, and limbs to imitate all manner of weapons, it was plain and unadorned, simple and pure, devoted to killing.

When cultivated to the pinnacle, one could disarm weapons barehanded and crush everything in one's path like dead wood, terrifying beyond measure.

This fist art was not famous, and few among the common folk knew of it. Lin Tuo could not explain its origins either. He only knew that it had been passed down through his grandfather's family for generations. When the Martial Arts Hall still existed, he had followed his grandfather in tempering himself and practicing this fist art.

Over more than twenty years, its countless moves had long been etched into his bones.

Yet until today, Lin Tuo had never felt this technique come so naturally to him, so seamless and perfect.

Combining the breathing rhythm of the Qi-Eating Method with the cyan-white vortex within his body, Lin Tuo moved like lightning, beginning from start to finish to perform the entire fist art.

Fists, fingers, elbows, waist, knees, shins, feet...

Every joint and every limb seemed forged from refined steel. Each movement tore through the air, carrying overwhelming force.

Especially as he reached the latter half of the Weapon Transformation Fist, Lin Tuo seemed to sink into some strange state. Everything he had learned and practiced over twenty years merged together at this very moment.

Layer upon layer of insight surged through his mind. Gradually, his movements broke free from the Fist Manual, leaving no trace to follow. Wisp after wisp of Cyan-White Qi flowed from his pores, enveloping his body, making him seem like a drifting god.

"Hah!"

As he reached the end of the full set of fist techniques, Lin Tuo gave a low shout. He swung his right hand to the side, rotated his wrist, and assumed the posture of gripping something.

The next second, those wisps of Cyan-White Qi condensed into an illusory short spear!

"Go!"

Lin Tuo raised his arm slightly and hurled the short spear formed from Cyan-White Qi into the sky!

Whoosh!

The short spear flew from his hand, shooting a hundred meters before breaking apart and exploding in midair with a thunderous boom:

"BOOM!!"

At the foot of Li Mountain.

Some residents near the mountain foot suddenly raised their heads, looking in puzzlement at the sky layered with clouds as they muttered:

"Where did that thunder come from? It doesn't... look like it's about to rain..."

"Who knows... The weather forecast isn't accurate either..."

Though the sound was loud, it had been weakened by the vegetation of Li Mountain. In the end, it did not draw much attention, and no one could have imagined its true source.

Within the Training Ground.

Lin Tuo stood quietly in the Courtyard, a thin sheen of sweat covering his body.

He had already withdrawn from that state, staring blankly at his hands:

"Is this... still the Weapon Transformation Fist I know?"