World Altar

"Hong, are you alright?"

In Linsey's eyes, Red was definitely more important than the Groundhog Clan she had just met.

So without any negotiation, he rushed forward immediately and grabbed the girl's shoulders with both hands:

"You touched this stone pillar? What's this about enhanced power?"

Hong smiled bitterly, "This stone pillar seems to enhance the Essence of those who come into contact with it."

"My abilities were enhanced when I came into contact with it just now, which also caused me to recall some images."

Linsey immediately realized what Hong was referring to. "You've regained your lost memories?"

"It's not that easy." Hong shook her head. "There's only one image: someone stabbed me in the chest with a sword."

Linsey pressed further, "Can you remember what the other person looked like?"

Hong shook her head again. "I have no recollection of it. I'm not even sure if there's something wrong with my memory."

As she said this, Hong pointed to her chest.

"I even pulled up my clothes to take a look, and there were no wounds in that area."

Linsey's gaze lingered on the red chest for a moment before shifting to the stone pillar beside her:

"Didn't you try to contact them again to recover more memories?"

With a slight smirk, she spoke with utter helplessness:

"I tried it immediately, but I couldn't activate the stone pillar's function by touching it again."

So what exactly is going on with this stone pillar?

Linsey was very clear about one thing—Red had come with her and knew almost nothing about the situation here.

They wanted to obtain more information.

The only option left is to target the local indigenous people.

Linsey's gaze then turned to the groundhog beside her.

The Devil Beast that followed him back to the ground remained friendly.

Or rather, after Linsey demonstrated both goodwill and power, any race would reciprocate with the same attitude, provided there were no overly extreme customs.

The groundhog explained, "Human, the power of the stone pillars can strengthen the Essence within those who come into contact with them."

"But as this female said, this effect only exists during the first contact, and it is impossible to use this method to enhance strength indefinitely."

Linsey accepted this explanation.

However, when his gaze shifted to the three stone pillars under the night sky, another question immediately arose, "You just said this is called the First Stone Pillar, so what about the other two?"

"Is this enhancement possible for each stone pillar once, or is it a choice of one of the three, with only one opportunity for enhancement?"

This groundhog was very forthcoming:

"You can only choose one of the three, and you only have one chance to become stronger."

"Of the three stone pillars, we are on the First Stone Pillar. Touching it will maximize the enhancement of our Essence reserves; the one on the left is the Second Stone Pillar, which focuses on enhancing physical fitness; and the one on the right is the Third Stone Pillar, which mainly enhances mental strength."

Although it only happened once.

But for both humans and Devil Beast, such items that can quickly enhance strength must have high value.

Linsey's gaze lingered between the First Stone Pillar in front of him and the other two behind it.

He didn't hesitate for long.

As the foundation of everything, the Essence is undoubtedly the optimal choice.

Moreover, for Linsey, attributes like Constitution and willpower can be enhanced through the Attribute Panel.

There's no need to hesitate.

So Linsey stepped forward and reached out to touch the surface of the First Stone Pillar. The rough, frosted texture, along with the Essence, appeared in Linsey's hand.

"Hmm... ah?"

Linsey underwent the same enhancement process as Red.

However, he didn't have any additional memories to awaken. The Essence in the First Stone Pillar came into contact with him and then began to expand Linsey's main principle—[Life Lineage].

The increase is absolutely astonishing!

[Life Lineage] The current stage of the enhancement path.

The purpose is to continuously enhance the Essence within one's body through various means.

He has worked quite hard over the past year, but his growth has been relatively limited. Now, after being strengthened by the First Stone Pillar...

At this moment, Linsey had a vague sense that "he was only about halfway to advance to the [Life Lineage] level."

After completing the enhancement, Linsey did not stop immediately.

He casually used his Commodity Skill to check the attributes of the stone pillar in front of him.

[Altar: Energy Pillarstone]

[A natural altar capable of enhancing abilities.]

The very Essence of the world has been disturbed and encroached upon. In order to resist or interfere with this phenomenon, special entities have emerged to drive this process of resistance and interference.

[A mysterious altar that appears only briefly. Unless you possess strength at Seventh Stage or higher, it is not recommended to sell it.]

This thing only appeared to deal with Dragon Beast?!

Linsey immediately understood.

Even in the Hidden Borderlands, he already knew that plundering the World Source Material to advance was an extremely dangerous act.

I didn't expect that there would be dangers involved in advancing to the next level.

Even a world whose Essence has been extracted will put up a corresponding resistance!

The purpose of such a powerful enhancement is likely to cultivate new strong individuals to challenge Dragon Beast.

"So what does this mean?"

"The will of the world? The laws of heaven? Or the force of restraint?"

Does the world itself possess self-awareness?

Linsey looked at the stone pillar in front of her and shook her head slightly.

He had originally intended to secretly knock off a sample of the stone pillar, but has now completely given up on that idea.

Linsey turned to the gopher beside her. "So those transparent lizards attacked you for this too?"

"That's right." The groundhog answered honestly, then its voice became annoyed, "They originally had no chance at all! After our leader was strengthened, he had the possibility of advancing from the Fifth Stage to the Sixth Stage."

Linsey continued to ask:

"And where is your leader?"

The groundhog lowered its head, pawed at the lake water with its two small front paws, wiped its nose, and its voice became choked with emotion:

"The leader... it failed, and then it died."

"..."

The hero who had the chance to help the world fight against the Dragon Beast died prematurely.

"Please accept my condolences," Linsey comforted Gopher.

Hearing this conversation, Red, who was standing nearby, gained a new understanding of the Dark Tide Water Lizard sitting beneath her:

"So these guys launched their attack by taking advantage of a weakness."

"Linsey, should we wake this guy up and interrogate him properly, or..."

Red's voice trailed off, but his gaze was fixed on the groundhog.

After a moment's thought, Linsey shifted the conversation to what had happened before this turn of events:

"Continue to tell us about the depression in the ground to the east."

The groundhog had no reason to refuse.

However, compared to its attitude during previous negotiations, it spoke in more detail and with greater seriousness this time:

"That's a story the chief told me before he died."

"I heard that before the Dragon Beast ruled the world, the Thousand Mountains Stone Forest was the place where the most fierce battles took place, and also the place where the most powerful people emerged."

"It's in the Underground World of the East."

"Two races, each at the height of their power, had been developing for a long time, and their territories finally began to clash, thus igniting a great war..."