This was a blood-red mountain range stretching for tens of thousands of kilometers. The mountains were covered with rocky outcrops and dense forests, and all kinds of ferocious beasts had made their homes throughout the area.
These beasts had strange shapes, and every one of them was vicious and bloodthirsty. If they so much as took a dislike to someone, they would attack and fight to the death until one side was killed.
Here, bloody slaughter was the norm. Countless lives perished every day.
In a relatively quiet, low-lying forest, a short, skinny figure less than a meter and a half tall lounged in the grass. A twig hung from his mouth, his hands were clasped behind his head, and he gazed up at the enormous blood-red sun.
He looked relaxed, but inside, a whole stampede of "damn it all" was thundering through his mind.
His eyes shifted slightly. A few lines of golden text, visible only to him, floated before his eyes.
[Name: Wu Sheng Identity: Soul-Devouring Demon Tank (a growth-type flesh-and-blood Special Lifeform, capable of evolution) Level: Planet Grade Three Contribution Points: 0 (Reminder: Contribute items such as Cosmic Crystals to earn the corresponding number of contribution points. If you wish to contribute an item, click the word "Confirm.") Time-Space Shop: Your strength and contribution points are insufficient, so it cannot be activated yet! (Reminder: Once you have enough contribution points, you may activate the Time-Space Shop. The earlier you activate it, the greater the discount you will receive on your first three purchases.)]
Wu Sheng had scrolled through the data panel countless times, but he still couldn't help muttering, "What a rip-off!"
That's right. This short, skinny figure was Wu Sheng, reincarnated.
At the Origin Land, he had come across a Special Lifeform called the "Soul-Devouring Demon Tank" in the second agreement.
The agreement described this humanoid Special Lifeform as incredibly powerful. Its Innate Secret Arts could evolve, and once it matured, its divine body would be at least a million kilometers tall, with a Life Gene Level approaching Perfect Gene Level...
But as it turned out, he had to reach Realm Lord first—and even then, there was only a certain chance he would gain those abilities.
Until then, he was just a rookie with a Life Gene Level of one and a starting strength of Apprentice First Order.
If he hadn't been taken in by a kind "adoptive father," he didn't know how many times he would have reincarnated by now.
Worst of all was that damn Time-Space Shop. Activating it required who knew how many Cosmic Crystals. How could a weak rookie like him possibly manage that?
It was true that he was a Special Lifeform and could live forever, but that didn't mean he was strong!
As things stood, he was probably the weakest Special Lifeform around. Even a slightly stronger opponent could easily kill him.
And then all the endless lives in the world wouldn't help him.
"Ah, what am I supposed to do?"
The short figure crossed his legs and closed his eyes, taking another look at his Innate Secret Arts and inherited memories.
1. Innate Secret Art "Soul Devour": By devouring the bit of pure soul power left behind when another lifeform dies, he can rapidly strengthen his will, with the added benefit of slightly increasing his soul power. (Note: After reaching Immortal, this secret art can absorb the target's divine power and convert it into his own. The conversion efficiency depends on his Life Gene Level.)
2. Innate Secret Art "Soul Control": An evolvable Innate Secret Art with three main stages.
The first stage is Mind Control. (Note: It can be activated at the Apprentice and Planet Grade levels. You have two Mind Control slots and can control two targets with weaker consciousnesses as puppets. Mind Control is not Soul Slavery, so a puppet's death does not waste a slot.)
The second stage is Assimilation. (Note: It can be activated at the Star Grade, Cosmic Level, and Domain Lord levels. You have three Assimilation slots and can assimilate three targets with weaker consciousnesses into Avatars. An Avatar's death has no effect on you and does not waste an Assimilation slot. Assimilation slots and Mind Control slots cannot be used interchangeably.)
The third stage is Will Enslavement. (Note: It can be activated after reaching Realm Lord. You have five Will Enslavement slots and can directly enslave five targets with weaker wills. Like Soul Slavery, Will Enslavement takes up a fixed slot, and the slot disappears if the slave dies. Will Enslavement slots cannot be used interchangeably with the first two types of slots.)
Warning: If your consciousness is weaker than that of a target you have placed under "Soul Control," you will suffer a backlash and become their slave or Avatar. Be sure to use this Innate Secret Art with caution.
In addition, Will Enslavement has appeared for the first time in this Primordial Universe. Its advantage is that it can enslave powerful lifeforms without souls.
Moreover, unlike Soul Slavery, Will Enslavement does not reduce a slave's potential. Instead, it can even improve it to some extent. But it carries the risk of backlash, too. If the enslavement fails, it will damage your will.
3. Innate Secret Art "Demon Ape Transformation": An evolvable Innate Secret Art. In the early stages, it can only change your size and appearance. After reaching Realm Lord, it can transform into a body-type Amplitude Secret Technique.
Note: The higher your Life Gene Level, the more powerful this Amplitude Secret Technique will be, up to a maximum of one hundred times. The ratio of Gene Level to amplification is 100:1.
Wu Sheng got a stomachache just looking at his Innate Secret Arts. They were useful, sure, but either they carried the risk of backlash or they were extremely difficult to cultivate to their highest level. There was no way he could manage that so soon after being born.
Then he checked his inherited memories. There was even less information in them. They contained no secret arts, only a few basic facts and records about the Soul-Devouring Demon Tank.
For example, its normal evolution timeline: ten years to go from Apprentice First Order to Planet Grade One, a hundred years from Planet Grade One to Stellar Level One... a hundred thousand years from Domain Lord First Order to First Stage Realm Lord, and a million years from First Stage Realm Lord to Peak World Lord, and so on.
That plunged Wu Sheng into the depths of despair all over again. The more he read, the more he wanted to slit his throat.
In this blood-soaked land of slaughter, you expected him to live for a million years before reaching Peak World Lord? What kind of joke was that?
Fortunately, the universe was fair!
As the universe's only Soul-Devouring Demon Tank, he might be classified as an ordinary Special Lifeform, but if he could grow, he truly could catch up to the most extraordinary Special Lifeforms.
That was because he could evolve. Not only could his Innate Secret Arts evolve, but his Life Gene and body could evolve as well.
To begin with, his Life Gene Level was indeed one. But by the time he became Realm Lord, his body could evolve based on how many Source Laws had acknowledged him, transforming his Life Gene Level.
This was an incredibly powerful ability, and it was the main reason Wu Sheng had chosen this host.
Though he still didn't know why a Special Lifeform like him had this ability!
Even if he did nothing but sleep for a hundred thousand years, by the time he became Realm Lord in the normal course of things—meaning without gaining the acknowledgment of any Source Laws—his Life Gene Level would still evolve by at least tenfold. His body would also grow to over a thousand kilometers tall, putting him on par with the Original Body of an ordinary Golden-Horned Giant Beast.
If he gained the acknowledgment of any Source Law, then by the time he became Realm Lord, his Life Gene Level could reach at least one hundred times, and his body would grow to over ten thousand kilometers tall.
If he gained the acknowledgment of all Ten Origin Laws, then after becoming Realm Lord, his Life Gene Level would be at least a thousand times, and his body would approach a hundred thousand kilometers in height.
If, along the way, he could use treasures that increased his Life Gene Level—for example, by fusing with Blood Luo Crystals to raise it ahead of time—then by the time he became Realm Lord, his own evolution might take him straight to Perfect Gene Level.
At that point, his body would approach a terrifying million kilometers in height.
Absolutely astonishing!
This was an ability that defied the laws governing the Primordial Universe. Within the Primordial Universe, it might be no less remarkable than the Nine Calamities Secret Codex!
His Inner World was also known as the "Innate Life Core." If he continued to break through while at Perfect Gene Level, then upon becoming Immortal, his Inner World would transform directly into a special Divine Kingdom. Although he would have to nurture it with his own divine power, it could remain within his divine body and accompany him into battle wherever he went.
By then, his Divine Kingdom would be his ultimate trump card.
This was the universe's one and only Soul-Devouring Demon Tank. If he could grow strong, he wouldn't need the Nine Calamities Secret Codex to become a mighty being capable of dominating an entire region.
But for now, he was still a rookie!
Forget fusing with Blood Luo Crystals or gaining the acknowledgment of a Source Law—he didn't even have a single Cosmic Crystal.
"Ah, there's no helping it. If I just coast through life, then even if I make it to Realm Lord, I'll still be a weak Special Lifeform. Aside from my endless lifespan, I might not even measure up to the most ordinary Golden-Horned Giant Beast."
"If I can gain the acknowledgment of some Source Laws before becoming Realm Lord, I can evolve into a powerful Special Lifeform that the entire universe will have to respect—even one that defies the heavens."
"I can't keep waiting. I have a cheat but can't use it, and my Special Lifeform abilities are practically nonexistent in the early stages. I can only pursue the one path that belongs to me!"
Wu Sheng gazed up at the enormous blood-red sun, and his heart settled on a direction.