The Golden-Horned Beast felt as if thorns were pricking its back. Though it was already moving at its top speed, it still seemed no match for light—the Sun God Weapon empowered by the Time Law!
At last, the light blazed across the world. A thunderous boom erupted, stirring up waves a thousand layers high. Countless monsters were annihilated beneath its radiance, and vast swaths of crimson blood filled the scene!
This strike was dazzling, but beneath its splendid exterior lay nothing but destruction.
The Sun God Weapon transformed back into the Spine of Sky Light. Lin Yuan looked at the section of ground he had split apart. The Golden-Horned Beast was already lying there, on the brink of death.
But its instinct to survive drove it to squeeze out every last bit of strength and flee!
Lin Yuan's gaze turned cold. He struck without hesitation, sending several beams of light crashing out from the Sun God Weapon in his hand. Their force was overwhelming—truly the last straw that broke the camel's back.
"It's over." Lin Yuan reached out and grabbed it. His Spiritual Force surged, easily seizing the Golden-Horned Beast. Then he turned into a streak of light with it and sped toward a nearby shore.
Jiangnan Base City, Mingyue Residential Area.
Since returning from Mist Island, Luo Feng had grown far stronger with the help of the Muya Crystals and Cloud-Touching Vine. His physical fitness and Spiritual Force had both reached astonishing heights.
At that moment, he was in the underground gravity chamber, practicing his blade techniques under extreme strain.
Beep! Beep!
The vibration of his Communication Watch broke the heavy silence of his training.
"Hmm?"
Luo Feng stopped, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and glanced at his wrist.
At the same time, Babata's sharp voice rang out in his mind, tinged with surprise. "Oh? That clever Earthling sent you a message?"
Luo Feng couldn't help smiling. "If you're calling him 'clever,' Lin must be something special. If he knew you'd said that, he'd probably be surprised too."
"Hmph. He's just a little better than you idiots."
Babata gave an imperious snort.
Luo Feng shook his head, then asked in puzzlement, "I wonder why Lin sent me a message now."
He opened it.
The screen displayed only a brief line, accompanied by a precise set of coordinates:
[Come here at once. There's a great opportunity.]
"A great opportunity?"
Luo Feng froze.
Given Lin Yuan's current status and perspective, what sort of opportunity would he call "great"?
How great could it be? Luo Feng couldn't help wondering.
But he didn't hesitate. He didn't even change his clothes before rushing straight out of the gravity chamber.
Luo Feng trusted Lin Yuan completely. From his guidance on the Nine-Layer Thunder Blade to all the help he'd given him afterward, Lin had never let him down.
Half an hour later.
A deserted stretch of rocky shore along the East Sea.
Waves pounded the boulders by the shore, rumbling in a steady rhythm.
When Luo Feng descended from the sky aboard the Sky-Escaping Shuttle, the sight before him made him pause.
Lin Yuan was reclining leisurely on a flat boulder, a campfire burning beside him.
A huge beast leg rested over the fire, roasted golden and crisp, its fat sizzling as the rich aroma of meat wafted through the air.
And on the shallows behind Lin Yuan...
A gigantic creature, like a black mountain, lay motionless.
It was on the brink of death, yet its lingering, savage aura and the noble pressure deep in its bloodline still made Luo Feng's heart pound.
"Lin!"
Luo Feng landed, his attention immediately drawn to the black behemoth. He couldn't help asking, "What kind of monster is that? I've searched every entry in the Martial Arts Hall's bestiary, but I've never seen anything like it."
Lin Yuan turned, tore off a piece of roast meat, and handed it to Luo Feng with a smile. "You're here? Sit down. Try this Lord-level sea beast."
After leaving the Falling Ink Star ruins, Lin Yuan had suggested that they call each other brothers from then on. Luo Feng had been more than happy to agree.
But before Lin Yuan could explain where the behemoth had come from, Babata suddenly sprang up in Luo Feng's mind as if he'd seen a ghost!
"Oh my god! Oh my god!!!"
Babata's voice rose to a piercing shriek. He was so worked up that he could barely get the words out. "It's—it's enormous! This... this is a Starry Sky Behemoth!"
"Luo Feng! Hurry! Look at that golden horn! It's the mark of a Golden-Horned Beast!"
"It has the peak bloodline among Starry Sky Behemoths! Once it reaches adulthood, it'll be World Lord Level! World Lord Level, do you understand? It'll be powerful enough to shatter Earth with a single slap!"
Babata tumbled wildly around Luo Feng's mindscape, his ruby-red eyes blazing with fervor and greed.
"If you could possess it... if you could take over that body, Luo Feng, your future would be limitless! And then... then there might even be hope of bringing my master back to life in my lifetime!"
Ever since Lin Yuan had casually mentioned the concept of "Reverse Time and Space," Babata had been unable to stop thinking about it. Bringing Hu Yanbo back to life was the one obsession that drove him.
And now, a living, dying Golden-Horned Beast was right in front of him. It was like a pie falling from the sky!
After hearing Babata's almost frantic explanation, Luo Feng was utterly stunned.
An adult was World Lord Level?
Powerful enough to shatter Earth?
An adult was World Lord Level?
Powerful enough to shatter Earth?
He looked at Lin Yuan's calm, smiling face and swallowed dryly. "Lin, is this the... opportunity you mentioned?"
Lin Yuan nodded calmly and took a bite of roast meat. "Yeah. I ran into it by chance while hunting a King-level monster. But I'm not interested in this Golden-Horned Beast..."
"..." Luo Feng felt as if his entire worldview had been shaken.
This wasn't just an opportunity. It was practically a ticket to ruling the universe someday!
Lin Yuan looked at Luo Feng's stunned expression and laughed to himself.
Then he frowned slightly and glanced at Luo Feng's wrist.
Babata's holographic projection had appeared on its own.
The little devil, usually irritable and sharp-tongued, was acting completely out of character. He pressed both hands to his chest, his big eyes full of admiration and ingratiation as he stared fixedly at Lin Yuan.
His expression seemed to say, What kind of ridiculously generous person is this?! He's just giving away something this precious?!
But while Babata was lost in this wonderful fantasy,
Luo Feng took a deep breath. His eyes gradually cleared, taking on a note of resolve.
He looked at Lin Yuan and said seriously, "Lin, Babata says I should possess this beast. But... if I do, I'll no longer be human."
"My parents, my younger brother, and Xu Xin... I can't imagine facing them as a monster, or never being able to embrace them again."
Luo Feng shook his head, his tone firm. "If gaining power means abandoning my humanity and my family, then... I don't think I can do it."
It was the answer Lin Yuan had expected.
He wasn't surprised.
The Luo Feng of this moment hadn't yet experienced the desperation of humanity facing extinction, as he had in the original story. Nor had he been driven to the point where he had no choice but to abandon his body.
For someone as loyal and devoted as him, willingly turning into a monster really would be harder than death.
"You idiot! You fool! Is your head full of mush?!"
When Luo Feng actually refused, Babata instantly panicked, hopping up and down in the air with rage.
"This is a Golden-Horned Beast! Plenty of Immortal Experts would do anything for an opportunity like this! And you're turning it down for such a ridiculous reason?!"
"All right, Babata. Stop yelling."
Lin Yuan waved a hand, cutting off Babata's tirade.
He looked at Luo Feng, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "Luo Feng, I understand your concerns. But what if I told you that possessing it doesn't mean you'll lose your human identity?"
"What?" Luo Feng stared at him.
Babata was stunned too, and fell silent.
Lin Yuan pointed to the massive Golden-Horned Beast behind him and slowly explained:
"The reason the Golden-Horned Beast is considered to have a peak bloodline isn't just its powerful body and potential for growth. The most important reason is its heaven-defying Innate Secret Technique—[Clone]."
"Clone?" Luo Feng's eyes lit up.
"That's right."
Lin Yuan nodded. "The Golden-Horned Beast has an Origin Core inside its body. As long as the Origin Core remains intact, it can nurture a clone. You could use this chance to nurture an Earthling Clone."
"That way, you'd have the potential to reach the peak of the universe while keeping everything that makes you human."
"Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
When Lin Yuan finished speaking, a deathly silence fell over the scene.
A few seconds later,
Luo Feng's eyes lit up brighter than ever.
It was the light of hope, the flame of ambition.
All his misgivings vanished in an instant.
"If that's the case—"
Luo Feng took a deep breath, sprang to his feet, and bowed deeply to Lin Yuan. His voice trembled with sincerity. "Then I'm truly grateful, big brother!"
"If you really want to thank me, once you've possessed it, just make a copy of the thousands of secret techniques recorded by the Golden-Horned Beast and pass it on to me." Lin Yuan planned to use this mission as a chance to...
collect a little interest.
Luo Feng had no reason to refuse.
At that moment, Lin Yuan was his big brother!
No, how could he still call him just his big brother?
From the guidance on the Nine-Layer Thunder Blade, to the help on Mist Island, and now this heaven-reaching gift—
He almost wanted to say, "My adoptive father, I'm yours!"
Seeing that everything had worked out, Lin Yuan let out a long breath and reclined on the boulder again.
"All right, stop dithering. Get Babata to teach you the Soul Possession Secret Technique. This big guy's about to die, so do it while it's still warm."
Lin Yuan waved a hand and gazed at the stars twinkling in the night sky. He had gone to Mist Island and entered the Falling Ink Star for this very moment. But what he hadn't expected was...
that he would reap a tremendous reward of his own. He couldn't help feeling eager...
He thought to himself:
"Now, I just have to wait for Luo Feng to possess it successfully, and this stage of the mission will complete itself."
"And that will be the most brilliant stroke in this grand cosmic game of mine—a stroke of genius!"
Before you continue