Origin Core, Gate of Darkness

"This is... the Nine-Colored Origin Core."

Fang Lin spoke suddenly, information surfacing within his mind.

The next moment, the Nine-Colored Origin Core erupted with a brilliant radiance.

Golden light, cyan mist, blue haze, crimson flames, yellow earth, light, darkness, time, and space.

The nine colors of light intertwined and coiled, wrapping around Fang Lin like strands of silk.

A vast aura originating from the dawn of time slowly surged from the depths of the core. It flowed like a tide into his limbs and bones, saturating every inch of his flesh and every skeletal structure.

The Gate of Darkness stood quietly to the side, silent as a mountain.

The ancient patterns on the door flickered in and out of existence, dimming and brightening as if in response to something.

Outside, in the Spirit Transmission Pagoda testing room.

"Hum..."

The mental power tester suddenly emitted a low hum, and the values that had previously stopped began to jump violently once more.

0... 100... 200...

This time, the speed at which the numbers climbed was even more astonishing than before, breaking through the three-hundred mark in an instant.

300... 400... 480...

The tester's light screen grew brighter and brighter, and the entire instrument emitted a faint, rapid buzzing sound.

Finally, the value slowly came to a halt at 501.

"This... how is this possible?"

Han Tianyi stood frozen in place, his gaze fixed intently on the light screen, his aged face filled with disbelief.

Mental power, 501!

This value had already surpassed the range of the Spirit Connection Realm and stepped into the level of the Spirit Sea Realm.

Though there was only a thin line separating the Spirit Connection Realm from the Spirit Sea Realm, the difference between them was like heaven and earth.

But the problem was, Fang Lin had only just awakened his martial soul!

A six-year-old child, possessing Spirit Sea Realm mental power upon his first martial soul awakening?

This could no longer be described as genius; it was simply a monster.

No, a freak of nature!

Han Tianyi took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently; clearly, this shock was too overwhelming even for him.

He raised a slightly trembling hand to stroke his beard, forcing himself to calm down.

Han Tianyi told himself that he was the Illusion Brain Douluo, the Vice Pagoda Master of the Spirit Transmission Pagoda, and the foremost expert in the field of mental power in the current age.

He could not lose his composure, at least not in front of his disciple, yet his heart refused to settle.

"I have taken in a god!"

Han Tianyi muttered, his voice low but unable to suppress the ecstasy and trembling within it.

"Roar—"

A low and majestic dragon roar suddenly resounded.

Behind Fang Lin, a massive golden phantom slowly emerged.

The Golden Dragon martial soul had automatically possessed him.

Brilliant golden dragon scales covered the surface of Fang Lin's body, each scale shimmering with a sharp, icy luster.

An awe-inspiring dragon might permeated from his body, pressing down until the surrounding air grew heavy.

Gold, wood, water, fire, earth, light, dark, time, and space.

Nine elemental lights lit up around Fang Lin in succession, like nine stars surrounding and guarding him, blooming with mysterious and ancient radiance.

At this moment, the Golden Dragon bloodline was drawn by the power of the Nine-Colored Origin Core, beginning to boil, sublimate, and transform.

The transformation was violent, and it was painful.

Fang Lin frowned slightly; he could feel the blood within him as if it were burning.

Every drop erupted with scorching power, and waves of numbness radiated from the depths of his bone marrow, as if something were breaking out of a cocoon.

"Boom!"

The Golden Dragon phantom shuddered violently.

The dragon's body shed its pure gold, gradually shifting into a deep, dark gold color.

The scales shone brilliantly, with fine black patterns emerging on their surface, radiating a terrifying aura capable of destroying the world.

Bloodline atavism!

At this moment, the Golden Dragon bloodline completed its ultimate sublimation, crossing the shackles of its lineage to transform into—the Golden Dragon King!

Han Tianyi's pupils constricted abruptly.

He raised his hand and waved it, instantly unfurling an invisible mental barrier that enveloped the entire room, completely isolating all traces of aura.

Only after finishing this did Han Tianyi heave a slight sigh of relief, his gaze locked firmly onto the massive dark-golden phantom behind Fang Lin.

"This is... a martial soul evolution?"

He muttered to himself, his voice laced with a hint of trembling.

Han Tianyi could feel that Fang Lin's Golden Dragon martial soul had completed its evolution.

This aura was ancient and overbearing, carrying the cold indifference and arrogance of a superior being looking down upon all living things.

As for Fang Lin, he remained immersed in that mental space, completely unaware of everything happening in the outside world.

As time passed, the radiance of the Nine-Colored Origin Core gradually dissipated and calmed down.

The patterns on the Gate of Darkness also dimmed once more, eventually falling into complete silence.

Fang Lin slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting golden glint flashing through the depths of his pupils, as if they were a pair of eternal golden eyes that would never extinguish.

His consciousness surged back like a tide, and the images dispersed like smoke, as if he had just awakened from a long dream.

Fang Lin blinked in a daze, realizing he was still sitting on the mental power testing instrument.

His body seemed somewhat different, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly where; he only felt that his entire being was filled with unprecedented power.

"Since you're awake, come over here."

Han Tianyi's calm voice rang out, interrupting Fang Lin's train of thought.

Fang Lin snapped back to reality and nodded, "Understood, Teacher."

He stood up and stretched his body, his bones emitting faint cracking sounds.

Han Tianyi looked at the Fang Lin before him, his gaze complex.

Shock, joy, excitement, and a hint of indescribable anticipation.

"Alright, let's head back first."

He spoke, his voice returning to its usual composure.

Han Tianyi raised his hand to withdraw the mental barrier, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings without a trace to confirm that no aura had leaked out, before nodding slightly.

"Yes."

Fang Lin replied, quietly following behind Han Tianyi.

Spirit Transmission Pagoda, Han Tianyi's office.

The office was spacious and elegant, with bookshelves filled with various ancient texts and files, and the air was permeated with a faint scent of ink.

Sunlight spilled through the half-drawn curtains, casting mottled light and shadows on the floor.

"Not bad, your mental power has reached five hundred and one—the Spirit Sea Realm." Han Tianyi sat in his chair and picked up his teacup, taking a light sip.

Yet, his slightly trembling hand still betrayed the turmoil in his heart.

Upon hearing this, a sense of clarity washed over Fang Lin.

Five hundred and one, Spirit Sea Realm.

As a transmigrator possessing the Nine-Colored Origin Core and a Gate of Darkness of unknown origin, it was only reasonable that his mental power would be a little higher.

"Little Lin, release your martial soul." Han Tianyi set down his teacup and spoke.

"Alright."

Fang Lin nodded, and with a thought, his Golden Dragon King martial soul emerged in response.

The next moment, a terrifying and overbearing dragon might instantly permeated the room.

The temperature in the entire office seemed to drop by several degrees.

Han Tianyi looked at the dark-golden dragon shadow, his gaze profound as he slowly said, "My disciple Fang Lin has the potential of a deity!"

"The potential of a deity?"

Hearing this, Fang Lin's heart stirred slightly, and he thought to himself: Teacher, you've underestimated it.

Within his body, the Nine-Colored Origin Core floated silently, and the Gate of Darkness stood in stillness.

Those two shadows—one golden, one dark—seemed to be silently telling of something.

A deity?

It was far more than that.

Fang Lin said nothing, merely smiling faintly, "Thank you for the praise, Teacher."