The Path
Lu Heng sat quietly on the broad and steady back of the Astral Greedy Wolf, his body surrounded by tranquil starlight, without the slightest restlessness.
The lingering Star Path messages after the ritual were gradually settling and taking root deep within his mind. These imprints, originating from the starry sky, required no deliberate effort to comprehend; the moment consciousness touched them, all the obscure rules of advancement became crystal clear, beyond question.
He now fully understood the only path to the Gold Tier.
To break through the long-standing bottleneck of the Silver Peak realm and escape the shackles of his cultivation, he needed no opportunity, no resources, and no mental cultivation. The path the starry sky had paved exclusively for him led to only one decisive and unique way of transformation—to melt his flesh and bones, his soul and consciousness, and all his original essence into this Greedy Wolf Star Body without reservation.
Upon completing this ultimate and thorough unification and fusion, he will achieve true racial advancement, transforming into a unique Astral Wolf and reaching the Gold Tier.
As for the methods of advancing to the Gold Tier for other survivors and monsters in the apocalypse, Lu Heng knew nothing about them and had no desire to investigate them.
Countless living beings, countless paths, each with its own destiny and rules. Those paths of advancement that belong to others are complex, ever-changing, and subject to unpredictable opportunities, and have never had anything to do with him. From the moment he awakened the Greedy Wolf Star Power and stepped onto the path of star cultivation, his destiny and cultivation trajectory were already completely locked in. There were no alternatives, no deviations. Today's transformation is simply the natural unfolding of fate.
Recalling the Star Force the Big Dipper that he had previously cultivated, Lu Heng felt a clear sense of difference in his physical sensations.
In the past, all seven stars could awaken, but not now. The Big Dipper has vanished, and countless stars have returned to nothing, leaving only the lone Greedy Wolf to shine.
The remaining power is pure to the extreme, consisting only of an unstoppable killing intent. Zero internal friction, zero restraint, zero redundancy; every wisp of Star Force is born solely for destruction, breakthrough, and evolution.
The invisible barrier that had kept them stuck at the peak of Silver rank for so long completely shattered after this reshaping of Star Force.
The suffocating feeling of being powerless, blocked from the future, and suppressed by his realm has vanished. Now, his entire body's origin is unbound and relaxed, and his soul is clear and transparent. He can clearly sense that the gap between himself and the Gold Tier has completely disappeared. He only needs to take the final step of origin fusion to complete the qualitative transformation.
The Astral Greedy Wolf beneath him was not simply an embodiment of power, but a concrete form of his own essence that had been completely condensed.
The human and werewolf's wills are completely of the same origin and 100% synchronized, without the slightest delay or separation. With a thought, they can switch freely between human form, wolf form, and the Greedy Wolf Blade. Compared to the passive King Snake of the past, this Astral Greedy Wolf has an overwhelming degree of compatibility, achieving oneness between human and weapon, and unity between human and beast, truly achieving the ability to control combat power at will and have no obstruction at the source.
The truth about racial transformation became clear, but Lu Heng remained completely unmoved.
He knew that after this forging process, from a worldly perspective, he would completely shed his human body and no longer belong to the human race.
After a brief moment of reflection, one can feel completely at ease.
The Forest Will had always referred to him as the Star-Blessed Person, but now he finally understood that this title was not just a polite formality, but the final judgment on his predetermined path. He was not of the mortal class; the moment he embarked on the Star Path, he had already been completely separated from ordinary humans.
He had long been thoroughly weary of the carnage of the apocalypse, the treacherous schemes, hypocritical probing, and backstabbing of human nature.
He was never a compassionate saint; he was by nature aloof and solitary, disliking crowds and all forms of social interaction and averse to the infighting of human relationships. The stronger he became, the more disdainful and impatient he became with the pointless tug-of-war and scheming among humans.
In chaotic times, the strong reign supreme.
Whether one can maintain human form or belong to the human race—these empty obsessions are meaningless in the face of absolute strength and survival.
As long as one can continuously grow stronger, control one's own destiny, and be unafraid of the dangers of the world, one's physical form is completely irrelevant.
The path ahead is now completely clear; there's no need to speculate on the time required for the smelting process, nor to worry about unknown risks. With the path set, going all out is the only option.
Lu Heng did not rush to begin this revolutionary primal fusion.
The transformation of his realm is of utmost importance and there is no need to rush it. He intends to first familiarize himself with his new state of power.
With a slight thought, the dark purple star patterns around the Astral Greedy Wolf beneath him slowly lit up, its dormant explosive power quietly gathering momentum.
He planned to ride his Star Wolf bicycle out for a patrol.
Firstly, to test the maximum running speed of the Astral Greedy Wolf and thoroughly understand the physical strength, explosive power, and mobility limits of the new form; secondly, to test the original combat power of the reshaped Greedy Wolf and feel the true power of its exclusive penetration attribute.
He adheres to the rules of the Forest Will, will not venture into war zones, will not deliberately eliminate the remaining forces of the Green Demon and the Goblin, and will not interfere in any external conflicts or battles.
But the rules only restrict him from actively causing trouble.
If any foolish Aberrant, monsters, or remnants of raiders rashly intrude into this peaceful area and actively provoke an attack, they will become the perfect test subjects. It's a good opportunity to use these suicide bombers to test the true destructive power of normal attacks and ultimate moves under the new Star Force enhancement.
With his mind settled, Lu Heng subconsciously spread his mental energy, deeply examining his body's condition.
This exploration revealed a hidden and surprising transformation.
The starlight that filled the sky during the entire sacrificial ceremony not only reshaped his cultivation path and refined the essence of the Greedy Wolf, but also quietly transformed the Blood Taisui that had been attached to his flesh and blood and accompanied him in battles until now.
The Blood Taisui of the past was ferocious and violent, yet it acted entirely on primal instincts.
It only mechanically craves blood, protects itself, repairs injuries, and devours flesh and blood. It is mindless and passive, lacks judgment, and often blindly devours and wastes its Origin Energy. It will absorb even useless injuries and excess energy, making it clumsy and uncontrollable.
However, after being thoroughly cleansed and nourished by the Star Force, the Blood Taisui completely shed its dull and instinctive state.
A faint yet clear and stable rudimentary form of intelligence quietly emerged.
Now, it is no longer just a ferocious shell that only knows how to act recklessly. It can autonomously judge the level of danger, accurately identify the severity of injuries, controllably devour Origin Energy, and repair its physical body as needed. It no longer blindly consumes its resources, but only follows Lu Heng's battle rhythm, attacking and defending in sync, and precisely protecting its master. It has transformed from a passive auxiliary armor into a close combat force that can resonate with his thoughts and fight in tandem with him.
Unconsciously, his ability to survive has increased dramatically once again.
A calm and resolute look flashed in Lu Heng's eyes, and his aura was steady and stern.
The path to stardom is set; the origins are reshaped; the trump cards are upgraded; and the combat power is iterated.
All the groundwork has been laid, awaiting only the final smelting and ascension to the golden age.
He leaned down, his palm gently touching the warm, flowing star-patterned fur of the Star Wolf, and whispered a single word.
"Walk."
The Astral Greedy Wolf, standing silently, lightly touched the ground with its four paws and silently broke through the air, carrying deep purple starlight and a chilling aura of killing intent. It carried Lu Heng out of Moonview Valley and headed into the wilderness.