Mechanical Spirit!

"Essence of Source?"

"It should refer to the 'nameless light specks.' They finally have a name."

"Only, according to the Conqueror Talent Technique, the function of Essence of Source is... to transform the body and soul?"

The contents recorded in the Innate Arcane Technique stunned Jiang Zhe for a moment before he quickly understood.

"It definitely doesn't refer to the Life Blueprint's use of the 'light specks.' Transforming the body and soul doesn't mean raising one's Genetic Level."

"The Source Willpower even restricted the Nine Tribulations Secret Art. It couldn't possibly steal from itself and bestow a similarly heaven-defying secret art... It was stingy enough about granting a clone, yet it would teach you how to raise your Genetic Level through cultivation? Don't even think about it!"

"Transform?"

This unique term, involving both the body and soul, inevitably made Jiang Zhe think of Luo Feng's growth journey.

—Cultivating Yunmo Star Psychic Master secret arts required first transforming the soul;

—Cultivating The Heavens Within involved consuming endless treasures to transform the Golden Horn Beast's body;

—Cultivating the Supreme Sonic Secret Art, ninety-nine percent of its foundational content involved transforming the soul;

"But I don't have a cultivation method for the secret art. Can I directly use Essence of Source to skip the steps and achieve the final result?"

Jiang Zhe rubbed his chin. It did not seem impossible to understand.

"After all, the Primal Universe Willpower can even create a secret art like I Am the Universe. Casually crafting an Innate Arcane Technique for body or Soul Amplification definitely wouldn't be difficult."

"Now there's another question—can the 'light specks' that were affected by the Conqueror Talent Technique and bestowed the name 'Essence of Source' still be used by the Life Blueprint?"

Jiang Zhe shook his head. "Forget it. No more wild guesses. I'll know once I go out and test it."

"My top priority is to use the Dragon Blood first and raise my Psychic Master cultivation to its limit, ensuring my safety on Earth."

"Hopefully, Dragon Blood is still useful to someone with my 3 Times Genetic Level..."

"Before leaving home, I tested my punch strength at 68,472 kilograms!"

"Sixty-eight tons!"

"For the past twenty-plus days, I'd been busy hunting and had barely cultivated properly. Most of the time, my body had just instinctively absorbed Cosmic Energy. Even so, I'd gained nearly fifteen tons of strength. My cultivation speed still lived up to my bloodline level."

"My theoretical realm, or rather, my Life Level, is thirty-four tons, corresponding to Apprentice Rank 6 or the early stage of a high-level Battle General."

"After achieving 3 Times Genetic Level, my current punch strength should have surged to one hundred tons, with Physical Quality comparable to the late stage of an elementary War God."

Dragon Blood could be obtained for just eighty billion at half price. A War God could afford it by gritting their teeth.

The price alone proved one thing: even at the Battle General level, the improvement Dragon Blood could bring had its limits, let alone at the War God level.

With that in mind, Jiang Zhe opened the small metal case he carried and examined the five tubes of Dragon Blood inside.

Logically speaking.

Three tubes would be enough, four would be stuffing himself, and five would be wasteful.

Jiang Zhe did not hesitate. Did he need to care about such a small amount of waste? What mattered was making sure his body had its fill!

He removed his SS-Grade Combat Suit, then forced out the Black God Set.

Using Psychic Power, he pulled the stoppers from all five test tubes and poured the viscous golden liquid over himself, spreading it evenly across every inch of his body.

His entire body began to heat up. It was taking effect.

The heat gradually intensified. The Dragon Blood on his skin rapidly diminished, seeping into his body at a visible rate as waves of warmth flooded every part of him.

Scorching heat!

Numb tingling!

Pain!

His cross-legged body trembled violently, muscles twitching, heartbeat accelerating, blood flowing faster.

His powerful heartbeat sounded like thunderous drums!

It made Jiang Zhe feel as though he had returned to his birthday. He knew that it had triggered the solid sphere within his Original Core, which was rapidly releasing Psychic Power outward.

Together with the Dragon Blood, it stimulated the improvement of his Physical Quality!

Why had this never happened before?

For example, when his gene multiplier had increased twice, his total Psychic Power had risen to a terrifying two and three times its original amount.

That was because those had been comprehensive, simultaneous improvements. It could not find any extra opening through which to release Psychic Power.

Physical Quality could be compared to a wooden barrel, while Psychic Power was water.

Previously, the barrel had been full of water.

Now, Dragon Blood had raised the walls of the barrel, increasing its capacity. Naturally, more water could be poured into it.

Furthermore, during his internal observation, Jiang Zhe discovered that the solid sphere of Psychic Power had also expanded alongside the increase in his gene multiplier.

That was a good thing, but it also had a downside.

The Psychic Master breakthrough method provided by Site Number 9 mentioned that some fortunate individuals possessed excessively high Brain Domain Capacity, making it even harder for them to break through from the Apprentice Level to the Planetary Level.

—

Inside a certain space within the Original Core, liquid and mist filled the area.

At the very center was a sphere that had transformed into violet-gold. Like a burst dam, it spewed mist outward, wildly spreading in every direction and filling the entire space.

The mist concentration within the space reached its limit.

It condensed and fell as droplets, joining the surging river of Psychic Power below.

After roughly two hours, the transformation ended, and Jiang Zhe opened his eyes.

He looked as though he had just crawled out of a pile of coal, his entire body covered in grime and pitch-black. After rubbing a layer of black filth from his belly, bronze-colored skin was revealed beneath.

After finding an underground river and washing himself thoroughly, Jiang Zhe acknowledged the Black God Set as master once more, then put the SS-Grade Combat Suit over it, restoring his valiant and handsome appearance.

At the same time, he tried to estimate his current strength.

Logically, it was very difficult to calculate accurately.

He did not know exactly how much effect the Dragon Blood had exerted. Was it less than 2 Times, or more than 2 Times?

Based on his previous foundation, every difference of 0.1 Times meant a difference of ten tons in punch strength!

Unlike before, Jiang Zhe could now first determine his Psychic Master realm, then use it to infer his martial artist realm.

"Psychic Master cultivation: Apprentice Ninth-Rank!"

"...Because I've finally reached the requirement and gained an opportunity to chop the tree."

"I think I've finally figured out the rules for chopping the tree—one opportunity before breaking through a major realm, and one after breaking through it."

"As a Pre-Martial Warrior, I had not yet cultivated Gene Primordial Energy. Before the Apprentice Level, I gained my first opportunity to chop the tree."

"When I broke through to the Apprentice Level, my Psychic Master abilities awakened, and I immediately reached Apprentice Third-Rank. But in truth, I should have gained my second opportunity to chop the tree at Apprentice First-Rank."

"Now that my Psychic Master cultivation has broken through to Apprentice Ninth-Rank, I've gained my third opportunity to chop the tree."

"And if I'm not mistaken, the fourth opportunity to chop the tree will come when I break through to the Planetary Level, at Planetary Level First-Rank!"

"One at the beginning, one at the end. That counts as a cycle, right?"

Jiang Zhe murmured inwardly, deep in thought.

After a while, he shook his head, cleared his thoughts, and entered the Inner World within his Original Core.

As his strength increased, the land in his Inner World had expanded to seventy meters in length and width, while the ancient tree at the center had grown to seven meters in diameter.

Its canopy could still cover nearly five thousand square meters of open ground, with room to spare. Its sturdy branches extended into the Chaotic Mist.

The state of the Inner World further proved his earlier conclusion.

"Seventy meters... My martial artist realm is Apprentice Level Seven, while my Psychic Master cultivation is Apprentice Ninth-Rank."

That was his theoretical realm.

But his combat power far exceeded that. It first had to be multiplied by 3 before reaching the correct "base."

Approaching the ancient tree, Jiang Zhe found that the second wound had indeed healed into a tree burl, with no trace of the "new flesh" beneath the bark.

He turned around, picked up the Woodcutting Axe from the stone table, and swung it hard, carving a fresh wound near the two previous scars.

"A Shu! A Fu! Remember to give me a clone!"

Thud!

Golden light burst forth, knocking the axe blade embedded in the trunk loose. A Golden Light Mass flew from the wound and rolled onto the ground.

The Woodcutting Axe's weight soared. Jiang Zhe allowed it to leave his hand and fly back to the stone table.

He bent down and touched the light mass with his fingertips. The golden light faded, revealing a Brass Sphere the size of a human head.

So it was not a clone. Jiang Zhe felt somewhat disappointed.

The surface of the brass sphere was carved with complex, dense secret patterns, interspersed with gear-shaped imprints of varying sizes. It radiated a strong steampunk aesthetic.

A Bronze Hoop circled the sphere, while another half-hoop intersected it vertically, dividing the entire sphere into three sections.

At one intersection point of the two Bronze Hoops was a dim sapphire, like an eye.

The moment he touched the Brass Sphere, a stream of information entered Jiang Zhe's mind, leaving him stunned.

Once he recovered, he brought the Brass Sphere out of the Inner World.

Humanity's upper echelons were highly tolerant of geniuses. As long as he did not produce anything too absurd, Great Axe and Chaos would not investigate his secrets too deeply.

In Jiang Zhe's view, the value of this Brass Sphere probably would not even catch the Chaos City Lord's eye. Calling it "inferior" would be giving it too much credit.

Because it was merely an Affiliated Metallic Life Form.

In the pitch-black cave beside the underground river, Jiang Zhe abruptly appeared while holding a brass sphere the size of a human head.

Hiss!

Psychic Power drew over an SS-rank Flying Blade and sliced open his wrist, allowing blood to spill onto the Brass Sphere and complete the acknowledgment process.

His cellular activity was too high, and the wound quickly healed. Jiang Zhe helplessly cut it open again.

Until the sapphire was completely dyed into a ruby.

A dim crimson bloodlight lit up, and it was formally activated.

The radiating red light suddenly froze, and the surrounding space solidified once more.

That will radiating endless domineering pressure... had returned to familiar ground.

Honestly, even the Primal Universe Willpower was confused.

Why had another new race been born in this damned place today?

It helped condense an Innate Arcane Technique, recorded the Life Blueprint of the new race, and added it to its own "database"...

Only after following the same old procedure did the Primal Universe Willpower withdraw.

The frozen space-time around them resumed flowing.

Jiang Zhe sensed something and shook his head without thinking too much about it.

The Brass Sphere floated from the ground to chest height. Amid a series of mechanical turning sounds, it shrank to the size of a fist.

Using it as its core, the light emitted by the ruby spread outward, weaving itself into the silhouette of a slender doll.

Then virtual became real. It truly became an exquisite female doll made of brass.

"On our first meeting, my honored master, please bestow a name upon me!"

The female doll gave Jiang Zhe a Western-style maid's curtsy.

Even though... she was not wearing a skirt, she did not lose any elegance.

Moreover, the greeting did not merely echo in the cave. It also reverberated in his mind.

Jiang Zhe had long anticipated this development. Furthermore, the life and death of a Subordinate Life Form were completely controlled by its master, so he calmly accepted everything before him.

"I'll call you..." A mischievous urge suddenly erupted within him. "You shall be called Mechanical Spirit · Oriana!"

The female doll curtsied again. "Thank you, Master, for bestowing upon me a title and name. Oriana will certainly not disappoint Master's expectations!"

Jiang Zhe nodded in satisfaction, studying the brass doll with great interest as he switched to communicating with her through telepathy.

"Anna, you should have adapted to this universe by now, right? What is your current situation? Did you develop any Innate Arcane Techniques?"

"Master, according to the information about this universe that you transmitted to me, my race is an Affiliated Metallic Life Form and must exist by relying upon you, Master."

"I am also a Special Life Form. My life form resembles that of the Mechanical Race. Not only can I become Master's Armor like the Mayun Vine and reduce the damage you receive in battle, I can also serve as an Intelligent Life Form."

"Furthermore, I can fight independently after leaving you. My current strength is Planetary Level First-Rank, and I possess 3 Times Life Gene Level."

Jiang Zhe almost thought he had misheard. He hurriedly repeated, "3 Times Genetic Level?"

An unbelievable guess sprang into his mind. Just like me? Can you synchronize with my Life Gene Level?

Oriana shook her head and replied telepathically, "I am a Special Life Form. My Life Gene Level changes as my strength increases."

"At the Planetary Level, it is 3 Times; at the Stellar Level, 10 Times; at the Cosmic Level, 49 Times; at the Domain Lord Level, 81 Times; at the Realm Lord Level, 100 Times!"

Jiang Zhe sucked in a breath and hurriedly asked inwardly, That's the limit? Can it rise further?

"Master, please look!"

The moment she finished speaking, Jiang Zhe saw Oriana's body shift from solid to translucent before dispersing.

Only the Brass Sphere Core in her chest remained floating in place.

That core suddenly began to split.

From the size of a fist, it split into three spheres the size of eggs.

The light emitted by the three rubies once again intertwined into Oriana's figure.

But this time, there were three of them!

Each shifted from virtual to real, becoming three brass dolls that truly existed in the Real World.

Jiang Zhe understood. "This... 3 Times Life Gene Level is because you really are three people!"

"Yes, Master. One hundred times is the limit of our natural growth. If we wish to improve further, we need to assimilate Metallic Lifeforms whose life forms resemble ours."

Jiang Zhe cried out inwardly, The Mechanical Race?!

Could you raise your Life Gene Level beyond one hundred times by devouring members of the Mechanical Race?

The Orianas merged back into one and replied telepathically, "Sorry, Master, I do not know either. I need to come into close contact with a member of the Mechanical Race to determine that."

"Good! Good! There will be an opportunity." Jiang Zhe calmed his somewhat excited emotions. "There is a member of the Mechanical Race on Earth. I'll take you to see it, though it is a corpse."

"Thank you, Master!" Oriana curtsied again.

Jiang Zhe waved his hand. "You and I depend on each other for survival. There's no need to be so formal."

"Yes, as Master commands!"

Though she said so, Oriana showed no intention of changing at all.

Jiang Zhe did not correct her again.

He merely sighed inwardly: Anything produced by the cheat is bound to be top quality!

He had thought she was just an ordinary Affiliated Metallic Life Form. Who would have expected that her Life Gene Level might actually rival Special Life Forms like the World Tree and The Vermin King?

"Anna, you should have Innate Arcane Techniques, right?"

"Yes, Master. I have three Innate Arcane Techniques."