Chapter 121 – Cooperation and Symbiosis!
The master and servant froze at the entrance of the blood-red vortex tunnel.
In reality, the two were rapidly communicating within their consciousness.
"Anna, see? Outstanding people are just different. Just by standing here, the ultimate secrets of the Ancient God World come to us on their own."
"Master, it could be a trap."
"I know. Don't worry, I haven't let greed cloud my judgment." Jiang Zhe asked, "Anna, you hold part of my memories and know this world's situation. What do you think might be inside?"
"Visitors from the Universe Sea? Like that one?"
Jiang Zhe shook his head. "Anna, they shouldn't be able to enter the Primordial Universe. Not even residual virtual consciousness— the Primordial Universe's source will never allow it."
He wasn't worried about those terrifying beings from the Origin Continent.
Because inside the Primordial Universe, there's only one true overlord.
Hadn't even the reincarnated god-king Sitting Mountain Guest been firmly watched by the Universe's source consciousness, ready to blast and suppress him at any moment?
Moreover, in this world, because of its cultivation system, the most feared tactic was "enslavement," not "body possession."
So the threat from some "old soul fragment" was less worrying.
Anna quipped, "That one?"
"Don't mention that old geezer."
"Anna, you have to understand— for this remote backwater to produce even one overturned 'Crouching Dragon' is astonishing. What are the odds there's also a 'Young Phoenix'?"
Oriana continued speculating: "Perhaps it's the spirit of some supreme treasure inside?"
"Highly likely." Jiang Zhe nodded this time. "Like Star Tower, or the Chaos Gold Wings— not impossible at all."
"...Honestly, I've always felt there's something fishy about this 'Puppet Master' lineage."
"Anna, take the Mixed Yuan Umbrella and leave. I'll go meet her myself." Jiang Zhe took the treasured umbrella from his back and tossed it to Oriana.
"Master, you should keep the umbrella with you. I'll just take your Candlelight clone and the original core and leave."
"Hm?"
"In case you decide to die, please do it efficiently," Oriana explained. "If that being inside can control time and space, the umbrella can help tear open an escape route. You could self-destruct faster."
"Heh, fair point."
So Oriana stored the umbrella in her internal world, finished "offloading," and then handed it back to Jiang Zhe.
Whether it was a dragon's den or a tiger's lair behind the vortex, Jiang Zhe hadn't planned on coming out of it in one piece anyway.
Luo Feng often played the "send-a-clone-to-die" game too, but he wouldn't dare equip his Mosha Clan clone with luxury items— once lost, they couldn't be retrieved.
Jiang Zhe, however, had no such fear.
The divine crystals, Mixed Yuan Umbrella, Blood Transforming Blade— all were bound to that ancient tree in his original core. He could summon them back at any time.
Besides the umbrella, he had another layer of insurance.
A talent secret technique— [God Ascension]!
Once in this state, Jiang Zhe's true body would be sealed inside a "Life Crystal Core," turning from a flesh lifeform into an energy being, immune to soul attacks.
The normally 100-meter-tall Life Crystal Core compressed, eventually shrinking to about the size of a human heart, and the energy god body around it matched human height.
"Anna, go."
"Master, take care."
Sensing that Oriana had already flown more than 10,000 kilometers away from the floating continent— even pulling out a spaceship to plan her return route— Jiang Zhe twitched his mouth.
Really treating me like a corpse already, huh?
Shaking his head with a wry smile, he patted the umbrella on his back and stepped into the blood-colored vortex.
The Blood Sea Encounter
Emerging from the passage, Jiang Zhe found himself in a blood-red space.
About a kilometer below was a boundless sea of blood.
Hot mist billowed upward, spreading a thin blood fog through the air. A thick stench of iron filled his nose.
"Don't tell me this is all blood from Ancient God descendants?" Jiang Zhe muttered in alarm.
Couldn't blame him for dark thoughts— after these years of experiences, he truly felt the outside Ancient God World might just be a giant pasture.
"No. What you see is part of my true body. Those lesser creatures' blood flowing into it is a defilement."
Suddenly, a cold female voice responded.
A surge of blood mist rose from the sea below, gathering into a hazy, graceful figure.
Jiang Zhe waited, but the figure didn't transform into a fair-skinned beauty in red, as he half-expected.
It was just a blood silhouette with no face or features.
In his mind, Jiang Zhe silently gave it a one-star review.
"Were you the one who invited me in? Who are you?"
At the same time, he communicated with Oriana in his mind:
"Anna, send an email to my teacher. Ask for detailed info on that Ancient God Universe Master— gender, appearance, death circumstances… as well as any friends, disciples, or subordinate lifeforms linked to 'blood seas.'"
"Yes, Master. I'll get the intel you need as fast as possible."
Oriana quickly logged into the Virtual Universe to help Jiang Zhe collect intelligence.
Unlike an AI like Babata, she had extremely high freedom within the Virtual Universe.
This wasn't because someone granted her that authority.
In fact, if the Original Ancestor didn't interfere… Oriana could seize control of the Virtual Universe from a Machine Race Universe Master even at the Universe Master level!
The Revelation
"Me? Listen well. I come from the Upper Realm. I am the true creator of the Ancient God Race, the mentor of the All-Saint Lord— and also his investor, partner."
"Master, the All-Saint Lord is the leader of the Ancient Gods. He's named that because he controls 10,081 puppets in battle," Oriana reminded.
Jiang Zhe's brow lifted slightly.
Upper Realm? Creator of a race?
Wait— that sounded suspiciously like a certain unlucky old man with an eerily similar script.
—From the Origin Continent, seeking revenge, created the Flame God Race and Earth's lineage: Sitting Mountain Guest!
Jiang Zhe chuckled. "So, you favor me? Decided to support me just like you supported the All-Saint Lord?"
"Indeed. I favor you. Among all the young lives who've come to the Ancient God World, your talent is unmatched!"
"Talent? That's worthless." Jiang Zhe smirked. "Why don't you partner with a Universe Master, or a Universe Supreme?"
Close call!
Almost slipped and said "True God"— a term natives of the Primordial Universe wouldn't even know.
"Universe Master? Universe Supreme? You think they're powerful, but to me, they're mere ants!"
The cold female voice was filled with arrogance.
"So you could slaughter them like dogs?" Jiang Zhe blinked innocently.
The blood silhouette: "…"
The hazy form trembled slightly, as if "shaking with anger."
The air grew awkward.
"Hmph! They're all failures who can only live three reincarnation eras. Their whole lives are confined to the Primordial Universe and nearby Universe Sea, forever unable to touch the Upper Realm."
Ah, she's mad. Look at her, she's mad.
Jiang Zhe didn't provoke her further, his eyes thoughtful as he tested:
"So I've guessed it. You want to groom a genius to break through to Universe Supreme— maybe beyond— so you can reach that 'Upper Realm' of yours?"
The cold voice sounded pleased. "You're clever. I enjoy cooperating with smart people."
That was basically confirmation.
Jiang Zhe relaxed a bit. Knowing the other party had something to ask of him was a relief.
Much like Sitting Mountain Guest's goals.
But whether she had the same integrity as Sitting Mountain Guest— that was a big question mark.
He probed further, "May I ask you some questions?"
"Ask. But be aware— some answers aren't permitted by the universe to be spoken, like anything above Universe Supreme."
This one's so honest… almost not very bright.
"Don't worry, I'll stick to simpler things. Is the complete Puppet Master lineage in your hands?"
"Heh, there was never a 'Puppet Master' inheritance. The All-Saint Lord made it up. Those puppets were all crafted by me, and the means to control them were gifts from me."
Jiang Zhe nodded, unsurprised.
"What about the Ancient God World itself— the bloodlines, Ancient God Blood, Blood Crystals…?"
She answered one by one.
"The current vortex-shaped star region formed under my influence.
I specialize in 'life modification.' I implanted a genetic factor in the Ancient Gods' bloodlines so they'd all be excellent spirit readers. But if they leave my influence, the next generation loses this trait.
As for Ancient God Blood and Blood Crystals— all treasures refined by me."
Jiang Zhe clicked his tongue.
No wonder. Origin Continent bigshots— even the crumbs between their fingers could shock the local yokels of the Primordial Universe.
The True Nature
Jiang Zhe asked his second-to-last question.
"What are you exactly? A consciousness from the 'Upper Realm'?"
"No. My true body is a treasure— a living treasure, the Universe Sea's number one supreme treasure! I'm the spirit born within it. I long to return to the Upper Realm and reveal my true glory."
She stated her goal quite frankly.
Jiang Zhe raised an eyebrow. Such big words? Number one?
Have you seen the treasure space from the East River Lineage— with 322 supreme items? The Chaos Gold Wings? The Star Tower?
As for the rest… True? False? Hard to say.
But he figured she probably was indeed some supreme weapon spirit. Only such artifacts would be allowed to exist inside the Primordial Universe.
Remember, that old relative of his (the Primordial Universe's source) had very low tolerance. Even Universe Sea items comparable to supreme treasures weren't allowed in its belly.
The Deal
Jiang Zhe finally asked,
"So how can we become friends, partners, even let you recognize me as your master?"
"Reach the World Lord level. Then we'll talk. Like I did with the All-Saint Lord."
"The Ancient God World is under your watch. You've surely seen my performance." Jiang Zhe shrugged. "You know my law comprehension— if I want, I could become a Domain Lord immediately, build up energy, then break through to World Lord."
"So let's talk specifics."
"World Lord level, with a King-level will, we can establish a partnership like I had with the All-Saint Lord. World Lord with a Universe Overlord's will— then I can recognize you as my master."
Damn! Think you're the Star Tower or something?
Jiang Zhe grumbled inwardly but didn't press. "Then I'll leave now? Come back when I'm a World Lord?"
"Yes. But before you go, I'll grant you another opportunity." Her cold voice grew proud. "You're the only one in countless eras whose talent is even worth mentioning. Don't go dying out there."
"Follow me."
Without waiting for a reply, the graceful blood figure turned and led the way to the center of the blood sea.
Jiang Zhe followed, keeping a cautious hundred-meter distance.
The Final Test
A dozen breaths later, the blood figure stopped.
Below them, the blood sea churned, revealing a massive dark-brown reef island nearly a kilometer across.
It was barren except for a central pool like a steaming hot spring, filled with a semi-transparent blood-red liquid.
"What is this?" Jiang Zhe asked.
"You've used Ancient God Blood before, but that was just a weakened version. This pool holds the complete form— it can boost your soul amplitude by 10 to 30 times."
Jiang Zhe frowned. "The weakened kind already gave me a 20x boost. Are you sure this full version will still work on me?"
"How much did you say?"
"20 times."
"What's your current soul amplitude?"
"35 times baseline. With Ancient God Blood Crystals, 45."
—a long, cold gasp.
"I knew it! I didn't misjudge— you truly have the best talent. You're the most worthy of being my partner!"
Her tone brimmed with pride, as if she'd just found a priceless gem— sounding even a bit smug.
…oddly cute?
No! Absolutely not. Jiang Zhe shook his head. That's an illusion! She's trying to lull me before digging a giant pit for me to fall into.
His was practically an early-stage persecution complex.
"Your will is strong. Perhaps you really could make me recognize you as master," she praised.
But would such an arrogant being truly submit?
Remember, even the spirit inside the Chaos Gold Wings once plotted to kill Luo Feng.
Jiang Zhe didn't let temptation cloud his caution, remaining vigilant.
She returned to the main topic. "The liquid below will still benefit you. If the All-Saint Lord had been more impressive, I could've crafted Ancient God Blood matching the absolute limits of the universe."
Jiang Zhe nodded— didn't think she was boasting.
After all, the Devil Sound General inheritance could raise you to 100x soul amplitude at the peak, and there were 72 such inheritances in the Primordial Universe.
By this tiny measure alone, she was still somewhat inferior to Sitting Mountain Guest.
"Can I take some with me? How much is 'one portion'?"
"No. It can't be removed. You must soak in the pool. Once the effects reach their peak, you may leave."
Jiang Zhe landed on the island, quickly walked to the pool's edge, and dipped a finger in the red liquid, smearing it on his chest armor.
The armor was actually Oriana's split-off body.
Even if he'd come here ready to die, Jiang Zhe wasn't truly alone.
This sample here, Oriana's main body was already using [Lord of Matter] to analyze.
"Master, the grade is too high— I can't break it down. But some components feel familiar, similar to the Ancient God Blood you used. It should be safe."
"Understood."
Jiang Zhe exited his "God Ascension" state, reverting to flesh, then leaped into the blood pool.
Far away, the original core inside his Candlelight clone constantly monitored the true body— ready to remotely detonate at the slightest anomaly.
As the warm liquid seeped into his skin, a hazy blood mist poured into his mind-sea, enveloping the swirling galaxy there. Extreme pleasure swept through his soul and body.
Just like when he drank Ancient God Blood.
Jiang Zhe knew clearly he must endure. If he lost himself in this ecstasy, he'd fail to maximize the effects.
Another ordeal testing his willpower!
The blood mist slowly drifted to the black hole at the center of his mind galaxy, forming mysterious patterns around it, then was swallowed, branded into the soul core inside.
Transforming his soul, letting it evolve— to reach even higher psychic strength.
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