Age of Evolution

After Lin Zhen entered, only a few people responded to Ge Yunjie’s words, and most of them still looked at Lin Zhen with curious and indifferent eyes.

Ge Yunjie felt a bit embarrassed: “What? Don’t you all know Lin Zhen? Everyone here should be from the Heavenly Gate, and you should know about Lin Zhen’s competition with Ke Jianglong seven hundred years ago. Actually, Lin Zhen should have been the number one Martial Artist in the Black Hole Period back then.”

At this moment, a voice chimed in: “A good man doesn’t talk about his past bravery. Ge Yunjie, you also said that was back then, now is not seven hundred years ago.”

“Huang Yong, what do you mean?” Ge Yunjie looked at the man who had spoken. He was a thin and weak man, yet seemed extremely fierce.

“It’s quite simple. Since we’ve all come from the New World, welcome to join our New World Hometown Association. But don’t talk about being the number one anymore, that’s all in the past. People should always face reality.”

“You’re right!”

Ge Yunjie was about to say something when Lin Zhen interrupted him.

Lin Zhen walked to the table and sat down next to Ge Yunjie.

“Brother Huang Yong is right, the past is the past. I am here as an ordinary Star System Stage Martial Artist, and I never thought of being the number one. After all, that person is not me.”

Ge Yunjie’s face didn’t look very good. He had brought Lin Zhen here, but he didn’t expect his New World compatriots to not give him any face, leaving him unable to save face.

Huang Yong had a triumphant expression on his face, thinking he had successfully humiliated Lin Zhen.

However, Lin Zhen’s tone changed: “Though the past has become history, the person remains the same. I, Lin Zhen, had the ability to become the number one back then, and I won’t become a coward after seven hundred years. If anyone doesn’t take me seriously and tries to provoke me, I’ll definitely make them regret saying such words!”

Huang Yong’s face changed, thinking that Lin Zhen had already declined and was therefore mocking him. He never expected Lin Zhen to be so arrogant.

Just as he was about to lash out, the man in the main seat started speaking.

“Alright, alright! We all came from the New World and belong to the most vulnerable group in the Original World. Let’s not argue among ourselves. Give me, your president, some face, and let’s put this matter to rest.”

The man speaking was a Star Domain Ninth Level Peak Martial Artist. Many Martial Artists like him were in the Original World. In fact, the most numerous level in each realm was often Level 9.

As time went on, everyone would unavoidably reach Level 9 as long as there were no accidents, but breaking through to the next realm was not so simple. Most Martial Artists got stuck at Level 9.

Huang Yong glanced at the man who spoke and reluctantly sat down. However, he muttered, “President, I admire you, but it’s best not to protect this guy. This is the Original World. It’s not like the old days!”

When these words were spoken, it seemed as if no one in the room was surprised. Even the President himself didn’t get angry, but instead looked towards Lin Zhen: “Lin Zhen, we all know about you. You are a talented Martial Artist, and I believe you won’t waste your time just because of a seven hundred-year delay. Our New World Hometown Association in the Wood King Mansion welcomes your arrival.”

At this time, Ge Yunjie also told Lin Zhen: “This is our president, Xu Xingyao. Among those below the World King level, he was the first New World Martial Artist to come to the Wood King Mansion. He established the New World Hometown Association. You see, even those World Kings have a place in the Original World; it’s only people like us who need to help each other to stand firm.”

“Thank you, President Xu! Thank you for establishing the Hometown Association, which provides a shelter for us newcomers.” Lin Zhen bowed to Xu Xingyao, who appeared to be weak and gentle like an old good man. Still, the fact that he established the Hometown Association was enough to earn Lin Zhen’s respect.

“Hehe, I don’t have much ability. I just came here a bit earlier. When I came through the Heavenly Gate, I was at Domain King Level Nine. It’s been more than nine hundred years now, and I’m still at Domain King Level Nine. I haven’t achieved much. The future development of the Hometown Association depends on you young people.”

Telling a Martial Artist’s age by their bone age was quite accurate. Xu Xingyao appeared to be at least four thousand years old, so calling Lin Zhen and the others young people wasn’t wrong at all.

At this time, Ge Yunjie said, “Mr. President, all your energy is devoted to the research of alchemy, which has somewhat delayed your cultivation. Otherwise, I believe you could have advanced to the World King level.”

“Sigh! If I didn’t research alchemy, our Hometown Association would probably not even have any money to stand on in the Original World. I don’t have any hope of reaching the World King level. I’m already over four thousand nine hundred years old. Domain Kings have a lifespan limit of five thousand years. I just want to leave some wealth for you all before my time is up so that the Hometown Association can continue, and I can rest in peace.”

Many Martial Artists present were touched and started to persuade the president, saying that he would definitely make a breakthrough at the last moment and successfully advance to the World King.

Lin Zhen even saw that some people had tears in their eyes. Obviously, the president was very popular.

A Domain King in their late four thousand nine hundred years was truly an old Domain King on the verge of death.

However, Lin Zhen still respected the president’s character and raised a glass of wine as a gesture of respect to Xu Xingyao.

After drinking a couple of cups, Xu Xingyao got up and left.

“You young people continue. I still have to visit the Longevity Temple tomorrow, so I won’t join you in your revelry.”

Everyone stood up to send Xu Xingyao off.

After sitting down, Ge Yunjie said to Lin Zhen: “Sigh, it’s a shame for such a good person like the president… I really hope he can break through to the World King level and extend his lifespan by another five thousand years. Unfortunately, his time is running out, and it’s getting more and more difficult for him to break through.”

“Is the President engaged in alchemy research?”

“Yes, he’s an Alchemist. You may not know, but he began studying pill techniques back in the New World. He somehow acquired some Original World Dan prescriptions and started researching them. Although his cultivation level hasn’t improved since coming to the Original World, his alchemy research has become quite powerful. He’s now a Fourth Grade Peak Alchemist.”

“Fourth Grade Peak?” Lin Zhen didn’t quite understand.

“You don’t understand. Alchemists are divided into seven grades, from one to seven. The higher the level, the more powerful they are. Let me put it this way for you: a World King in the Original World is worthless, but the value of a Fourth Grade Alchemist in the eyes of those big shots is equal to that of a World King. If they advance to Fifth Grade, all you need to do is tell any big shot if you want to kill a World King. Isn’t it amazing?”

Lin Zhen nodded silently, realizing just how valuable an alchemist’s worth could be, something he hadn’t noticed before.

“If you can become a sixth-grade alchemist, it would probably be difficult for you even to die. The value of a sixth-grade alchemist is comparable to a god in the Longevity Realm!”

Lin Zhen was even more shocked. If a sixth-grade alchemist could rival a god of Longevity, what about a seventh-grade one?

Ge Yunjie continued, “We are all mediocre people. When we came to the Original World, we had great ambitions, but upon arriving, we realized that we from the New World are nothing but ants here. Not to mention grand achievements, even making a living is problematic. If it weren’t for the president’s alchemy money supporting us, more than half of us here would probably be begging in the streets.”

“The one who would go begging is you, a foodie like you! There’s no way I’d ever see such a day!”

At this time, Huang Yong passed by them and directly refuted Ge Yunjie’s words.

Ge Yunjie frowned slightly and was about to make a move, but Lin Zhen pulled him back.

Seeing that the two didn’t move, Huang Yong snorted triumphantly and said to Lin Zhen, “Kid, like I said before, this is the New World, and you’re not the Lin Zhen you used to be. It’s best to keep your eyes open!”

With that, he swaggered away with a few of his underlings.

“Brother Ge, don’t be impulsive. It’s not worth it to deal with people like this.”

Ge Yunjie spat in the direction Huang Yong left, “What a joke. If it weren’t for the mysterious disappearance of several Star Domain Stage powerhouses in the association previously, would it be this guy’s turn to be in power? Now, he’s the number one expert below the president, and he’s so arrogant.”

Hearing Ge Yunjie’s words, Lin Zhen looked at Huang Yong’s retreating figure thoughtfully.

**********

Under the dual stimulation of the Void Mountain Spirit Spring and the Heart of Star Plants, the medicinal materials on Dark Star were growing rapidly.

Half a month later, the first batch of medicinal materials had matured.

Lin Zhen scattered some seeds again, forming a virtuous cycle, and then collected some medicinal materials, preparing to try alchemy.

He had a book in his hands called The Essence of Alchemy.

This was purchased from within the Dimensional Universe for a few hundred bucks, a very common item.

Lin Zhen couldn’t afford a more expensive one. With only a thousand bucks left of his ten thousand now. If the elixir failed, he might have to move out of the hotel and sleep on the streets.

Lin Zhen wore out the pages of The Essence of Alchemy over the past few days, memorizing its contents by heart.

He took out a simple pill furnace, which he made himself from materials purchased online, and it could be considered the worst pill furnace in history.

However, Lin Zhen had an advantage, his deep blue flame, which was crucial for alchemy.

Lin Zhen’s flame was a combination of the powers of the Phoenix and the Kirin, which he had obtained through a series of coincidences.

Even World King level alchemists seldom had a flame as powerful as Lin Zhen’s.

“First time refining Juyuan Powder, I hope it works.”

Lin Zhen prepared all the necessary herbs, then took out some materials.

“Dan Stone Powder, the elixir base in alchemy. There’s very little here, just enough for two attempts.”

“Condensation Agent, another basic material, but with slight side effects.”

“With these two things and my medicinal materials, I can refine Juyuan Powder.”

Lin Zhen had experience in refining tools and had read The Essence of Alchemy, feeling that he could try it. So, he immediately started working.

He set up his homemade pill furnace and began to heat it up.

A deep blue flame was released and burned vigorously in the pill furnace.

When the temperature inside the furnace was high enough, Lin Zhen put in the prepared medicine.

Increase the firepower!

Crack!

Suddenly, a crack appeared on the pill furnace, and the metal furnaces seemed to be melting along the cracks!

Lin Zhen hurriedly withdrew the flame, and seeing his own modified pill furnace was now completely ruined.

His first attempt at alchemy didn’t even reveal if the theory was successful – it had failed just like that.