79: Unboxing! Stigmata Rubbings, Bio-Armor!

In the silent, shielded chamber of the ‘Ninth Heaven’ vessel, Lin Tian's gaze was fixed on the enigmatic, ever-shifting cube before him: the pandora's box, the ultimate prize.

He didn't hesitate for a moment. His steady, precise fingers traced the glowing lines on the cube's surface. Following an intuition derived from the War Emperor's memories, he injected a wisp of his Pangu Gene energy into a specific node.

Click.

The cube didn't open; instead, it… dissolved. It decomposed into a pure, incandescent torrent of data, a long river of light, surging forward and pouring directly into Lin Tian's glabella.

There was no pain, only an overwhelming sense of enlightenment, like a sudden awakening, as if the fundamental Laws of the Universe were directly inscribed upon his Soul.

This was not a weapon, nor was it a Cultivation Technique.

It was a blueprint, a sacred schematic.

Information coalesced in his mind, forming a weighty title that resonated with the Laws of the Universe: “Cosmic Stigmata Rubbings – Scroll of Flesh and Blood.”

This was one of the legendary Nine Scrolls, said to record the Universe's most fundamental constitutive principles, the ultimate mystery of genetic evolution. The Scroll of Flesh and Blood contained the complete genetic map for a Perfect Physical Body, a roadmap to evolve the Physical Body to its absolute theoretical limit.

Lin Tian's thoughts raced as he absorbed this torrent of information. This was a treasure beyond the concept of SSS-rank, a key to a higher Domain of existence.

As the last wisp of data settled, a new set of information emerged at the edge of his consciousness—faint and fragmented clues about the other eight rubbings.

The Scroll of Soul… a whisper pointing to the depths of the Earth's core.

The Scroll of Energy… a faint resonance pointing to the far side of the Moon.

The Scroll of Space… a coordinate flickering in the ruins of Mars.

The rest were even more obscure, hinting at locations within the Orion Arm, some even pointing to galaxies beyond the Milky Way.

A slow smile spread across Lin Tian's face. His Dao was no longer confined to Earth. The War Emperor's Mausoleum was not an end, but a beginning. The Universe had just unfurled its true and magnificent scroll before him, presenting a challenge spanning the star seas. Collecting all nine Stigmata Rubbings would become the central pillar of his journey to the Peak.

Having secured the greatest spoils, he turned his attention to the secondary gains of this expedition.

Bai Feng's severed ‘arm of god’ lay quietly on the table. He gave it a brief glance; the technology was ingeniously conceived but riddled with flaws, a crude imitation of something far grander. “A failed prototype,” he murmured. He issued a command through the terminal, sending the remains to the Long Clan's top R&D department. “Analyze its gene grafting technology. Replicate its strengths, eliminate its weaknesses. I want a report within a month.” Even failures could provide valuable data.

Next, he reviewed the list of Medicinal Pills and treasures he had collected. Most were useless to him now. He dictated another command to Long Ling'er: “Distribute these A-rank Medicinal Pills and combat equipment to Long Qingtian and others who performed well in the mausoleum. Reward merit.” A ruler's grace was a tool as sharp as a blade.

Finally, his gaze fell upon an inconspicuous small object he had found among the fallen War Emperor's remains. It was a dull, palm-sized piece of metal. Its density was incredibly high, and any scanner, even the advanced System on the ‘Ninth Heaven’ vessel, failed to analyze its composition, returning only an error message: [Unknown Materials. Origin: Prehistoric]. He set it aside. Some mysteries were best left for the future.

With these miscellaneous tasks handled, the main course finally arrived.

He took a deep breath, and with a thought, a pulsating crystalline object appeared out of thin air, hovering before him. It was the SSS-rank “Primordial Dragon Scion Gene Core”—the Foundation of the Son of Destiny template, the source of that world-shattering Dragon Clan power, now under his control.

He sat cross-legged, his expression serene. The Pangu Heaven-Opening Art began to circulate within him, his body transforming into a silent, ravenous vortex. He reached out and placed his hand on the Gene Core.

Boom!

An ocean of primordial energy, wild and untamed, instantly surged into his body. It was the original power from the first true Dragons, an energy potent enough to tear a weaker being apart from within. But Lin Tian's body, forged by the Pangu Gene, was a vessel born to contain the Universe. It welcomed this torrent, not as an invader, but as a long-lost tributary returning to the great river.

His cells, his bones, every strand of his DNA sang with joy as they devoured this energy. The solid barrier of the Pangu Heaven-Opening Art's third layer shattered like glass. His power began to skyrocket.

Third layer… Perfection!

His Physical Body strength broke the million-ton mark in one fell swoop, every cell vibrating with explosive power. His cellular regeneration speed increased tenfold. He felt he could shatter a continent with a single punch.

But the energy of this SSS-rank Gene Core was far from exhausted.

The remaining torrent of Dragon Clan power, purified by his Pangu Gene, began to operate in an unexpected way. It was no longer merely fusing with his cells but began to resonate with the ‘Dragon Factor’ latent within the Gene Core itself.

Golden light erupted from his body. That excess energy, guided by some ancient instinct, began to interweave and solidify around his body. It flowed over his skin like liquid metal, forming intricate, scale-like patterns. This was not donning armor, but growing a suit of battle armor.

Within seconds, he was completely enveloped by a sleek, form-fitting bio-armor. The armor was a dull, polished gold, its lines flowing like the muscles of a living Dragon. A helmet shaped like a Dragon's head materialized over his own, its optical sensors gleaming with a faint crimson light. Behind him, segmented wings of solidified energy silently folded.

A data stream from the armor itself flowed into his mind.

“Bio-Armor: ‘Azure Dragon’ activated.”

“Synchronization Rate: 100%”

“Abilities: Energy Amplification, Flight, Dragon Breath Cannon, Self-Repair…”

He stood up, clenching his fists. The armor moved with him, like a second skin of boundless power. He felt invincible.

He looked at his reflection in the smooth obsidian wall, a golden god of war staring back at him.

A cold, satisfied smile touched his lips, and a final thought echoed in the silence of the chamber.

This power, this armor, this entire destiny… it was originally meant to be the ultimate prize for that little leek, Ye Fan.

Now, his entire ‘Dragon King’ template, along with this cool outfit, is mine.