‘The origin of life? Where all Aberrant Beasts come from…’

Lin Zichen felt he had just heard an astonishing secret.

Until now, he had thought Aberrant Beasts were shrouded in mystery and that humanity knew almost nothing about them.

But from Liu Chuanwu’s answer, it seemed humans did understand them to a certain extent.

At the very least, people knew that Aberrant Beasts came from the Source Site—and that one could enter it.

That senior sister of Shen Qinghan even had a picture taken inside the Source Site, which meant humans could indeed enter.

“The Aberrant Beast meat they sell in the malls—is that from the Source Site?” Lin Zichen suddenly thought of this question and looked at Liu Chuanwu curiously.

“Of course it’s from the Source Site,” Liu Chuanwu replied, “Otherwise, with the tiny number of Aberrant Beasts on Earth, the higher-ups wouldn’t have enough for themselves—how could there be extra to sell on the market for ordinary folks to eat?”

‘Sell to ordinary folks? Even the cheapest Ghost Shadow Squid meat cost 998 per jin—what ‘ordinary folks’ could afford that? Sell it to the wealthy, more like…’

Lin Zichen couldn’t help grumbling inwardly, then asked, “I’m really interested in the Source Site. Do you have any related videos I can watch?”

“No,” Liu Chuanwu shook his head, “Any electronic devices malfunction inside the Source Site. Besides that, many chemical reactions can’t proceed normally either.”

“That place is that bizarre?” Lin Zichen found it unbelievable.

But he quickly realized something was off.

If electronics failed and many chemical reactions couldn’t occur, then how did that senior sister of Shen Qinghan have a photo from inside the Source Site?

With that thought, he immediately asked, “But a while ago, a friend sent me a photo of herself in the Source Site. How do you explain that?”

“That so-called photo was most likely hand-drawn,” Liu Chuanwu explained, “There are dedicated painters inside the Source Site who draw its environment and create maps and other tools. Their skills are exquisite; drawing people as lifelike as photos is no problem at all. As long as you pay them, they’ll draw whatever you want.”

Liu Chuanwu grinned, “I’ve even seen someone bring a picture of his goddess into the Source Site, show it to the painters there and commission a Spring Palace painting of himself with her to… enjoy in private.”

Shen Qinghan blushed at that.

Lin Zichen showed no reaction. He quickly opened WeChat and pulled up the picture Qinghan had sent.

Zooming in, he saw it really was a drawing—you could make out the brushwork.

It was incredibly realistic.

If you didn’t look closely, you’d never notice it wasn’t a photo.

“By the way, where is the Source Site located?” Lin Zichen looked up and asked.

Liu Chuanwu shook his head, “I’m not sure about that either, because the way humans enter the Source Site is by being teleported through formation arrays in certain ruins. To this day, it hasn’t even been determined whether the Source Site is on Earth.”

He added, “Of course, it’s also possible the authorities have already figured it out but haven’t made it public—keeping it to the innermost circle.”

Lin Zichen fell into thought.

Just then, his phone rang—He Yu was calling.

As soon as he picked up, He Yu’s urgent voice came through, “Hey, handsome guy and pretty girl, the dojo promo is about to start. When will you get here?”

“We’re heading over now.”

“Then hurry up.”

“Okay, we’ll be there in ten minutes.”

After a few brief words, they hung up.

Lin Zichen said to Liu Chuanwu, “I have to go. Let’s add each other on WeChat and talk when we have time.”

“Sure, I’ll scan you.”

They added each other.

Just as Lin Zichen was about to leave, Liu Chuanwu took out a brand-new book and handed it to him, “This is a translated version of the Blood-Tempering Art. It contains detailed cultivation methods. However, the Blood-Tempering Art has a threshold. You need a Biological Level of Ordinary Tier 4, with sufficient vitality in your body, before you can cultivate it. During the summer break, read it when you’re free and get familiar with it in advance. Once you reach Ordinary Tier 4 in the first semester of your freshman year, you can start cultivating immediately.”

The standard for Ordinary Tier 4 generally averages out to the following three metrics:

Single-handedly lift a 1000 kg weight.

Run 100 meters in 5 seconds.

Do a standing vertical jump of 5 meters.

Having seen Lin Zichen’s physical test data, Liu Chuanwu knew his three metrics were all very close to the Tier 4 standard.

As long as Lin Zichen didn’t slack off during the summer and kept up intense training, his Biological Level would surely evolve to Ordinary Tier 4 by the start of the semester.

“Okay, I’ll read it when I have time.”

Lin Zichen took the book and casually put it into Shen Qinghan’s shoulder bag.

‘Ordinary Tier 4 is enough to start cultivating? I’m already Tier 6. After we finish the promo event at He Yu’s gym and I get home to eat and shower, I’ll see if I can cultivate the Blood-Tempering Art.’

* * *

He Family Martial Arts Gym, front-desk lounge.

As soon as Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan walked in, they saw He Yu and Li Chuxin chatting at the tea table.

Li Chuxin was dressed fashionably—camisole on top, denim miniskirt below, with an alluring pair of black stockings on her legs that easily drew a man’s eye.

Lin Zichen glanced instinctively and found it tempting, but he wasn’t interested.

His tastes had been spoiled by Shen Qinghan. Girls their age who weren’t at Shen Qinghan’s level in looks and figure rarely attracted him.

By contrast, He Yu’s tastes weren’t so picky. He was currently sneaking glances at Li Chuxin’s shapely black-stockinged legs, looking thoroughly satisfied.

Catching the newcomers in his peripheral vision, He Yu looked up and teased, “Hey, handsome guy and pretty girl, you finally made it. We’ve been waiting forever.”

“Sorry,” Lin Zichen said with a smile, “Something came up at the last minute.”

“Zichen, Qinghan, the more I look at you two, the more perfect you seem together. Honestly—you should get married right after you graduate from college. I’ll be your bridesmaid,” Li Chuxin said, unable to hide an auntie-like grin as she shipped the childhood-sweethearts.

Shen Qinghan’s cheeks flushed. Being teased about that in public was embarrassing—but at the same time, sweet. She couldn’t help imagining the day she and Lin Zichen would walk into marriage together.

“Everyone’s here, so let’s start the promo,” came a voice as He Yu’s father emerged from the dojo.

Standing beside him, He Yu’s mother shot him a look, “What’s the rush? Zichen and Qinghan just got here. Let them sit and settle in first.”

After chiding her husband, she smiled warmly at the group by the tea table, “There’s no hurry about the promo. Sit and chat for a bit. I’ll cut some watermelon for you.”

“Auntie, that’s not necessary—we’ve already delayed things. Let’s just start,” Lin Zichen said, feeling it would be impolite to be treated so hospitably when he was the one who’d made them late.

But He Yu’s mother insisted with a cheerful smile, “No rush, no rush. Sit down, catch your breath and have some watermelon to cool off.”

With that, she headed back into the dojo.

Seeing that she’d gone, Lin Zichen didn’t argue further.

He Yu’s father was a simple, honest type; he wasn’t as adept at hosting as his wife. Since the promo would be a bit later, he just sat down and scrolled on his phone.

Remembering that He Yu’s father was an Ordinary Tier 6 martial artist, Lin Zichen went over to chat—and brought up the Celestial Pavilion.

After a short talk, he was surprised to learn that the man was a member of the Celestial Pavilion.

But only a peripheral one.

They chatted a bit more and Lin Zichen learned that He Yu’s father had no sense of belonging to the Celestial Pavilion at all. He had only joined because he wasn’t a Gene Fuser or a Cyborg and with no other options, needed an organization to affiliate with.

As for ‘pureblood humans are the future,’ he considered it nonsense—his heart was always set on the Gene Fuser path.

After all, in today’s society, Gene Fusion was the mainstream. Only by becoming a Gene Fuser could one stand above others, instead of being a forgettable martial artist who could only run a gym, recruiting students and earning hard-won money.