MTLNOVEL CHAPTER 237
Chapter 237: The Enigma of the Dream Virus
Day 220 of the Black Mist Calendar
Lu Ming remained immersed in his cultivation, oblivious to the passage of time.
Zhuang Zun continued his vigil at the cave entrance, his patience wearing thin. Thus far, there had been no new developments, and the mysterious light door remained closed.
Heluo's research laboratory had been established, with Huo Sheng and Meng Jie assisting her while Ivy and Quan Chao provided security.
Heluo was pleased with the efficiency of her two assistants. Although their knowledge of biology was somewhat outdated, their fundamentals were solid, and they handled the miscellaneous tasks with ease.
However, the research on the unknown virus had hit a major roadblock.
"We haven't found any signs of infection in their cell samples," Heluo reported, frustration evident in her voice.
"So, this is most likely a virus that affects the soul and mind."
"Dream Virus... that's the name I've given it," she continued, gazing at the infected individuals in the observation room through the window. They were trapped in a cycle of nightmares, their cries echoing hauntingly through the lab.
Huo Sheng added, "In the first stage, the patient's face turns pale. The duration of this stage varies. The stronger the individual, the longer it lasts."
"The second stage is coma and disability. Patients who enter this stage progress to the third stage within three hours."
"The third stage is the state of continuous nightmares we're witnessing now."
He paused, then added, "But after observing them for two full days, I haven't seen any further deterioration."
The infected individuals were trapped in an endless cycle of nightmares, their condition pitiful, but there was no immediate threat to their lives, and their symptoms showed no signs of worsening.
Heluo sighed, her brow furrowed with worry. "This phenomenon is a double-edged sword."
"But based on my precognitive vision yesterday," she continued, her voice heavy, "the situation is about to take a drastic turn for the worse."
Huo Sheng's expression mirrored her concern. "What did you see?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Heluo hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. "Killing, bloodshed, death..."
"Precognition only offers fragments of the future, not a complete understanding," she explained. "My knowledge is limited to these glimpses."
She was certain that the Dream Virus was the root of the impending disaster.
And the likely outcome was a bloodbath.
But the path from cause to effect remained shrouded in mystery.
Heluo had considered requesting aid from the Sky Monitoring Bureau. However, this disaster had been classified as a Origin-level event, implying that Zhuang Zun and his team of Skywalkers should be able to handle it. The thought of seeking additional help had been set aside.
"This is a test for me, for Zhuang Zun, for our entire team," Heluo declared, her voice firm.
The future glimpsed through precognition could be changed. This was a fundamental belief of the Bureau.
Everything Heluo was doing now was aimed at averting the catastrophic vision she had foreseen.
But aside from researching the Dream Virus, there was little else she could do.
Day 223 of the Black Mist Calendar
Lu Ming remained in seclusion, his focus solely on his cultivation.
Zhuang Zun maintained his vigil at the cave entrance, his patience waning with each passing day.
And Heluo's research remained at a standstill.
Day 229 of the Black Mist Calendar
Within the serene confines of the Void Space, Lu Ming's eyes snapped open.
"It's done!" he declared, a note of triumph in his voice.
He rose to his feet, a faint blue light enveloping his body—the familiar radiance of the Origin Power Armor.
But as he moved and tested his strength with a few experimental punches, he sensed no change in the armor's performance.
Its strength and energy consumption remained the same.
"This doesn't seem right," Lu Ming muttered, a puzzled frown creasing his brow.
He opened his attribute panel, and the truth was revealed.
His Origin Power Armor had transcended the Micro-level, reaching a realm even higher!
Name: Lu Ming
Level: Physique Realm, Level 5
Status: Body Self-Limitation State
Strength: 63,300
Physique: 63,300
Agility: 63,300
Free Attribute Points: 31,300
Divine Origin Points: 44
Transcendent Ability:
Body Self-Limitation
Void Domain (Intermediate)
Origin Power Skills:
Flame Pulse Breathing Technique (Master 68/10,000)
Flame Body Forging Technique (Master 5,840/10,000)
Explosive Fist (Intricate 870,000/1,000,000)
Origin Power Armor (Divine)
Lu Ming carefully read the description of the Origin Power Armor, and a look of understanding dawned on his face.
Origin Power Armor (Divine): The most basic Origin Power Protection Secret Technique. You have already cultivated the Origin Power Armor to the realm of perfection! The Divine Power Realm is also the highest realm of Origin Power Skills!
In terms of sheer power, Origin Power Skills in the Divine Power Realm are not stronger than a Micro-level Realm Origin Power Skill.
However, after mastering the Divine Power Realm Origin Power Armor, one would be able to obtain the following benefits from this Origin Power Skill.
Your cultivation speed for the next level of the same type of Origin Power Skill (Physique Realm Protective Technique) will increase by tenfold!
The Divine Power Realm Origin Power Armor has already become your Divine Power, your Instinct! The Divine Power Realm Origin Power Armor will permanently provide a perpetual effect of [Defense Enhancement] to your other body protective techniques!
After reading the description of the Divine Power Realm Origin Power Armor, Lu Ming closed his attribute panel and fell into deep thought.
"Two additional effects," he mused, analyzing the newfound power.
"The first is a tenfold increase in the cultivation speed of Physique Realm Body Protection Techniques."
This was crucial!
Lu Ming had previously experimented with cultivating Mortal Realm Origin Power Skills and could gain 10,000-20,000 proficiency points in a day. However, when he cultivated Physique Realm Origin Power Skills, the proficiency gain rate decreased tenfold.
This wasn't surprising.
The higher the level of the Origin Power Skill, the greater the difficulty in cultivation, and the harder it was to gain proficiency.
Moreover, this was unrelated to Lu Ming's own realm; it was solely dependent on the level of the Origin Power Skill itself.
Originally, Lu Ming could only gain 1,000-2,000 proficiency points a day when cultivating a Physique Realm Origin Power Skill. But after advancing the lower-level Origin Power Armor to the Divine Power Realm, this value had increased tenfold, to 10,000-20,000!
"As expected!" Lu Ming exclaimed, a sense of satisfaction washing over him.
His earlier suspicion had been confirmed - the system preferred him to systematically cultivate Origin Power skills rather than blindly pursuing higher-level ones.
The first special effect of the Divine Power Realm Origin Power Armor clearly demonstrated this. The difference in cultivation speed with and without the boost was so significant that Lu Ming had no other choice but to follow this path.
"And this second special effect..."
He reactivated the Origin Power Armor but noticed no immediate change in its strength. After a moment's thought, he decisively left the Void Space and retrieved an Origin Power Skill Inheritance Orb from his collection.
A note attached to the orb, written in Roxin's elegant handwriting, caught his eye.
[Divine Fire Shield (Physique Realm Body Protection Technique).]
[Characteristics: Its defense is average, but it comes with an extremely powerful recoil burn effect.]
"This will do," Lu Ming said, a determined glint in his eyes.
End of Chapter 237