Chapter 138 - 133: The Young King Mu

The headmaster’s office at Dongli University.

Su Ze and Liou Wenxin sat at the reception table, across from Zhou Wenshan.

Su Ze had intentionally shifted his seat to the side, letting Liou Wenxin take the center position. This created the illusion that he was just accompanying her to listen in.

Zhou Wenshan wore a kindly smile and asked, "Professor Liou, why the sudden interest in Bloodline Crystals?"

Liou Wenxin gave a faint smile. "A recent research project of mine touched upon this area, but I lack a deep understanding of Bloodline Crystals. That’s why I had to come and ask for your guidance."

Zhou Wenshan nodded. "Bloodline Crystals aren’t exactly a secret. The reason you don’t know much about them is because they’re extremely rare. Even I have never handled one myself, so my knowledge of them is only superficial."

Liou Wenxin nodded slightly and smiled. "Even if your knowledge is limited, you certainly know more than we do."

Zhou Wenshan chuckled. "Since Professor Liou is interested, I’ll say a bit more... When it comes to Bloodline Crystals, you can think of them as a type of extract—a high-level extract that can only be absorbed by Saint-level evolvers. Absorbing a Bloodline Crystal also grants skills and allows for evolution. At the Saint-level, it can completely replace standard extracts."

As soon as Zhou Wenshan said this, a question surfaced in Su Ze’s mind: ’If only Saint-level evolvers can absorb them, then how did Mr. Ya and I manage it? And how did Princess Zhuzhi and Zhao Lingxiao absorb them?’

Zhou Wenshan continued, "What makes them different from ordinary extracts is that a Bloodline Crystal contains only a single skill, and this skill is typically very powerful—stronger than a Tier-5 or Tier-6 S-rank skill!

"Some say the skill within a Bloodline Crystal is a Divine Skill Prototype. Because of this, there’s a theory that Bloodline Crystals hold the secret to godhood."

"A Divine Skill Prototype!" Liou Wenxin and Su Ze couldn’t help but exclaim.

Zhou Wenshan nodded. "Professor Liou, you should know that after breaking through to the Saint-level and completing the seventh evolution, one reaches the level of a ’god.’ The seventh evolution is the watershed between mortal and god, an extremely difficult barrier to cross. But because Bloodline Crystals contain a Divine Skill Prototype, they are believed to hold the secret to achieving godhood."

Su Ze was shaken. ’So, above the Saint-level is...’god’!’

’What is a god? Is the God of Evolution worshiped by the Evolution Divine Teachings a true god? Does the Divine Grace of Evolution hold the secret to godhood? Why is my Evolution Divine Grace Skill different from what Zhou Wenshan described? Why was I able to master a Divine Skill Prototype at the Mortal grade? Did the Divine Grace of Evolution really come from a Bloodline Crystal?’

Su Ze had no doubt that his Divine Grace of Evolution was a Divine Skill Prototype, but he felt it didn’t quite match Zhou Wenshan’s description.

’There was another, more important point. Can a Divine Skill Prototype be cloned? If so, wouldn’t Divine Skill Prototypes be a dime a dozen? Why would the Filth Earth Organization be so concerned about it?’

Countless questions surfaced in Su Ze’s mind, but none had an answer.

It seemed that after learning a little about Bloodline Crystals, he only had more questions.

Liou Wenxin was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Do you believe the theory that Bloodline Crystals hold the secret to godhood?"

"I do!" Zhou Wenshan replied with great earnestness. "Because the origin of Bloodline Crystals is very special. They come from a place we can neither explain nor comprehend. It is the work of a god."

Su Ze suppressed the questions in his heart, his attention once again captured by Zhou Wenshan’s words.

’That’s right. Bloodline Crystals aren’t extracts from beasts, and they contain Divine Skill Prototypes. So where do they come from?’

Meeting their curious gazes, Zhou Wenshan explained, "As far as I know, every Bloodline Crystal on Blue Star comes from one place: the ’Divine Dice’!"

Su Ze and Liou Wenxin exchanged a look of bewilderment. Clearly, neither had ever heard of the "Divine Dice."

Zhou Wenshan looked wistful. "It’s a miracle, the kind of creation only a god could achieve. The Divine Dice appeared on Blue Star more than three hundred years after the Era of Evolution began. No one knows where it came from. From the outside, it looks like a giant die, but inside is a constantly changing space.

"The Divine Dice is normally completely sealed, and no one can enter. It opens once every five years, but entry is limited. Only the most talented group of Butterfly Stage evolvers on the Lin Hua Continent can secure a spot to enter.

"Inside the Divine Dice, they undergo trials set by a god. People die in every round, but some also receive divine rewards. The one who survives until the very end might receive a Bloodline Crystal as a prize.

"But it’s only a possibility. Usually, only a prodigy who dazzles an entire generation can earn a Bloodline Crystal. Of course, it’s not out of the question that some people obtained one but chose to keep it a secret."

Su Ze’s face was expressionless, but his mind was anything but calm. He was trying to process the information in Zhou Wenshan’s words. The talk of divine trials and rewards felt a bit fantastical.

He asked, "Who do you know of that has received a Bloodline Crystal as a reward?"

Zhou Wenshan tilted his head up slightly, stroking his beard as if in thought. "In the last thirty years, I only know of one person: the King of Mu!"

Su Ze’s heart skipped a beat.

The King of Mu!

’That’s right. Mr. Zhou said that Bloodline Crystals can only be obtained from the Divine Dice. In that case, the Bloodline Crystal Princess Zhuzhi absorbed must have come from the King of Mu.’

’But that still doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t the King of Mu absorb the Bloodline Crystal himself? And why was Princess Zhuzhi, with such a low evolution level, able to absorb it?’

’Was the Bloodline Crystal the King of Mu obtained special in some way?’

"Was the King of Mu very strong when he was young?" Su Ze asked.

Zhou Wenshan nodded. "Extremely strong! Among his peers on the entire Lin Hua Continent, he was the undisputed number one. It’s no exaggeration to say he dazzled a generation.

"Back then, he came out on top in the Divine Dice and received a divine reward. Less than a year after emerging, he completed his fourth evolution and ascended to become a Saint-level Overlord. His glory was unparalleled at the time.

"Among that generation, he was widely considered the most likely to complete the fifth evolution and become a Supreme. But now, more than twenty years have passed, and he’s still languishing at the Overlord stage, which has surprised many."

Su Ze hadn’t expected Zhou Wenshan to have such a high opinion of the King of Mu, nor that the king had been so brilliant in his youth.

This made him regard the King of Mu with even more gravity and caution.

For a genius who was once so dazzling to retract all his brilliance and sharpness, becoming gloomy and forbearing, there had to be a reason.

’What is the King of Mu thinking? What is he plotting?’

Su Ze couldn’t understand him, couldn’t see through him.

But he had a gut feeling that he was already involved, that he had likely already fallen into the trap.

’Before I reach the Saint-level, I will absolutely not set foot in the Mu Country. It would be best not to go even after I reach Saint-level. I have a feeling a huge pit is waiting for me there...’ Su Ze decided privately.

This was all Zhou Wenshan knew about Bloodline Crystals, so he said no more.

Su Ze, however, had become interested in the Divine Dice Zhou Wenshan mentioned and asked a few more questions.

Zhou Wenshan shook his head. "I transitioned from a research-type evolver to a psychic-type. Back in my Butterfly Stage, my combat power hadn’t fully developed, so I never had a chance to enter the Divine Dice. As a result, I don’t know what it’s like inside.

"If you’re interested, you could ask Mr. Gu. He went inside when he was young. Though, he probably knows a limited amount too, since he was eliminated in the third round, HAHA..."

Zhou Wenshan laughed heartily.

After laughing for a while, he suddenly remembered something. "You haven’t absorbed that ’Deep Sea Electric Eel Extract’ from the freshman assessment reward yet, have you?"

"Not yet." Su Ze hadn’t even started digesting the Gravity Demon Extract.

Zhou Wenshan said, "In that case, when you have time, take a trip to the Lihai Navy Base and meet General Ning Yushen. She has something to discuss with you."

"General Ning Yushen?" Su Ze had heard of her. He knew she was Dongli’s only female Overlord and the supreme commander of the Dongli Navy, responsible for defending Lihai City against the invasion of Marine Beasts.

"General Ning wants to see me? Mr. Zhou, do you know why?" Su Ze was puzzled. He didn’t know Ning Yushen, so why would she be looking for him?

He could only try to probe Zhou Wenshan for information.

Zhou Wenshan said mysteriously, "It’s a good thing!"

"Could you tell me a bit more? If it’s urgent, I’ll head over right away. If not, I can wait a couple of days."

"I told you it’s a good thing. Just go." Zhou Wenshan was still unwilling to say more.

But in the end, he couldn’t resist Su Ze’s pestering and finally relented.

"General Ning wants to see you for two reasons. First, it’s about the Deep Sea Electric Eel Extract you have. She wants to trade a higher-quality Tier-3 extract for it. It’s up to you whether you want to make the trade or not."

"A Tier-3 extract of higher quality than the Deep Sea Electric Eel Extract? The Deep Sea Electric Eel Extract is already S-rank. For something to be higher quality, wouldn’t it have to be an S+-rank extract, like those from the Mutated Giant Crocodile or Mutated Upright Ape?" Su Ze’s interest was immediately piqued.

He actually looked down on the Deep Sea Electric Eel Extract a bit. If there was a better option, of course he wouldn’t let it pass.

"And the second thing?" Su Ze pressed.

"The second thing..." A playful smile appeared on Zhou Wenshan’s face. "General Ning wants to meet you."

"Meet me?" Su Ze was a little baffled.

’Have I underestimated my own charm? Even a Saint-level female Overlord is drawn to me.’

Zhou Wenshan said, "If General Ning weren’t tied down defending Lihai, she would have planned to come to the university to meet you in person."

"Just tell me straight, why exactly does General Ning want to see me?" The more Su Ze listened, the more he felt something was off.

Zhou Wenshan chuckled. "General Ning has a granddaughter who’s of marriageable age. The general has been keeping an eye out for potential husbands for her. It seems she’s taken a liking to you and wants you to go meet her."

Su Ze was stunned. He never expected such an answer. So, he was being sent on a blind date!

’This is so fucking ridiculous! I’m not even eighteen yet. Am I already at the age for blind dates?’

Seeing Su Ze’s shocked expression, Liou Wenxin couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh. "Mr. Zhou, Su Ze isn’t even an adult yet. Isn’t this a little too soon?"