Rebirth!

His body was fully submerged in the Qingyuan River, being pushed along by the current, heading towards an even more desolate downstream.

The icy waters filled his nasal passages and mouth, entering his trachea and choking off Yang Luo's ability to breathe.

The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide was halted.

The level of oxygen in his bloodstream diminished progressively.

His heartbeat raced; blood pressure surged.

His breathing center transitioned from an excited to a suppressed state.

In less than three minutes, Yang Luo would undoubtedly suffocate and perish.

His heart, already near its breaking point, strained even more under this pressure. Tumors near the heart competed for vital nutrients, signaling the onset of death.

But then…

A beam of red light transformed everything.

An energy as scorching as the sun exploded within him.

It was a force beyond Yang Luo's imagination or understanding.

Every nerve, every strand of muscle, every bone in his body tensed up in an instant, like a rock bracing itself against a crashing wave.

"What is… this?"

The force surged through him, eradicating the cancerous cells as swiftly as sunlight melting snow.

His entire body rejuvenated, bolstered by the mysterious energy, revitalizing his life force in an incomprehensibly rapid manner.

Yang Luo recalled the authoritative voice.

Thought of the colossal black hawk.

Remembered that red beam of light.

"It's because of it..."

Realization dawned within him.

However, there was no time to marvel at this revelation.

The power brought forth by the "Blood of Evolution" had now reached his brain. Memories, even those from his early childhood, resurfaced vividly. This was the precursor to cerebral evolution.

Yang Luo closed his eyes.

Unable to breathe, yet he found no need to.

The energy from the "Blood of Evolution" had induced a state of self-sustenance within him, akin to the "Innate" or "Fetal Breath" state mentioned in martial arts novels.

In this fleeting moment, he was utterly at peace, quietly savoring the wonder of life.

...

"The first human subject. The 'Blood of Evolution' has successfully merged with him."

Unbeknownst to Yang Luo, in a place tens of kilometers away from the Qingyuan River, Xi Gu stood in the open field, eyes closed, silently receiving the "connection" emanating from Yang Luo.

The wind gently brushed against him. Beside Xi Gu, a creature named Grey Shadow obediently lowered its head. Xi Gu softly stroked its fur, savoring the historic significance of this moment and the feedback it provided.

Neither beast nor bird.

For the first time, power was bestowed upon a human through the "Blood of Evolution," establishing a "connection" with others.

From a biological standpoint, the genetic gap between Yang Luo and Grey Shadow might be significantly narrower than that between Black Moon and Grey Shadow.

After all, both Yang Luo and Grey Shadow belong to the mammalian order—while one is a carnivore and the other is a primate, Black Moon and Grey Shadow represent birds and mammals, respectively, indicating a divergence at the third tier of classification.

However, the depth of "connection" established from the core of the soul meant that Xi Gu sensed far more details and information from Yang Luo than he did when connecting with Grey Shadow or Black Moon.

"It's because he's a human, isn't it?" Xi Gu pondered.

The key distinction between humans and other animals lies in consciousness.

Recent biological studies, especially those on chimpanzees, have demonstrated their ability to craft and use basic tools—like using stones to crack nuts or twigs to fish out termites. Moreover, trained chimps can even rapidly distinguish numbers, develop basic numerical reflexes, use language within their groups, and play "rock-paper-scissors" with humans.

Yet, as Yang Luo's psyche lay bare before Xi Gu, the latter was still struck with astonishment.

"Even Grey Shadow and Black Moon, with their intelligence equivalent to that of teenagers... Their thought processes are still utterly dwarfed by humans."

The undercurrents and conscious thoughts within Yang Luo's mind streamed into Xi Gu's heart like data streams in a cybernetic world, all through the "connection" established by the Blood of Evolution.

Setting aside his amazement for a moment, memories from Yang Luo played out like a film reel before Xi Gu's eyes.

"So it is... Originally from a village, he got a chance to pursue higher studies because of his hard work. His family went into debt for his education, and he successfully settled down in Qingxia City. But alas, in his zeal for a better life, perhaps by overworking himself, he developed a malignant tumor. Quite unfortunate."

While Xi Gu mused internally, he also kept a close watch on the other's bodily changes, ensuring he had a full grasp of Yang Luo's impending condition post the fusion with the Blood of Evolution.

"Strength at Level 57, Speed 54, Neural Reaction Speed 55... an overall rating of 56. This is the initial state after absorbing the Blood of Evolution, quite similar to Black Moon and Grey Shadow initially.

"However, based on past records, there's a 'rapid growth period' after the Blood of Evolution is absorbed, lasting anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. Let's see how Yang Luo fares then."

Pondering, Xi Gu's face lit up with an intrigued smile.

"Now that the first human test subject has been introduced, it's time for the supernatural powers to officially enter the human world. Merely introducing the name 'Blood of Evolution' seems rather cheap and lacking depth. Starting with Yang Luo... Let's usher in an era that feels as old as time, a 'Superhuman Age' from ancient legends!"

The exciting times were about to begin.

...

Power surged, burning as hot as the sun.

Memories converged, with the past and present echoing simultaneously.

Yang Luo remembered the floral fragrances from his childhood, the pain from his youth, and events long forgotten now vividly replaying in his mind.

A sign of evolution.

The precursor to the supernatural.

His eyes shut, neither joy nor sorrow in his heart. His body sank lower into the Qingyuan River, surrounded by a few fish swimming around him.

In that instant, his eyes flung open.

Every part of his body exerted force simultaneously, his heart pumping with the might of a hundred-thousand-ton power pump.

"Ha!"

As if to counteract the river's pressure, Yang Luo's body trembled and soared from the riverbed!

Amidst the splashing waves, the fish were propelled skyward only to plummet back into the water.

With a single step, he rose from the water, returning to the world of the living.

Had anyone been around, they would have witnessed the awe-inspiring display of his newfound power. By now, at least a dozen phones would be livestreaming him.

Standing drenched on the riverbank, Yang Luo clenched his fists in a daze.

"This power..."