Chapter 69

"Where is Lin Xue?" He snapped his head up, staring hard at Lin Zhen, "Is she also your test subject?"

"No, she is Lin Yuehua's biological daughter." Lin Zhen's tone actually carried a twisted pride, "But when she was still an embryo, I implanted the Ice Soul Gene. Yuehua later found out and tried to stop me, but... too late."

Zhang Jun suddenly recalled the deleted surveillance footage—a figure in a white lab coat deleting data, that was Lin Yuehua trying to protect her daughter.

"So Lin Yuehua isn't a traitor—she's trying to stop you!"

Lin Zhen nodded, his face expressionless: "She wanted to destroy my life's work, so I had no choice but... to deal with her."

Zhang Jun gripped the Heaven-Man Sword, a fire burning in his chest making his throat dry: "You killed her and framed Old Man Wang!"

"A necessary sacrifice." Lin Zhen's tone was as cold as ice, "For a greater goal."

"Damn goal!" Zhang Jun roared, "You're nothing but a lackey of those things!"

Lin Zhen's expression finally changed, revealing a ruthless streak: "Enough! I gave you life, I can also take it back!"

He thrust his hand forward, a scorching bolt of purple energy shooting from his palm.

Zhang Jun barely twisted aside; the energy grazed his shoulder, slammed into the wall behind him, blasting a charred hole, shrapnel flying.

"You think I'm just a scientist?" Lin Zhen curled his lip, "After twenty years of fusion, I've mastered the use of dimensional energy."

He quickly formed a strange seal with both hands; the metal floor beneath him cracked open, and dozens of purple energy tentacles burst out, coiling toward Zhang Jun like venomous snakes.

Zhang Jun swung his sword; the Heaven-Man Sword touched the purple energy, the blade humming, the dragon patterns glowing brighter.

The tentacles were cut off, but new ones immediately sprouted from the stumps, endlessly.

"Your sword is special." Lin Zhen's voice held a researcher's curiosity, "It can absorb dimensional energy, but unfortunately you can't control it."

Zhang Jun had no time to answer him, fully focused on fending off attacks from all sides. His injured leg severely slowed him down; several slick tentacles lashed around his left arm, a burning pain crawling up his veins.

"Give up, son." Lin Zhen's voice suddenly softened, carrying a strange "warmth," "Join me, become the creator of the new world. My blood flows in you; you are destined to inherit my will."

"I'm not your son, you bastard!" Zhang Jun shouted until his voice almost broke, the Heaven-Man Sword flaring with blinding purple light, shattering the tentacles wrapped around his arm, "I am Zhang Tian Gang's son!"

Lin Zhen shook his head: "Poor child, still clinging to a false identity. Zhang Tian Gang knew the truth all along; he chose to accept you, but that doesn't change the facts."

"Shut up!" Zhang Jun could no longer hold back, roaring as he charged at Lin Zhen, the Heaven-Man Sword carving an angry purple arc.

Lin Zhen remained calm, clasping his hands before his chest; a solid purple energy shield appeared out of thin air, perfectly blocking the sword's edge.

"Clang—!" The deafening roar echoed; where the blade struck the shield, a blinding flash erupted.

"The power of the Primordial Bloodline hasn't fully awakened yet." Lin Zhen snorted contemptuously, "You're still far short."

He thrust his right hand forward, the energy shield erupting with a powerful shockwave.

Zhang Jun had no time to react; his whole body was blown away, his back heavily slamming into the distant metal wall, his throat felt sweet as he spat out a mouthful of blood. The wound burst completely open, blood soaking his combat uniform even more.

"Take a look at yourself." Lin Zhen walked over slowly, his leather shoes making clear "tap-tap" sounds on the floor, "You're covered in wounds, your strength exhausted. Why resist? Accept fate, accept your identity."

Zhang Jun leaned against the wall, struggling to stand up, blood foam continually seeping from the corner of his mouth: "I'd rather die… than become your puppet…"

"A puppet?" Lin Zhen laughed, "You misunderstand. I want you to be my heir, not a puppet. After the purification plan is complete, this world needs a guide. I chose you because you are my most perfect creation."

"Bullshit!" Zhang Jun spat another mouthful of blood foam, "You're nothing but a puppet of those things yourself, and you still want to drag me down?"

Lin Zhen's face darkened completely: "You've let me down too much."

He slammed both hands down!

The gravity of the entire space seemed to increase tenfold in an instant!

Zhang Jun was caught off guard, this invisible force pinning him hard to the ground, his knees painfully slammed, he could only brace the tip of the Heaven-Man Sword against the floor, barely supporting his upper body so he wouldn't fall flat.

"Your last chance." Lin Zhen looked down at him from above, "Join me, or die."

Zhang Jun struggled to lift his head, blood from his forehead streaming down and obscuring his eyes. He strained to look at Lin Xue floating above, still asleep in the culture chamber, those silver patterns having crawled up to her chin.

"I choose…" Zhang Jun's teeth grinding, "... to screw you over!"

He violently drove the Heaven-Man Sword hard into the metal floor beneath his feet!

The dragon-shaped patterns on the sword blade instantly came alive, spreading wildly across the ground, in the blink of an eye tracing out an immensely complex formation diagram.

Purple energy surged up from deep underground, swirling rapidly around Zhang Jun, forming an ever-expanding energy vortex.

Lin Zhen finally changed expression, instinctively stepping back: "This is impossible! How can you…"

Zhang Jun felt something inside him shatter, then ignite. The ice crystal mark on his chest and the Heaven-Man Sword produced a strong resonance, icy blue and dark purple energies wildly intertwining and merging, giving birth to a power never seen before.

The barcode spot on the back of his neck burned hot, as if branded with a hot iron, almost burning through the skin.

"This is…"

"The awakening of the Primordial Bloodline." Lin Zhen's voice mixed with shock and a hint of incredulous delight, "It's happening earlier than I expected."

Zhang Jun slowly rose to his feet, the purple energy vortex lifting him off the ground. An indescribable power filled his limbs, the excruciating pain of his wounds vanished, yet his mind became unusually clear.

"I don't know what I am." Zhang Jun's voice eerily calm, "Human, clone, or whatever damned vessel of the Primordial Bloodline. But I know I'm not your puppet, and I will never be your heir."

He gripped the Heaven-Man Sword tightly again, the dragon-shaped patterns on its blade fully revealed, lifelike, matching the shape of the barcode on the back of his neck exactly.

"I am Zhang Jun, plain and simple."

Lin Zhen's expression turned hideously ferocious: "You ungrateful wretch!"

He also formed the same seal with both hands, a purple energy vortex coiling around his body, but far larger and far more violent than Zhang Jun's.

"Since you've chosen death, then have it your way!"

The two energy vortices violently collided in midair!

Blinding light instantly devoured everything! The entire space shook violently, the thick energy conduits on the walls unable to withstand the pressure, bursting one after another, spewing thick purple liquid like fountains in all directions.