He knew this was just a physiological instinct after suddenly acquiring immense power. His body was still a long way from being truly omnipotent.

However, the fact that a being of his caliber could even have such an illusion was proof enough of the new ability’s power.

Just as the Arhat Golden Body was a massive enhancement to one’s physical state, the effect of this new ability was also a massive enhancement to his Physical Strength.

SWOOSH!!

He lightly pushed off with the soles of his feet. In an instant, his body erupted with terrifying power, leaving an afterimage in the air. To an ordinary person, it would have looked like a silvery-white streak of starlight flashing before their eyes.

’Such explosive power, but...’

Zhou Yuanjue came to a stop, frowning slightly.

He could feel that a single burst in this new state consumed three to four times the stamina it used to.

This was a terrifying rate of consumption.

Whether it was the cellular resonance or the changes in the magnetic field’s properties, both were forms of short-term stimulation. His body’s cells had to adjust accordingly, causing a massive increase in energy consumption.

Ultimately, for now, this new ability was just like his others—a state-based power. After all, only a single cell in his entire body had been fully modified. Logically, that should be far from enough to manifest its current state.

Activating the state instantly consumed nearly a fifth of his stamina. Any subsequent burst would then consume three to four times the usual amount. And his stamina reserves were the key to his Recovery Ability...

The problem of insufficient stamina seemed to be getting more and more severe. Zhou Yuanjue wasn’t even sure if he could fight for more than fifteen minutes while maintaining this state.

However, this problem was not without a solution.

As more and more cells were modified, he would no longer need to expend so much stamina to activate the ability. The cells themselves would be fundamentally enhanced, and his stamina reserves would grow stronger as a result. This was a fundamental enhancement of his body.

But while modifying the initial cell was a major hurdle, overcoming it only meant he had started on the path. To modify nearly every cell in his body like Boku had would require a long and painstaking effort.

Boku had been in seclusion for many years and had overcome that hurdle long ago, but it still took him nearly five years to initially achieve the Arhat Body.

Fortunately, the special magnetic field structure within Zhou Yuanjue’s initial cell had a strong assimilating resonance. Using it as a foundation could speed up the process considerably, but Zhou Yuanjue couldn’t be sure exactly how long it would take.

HUFF!

He slowly exhaled and began to deactivate his ability.

The light within the cells throughout his body began to fade, and his skin returned to its normal color.

He pondered for a moment. Next, he needed to test how long he could maintain this ability at full stamina.

He also needed to specifically test how much his body’s durability had increased while in this state.

This test would probably require some unconventional methods.

’Right, and the name for this new ability.’

’Although this ability is very similar to the Arhat Body, its essence is the microscopic modification of my cells. So, I’ll tentatively name this technique "Star Cells."’

Zhou Yuanjue casually gave the ability a name. To him, its effects were what mattered, not its title.

「 」

「 」

Shangjing Prefecture, Northern Suburb Military District.

Special Unit, Designation "796."

The predecessor of this unit was once Donghua’s ace army unit, nicknamed the "Lion" Division. It had distinguished itself with numerous achievements during the turmoil decades ago, earning a formidable reputation.

Later, with the arrival of peacetime, the unit was transferred to Shangjing, its designation changed, and it became a special force tasked with protecting Donghua’s most vital region. They were equipped with Donghua’s most advanced weaponry and staffed by the Donghua Military Department’s strongest elites. Having won outstanding results in numerous international military competitions, they were the standard by which the rest of the army was measured.

Joining this unit was the dream of every career soldier in Donghua and the highest honor they could achieve.

And now, at the Northern Suburb Military District, within Unit 796’s tank division, was the ace team.

The four members of this team worked in perfect sync. Their skills were exquisite, and they had won honors in many international competitions. They were the very model of what tankers should be.

Today, the team’s commander, Ren Junhui, received a mission. They were to drive their tank to the training grounds to assist the Secret Inspection Bureau with some testing.

WHIRRRRRRR!

Amidst the deafening noise, the four men drove the tank slowly toward the target area.

"Commander! What the hell is this mission?!! How come it’s just our crew going?!"

The team’s gunner, Song Jianhe, yelled, his voice booming.

Can’t be helped. You develop a habit like that after spending enough time in a tank.

"Yeah! Commander! It says we’re assisting the Secret Inspection Bureau?! Is that the same Secret Inspection Bureau that’s been in the spotlight so much lately?! I heard their work is related to Celestial Demons. They’re not gonna make us fight a Celestial Demon, are they?!"

The burly loader, Kong Yunxiang, asked with equal curiosity.

"Don’t be ridiculous. Aren’t Celestial Demons supposed to be incorporeal? A tank can’t hit something like that!"

The tank driver, Zeng Deguang, refuted.

"Alright, enough speculation. We’ll find out when we get there. But this mission can’t be simple. You should know, command ordered us to bring live rounds, not training shells. And they’re the newest model of Armor Piercing Bullet, too."

Ren Junhui shook his head, indicating he didn’t know the specific details of the mission either, but he admitted he was also very curious.

"Too bad Celestial Demons are incorporeal. If they were solid, one Armor Piercing Bullet would be enough. What kind of Celestial Demon could survive that?"

Song Jianhe said with regret.

Seeing that Ren Junhui didn’t know either, the others stopped asking and started chatting idly about everything under the sun.

The international situation had changed drastically over the past two months. Even from Unit "796," many elites had been dispatched to various parts of the country, and even abroad, for missions. The men in Ren Junhui’s team were discussing whether they might be deployed as well.

Soldiers who had reached their level naturally craved the chance to achieve glory abroad.

As they chatted, the topic shifted to the Secret Inspection Bureau and Martial Artists. As military men, they had naturally undergone similar training, but as soldiers who spent their lives around heavy weaponry, they found it hard to believe that human power could surpass these weapons.

The tank drove on slowly, gradually entering the training grounds. It was a test-firing range, a flat expanse of land. When the wind blew, it kicked up clouds of dust.

And Commander Ren Junhui, looking through the periscope, saw a group of people standing on the range, waiting for them.