In the evening, after completing two hours of customary cultivation, Li Xiangdong picked up a vial of Intermediate Gene Evolution Fluid that he had prepared beforehand. The bottle looked completely identical to the one containing the primary fluid, except that the liquid inside was a deeper shade of blue.
With practiced ease, Li Xiangdong snapped open the glass tube, carefully poured the entire contents down his throat, and rinsed the tube out a few times with cooled boiled water, swallowing it all to ensure not a single drop went to waste.
Shortly after consuming the fluid, that familiar tingling, aching sensation spread through his muscles and bones once again, though it was far less violent than the first time. However, the heavy, numb sensation in his head was much more pronounced than before.
According to the instructions, while the Intermediate Gene Evolution Fluid did improve overall physical fitness, its primary purpose was to promote the evolution of the brain.
Under normal circumstances, undergoing the transformation brought by the intermediate fluid would cause a qualitative change in brain function, leading to an exponential increase in learning and cognitive abilities.
As he carefully monitored the fluid's effects on his body while envisioning the bright prospects awaiting him once the transformation was complete, Li Xiangdong gradually felt his eyelids grow heavier and heavier, prompting him to simply climb into bed and fall asleep.
In the morning, amid a chorus of crisp and pleasant birdcalls, Li Xiangdong opened his eyes.
As soon as consciousness returned, he instinctively reached up to touch his face. Fortunately, although his skin still felt slightly greasy, it was far better than the thick layer of grime that had accumulated after his first dose. Even so, he could still smell a faint, unpleasant odor coming from his body.
He jumped up quickly, rushed to the bathroom for a shower, and changed into fresh, dry clothes. Taking advantage of the crisp morning air, he immediately sat down to begin his meditative cultivation.
Li Xiangdong discovered that his ability to perform internal observation had improved immensely this time. The moment his intent reached the Baihui acupoint in his brain, he felt his entire mind and spirit suddenly sucked in by an irresistible, ferocious force. In the next instant, he felt as though he had taken a heavy fall, plunging into a bizarre space filled with a soft, gentle light.
Li Xiangdong felt that the surroundings were completely empty; aside from sensing his own existence, he seemed to have lost all control over his body. After wearing an uncertain expression for a good while, he finally understood: this was the "Spiritual Power Space" described in the reference materials. While studying the Intermediate Gene Evolution Fluid beforehand, Li Xiangdong had already learned that taking it would lead to a comprehensive evolution of one's spiritual power, ultimately giving rise to a "Spiritual Power Space" and "Divine Consciousness."
To put it in simpler terms, "Divine Consciousness" could be understood as a person's "sixth sense." An ordinary person's spiritual power is typically quite weak, but taking the intermediate fluid evolves the brain, causing a qualitative shift in spiritual power until it reaches a level where independent perception is born.
Even ordinary people sometimes experience a flash of the sixth sense. Li Xiangdong remembered having such experiences many times during his childhood—for instance, knowing guests had arrived home before he even returned from school, or feeling certain that a particular spot was teeming with fish while angling, only to return with a full catch just as expected.
The so-called "Spiritual Power Space" was not an actual physical space inside the brain, but rather a mystical realm spontaneously carved out by consciousness to house one's Divine Consciousness. This space was quite similar to the "Divine Consciousness Sea" found in legends of immortal cultivation. The Spiritual Power Space could extend outward, and this outward-extending portion was precisely the "Divine Consciousness."
Normally, a person's consciousness perceives the surrounding scenery and various changes through the "five senses"—external organs such as eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and hands interacting with the outside world, which then transmit signals to the central nervous system to generate awareness. This is a passive form of identifying things.
Once the Spiritual Power Space is formed, however, a person's consciousness shifts from passive to active. Even with eyes closed and nose and ears blocked, one can directly see and perceive things through Divine Consciousness. Naturally, the size of the Spiritual Power Space and the range of perception vary depending on one's level of cultivation.
Li Xiangdong could clearly sense that the range of his Spiritual Power Space was exceptionally vast. The Divine Consciousness within it was formless and intangible, yet he could feel that it was an inseparable part of his body, functioning just like his own eyes—opening them allowed him to see the outside world. However, this perception was far broader than the "field of view" provided by physical eyes: front, back, left, right, up, and down, everything within a spherical radius centered on himself could be perceived, and this range of perception could be expanded or retracted freely at will.
Carefully and slowly, Li Xiangdong projected his Divine Consciousness outward, using himself as the center and controlling it to stretch further and further until it reached a limit of about four thousand meters.
Under the shroud of his Divine Consciousness, the world seemed to have taken on a completely different appearance. First, Li Xiangdong noticed that the colors of the environment surrounding the village seemed much richer; even the air appeared to display a kaleidoscope of hues, not only more vivid than what he previously saw with his naked eyes, but seemingly comprising a far greater variety of colors.
Within a spherical radius of four thousand meters with himself at the center, nothing could escape detection. Housewives in the village were rising to prepare breakfast, the fires in the earthen stoves burning brightly; domesticated chicks and puppies were wandering about foraging for food; a gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves across the hills; fish darted back and forth at the bottom of the water; ants searched for provisions beneath tree roots; earthworms moved sluggishly through the soil... Even the conditions on the second and first floors beneath his feet, as well as the subterranean depths beneath the houses, could be felt with absolute clarity.
In the Earth Star's terminology, Divine Consciousness was generally referred to as spiritual power or mental force. Li Xiangdong knew from his study materials that once a person's brain regions evolve to a certain stage, their spiritual power is strengthened, greatly enhancing their perception and sensitivity to things, and even allowing them to directly exert influence on physical matter—such as altering the placement or velocity of objects.
Although Li Xiangdong had mentally prepared himself for the projection of Divine Consciousness, only when experiencing it firsthand did he realize just how breathtaking and unparalleled the sensation truly was. Judging by his own genuine feelings right now, he no longer felt like a mere human, but rather like a legendary deity.
Enveloped by his Divine Consciousness, Li Xiangdong also discovered many substances that were normally completely invisible to the naked eye. Various gas molecules floated in the air, and with a conscious focus, he could easily distinguish their different molecular and atomic structures. Among the myriad molecules and atoms, Li Xiangdong specifically singled one out and finally found the Dark Energy described in the materials. Dark Energy was everywhere, much like sunlight in the air. No, it was distributed even more extensively than sunlight, present everywhere in the air, underground, and even inside wood and stones. Trying out his cultivation technique, Li Xiangdong found he could draw Dark Energy directly into his body to be refined as nourishment for his physical form.