Chapter 19: The Role of Upgrade Points

“In fact, Host, you can also unlock your bloodline inheritance. After all, your distant ancestor was a Pakicetus from the Triassic period.”

“If you unlock the inherited memories, you’ll possess the memories of your ancestors—both land and sea, a dual inheritance.”

The system’s words made Lin Qiu’s eyes light up.

“How do I unlock the bloodline inheritance?” Lin Qiu asked anxiously.

He was eager to know just how wondrous this so-called bloodline inheritance could be.

The system had already explained that this bloodline inheritance was an advanced method, implanted into the bloodline by a higher civilization. This wasn’t some mystical spell but a tangible technological feat.

“Host’s energy is insufficient!”

“I…”

After waiting so long only to hear this, Lin Qiu couldn’t help but curse. Again, it was a matter of insufficient energy—everything came down to not having enough energy.

Frustrated, Lin Qiu asked, “Then how much energy is needed to unlock the bloodline inheritance?”

“Currently, Host’s level is Level Two with thirteen points.”

Hearing this, Lin Qiu felt a little embarrassed and helpless. All thirteen points had been used up on swearing.

The system continued with its usual patience: “To activate the memory inheritance in your bloodline, you need twenty points of power.”

“So, I’m still seven points short?”

“That’s right.”

“If Host reaches twenty points and uses them to unlock the inheritance, those twenty points will be completely reclaimed.”

Lin Qiu was stunned.

So these upgrade points could also be exchanged for abilities.

Curious, he asked, “Tell me, with my current level—Level Two—what can I exchange these upgrade points for?”

Lin Qiu was genuinely interested now. It really was like a game, with exchangeable rewards.

“As a level two aquatic marine beast, you can use upgrade points to exchange for anything you can afford.”

“Anything?”

Lin Qiu was shocked. Just what kind of system was this, to be so powerful?

“That’s right—anything! As long as you have a high enough level and enough upgrade points, you could even reawaken five ice ages.”

“I…”

Now Lin Qiu was truly stunned. To bring back vanished civilizations and creatures—this was the work of a god.

“This is too fantastical, isn’t it?”

Lin Qiu was dazed.

“Host, this is not fantasy, but a technology surpassing civilization itself,” the system replied. “Once a civilization’s technology reaches a certain realm, it can rival the gods. For example, the universe’s number one warrior race—their technology can bring back what’s disappeared. Their technology is the strongest in the universe. They’re nearly immortal! Their individual combat strength can shatter a star, and all of this comes from their technology.”

Lin Qiu was utterly dumbfounded.

Could technology truly achieve such feats? Immortality! The power to destroy a star with a single punch! To him, this was nothing short of a fairy tale.

“Don’t lose heart, Host. As long as you keep leveling up, you too can reach their heights,” the system offered a word of comfort, sensing Lin Qiu’s discouragement.

Lin Qiu’s eyes immediately brightened.

“I can do that too?”

“Yes! Believe in the system. My technology surpasses even that of the number one warrior race!”

Lin Qiu fell silent.

The origins of this system were simply too mysterious. It actually possessed technology beyond the universe’s greatest warrior race. What kind of civilization had produced it? Why did it have such incredible power?

While he was still reeling from this revelation, at the Xu family residence in Wudu, Xu Bancheng made a copy of the photograph in Xu Bing’s hand.

In the Xu family’s council hall, twenty-eight-year-old Xu Bancheng sat at the head of the table. Arrayed around the circular conference table were the elders of the Xu clan, including his grandfather and father.

By rights, with both his father and grandfather present, Xu Bancheng should not be seated at the head. But this was the Xu family.

At the age of twenty-eight, Xu Bancheng had taken over as the family head three years prior. He was the master of the Xu clan. In official settings, even his father and grandfather had to follow his direction.

This was the rule in a great family, and the rule in the Xu family. If you had the ability, you could take this seat; if not, you kept your mouth shut and obeyed.

Leaning back in his chair, Xu Bancheng’s face was expressionless—no one could tell what he was thinking.

Behind him, the projection screen displayed an image of the ocean, showing the corpse of a gigantic seahorse. Even though it was just a photograph, the sight of the seahorse still shocked them.

Xu Bancheng had already told them: this seahorse was over a hundred meters long.

A seahorse over a hundred meters? That was simply inconceivable! Since when could seahorses, of the Syngnathidae family, grow from a few centimeters to such monstrous size? Had it become a spirit?

“Let’s hear your thoughts,” Xu Bancheng said.

The council hall fell silent. Xu Bancheng frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the elders. Even his father and grandfather, when meeting his eyes, could not help but look away.

Xu Bancheng’s shrewdness was unmatched, even by his elders. Otherwise, how could he have taken charge of the Xu family at such a young age? How could he have, with his genius, made the Xu clan the first family in Wudu?

A single glance from Xu Bancheng made everyone uneasy.

“Chief, what do you think?” asked the eldest elder of the council, an old man in his eighties, his hair white and face deeply lined, though his spirit was still robust. This great elder was Xu Bancheng’s grandfather’s own younger brother. In such a setting, even he addressed his junior grandson with formal respect.

In the Xu family, rules were rules. Outside the council hall, he could scold Xu Bancheng for any reason or none at all. But as long as Xu Bancheng sat in the master’s seat, he was the master, and the elders were merely gardeners.

“What about the rest of you?” Xu Bancheng ignored his grand-uncle’s question and turned to the others.

“Family head!” Xu Bancheng’s grandfather frowned and spoke. “Xu Bing said the dolphin brought her a message—that the mutation in the ocean was caused by aliens. Is that believable?”

Xu Bancheng looked at his own grandfather, pausing for a moment before answering, “I am her brother. She wouldn’t dare lie to me.”

With that, the whole council hall went silent. Not just Xu Bing—even these elders had to tread carefully before this younger man.

Xu Bancheng gave them all a kind of pressure, an invisible weight. In his presence, their hearts grew uneasy, as if his eyes could see right through them, leaving no secrets behind.

Perhaps it was their own lack of confidence, but more likely, it was that Xu Bancheng was simply too outstanding, making them feel this way.

As the atmosphere grew heavy once more, Xu Bancheng narrowed his eyes, a hint of dissatisfaction in his heart.