I can see experience bars after being transported to another world.

These remnant souls, who have spent hundreds or thousands of years in the underground corridor, are undoubtedly the best candidates.

But then again, I have to be careful. After all, these people who have lived for so long shouldn't be able to possess someone else's body, right?

Lu Yuan thought for a moment and then said, "Can this thing really take you out? If so, I'd be willing. But I need some guidance, specifically regarding the Sea of ​​Knowledge and some guidance for our advanced studies as learned scholars."

Lu Yuan stated his conditions. Auden hurriedly nodded repeatedly in the air, the white mist forming a somewhat comical shape.

"These are minor matters, and you don't need to worry about us taking over your consciousness."

"We are connected to the Tower of Scholars. As long as you live, the rules of the Tower of Scholars will continue to nourish our remnant souls. But if you are killed by a powerful figure outside, our lineage of forbidden studies will be severed, and we may perish along with you."

"If you look at other knowledge temples outside, you should be able to see that their temples seem to be constantly growing and expanding, but the price they pay is that they can no longer maintain their original purity."

"As for our lineage of forbidden scholars, the temple of knowledge has already collapsed beyond recognition. If no new forbidden scholars are born in another hundred years, our lineage will be completely wiped out. So you can rest assured that we would never harm you, because helping you is equivalent to helping ourselves prolong our lives."

The other three wisps of white mist formed a circle in mid-air and began to discuss in hushed tones.

"Oden used to study the Sea of ​​Knowledge, so it's best to let him go first. He can use the Drowning Ones and modify their bodies, which will make it easier for us to go out later. At the same time, he can also help this kid disguise himself in reality and avoid those prying eyes from above."

After a brief discussion, the wisp of female mist drifted out.

"Alright, you old man, you can have it easy this time. Don't forget to let us go next time."

Oden let out a strange laugh, and his misty body trembled violently in the air.

"Don't worry, I'll go to the real world first and see for you what the world has become."

Then, Oden led Lu Yuan and said, "Alright, you have now passed our test."

Lu Yuan was slightly taken aback. "What? You think chatting with you bunch of remnant souls counts as an assessment?"

Auden seemed to sense Lu Yuan's confusion and nodded slightly, saying, "We are one of the more powerful old guys in the Forbidden Studies lineage. We are placed here to guide the scholars and Forbidden Studies who will later reach the third tier."

"Of course, during this time, we also need to probe his aura to see if it's pure or something. Otherwise, our entire lineage of forbidden studies would have been wiped out long ago. Now, you've passed our test."

Lu Yuan's vision went black. Was it because I could take you out? But he didn't say those words out loud.

Oden ignored Lu Yuan's expression and floated ahead, gesturing for Lu Yuan to follow him. Lu Yuan followed, and together they arrived at the metal door at the end of the corridor.

As Auden approached, the concentric circles carved on the bronze door slowly began to rotate, emitting a faint gray glow.

"Place your hand on it," Auden commanded. "As long as the door opens even a crack, our forbidden temple of knowledge will recognize your scholarly status and grant you exclusive pathways and abilities."

Lu Yuan stepped forward and placed his hands firmly on the cold metal door.

"So, Auden, are all of us scholars different in terms of ability?" Lu Yuan asked with some doubt.

Auden nodded: "Yes. Our first and second-tier forbidden abilities are almost identical, but once we reach the third tier, the temple will guide us to acquire unique abilities based on the forbidden and bizarre things we encounter during this period."

"Of course, our abilities are many times stronger than those of other third-tier knowledge transcendents of the same level. You could say that our forbidden science is among the strongest of all knowledge transcendents. Alright, focus."

Auden suddenly spoke, pulling Lu Yuan back from his wandering thoughts. The next moment, the bronze door emitted a humming sound.

The moment Lu Yuan exerted his strength, his reason also broke free, and a large amount of reason rushed into the door through his palm.

His rationality crumbled at an alarming rate, almost like a dam breaking. In an instant, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over him, his legs began to weaken, and his vision gradually blurred.

The gate, constructed of an unknown structure, began to twist and turn, its inscriptions swaying incessantly, somewhat resembling some kind of seaweed.

He could feel his rationality being drained away, but no gray text popped up to warn him.

Lu Yuan gritted his teeth, concentrated all his strength in his arms, and then slammed his body forward with all his might.

Click click click.

The heavy metal door made a screeching sound before finally, very slowly, pushing open a gap the size of a fist.

"It's done!"

Oden was overjoyed at the sight. His misty body transformed into a blinding white light and shot straight into Lu Yuan's left leg.

From the crack in the door, an indescribable, intense gray-white light spilled out.

When Lu Yuan's gaze fell upon that light, the barriers of knowledge in his mind collapsed with a crash, as if his consciousness had been forcibly ripped away.

The next moment, countless complex characters appeared before Lu Yuan's eyes. The characters swirled in the air, flowing into his body one after another.

This time, however, he was no longer just in that narrow rift in the sea of ​​knowledge, but rather as if he were suspended in the depths of a boundless ocean.

In this vast sea, buildings can be vaguely seen suspended high in the sky.

Beneath the sea, countless indescribable strange things are submerged, with countless words flying and swimming among them, and colorful light constantly flowing out of the sea, surging into the sky, and then slowly falling down.

Lu Yuan remained suspended in the middle, feeling his body being covered layer by layer by those words.

At that moment, the power that was already connected to his body seemed to undergo some kind of change, and the connection between him and the power suddenly became much stronger.

Previously, power was only related to Lu Yuan; but now, it seems that Lu Yuan can completely control it.

Deeper within the sea of ​​knowledge, several figures hovered above the ocean, silently gazing down at Lu Yuan.

Two of the figures uttered "No," but after a slight tremor, the authority did not leave Lu Yuan and remained quietly suspended beside him.

Two other figures remained silent, each letting out a sigh before disappearing into the depths of the sea.

Only the largest figure shook its head and finally gave the answer "yes".

The next moment, as if under some command, the entire sea of ​​knowledge began to tilt and converge towards Lu Yuan's body.

permit.

Before he completely lost consciousness, a grand and ancient sigh faintly echoed from the depths of the gate. Then, Lu Yuan's consciousness was completely plunged into boundless darkness.

When Lu Yuan opened his eyes again, the sounds of wind and thunder instantly filled his ears. Before his eyes, a large expanse of gray-white text appeared in unison.

[Advanced level complete.]

[Unlock New Tier: Forbidden Studies - Scholar: 0/5 (Forbidden)]

[Only those who dare to explore taboos and survive can advance further. May you continue onward, and may you be bestowed the title of "Scholar."]

Lu Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Before he could read it carefully, the next two lines of text appeared.

[Gain exclusive skill - Knowledge Immunity: Those of the same level as you will be immune to any knowledge you can comprehend; they will either see through your knowledge or be swallowed up by its vastness. Effective only against those with extraordinary knowledge pathways.]

[Gain exclusive skill - Sea of ​​Knowledge: You can open the Sea of ​​Knowledge and drag your target into it; if you know its true name, you can also extract a portion of its power and make it your own.]

Following this, a series of experiences that had been delayed in being settled also surged up at this moment.

[Rationality IV: +50...86/140]

[Defense II: +22...30/50]

[Advanced - Mysterious Inscription: +13...39.5/50]

【Mysterious Alchemy: +15...18/50】

[Advanced Healing: +14...17.8/50]

[Pharmaceutical Science: +3...3/50]

[Ancient Music Theory: +11...17/50]

[Imperial Language: +4...299/1000]

[Current Status of Bronze City: +3...48.2/51]

[Rationality Barrier: +2...3/3]

The aura surrounding Lu Yuan surged, his long-depleted rationality being completely replenished in that instant. The air around the Tower of Learning was distorted and deformed by this newly born extraordinary power.

At that moment, Oden, who had been lurking deep in his left leg, slowly opened his eyes.

He used a technique exclusive to forbidden scholars, and in just a few bites, he swallowed up the remaining chaotic consciousness of the drowning man, completely taking over the body.

"How wonderful! This living, breathing flesh, this real power!"

Auden sighed with ecstasy as he leaned on Lu Yuan's left leg.

However, before he could even process his excitement, a terrifying pressure that sent shivers down his spine crashed down from the sky above.

"This...this smell?"

Oden was startled and hurriedly looked out the window following the gaze of the drowning man. The moment he saw the scene outside, his entire spiritual body was so frightened that he shrank into a ball.

Where the two merged, black and white light spread outwards, even causing tiny cracks to appear in the surrounding void—no, it was a domain that was being torn apart.

"Has the forbidden zone reopened?"

The terrifying flesh and blood instantly locked onto Lu Yuan, who had already completed his advancement.

Before Oden could even mount any defensive measures, his remnant soul was instantly knocked unconscious by this massive forbidden power.

"Good heavens, I should have known better than to come out!"

Before his consciousness faded into darkness, only this desperate lament remained in his mind.

At that moment, the Crown of Kings in mid-air and the starry flesh below completely merged into one.