I studied the golden burial shroud for a while, and became very curious about the thing it had seized from Whitehair’s body.

My consciousness was inseparably linked with the golden burial shroud, so even though this thing was inside the shroud, it still exerted an extremely strong influence on me.

It wasn’t a tangible existence—probably something akin to a “soul,” “qi,” “energy,” or “magic power”—an intangible, formless thing possessing qualities that defied physical common sense.

It continuously emitted a strange fluctuation, all of which was absorbed by the golden burial shroud. The shroud, having absorbed these fluctuations, was “growing” in a way I couldn’t comprehend.

Because my consciousness was fused with the golden burial shroud, I could clearly sense this process of growth. Even my own consciousness was constantly strengthening, sharing in all the benefits brought by the fluctuations emitted from the thing the shroud was devouring.

A question arose in my mind, and I wondered to myself, “Could it be that the reason Whitehair was so powerful wasn’t because he had cultivated some super technique, but because of this thing?”

I observed for quite a while and discovered that as this thing emitted its fluctuations, it was also steadily shrinking. In at most a few dozen minutes, it would completely dissipate. There was no time to hesitate. I gritted my teeth and made a decisive choice: “If this thing can increase my strength, what’s the harm in taking a risk? At worst, I’ll just die… If I can fully master the power of this thing, even if I still can’t match the likes of the instructor, at least I’ll be closer to avenging my parents.” Something that could enhance my strength absolutely couldn’t be left for the golden burial shroud to devour—it had to be used on myself.

With a slight movement of my consciousness, the golden burial shroud spat the thing out. It traveled up my arm, and when it reached my brow, it exploded violently.

A force like an electric shock surged from my brow and instantly coursed through every corner of my body.

For a split second, I almost thought my head had exploded, but then I realized the entire world had suddenly become different—everything was layered and vivid, fresh and captivating.

It was as if my entire soul had broken free from the constraints of the flesh and entered a whole new realm.

The first layer of the world is the one people perceive with their eyes, ears, and sense of touch.

This layer is real and true, but when people perceive the world, they often overlook many details. The senses frequently deceive the brain, leading to all sorts of misconceptions, so everyone’s understanding of the world is, to a considerable extent, flawed.

The second layer of the world is a bizarre realm composed of countless energies, electromagnetic waves, light waves, sound waves, and various rhythms of life. Occasionally, some particularly sensitive people can perceive this layer, but I was never one of them.

Now, this layer unfolded before my eyes, clearer than ever before. Suddenly, I had an epiphany—so this is what the world is really like! So many details had been ignored for so long.

The third layer of the world seemed to involve some higher, mysterious level—space and time shifting, elusive and unfathomable.

I only sensed it briefly before being forcibly thrown back to my original state. As for whether there were even higher levels, that was beyond my knowledge…

This wondrous feeling lasted only a moment, but I truly felt a change—a kind of elevation of my very being, a deep transformation of my soul.

The thing that Whitehair possessed held mysterious power, and even its original owner hadn’t fully uncovered its secrets. Without the golden burial shroud, this thing would have dissipated on its own after Whitehair’s death, never to be obtained by anyone. That I was able to acquire it could only be called “luck.”

“This is… this must be the legendary opening of the third eye, the sixth sense, out-of-body experience, or unity of man and nature, right? What an amazing feeling.”

Chapter Twelve: Mind Over Matter

I steadied myself a little, and relying on my previous experience, once again entered this wondrous, layered world.

This time, I didn’t dare touch the world beyond the third layer. I abandoned my physical senses—sight, hearing, touch—and let my consciousness roam freely. Although I could only perceive the second layer, the world reflected in my mind was already incredibly rich and colorful.

Every originally cold, lifeless object in the room became lively and animated, brimming with countless details. These inanimate things were not silent or still; they constantly absorbed and emitted all kinds of electromagnetic energy, light, heat, and even other energies I couldn’t name, radiating dazzling halos.

In this state, the most astonishing object was my own body.

I could “see” every structure of my body, and even more, I could “see” that my body was filled with all sorts of mysteries and wonders. I could also “see” the accumulation of filth and dead cells produced by metabolism, as well as some extremely subtle cellular mutations, bacteria, viruses, and countless tiny injuries.

I had always thought my body was healthy enough, but now I realized it was riddled with hidden dangers. Various diseases and internal impurities could take my life at any moment.