Chapter 19: Gods and Demons
Today was Monday, and Ling Xiao drove to California State University—no, to be precise, California State University, Los Angeles.
California State University, Los Angeles, abbreviated as UCLA, is located in Westwood, Los Angeles. It is a university that consistently Ranks among the top fifteen in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and is also highly ranked in the United States.
However, relatively speaking, the tuition fees here are surprisingly high; without at least one hundred thousand US dollars, you shouldn't even think about graduating.
Ling Xiao was not like Gan Jing, who was already pursuing her doctorate, which meant her time was much more flexible.
Ling Xiao's class today was Professor Gao Bo's Genetic Engineering in the Department of Molecular Biology, a course he didn't want to miss, especially since he planned to apply for Professor Gao Bo's master's program in the future, as the professor's laboratory was one of the best in all of California.
Driving along the famous 101 highway, Ling Xiao headed towards UCLA. His College of Letters and Science was the largest college in the entire university, with the most students.
However, the Department of Medicine within the Division of Life Sciences was relatively weaker, far less renowned than the adjacent Department of Psychology, which ranked second in the humanities and social sciences nationwide, with its clinical psychology program ranked first and its behavioral neuroscience System ranked first in the US.
Ling Xiao appeared to be driving leisurely, but his mind was elsewhere.
Although a Realm Breakthrough was something Ling Xiao had long anticipated, waking up suddenly after a night to find his cultivation had broken through was not a particularly joyful event for him; in fact, it made him somewhat angry.
As a Cultivator, the demand for self-control far exceeds that of other practitioners, and such an uncontrollable event was particularly unsettling, even for the god and demon list, which Ling Xiao had initially refined.
Fortunately, Ling Xiao had envisioned this Realm Breakthrough countless times in his mind, which prevented any mishaps. One must know that the path of cultivation is extraordinary; a single misstep can lead to a world of difference. Only after thoroughly checking all the Meridians and the flow of True Qi throughout his body did Ling Xiao finally let out a sigh of relief.
Next came the good news: since his cultivation had broken through to the Fusion Realm, it meant Ling Xiao no longer had to maintain his virginity daily for cultivation. At this Realm, comprehending Yin and Yang was also crucial for aiding a Breakthrough to the Xiantian Realm.
Of course, that wasn't the only good news. What delighted Ling Xiao even more was a message transmitted to him by the god and demon list.
Ling Xiao had always suspected that the god and demon list might be related to the Investiture of the Gods, but this was merely his conjecture. However, after receiving this message, Ling Xiao was completely certain of his guess: this god and demon list could actually re-summon Hulk after he died.
Although summoning someone required an immense price, this function was no different from the Investiture of the Gods. Of course, the two were incomparable in their efficacy; after all, those on the Investiture of the Gods were all Heavenly Immortal Realm figures, with over a dozen Grand Unity Golden Immortals at the Peak, and their numbers were as countless as the stars in the sky. How could a fragmented item like the god and demon list compare?
Regardless of the relationship between the god and demon list and the Investiture of the Gods, the surprises the god and demon list brought to Ling Xiao were not limited to this. No matter how many figures the god and demon list might summon in the future, it had no bearing on Ling Xiao at present. After all, the god and demon list was no ordinary Magic Treasure, and those who could appear on it were certainly not ordinary individuals; they had to be at least on par with Hulk in Rank.
Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, Wasp, Loki, Dark Elves, Ancient One, Apocalypse, and so on. Oh, and don't forget there are also Mutants in this world, like Magneto, Professor Charles, Phoenix Woman, and Wolverine, among others.
Similarly, which of these individuals could Ling Xiao provoke right now? Everything would have to wait until he broke through to the Xiantian Realm.
Currently, Ling Xiao focused his main attention on the message transmitted to him by the god and demon list. Incredibly, through the god and demon list, Ling Xiao could now use some of Hulk's abilities, and although this power was less than one percent of Hulk's own, it was still extremely valuable.
One must know that Hulk possessed superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and durability, growing stronger the angrier he became. At his Peak on Earth, Hulk possessed over a hundred tons of strength, and his entire Physical Body could withstand physical attacks, cold weapons, bullets, and bomb explosions.
Hulk also possessed abnormally developed leg muscles, allowing him to leap and cover great distances, as well as run quickly. He could also create Havok by clapping his hands, which was incredibly powerful. Special substances secreted by glands within Hulk's body could increase lung pressure, allowing him to breathe and move quickly at various depths underwater.
Hulk possessed super regeneration, capable of regenerating even if vital organs were damaged or destroyed. He was also immune to all diseases and poisons and could survive in Agony temperatures. He could even see spirits; had radiation absorption abilities; could shapeshift; possessed extremely high mental control defense; and had planetary-level jumping power.
Especially that last point—this ability was what Ling Xiao was most satisfied with. As a Cultivator, the strength of the Physical Body was certainly important, but the strength of the mind was what they truly pursued. After cultivating and breaking through to the Golden Core Realm, they could even detach from their Physical Body, surviving in this world solely with a Golden Core, and even possessing a hint of immortality.
Of course, this power did not reside within Ling Xiao himself, but rather within the god and demon list. Should Ling Xiao ever need it, this power would descend upon him at any time. Coupled with his Fusion Realm cultivation, at this point, he could be considered to have a certain degree of self-preservation in this world.
Driving into UCLA, Monday morning was bustling with people hurrying to and fro, many with tired expressions, and some even carried the scent of drugs.
The reason America became the world's number one drug dumping ground was primarily due to its massive demand market. No matter how many drug channels the US Narcotics Bureau eliminated, as long as there was demand, an endless supply of drugs would flow in.
This was also why Ling Xiao was unwilling to live on campus. Although he had his own dormitory there, staying at school, especially on weekends, meant countless unavoidable parties, and American college parties were never short on drugs.
Even with Ling Xiao's current cultivation, he dared not let drugs easily touch him. Although he could promptly use his cultivation to expel drugs from his body, it was still inevitable that it would cause some damage to his Physical Body, no matter how minor. Over years, the cumulative impact on his cultivation would be immeasurable.
Ling Xiao parked his car and walked without stopping towards the academic building, finally entering a large lecture hall on the third floor before the class bell rang.
Ling Xiao put down his backpack and greeted a bespectacled Fat Man next to him: "Hey, Jason."
"Hey, Ling." The chubby Jason looked up at Ling Xiao, then suddenly frowned and said to him, "How come I feel like you're a bit different?"
"Am I?" Ling Xiao smiled faintly, revealing his white teeth, and said with a laugh, "Perhaps it's because we haven't seen each other in a few days."
"Oh!" Although Jason was a little puzzled, he still believed Ling Xiao's explanation, smiled, and turned his head to look at the podium.
Professor Gao Bo, with his white hair, was already standing on the podium, ready to start class. Although Ling Xiao was very interested in the course, his gaze fell on the teaching assistant beside him. This young woman, with her alluring figure and beautiful face, was named Nadia Pym.
The name Pym felt somewhat familiar to Ling Xiao the first time he encountered it. A name that felt familiar to him undoubtedly belonged to someone who could leave an impact in the Marvel Universe.
After a brief investigation, Ling Xiao discovered that Nadia Pym's father was none other than the famous Dr. Hank Pym from the Marvel World, a prominent figure in biochemistry, medicine, and mechanical intelligence, and the renowned first-generation Ant-Man.