Chapter 200

"So you do remember..."

"I thought someone as important as you would forget things easily, that you'd just forgotten about it..."

Xia Zhi couldn't help but blink, he sized up Miss Suzumiya's expression with slight surprise, discovering the girl propping her chin with one hand, supporting her elbow with the other, head tilted slightly to the side in a thoughtful pose, looking as if she were seriously recalling something.

Perhaps it was because she rarely quieted down, creating a sense of contrast.

One must say, the Team Leader right now had a completely different temperament.

"Huh? When did I ever tell you about this?"

On the surface he remained impassive, instead feigning a surprised look, as if even he didn't remember such an episode.

"Of course you did, although it seems like quite a while ago, I remember you mentioned it twice... hmm, or was it once?"

Haruhi Suzumiya frowned, carefully recalling, but she didn't remember the specific circumstances, only that this matter itself had indeed happened, this person had indeed mentioned it to her, probably during some casual chat when it came up.

So you really did remember, old man...

Xia Zhi pulled at the corner of his mouth, for a moment suddenly not knowing what to say.

【11】 Where exactly was the problem, why was there no feedback? I've been putting so much effort into "acting," plus you as such a high-quality "Spectator," not to mention the endless August Cycle?

Where exactly did things go wrong, and why was there no feedback at all? I was putting so much effort into "playing the role," you were such a high-quality "Spectator," and then there was the endless August Cycle—so what?

But the result was just heartbreaking.

Simply no obvious feedback at all.

His realm had stagnated for many years, the barrier locking his upper limit still showed no sign of loosening, to this day still "Lian Qi Great Perfection," without any sign of catching the Qi mechanism of an imminent breakthrough, finding an opportunity to step into "Foundation Establishment Stage" under heaven-human resonance.

This was truly helpless; in that endlessly looping August, he had originally thought he could achieve his wish, break through a major realm in one go — promote from Black Iron Rank to Bronze Rank — gloriously becoming a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

However, the result is now seen, success was not so easily obtained.

It wasn't even as simple as the progress bar not increasing; rather, no progress bar appeared at all.

— This was even more frustrating.

Xia Zhi suspected a bit whether his hints weren't clear enough, his indirect prodding not forceful enough, so no impression was left on the omnipotent human-form wish-granting machine, causing the other party not to take it to heart or simply not remember, resulting in this situation.

Because when bringing up this topic, he always brushed past it very naturally, as if purely by coincidence the conversation reached this point, so he mentioned it casually.

— And didn't mention it much, only said it those few times when a suitable opportunity arose.

— Scattered across 15,000-plus Cycles, it appeared extremely natural, not deliberate at all.

Mainly because although the Team Leader tended to release her power unconsciously, she wasn't that dull; if he acted too deliberately, it would inevitably arouse her suspicion... this omnipotent wish-granting machine possessed incredible power, yet also all sorts of restrictions.

No one knew what consequences and risks crossing the line would bring —

If one wanted to steadily realize certain wishes, of course it was still best to follow the wish-granting machine's rules.

Only, now it looked like she actually had remembered...

In other words...

He thought rapidly, while his surface still showed no abnormality, merely nodding naturally, feigning realization: "So I did say it, maybe I just had no impression... anyway that's how it is, I really am about to break through Foundation Establishment, about to cross the tribulation."

After a thought, he added: "Should be a matter of these few days."

He decided to still meet all changes with constancy, proceeding according to the routine and talking points just prepared, and to ensure this effort was effective enough, directly limited it to these few days!

To guarantee the upgrade opportunity wouldn't delay again, making him wait bitterly.

He certainly didn't lack patience, but there should be a limit; six hundred years of Qi Refining was already very solid foundation, he believed it was time to advance to the next major realm.

"So Foundation Establishment means crossing the tribulation?" The girl's expression was equally strange, she looked at Xia Zhi's serious face, held back for a good while before continuing softly: "Shouldn't it be that you need to reach some special Tribulation Crossing Stage or something before this happens?"

"Tribulation Crossing Stage?"

Xia Zhi asked with face unchanged: "Where did you read that?"

"..."

"..."

"Uh... just some related novels and such?" The Team Leader's gaze was somewhat evasive, also lacking confidence: "After you mentioned it, I specifically went to learn about it."

She explained somewhat embarrassedly: "But those Daoist scriptures are too complex, completely can't understand, and the explanations all differ."

But this is quite normal.

Probably the desire for longevity has always inspired ancients to research cultivation culture, leaving behind many precious research materials.

So from the Three Sovereigns on, through Spring and Autumn, Pre-Qin, Han and Jin, Tang and Song... ancients never stopped seeking methods to extend individual lifespan and improve individual survival quality, various theoretical guidances emerged endlessly, leading to many versions of related explanations, opinions varied widely.

— Early cultivation thought was rather strange, producing "Corpse Liberation Immortal" such a method of achieving immortality emphasizing death first then shedding...

— After Pre-Qin, brand new theoretical guidance perfected, so-called falsely seeking external objects to strengthen oneself, that is refining Core Pills, medicine immortality...

— And after the Tang Dynasty, once again innovated, updated a brand new version, encouraging doing good and accumulating virtue, accumulating good deeds, believing three thousand good deeds, merit completion, is also a cultivation method...

If in Index's world, it would probably be similar to the magic side's mainstream schools' specific development history, only a unique route belonging to the Celestial Dynasty. In other worlds it's hard to say, very likely merely simple religious thought evolution.

"This definitely can't be used as reference, real methods can't possibly be so easily obtained by ordinary people..."

Xia Zhi said solemnly with a straight face —

"And I'm right in front of you, impossible to say my explanation isn't authoritative, while reference books found online are the truth, right?"

"..."

"..."

"Seems like it..."

The Team Leader thought, subconsciously nodding, this explanation was simple, but indeed very intuitive and forceful.

The genuine article is right before one's eyes, indeed no reason to think materials ordinary people can find are authoritative. If Dao Arts, magic these things weren't secrets at all, real transmission really easily obtained, then the world should be full of Qi Refining practitioners and Magic Users.

However the fact is, Haruhi Suzumiya only discovered him and Itsuki these two people...

Should be two, right?

Oh, seems there's also an Asakura or something?

Probably combining her personal experience and what she'd seen and heard, Haruhi Suzumiya quickly persuaded herself, she asked tentatively with some embarrassment: "So... really no Tribulation Crossing Stage?"

"No, only Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, Return to the Void six stages..." the youth shook his head calmly, by the way slightly revealing a corner of the special ritual he wanted to plot for Magic God, although only a preliminary conception, only a general framework.

But it didn't stop him from taking it out at this moment to bluff, making Team Leader subconsciously feel that this was a very perfect, very mature systematic route.

That's called professionalism.

"Ooh ooh ooh, so what comes after those six stages?" Haruhi Suzumiya asked curiously.

"Above LV6 is naturally the Domain of Gods, but that's not something I can explain right now..."

The youth still waved his hand with a calm face. Naturally, one becomes an immortal after the six stages—isn't that obvious?

"... LV6?"

Team Leader raised an eyebrow, seeming somewhat concerned by this claim.

"It's just describing the levels of the six stages of cultivation from low to high; just treat it like levels in a game, there's no other meaning," Xia Zhi explained without blushing or panting, having no intention of popularizing Academy City's Esper level divisions for her.

It was fine for the Espers to be in this awkward in-between situation like this.

What if Team Leader accepted the new setting—how would they handle a version update for them?

Their relationship wasn't exactly great to begin with; he didn't want to make trouble for himself by buffing her and adding problems for himself... even a small problem was still a problem.

"Alright... so there's no dedicated Tribulation Crossing Stage, but you have to undergo tribulation for every stage's breakthrough?" Team Leader pursed her lips, roughly understanding how this worked.

"Basically, yes. The path to ascension is extremely arduous; every step is a trial," Xia Zhi said seriously, affirming it. "'It is said that thunder shocks once every five hundred years; this is the inevitable principle, for among men are demons, and among Heaven and Earth are thieves'—and we experienced over five hundred years during the summer vacation; counting the days, it's about time."

He not only affirmed this claim but also conveniently found a reason, explaining that it was because he had spent roughly that much time in that long, recurring August Cycle before, thus welcoming this regular period.

This made it sound very convincing.

It also made Team Leader believe it completely, without feeling it was too abrupt.

"Does this count?" Haruhi Suzumiya widened her eyes. "The looping time was only about two weeks, right? Is the calculation method cumulative total duration?"

"No way; no matter what, you can't hide it from the World itself."

The youth coughed once. "So after I came back, I vaguely felt something was wrong, and this feeling kept getting stronger, which is how I figured out the situation... I was spacing out here just now for the same reason."

Exactly! Just like that!

Anyway, it doesn't matter if others believe it or not; as long as you, Haruhi, believe it, that's enough!

To be honest, Xia Zhi hadn't originally planned on undergoing tribulation, but after thinking it over, he suspected the reason he still hadn't received Team Leader's Pinduoduo assistance—one knife to help him fill his entire progress bar—was that the matter of realm advancement was too abstract.

She couldn't understand it well, so she had no real sense of it.

This isn't leveling up in a game, where a light pillar descends from the sky, accompanied by pleasant music, with "LevelUp" appearing above your head, and amidst dazzling special effects you can see your level rise, your health bar and blue bar full state... and so on and so forth.

So Xia Zhi felt he needed to change his approach.

Although this isn't leveling up in a game, he could indirectly help her shift her understanding.

The current situation was that he was LV1, wanting to advance to LV2, but the level cap was locked. And the so-called tribulation concept was to have Miss Haruhi immerse herself in it, making her feel this was a "challenge mission"—as long as she successfully passed, her level cap would be increased.

Mentioning "LV6," "game levels," and such earlier was the same.

It was just giving Miss Haruhi a hint, making her subconsciously think in this direction at this time.

Now it just depended on the specific effect... Xia Zhi stared intently at the girl's expression, preparing to strike while the iron was hot, consolidate the results.

However—

Boom boom boom—!!

As if the heavens were torn apart, it emitted a trembling aura; even in the workshop isolated by technology-side nanomachines and magic-side jutsu and bounded fields, one could clearly hear this earth-shattering, immensely grand thunderclap.

That was the might of Heaven and Earth! Far beyond the mortal world!

Descending from the sky, crossing the endless Void, arriving directly here!

"..."

"..."

Xia Zhi's expression instantly froze slightly; this tactic of changing his approach seemed very effective, simply outstanding—the only problem was... should he strike while the iron was hot again?

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(PS: Attending online classes... 7 PM to 10 PMㄟ(▔，▔)ㄏ)

(Chapter End)