Chapter 203

"How is that possible?"

Asakura Ryouko's beautiful brows furrowed tightly, her tone revealing unbelieving surprise:

"It was precisely his arrival that allowed us to indirectly confirm the existence of alien physics; through his existence, the Information Integration Thought Entity was able to preliminarily determine that beyond this vast universe, there still exists a broad and boundless Outer Universe Domain, but currently the most that can be done is just this step."

Even with the existence of an Otherworlder as indirect proof——

Observation is still impossible, interference even more out of the question.

Therefore one can naturally only indirectly confirm, not directly confirm; only preliminarily determine, not reach a conclusion.

After all, the domain beyond the universe, for lifeforms within the universe, is nonexistent nothingness. The Information Integration Thought Entity is powerful, but it also has limits; even a place as mysterious and unfathomable as the Tian Gai Domain, it cannot fully grasp, let alone explore those nonexistent informations beyond the universe.

Asakura Ryouko has a clear understanding of this; she does not believe Haruhi Suzumiya can achieve things even the Information Integration Thought Entity cannot.

When it comes down to it, the alien side differs from the Esper side; they believe their observation target is not a godlike existence, but simply that they saw an extremely precious Self-disciplined Evolution Possibility contained within the other party.

That is all.

Facing Asakura Ryouko's questioning, Nagato Yuki spoke expressionlessly: "He is the one she summoned."

"That was also an extremely small probability event inadvertently brought about unconsciously, and according to his account, there is a high probability there were reasons on his side as well."

Asakura Ryouko shook her head, holding a different view and conclusion on this——

"At that time, he was utilizing that unknown magic facility named the 'Door of All Worlds', preparing to actively conduct trans-spacetime traversal, was he not? So I do not believe this situation can be replicated; otherwise, given the obsession the observation target has shown, she should have gathered all SOS Brigade relevant elements three years ago already."

This is also one of the mainstream thoughts within the Information Integration Thought Entity.

Based on multiple calculations, multiple simulation deduction results, these alien information lifeforms tend to believe that the Otherworlder's appearance is indeed an unexpected 'Variable'.

If not for this Otherworlder's appearance, then perhaps their observation target would have chosen to actively concede three years later, or perhaps under that banner declaring 'I have no interest in ordinary people. If any of you are aliens, time travelers, otherworlders, or espers, come find me!', establish a society uniquely lacking an otherworlder.

"……"

"……"

"According to observation results displayed, Haruhi Suzumiya may also be evolving."

Nagato Yuki fell slightly silent, then immediately still spoke faintly: "From the August Cycle time point of return onwards, she seems to have shown a certain degree of suppressing emotional ability manifestation, turning to signs of Rational Control."

"Plus him, as an Otherworlder living sample, the Reverse Proof brought by his existence……"

"Perhaps……"

"Not completely impossible to achieve."

————————

————————

In the Deep Space.

Giant thunder clouds diffused like spilled ink gradually dispersed their majesty.

Tribulation Fire, Tribulation Wind, Tribulation Lightning three disasters, also along with it slowly subsided their rampaging fury, as if a magnificent symphony between heaven and earth was about to drop its curtain.

Perhaps because it was the Heavenly Tribulation brought about by the first breakthrough of the 'Qi Refining Stage', in the end it was still not that exaggerated.

At least no outrageous humanoid lightning appeared, no Heavenly Court, Immortal Palace emerged within the tribulation clouds, nor any Divine Being, True Dragon phantomized to come suppress and kill a mere little Qi Refining Cultivator. Anyway those situations he worried about did not occur; Miss Suzumiya probably also did not reference future webnovel information or such, therefore this first trial Heavenly Tribulation model is still relatively Standard Engineering, a traditional model.

Of course this is only relatively speaking——

Objectively speaking, this Tribulation Disaster is still a terrifying boundless great Destruction.

Placed within the vast heavenly might, it is like being within an endless Universe Storm, that pressure as if pulled by giant Star gravity, making one unable to breathe, unable to break free.

After all in terms of scale, it occurs at an astronomical level, its erupted energy sufficient to destroy everything. Imagine that endless light and heat, for a Qi Refining Cultivator in Space, this is also a life-and-death critical test.

If such a Heavenly Tribulation occurred on Earth, then all creatures on Earth would instantly disappear, the planet's Ecosphere would be thoroughly destroyed, the Surface World would be washed clean, all traces of life would be erased…… this is an undeniable result.

No wonder the Lightning Tribulation occurrence location would be determined in unknown deep Space, rather than near Earth.

Probably like a child unwilling to see the sandcastle they piled up, easily washed away and destroyed psychology.

And at this time, at the original center of the Heavenly Tribulation, a small area still being bombarded in turns by countless thunder tides, as well as various cosmic Radiation, high concentration particle streams, as if transformed into a Spacetime Abnormality domain, the Void almost boiling, light brilliant and blazing. The Light Curtain reflected thereby, like a water surface gently thrown with a stone, Ripples and Waves leaping and diffusing in the torrent of time, forming countless Afterimages.

However no matter how the Ripples surge, the water surface will eventually return to calm, those dreamlike Afterimages will also eventually disappear.

However, just as they shattered like Foam, disappearing at the edge of Reality, a more powerful energy suddenly surged forth, re-condensing all the Shadows, until they completely converged, overlapping together.

In this moment like time reversal, a vague and mysterious Shadow gradually emerged from nothingness.

Its Outline gradually became clear, as if traversing the mists of Spacetime, returning to Reality once more.

This seemingly human yet non-human existence, closed its eyes and quietly floated.

"……"

"……"

Time passed minute by second, unknown how long passed, without any omen, Xia Zhi suddenly opened his eyes.

"A truly nostalgic past; if that day's time had not stopped, perhaps I really would have walked that Road." Waking from that nearly real Heart Devil Illusion, his eyes bright as Stars, he sighed faintly.

Despite his mouth saying regret, his eyes held no regret whatsoever, instead carrying obvious disdain, as if deeply mocking the Illusion just experienced.

——Inner Devil indeed appeared.

——At the most critical moment.

The manifested form was also unique: the previous second he was still striving against the Heavenly Tribulation, bit by bit constructing his own Life Blueprint. The next second he suddenly 'woke' from the bed, as if having a long and unreal long dream, waking up meant returning to reality.

The impressions within the dream vaguely remembered, leaving faint Imprints, yet like morning mist vague and rapidly dissipating.

Next, nothing happened.

Just peaceful and boring Daily Life.

The date that day also did not arrive at a freeze; after June 21 came June 22, June 23……

After that everything normal, slowly, the flow of time also no longer so attention-grabbing, time flowing like water ruthlessly, each day as if a small Gear turning in the giant Machine of life, in the torrent of busyness and work, even not knowing what one ultimately pursues.

One day, Two Days, three days.

Month after month, year after year.

As if everything unconsciously advancing, years silently quietly slipping past fingertips, like Sand.

And as time passed, like tree rings gradually increasing, the sounds of marriage pressure began ringing in his ears; topics of marriage and childbirth became an unavoidable reality. Despite his heart's depths being filled with resistance, in the end he still chose, under pressure, to walk that path considered the only and absolutely correct life road, living the "good days" in his parents' eyes.

The years after that naturally entered the trivial, complicated secular vortex. Trifles of firewood, rice, oil, and salt; squabbles over chicken feathers and garlic skins — these composed the main theme of his remaining life, sometimes leaving him exhausted, sometimes letting him feel warmth and satisfaction. Bumping and stumbling through such a life, quarreling and bickering, unknowingly, he suddenly realized he had already stepped into the second half of his life.

Whenever the night grew deep and people quiet, he would always recall that dream.

That once-obsessed-over dream, as if it were a distant and mysterious mapping of real life.

Next came the final barrier of birth, aging, sickness, and death; in the second before breathing stopped, it seemed this whole lifetime had just hurriedly passed by.

Of course.

This is an experience woven within the illusion —

Yet it is not Xia Zhi's own experience —

In fact, the real him did not struggle, did not feel lost, did not fear, did not despair, and naturally did not waver or hesitate in the slightest.

Facing the experiences within the illusion, facing that "feeling" which appeared alongside those experiences, facing those matter-of-course settings, he merely watched with cold eyes from the sidelines, as if indifferently watching a movie having nothing to do with himself. He produced no recognition or resonance toward those illusory settings.

No matter how real the illusion, it could never simulate that past feeling.

That kind of deep clarity and despair is an imprint carved in the depths of his soul, a fact he cannot escape, cannot change. — A mere heart-demon illusion, actually wanting to use this point to defeat him? That is undoubtedly courting disgrace.

Toward that false experience within the illusion, the only emotional fluctuation Xia Zhi produced was feeling a bit impatient; this lengthy and boring cutscene animation actually cannot be skipped — undoubtedly a bad civilization.

However, aside from this slight impatience, he did not produce any more emotional reactions toward the illusion; his heart remained calm and waveless, as if floating above the illusory realm, quietly observing, unmoved.

Until he finished watching the cutscene animation, truly waking up.

At this moment, the tribulation disaster seemed near its end; the tribulation clouds above the sky dome gradually dispersed, and the thunderstorm sounds also gradually quieted.

After experiencing a long trial, Xia Zhi finally welcomed this moment — he successfully passed this Lower Ninja Exam... cough cough, passed this Lower Cultivator Exam.

"Done."

Xia Zhi rose to his full height, murmuring; he casually scanned his surroundings, took a deep breath, and let out a loud shout with all his strength.

This shout was as if thunder erupting from an abyss ten thousand zhang deep; sound waves in the vacuum instantly turned into a powerful shockwave. This force was as if a thousand nuclear bombs detonated in an instant, whipping up fierce Gang Winds, forming visible fluctuations, directly dispersing the heavenly tribulation's remnant waves.

The thunder clouds all around stretched a thousand li, but under this one shout, they were actually torn open easily.

That darkness originally covering hundreds of li, heart-palpitating, under the impact of this force, like shattered foam, instantly vanished without a trace.

The thunder light and lightning in the sky, the tribulation wind and radiation storm, also under this one roar, as if shaken into fragmentation; everything, everything, was just as if after experiencing a storm's baptism, the dark clouds all scattered. The universe's Primordial Qi vanished without a trace; space returned to its original loneliness and cold.

Like after a giant breath, the world returned to calm after exhaling the old and inhaling the new.

This is an unparalleled powerful force; he possesses a body with human posture, but after successfully crossing the tribulation, beneath that "human-shaped" skin bag is already a Foundation Establishment cultivator's life essence.

Primordial Spirit indestructible —

Breaking away from three-dimensional existence, advancing toward higher dimensions, reconstructing the consciousness algorithm in higher dimensions, the soul save point moreover shifts at all times, never fixed, almost no possibility of being found.

Physical body solid —

The material world's body is merely a shadow-like existence extended down from higher dimensions, merely connecting with the higher-dimensional soul, obtaining information from higher dimensions.

Qi gates boundless —

Every cell has become a micro zero-point reactor, a high-conversion-rate spiritual energy reaction furnace, able to extract energy from any point in the universe to drive itself.

Basically it can be said, the current him indeed lives up to the title of Foundation Establishment small cultivator; he is no longer yesterday's him.

Having roared away the tribulation clouds' remnant waves, Xia Zhi's gaze was like a torch, instantly locking onto the tribulation clouds' source; that huge gap seemed to connect to another dimension's existence, and did not disperse along with the heavenly tribulation's dissipation, but instead pressed down toward himself.

Not right!

Should say, it is he who flew toward that gap shining with immortal light.

The enormous pulling force released by that gap is capturing him without suspense, to forcibly take him away from this world, ascending to the other side.

—

(PS: Summer Solstice Arrived. Everyone enjoy this year's longest daylight day well φ(゜▽゜*))

(Chapter End)