Chapter 7: Preparation for Departure

The blessing of the spiritual light in the Spirit Illumination Realm manifests differently depending on individual talent. Some Wuchang Adepts experience an explosive enhancement in their physical fitness post-illumination, transforming their stamina from that of a sickly invalid to the level of a national athlete, while others develop reflexes fast enough to purely dodge pistol bullets by sight.

When it comes to Gungun, however, the situation takes a different turn. The primary improvements he gains from the spiritual light are concentrated on his psychic manipulation, and his reserve of power has also increased significantly. As for his physical strength and reaction speed, they show no fundamental improvement compared to the past.

Shiyu Reiji interprets this as "the peculiarity of a psychic," and Gungun regretfully abandons his superhero dream—he had thought he could leap straight into becoming a master like the young lady, but it seems such good fortune does not exist in reality.

"So will I get new abilities after reaching the Clarity Realm? It won't still just be that silencing rune, right?"

"None of my damn business, finish practicing and get lost!"

Yan Qi makes a foul expression and issues an eviction notice. Gungun habitually talks back a couple of times, and seeing that his friend has no intention of moving, he leaves first.

Quietly waiting for his friend to depart, Shiyu Reiji asks, "What is the plan for afterwards?"

"Spirit Illumination is a hurdle; once crossed, things become manageable. Clarity is a persistent, grinding effort; if even this requires hand-holding, you're truly a hopeless idiot."

Lying in his chair, Yan Qi speaks with the air of an expert, "Everything important has been told to him, and the remaining minute details can be learned by following the Seven Luminaries Dao."

"Even so..." The young man in the suit recalls his friend's second runaway state during the dream entry, "The resonance of the End Sword is difficult to resolve, Mr. Yan."

Yan Qi waves a hand dismissively, "If someone has seen their true nature and received the spiritual light yet is still controlled by impulses, then they deserve to die! As long as he doesn't act foolishly, no major accidents will happen before deification."

Shiyu Reiji knows the man is right. Clarity is work that requires time and effort, and it is not as dangerous as the initial dream entry. As for Deification, which truly grants one's own abilities, it can only rely entirely on one's own contemplation and choices.

In the end, the cultivation of the Wuchang Art must rely on oneself; this is the orthodox philosophy believed by all supernatural factions. The idea of using external force to forcibly control practitioners and directionally produce desired "abilities" is a deviant path that leads only to destruction, as proven by countless painful lessons throughout history.

To his knowledge, there is only one organization in the contemporary era that successfully uses this distorted ideology to cultivate Wuchang Adepts on a large scale...

Zero Island's Shiyu Research Institute.

Thinking of this, Shiyu Reiji's mood darkens a little. He hears Yan Qi ask, "Did fatty Liu give you the message?"

"I have received part of the plan."

Yan Qi closes his eyes and takes a nap, "Handle the specific implementation yourselves. I've stayed in this small place long enough; I need to go out and get some fresh air!"

Shiyu Reiji thinks to himself that if you are going to leave the City of Canopies, you would rather tell me than tell Gungun in advance. In terms of being awkward, the two of you are truly neck and neck; you really are master and apprentice cut from the same cloth.

Yan Qi is clearly a Brahma-phase Adept, yet he lives with the awkwardness of a Silence-phase Adept. Thinking of this, he feels a slight, inexplicable urge to smile. From this thought, he recalls that absurd rumor. When he first heard it in the past, he almost believed it, only to realize its absurdity upon closer inspection.

How could anyone in this world cultivate both phases of the Wuchang Art to the World-Creation Realm?

The young man in the suit packs his things, walks to the door, and bows, "I'm setting off, Mr. Yan."

The man in black waves lazily, and only after the other has stepped out the door does he speak.

"Don't rush. There will come a time for you to take your revenge, kid."

Shiyu Reiji's footsteps pause for a fraction of a second, and he turns back to reveal a gentle smile.

"I know, Mr. Yan," he says softly, "I have been waiting all along."

·

Gungun does not go to the pigeon station; he flies straight up into the air. He rarely has such a superman-like sensation these days, which has appeared very infrequently ever since he mastered his psychic powers proficiently.

"I could fly like this for a whole day."

He pulls his body up sharply, charging toward the altitude where birds soar. The howling high-altitude airflow rushes toward him, only to be completely intercepted by his psychokinesis, making the flight experience as smooth as moving through water.

Gungun hovers high in the air, far from the earth's surface, gazing down at the magnificent city below. The busy pedestrians become indistinct black dots in his eyes, and the vehicles on the traffic lanes look like colored square boxes. The physical height brings him a strange sense of superiority, like a child staring at newly built blocks in front of a toy tray...

Yet he is not the creator of this city; he can never reach that height. Gungun is merely one of those countless black dots, even more insignificant than the passersby.

The grey-haired youth knows his nature is acting up again, but he also thinks this might not be a bad thing—at least it won't turn him into the likes of Shiyu Ling, right?

Driving his power, he flies toward the Direction-Wing District. An unlucky biochemical pigeon brushes past him, and the timid bird, startled by the sudden appearance of the demon, flutters its wings in mid-air.

Equally unlucky is the teenager in the flat cap riding on the pigeon's back. Holding tightly to the safety gear, he shouts in panic, "What's happening... Mr. Gungun?!"

The grey-haired youth spins 180 degrees in mid-air, flying backward as he says, "Hello, Myles. Sorry to scare you—just smooth down the pigeon's feathers!"

The middle schooler hurriedly obeys, and the large pigeon coos twice, returning to a docile state. He has no idea whether ordinary pigeons can be tamed using such a method of stroking a dog, but it seems the one carrying him can.

"Gosh, I'm not trying pigeons next time," Myles mutters with lingering fear.

In this brief moment, the demon has already flown far away. Gazing from afar at the psychic performing fancy stunt flying in the sky, he figures Mr. Gungun must be in a pretty good mood today.

He looks much more flamboyant than before.

·

Direction-Wing District, Garden Detached House.

Gungun walks into the intelligence broker's front door and says cheerfully, "Big Bro, I've achieved success in my cultivation... Big Bro?"

Moyuan Kai is sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the large screen. His hands are tightly clenched, the features on his round, chubby face squeezed together, his facial expression grossly exaggerated, and a few drops of sweat even oozing from his forehead. Anyone seeing this sight could imagine the difficult plight the intelligence broker is in, and his mood right now is extremely bad... absolutely bad!

Gungun's mouth twitches: "Did you eat something bad?"

Moyuan Kai jumps up from the sofa with the swift agility of a bouncing ball squeezed to its limit. Rushing over to his subordinate, he says anxiously, "A-ce, you're finally here! I'm going to hide in the room for a bit; I'll leave this video call to you!"

"Huh?"

Moyuan Kai dashes toward the bedroom with a swiftness that defies his body type, leaving the grey-haired youth utterly bewildered. He looks at the big screen and finds that the multi-functional device commonly used by the intelligence broker is displaying a shining crest.

Seven long swords guard a central cross star, which is precisely the symbol of the Morton Royal Knights.

"I—"

Gungun's face immediately turns green, and he shouts, "Big Bro! A true man must act openly and honorably; you saw it, so you should take the call!"

Moyuan Kai locks the bedroom door twice without a second thought: "There's also a saying that circumstances are stronger than people, and one must bow one's head under a low roof! You go!"

"I'm not doing it!"

"It's Orianna, not Elandia!" Moyuan Kai shrieks, "Help your brother out! If you don't answer, she's going to get angry!"

The crest in the middle of the screen flashes faster and faster. Gungun takes a sharp intake of breath, knowing he probably can't escape this. He immediately crafts a wide-brimmed hat out of white matter and puts it on, sticks a white grass stem in his mouth, and then uses his psychokinesis to press the remote control, connecting the call from afar across foreign lands.

After flashing for a moment, the appearance of the caller finally manifests on the large screen.

Gungun sees a young female knight. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and wears bright silver armor, the center of her breastplate engraved with a pale golden wreath relief, surrounded by six golden feathered wings.

The young knight doesn't look much different from three years ago. Her lips are lightly pursed, displaying her usual serious expression. A hint of anger colors her soft tone, which turns into surprise the moment she starts speaking: "Mo... Gungun?"

The psychic spins around in place, uses his left hand to press down the brim of his hat, points his right hand at the screen, and shouts enthusiastically with the white-matter grass clenched in his teeth: "Long time no see, Miss Orianna! You look as beautiful as ever!"

"..." Knight Orianna stares blankly at him, unable to utter a word for a full two seconds.

Gungun's preemptive strike achieves a magnificent effect. With just a single greeting, he successfully lowers the room temperature by 5 degrees, or even 10 degrees!

The female knight finally manages to react and respond.

"珑... Th-thank you. Long time no see."

Striking while the iron is hot, Gungun tugs at his collar and says, "Three years apart, have you felt my mature and restrained qualities, and noticed this dashing and handsome air that even I am powerless to conceal?"

Knight Orianna wants to force herself to say some insincere words, but after all, she fails. The blonde knight closes her eyes and sighs: "What are you doing... Where is Moyuan Kai?"

Gungun looks out the window and says helplessly, "You know our place has always been rather chaotic. There was another laboratory accident today, releasing a few hundred fiercely aggressive biochemical kangaroo brawlers. They're equipped with super-alloy multi-functional brass knuckles, forcing everyone on the street to participate in a cyberpunk dark boxing match with them, and the loser must promise to abandon all prosthetics and swear allegiance to the biochemical innovation trend. Trust me, it's a magnificent sight, and you wouldn't want to see it. Big Bro is currently battling the eighteen-meter-tall biochemical kangaroo leader on the street, striving valiantly to protect our city."

Knight Orianna is left dizzy by this string of chaotic terms; clearly, the information she has received exceeds the upper limit of a traditional Wuchang Adept's understanding of modern technology. Massaging her brow, Orianna says with a trace of disappointment, "Well, it seems I happened to miss it... That's not a major issue, except that I need to explain the situation to you directly."

Gungun raises a finger to point at himself: "Me? What matter?"

Orianna shakes her head with vexation and looks at him: "Please ensure that you are in a calm state."

"I am very calm," Gungun states the truth.

Orianna takes a deep breath and speaks solemnly.

"Following a series of preliminary investigations, we believe that the descent of the Glazed Catastrophe on February 13th is secretly connected to Zero Island's Shiyu Research Institute. The upper echelons of the City of Canopies are about to dispatch specialists to Zero Island to launch a secret investigation, and the person chosen as the core investigation member is... you."

Gungun takes off his hat, spits out the grass stem, and returns to his usual demeanor.

"Alright," the grey-haired youth pushes up his glasses, "When are we leaving? Are there teammates? What level of assistance can be provided? Is there detailed data?"

Before Orianna can speak, he says resolutely, "I must go, Miss Orianna. Some things allow for no retreat, just as you would swear to defend the kingdom and your beliefs."

The female knight presses her lips tightly together.

"You may need to use the End Sword again."

Gungun's expression is relaxed.

"Yan Qi taught me how to open the seal, and I can use it now. If you're worried, you can teach me some sword techniques or something as a fallback."

Orianna thinks with vexation that you have no melee talent whatsoever.

She knows the young man's mind is made up, and furthermore, she knows she cannot stop the resolution of the tripartite talks. Being in Morton, Orianna cannot even directly do anything for this distant old friend. She can only hurriedly initiate the communication to let the other party prepare early as a form of solace.

"Zero Island is dangerous, Gungun. The number of local Wuchang Adepts on Zero Island is relatively small, but their elites are no less inferior to organizations in other countries. The enemies you will face include the ninja armies of the Martial Assembly and Military Blade, the inhuman God-Hiders, Shiyu of the Research Institute, and you might even encounter... Oh, heaven, no matter how I think about it..."

The more Orianna speaks, the more distressed and anxious she becomes. The majestic and imposing knight vanishes in the blink of an eye, replaced by the girl Gungun knows so well: sentimental, naive, kind-hearted, full of worries, and prone to crying at the drop of a hat.

Right now, she is immersed in her own emotions, completely forgetting that Gungun, as a psychic, doesn't understand a single faction she has mentioned—a true case of talking past each other.

Gungun asks with a smile, "Are they comparable to Morton Knights?"

Orianna immediately returns to work mode. With a reserved smile, she shakes her head and says, "The Knights are not suitable as a benchmark for comparison with Zero Island's factions, my friend."

The grey-haired youth snaps his fingers: "Mr. Gungun here has fought side by side with knights, so what do I have to fear? Relax, Miss Orianna, I will never lose my life there; I guarantee I'll live until I return to the City of Canopies—I'm still waiting to attend the wedding of you and Big Bro."

The blonde knight's face turns instantly beet red. She shrieks in a high-pitched voice, "You should not speak such rude words to an unmarried lady! We, we haven't officially established a relationship yet!"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes, my bad, my bad."

Orianna turns her head away in shy annoyance. Three years have passed, and this fellow is still as cavalier and unserious as ever. Yet upon hearing these words, she also feels a subtle sense of relief. She realizes her old friend has indeed changed somewhat, a change that extends beyond his appearance into his heart.

"Sigh, I knew you would go anyway," Orianna sighs ruefully. "Someone will tell you everything you need to know later. I am too far away from you to truly help with anything, so..."

Gungun cuts her off: "So you plan to give me some cryptic advice. Due to factors I should know but cannot be told, you won't explain your advice clearly to me, and similarly due to reasons I shouldn't know and cannot be told, this advice might take effect in a subtle way later on. Now please speak your riddle."

Orianna glares at him with puffed cheeks: "Please be quiet, sir!"

The psychic obediently shuts his mouth. The World-Creation Realm's Calamity-phase Adept speaks in a mystical tone, her voice low and light, resembling a robed witch in an old cartoon.

"Zero Island is shrouded in a vortex of chaos. Many events occur without reason, without premise, and in defiance of the logic of the real world."

"Misfortune always arrives head-on, while good fortune occasionally falls from the sky. Careful deliberation may not necessarily be effective. You will encounter bizarre events, and their origins are often obscure. You will be confused and doubtful, but remember this: an unequal transaction is still a transaction."

"Paying 100 gold coins might only buy you 1 piece of candy. But without payment, there will be no return whatsoever."

Orianna nods slightly, indicating that her words are finished.

Gungun memorizes it silently in his heart and says seriously, "Thank you for your riddle."

"I didn't want it to be like this, making me look like a mage," Orianna displays a smile to her friend. "Take care, Gungun. Say hello to Mo for me, and remember to write when you have time."

"Thanks, Miss Orianna. Please do me the favor of saying thank you to the Dawn Knight," the grey-haired youth rubs his hair, "Don't ask why."

Orianna blinks and decides not to pry into the details between the two of them. Her face enlarges on the screen, indicating that the female knight on the other end is trying to close the communication, though not very smoothly.

"Oh, I remember it should be pressed here," she says with slight embarrassment, "By the way, what is Moyuan Kai's condition now? I heard you say he has gotten slightly out of shape... he doesn't have a little potbelly, does he?"

Gungun uses his utmost effort to suppress his laughter and replies vaguely, "Pretty much, pretty much."

"By the hat of the old mage! Please help me remind him to watch his figure, or I really will get angry."

Orianna's image vanishes; it seems she has finally succeeded in cutting off the communication.

Gungun sits back down on the sofa and says sarcastically, "She's gone!"

The sound of unlocking comes from behind the bedroom door. Moyuan Kai walks out, walking on eggshells, and plops down right next to his subordinate, almost knocking the grey-haired youth bouncing up.

"I almost died."

Once Orianna sees you looking like this right now, you can drop the word "almost."

"Big Bro, Orianna is very optimistic, thinking you've only reached the stage of having a slight belly," the grey-haired youth says sincerely: "I suggest you speed up your weight loss progress, otherwise in a short while you really won't be able to hide it."

Moyuan Kai's expression is one of extreme agony: "Can you care about yourself first, will you?"

"What do I have to worry about? I'm going on official business, acting as an imperial envoy," the grey-haired youth stands up, striking a pose like an actor on a theatrical stage, "Discerning every detail~ selfless and impartial~ investigating the truth to the bottom, wiping out the dark curtains completely, and returning a bright and clear sky to Zero Island!"

Moyuan Kai applauds repeatedly: "Good! A sense of responsibility! Truly a sterling hero. Without further ado, get ready to set off."

"Then I definitely... wait, huh?" Gungun has an ominous premonition in his heart. "Hold on, when are we leaving?"

"Leaving tonight."

"When?"

The intelligence broker smiles and repeats, "Tonight."

"Holy shit, Big Bro, give me some support."

"Those equipment items of mine are too flashy; how are you supposed to use them on a secret mission?" Moyuan Kai leans back against the sofa cushion, "Remote support can help you out, but go find the lab coat for mission supplies."