Chapter 200

  Over the Summit (VI)

  Long Tao left, and I was left in a bit of a stunted silence.

  ... I mean, I've known he's had some trust issues considering that, you know, he was betrayed and killed, and I knew he was always a bit guarded around all of us... but I didn't think it was that bad that he didn't even trust me.

  What's different now?

  I don't know.

  Maybe he changed and finally opened his heart up for no apparent reason?

  Oh, whatever. Like I have the time to wonder and ponder upon the motives of a dude older than, well, the Roman Empire, at the very least.

  I've got quite a few notification windows to peruse, and boy are they... grand. I purposefully ignored the quantitative changes I could already feel inside of me, as I didn't want to make any guesses about any of it and figured the system would just tell me.

  [--Congratulations, Host, on breaking through into the Revolving Core Realm]

  [Type of Core formed: Eternal Core]

  [You have reached the First Cycle of Revolution; progress to the 6th Cycle and gain an understanding of the Law of Space in order to break through into the next realm, Void Transformation]

  [...]

  [As the nature of the breakthrough was system-aided, rewards have been reduced significantly]

  [Due to your choices, no future breakthrough will be aided, and their qualities will be determined entirely by the Host]

  [...]

  [Host's talent has evolved: low-Earth --> low-Sky]

  [Host's Physique has evolved: Mortal --> Sage (???)]

  [Sage (???) -- an ancient order is said to have once reigned over the Seven Heavens, though they all lacked in cultivation prowess; however, all Emperors and Empresses under the firmament were discipled under one of the Sages. When your Disciples are near you, they will feel a sense of clarity, have increased cultivation speed and comprehension, and be wholly immune to Heart Demons]

  [...]

  [Host's Trait has evolved: Demonic Qi Sensitivity (Common) --> Demonic Scrying (Legendary)]

  [Demonic Scrying (Legendary) -- your ability to discern Demonic Qi borders unnatural. Only those who have mastered '???' Demonic Arts can hide from your scrying gaze]

  [Host's Trait has evolved: Tinkerer (Rare) --> Tinkerer (Epic)]

  [Tinkerer (Epic) -- adds a slight % chance to trigger a special bonus upon creating an Art, adding a complimentary effect to it. Additionally, every created art is guaranteed to have a random, minor bonus added to it]

  [...]

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  [All Creation Points have been consumed as compensation]

  [...]

  [Creator's Eyes has gained a new effect]

  [Creator's Eyes -- inspect a person below your cultivation realm, or one at most two major realms above your own, and assess their talent and traits, as well as what methods and arts they are most suited for. Can be used 5 times a day]

  [...]

  [Body Purification: 100/100%]

  [Host's body has been wholly purified of all accumulated toxins. As a result, a new Bloodline has emerged: Depthless (Ancient)]

  [Depthless (Ancient) -- purpose-made by the long-extinct Alchemy Haven, it was a bloodline meant to accelerate the growth of disciples through feeding them advancement pills without forming sludge and toxins within their meridians. Though a marginal success, it was later abandoned as it was discovered that those with the bloodline were never able to cross the threshold of becoming an Emperor or an Empress]

  [Note: the severe restriction has been altered and modified for the Host's benefit, but, in turn, the Host cannot use pills below Jade-tier quality and can only consume one individual pill type 3 times at most in his lifetime]

  [...]

  [Having formed an Eternal Core, Host has entered into the realm of legends]

  [Eternal Core: those dissatisfied with the limitations of the Heaven Core--as they were still bound to the Heavenly Laws--found means to dissever themselves from the Ordinances, discovering the Path of the Ancients. Though Eternal Core circumvents the limitations of a Heavenbound, should it ever be discovered, the wrath of the Heavenly Court will descend like a bolt of lightning]

  [Note: Host is naturally protected by the system's veil, but should you come in contact with one of the Seven Great Emperors, it is possible they might see through it. Exercise caution]

  [...]

  [Revolving Core Cycles represent six Core Revolutions; with each Revolution, the goal is to get closer to the Core beginning to spin on its own rather than doing it manually. Once you have achieved automatic core, it is considered as entering the Peak of the 6th Cycle, and the preparations for entering the next realm can begin in their fullest]

  [...]

  [Soul Choices have been made]

  [...]

  [You have chosen]

  [ALL YOUR DISCIPLES EXPERIENCE A MINOR EVOLUTION OF THEIR UNIQUE TRAITS]

  [NONE OF YOUR DISCIPLES CAN EVER FALL INTO QI DEVIATION DURING A BREAKTHROUGH]

  [???]

  [...]

  [Selected choices trigger an additional reward]

  [...]

  [??? --> You may temporarily inherit ALL of your Disciple's strengths: their cultivation realm, arts, method, traits, unique Bloodlines or Physiques, and even their Innate Artifacts. You may only use this once every 6 months, and you will NOT retain active memories of anything your Disciples knew that you didn't]

  [...]

  [Additional Rewards]

  [Reward 1: restructured Monthly Quests system]

  [Reward 2: increased Creation Points gain from all sources by 20%]

  [Reward 3: System has leveled up]

  [Reward 4: you unlocked access to unique Extraction modifiers; you may create arts and methods that allow you to extract Bloodlines and Physiques and to then gift them to your Disciples]

  [Reward 5: any time one of your Disciples achieves a feat worthy of remembrance, trigger a special reward]

  [Reward 6: a new trait has been unlocked, Sage (???)]

  [Reward 7: Host has been taught a new innate art, Eternal Sacrifice (One of a Kind)]

  [...]

  [System has leveled up]

  [Revolving Core Realm (mirrors Host's)]

  [Changes]

  [Increased limit for Creation Points allowed during the creation process, 100 --> 400]

  [Gained access to several hundreds of the previously locked restrictions and unique properties]

  [Can spend Creation Points for automatic suggestion. Note: the system's suggestion will always be the most OPTIMAL, but not necessarily the most SUITABLE]

  [You may scrutinize arts of higher level and complexity. Breaking down arts of Mortal and Earth tiers is completely free now, as is replicating them]

  [While creating an art suited specifically to just one of your disciples, the chance for the art to gain an additional effect is 100%]

  [...]

  [Monthly quests--]

  OH MY GOD.

  HOW AM I NOT DONE WITH THIS ALREADY?!!

  There are so, so, so, so many fucking windows. Honestly, it feels like those early-days Facebook notifications on your phone, when they'd spam-bombard you with everything. That guy that you randomly befriended three weeks ago and haven't spoken a word with has JUST posted this SUPER, DUPER interesting tidbit.

  What's that tidbit?

  Penguins are dicks, and I'm tired of pretending they're not.

  Geez.

  Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

  No, seriously, it was hell. It felt like no matter how many times I swiped, it wasn't enough.

  This feels kind of like that. With each window I dismiss, another one just appears immediately. But the stack has definitely thinned, at least.

  I mean, I'm happy--so happy that I will start weeping like a newborn as soon as I'm done with it--but I'm also so tired. Oh my God, so tired...