Chapter 200: The God In The Holy Church Who Governs The [space] Concept!
After dinner and borrowing a place to stay, it was already dark, so the Investigator Lady volunteered again and took Yuan Zhu to tour the night view of Taixi City. It could only be said that it was worthy of being a big city, with endless traffic and incomparable prosperity. Every district near the city center was a midnight neon-lit city that never sleeps.
It’s just that it didn’t use electricity, but the colorful neon lights were not inferior to modern Earth at all, and even more light-polluting. It gave him a feeling of modern society, modern times, ancient times, and the future blending together.
The style of Taixi City’s night view was similar to Earth’s 1980s and 1990s, with Eastern elements as the core, and cyber fantasies of future society. Retro and psychedelic, plus the ‘Night Neon Immortal Palace’ hanging in the firmament, made it even more fantastical.
In contrast, his hometown in Running was like a rusty belt abandoned steampunk city once night fell—chilly, damp, dark… a low-end third-tier Little Gotham.
While Yuan Zhu was appreciating the night view, Little Spicy Stick sighed more than once: “Compared to here, our Running is indeed a small place, with a sense of fuzzy picture quality, foggy black-and-white TV footage everywhere. Look at Taixi City again; even the street view of any random district is high-definition, high-brightness, colorful Chinese-style sci-fi style at night! Boss, let’s immigrate!”
Although Yuan Zhu also enjoyed the sea breeze, starry sky, bright moon high in the sky, paired with the fantastical scenery of the [Heavenly Palace]; but feeling the invisible suppression his body was enduring at all times, he still rationally shook his head.
“Not right, Taixi is prosperous, but big city management is strict, competition is fierce, and involution is severe. The [Holy Light] in my body is suppressed by this city. Zhou Chu said that registration and licensing are needed to appropriately lift the suppression, but it comes with energy monitoring. The hometown is easier to get by, less strict management. Plus, there’s a temporarily occupied [Disease Garden] as startup capital. Coming to Taixi, what to rely on to stand out? Part-time work?”
The king of working issued a soul-searching question; he was no longer satisfied with working for free and wanted to start a business.
Spicy Stick deeply agreed: “Yeah, the hometown is better for development. But big cities are prosperous; even the young lady’s legs are so long and so great!”
Little Spicy Stick couldn’t help but recall Miao Miao’s every smile and frown; so charming!
Yuan Zhu refuted: “Are those Taixi’s legs? Those are our Running’s legs! Just endorsing a Taixi company. When we get back to the hometown, I’ll take you to the [Cat House] to see them every day.”
“Oh! Awesome! Long live the boss! No, you want to see them, right? I’m just a tail.”
After touring for an hour and a half at night, and extracting a lot of intelligence about the [Knight System] from Zhou Chu through chit-chat, Yuan Zhu finally contentedly said he had enough fun and wanted to rest.
So the young lady responsibly arranged hotel accommodation for him, then waved goodbye, and made an appointment to team-build with the pink-haired one tomorrow to consolidate team friendship and discuss future [Space Missions].
…
After bidding farewell to Zhou Chu, Yuan Zhu entered his room, lay on the bed, and immediately activated the [Holy Knight Breathing Method], comparing it with the previous [Source Qi Breathing Method] simulated using the ‘one-time Holy Cough Meridian’, and then comparing it with the [Steel Breathing Method] described by Zhou Chu.
On the other side, Little Spicy Stick also got serious, using the [Immortal Scripture] to record data on his body, monitoring breathing, blood flow speed, microscopic changes of Holy Light in the body…
After tinkering for more than half an hour, Yuan Zhu finally stopped the [Breathing Method] and continued to let the [Immortal Scripture] monitor the changes in the physical body.
Ever since learning about the [Steel Breathing Method], he had completely abandoned the ‘first set of True Qi version’ recorded in the [Holy Seal]. No other reason; the cost-performance was too low—first consuming a portion of ‘Holy Cough’ to simulate the meridian, still needing to maintain it carefully; then consuming the first portion of Holy Light to simulate True Qi, even more distracting to condense martial skills.
At such a cost, only outputting an attack damage simulating ‘True Qi Martial Arts’.
It looked pretty strong at the time, far exceeding his own [Holy Light] level, no different from a same-tier Qi Refiner. But compared to the [Holy Knight Breathing Method] granted by A Miao, the combat power was similar, but consumption dropped sharply, no need for laborious maintenance. The new Breathing Method only needed the [Holy Seal] activated to maintain like normal breathing.
The little secretary came online at this time: “Boss, comparison data is out. The [Holy Knight Breathing Method]’s consumption of [Holy Light] is about 40% of the [First Generation. Holy Cough Breathing Method], very cost-effective. If maintained for a long time, this consumption will be even lower; while the ‘Holy Cough Breathing Method’ consumes more the longer it’s maintained, and can’t last long.”
“In addition, the two Breathing Methods each have strengths. [Holy Knight] leans towards physical body reinforcement, resistance amplification, Holy Light enchantment; while [Holy Cough True Qi] leans more towards energy manipulation, mid-range damage output, Pseudo True Qi burst. Finally, the [Holy Knight Breathing Method] is very sturdy and durable, no need for subjective maintenance, can be converted to passive breathing, not easily interrupted. [Holy Cough True Qi] is the opposite, requiring a lot of energy to maintain, high demand on microscopic manipulation ability, very mentally draining, and easily interrupted and destroyed. Extremely low cost-performance, recommend abandoning.”
Although Yuan Zhu had the same attitude, he still felt upset: “You’re looking down on my ‘self-developed version’?”
“Boss, you are exceptionally talented; without any external knowledge reference and completely ignorant of the [Qi Refining System], you created [Holy Cough Pseudo True Qi], which is already a heavenly genius! As for A Miao, Zhou Chu and others, they have long-term cultivation of the [Steel Breathing Method] to qualify to comment, completely incomparable to you. But acknowledging others’ excellence, promptly absorbing strengths, fixing flaws, is also your excellent quality! Haven’t you always been like that?”
Yuan Zhu’s mood improved, humbly saying: “Ah yes, I’ve always been like that. Now you assist me; see if we can borrow or transplant one or two from this volume of [Steel Breathing]?”
While appreciating the night view, Zhou Chu revealed to him the background origin of the [Knight System].
He then learned that the [Knight System] had a ‘distant relative’ relationship with the [Law System] vigorously promoted by the Security Bureau.
The [Law System] derived from the even more ancient [Golden Law], and the [Knight System] was similarly a variant evolved from the [Golden Law] after it was born and spread in the West of Geng Continent.
Because of the preciousness and scarcity of [Gold], those ability users not qualified to cultivate the [Golden Law] began choosing other ‘metals’ as substitutes, imitating the [Golden Law] to develop various derivative systems, ultimately evolving into the independent [Knight System].
So the [Knight System] has very high ‘metal’ content, with [Armor] being the heavy focus. Every [Knight Order] can be seen as a small, mobile, variant localized Golden Law system.
Therefore, among the various supernatural systems in Du Ling, although [Pollution Roots] differ, in the utilization of polluting energy, they heavily reference and borrow from each other; whoever has excellence, everyone copies it.
For example, Insect City’s Qi Refining system was because [Insect System Pollution] was too low-end, without its own brand culture. So it crazily scammed [Kunlun] and [Knight], sewing together an [Insect System Martial Arts].
It made Yuan Zhu preconceive it as Earth’s hometown [True Qi Martial Arts]. But upon returning to the Main World and disassembling, he found it was plagiarism scamming [Kunlun Human Immortal], using the [Knight System] to evade patents.
Now, his [Holy Seal] comes with a set of ‘Breathing Method’ that can perfectly replicate the [Knight Breathing Technique], so he also thought of borrowing one or two. Not seeking to cultivate a Steel Body like the genuine Knight through the [Breathing Method]; but at least like Zhou Chu, practicing it daily like Broadcast Gymnastics, long-term strengthening the body, immense strength, developing the physical body.
After Spicy Stick analyzed with the [Immortal Scripture], it reached a conclusion: “Transplanting the [Steel Breathing Method] onto the [Holy Light Platform] is not difficult. But to retain the ‘physical body continuously strengthening’ effect, we must overcome how to make the ‘fleeting’ [Light] remain, turning into ‘persistent existence, non-dissipating, compatible with flesh and blood’ [Iron]. In other words, you must develop a [Innate Holy Light Dao Body] suitable for yourself.”
“At the current stage, your [Holy Knight Breathing Method] has already taken half a step. Using ‘Holy Cough Particles’ to replace the ‘Steel Origin’ refined by the [Knight Breathing Technique], can temporarily integrate into flesh and blood cells for temporary physical body reinforcement. And when you stop the [Breathing Method], these ‘Holy Cough Particles’ won’t disappear immediately, but slowly burn vitality, dissipating bit by bit.”
Yuan Zhu nodded to show understanding. The moment he comprehended [Holy Cough], he realized this thing was unlike [Light], more like a pathogen, cutting the [Holy Light]’s instantaneous brilliance effect, transforming into pathogen-like slow release of ‘Holy Light’.
But [Holy Cough Particles] are parasitic, viscous, slow-glowing, but eventually dissipate completely. Unable to like the genuine [Knight Breathing Method], refining ‘metal origin’ into flesh and blood cells to forge a Steel Body.
Spicy Stick: “Right! The problem is here; [Holy Cough Particles] are like mosquito coils, burning more persistently, but still burn out. The [Holy Light System]’s only remnant is ash, which has no attributes itself, nor any rare ‘higher concepts’. So, to gain permanent [Holy Light Attribute remnant], need another way.”
Yuan Zhu thought seriously; he didn’t know enough about the [Holy Light System], knowing that the systems promoted by the [Eight Holy Kings] and other [Archangels] must be more than the simplest [Holy Seal].
For example, Zhou Chu’s strongly recommended [Great Law Heaven]; choosing that school would inevitably simulate [Law] with [Holy Light]; and his own [Tai Huang Dao] as a reserve member should be able to recreate [Yellow Heaven] style with [Holy Light]; as for the [Light Buddha], unclear how [Holy Light] and [Buddha Cocoon] connect.
But among these sects, there must exist ways to make [Holy Light] shed the most basic light attribute, leaving some non-dissipating ‘traits’. Unfortunately, his current mere [Sanctuary] can’t achieve it.
Hmm? Wait… [Sanctuary]?
“Hiss…” Yuan Zhu suddenly took a long breath, sat up from the bed, eyes flashing with world-shocking wisdom.
Spicy Stick detected intense brainwave reaction and immediately followed up: “Boss, did you have some earth-shattering idea?!”
Yuan Zhu nodded: “Right, got a bit of an idea. Have you heard of AT Field?”
Snake Snake: “Of course! Our development of [Holy Seal. Sanctuary] heavily referenced (chao) (xi) ‘AT Field’, right? I repeatedly watched the related anime in your memory several times, strongly helping you simulate the [Holy Light Barrier] into AT Field state. But my evaluation is it’s not as good as SpongeBob!”
Original fan retorted: “That’s your emotional intelligence being too childish. [Holy Light] can’t remain like Steel Breathing to store ‘metal origin’ for body modification; but [Sanctuary]’s ability is to cast a divine temple fortress with Holy Light. Shrinking [Sanctuary] to cellular level, can it coat cells, construct a microscopic and constant ‘force field barrier’?”
Snake Snake thought: “You mean, let [Holy Cough Particles] invade flesh and blood cells, then spontaneously release [Sanctuary] on flesh tissue? But it will still dissipate.”
“You’re right, but I found a problem: a sealed [Sanctuary] structure (Holy Light Barrier), if not actively Holy Light Refining internal pollutants, the ‘structure’ itself has very low consumption and can be maintained for a long time. [Holy Cough Particles] are like mosquito coils, slow-burning. If releasing [Sanctuary] on flesh and blood cells instead of refining and destroying cells, then [Sanctuary Structure] consumption drops sharply, long-term maintenance… while inheriting ‘Holy Cough Particles’ attributes, supported by cells’ normal life force release to sustain the ‘Sanctuary’ existence. Can this extend its existence time?”
Yuan Zhu stated his understanding of the [Sanctuary] Holy Seal.
[Holy Seals] each have unique functions, preliminarily escaping ‘light’ scope, can condense into sword, shield, scepter, talisman, releasing various skills.
[Sanctuary]’s specialty is in ‘Space Attribute’, forming a temporary space by itself, defense surges, and can actively radiate Holy Light outward. Thus under same consumption, [Sanctuary] lasts longer due to space stability, harder to collapse.
Every time Yuan Zhu casts [Sanctuary], it’s fleeting and high consumption because he uses [Sanctuary] like a pressure cooker—heating, pressurizing, adding Holy Light, crazily outputting to refine pollutants inside the ‘Holy Light Barrier’. If just pure ‘Sanctuary Space’, existence time greatly increases, like twisting light into disease’s ‘Holy Cough’, also ultra-long endurance.
“If every cell can self-sustain a ‘mini Sanctuary’, then [Holy Knight Breathing Method] can extract ‘Spatial Barrier’ concept from [Sanctuary] to temper the physical body, letting countless cells form ‘AT Field’, mutually resonating—this isn’t exactly AT’s principle? For me, [Sanctuary] is like the Knight System’s [Armor], a [Holy Light Fortress] protecting me. What do you think?”
Spicy Stick thought, shook head denying: “Good idea, but feasibility too low. [Sanctuary]’s maintenance cost is high, and it will eventually dissipate; a mere cell can’t afford to maintain a layer of Sanctuary on itself. After all, it’s just a skill, not a constantly existing ‘material barrier’.”
Yuan Zhu: “Then what’s a way to extend [Sanctuary]’s existence time, make it more solid and stable after one-time formation, prolong dissipation time?”
“Lemme think…” Little Spicy Stick began mobilizing [Immortal Scripture]’s power for research analysis… After a long time, weakly spoke: “I have a… no, the [Old Immortal Scripture Master] has a conjecture? But I feel it’s a bit unreliable.”
Yuan Zhu, still fantasizing about achieving [Innate Holy Light Barrier Sacred Body], eagerly asked: “What conjecture? Tell me…”
Little Spicy Stick weakly replied: “Ha, it’s like this. The [Immortal Scripture] thinks a mere single layer [Sanctuary]’s intensity is too low, maintenance fee too high, existence time too long. So, through quantity, induce qualitative change—if you abandon [Holy Seal] combination’s infinite possibilities, recast a [Sanctuary. Holy Seal], it will further enhance [Sanctuary]’s own intensity. Your ‘Holy Light Barrier’ will inevitably be more solid and persistent, able to bind ‘Polluted Monsters’ beyond 2 Seal limit. Similarly, the ‘Sanctuary’ remnant in your own flesh and blood will also be stronger and more persistent…”
“Repeat [Seal Casting], the poor man’s choice, abandon ‘Dao Lineage inheritance’, specialize in one ability, form qualitative change through repeated breakthrough of limits! Even a disabled cripple has merits. If, if, the [Immortal Scripture] thinks if you abandon all possibilities and fully cast [Sanctuary]. Then you will become the god in the Holy Church managing [Sealed Space Concept]! No, Space Angel!”
Yuan Zhu didn’t overreact, instead thought seriously, then inhaled coldly: “Hiss… interesting!”
