Eldritch Horror Theatre

Since they were seeking the abstract, they might as well take it all the way.

While discussing her project with Excellency Nepheli—namely, helping Chen Xing forcibly step into the Demigod Rank—he certainly marveled at that heaven-mending feat.

But the prerequisite for mending the heavens was having heavens to mend. No matter how lacking he might have been, the late Old Man Chen Xing had at least been a transcendent, even reaching the Mid Tier level.

That meant that despite his constitution being less than ideal for his family's secret art, he had still managed to cultivate some results.

Why was that?

Did the technique actually have lower bloodline requirements? Was it an art with universal value that a large portion of the population could cultivate?

That explanation put a bit too much pressure on the Mechanism Guiding Art.

Perhaps it was pure coincidence, and the usurper himself possessed a certain degree of talent?

It did seem impossible to disprove. Fu Qian could easily imagine several scenarios that fit the bill—

Facing a thoughtful Cass, Fu Qian deliberately emphasized that point.

That confounding factor was crucial and had to be considered.

"The transcendent world... has become unfamiliar to me."

However, as an expert in the field, Cass seemed to have already taken into account the possibility that the usurper was a close relative.

So much so that, in response to Fu Qian's statement, his lamentation didn't diminish in the slightest.

Did terms like "blessings" and "ancestral grace" still hold meaning even on a transcendent level?

The very meaning of bloodline continuation seemed to be growing abstract.

"I recently heard someone say something similar. What do you think might be causing it? Has the entire world become less real?"

However, Fu Qian didn't halt his pursuit of knowledge, dragging Cass along to ponder the root cause of this phenomenon.

As for the person he had mentioned, it was naturally Nepheli, who had been bestowed with the flame not long ago.

The apocalypse had arrived nineteen years and three months ago. The present moment was nothing more than the residual ashes of that destruction.

When she made that mad plea, she had offered an equally mad theory.

"Abstract concepts have become more foundational elements, governing the operation of the world... We could just assume that we are still far from understanding the true nature of the world, but its essence does seem to have grown less clear..."

It proved their academic foundations were solid. With an increasingly solemn expression, the conclusion Cass reached bore a faint, underlying consistency with Nepheli's words—

"Abstract concepts have replaced material reality, turning the operation of the world into something specious?"

Fu Qian simply followed up, summarizing the thought in far blunter terms.

...

"What we discussed today stays between the two of us."

Cass stared at Fu Qian, ultimately offering no rebuttal. Instead, after a long moment, he emphasized the confidentiality of the topic.

"Understood."

Fu Qian had no objections. They were analyzing someone else's critical data; maintaining confidentiality was a basic obligation.

Of course, Cass hadn't said that out of concern for intellectual property rights, but rather for the potential adverse effects it could bring.

Some things couldn't bear too much scrutiny. A faction like Apocalypse, which focused on practical application, would be fine. But those walking the paths of the Psychic Type or traditional cultivation could easily be affected when faced with an overly novel worldview.

Take the Old Man, Master Yuhun, for example.

Although his theory had initially seemed overly idealistic, their ongoing exploration proved otherwise. The apocalypse of the beneficent curse, the residual ashes of Nepheli, the abstract inheritance of the Offspring... the foundation of the entire world truly seemed to be shifting toward the so-called profound of the profound.

Then there was the reminder the Red Moon had offered so long ago: "Do not revel in lies."

"I'll keep an eye on the case at hand, and I'll be setting off for the Ash Sea shortly."

Of course, some people and matters were simply too sensitive. He had no intention of dragging Cass into them.

Tucking away the Dean's Calligraphy, Fu Qian felt quite satisfied with his gains from the trip, casually outlining his upcoming plans.

"If you need anything at all, have Lisa prepare it for you."

It was clear Cass was quite gratified to see Professor Fu demonstrate such composure, recovering from their overly heavy topic in a single second.

So much so that he skipped any pointless instructions, directly assigning him a research assistant.

"Also, Lisa's little creation feels quite interesting. I'll help her delve deeper into it later."

Mentioning the other rising star of Apocalypse, he didn't forget to offer some extra praise. It felt like coming back from a trip to find a pleasant surprise waiting.

"It is indeed worth delving into."

The little creation naturally referred to the Bone Horseshoe Crab that had caused a disturbance in the middle of the night. Regarding Lisa's creativity, Fu Qian's evaluation completely aligned with Cass's. He didn't look down on the underlying concepts just because of her lower Rank.

Of course, following the casual commentary from the Two Giants of Apocalypse, one could easily imagine that the special forbidden zone would soon weather even more storms.

"As for the Preservation Chamber, do you want to put something inside as well?"

With their business concluded, Cass shifted gears rapidly. A moment later, he smiled and brought up the project he had recently been preparing.

It had to be said that he still had a bit of a conscience, choosing not to dump all the work entirely on Professor Lisa.

"I'll see if I have anything interesting."

His earlier praise for the project hadn't been perfunctory. Nodding as he took his leave, Fu Qian didn't mind participating.

...

Sure enough, when a person's state of mind changed, the very scenery around them looked different.

Having efficiently wrapped up a pleasant work discussion and finalized their respective responsibilities, Fu Qian swiftly headed back the way he came.

Knowing that Apocalypse now had a proper person in charge managing the situation, he felt as though a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders as he strolled through the Academy. He felt completely at ease, free from all obligations.

Though quite a few incidents had occurred recently, aside from the matters they had just discussed, most of the rest had long since been settled by unspoken agreement. There wasn't much left for him to worry about—

"Professor Fu."

Naturally, there were some matters that undeniably belonged in his lap.

Accompanied by a gentle call, Eldest Miss Wen—who had been volunteering for Professor Lisa just moments ago—was already stepping out from the roadside alone to greet him.

Judging by her stance, she had clearly been standing there for a while, waiting specifically for him.

Standing under the sun in a white dress, her features were as picturesque as a painting. However, compared to the energetic youths around her, this guest student gave off an entirely different vibe, prompting passersby to continuously guess at her identity.

It was clear from this alone that the news of her recent ascension to the Demigod Realm hadn't exploded into a headline yet, continuing to circulate only within a small circle.

"Getting used to the place over the last couple of days?"

Fu Qian waited for her to catch up, chatting idly as they walked side by side.

He had to admit that, as the person at the center of the storm, she was maintaining a remarkably stable state of mind.

"You do know that in our line of work, the biggest fist calls the shots, right? For example, as an expert of the Demigod Realm, you could just directly refuse Professor Lisa's attempts to draft you."

Without even waiting for Wen Li to answer, Fu Qian continued to offer reminders.

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