Chapter 698
Chapter 698 - 684: The Wrong Person
1,817 words
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10 min read
The teenager liked a peaceful life... if possible, he would just like to read novels, listen to songs, and spend every day doing nothing.
However, fate usually does not easily give what is desired to those who crave it.
Lu Ping’an sitting there was obviously in the way.
His team was busy, everyone was working overtime.
Two new Beast Tamers were busy with their own beast swarms, the Great Priest of the Beast God personally took action, but couldn’t withstand the constant pointing and assigning of new work from the two high-level Beast Tamers behind her.
The iteration of the new race, the cultivation of the new Beast King, the measurement of new mutations, and the elimination of bad mutations... Even if Lu Ping’an delegated four or five assistants to help them, they were still insanely busy.
On the other side, a large group of people were busy around the base of the iron tower, and just the design of these basic structures was enough to make their scalps numb.
As for those Red Star people, they were communicating with professionals in diplomacy from here, and from their surprised expressions, both sides must have gained a lot.
Only Lu Ping’an himself was really idle.
Looking at the busy people in front of him, Lu Ping’an felt a little at a loss.
"...They say that to enter the fourth-tier, one must find their own starting point, their innermost desire, their true self, their most authentic self. It sounds so mysterious... Never mind, don’t think about it, it’s getting weirder and weirder."
Normally, a fourth-tier profession is a huge threshold, and it would take ten years of accumulation under normal circumstances to break through... This is for the lucky ones who walk "the existing path."
It’s too difficult to pioneer a new path on one’s own. Sublimating "Decrees" from Curses is no longer a barrier that can be crossed by talent alone... It requires accumulation, knowledge, enlightenment, and luck.
"...But I don’t have time."
Lu Ping’an didn’t want to wait until middle age to truly enter the Silver-tier... He, who had just pinched some mortals to death, didn’t want to be pinched to death by others.
There are no beginner villages in the real world, and super bosses don’t wait in the Magic King’s castle... Regardless of which high-level professional said it to Lu Ping’an.
"Combat power below the Decree-level is utterly powerless against the Rule-level."
Even if Lu Ping’an is now a "Decree-level combat power", he would still have no chance of surviving if he encountered the Rule-level, according to Big Cat.
And Hod Company has Rule-levels... Even if they might not be in this world now, Lu Ping’an must be prepared for the possibility.
As the core and leader of the team, he must consider the future of everyone... even if it weren’t the case, he wouldn’t want to be pinched to death like an ant for no reason.
It is Lu Ping’an’s responsibility and ambition, as they are not contradictory at all.
"Let’s become Decree-level, then even if the combat power doesn’t change significantly, there will be a possibility of resistance and escape in front of the true Rule-level."
In fact, Lu Ping’an had a relatively simple "breakthrough" path.
Just like the "Inherited Tamer Path" of Su Zhizhu and others, it is essentially a ready-made Decree-level path, they just need to work hard to follow it.
The majority of Decree-level professionals... actually, more than 90% of the Decree-level professionals, all walk the path of their predecessors. They mostly combine the existing paths and add their own elements.
Their path of advancement is usually choosing a suitable "Path" for themselves, then building on it with their own elements until a quantitative change becomes a qualitative change. This is also a way of pioneering... but Lu Ping’an is not satisfied, as he feels it’s not what he needs.
The gap between "learning to imitate" and "independently creating" is vast...
"Actually, there is no complete ’originality’. A new thing is the assembly of old things, and the birth of a new concept is often the combination of past ideas. When you write a new story or article, the stories, novels, and animations you have seen in the past all subtly influence you, so there’s no need to be too stubborn about it."
Big Cat paused before continuing.
"Normally, most professionals who are fortunate enough to advance will spend their entire lives at the Decree-level. You can definitely look for a higher path afterwards, creating a new path on the old one... The Lei Huoren and Sophists you know should be like this, especially the Sophists. He has merged his own Paths and professions, constructing the road towards Rule-level. You can analyze his Rules completely, it’s very promising."
Big Cat’s persuasion indeed had a strong appeal, and Lu Ping’an could feel that if he was willing to walk that path, not only would he reach the Decree-level, but even the Rule-level would only be a matter of time.
"...That path is not mine, even if it should lead to above the seventh-tier..."
Lu Ping’an shook his head, and the words he spoke could probably irritate 99% of professionals.
"I don’t want to become sticky... Alright, don’t glare at me like that, I just think that’s not my path, or more accurately, not entirely my path."
Lu Ping’an had a vague and blurry feeling, though the Sophist’s Path was good, it couldn’t support his "gigantic existence" in the least.
"...It should be my lower-level concept, not my whole, I should include it, not let it occupy my entire existence..." Lu Ping’an tried to articulate this subtle difference with words. While other people might think he was showing off, Big Cat was silent, as she truly understood.
"A sub-concept, huh... Perhaps, your path has already been revealed, and you only lack the components to make it more tangible. Do you feel that the Sophist’s path is too ’superficial,’ only suitable for simple tools?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Lu Ping’an nodded repeatedly, expressing the feelings that he could not put into words.
Disdain for certain rules and decrees was the embodiment of "tolerance" and "hierarchical concepts." The experienced Cat King seemed to be pondering.
After obtaining the All Things Breathing, Lu Ping’an had sensed many different things. His Tamer Path could not progress, yet many abilities seemed to be secretly connected, as if there were some being incubated and linked.
"Yes, that’s it, that’s the feeling. Is there a way? Chris, is there a way?"
Lu Ping’an’s instincts told him that this path, born from his own being, was far more suitable for him than the Sophist’s.
The Sophist’s path and broken rules were better suited as supplements and nutrition for his new path rather than as its entirety.
"... Many unlucky creators of their paths get stuck at this step. This generally lasts for an average of twenty years..." Even though she had figured it out, the Cat King still did not have high hopes and did not want to wait too long.
"Well, I think I can solve it soon."
"That’s what they all say. Sometimes just missing by a bit is still missing. Without obtaining the crucial components, getting stuck for a lifetime is highly likely. In many cases, it’s not that the professional isn’t making an effort; it’s just that they never encountered it in their lifetime."
Lu Ping’an fell silent, but in the end, he shook his head.
"Let’s give it a try. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll consider other options."
"That’s what they all say, and then they become more and more stubborn... okay, I’ll be straightforward. Based on different personalities, there are two approaches."
"Two? That’s good, isn’t it?"
"... Because they’re not ’approaches,’ but rather, styles based on the professional’s personality. For those with an impatient disposition, mainly those eager for battle, just go fight and kill. Walk across one battlefield after another, and as long as you don’t die, your body and soul will eventually break through..."
The Cat King subconsciously glanced at Baman Zhen, who was still training in the gym. She was a typical example of this path... Though she entered the fourth-tier later than Su Zhizhu, her potential was probably quite terrifying, as she had chosen a completely new path.
From just hearing it, Lu Ping’an knew this was not suitable for him.
He enjoyed exciting battles, but he preferred the calculation and stimulation of playing cards, feeling alive only when faced with life and death... Ahem, he liked the thrill of fighting but not the sweaty close combat and training with others, nor the fusion of body and soul.
"The second is even simpler: it works for every non-physically focused person, especially those who need to use their mouths and brains... Just study."
"What? Study? What do I need to study?"
"Anything. Since you don’t know what you’re missing, look at everything and learn from it all. Only remember what you find useful."
At this moment, Lu Ping’an was surprised. It seemed like the Main Road, but something felt off.
"Should I start with the basics of professionals? That’s a big project..."
"No, start from textbooks. I suggest that you begin with elementary school textbooks."
"Huh, professional elementary education? It seems I haven’t experienced professional basic education."
"No, regular people’s primary education."
The seemingly humiliating words were exceptionally serious coming from the Cat King.
She always felt that there was something off about Lu Ping’an... The subtle disharmony with this world made her feel that Lu Ping’an lacked something: something that was essential and that everyone had, but this "genius" somehow didn’t possess.
If choosing not to follow the Sophist’s path was Lu Ping’an’s instinct, then guiding him to look at elementary school textbooks was Chris’s instinct as a Quasi-God.
"You can take a look at Zhi Xi’s textbooks. She’s already in high school, but her textbooks should still be available."
These words sounded like a joke, but after considering it, Lu Ping’an nodded and obeyed. He didn’t expect much anyway since he had time on his hands.
However, after flipping through just a couple of books, he discovered that the situation was completely abnormal.
"... No, something’s wrong. The world is all messed up! This book, there’s a problem, it’s all wrong... No, I’m the one with the issue! What’s misplaced... is it me?"
— End of Chapter 698 —