Translator: Strivon

  Luo Nan made the resolve to grasp the five auxiliary structures of the Dripping Sword in a single spurt of energy. Luo Nan believed it to be possible. The five structures of distancing, accelerating, sharpening, exploding, and guiding all revolved around the Condensation Ring. They were built upon the Condensation Ring. The structures weren’t that complex. The precision required was measurable.

  This was especially true of distancing, accelerating, and guiding. These three structures increased the quality of control, and were merely extensions of the Condensation Ring. It only took Luo Nan an hour to obtain a pretty good mastery of them. Of course, credit had to be given to a certain busy training platform of his: the Condensation Ring and its stable nature. Luo Nan was able to continue training with it over and over again. He didn’t need to worry about the crude auxiliary structure exploding. He could easily start over each time.

  Luo Nan could already make the bead of water, which was the size of a fingernail, fly and dance in the room. If he spurred it with all his strength, the water bead could slash across the air in a streak of water, its light visible but not its shadow…… before splattering against the wall.

  It was truly a tragic car accident. The three auxiliary structures exploded on the spot. All the water gathered by the Condensation Ring remained on the wall, trickling downward.

  Only the Condensation Ring itself stood the test.

  Luo Nan knew that training indoors wasn’t appropriate. He cast his gaze toward the courtyard covered by the sun.

  The Condensation Ring continued to accumulate water as it was spurred by Luo Nan to crash through the mesh screen of the window. The window allowed air to go through, and the Condensation Ring was already on the micron level. The fine mesh had no effect upon the Condensation Ring.

  Upon flying out the window, it took two seconds for the auxiliary structures and water to be replenished to normal.

  Luo Nan observed the water vapor gather and condense around the Condensation Ring, and felt quite the sensation. He controlled the water bead to fly back and forth, feeling refreshed.

  Without the restrictions imposed by ceiling and walls, the water bead began to fly randomly in the courtyard. It flew in circles, expanding its distance bit by bit. In the end, it passed the eaves of the community, piercing between the branches to simply fly out over two kilometers away.

  There were many people coming and going in the community on this weekend, but none of them noticed the water bead that flew above their heads. Even if one could sense it, the most they would perceive was a mere flash of light. It was impossible for them to understand the truth behind the scenes.

  The water bead could naturally reach wherever Luo Nan’s soul strength could cover, for it was controlled by soul strength. In any case, Luo Nan was able to comprehend Her Majesty Empress Wu’s ideas while he worked the water bead.

  As the distance grew in length, more and more soul strength had to be expended in order to the maintain the connection between him and the Dripping Sword. The multiple auxiliary structures had to be calibrated as well.

  While utilizing them, Luo Nan also had to pay attention to the problem of wear. After all, this involved the interference from the mental to the material plane. The rules between them weren’t straightforward, leading to meaningless consumption and interference.

  There was only one way to maintain the most efficient coordination between them, and that was to practice! It was impossible to understand the exquisite and complex relationships stored within without experiencing hundreds and thousands of mistakes.

  Needless to say, the consumption was enormous in a training filled with mistakes. According to what general knowledge Luo Nan currently grasped, the limits of a mentally enhanced Awakened would be drawn out completely in half an hour merely by calibrating the three auxiliary structures. This was the case even when the Condensation Ring’s fundamental structure was undamaged like it was now.

  However, Luo Nan absolutely didn’t even need to spare a thought to the issue of consumption. He just felt quite refreshed by the sensation of pointing anywhere and having the water bead shoot there in this range of a dozen square kilometers.

  Luo Nan continued to think, deducing down from this logic. He thought that if he went in his out-of-body state, he could possibly bring the Dripping Sword out for a run on the streets. Plus, the sensing range of his soul body was extraordinary. If he was at Nade District, he could cover the entirety of Nade District. If he was in the River Wu District, then he could also cover the entirety of the River Wu District.

  How did this sort of Dripping Sword compare to the flying swords of ancient legends? Those swords could simply slice off someone’s head.

  The thoughts coursed through Luo Nan’s mind, but in the end, Luo Nan simply shook his head in self-mockery. Controlling changes was very difficult, let alone the fact that the Dripping Sword was very limited when it came to lethality. The most basic juncture had determined his train of thought to be merely that of a delusion.

  The out-of-body state was just like the shadow-soul of ancient metaphysics. It had no material carrier. Though it could travel a kilometer in a single night, it was absolutely powerless toward the material world. It lacked all interference power whatsoever.

  So, the moment he would enter the out-of-body state, the Condensation Ring would naturally, would naturally……

  Luo Nan’s brain suddenly became stupefied. His mind went blank for a while, and all his previous thoughts were completely wiped clean. Then his following thoughts were like grasslands after heavy autumn rain. They flourished with endless rampant growth.

  What would happen? After going into the out-of-body state, what would happen to the Condensation Ring?

  True, a material carrier was required for soul strength to affect the material world. If he tried to form the Condensation Ring after his soul had left his body, it would forever be impossible for him to sculpt and shape it, for the interference power was not enough.

  But he currently had a Condensation Ring already created. It was embedded in the boundary zone between the mental and the material planes. Although its nature was quite subtle, its existence could be considered real in the material plane.

  He had pretty much already created the machine.

  This machine could automatically collect raw materials, which were the water molecules. It could advance in production. All that was left for Luo Nan to do was to supply it with fuel, which was his soul strength. That was all.

  In this way, wouldn’t the Condensation Ring be a medium for when his soul leaves his body? It was a carrier. Though the path was a bit windy, it seemed that through it Luo Nan could realize interference.

  Wasn’t this so?

  Luo Nan lay on his bed, cutting off all his thoughts. He might as well just try it out instead of wasting time thinking. Even if he failed, he would just lose a precision-level Condensation Ring. In his current stage, this would be nothing more than losing a blue grade item!

  Luo Nan performed mental preparations as he decisively entered the out-of-body state. His soul body, plucked out of his body, floated outside the window in the next second. He floated side by side with the water bead the size of a centimeter. They floated under the warm afternoon soon.

  It was already past midday, but the sunlight that came shining in at an angle, and the dense yang energy in the air, turned into invisible astral winds as before. It endlessly disturbed the soul body, sharply increasing the consumption of soul strength.

  This was the reason why very few of the B-rank ability users would astral travel in day time when they first attained the realm of the out-of-body state. It was a competition against nature.

  Luo Nan was a student. He was only able to be this willful by relying on the production line of the Format Pyramid, the unending production of soul strength, to replenish his energy.

  Luo Nan continued to disregard the issue of consumption. Currently, he was only focused on the Condensation Ring. So far, the water bead had yet to collapse in the material plane. It had no evident wear and tear as well.

  As for the Condensation Ring, it was very stable, situated at the core. It steadily consumed soul strength.

  Everything was calm, like still breeze and quiet waves. Everything was natural.

  This feeling was akin to the scene of the instant a swiftlet slashes the water before flight, captured by a camera lens and preserved on a photographic plate. Though the streak of water was shallow, it was engraved for near eternity.

  And when Luo Nan infused it with soul strength, it was like painting a simple photograph with fresh colors, obtaining vitality through a different form.

  Perhaps the analogical image he chose had some issues. Right now, Luo Nan’s heart was filled with swiftlets, leading him to a close yet vain realization; a realization that involved the relationship of mutual interference of the mental and material worlds.

  Luo Nan felt as if an operator had distorted time and space in an extremely small manner the moment Luo Nan’s interference took place. This operator cut off an extremely minute section from Luo Nan’s experiences in the endless river of time. The operator then used soul strength to bestow it with new meaning.

  A ghastly encounter. This subject was far too profound. Luo Nan’s brain lay at risk of explosion from overcapacity were he to think just a layer deeper. Additionally, Luo Nan’s train of thought had clearly ran off-track, and so Luo Nan decided to give up on this subject.

  In any case, the facts before Luo Nan’s eyes proved his original idea: There were absolutely no problems with continuing to operate the Condensation Ring after entering the out-of-body state.

  The two naturally exchanged and crossed. A relationship between karma and time continued to thrive. Who was contributing to whom? Who was attached to whom? It formed a very interesting circle.

  Luo Nan came up with a faint conjecture. Perhaps other mentally enhanced ability users used similar methods in order to interfere with the material world via a soul body. They must first make a stable tool that they could attach to. It could be the Condensation Ring. It could also be the so-called ’hot air balloon,’ ’glider,’ and so on. A small object embedded between the mental and material planes was all that was needed. It was just like something out of this philosophy:

  Humans created tools to use. This distinguished them from all the other animals. Then they changed the world.

  Of course, not just any Condensation Ring could realize this function. The Condensation Ring created by Luo Nan was still a blue grade item. However, it was possible for it to upgrade into a purple grade item.

  The precision of this Condensation Ring certainly breached a certain threshold, meeting strict standards. Only in this way could it maintain long-term stability in the boundary zone between the mental and the material planes.

  Only in this way could the Condensation Ring become a tool, a machine, and not some vain attempt.

  Luo Nan’s soul flew to the skies. His soul strength continued to act upon the Condensation Ring, forming a definite and solid interference force. The water bead’s intrinsic carrying capacity was still quite weak. Luo Nan had tried to exert a bit more force, and the water bead had dispersed into mist. However, the structure of the Condensation Ring still remained firm. It continued to gather water.

  If Luo Nan wanted to go a step further in building this structure, he would certainly need to perform adjustments.

  Luo Nan tried pondering the techniques involved, but the current state of his brain was really overexcited. His train of thought drifted unsteadily, remaining very hard to control. He possessed insight over the subtle operations. It burst in a string of luster. But Luo Nan was unable to retrieve the shattered thoughts that led to this, and his mind was turned into soup.

  All right, let’s act like an Awakened. He mustn’t forget anything due to his excitement. Perhaps he overlooked something. He should think further once more. Which factors were relevant? What were the ones he had yet to consider?

  After pondering ineffectively for a period of time, Luo Nan changed his approach: What issues have yet to be resolved over the past two days?

  The economic crisis of the Format Pyramid. Its star atlas transformation and reconstruction. The subdivision of the root receptacle, root nature, and root trigger. Her Majesty Empress Wu’s outsourced work. The suspicions of his aunt and uncle. The setback with exploring the mysteries of Gear……

  Only after sorting through these items did Luo Nan discover that there were still many unanswered questions regarding his body. He was still in a peaceful phase. If the threats of Headquarters, Orders, and Quantum Corporation were to be added up, wouldn’t his life be pretty much over?

  Luo Nan wanted to rub his head by reflex. He wanted to see just what sort of person took all these threads and disturbed them into one mass. However, what moved was a soul. The body lying down on the bed in the room didn’t move an inch.

  This was the inconvenience of astral travel…… Oh!

  The insight of light moved like a blade, instantly severing all his chaotic thoughts. It coursed like lightning, its powerful radiance rending the sea of his mind. The hazy and dim world shone bright and clear for a time.

  Something was stimulated by the insight of light. It existed within the housing of his brain, yet this object was not part of his flesh and blood. It emerged, endlessly trembling from the soul strength coming in and going out of it.

  The external neuron!

  Luo Nan had finally realized it. His mind was filled with the thoughts of the out-of-body state. In this state, wasn’t the source of material plane interference none other than the external neuron?

  On that night, his soul astral traveled to explore the mysteries of Gear. But it was difficult to pass through its doors. Luo Nan speculated that it was because he didn’t bring the external neuron.

  Then he had tried to use purely soul strength, and he had failed. After that, there followed the situation with the reverse flow of energy. He tried to have the material interfere with the mental by increasing the refinement, yet it proved ineffective.

  But today, the Condensation Ring fell down from the heavens. It brought him to wind in a bend, unexpectedly taking his soul body and easily having it cross the major juncture of interfering with the material world.

  With the support of the Condensation Ring, the out-of-body soul possessed the initial step for interference ability without needing a fleshly body. Wasn’t it logical that this sort of method could be used upon the external neuron?

  Right, right, right?

  The thoughts once formed could not be stopped. It was impossible for Luo Nan to continue thinking. The soul body immediately pounced back into the bedroom, restoring the not close yet not distant connection with the fleshly body. The psychic intent was created, and it stimulated the external neuron to produce a response.

  This was no surprise. The lightning serpent that existed in his head radiated with lustrous light. It bore its fangs and brandished its claws as it roamed toward the outside.

  Lightning penetrated through the space between his brows in the next moment. Luo Nan instantly severed the direct connection between his soul and fleshly body. The external neuron lost its guidance upon leaping out of Luo Nan’s body. It automatically began to retract. But at this time, Luo Nan’s soul strength drove the Condensation Ring to meet the external neuron head on.

  On the mental plane, lightning collided with the Condensation Ring structure.

  There was a way! If there wasn’t any interference, how could there be a collision?

  Luo Nan’s delight lasted only for a millisecond. The enormous force of impact from the external neuron crushed the Condensation Ring. The gathered water bead simply shattered into mist. Not even a trickle remained. The three auxiliary structures augmenting the water bead were wiped out in an instant as well. As for the Condensation Ring itself, it shook violently.

  Luo Nan’s mind sank into thought. Was the resilience of the Condensation Ring not enough?

  Before his rising and falling emotions could find a foundation, the lightning of the external neuron instantly split apart. It actually followed the structure of the Condensation Ring, twisting and changing, rolling and flowing. Like a special ink following traces in the void, it infused within the structure once again.

  Luo Nan’s soul strength was, conversely, subjected to a pulling effect. It followed the traces remaining in the void, walking the paths once more. Luo Nan experienced this process quite clearly.

  Oh, that wasn’t it! This wasn’t padding. This was simply using the Condensation Ring as a mold. The lightning was the guide, which meant the external neuron’s main body would arrive soon after—holy sh*t!

  Luo Nan watched his proud work, the Condensation Ring, with wide eyes, as it simply exploded from the external neuron. Luo Nan didn’t have any luck at all.

  Though Luo Nan had talked about how the Condensation Ring was on the level of a blue grade item a gazillion times, when things came to a head, Luo Nan’s heart spasmed. He barely managed to avoid shrieking. There was a period of time when he hated not being able to beat his chest and stamp his feet. In this gap, a certain stimulation flashed within his mental senses. It was like a red-hot iron, and it pressed upon him.

  Luo Nan was unable to hold it back. Even though he was in the soul-body state, he still cried, "Holy!”


  A structure appeared in the void, coursing with lightning.

  Its diameter was 0.02 millimeters, and its thickness about a quarter. The shape was smooth and round, without edges or corners at all. It was like a donut ring, but its volume couldn’t be compared to it.

  This hollow structure floated in the void, steadily plundering and absorbing Luo Nan’s soul strength. At the same time, it absorbed water molecules from the atmosphere, rapidly forming quite the scale. It gathered into a first-class bead of water. The refraction of the sun’s rays created seven colors, rich and diverse, as if it were a concentrated rainbow.

  This was the external neuron, yet at the same time, it was the Condensation Ring.

  Was this a dove occupying a magpie’s nest? Or was this a divine rebirth!?

  The external neuron, a damnable and incomprehensible thing, had replaced the micro-structure sculpted by interference power, forming a completely new Condensation Ring.