Breakthrough

"These violent delights have violent ends.

"And in their triumph die, like fire and powder."

Looking at the Tier 1 demon monster's corpse on the ground and the Black Mist that was still dispersing, Lu PingAn even had the leisure to recite a little poem.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him. He staggered and nearly fell to the ground.

Yet all he showed was delight.

"Finally got it."

The host's pollution capacity has reached its limit. Minor mutation is occurring. Please maintain a stable state.

The Life Bank system reacted quickly.

Lu PingAn vaguely felt something crawling over his body. Someone seemed to be whispering by his ear, while his eyes saw nothing but fog and ghostly spirits.

In the briefest daze, the picturesque forest had turned into a haunted realm crawling with demons and monsters—or rather, this was what it truly looked like.

"Lu PingAn!!"

His companion's cry jolted him awake.

He abruptly raised his head. Red Light flickered in his eyes, making Xue En recoil and assume a fighting stance.

Within secret realms, Keepers had seen far too many companions lose control and go mad.

But the killing intent that flashed in that instant sent a chill down even Xue En's spine, despite his strength being at least Tier 2. He felt the terror of death, as though some gigantic beast had pressed against his cheek and was calling his name.

...What kind of monster is this? He's only Tier 0, yet he can kill me?!

Xue En's sharp instincts told him that what he had just felt was no illusion.

Though he had long thought that the seemingly ordinary Lu PingAn was anything but normal, only now did he realize just how absurd the person before him truly was.

...Damn it, I can't think like that! It'll accelerate his mutation!

Fortunately, Lu PingAn was not affected by his ability. The next moment, the Young Man returned to normal and revealed his familiar smile.

"I'm a little tired. Let's rest."

Only after checking repeatedly and confirming that Lu PingAn was completely fine did Xue En finally relax.

But now, he no longer regarded the Young Man before him as some rookie junior. The terrifying "pollution" that had leaked out in that instant was enough to drown everything.

"Alright. Get some rest. Or... should we consider heading back?"

Xue En asked tentatively.

Lu PingAn smiled and nodded, then walked toward the camp to rest. He needed to sort through what he had gained just now.

The host has been stimulated by excessive pollution. Minor mutations have occurred in the body and mind.

Physical constitution slightly increased. Reflexes slightly increased. Mental spirituality greatly increased.

Congratulations, host. Your soul has resisted mental pollution. Mental strength has broken through to Black Iron Low Rank!

Current status: Physical constitution (Mortal), Reflexes (Mortal), Mental strength (Black Iron Low Rank)

Seeing that his mental attribute had finally broken through, Lu PingAn let out a breath of relief.

"...Chris, thanks. I didn't expect your ancient method to actually work."

"In the era before profession systems—or in worlds unable to connect to the gods—this was how things were done. This is simply natural mutation without the gods' regulations, but don't rely on it too much."

This was the method Chris had recommended to Lu PingAn: accumulate a great deal of "pollution" in his body without digesting it, then wait for natural mutation to occur.

For any Professional, this would have been practically suicidal. Yet in Chris's eyes, it was simply the most normal method of cultivation.

"There are several stages of mental pollution. It begins with excessive mental excitement, while hallucinations and auditory hallucinations are only the first stage. You completed mental mutation so quickly? Your aptitude is pretty good."

"Compared to you?"

"Then it's garbage."

As they spent more time together, Lu PingAn noticed that Chris was actually quite familiar with internet slang. She simply did not feel like using it most of the time.

How could someone who had lurked in human society for years and binge-watched dramas possibly only know how to speak in tongue-twisting Second Year of Middle School phrases?

"Can I do this again? Use excessive pollution to trigger mutation and freeload a few basic attributes."

"You can, but it isn't worth it. The first thing to awaken is usually Spirit Sight. It indirectly causes mental mutation and greatly increases mental strength along the way. If your body starts mutating, then there's a real risk of losing control."

"Then forget it."

Lu PingAn checked the System Panel. Sure enough, another skill had appeared.

Universal Skill: Spirit Sight lv1, 1/100

After opening it, the prompt became even more subtle.

It lets you see the truth of the world. Perhaps you would rather not possess this ability.

When Chris had first proposed this near-suicidal method of improvement, Lu PingAn had refused.

Even as a rookie, he had been repeatedly taught that Keepers had to fight pollution at all times—not only by hunting external pollution, but more importantly by resisting the ever-growing pollution within themselves.

The most tragic way to die was to suffer excessive pollution and undergo an uncontrolled mutation due to one's ability going out of control.

That would completely transform a living person into an aberration, a monster, just like Aklis lying on the ground before them.

"Actively letting pollution exceed the limit without digesting it? Sounds like you want me dead."

"...You ignorant fool. You have no idea what you stole from me. You think this little bit of mud and water can completely pollute you? Even tenfold or a hundredfold wouldn't be enough. Do you know what matters most to a Professional?"

"Mm, honesty and trustworthiness? It seems Keeper society places a lot of importance on that?"

Remembering how Professionals he had encountered were nearly obsessive about credit and contracts, Lu PingAn gave his answer.

"Balance. All pollution must remain balanced, without leaning toward either side, for it to endure."

Now Lu PingAn completely understood.

A person's innate ability was "pollution," and the profession system was also "pollution." Only by mutually restraining each other could neither side completely lose control.

Rookies came here to kill demon monsters, naturally transferring the monsters' pollution onto themselves.

Simply surviving within a secret realm would result in pollution. Once rookies had accumulated a certain amount, they would leave the secret realm before the light turned red.

Then, outside, they would convert the pollution into the foundational abilities of their profession systems through training and cultivation.

And because the pollution here had been purified by the Maiden of the Forest and contained her unique "divinity,"

even the native pollution was quite easily converted into the "profession pollution" required by Lady Lin-related professions.

That was why professions such as Gardener favored this secret realm. They valued not only the magical plants here, but also the improvement this place offered to their profession systems.

"An innate ability and a profession system must restrain each other to be considered stable. But your innate ability is the Golden Rule, which starts at Tier 7, while you're only a Tier 0 Professional. Do you think the 'balance' most important to normal people has existed for you from the very beginning?!"

This was the root reason Big Cat had always said that the wristband was meaningless to Lu PingAn.

He had been unbalanced from the very beginning, and was destined to remain unbalanced for a long time. Why would he need to worry about overload or pollution mutation?

"That can't be right. Then why haven't I mutated yet?!"

"...It's too troublesome to explain. There are many things you can't understand yet, and their principles cannot be conveyed through language. But other abilities are uncontrolled sources of pollution, chaotic disorder. That is why they cause mutation, and why they need professions representing 'order' to balance and filter them."

It was clear that Chris was trying hard to suppress her anger. Her treasure had been taken by a child who did not understand its value.

He held an "order rule" of her own that was only one step away from a True God, one that had nearly been capable of creating its own path, yet he asked why it was inferior to the gods' "pseudo-profession rules"—the profession systems—and why he had not lost control. His damned innate ability was itself a pinnacle "profession rule." How could it mutate? There was no way for it to mutate!

"...It's like a True God's child envying a mud doll idol owned by a false god's follower, then telling their parents, 'The divine bloodline, divine power, and divine kingdom you gave me aren't as pretty or useful as this mud doll.'"

If she had not known that Lu PingAn truly did not understand, she would have taken it as deliberate humiliation.

"Do you think your ability is disorderly? It is a rule derived from a quasi-god. It is the World's Logic, far more orderly and controllable than any profession! For pollution to completely mutate you, it would first have to completely mutate the Life Bank and the secret realm, mutate me as well, and most importantly twist your 'Logic.' Do you think that's possible?! Could you possibly come into contact with an evil god of that level right now?"

"Polluted water from a little ditch can't contaminate the ocean? I get it. Thanks."

Lu PingAn could not be bothered to think through the principles. It sounded roughly plausible. As long as it worked, that was enough.

The ancient method had awakened Lu PingAn's Spirit Sight and greatly increased his mental attribute. That also meant the door to becoming a true Professional had completely opened for him.

Acquired Profession Skill (Runner): Space Perception lv1.

Acquired Profession Skill (Gardener): Mental Sense lv1.

The question was, with two paths opening at once, which one should he take first?