Chapter 350
Most importantly, judging from the dates of the Third Performance, the organizers probably only planned to hold a two-week training camp, which means the time was completely fixed, and there was no way to make up for it.
Astrid, however, seemed to have expected this, and she said softly:
"Don't worry, the location for the training camp is quite special, so there should be enough time."
"The reason I came to see you this time is to let you go in and take a look beforehand, so that you can set up your training plan."
Chu Yuanqing pondered for a moment, then asked:
"Where?"
Astrid smiled and said frankly:
"The Sea of Stars, the Ideal Country."
"You should have heard this name from Charlotte, and before this kingdom naturally collapses, it will be the safest place."
Chu Yuanqing was somewhat surprised.
The Sea of Stars refers to a special outer shell that shelters a planet or even a star cluster.
As mentioned before, the blessing was an unexpected product born after the thirteen Disaster God bound the Planet Consciousness, forcing Him to actively connect with the Sea of Truth and abandon the materialistic rules without magic.
In the process, the sun, moon, Earth-Moon system, the Milky Way, and even the universe in the concept of the world, all gathered into a larger concept of star clusters in order to survive, and the Sea of Stars is a protective mechanism that was born for this purpose.
It can only be said that the Disaster God' s approach of immediately penetrating the Stellar Core upon its arrival and forcibly binding itself has indeed caused severe PTSD.
Since then, the fact that humans can be actively connected to it represents only one thing.
That is, the planet is willing to crown you.
Chu Yuanqing used to have the authority to freely enter and exit the Sea of Stars.
It should be the same now, as long as the world remembers her.
In short, since the ideal state is located in the Sea of Stars, it must have been moved there by the Planet Consciousness itself.
In order to ensure that humanity could make good use of this wealth during its slumber, the other party must have also selected an agent and granted them the authority to enter and exit the ideal state.
The answer to this question is right before our eyes, so there's no need to guess.
Chu Yuanqing looked at Astrid, who had lost most of her humanity, with mixed feelings.
So...
Whether it's merging into the planetarium or actively becoming Super AI, being constrained like a tool and paying the price of losing one's physical body and fading emotions, is it all for the sake of gaining the approval of the Planet Consciousness?
Indeed, tools do not betray, and therefore have no selfish desires. To gain His trust, this is the simplest and quickest way.
If Astrid had lived in some magical civilization, her actions might have earned her the title of sage, and even by today's standards, she would be a worthy saint, a pioneer worthy of being named the one who stole fire.
Her existence proves that there will definitely be many more successors in the future.
Chu Yuanqing felt both gratified and saddened. She cleared her mind of all distractions, smiled, and said earnestly:
"Take me there."
"I will do everything I can to raise this generation of children well."
Volume 1: 325. Making the world what we want it to be. (5K)
The Sea of Stars.
Chu Yuanqing had been here many times, but the first time she came, she had already accomplished the great feat of slaying a god and become a hero bearing the hopes of humanity. Therefore, she went directly to the deepest part to receive the crowning of the stars and the world.
Therefore, conversely, she didn't pay much attention to its surface.
Perhaps because it is naturally defensive and exclusive, its outer side is a pure, endless vacuum, where even light would freeze and stagnate. The twinkling stars in the distance are out of reach, and the lonely and desolate universe is the greatest barrier.
Without the planet's approval, even if you unlock the technology of the hyperspace engine and continuously travel through spaceships, you will still be permanently lost here.
But if you have the key, it's nothing more than a giant curtain.
Astrid had access, and this scene lasted only a breath before disappearing from sight as her location shifted again.
Cloud shadows and sky light, the world spins and turns.
Chu Yuanqing constructed his Magic Armor and followed in the other's footsteps, soaring through the clear blue sky, overlooking the scenery below.
This is an area enclosed by a boundary membrane.
From a high vantage point, one can see the iridescent vortex at the edge, symbolizing walls and boundaries, within which is mostly natural scenery.
The forest, like jade polished on a canvas, pulsates with tranquil vitality in the golden light. As you speed along, a vast sea of flowers, distinct from the surrounding emerald green, comes into view, undulating like waves in the wind.
Although it was completely silent and there were no animals around, the Energy Particle in the air made the magic within my body cheer and leap. The wondrous environment made the sea of flowers teem with tiny fairies like mayflies.
Astrid passed by these sights, she seemed quite familiar with this paradise-like place filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers, and without looking to the side, she arrived at the lake in the center.
"This is the most stable entrance to the ideal state."
Chu Yuanqing looked up and saw that the lake was neither too big nor too small, and its edge could be seen at a glance. Its water was exceptionally clear, and the surface of the lake was filled with shimmering Energy Particle, like the hazy mist of the morning, except that they were all tinged with a golden color.
This is a mysterious lake, where light and shadow remain fixed in the present moment, without wind or ripples, like a picture frozen in a frame, exuding a solemnity and reverence that has faded with time.
"It truly has the aura of Gap World."
"But that's not all; there are other familiar places as well."
The Pure White Witch murmured to herself, feeling the intense sense of déjà vu. Her mind raced through hazy, fragmented memories as she looked at Astrid and asked:
"Did the remains you gave me produce some ideal states?"
Astrid said frankly:
"Yes, some of it comes from the ruins of the Ideal State."
Chu Yuanqing understood that the material she extracted from one of the high-level calamity remains, called the Blessing of the Golden Sea, had a power source somewhat similar to the aura emanating from this lake.
Therefore, this is most likely the Gap World I've been to before.
Even if it wasn't, she had been exposed to related information, otherwise she wouldn't have subconsciously associated it with that name. Just like the Rose Dragon's Tears, there is a cause and effect at play.
However, before we could think much of it, the golden hue emanating from the lake filled the entire forest.
Many years have passed.
Chu Yuanqing heard the echoes of history again. She passed through the hazy mist, like a reflection leaping from a lake, and arrived in a more vibrant and real world.
The forests and lakes have disappeared, replaced by a variety of buildings that lean towards Western Europe but are mixed with a fantastical touch. One after another, the towering buildings stand side by side, exuding artistic beauty, while neat paths paved with gravel lie beneath.
A white dove carried the envelope in its beak and flew away.
In a daze, I could still hear the melodious whistle of a steam train.
The streets were bustling with people: roadside vendors, animal-eared girls hawking magic ore to their shops, Templar Knights patrolling the area, and an academy with a floating Sky Island in the distance.
The bustling and lively atmosphere, occasionally interspersed with unfamiliar languages from another world, exudes a rich sense of life, as if a frozen oil painting has been given life.
"Incredible, isn't it?"
"This is the land of all nations, the capital of the Calembert Empire — Saint Roland, and also the only region in the Ideal State that is in a semi-activated state."
Astrid's silver hair was loose, she wore a large, Witch- like hat and a cloak-like robe, and walked towards the academy in leather boots, continuing to explain:
"The so-called ideal state is an obsession etched by other civilizations; what we see are merely echoes of history."
"If you leave Saint Roland and search the entire empire, you will only find a large number of traces left by war and a few ruins where the legacy of civilization still exists."
Chu Yuanqing seemed to be deep in thought. She had been to many Gap World and naturally knew their secrets, but she still asked:
"The echoes of history, you mean time here is fixed, like watching a pre-edited film, and we're just outsiders who can't change anything."
Astrid thought for a moment and replied:
"As I just said, Saint Roland is in a semi-activated state."
"If we compare the echoes of history to a piece of music, then the capital city at the center of the ideal state is the prelude, the overture, the beginning of everything."
"To prevent the collapse of the ideal state from occurring when this piece of music ends, the Countermeasures Bureau has been intentionally maintaining this situation."
"Therefore, Saint Roland's time resets to its starting point every week."
Astrid clarified the meaning of "semi-activated" and continued to explain:
"During this week, you can freely communicate with the people inside and establish any form of contact. Their intelligence is no different from ours, and they can be regarded as real people."
"Although time will reset after a week, the Countermeasures Bureau took advantage of this and tried various methods to explore Saint Roland, eventually forming several established and efficient trial routes."
"By the way, have you ever heard of the Captain-Class assessment?"
Chu Yuanqing replied:
"Enter the temple, undergo trials, and then receive Unlimited Spell from the blessings, right?"
Astrid pointed to the academy in the distance and introduced it:
"According to known historical records, Saint Roland Academy is not only the highest-ranking academy in the Calembert Empire, but also an ancient power favored by the gods, having nurtured several legends and even produced a Divine Emperor."
"The temple you mentioned is the shared heritage site of the three towers in this academy. It contains divine blessings, saintly treasures, and legendary legacies, and it is only opened once every three years during the academy's internal trials."
"Based on past experience, to reach the point where one can receive the blessing and obtain the Unlimited Spell, one must at least rank in the top ten of this elite trial."
"And coincidentally, this week's cycle just happens to coincide with the opportunity to participate in the trial."
Chu Yuanqing already knew how the Countermeasures Bureau was exploiting Saint Roland. They were using a loophole in the Reincarnation system to repeatedly infiltrate other people's academies, take their resources, and support their own people.
This tactic of using someone else's resources to generate wealth is indeed very effective.
So, where does Xiaoyu rank in the trials?
Astrid walked into the school with an air of nonchalance, ignoring the students who greeted her and addressed her respectfully as "teacher," and continued:
"We outsiders who enter this ideal world through the main gate will be assigned appropriate identities and integrated into this world."
"I'm a professor at the Saint Roland Academy, and I have three trial slots under my supervision. Not only can I be a traitorous parasite, but I can also go to the library to move materials, which is quite convenient."
"By the way, the Captain-Class assessment has three chances. By utilizing the information gap and the save/load cheat for starting over, the difficulty isn't actually that hellish."
As Chu Yuanqing listened, she also noticed the changes in her clothes. Like Astrid, she had also changed her clothes, but unlike the professor's casual style, she wore a suit jacket with a short skirt, which perfectly highlighted her identity as a student.
The Pure White Witch reached out and picked up the black stockings on her thigh. She pursed her lips, wanting nothing more than to find a place to take them off immediately and put on her bare legs for a more refreshing and comfortable feeling.
But because of the important matter at hand,
The girl ignored this oddity and pointed out the key issue:
"I understand the general situation, but there are two issues that haven't been resolved."
"First, it's a matter of time."
"Secondly, no matter how large the academy is, it will be difficult to accommodate more than three thousand new students at once. It is unrealistic to rely solely on the faculty of the Saint Roland Academy."
Astrid said frankly:
Both of these problems can be solved with the same method.
"That is, to let the Historical Echo finish their narration and to fully revitalize the entire ideal state."
"In this way, the time difference between the ideal world and the real world could reach 6 to 1, or even 10 to 1, which would allow them to undergo a complete transformation before the next stage of <Flashdance>."
Chu Yuanqing was not surprised; she simply analyzed the situation rationally:
"There are advantages and disadvantages. If the entire ideal state, or even the entire civilization in which it exists, is revitalized, then undoubtedly more precious knowledge can be acquired."
"But you should know that the Historical Echo arise precisely because this civilization has met with defeat."
"Those Disaster Tide and crises that erupt randomly around the world, if they were to recur, could easily affect those children."
Astrid smiled and said:
"Don't worry, the Utopia is a gift from the planet to humanity. This Historical Echo cannot truly harm us. If you die there, you will simply be ejected from the Sea of Stars and returned to your original place."
Chu Yuanqing nodded in agreement.
"Since we won't actually die, the scale, intensity, and even the objectives of the trial can be increased. We can also adopt a rotation system, taking turns having the active [Witch] come to train."
"If someone can survive in such an environment and witness the final echoes of Historical Echo, even a deserter will undergo a tremendous transformation and growth."
This statement resonated deeply with her.
After all, taking advantage of the time difference in the Gap World to sneak away was a good habit she developed during her first playthrough.
Astrid continued recounting the remaining information, leading Chu Yuanqing back to the faculty dormitory. Along the way, they attracted the attention of most passersby and were even approached by several people.
If it weren't for his rather intimidating professorial status, this number would probably be ten times higher.
Of course, most of the people there are there for the Pure White Witch; there are men and women, and quite a few of the classic sons of the powerful and wealthy.